Because of Az's problems loading some SAV files we swapped places and I played in the years 800-1100 AD. Here is a rundown of events during this period:
The days of Viking 3 were characterized by increasing prosperity, especially during the last several years.
800 (0): Viking 3's first job is to take a thorough look at the empire by travelling around. Due to primitive technology this took 20 years, from 800 to 820 AD. He is reasonably happy with the empire, except that he wants a far more aggressive foreign policy. So he immediately contacts the Romans and demands that they give him all of their $$ "because we've been doing all of the science for you". He gets 300 gold and now we are rich - rich, rich, rich ! We have a record 354 gold now. Persians refuse to talk and it's time to prepare their destruction - Persepolis is in the way of a planned highway to the Roman (to be civfanatic) empire. Following this all cities were checked and their use of resources optimized. This improves taxes from 18/11 to 20/11 and science from 20 to 18 turns. Disband a chariot in Susa (there were 3 of them there), they've become obsolete. Switch from settlers (Susa is already supporting one) to barracks and rush buy for 28 gold. Start moving crusaders from Elvis P and Cornmaster towards Susa/Persepolis. BTW the civfanatic high council is unhappy except for the foreign minister.
And so times of prosperity started, characterized by wars, revolutions, a much better economic situation (mostly thanks to tribute), improved infrastructure (trade in particular) and record population growth.
820 (1): Persians aquire literacy from the Romans. Palace fixed. Zulu government overthrown. Susa builds barracks. Two Persian settlers appear yet again near Susa. Tribute demanded and they disappear and they also give banking to us. Got 50 gold in tribute from the Romans. Rush buy a caravan in Gwynn for $13. The civfanatics colonization committee decides that building a city on the isthmus at (56,12) is not safe because of the Romans but it has spotted a better place to the SW. TheViking notices a beautiful rock for military presence north of Cumae. Diplomat boards a trireme to start a mission to explore the world, steal technology and have fun.
840 (2): Zulus become a republic. Wales builds temple, Independence and Gwynn build caravans. Tribute demanded from Persians, result: Their settler disappears and we get 25 gold. The Romans are not as generous and declare war. Chariot disbanded in Susa, these units are obsolete and will be replaced with crusaders. Our trireme discovers Ravenna but it costs 172 gold and Viking 3 is a curmudgeon. "We'll get it by other means later". Attempts to steal technology there reveal that we're ahead of the Romans in technology so establish embassy instead.
860 (3): Persians withdraw a settler and warrior in response to tribute demands. Romans offer a cease fire which we accept but we refuse to sign a peace treaty. They then offer 50 gold for a treaty and we happily sign one. We now have 460 gold.
880 (4): Ripken builds caravan. Persians yet again withdraw a settler. Synchronicity rush builds city walls for 84 gold, should not be really necessary but this is the most valuable city on the planet. Talk to Zulus, they demand 150 gold. Hell no ! They subsequently offer a cease fire and then a peace treaty which we sign. Attempts by us to demand tribute from them do not result in more gold in our coffers.
900 (5): Theology discovered, start researching construction. Attempts to demand tribute from the Persians and Romans are futile. Synchronicity builds city walls and starts building Bach. City of Pithom founded. A few crusaders moved towards Persepolis.
920 (6): Revolution considered but postponed until Persepolis has been conquered. Persians are angry because of our crusaders. Palace fixed. Stormeville and Azbeen build temples. Cornmaster and Abydos build caravans. Persians refuse to pay tribute and do not declare war. Ditto for Romans. Rush buy a caravan in CivRules!!
940 (7): Persians demand that we withdraw our troops. NO !!!!!!
and a war results and our reputation drops from spotless to honorable. We need more crusaders to be 100% sure of conquering them in one turn. Elvis P builds barracks, disbands its non-veteran phalanx and starts building a crusader. Persian elephant spotted SW of Wales, the pikeman there moves into the forest to prevent the elephant from attacking the city. Rush buy a crusader in Wales. More caravans enter Synchronicity.
960 (8): Synchronicity builds J.S. Bach's cathedral. Wales pikeman survives the elephant attack. Rush buy a crusader in Elvis P since we want to conquer Persepolis as soon as possible after changing to republic (preferably before it) and an Oedo year is approaching. Caravans from Cornmaster and CivRules!! arrive in Synchronicity, trade routes established since there is some time until an interesting wonder becomes available (the great wall sucks IMO).
980 (9): Our population now exceeds 2,000,000. Abydos caravan arrives in Synchronicity, trade route established.
1000 (10): Thunderon Rocks builds temple. Independence builds a caravan. The civfanatic High Council is unhappy, except for the foreign minister (the military guy wants city walls but doesn't realize that Synchronicity has them and it really is the WORLD'S capital even though our palace is in CivFanatics.com). Romans refuse to pay tribute. According to Oedo, the civfanatics revolution committee's revolution timing expert, now is a good time for a revolution so start one even though we're not quite ready to conquer the Persians.
1020 (11): Fix the palace. We are in republic now. To his disappointment, Viking 3 discovers that our trade sucks so president's day doesn't work, even at 80% luxury, except in 2 or 3 cities so it is decided to celebrate later. And this despite the fact that we have both Mike and Bach. Still, there is a big improvement in science/tax from the monarchy days.
1040 (12): Romans discover construction but they don't want to trade techs. Persepolis conquered after a big battle
involving about 5 crusaders (1 died), 30 gold plundered. Persepolis renamed to Presleypolis because of unhappinness there following the war. The Persian civilization no longer exists.
1060 (13): Independence caravan arrives in Synchronicity, trade route established. Disband two crusaders from Elvis P in Presleypolis. Attempt again to do a WLTPD but even at 80% luxuries this only works for 4-5 cities so it's not worth doing it yet.
1080 (14): Presleypolis builds temple.
1100 (15): Mongols start building Copernicus. Zulus get construction from the Great Library. We discover construction, start researching engineering. Demand that the Romans withdraw their troops (NNW of Wales), they comply. Exchange tech with the Zulus and get astronomy in exchange for theology.
And so the Viking 3 days ended. It is rumored that he disappaeared in a little known place known as Greece while searching for a suitable successor but noone knows if this is true or not or who his successor will be. Only time will tell.
Our empire is getting stronger and making faster progress:
800 AD:
Taxes 30% (18/11), Science 70% (20 turns). Pop. 1,420,000, 16 cities, 54 gold, 24 techs, monarchy.
1100 AD:
Taxes 20% (29/19), Science 80% (8 turns). Pop. 2,420,000, 18 cities, 366 gold, 28 techs, republic.
Several trade routes have been established, yielding several gold per turn.
We have 10 settlers, 10 warriors, 6 phalanxes, 1 legion, 8 pikemen, 1 horseman, 2 chariots, 1 elephant, 4 crusaders, 1 catapult, 3 triremes, 4 diplomats.
A few notes:
There is a whole lot of possible plans now. I've been following some kind of a 'supergrowth strategy' after getting to republic by sending ALL caravans to Synchronicity to establish trade routes since once this city becomes big and happy the effects will percolate through the empire and cause a chain reaction.
A city could be built in the future on a hill at (49,17), west of Pithom. This makes it possible to send ships 'through' the landmass there because of the lake between this city site and Pithom.
There is probably a fairly big, uninhabited island south of the Roman empire.
Chaosikat has trouble growing, it needs more irrigation (takes some time) or its settler must get support from a different city (probably not Synchronicity - I'd prefer it to become a 'super city'). The food balance is negative in Independence. This can be fixed by rush buying a harbor or waiting for a settler to get there since there is no immediate emergency there.
Roman units occasionally appear in the area between Wales and Pithom - there may be even be a young Roman city there but I haven't checked. Care must be taken with these two cities - it might even be a good idea to start constructing a 'highway' from Presleypolis to Pithom soon since doing so takes a lot of time.
There are some wonderful 'choke points' (mountains) within the Roman empire - I haven't occupied the one north of Cumae yet since I do not want to be forced to withdraw the pikeman that is waiting to occupy the rock there.
Surprisingly, the Mongols never visited us this time.
Game uploaded here and also sent to Az - who hopefully manages to solve his problem loading some SAV files. Otherwise Alanna is next (and we might need additional players).
TheViking
