Emperor Cookbook IV: Suryavarman II

[KingMorgan]

Overall the standard is very high, all saves would play on well.

Chrom - A for effort, but this map cries out for GLH, interesting choice in rasing.
Gumbolt - Lack of CS scares me, not sure i'd run Paf/Cast but would be interesting to play
Platfuss - Good, possiblity of AP win next round
Ipex - Lots of early techs, but im thinking beelining is important. Serious lack of workers.
RJM - potenial here for an early win. the Gilga/Suli island looks scary, could be big problems later. Has giggles settled your island?
MKlD- Not enough cities /need GLH
Pnax - Not enough cities / need GLH
Flem - Good, bonus for the exploration.


1st Platfuss
2nd Flem
3rd Gumbolt

 

[ChromiumL]

Chrom - A for effort, but this map cries out for GLH, interesting choice in rasing.

I know... But after that one game I just felt like the GLH was sorta cheap. I wish it were just a little less powerful so I don't feel like I am cheating when I use it.

 

[KingMorgan]

I know... But after that one game I just felt like the GLH was sorta cheap. I wish it were just a little less powerful so I don't feel like I am cheating when I use it.

I use to feel exactly the same, but it's the way to go on these types of map.

 

[Gumbolt]

Gumbolt - Lack of CS scares me, not sure i'd run Paf/Cast but would be interesting to play

I think getting compass and trade routes of 3 per city would add more value. Not sure if compass or MC does that. Civil service will add about 6 gold and 6 production. Macemen are a while away as the Ai does not have MC and only one has CS. I think I may have one more Ai to meet from the other saves.

 

[ChrisShaffer]

I played about half of the round, and went the sailing -> alphabet route - only to find that most of the AI already had alphabet, including gigli.

 

[IPEX-731BA5DD06]

@ KingMorgan

Spoiler :

I take serious offense at the lack of workers claim, I've got 9 workers the most of all. I just have them grouped together, for quicker production. I just had to say is all.

@ all, 1 or 2 very well teched saves, missing Metal casting for forges and production, civics I didn't check for Mon and religion for 25% bonus with forges 25%, Sustainable research rates, not faked rates with Wealth/science production is important.

AI's seem very slow, ability to build Universities and grab higher tech from liberalism more important.

Music and Sistine Chapel for Cultural victory with 4 religions Great save.

Will look at again, and make notes.

Note, some with only 3/4 workers, have serious lack of workers.

1 or 2 really stood out from a quick check i did, very impressed with Sustainable research and tech researched.

Criteria I'll use, MY OWN OPINION. Sustainable research rates, Tech, cities settled, 2nd continent foot hold (VERY IMPORTANT), settling cities, development.

Seems like an easy win form here, choose space, culture, domination/conquest or Diplomatic. I'd like a bit more reasoning behind moves/motives.

I don't like cottages, don't use them much, so would like some more insight into that aspect.

 

[IPEX-731BA5DD06]

With no Malice of Favour, KingMorgan, I just had to say end of it now.

Chronium:- 6 cities, 4 religions, tech lead 50% sustainable, Aesthetics monopoly, set up for Cultural win.

KingMorgan:- 8 cities 60% sustainable tech rate, wonders built, -ve only Confusscion.

Platfuss:- Traded with Gilly Exclusively, -ve, 4 workers (blame KingMorgan for that)

Spoiler :

Ha ha KingMorgan,

Confusscion only -ve, sustainable tech rate.

RJM:- Great Expansion , got copper 9 cities (No 2) Good tech, Great Library, No courthouses, no spy points -ve

Gumbolt:- 10 cities good tech lead, No forges -ve, Confusscion -ve, 50% sustainable, NO FOOTHOLD -ve

Layla:- No foodhold, 6 cities, tech rate not sustainable, artificial.

Pnaxighn:- No ALPHABET??, 40% sustainable, no forges 4 workers


Votes:
1st Chronium I'd like to try a cultural win, Aesthetics Monopoly with Music 4 Religions. Best save to Try Cultural win from. No 1 choice for THAT REASON.
2nd RJM Great Expansion , got copper, 9 cities, in Jewish Cabal, No wonders 4 workers, Great challenging learning save.
3rd King Morgan 8 cities, 60% sustainable, wonders, Confusscion only real negative. Not as challenging/learning a save. Great save none the less.

 

[RJM]

Fleme: Lots of cities and great exploration, but techs and research rate ave suffered,
pnaxighn: Great exploration but not yet exploited and the war with Ragnar could be inconvenient
MkLh: Good tech rate, but I don't like the choice of city for the Great Library.
Gumbolt: Lots of cities and score leader, but a bit behind on techs (particularly CS)
Ipex: Reasonable expansion, but very low tech rate.
Platfuss: Good tech rate, GLH and AP, but missed the Great Library
Morgan: Good tech rate, GLH and GL, but shame there's no Judaism
Chromium: GL and Parthenun but needs to expand

My votes:

#1 Platfuss
#2 MkLh
#3 Morgan

 

[KingMorgan]

Ibex, 9 workers, what they been doing? Sleeping? Sorry didn't look closely enough, i may even have been thinking of another save. I do like your save, if we are heading for a good learning experience then we should play from your save, as it is a solild effort that can be leveraged for any victory.

Overall, all saves are good, so please take my comments with a pince of salt.

 

[assass1n]

Can I join ?

 

[RJM]

Can I join ?

Open to everyone!

When we've finished the voting, just download the winner and play. But you may find it useful to pick up the previous winner and play some turns on that to get a feel for the position.

RJM

 

[plattfuss]

my thoughts and votes, damn this is really work!

- JFleme: good expansion, good city placement, met only 3 AIs, still decent tech position, demographics good, rel. techs and positiv effects missing (OR)
- Pnaxighn: good exploration and AIs met, but problems in research without alpha and tech trading
- MkLh: good on exploration, AIs met, research and demographics, very dependent on capital tho and GLH missing
- Gumbold: good expansion, cities not always build on best spots tho (some do not have enough food for growth), plus for wonders and good position vs. AIs, demographics good
- RJM: excellent research result tho your demographics on GNP are a bit low having missed the GLH (maybe can you explain how you achieved that good tech trades? I would like to learn ), good exploration, Judaism as state religion cant hurt, western island settled
- Ipex: good exploration, excellent and leading production, bit slow on research tho
- KingMorgan: excellent research with GLH and GLib, expansion started but could be a bit better
- Chromium: good tech position, settled western island, expansion + demo could be a bit better, GLH missing

since - apart from the overall position in the game - I am fan of tech leads
3 points: Morgan
2 points: Gumbold
1 point: JFleme

 

[RJM]

- RJM: excellent research result tho your demographics on GNP are a bit low having missed the GLH (maybe can you explain how you achieved that good tech trades? I would like to learn ), good exploration, Judaism as state religion cant hurt, western island settled

There is a large slice of luck - Judaism appearing. This gave me a relationship bonus with most of the other players. I've replayed the position a few times since and building a city somewhere off our original island seems to make it more likely that Judaism will spread. My play style is to open borders with everyone (because of the trade route benefit). When trading techs, I try to trade with the opponent who is behind me in technology.

As far as the GLH is concerned, I didn't go for it because I didn't realise it was still getable. In my subsequent replays, I've realised that its relatively easy to get.

RJM

 

[ChromiumL]

Alrighty! Here are my votes and the final tally!

1st - RJM for good tech rates and expansion 'without' the GLH
2nd - JFleme for good expansion to islands and foothold on continent... poor exploration though...
3rd - KingMorgan for all of the above. This save is only 3rd because I think it is probably 'too' strong. But, not as overpowered as Plattfuss's save!

So, that brings the final total to:

9 votes for King Morgan
8 votes for Plattfuss
5 votes for JFleme
5 votes for RJM
3 votes for Gumbolt
3 votes for MkLh
3 votes for Chromium

So, congratulations King Morgan! You are the winner this round! We will continue playing from his save. The next round will run though 1100 AD and will end on Wednesday the 18th.

I am really interested to start seeing where people take this for victory. I am sorta thinking that right now any sort of conquest type strat will have to wait until later in the game (with cannons) at the very earliest. I think I am going to shadow with my save from this round to see how quickly I can get a cultural victory .

 

[plattfuss]

There is a large slice of luck - Judaism appearing. This gave me a relationship bonus with most of the other players. I've replayed the position a few times since and building a city somewhere off our original island seems to make it more likely that Judaism will spread. My play style is to open borders with everyone (because of the trade route benefit). When trading techs, I try to trade with the opponent who is behind me in technology.

As far as the GLH is concerned, I didn't go for it because I didn't realise it was still getable. In my subsequent replays, I've realised that its relatively easy to get.

RJM

I thought it would be nice to switch to Judaism and what you tried makes me even more believe this way. Judaism would also have had the advantage to enable war with one of the other Judaism AIs without having the pack against you right away. Thanks for the info.

 

[Gumbolt]

Gumbolt: Lots of cities and score leader, but a bit behind on techs (particularly CS)

I was well ahead of the Ai in terms of techs. I just didnt trade away all my techs to the AI. Probably why I was ahead on the power graph in terms of points. I was also set to get 4 out of the 7 religions too if i got DR. Anyway!!

Its doubtful I will have a phoneline by Wednesday at home so I am out of the next round. Unless I can post my round.

I might play on my save to the next round as a shadow. Not sure I have Kingmorgan save at home.

 

[KingMorgan]

I may follow the trend here and play platfusss save for an AP win. I started it last week but still need Judism to spread to the barb city i captured on Gilgas conti to the NW.

I imagine on my save, it will be possible for Steel with Lib, then Grend and cannons to the end.

 

[KingMorgan]

To 1100AD

Spoiler :

As a longer term plan i head to Economics for the GM for a later sushi. Such a tech lead so not yet got Lib. could be 50/50 for steel, would have to trade for Eng, can't remember if a GS bulbs Chem or Astro first. Easy if it's Chem. One Uni needed to unlock Oxford. I also spy some offshore stone.

Empire

Techs

Cities

Capital

View attachment EC-Morgan AD-1100.CivBeyondSwordSave

 

[RJM]

Spoiler :

With a GS due, I switched to researching philosophy and light bulbed education. I continued teching towards liberalism, stopping when I was one turn away. No other civ has yet discovered philosophy, so AFAIK, the free tech can be picked up at any time. I then researched to economics, and chose to settle my great merchant. The switch to free markets is available - I would make the switch, but I haven't done so. This is partly to leave the option open, but also to avoid trying to compare a save in anarchy.

I decided to build the Uni of Sankore and when this was complete, I switched to Confusionism (and pacifism). I would have preferred Judaism, but no jewish missionaries came my way. I'm not sure whether the benefits overcome the relationship hit with the other civs. Ragnar built a hindu apostolic palace, so I wouldn't have minded a hindu missionary, but no luck there either.

Building Sankore delayed my final uni and therefore no Oxford yet which is a real downer for this save.

I had a small war with Suleiman who decided to throw away half a dozen units. I eventually paid 100 for peace.

IMO this save is pretty blah. I'm well ahead in technology, but pretty weak militarily. Building a stronger army and navy should be high priority. I would expect to win a space race from this position, but there is a risk of the jewish AIs going for me in a big way. Fortunately they don't have the apostolic palace.

I followed my usual inclination for tech trading and picked up engineering, drama, optics, music, compass, theology, horse riding, construction, monotheism and machinery.

RJM

 

[plattfuss]

Spoiler :

I had a lot of trouble in this section. I switched to Confucianism made a couple of tech trades and tried to grab the AP again. Apart from that I decided to remain peaceful. While that was the plan 3 galleys (from Sully) unloaded cats and swords next to my holy city and captured it next turn (although there were 2 longbows and 2 archers in it ...). At least the city wasnt razed and I could recapture it a couple of turns later. Anyhow, I was stuck in a war and there seemed to be no way to end it. Then HRE joined and the situation got worse. In the end I was able to bribe them with techs and got out of the mess but that cost me some time and shifted the focus away from peaceful expansion. To make things worse Sully became vassal from Gilga. In the end I was still able to build the AP and Univ. of Sankore. So the situation is not that bad anymore. Built the herioc epic and also got my first Great General in cap. A GS and a GA waiting in cap for usage.

Anyhow, it seems to be very risky to take a different religion and the benefits from having a religion seem to be more than outweight by the disadvantages in terms of trade routes, tech trade and production that has to be re-allocated to units production.

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