This may be early for a spoiler for a game not due for many weeks but the early stages played quite quickly for me so it seems worth it. I may have done not so well, but again it was a case of balancing the risk of trying something ambitious against something going badly wrong. Like gambling on no barbarian attacks on our main cities?
Firstly, my compliments to Ali Ardavan on this splendid composition which he called Power of 2.
Ali mentioned its existence earlier in the year in a thread about possible future games. The context was a discussion about a game with more late game balance. The straightforward, standard games tend to be decided early here, even at Deity level, because the optimised techniques found over the years are very effective when deployed by the expert players. In my case this game certainly achieved the late game play, whilst at the same time allowing (or perhaps requiring) the use of several of the techniques through the game, and it contained a few of the nice surprises that show what a fine game this is.
For completeness of this thread I quote Ali_Ardavan from the previous thread
Being so far behind at the start, it looked to me like it might be a case of choosing which early wonder to take. My plan was to make that Marco Polo, allowing us to spend some time swapping technologies, as the other civs would be helpful to my pathetic one. Learning from an earlier game I would try at that stage to do as little development work as possible, allowing the AI to discover things and pass them on, meanwhile making caravans and improving the cities as one would do with OCC.
I thought maybe four stages to the game reflecting different types of issues, with the stages changing later than in a normal game.
The early game would be setting out the two cities, and securing Marco Polo.
The early middle game would be holding place with the two cities, growing them somewhat, swapping technologies, and securing a few things for the future such as perhaps a couple of key wonders. We would not be competitive with the larger AI civs; we might contend with the smaller ones.
The later middle game would be when we began to be more competitive, hopefully. Marco Polo would be less useful, possibly expiring. The cities might grow large or we might get more cities. One of the modern governments would be available. We would certainly eclipse the smaller AI civs.
The end game would be the late stage contest that the discussion thread envisaged. We would be competitive on technology and maybe fighting large wars. We would need a plan to end the game, either by conquest or spacehsip.
Early Game
I established the two cities, took a development path to trade, and I did get Marco Polo and no other early wonder. The Romans were 11 techs ahead by this time.
This didn't feel like doing anything special. I was reminded of the Great River Race that happens on the tidal Thames each year for all sorts of rowing craft each carrying a passenger and a flag. The tide and timing is such that crews get to the end even if they virtually stop rowing when they get very tired.
But in this game, on the other hand, maybe if you build Lighthouse you can get after one of the neighbours and get more growth? Or maybe people fit in the ever popular Hanging Gardens?
Early Middle Game
Technology exchanges went quite well, allowing a monarchy early. A while later and I was able to choose a second wonder, the choice being Oracle, Great Library, Copernicus or Shakespeare. I went for Copernicus, despite having very little own science at this stage, but I felt it would be a treasure for the end game.
A while later and I got a third wonder, in this case Magellan. These would turn out to be the 3 wonders I got from the first 20. This is also a wonder I hoped to make good use of later.
Marco Polo expired (AI discovered Communism) as I became a democracy - this rather later than I would have liked.
Wars came and went. We did manage to take the two Greek cities (with help from the Zulus) when we got steam engine as everyone else seemed preoccupied with gunpowder, and other technologies. Thus we rose to Moderate.
Apart from the success against Greece, which has made little difference so far, it all seemed to go smoothly, and quite quickly in real time.
Stats just before the government change:
Status at ???
Population: 33 (12/12/5/4); Cities: 4; Trade routes: 1D1F; Government: Republic
Cost per turn: 23; Total advances: 29; Mfg: 28; GNP (total income) 74;
Wonders: Marco Polo, Copernicus, Magellan. Others = 13.
Units: 1 Warrior, 2 Phalanx, 1 Musketeers, 1 Caravel, 1 Galleon, 2 Ironclad, 2 Dip, 2 Vans.
T4L2S4. Discoveries every 14 turns. Moderate.
Later Middle Game
A big cloud was the Romans and Zulus becoming pals, invariably discovering different techs and then exchanging them. On the other hand something helpful in the AI when playing on this map became evident.
I played this as a democracy. Essentially the stage was about getting trade going, and as ever this had wonderful effects. I started to become competitive with discoveries. I raised cash. I got more wonders, including the UN.
But it was still a case of managing only a few cities.
Again I was left thinking if in fact things would not be so bad if I just played on general principles and went with the flow.
End Game
A last a stage where the player does have to start working and put in time! I'm still going.
Firstly, my compliments to Ali Ardavan on this splendid composition which he called Power of 2.
Ali mentioned its existence earlier in the year in a thread about possible future games. The context was a discussion about a game with more late game balance. The straightforward, standard games tend to be decided early here, even at Deity level, because the optimised techniques found over the years are very effective when deployed by the expert players. In my case this game certainly achieved the late game play, whilst at the same time allowing (or perhaps requiring) the use of several of the techniques through the game, and it contained a few of the nice surprises that show what a fine game this is.
For completeness of this thread I quote Ali_Ardavan from the previous thread
Being so far behind at the start, it looked to me like it might be a case of choosing which early wonder to take. My plan was to make that Marco Polo, allowing us to spend some time swapping technologies, as the other civs would be helpful to my pathetic one. Learning from an earlier game I would try at that stage to do as little development work as possible, allowing the AI to discover things and pass them on, meanwhile making caravans and improving the cities as one would do with OCC.
I thought maybe four stages to the game reflecting different types of issues, with the stages changing later than in a normal game.
The early game would be setting out the two cities, and securing Marco Polo.
The early middle game would be holding place with the two cities, growing them somewhat, swapping technologies, and securing a few things for the future such as perhaps a couple of key wonders. We would not be competitive with the larger AI civs; we might contend with the smaller ones.
The later middle game would be when we began to be more competitive, hopefully. Marco Polo would be less useful, possibly expiring. The cities might grow large or we might get more cities. One of the modern governments would be available. We would certainly eclipse the smaller AI civs.
The end game would be the late stage contest that the discussion thread envisaged. We would be competitive on technology and maybe fighting large wars. We would need a plan to end the game, either by conquest or spacehsip.
Early Game
I established the two cities, took a development path to trade, and I did get Marco Polo and no other early wonder. The Romans were 11 techs ahead by this time.
This didn't feel like doing anything special. I was reminded of the Great River Race that happens on the tidal Thames each year for all sorts of rowing craft each carrying a passenger and a flag. The tide and timing is such that crews get to the end even if they virtually stop rowing when they get very tired.
But in this game, on the other hand, maybe if you build Lighthouse you can get after one of the neighbours and get more growth? Or maybe people fit in the ever popular Hanging Gardens?
Early Middle Game
Technology exchanges went quite well, allowing a monarchy early. A while later and I was able to choose a second wonder, the choice being Oracle, Great Library, Copernicus or Shakespeare. I went for Copernicus, despite having very little own science at this stage, but I felt it would be a treasure for the end game.
A while later and I got a third wonder, in this case Magellan. These would turn out to be the 3 wonders I got from the first 20. This is also a wonder I hoped to make good use of later.
Marco Polo expired (AI discovered Communism) as I became a democracy - this rather later than I would have liked.
Wars came and went. We did manage to take the two Greek cities (with help from the Zulus) when we got steam engine as everyone else seemed preoccupied with gunpowder, and other technologies. Thus we rose to Moderate.
Apart from the success against Greece, which has made little difference so far, it all seemed to go smoothly, and quite quickly in real time.
Stats just before the government change:
Status at ???
Population: 33 (12/12/5/4); Cities: 4; Trade routes: 1D1F; Government: Republic
Cost per turn: 23; Total advances: 29; Mfg: 28; GNP (total income) 74;
Wonders: Marco Polo, Copernicus, Magellan. Others = 13.
Units: 1 Warrior, 2 Phalanx, 1 Musketeers, 1 Caravel, 1 Galleon, 2 Ironclad, 2 Dip, 2 Vans.
T4L2S4. Discoveries every 14 turns. Moderate.
Code:
Romans: (5) Enraged, War, 40 techs, 17 cities.
Zulus: (6) Enraged, War, 39 techs, 17 cities.
Vikings: (4) Hostile, Peace, 34 techs, 9 cities.
Spanish: (1) Enthusiastic, Peace, 36 techs, 5 cities.
Persians:(2) Enthusiastic, Allied, 33 techs, 3 cities.
Carthage:(0) Receptive, Peace, 28 techs, 1 city.Later Middle Game
A big cloud was the Romans and Zulus becoming pals, invariably discovering different techs and then exchanging them. On the other hand something helpful in the AI when playing on this map became evident.
I played this as a democracy. Essentially the stage was about getting trade going, and as ever this had wonderful effects. I started to become competitive with discoveries. I raised cash. I got more wonders, including the UN.
But it was still a case of managing only a few cities.
Again I was left thinking if in fact things would not be so bad if I just played on general principles and went with the flow.
End Game
A last a stage where the player does have to start working and put in time! I'm still going.
I was beginning to notice the Spanish and Zulu were the aggressive races.
