G-Minor 36

[ParadigmShifter]

Well I'm not going to win any awards Just cleared my own continent, 1130AD. I would advise not having Sitting Bull as an opponent! Many elephants and horses were harmed in the making of this gauntlet.

Still got some way to get to optics, need compass and machinery. I have civil service now so that should speed things up a little. And my big unhappiness problems will go away now

I've got about 9 triremes I can upgrade to carracks, I think I will probably be able to break even at 20% research now But I have 500+ in the bank from my "raze economy".

Once I get machinery I can upgrade my axemen to maces too. I'd quite like to get engineering for trebs around the time I invade the other continent.

They sound like they are having a few wars over on the other continent, at least 3 great generals have been born. I hope it's Monty rather than Shaka over there...

3 down, 3 to go...

 

[Lexad]

You should pick some easier opponents - Hatty, Fred, etc

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Found the other continent now, but it's 1460AD already. And the first AI I meet is Tokugawa... so aggressive samurai and protective longbows. I don't think random opponents was a great plan

I think if I played the Dutch I could probably have got astronomy from liberalism by now... Although the long war against Sitting Bull didn't help my research speed.

Slow researching engineering while upgrading my 20+ triremes to carracks. I have at least 10 full of wellies, cats, maces and spears arriving in Japan... I think I'll sail around a bit and see if there is an easier target.

I think I'll probably stop teching if I can get monarchy, feudalism, guilds. Maybe I wont need Knights with all the elephants (I have absolutely loads of them).

EDIT: Yeah, Lexad, I will pick peacemongers for the major. This is more of a trial run for that one...

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Heh, Tokugowa didn't even have code of laws or metal casting So no Samurai. Took a coastal city for my beach head, then razed another one. I didn't realise he was also at war with Zara, so he then capitulated to him. Zara has loads of cities.

Pacal only had 2 cities though, both holy and with wonders (including the AP). It took FOREVER to knock the defence down with cats (he had Chichen Itza too). Yes, I know about spies, all my EPs are going towards Yaqob though. Somehow Pacal managed to whip a caravel EVERY turn and sank quite a few of my carracks which were all combat I and blocking him escaping the city, so he'd do a hit and run every turn, winning against the odds Pacal eliminated 1585AD, that's where I stopped for now.

I've been scouting Zara's land with spies (Toku has 3 cities left now). He seems to be neglecting his military with only 3-4 defenders in each city and I haven't seen a stack of doom... He must be trying a different strategy to me

Unfortunately he is 4 turns away from gunpowder so his UU will be in play when I DoW... Nearly finished guilds though, knights are immune to first strikes so that should be that.

Big danger is him getting astronomy soon (before I raze all his coastal cities anyway ).

EDIT: I reckon the emperor version of this is going to be tough...

 

[DJMGator13]

@ParadigmShifter - you're not playing alone. I haven't gotten a good one yet. I've been surprised at how the off-continent AI's have managed to keep pace. Keep finding them with longbows and once with maces against my maces. I've been playing in Van & WL though.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Nearly finished now, Zara should capitulate once I take a few more cities. Just burned his capital. Very late though, 1790. He has no horses an only 1 source of iron left, it's Oromo's and pikes for him against my knights, maces, elephants and trebs.

I definitely think a peaceful expansion phase might be in order for this one, get a good tech lead. EDIT: And a 5-2 or 6-1 split civs wise on 2 continents will be better as well I reckon, 4-3 was a bit annoying.

EDIT: 1806AD win. I had a rather bizarre bug happen in 1645 though, where I captured a city without doing anything, but hopefully it will be OK. Not very impressive date... It was a slugfest of a game. I haven't teched so slowly ever I don't think

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Cool, my game has been accepted, despite the bug which probably shaved off a few turns.

So 1806 is the one (and only entry so far) to beat, I'll probably give it a go as the Dutch (we have verry shecksy gurlz) to see if I can improve my score.

Feel a bit dirty with a bug helping me out though.

EDIT: My prediction for winning date... 1400-1500 or so.

 

[Mistfit]

well I am having my own issues with this darn thing.

I have been trying to perfect using the oracle to get machinery while also getting they pyramids for obvious reasons. These two things I can do fairly regularly but by getting both of those wonders I muddy the waters in trying to get 3 Great Scientists for bulbing optics and astro.

Last night I played one longer than most of the games I have played to practice my intercontinental warfare. I am at about 1550AD with George and Liz left alive. I may be able to win this but it is far from a perfect game. (I missed the oracle and only got one GS.)

I will keep you updated.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I played as Joao of Portugal so I only needed optics to attack the other continent (loads of triremes upgraded to carracks).

I used the Oracle for metal casting, machinery would be fantastic though. I'd say the Pyramids are pretty much essential so you can run police state. That's only an issue later on so if someone on the home continent builds them conquering would save a ton of hammers.

I wanted to lightbulb machinery but kept getting Great Prophets instead of engineers from Oracle/Pyramids/Great Wall city. I think I will build the mids in a separate city if I try this again (I probably will give the Dutch a go).

 

[Mistfit]

I do not have BTS installed so it is not an option for me. I have been playing the Romans as their UU seems to be perfectly timed for this. Although I will have to finish off this game with Knights and possibly Cavs due to how late I got to Astro. I know this can be done.. I just have not perfected it yet.

BTW. Word of caution; playing against China and having them on the other continent is no fun.. the Cho-Ko-Nu is a real pain in the arse.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

One word: elephants! I used those beasts as my main attack force until getting knights. I used some axes then maces to mop up. I built a few muskets near the end.

EDIT: Withdrawal ellies can soften up spears and longbows.

 

[Mistfit]

I think retreat is broken on my game.. None of my knights seem to want to back off

 

[ParadigmShifter]

If you are playing vanilla you are at a big disadvantage I think... no stables for +3 xp to mounted, no great generals to settle. Although cossacks will be mighty.

I think warlords is a contender, they severely nerfed siege in BtS. Less techs to get cavalry or grenadiers too. EDIT: And you need horseback riding for elephants in BtS. Ellies are great though.

 

[Andrei_V]

If you are playing vanilla you are at a big disadvantage I think... no stables for +3 xp to mounted, no great generals to settle. Although cossacks will be mighty.

Not really, I think.

Tokugawa is Org, not Pro, which is a big advantage. CS Slingshot + a little cottage spamming. Samurais around 1AD, about 1000 years till Longbows. By that time get Theocracy and build 4 Accuracy cats per stack.

I got 1610AD as my first attempt. I think it can be improved by 200-300 years if you find Copper for an early Axe rush.

Another good option is Julius, of course.

 

[Mistfit]

hmm.. never played Japan before.. I may have to give that one a try.

who are you using for opponents in Vanilla?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Nice one Andrei, I knew my first place wouldn't last long (as long as there was only 1 entry).

Toku does sound good in vanilla. Hammurabi has those traits in BtS, but his UU isn't great for this game.

 

[Andrei_V]

hmm.. never played Japan before.. I may have to give that one a try.

who are you using for opponents in Vanilla?

Try it, it's fun.

No special preferences for opponents, pick up somebody peaceful like Fred, Victoria, Peter, etc. Isabella is also fun, she typically goes after all religions but neglects military. If you have her as your closest neighbor, all you need is 3-4 Axes to expand a little bit.

 

[Mistfit]

I always like to throw in Huayna Capac because by the time I get to praetorians all he has built are Quechua's and a few archers and the praet's walk through em. Now I am sure at higher levels than prince this could get dicey with him as a close neighbor churning those things out but at prince I have yet to be declared on. Out of the 4 or 5 test games I have played he as always been either the closest or second closest neighbor.

 

[bestje]

Have my first attempt in at 1826 AD not accepted yet though
played as the dutch against liz, roosevelt, gandhi, fred, issy and monty
was looking at a good date until fred got stubborn and wouldn't capitulate until he had almost nothing left
had 2 roughly equally sized continents, though mine had 5 civs squashed onto it
started invading with axes and chariots and finished off with rifles cannons and cavalry
pretty sure that at least one of the axes made it all the way through the game as part of the SOD
may have to give it another go if i have time

 

[ParadigmShifter]

When did you get astronomy as the Dutch? Did you bulb it?

I had to raze 10 or 11 of Zara's cities before he capitulated at the end of my game.

Izzy and Monty eh? I'm guessing you had random opponents as well?