Experiment 626's Solo TDG

[Marsden]

Japan is fun. They aren't good for early growth or quick dates, but they are fun to play. Pangea is good, and usually is better for and early date, but continents are fun too. Samurai are cool. Japan has always been a personal favorite to play, but I don't use them very often anymore because the they don't have attributes that help get good dates for the HoF.

Hair Mestil Plesident!

 

[Experiment 626]

What would be good choices for the 4 (at least) AIs?

 

[AutomatedTeller]

well, if you want a challenging game, just pick 4 random.

If you really want a good score and are looking for, say, a conquest victory - pick 4 civs that don't have an early UU - because an early UU means that when you attack, they will go into a golden age, and that's a pain.

if you want a *really* challenging game... pick 4 civs with early UU's (say, greece, Carthag, Zulu and Sumeria), then wait until everyone is out of despotism to attack

 

[Marsden]

On regent, you should be able to handle any civ, but if you want to spare yourself some headaches, don't take Greece, Rome, or Carthage as opponents. They have the best early defenders.

Also, on the other end of the headache spectrum, is Persia, Ottomans and Iroqouis. They have the best UU attackers. Celts are also a potential on this list as their UU is the same strength but twice as fast.

Finally, other civs that cause headaches not because of UU but because of their danger are Mayan, Sumerian, or almost any agricultural or industrious civ.

You can pick civs that have no UU to speak of, like Portugal. Actually, any seafaring civ on a pangea would be at a disadvantage, some what. England and the Byzantines have ship UUs that are actually decent UUs, but again on a pangea, and especially in the hands of the AI are "mostly harmless."

Are you going for the easiest, and hopefully fastest, best score or are you going for a fun game? These are some guidlines. I have no doubts that you could handle it if you pick four opponents like Maya, Persia, Iroquois and Rome, but do you want it hard or easy?

The game you, idiot! That's it I quit.

 

[Experiment 626]

Now we're cooking with evil gas! (Kids in the Hall reference)

I'll be Japan. The AIs will be Portugal, Ottoman, Iroqouis, and Celts.

Now should I use the same House Rules that I did for this game? (See Post#1), or can you suggest different Rules that'll help me learn some more?

Marsden, are you getting enough oxygen to your brain?

 

[CommandoBob]

Now for some house rules as suggested by denyd, to help me learn.

1. I am not allowed to Research any techs before 1000 BC. This will improve my trading skills.
2. My first 2 builds in the Capital city must be Scouts to practice exploration, contacts, and trading skills.
3. I am not allowed to build any Ancient Age Wonders.
4. I cannot build any Military unit until horsemen and/or swordsmen are available. (Though, there’s a bit of discussion going on between denyd and TruePurple about this).
5. I must always have at least one Worker for each city and I am forbidden from Automating them. They must be used to Irrigate brown, Mine Green, and connect the cities with Roads. Roads = Commerce and Commerce = Gold and Gold = Research, so the more the better.
6. I am to concentrate on expansion, improving my lands and contacting everyone else on my landmass. I am also to use galleys to try to reach other landmasses and meet all of the AIs in the game.
7. I am not allowed to build more than 2 barracks, libraries, harbors or markets. I am forbidden from building temples, colosseums and city walls.
8. I am to try to claim at least 1 Luxury resource, and either Iron or Horses (both would be best) by 1000 B.C.

How do you plan to win? Conquest, Space, UN?

Overall, one worker per city is good (#5). But with only four AI, what good is being stupid until 1000 BC (#1) ?
No AA Wonders, well, I don't build a lot of wonders anyway, so I can't really comment on this one.
I think you should eliminate or revise #7 on the city improvments. Only 2 libraries?

Plan ahead. How many cities do you want to have by 1000 BC?

 

[AutomatedTeller]

Yeah - the house rules were good, but I guess the question is: what do you want to do?

I think maybe dumping 1 is good - figuring out a proper tech path is a pretty important skill, and it depends a fair amount on your start, your opponents and your starting techs. Japan has a large advantage here, as they are the only civ to start with the Wheel, and it's not that big a priority for the other civs, who usually go after BW and WC first, or beeline up the religious tract to polytheism.

Japan has no scouts, so will have to make do with warriors. Will you have barbs? A game with barbs is really different with a non-expansionist civ - you have to make sure your settlers have escorts, or they get killed easily.

Not automating workers is good, but we should remove the restrictions. There are times when mining plains is a good thing - even times when irrigating grass makes sense, though it's rare!!

 

[Marsden]

It's more important to research and trade, not just one or the other. I say no matter what your intended victory, you should get alphabet from one of the 2 opponents you are having that start with it, then research writing. From there, you have different options as per the situation. But once you get writing, you should be able to trade up to parity right there, although you're not going to want to, because you should get the philosophy free tech first. If you are headed for republic, then you can get code of laws, then philo. then take republic free. If you want to go monarchy, it's a little trickier, but you can research or get mysticism, polytheism and warrior code, then research philo. and take monarchy as your free tech. Don't worry about getting things like BW or IW right away, after you do the above you can trade for everything the AI have and then some. What is important through all of this is getting those early contacts. You can see horses immediately, so you can build chariots. They aren't very good for much, but they certainly can scout out contacts for you. I suggest a 70% or 80% water pangea. This should allow you to kill everyone without sailing around the world to find them.

 

[gmaharriet]

I haven't posted on this thread before, but I did read it all the way through 2 or 3 weeks ago. Good game!

You can see horses immediately, so you can build chariots.

You might want to make your world 5 billion years old. Your chariots won't be any use if you find a barrier of mountains, jungles or swamps that wheeled vehicles cannot cross.

Good luck on your new game. I'll be following along as you play this time. You now have a new fan.

 

[Experiment 626]

Originally posted by CommandoBob:

How do you plan to win? Conquest, Space, UN?

I'm going for a Conquest Victory this time.

I think you should eliminate or revise #7 on the city improvments. Only 2 libraries?

I'll eliminate #1, and hopefully formulate an appropriate tech path for a Monarchy slingshot (Be the first to Philosophy, and pick Monarchy as my freebie). I won't build any AA Wonders, but I will build a few Temples, so I don't fall way behind in Culture like I did in this game.

Plan ahead. How many cities do you want to have by 1000 BC?

If possible, I'd like to have at least 10 (hopefully more) cities by that date.


Originally posted by AutomatedTeller:

Will you have barbs?

Now that's an interesting question! Barbs are a complete pain, but if I turn them off, the goody huts are gone as well. I'll have to give that some thought. Anybody got any thoughts on this issue?


@Marsden:

Those are good points that you raise. I'll give it some thought.


@gmaharriet:

Welcome to our ever-so-slightly dysfunctional family, gmaharriet. Wow, if you read every word of the Journal Entries (esp. the first ones), you are a very patient person. Thanks for your input about the next game. I'll keep those points in mind.

 

[Marsden]

What'dya mean dysfunctional!?! *reaches over and slaps E626 in the back of the head*

 

[Norton II]

I started reading this a few weeks back (even before I registered), and I've definitely enjoyed it! Especially the Blazing Saddles scenes; I hope you include something like that in the next one.

As for the barbs, leaving them on might actually help a bit. Since you're militaristic, you shouldn't have much trouble getting a few early elites. Also, I've gotten away with leaving settlers unescorted with roaming barbs; instead, you can just send some units (preferably archers or chariots) a few tiles ahead to look for camps. Admittedly, it's a little risky (losing a settler can definitely hurt), but the chance of faster expansion may be worth the risk.

Anyway, I look forward to the start of your next game, and to seeing a lot of orange tiles in your current game.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

I would leave barbs on. Norton has very good points about creating elites - also, barbs cause problems for the AI, as well

You could just use sedentary, which leave the huts without the camps, but I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[CommandoBob]

A conquest victory and you are worried about the barbs?

 

[Marsden]

CommandoBob puts it very well.

On regent, you get a 50% bonus against the barbarians. As long as you keep a chariot or horseman in the area, you should be able to protect yourself. You will get more promotions being militaristic and although you can get a leader from them you can get the elites need to get the leaders.

Also, as gmaharriet pointed out, chariots, as wells as catapults, trebuchets and cannons, are wheeled units, which cannot enter mountains swamp or jungle without roads.
Thank you gma, sometimes I forget details like that.

 

[gmaharriet]

It took me over a year to figure out why anyone would want barbs above sedentary in their games. Others have already made the point about promotions, but an additional benefit is hunting down barb camps for the 25gp to finance your research. Now I usually play with them at Roaming.

It also gives me the incentive to build up my military a bit earlier when I'd rather be erecting improvements...I'm a builder at heart.

 

[D'Artagnan59]

I shall join the "dysfunctional" family.

 

[Eltrai]

So Mr. Prez any idea on the new start date?

 

[Marsden]

And I can be the weird uncle that no one wants around, but they have to invite for Thanksgiving anyway.

 

[Experiment 626]

Originally posted by Marsden:

What'dya mean dysfunctional!?! *reaches over and slaps E626 in the back of the head*

*slaps own forehead repeatedly with alternating hands* OH! A wise guy, eh? N'yuk, N'yuk, N'yuk! Pull my finger!


Originally posted by Norton II:

I started reading this a few weeks back (even before I registered), and I've definitely enjoyed it! Especially the Blazing Saddles scenes; I hope you include something like that in the next one.

I'll try, but I think that I used up all Mel Brooks' movies, though I did just recently purchase the DVD of the classic 'SPACEBALLS!', so we'll see.

Anyway, I look forward to the start of your next game, and to seeing a lot of orange tiles in your current game.

I assume that orange is Japan's secondary color? I've tried a few practice runs with Japan, and the team color is always dark green.

Welcome to the Funny Farm, Norton II!


Originally posted by D'Artagnan59:

I shall join the "dysfunctional" family.

Be sure to let the orderlies know which 'meds' that you need.

Welcome to the Looney Bin, D'Artagnan59.


Originally posted by Eltrai:

So Mr. Prez any idea on the new start date?

Not yet, but soonish. I have a question for the braintrust around here. Let's say that I start the game, and begin exploring. Should I attack an AI Civ as soon as I contact them, or wait until after I milk all of the tech out of them that I can first?


Originally posted by Marsden:

And I can be the weird uncle that no one wants around, but they have to invite for Thanksgiving anyway.

Hey! I resemble that remark!