I had to play this in two parts because it started getting too slow on my laptop. So I had to wait until the weekend to finish. Anyway, I left off starting philosophy in 10 AD. Generated my first scientist in Thebes, and instead of waiting 8 turns to bulb edu, I decided the academy and 45 beakers per turn in Thebes was a good choice. Hoping once I finish National Epic in Thebes, Ill quickly get a GS to finish education.
Meanwhile, Pacal is demanding everything wants me to stop trading with Brennus, my friendly BFF I accept because dont want to war with him yet. He then demands civil service a few turns later, which I reject, and shortly after that, wants me to accept hereditary rule, which I decide to do for 5 turns, even if it costs me a few beakers for 5 turns in Thebes.
I trade CS to Justy for MC and 240 gold useful to race to lib and then decide what tech to shoot for. I get a couple scientists thanks to pacifism and national epic, and bulb part of education and most of liberalism. Check it out 610 AD and Im 1 turn from lib! Thats easily a record for me personally. Time to go for gunpowder Im thinking either lib-nationalism for cuirassiers, or depending on where the other civs are when I hit gunpowder, maybe trying for steel.
Pacal just demanded I go to war with Brennus, and hes so badly beaten down, I agree. He cant harm me and hes nearly dead anyway, unfortunately. JC and Pacal have been beating on him all game. This is where it got too slow for me to bear on my laptop and I gave up, so the rest of this game is on my home computer. Tech situation just before lib:
And now, back to the game on my home computer. I realize the power of a souped up graphics card now that Intel integrated accelerator thing really sucks on my laptop. Teching towards steel while watching to see if anyone gets education. Meanwhile, building lots of elephants to mop up after I get my cannons. I still dont really feel like I have enough cities, but it should be ok once I get cannons my only fear is can I whip/produce enough of them to really devastate my first target. This trade gets me 17 turns from Chem and my lib-steel slingshot.
A great engineers shows up in 805, and I decide to save him for at least a bit. Hell be useful if I try to get Taj, or for another wonder later on. Now that Im close to steel, I have to decide who to go after. I have a natural buffer between me and JC/Justy/Willem in Brennus, so for them to DOW me theyll have to really send their troops a bit further away. Id rather go after one of them first rather than Peter (as Peter is pleased and close to friendly with me), but the proximity of Peter is tempting me to go after him instead. Justy has two holy cities, but I think even though Peter has the most cities and is friendliest with me, I have to go after him first. Hes closest and should be the easiest to destroy. That would then set me up with a ton of land to really overpower everyone else. So Peter it is. Everyone is getting close to gunpowder as Im getting close to chemistry, so speed is key if its going to be cannons against longbows and maces. Pacal hits education as Im 4 turns from chem, but I have to risk it dont see how he can bulb lib. As Im 1 turn from chem., JC declares war on Peter, so that cinches it Ill have to go after Peter hopefully catching him with pants down a bit. Big civics switch coming
And in 990 AD this:
I have the ability to produce cannons before 1000 AD thats a first! And here are some special new civics:
And a trade so I can head to better horsey units.
And now its game on my goal is to try to invade Peter with 8-10 cannons plus the rest of my stack in 10 turns. Thatll mean whipping quite a bit. Going to be producing nothing but military for awhile, as this is the key to really growing my empire over the next 50-75 turns. My only fear is that Justy or JC tries to sneak in and DOW me while Im fighting Peter, but I should be able to whip cannons for that if I have to. Im also beelining rifles, but this is where Im worried about my tech rate, because its starting to slow I hope the cottages Ive laid down in a few places start to pay off. Another scientist pops in Thebes, who I use to bulb part of printing press, since Im headed towards rifles anyway.
Then Willem comes along with this deal I hate to give away gunpowder, but this is a lot of gold, so I decide to take it allows for some nice upgrades in my power stack. And 11 turns after I hit steel, Im ready
I managed to get 14 cannons together thanks to some serious whipping. All about the long run though. First city was easy lost one cannon on 85% odds.
And another city, and then the all important Moscow:
Slow going, but beating up all his cities now. Not sure I want to take capitulation for the motherland unhappiness, so I slowly slog through war with him. JC DOWed him too, and I had to actually bribe JC for peace so he didnt get to the last 2 cities of Peter before I did. It was worth it, because this:
Peter is finished, just as Justy DOWs JC, which is exactly what I want. Wars on the other side of the continent for a few turns will give me a chance to get everything set up for the next invasion likely JC or Justy. Pop a spy in Thebes, which is a good time to go ahead and start this:
In the golden age, I build forbidden palace down in St Pete, one of Peters old cities, and build Ironworks in 1 turn thanks to my engineer in that same city. Now unit production almost everywhere. Only techs left that are important are communism and biology, and then gliding to assembly line for the finishing touches. And since JC hasnt teched replaceable parts or steel, probably a good time to do this:
I DOWed Brennus since he was JCs vassal. Theyre in the middle of their war with Justy, so theyre getting it from both sides. My empire is huge now, and once I hit communism and SP, I think the economy will be in fantastic shape. I first take the two old Peter cities from JC, and then head to the three Brennus cities near me (which are swarmed in Thebes culture anyway). After taking this final Brennus city, I go for peace:
I wanted to do this so I could quickly send my stack at Justy. I want to put a dent in him before he gets rifling, and then can finish everyone off at assembly line. Justy, say hello to my ever growing stack of doom:
Bibracte, who Justy took from Brennus earlier, is quickly taken, and as I suspected:
It is shrined. No more free gold for you Justy. And a few more cities the emancipation penalty is starting to hit home in a few cities, but I figure after I tech artillery I can backtrack to constitution/democracy, or even trade for it. I still have a monopoly on rifling in 1655 AD, so until someone gets that. Im pressing my advantage. And Justy has had enough:
Only a matter of time now too many units and too many cities. Tech is irrelevant I hit artillery first, and start upgrading. Back to JC hoping this will be quick. Rome was easy, and off to the rest of his cities. After two more cities, he capitulates. Now even though Willem is ahead of me in tech, hes about to see a massive stack of doom coming his way. I think Im turning tech off at assembly line no need beyond that with my production power. And Willem, here are all my units arriving at your border:
And Willem allows me to take three cities before giving in:
And it wasnt necessary to finish off Pacal 1762 ends it. Pretty excited my first emperor win. Ill admit the map was tailored for success, but still, nice to get over the hump. Once I got by Peter, this was no different than a monarch game for me just overpower the opponent, but it was definitely tougher getting there. Stats below:
Cannons were the key bulbing with all the scientists and producing cannons before 1000 AD is unheard of for me. I also cant believe I only built 7 libraries thats always the building I build the most of. I tried TMITs speed civving tip this time though, and every captured city went culture until it hit the first pop, then forge, granary, courthouse and barracks, followed by units. Seemed to work pretty well. Even though I was teching slowly at the end, it didnt matter because I had so many units. I really used specialists to vault ahead, but by the end, was relying much more on cottages and state property to fund everything. Fun game nice to have IND and stone with one of the more powerful leaders. Not looking forward to trying Mao on emperor as my next game thatll be much more of a test.