Emperor Cookbook Shaka

[cabert]

@huerfanista, good idea to try again.

@pawelo,

Spoiler :

I left gilga alive purposely.
That decision can be discussed, but it's not an obvious problem.
There are good things and bad things on his being alive.

@ gumbolt, I agree that being able to salvage a crippled economy is a required skill at all higher levels.

 

[warmonger]

Hi Guys. Mind if I join the party.

I played the starting position through to 1500 BC but was too late to post it for the discussion. I grabbed the preferred save and played through to 400 AD. Normally a Prince / Monarch player and looking to move up to Emperor. As the name suggests, I can only win by conquest or domination - six years of CIV III and IV and I have never won by cultural, diplo, or space; never seen seen a city I haven't wanted to take over.

 

[kossin]

You're welcome to join at any time you'd like. The goal is to learn so keeping players away would be .
Just write a short report and upload your save/screenshots. It's the best way to get advice from other players.

 

[Nares]

It's the best way to get advice from other players.

Just copy someone else's approach/strategy, and claim it as your own. Seems to work for some people here.

Well, I'm counting on you emperor warmongers to show me how to win this.

I noticed.

Don't worry, no one will notice that you copied.

 

[warmonger]

Spoiler :

First time for me in one of these threads so go easy on me please.

Grabbed the preferred saved and had a look around.

Did some micro management to get as much gold as possible, finished writing and whipped libraries everywhere. Chose not to settle the lone settler in the East as I thought we couldn't afford it.

After libraries, every city cranked out axeman with the occasional impi. 80% of axe got CR1 (+CR2 after GG settled in capital), rest got cover.

the warrior and the impi wandering around in Giglamresh's land kept pillaging and picking off exposed archers.

Workers built roads to ease the marching and then built cottages everywhere, even on the grapes.

After writing, went fishing / sailing / alphabet. Now working on Monarchy for HR and winery. Tech was able to stay 20 to 30% most of the time thanks to the pillaging and razing. Ran out of cash as the final assault began.

Assembled 8 axes on my border and marched them off to war. Moved most of the fog busting warriors back to our borders to save cash. Got close to Uruk and found Giggles SoD of 4 archers on the green pastures just NW of the cows. They died without loss but we had to retreat to neutral territory to heal. All promotions gained were CR except one medic. Onward once more!

Uruk was guarded by 8 to 10 Archers which my 8 axe wouldn't survive. But the plan was always to go after the copper city first. Putting the wandering pillaging warrior on the forested hill west of the grapes gave a view of the garrison which was never more than 3 and usually only one. Baiting with a captured worker could easily draw out an undefended archer that the Impi could easily deal with.

8 axes took this city with 5 surviving. Holding this city have been expensive so it was razed. Second stack of 8 axes entered enemy territory. Uruk still heavily defended - I was assuming 3 axes per archer on this hill so my 13 weren't enough.

2nd Army marched on Kish and waited for the 1st army to heal and join them. Wasted many turns here with Giggles sending small stacks of archers to see what I was up to. I was trying to get them out of the forest so I could kill them but wasn't very successful. Finally took Kish losing the first wave and taking on the second. Kept the city as a refuge.

Left the wounded to heal and then went after the small city on the hill to the south. Captured a few workers along the way, baited a couple of archers out into the open with them and took the city fairly easily. Decided it was useless and razed.

Back to Kish to heal. 3rd army of axes arrives outside Uruk. Still not enough. Look around for the remaining city that is hidden in fog - find it on coast. Giggles tries to reinforce it from Uruk. 3rd Army would be able to take the city with only 2 defenders but not with the additional three on their way. Retreat to think. Reinforcement archers return to Uruk. Have to make them stay there - so move 1st and 2nd combined army towards the Capital. Giggles feels threatened and declines to send reinforcements as third army approaches small city. It falls with minimal fuss and is razed.

4th army arrives. Still 10+ arches in capital and outcome not at all certain. Withdraw and use worker bait to kill 5 archers in the open and ran out of workers. Giggles had been sending out a heavily guarded settler for the copper but would return home on seeing the first and second army camped in the forest. Moved most of that group around the north side of Uruk so as not to interfere with the worker bait on the wheat field and left 2 axes a little further back to allow the settler through.

Finally Uruk has only 6 archers left at home and I attack as the money runs out and the strikes begin. First two waves fall to the defenders - one lucky hit with CO of about 12% and one defender holds off 2 without a scratch. Finally, it ours. I love war.

According to the stats screen, we built 35 axes (plus 1 after the war), lost 20 whilst we killed 40 archers - not bad against a protective civ on a hill.

Set about trying to fix the economy. I want to get IW next and go get KK. His power rating is only double ours - nothing that a couple of dozen swords won't fix.

Somewhere in all this met HRE; didn't trade much (anything? don't remember)

Great game so far - I need to learn how to use the specialists better. After whipping all those libraries, I hardly used any scientists as I need the cottages to be worked to fund the army.

 

[cabert]

Not many saves yet, so I took at quick glance at those available.
I find it quite strange that many (that means more than 1 ) didn't farm south of our copper city.
It's so low on food, there is no way to it grow without a farm...

this being excepted, I think we have an illustration of the strength of currency in this round...

 

[huerfanista]

Not many saves yet, so I took at quick glance at those available.
I find it quite strange that many (that means more than 1 ) didn't farm south of our copper city.
It's so low on food, there is no way to it grow without a farm...

Spoiler :

Yes, working the farm to size 2 and then the 2 grass hill mines would be better than stagnating at 1 pop on the copper. With a LH and moai it can become a decent city. I'd have given anything for uMgungundlovu to be 1N, though.

 

[huerfanista]

Just copy someone else's approach/strategy, and claim it as your own. Seems to work for some people here.

I noticed.

Don't worry, no one will notice that you copied.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. I didn't claim anything as my own; in fact, just the opposite:

After studying some of the other saves, I decided to replay this round to see whether i actually learned anything.

 

[warmonger]

I can't believe how far down the tech path and the number of cities some of you guys managed to get going in round two. So much to learn........

 

[Gumbolt]

I can't believe how far down the tech path and the number of cities some of you guys managed to get going in round two. So much to learn........

I wouldnt feel hard done by. The 1500bc save was hardly designed for an early rush. Normally you would only build a 2nd or 3rd city before attemtping a rush. Although this game I think has been designed to challenge us a bit more than the last cookbook.

I think this round will challenge new players to Emp level on how to manage a crashed economy. I would actually find it better to continue a save that perhaps wasnt overly walking away with the game. That being said I dont know what challenges on the other continent we face.


@ Cabert

Spoiler :

Its an interesting strategy to leave Gilga in the game. Plus side is he may block HRG or KK. Downside is he is creative and may vassel to KK or HRG.

 

[pawelo]

That being said I dont know what challenges on the other continent we face.

Spoiler :

Challanges there will be - just take a look on things FIDL or BIDL - I saw Christ around 1000 BC and think having already seen Tao near 1AD.
My bet would be : Mansa, Hannibal, Zara & Gandhi (or Asoka)

 

[Gumbolt]

Spoiler :

Challanges there will be - just take a look on things FIDL or BIDL - I saw Christ around 1000 BC and think having already seen Tao near 1AD.
My bet would be : Mansa, Hannibal, Zara & Gandhi (or Asoka)

Spoiler :

I was able to bulb Taoism around 400ad. So i dont think they are that far ahead. I dont think they will be walking away with it. I wonder if Soirana has created a larger Ai mass for an Ai to build 10+ cities. We will see.

 

[kossin]

Spoiler :

I was able to bulb Taoism around 400ad. So i dont think they are that far ahead. I dont think they will be walking away with it. I wonder if Soirana has created a larger Ai mass for an Ai to build 10+ cities. We will see.

Spoiler :

Looking at my save, the GNP is way ahead of the second in line. Granted it can't be sustained and cities are building wealth in a lot of places but then again the new Capital comes in next turn and it is most likely possible to take a lot more cities, including the GLH for an even better GNP. I'm really not too worried about the other continent at this moment. 400AD and Taoism isn't founded yet for my save.

 

[Gumbolt]

Spoiler :

Looking at my save, the GNP is way ahead of the second in line. Granted it can't be sustained and cities are building wealth in a lot of places but then again the new Capital comes in next turn and it is most likely possible to take a lot more cities, including the GLH for an even better GNP. I'm really not too worried about the other continent at this moment. 400AD and Taoism isn't founded yet for my save.

Spoiler :

Well with court houses built you probably didnt have much more than units to build. The challenge on this save was to stop the imp AI taking over the land. The AI seems to rex untill it dies at times.

I am out tomorrow after work so closing the round would be an issue till Saturday. What the opinion on this round. Does anyone need more time? We could close up and vote in 6 hours time? Dont be afraid to post a save even if you dont think it will win the round. You learn nothing by not posting rounds.

 

[Soirana]

Spoiler :

My bet would be : Mansa, Hannibal, Zara & Gandhi (or Asoka)

might be. migh be not

 

[huerfanista]

I am out tomorrow after work so closing the round would be an issue till Saturday. What the opinion on this round. Does anyone need more time? We could close up and vote in 6 hours time? Dont be afraid to post a save even if you dont think it will win the round. You learn nothing by not posting rounds.

I'm ready to vote.

 

[Gumbolt]

I would be happy to vote. I suspect one save will walk away with this round anyway.

Lets give it till midnight and if no one posts an interest I will close up the round. Its a shame more people have not played the round really given number that played the first round.

 

[pawelo]

I suspect one save will walk away with this round anyway.

AFAIK, I'm rather face-the-challange-yourself type of guy and though I recognize the superiority of one's game, I'll vote for more challenging situations

 

[Gumbolt]

AFAIK, I'm rather face-the-challange-yourself type of guy and though I recognize the superiority of one's game, I'll vote for more challenging situations

Well we'll see how voting goes in a few hours. It would be more interesting to play from a more challenging save. That being said we dont want to spend the next 3 rounds taking out a certain neighbour again and again.

 

[kossin]

I kinda suspect people don't want to play a second round with a crashed economy though

From the first post:

If there is any player who is strong at Emperor+ level, it would be great to have you post your saves to show us how it's done. However, I request that any of you who realize your round was far superior remove your save from the voting. This rule is intended to ensure that the game doesn't get into a overly strong winning position after only a few rounds (because what fun is that? ).
As I'm starting to feel a bit more confident on Immortal, I could remove my save from the voting round if people feel there will not be much to learn going from it.