Tone said:
With 2 submissions already, 1395AD will soon be beaten.
A faster submission probably has a 1st or 2nd tech SGL, which takes time and patience usually from playing several MapFinder starts to get. At least my Emperor Persia 1375 game last month did, and maybe that's what you had in mind as indicative. Moving on...
Not sure I agree with having extra non-scientific opponents. It would make it harder to grab territory, which might slow down the human player's medieval research. I guess trading for Alphabet earlier becomes more of a certainty and possibly more gpt. How much would it really pick up the creation of the cathedral, colosseum, and university? That said, I think having 7 or 8 scientific opponents makes sense to pick up building creation, including the cathedral, the university, and Shake's especially. I just don't think OTHER opponents will help much, though I could have spoken poorly here.
What do you guys think about tribe selection? Scientific seems a given for increased SGL probabilities, free techs, and the cheaper little library and little university. So...
Persia-CB/Pottery SGL can go right to Pyramids straight away, and if you don't have ivory immortals can help to fish for an early MGL. Fast workers can develop things faster, as well as plant and chop forests for some cultural buildings (which I did in my game).
Ottos-Much as Persia, except if you want to war later in the industrial era, then you'll pick the Ottos over Persia. Of course, for a faster finish, you want to get that leader earlier. So, if you feel comfortable fighting with immortals, you'll pick Persia over the Ottos here, if you don't feel comfortable with early warring here, you'll pick the Ottos over Persia.
Byzantines-You'll start on the coast for the coastal wonders. Very useful also if you play archipelago, and your curragh can upgrade to an artillery support unit for MGL fishing.
Greece/Korea-Commercial might help with faster medieval research, though I can't see it as all that great.
Russia-They can easily enough pop a free settler or city early, so you don't have to put one out, and can develop faster. But, then you'll have to play with huts. Since the AIs have extra starting units at Monarch (and you need at least 6 opponents) that probably shoots any chance of getting a CB SGL. You can't fish for Pottery also even without huts. You can probably get contacts easier though, which could work out as more important. Cossacks-blitz ability and auto-promotion can help fishing for a leader later.
Sumeria-Via city growth agricultural helps with fast research, and shield production. You can also have an shield or two at size 12 for the same amount of food. Perhaps more so than industrious or commercial at this level since we have 2 native content citizens. No Pottery fishing for an SGL.
Germany-Not as fast in research as probably anyone, but the easier promotion could work out huge. If you have ivory and playing as Germany, would you even want to bother putting barracks in your 20k city, since regular AC have 4 hitpoints and can promote fairly fast? Faster-to-elites implies early chances going for an MGL.
Babylon-They do get both cheap sets of buildings and the short anarchy. But, you either have to take out BOTH Sumeria and Russia to SGL-fish on Pottery for a quick and early SGL, or you have to accept that you'll get that SGL a few turns later on Mysticism. Taking out both Sumeria and Russia means you can only have 6 as opposed to 7 scientific opponents for free techs to hopefully draw Theology, Industrialization/Electricity, and Miniaturization/Nuclear Power as your free techs. Possibly not a big deal though.