Ethiopia HG, found a religion, HOW?

[Dnomal]

I was playing BTS yesturday, looking forward to trying out a new African civ, hoped to get to a historical victory, but then the first goal is to found a religion.

I did try, thre reloads, researching theology 100% an assigning gold tiles insated of production, how are you supposed to reach it? In most respawns the irritating Romans have already founded it before you even spawn, reaching Divine Right is damn near impossible before the arrival of the Arbs. How can you found a religion in such conditions?

I'm hardly a grand player, but i did manage to win as the Maya, and teh Turks/Arabs before BTS, surely this historical goal is unrealistic????

 

[Edungeon]

I think that the best way probably is using a Great Person, like the games with India.

 

[Corm]

Yeah, id say a GP rush to get theology. You should only need 1 GP for it. 2 for Divine Right.

Get those temples built with whipping and you should be able to get the first one out relatively quickly.

 

[Dnomal]

Religion takes ages to spread to Ethiopia, it's so out of the way, and Egypt usually ends up hating Ethiopia because it's so close so open borders and getting a religion is very hard....

I might have another go at it though..

 

[Corm]

Bribe them happy right from the word go. Give them maps, resources you arent using (even if its only for the min number of turns) whatever it takes within reason. Either that or rush out a scout to India or somewhere that has a trading coast with you, Persia perhaps it'ss closer and may have founded a coastal.

Just suggestions mind you my copy never arrived this morning so I cant try it yet. Boo!

 

[Dnomal]

I might try that, but I;m sooo tempted to play as another civ early, and wipe out Rome to prevent it from discovering theology later on.

 

[Kalimakhus]

Better, play Rome first, don't research theology, or even the prereqs.

 

[Phallus]

India founded Christianity two turns after I spawned as Ethiopia. I hope it doesn't happen again because the worldbuilder takes a long time to load.

 

[Corm]

Ok I got BTS today so naturally the first thing I done was load up Rhye's...

I played Maya first and failed the UHV but you dont want to hear about that.

I play on Monarch.

On my first try as Ethiopia I founded Aksum and sent my other settler down to found a city on top of the horses on the coast. Egypt had founded the city of Men next to Aksum. It flipped when my borders expanded gifting me an extra 2 workers an axeman and a war chariot. Nice. I started researching Theology right away. 40 odd turns, not good. On turn 3 Judaisim spread to Aksum. Sweet I can build my temple and GP rush Theology thinks I. Except the city grows so slowly I didnt have enough pop to whip up my temple fast enough. Or at least based on whats in this thread I figured that would be the case. So I think hrmm Egypt is above me and I can just see Stone Henge peeking out of the fog of war. The henge means GP's so ill be having that then. I sent my starting swordman, axeman and archer (leaving my capital undefended) to Men, picked up the War Chariot and Axeman there (leaving Men undefended) and headed off to Egypt's capital. A few turns later it was mine. Pop of 5 at the time which was nice. It allready had a temple so I boosted up the priests and prayed I would win the race to pop one and found Theology. Which I did. In fudgingg Niwt-rst!!! About 10 turns later Carthage waltzed in and conquered it before turning on the City of Men...which pretty much signalled my end, I quit.

Now I reckon getting Theology that time was luck and nothing more than luck because although I had an idea on what to do before I had BtS it clearly wont work that easily having seen Ethiopias start.

Based on my first game which ill stress again was LUCKY I think conquering Egypt to get the GP's to get Theology or Islam first is a must.

So far anyway ill give it another few shots over this week if I can and see how it goes.

 

[Corm]

So I reloaded at turn 0 and tried again. This time I wasnt successful in getting Theology as I got hit by plague and couldn't rush GP's. I did find out that Jerusalem was destroyed which may have been why Christianity didn't pop at turn 124/125 as normal. Which something else to ponder on. I got humped by camel archers before I could even attempt a GP rush for Divine Right.

 

[scu98rkr]

Yeah I played a game and egypt was really strong was nice because they were good terms with me but no chance of getting a religion.

 

[Corm]

I tried a few times again last night with several different starts. I haven't been able to repeat getting Theology so I think it was an aberration based on the specific circumstances in that game alone.

I have been aiming for Divine Right instead as I think that's the target (despite Ethiopia historically being the first ever Christian Nation) that's more likely to be achievable. I haven't been able to get it though. Arabia spawns before I can churn out a 2nd GP and sometimes I haven't even finished Theology depending on the game.

Meh! Another difficult one to add to the Inca, Mongolia pile.

 

[Whitefire]

Have you tried taking an Egyptian city with Religion yet?

 

[Corm]

Oh for the love of...no...

*bangs head off desk*

I'll get right on it.

 

[Whitefire]

I'd post my strategy guide, but this is too much fun to watch ^_^.

 

[biggamer132]

I'd post my strategy guide, but this is too much fun to watch ^_^.

You're a cruel man, White, a cruel man indeed.

 

[vra379971]

I often find the BEST way to deal with a situation like this that mimics history, is to do the same.

I won't go into it in detail here (there's good books for that, try searching for Piye) but here's the thing about Egypt...(From Wiki)

As the next ruler of Nubia, Piye took advantage of the squabbling of Egypt's rulers by expanding Nubia's power beyond Thebes into central Egypt. In reaction against the growing Kuhorsehockye influence in Upper Egypt, Tefnakht of Sais formed a coalition between the local kings of the Delta Region and enticed Piye's nominal ally—king Nimlot of Hermopolis—to defect to his side. Tefnakht then sent his coalition army south and besieged Herakleopolis where its king Peftjaubast and the local Nubian commanders appealed to Piye for help. Piye reacted quickly to this crisis in his Year 20 by assembling an army to invade Middle and Lower Egypt and visited Thebes in time for the great Opet Festival which proves he effectively controlled Upper Egypt by this time.

Piye and the Nubians firmly believed themselves and Egypt were the great defenders of Ma'at - a hard word to translate, basically meanign the harmony of everything. So, when Egypt was unable to be strong and defend ma'at as they should, Piye did what he thought had to be done. What this all boils down to is taking Egypt when its weak, and then hanging on for dear life with defensive tactics and the odd daring sortie, as the Nubians did.

 

[Whitefire]

You're a cruel man, White, a cruel man indeed.

I've actually written a guide for each of the 5 civs. I'm just letting people have fun before I explain the "secrets".

 

[Corm]

*grumbles* Evil Whitefire, evil!!!

Ethiopia is the only one of the new lot that I cant do (Portugal and Khmer I only just managed).

I took 2 goes to complete the Mayans and Khmer. Portugal and The Netherlands were relativley speaking easy. The Mayans are easy too I only failed the first time by not paying attention to the UHV goals properly.

Ethiopia though...I have tried just about everything I can think of now, attempting to rush GP's in various ways, attempting conquest of the Nile and into the Holy lands (using mercs, which is expensive but gives a fast moving powerfull force), even sitting back building up and doing hee haw and can I complete the goal to found a religon? Nope I cant!

*sulks*

 

[Whitefire]

It's been released a whole 2 days, I can't be giving up all of the secrets. Oh yeah, how did you like the Khmer one, did it make you think for awhile?