French opening gambits: comparing notes @ turn 100

[Prof_longhair]

So, there seemed to be a fair number of us who are playing French first (tomorrow!), and there has been a lively discussion of our opening strategies.

I propose we check in and compare notes at 100 turns to see how the different gambits worked out.

I personally am going for scout-scout-worker-stonehenge. A gamble, but if I get a enough gold or free techs (or an archer without the tech for it) I’ll call it a success.

So report back here how your strategy worked out for you. Please include:

1) The difficulty level you chose
2) Number of cities and the pop of each
3) What were your first 5 builds in the capital
4) Number of social policies, which ones and how close you are to the next one
5) Which techs you have researched
6) Your overall impression with how your choices panned out and/or unexpected difficulties with your strategy (e.g. the barbs came in and killed you, you stagnated at turn x, etc.)

Looking forward to comparing notes with you all—thanks for all the advice and speculation in the last thread!

oh and please if i missed some critical piece of information, amend my list.

 

[Spark026]

Sounds good. I will take notes, and create a write up when I get time (/canpullselfawayfromgame), haha.

This post will be editted with results.

 

[iop]

Oops, I forgot to save at turn 100.

Here's what I remember:
I played Prince, continents, standard map/speed.

I had to walk quite far to find a good place for Paris. I planned to go Scout-Worker-Stonehenge, but Paris had pretty good production, and when I saw that the third SP would cost 95, I ended up building Scout-Worker-Monument till turn 24, after which I built Stonehenge (with Tradition/Aristocracy). I got Liberty just in time for my first settler (i.e. one turn after being done with Stonehenge), and I built my second settler right after I had gotten ironworking from the Great Library, so that I could settle next to some iron (none next to cities 1&2)

I think things went quite well, though my military around turn 100 was pitied by my neighbour Bismarck.

I don't think that I'll get Liberty again, though. In the future, I'd rather concentrate on Tradition/Honor early on. Also, Oligarchy (+33% defense inside borders) is awesome for the French due to their culture-bonus-fuelled land grabbing (especially with Angkor Wat). It saved my neck when I could unlock it right when the Greeks sneak attacked.