GOTM 129 spoiler

[Major Advantage]

I'm not done now, but with the end in sight, it might be time to start the spoiler thread.

I was a little reluctant to start the game because of that strange map, nothing but grassland, all major rivers missing, Bosporus and Straight of Messina closed but Peleponnes an island...
Anyway, I decided to try this one as ZCS (zero city start, or whatever it should be called), and start massive hut popping before settling. Theoretically, hut popping shouldn't result in AT's, nomads or Barbs, as long as you don't have a city. Let's see how far I came with that strategy:

-4000 hut: 100g, would have preferred a fast exploring unit
-3650 hut: Advanced Tribe

So my great plan was more or less over before it was started. Next plan: Try ICS, use gold for size 1 settler, head for monarchy

-3600 begin Alph
-3400 settler > warrior
-3300 Utica founded
-3250 Alph -> Burial
-3000 Malaca founded
-2850 Burial -CoL hut -> Myst.
-2300 CoL -> Mon.
-2200 Panormus founded
-1950 Archer from hut, re-arrange worker for more science
-1850 Mon. -> Writing, Monarchy established
-1800 Leptis Parva
-1600 Cartenna founded
-1550 Horse from hut (near Slime Butts after 2 steps already), AT (Rusicade)
-1500 Horse meets Sioux in Slim buttes, give Burial, get HBR, deny peace, no tribute
-1450 Horse finds Berlin, meet germans, give Mon. get currency, peace, no tribute
-1400 Gades founded
-1350 Writing -> pottery (trade blocked), hail germans, give Writing, get pott, Poly from hut
-1300 research to trade
-1200 Meet spanish, give tech, get masonry (hoping for MM), peace, no tribute
-1050 Girba founded

Stats at -1000:
pop: 290k; cities: 11; techs: 12 (researching trade); government: Mon
units: 1 dip, 3 settler, 4 assault units
Sioux: cordial, peace
german: neutral, peace
spain: neutral, peace

further plan: build Marco, get maps, start conquering

-925 hut (NE of Germany): barb horse
-900 trade -> constr.; Leptis Magna, Carthago Nova founded
-875 Slim Buttes disappeared (probably german attack)
-850 Oea founded, Malaca red hat
-825 Tingis founded
-750 Marco Polo completed, get (only) MM, peace & maps with all, a littler discouraging, Rusaddit founded
-725 Beirut founded, more red hats, a lot of cities renamed
-675 25g from hut
-625 1st trireme sails north with 2 settlers
-600 Constr. -> Literacy
-550 Babylon builds Pyramids, Sioux take Leipzig
-450 HG built
-400 (more cities built by now) Lit. -> Philo
-225 1st delivery: gems(d) to Berlin 66g
-200 Philo->Mono->Republic
-150 AT (taranto) in southern Italy, domestic deliveries to Nicosia (Cyprus) 50+40.
-125 Michelangelo built. Some Crusaders done already, others in production, all set for war, if only the enemy was closer...
hail chinese, give Lit. get seafaring
-50 Rep. -> Wheel; tribute: germany 50g, spain 200g, subvert Königsberg(Basra) 220g (40), Germany destroyed, no respawn
+1 200g tribute from Spain

stats at 1 AD
pop: 1.51M; cities: 33 (2 in italy, 2 at turkish coast, 1 on cyprus); techs: 20 (researching wheel); gold: 90; trade routes: 4D1F;
government: Mon; cost per turn: 0; wonders: HG, MPE, Michelangelo
units: 4 dip, 14 settler, 1 van, 3 boats, 25 assault units
Russia: 4 cities, 10 techs, despo, peace
Babylon: 8 cities, 17 techs, despo, peace, Pyramids
german: defeated
spain: 9 cities, 7 techs, despo, peace
chinese: 6 cities, 14 techs, mon, peace, colossus
Sioux: 9 cities, 17 techs, mon, peace

plan: expand and conquer

 

[Inkerman]

I have just completed and submitted files for completion by conquest.

I didn't know the map at the start - I had a quick look in a map library but although there were Mediterranean maps none seemed to match. I imagined we must be in present day Egypt or Libya. Anyway I was happy to get on with it and like Major_Advantage I began hut popping as there seemed no compelling reason to settle. As the map revealed it became clear that the local area would support extreme ICS with dense packing, and I decided to do that.

I was much more fortunate than the Major, in that Carthage was not located until hut number 4 (it was on the coast near present day Benghazi) and a couple of horses came from earlier pops. This extra movement was very useful, being used to expand east and west and the movement was much quicker than on a normal map where it is typically slowed by squares of more interesting terrain.

I settled Utica immediately Carthage was found and then settled the local area densely as quickly as possible whilst the cavalry went hut popping east and west.

The explorers had little difficulty building up our strength - a lot of NON archers joined up and the situation was forgiving of errors like allowing the Germans to destroy my third city, an advanced tribe near Berlin, just before it completed its first settler.

The western forces captured Madrid. Meanwhile back at home two cities were added in 2900 and four more in 2100.

I pushed the science rate up between 1600 and 1000, then needed some luxuries to control disorder and so making the Hanging Gardens had priority. They were completed in 775.

Marco Polo and Sun Tzu followed, then Michaelangelo and JSBach. I then behaved "atrociously", paying no attention to science and letting crusaders attack civilizations as they were reached. It was not perfectly done by any means but the situation was forgiving of inexactness.

I captured the Pyramids just before AD1.

I added Lighthouse to assist movement on the sea - this was done relatively late compared to EC as I have seen it before, as the cavalry had managed things so well themselves up until then.

There were quite a lot of re-spawns.

I played some turns for score at the end.

For the final takeout I was slightly nervous of a further respawn but I had spread out quite well by then and posted cavalry vedettes in all the big spaces.

On a slightly different note many thanks to Magic-Gorter and you my fellow spoiler posters for the last year. I came across the GotM in the Christmas season of 2010 armed with a long time enthusiasm for Civ2. I have very much enjoyed completing and submitting all the 2011 games, even if my own performance has been as we would say in the UK "a mixed bag".

Good luck to all for the new year - may your hut pops match your strategy, some of the time!

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Date Notes

-4000 Archer from hut.
-3900 Alphabet from hut. Carthage founded.
-3850 Alphabet -> Code of Laws
-3550 100g from hut.
-3400 Thanks to the hut money size 1 settler produced.
-3350 50g from hut.
-3250 Archer runs into Berlin. Refused tech exchange for Pottery and agreed to peace.
-3200 Utica founded.
-3100 Code of Laws -> Burial.
-2850 50g from hut. Malaca founded.
-2550 Burial -> Monarchy.
-2500 Caralis founded.
-2200 Advanced tribe founds Panormous on the southern shores of the Black Sea.
-2100 Leptis Parva and Cartenna founded.
-2050 Monarchy -> Currency. Monarchy established. T3L0S7
-2000 Currency from hut.

Status at -2000
Population: 0.09M; Cities: 7 (6 are size 1); Techs: 6; Government: Monarchy
Gold: 6; Cost: 0; Trade routes: 0D0F;
Wonders:
Units: 1 None Archer
Footprint: 6 cities in NE Africa, 1 in Anatolia.
Goals: Trade, Marco
Russian: No contact
green: No contact
German: No embassy
Spanish: No contact
Chinese: No contact
Sioux: No contact

-1950 -> Pottery. Alphabet, Monarchy, Currency -> German (0) -> Pottery, 0g
-1900 -> Trade.
-1800 Empty hut.
-1550 Trade -> Mapmaking. T7L0S3. 25g from hut.
-1500 50g from hut.
-1400 Rusicade and Gades founded.
-1250 Rusucurru founded on the south shore of Black Sea.
-1150 4 barbarian horsemen from hut.
-1100 Barbarians kill my warrior.
-1000 Settler survives barbarians and turns vet.

Status at -1000
Population: 0.34M; Cities: 10; Techs: 8; Government: Monarchy
Gold: 19; Cost: 0; Trade routes: 0D0F;
Wonders:
Units: 4 settlers, 1 Phalanx, 1 None Archer, 1 caravan
Footprint: 8 cities in NE Africa, 2 in Anatolia.
Goals: Marco
Russian: No contact
green: No contact
German: No embassy
Spanish: No contact
Chinese: No contact
Sioux: No contact

-0950 Barbarian horseman kills my settler. Archer ran into Chinese (0). Refused to give them Trade. They declared war.
-0925 Phalanx survives barbarian horseman and turns vet. Archer survives Chinese Warrior.
-0900 Girba founded.
-0875 Mapmaking -> Writing. 50g and Masonry from hut.
-0825 Marco built. T3L0S7
Mapmaking -> Russian (0) -> Iron Working, peace, maps, 0g
Trade, Pottery, Monarchy, Mapmaking -> Babylonian (2) -> Polytheism, peace, maps, 0g
Trade, Mapmaking -> German (1) -> Mysticism
Mapmaking -> Spanish (3) -> peace, maps
Mapmaking, Bronze -> Sioux (5) -> peace, maps
-0800 Archer survives Chinese warrior. Leptis Magna founded. Archer captures defenseless Shanghai for 33g and Warrior Code.
-0775 Carthago Nova founded.
-0700 Oea and Tingis founded.
-0675 Horseman from hut.
-0625 Writing -> Construction. 50g from hut. Archer kills Chinese horse and turns vet.
-0600 50g from hut.
-0575 First offshore city, Rusaddit, founded.
-0525 Construction from hut. Approaching Chinese Warrior killed.
-0500 -> Seafaring. Second offshore city, Alalia, founded. Construction -> Sioux, Babylonian, German -> 50g, 50g, 125g. Construction, Mysticism -> Russian -> 75g.

Status at -500
Population: 0.78M; Cities: 18; Techs: 16; Government: Monarchy
Gold: 185; Cost: 0; Trade routes: 0D0F;
Wonders: Marco
Units: 7 settlers, 2 Phalanx, 3 Archers, 1 Horseman, 1 Elephant, 3 Trireme, 3 Caravans
Footprint: 11 cities in NE Africa, 1 city in Asia on the Red sea, 3 in Anatolia, 1 on the NW coast of Black Sea (Shanghai), 2 in offshore islands.
Goals: Keep peace but be ready to eliminate neighbors: Germany and Spain. Trade with Babylonians and offshore islands (1 caravan is on its way to each). Settle all remaining islands. Ultimate goal is landing.
Russian: 5 cities, 8 techs; War with Chinese
Babylonian: 5 cities, 12 techs;
German: 3 cities, 10 techs;
Spanish: 6 cities, 5 techs;
Chinese: 3 cities, 7 techs; War with Russians, Sioux, and me.
Sioux: 6 cities, 5 techs; War with Chinese

 

[Major Advantage]

Finished and submitted!
I guess it was more or less similar to Inkerman's game. Btw, I don't think I ever finished with such a terrible reputation...
At some point in my log I stopped to mention the new cities I founded, there were just too many.

20 AD Sioux finish LH, Spain switches to GW, demand spanish tribute, get math, 250g from Babylon
80 dye to Leipzig 68g, Spain declares war after continious demand for tribute
100 kill 2 spanish settlers, prepare strike next turn
120 Salamanca razed, Cordoba captured, Bilbao bribed
160 wheel -> Astro; Madrid razed, Sevilla bribed, 350g from China
220 demand Sioux tribute, they refuse
240 capture Valencia, Astro from hut
260 research to Navigation, capture Toledo, bribe Saragossa, spain down to 2 cities, now black hats show up (at 53 cities)
280 Bribe Barcelona, Spain down to Cadiz, sign peace, give techs, share maps
320 150g from Babylon, none from Sioux
360 Navigation -> Warrior Code, GW built, get WC from Babylon
380 Researching Feudalism, first wave approaching Babylon
400 Magellan built, 225g from Sioux
420 Alliance with China, join their Babylon war, Babylon (city) destroyed
440 cap Uruk & Ellipi (Bridge + IW), 125g from Sioux
460 cap Ur (Pyramids), sneak attack Sioux, cap Berlin & Leipzig
480 Engineering from hut, join in china's war with Russia
500 Big Mound, Moskau razed, Eridu bribed, Niniveh captured

stats at 500 AD:
pop: 4.42M; cities: 69; techs: 28 (researching Feudalism); gold: 223; trade routes: 4D1F;
government: Mon; cost per turn: 9; wonders: HG, MPE, Michelangelo, Magellan, GW, Pyramids
units: 11 dip, 25 settler, 9 van, 9 boats, 78 assault units
Russia: 4 cities, 11 techs, despo, war
Babylon: 3 cities, 21 techs, Rep, war
german: defeated
spain: 1 city, 10 techs, despo, peace
chinese: 9 cities, 21 techs, rep, alliance, colossus
Sioux: 10 cities, 22 techs, Rep, war, LH

Plan: Continue war, expand even further, build some wonders (Bach high priority)

520 Minsk (Bab) bribed, Killdeer cap
540 Feud.-> Theo, St. Petersburg razed
560 Sun Tzu, Kiev cap
580 Three Forks, razed
600 Smolensk bribed, Samarra razed, lost some units to walled Hamburg
620 75g from China, Cadiz bribed, spain defeated
640 Theo->Invention, Messed up zoom-home, Copernicus built instead of Bach, cap Wood Lake, Little Bighorn (LH), sign peace with Babylon (so they might finish learning banking)
660 cap Cedar Creek
700 Bach completed, Sevastopol bribed, hut in Babylon: 8 horses, other hut: Invention
720 Research to Banking; Banking -> Democracy (go for SoL and fundy); hail china, join war with Babylon, update maps, bribe Ashur, Babs eliminated, cap Bear Paw
740 Hamburg still holds, will be bribed later
760 domestic offshore vans (40+60), discover Dead Buffalo, now only Odessa still unknown, about 2 turns till Demo, preparing zoom-home
780 cap Dead Buffalo, 2 sioux cities left, set up zoom-home for Liberty
800 democracy (revolution) -> physics, zoom-home to Tripolis, Liberty built, Fundy established (T3S3L4 for celebration), Chengde founded just outside Beijing's radius, invasion force already on their way, peace with Russia, gift techs, maps

Now it was FUND-rasing (how I called it) for a few turns while china was conquered. With enough gold in the vault I switched to democracy, let the population grew a little (without doing so too excessively, although the map would allow it), subverted the final AI cities and built the last available wonders.

 

[Inkerman]

Major_Advantage notes a similarity in our games, and I expect others out there may see the same: the map requires a certain spread and adding cities is easy, and if you are willing to trash your reputation the conquests are not too difficult. That was certainly my experience.

But there is a choice of ending and the Major has chosen perhaps a more elegant approach, with some trade, continued discoveries and a progression through Fundamentalism to Democracy, no doubt with significant population growth in the final turns.

In my game Navigation and Invention, and their associated wonders, did not appear. Republic was the only discovery of the last 500 years (25 turns within the 0-1000 period.) That did allow some growth through celebration, but you miss democracy's ability to quash corruption. It might also have been satisfying to complete more than the 22 city improvements (12 of which were harbours) that the empire managed, but I found myself uninterested in that this time: maybe I have done enough of that for now, maybe the all-green map was less inspiring.

A further option is to play it out to a landing (Ali posts that he would like to do that) - another 50 or 60 techs and plenty of growth will certainly make that a big game. Will be interesting to compare.

 

[Major Advantage]

But there is a choice of ending and the Major has chosen perhaps a more elegant approach, with some trade, continued discoveries and a progression through Fundamentalism to Democracy, no doubt with significant population growth in the final turns.

Actually, I thought of it more of a necessacity than elegance. There were still plenty of cities to conquer and my crusaders bit their teeth out (as we say in german) on attacking soiux' Hamburg, which might exemplary for further attacks. So there were two options: Better attacking forces or get enough money for bribery.
Having a lot of cities (~100 at that point), Mike's and Bach built, FUND-raising seemed way more efficient than hunting through the tech-tree for better attacking units. After the first "attack" on china, I still had enough gold left so I could switch to demo (and subverting the last AI-cities), and let my cities grow by celebration.
Still, it felt great to see this discover-demo-revolt-zoom-to-home-switch-wonder-to-liberty-choose-fundy-at-end-trick work out without anarchy.

Btw, after your remark on "Shakesbeer" in the last gotm, I left another easter egg in my log on this one as well!

 

[URUWASHI]

I like to say Hello to all the new faces and I am excited to see Ali Here.
Are Pester and the OLD timers Around ?

After a two year hiatus , I am back.
I had a great edge in the start , since I know where all Huts and Special Locations are in the Map.
I had an Army of built on NONE units from Huts early in the Game.
Very early in the game I had an Elephan Army that conquered Germans and Sioux ....but did not destroy them, as a rule I left them a city or two , obviously without a Capital City,,,
I took Germans and Sioux Capitals....waited and then took Spanish Madrid...and Beijing Before 1000, Chinese destroyed Russians, Then Romans ....then Celts Reappeared..
I have most of the Wonders by 1000 - Pyramids - Hanging Gardens - Polo -Colossus - Lighthouse - Great Library - Michelangelo - Copernicus - Shakespeare...The Babilonias have the Grea Wall....and I could built Kings Richard and the Oracle, I could end the game by conquering the Babilonians since I have enough armies in OLD Spanish Territory to cross the Gibraltar Straight from the South and coordinate an attack from the west...But I have my PERFECT Science City on Island 7 , and most of my cities are size 8 building Aqueducts...so...why not go for a space race ?
My pet peeve ? Have all 28 Wonders...Land a Massive SS ....not loose ANY armies and so far I have lost 16 Elephants and 1 Crusader !!!!
I am a chess player..so I prefer finesse and Elegance.
My MAIN land is well protected ...all my 7 cities are size 8 and building Aqueductsn and still 4 hidden special to mine, enough room to build 2 great cities...
My Science city is Isolated and supplied by 2 slave Cities on Island 7 ..

I have " Cushion " cities between my Main Land ..Germans, Spanish and Sioux...
Celts Reapperaed between Sioux and Germans ...
Chinese are weakened ...with only 5 cities ...and I know where Nannking and Chengdu are located..
So, the race is between Babilonians and me .
The only locations NOT discovered are : North of the Sioux, " Italy ", " France " and " Spain " and parts of Albania , Chechoslovakia and old Yugoslavia ( Bosnia and Montenegro )..I have uncovered by Exploring the rest of the Map.

Here is my Log Until 1000...

4000 - Hut 67. 75 = None Chariot
3950 - Hut at 61.73 = CARTHAGE ( 1 ), Tile Chariot discovers at 60.68 a Fish Tile
3800 - Hut at 73.75 = UTICA ( 2 ), Tile 76.76 shows a Water tile to the East.

NOTES

ANALIZING MAP , Using my Excel Hut/Seed Finder :
Distance of Huts as found ( 67.75 , 61.73 and 73.75 ) only happen twice on the map.
Once in the Northeast Pattern and Once in the Northwest Pattern.

IF HUT A is at 67.75 ....then B has to be at + 6. 0 , or at 73.75 - CORRECT
IF HUT A is at 67.75 , hut C hast to be a -6.-2 or at 61.73- CORRECT
In Both Cases, a Special Tile has to be at 59.75...that in this Map in both cases is HIDDEN on a Grassland, so we need to find a tile with whale or fish..
BUT ONLY in ONE CASE, ( NORTHEAST PATTERN ) the Southernmost Special in the group. Special is located at 60.68 is equal to " E "
Since HUT C location is at 67.75 THEN a Special has to be located at 60.68 ( -7 .-5 ).

Now I have 4 facts , the 3 Huts and the fish tile.

I open my Excel Mother Grid and place the correct numbers in the X and Y coordinates.
North to South - The Fish tile should be on row 68, plus the Hut to the west ( Carthage ) on row 73, the location of the other two at 75.
East to west - Fish has to be on column 60, nearest hut south ( Carthage ) on column 61, " Chariot " Hut location at 67 and Utica at 73.

On the Excel Mother Grid, Specials are Black, Huts are Red, soon as I encounter a Hut , I change the color to Green , so I know it was explored...


Located at :
A - 52.62
B - 54.56
C- 60.58
D- 62.62
E- 60.68
F- 54.66
G- 56.66
H - 58.64

THEN the Next Row of Specials seeds to the South Should be :

A - 47.81 and 63.81 to the East and 31.81 to the West
B - 49.75 and 65.75 to the East and 33.75 to the West
C - 53.73 and 69.73 to the East and 37.73 to the West
D - 59.75 and 75. 75 to the East and 43.75 to the West
E - 57.81 and 73.81 to the East and 41.81 to the West
F - 53.83 and 69.83 to the East and 37.83 to the West
G - 51.79 and 67.79 to the East and 35.79 to the West .
H - 55.77 and 71.77 to the East and 39.77 to the West

SINCE any Tiles BEYOND X , 79 will be out of the Map options A , E and F are eliminated.

SPECIAL LOCATED AT :

B - 49.75 and 65.75 to the East and 33.75 to the West
C - 53.73 and 69.73 to the East and 37.73 to the West
D - 59.75 and 75. 75 to the East and 43.75 to the West
G - 51.79 and 67.79 to the East and 35.79 to the West .
H - 55.77 and 71.77 to the East and 39.77 to the West

In the Northeast Pattern , the Hut Positions :

Positions - A - B - H and F will CLONE Huts to the LEFT of the Pattern at 8 tiles , to the left OR righ every other Pattern
Positions - C - D - E and G will clone Huts to the left and right of the Pattern at 8 tiles to the Left OR right of every other Pattern.

In the Northwest Pattern the Positions will Change to
Positions : A , B , C and H will clone locations left OR right of the pattern
Positions : D , E , F and G will clone locations left OR right of the pattern.

The Huts will be in this rows , same as the Specials
ROWS : 73, 75 , 77 and 79.
Distance of HUTS is ALLWAYS MINUS or PLUS 32

On Row 73 - Huts at : 29.73 - 61.73 , and 94.73
On Row 75 - Huts at 3.75 - 9.75 - 35.75 - 41.75 67.75 and 99.75
On Row 77- Huts at 15.77 - 47.77 - and 79.77
On Row 79 - Huts at 27.79 - 59.79 and 91.79

Since Water was detected east of Utica, Scout Chariot will go west where 10 Huts are located.
The nearest is located South at 59.79....

NOW lets Go HUT HUNTING !!!

3700 - ALPHABET - Res - Ceremonial Burial
3650 - Hut 59.79 = POTTERY
3500 - Hut 47.77 = 25 Gold - Tile 49.75 ( Fish ) consolidates the Findings .
3450 - First Phlanx at Carthage, Whale tile at 43.75
3400 - Phalanx at Utica - Hut at 41.75 = WARRIOR CODE
3300 - Hut at 35.75 = Advance Tribe = MALACA ( 3 )
3200 - Germans met at 76.68 - Germans Demanded Alphabet - Peace, Hut at 29.73 = Chariot , Unit sent to Malaca
3150 = Hut at 52.68 = Advance Tribe CARALIS ( 4 )
3100 = Hut at 27.79 = Abandoned -
3000 = CEREMONIAL BURIAL Res. Code of Laws
2950 = Hut 15.77 - Archers -
2850 = Hut at 9.75 = CODE OF LAWS- Res - CURRENCY
2800 = Met Spanish - Traded Bronze works for Horseback
2750 = Hut at 3.75 = 50 Gold
2700 - Carthage and Utica Rush Settlers .
2600 - Hut at 2.64 = MONARCHY
2550 - PANORMUS ( 5 )- 74.68
2500 - Goverment changed to MONARCHY.
2350 - Hut at 14.66 = 25 Gold - Chariot enters German Territory Travel North
2200 - LEPTIS PARVA ( 6 ) 67.73 - ( 2 Hidden Specials ) - Horseman Enters German Territory South
2150 - Population 200.000
2050 - CURRENCY- Res = Polytheism- BERLIN Located at 86.60
1750 - Hut 98.64 = Abandoned
1650 - CARTENNA ( 7 ) - 40.74 - 3 Special Location ( 1 Visible -Whale )
1600 - Hut 91.79 = 50 Gold
1450 - Hut 99.47 = None Elephants RUSICADE ( 8 ) 51.75 ( 2 Special Location , 1 visible )
1400 - POLYTHEISM - Res. Trade
1250 - Tile 65.75 Mined , Phaesant
1200 - Population 300.000
1150 - Hut 81.43 - None Elephants
1100 - Tile 69.73 mined = Silk - Hut 79.49 = 50 Gold - Small Island Visible at 75.49
975 - TRADE - Res - Map Making
925 - 3 Elephants and 1 Chariot Attack Berlin - BERLIN ( 9 ) Taken - 33 Gold - MASONRY - Chinese Destroy Russian - Tile 71.77 Mined = Phaesant
900 - population 400.000
875 - Tile 37.73 Mined = Silk
850 - Liepzig ( German ) Destroyed - Mathematics - HAMBURG Spared -
800 - GADES - ( 10 ) ( 47.77 )
750 - 500.000
725 - Chinese Start COLOSSUS - MAP MAKING res. Construction
675 - Met Sioux Got - 200 Gold - Tile at 39.77 Mined = Phaesant
625 - EAST ARMY - ( 8 Elephants and 1 Horseman ) Marches North of Berlin - ( Currently around latitud 48 ) Building a Western Army - 4 Triremes will sail EAST to Island 8 -Determined to be a 3 Special Location. -
600 - Babilonians Start PYRAMIDS
575 - Chinese Change to GREAT LIBRARY
550 - Scout Horseman Lands on Island 8 - ( 3 Tiles )
525 - Population 500.000 - EASTERN ARMY reaches latitud 36
475 - Hut 92.36 - 50 gold - Litttle Big Horn ( 84.30 ) , Cedar Creeks ( 88.26 ) and Three Forks ( 94.28 ) discovered - CONSTRUCTION res Mysticism - Demanded Tribute from Sioux - 25 Gold
425 - Tile 76.68 = Phaesant
400 - Demanded Tribute from Germans - 100 Gold - NORTHERN ISLAND ( 11 )- Built at 74.50 - 3 Special Location - Little Big Horn Destroyed - LITERACY - 4 Caravans Being Delivered ASAP.
375 - Chinese Change Proyect to Pyramids - 900.000
350 - Hut 69.41 - 6 Barbarians - Hut 68.30 = Advanced City - GIRBA - ( 12 ) - CEDAR CREEK ( 13 ) Conquered ( 88.26 ) THE WHEEL - 6 gold
325 - Horseman Disbanded at Girba to speed Phalanx due to the 6 Barbarians a few tiles away. - PYRAMIDS Built at LEPTIS PARVA - Chinese change to Great Library - Babilonians to Hanging Gardens.Three Forks Destroyed .
300 - Island 7 located - Scouting - IDEAL Location for SCIENCE CITY !
275 - GIRBA Destroyed by Barbarians - Population Reaches 1.000.000
250 - SCIENCE CITY - ( 62.48 ) 4 Special Location - 2 Hidden - Caravans from Northern Island transported to Science City .
200 - MYSTICISM - Res Astronomy
150 - Elephants Leave CEDAR CREEK , will travel To the West - ( Wounded Knee , left unconquered to avoid respawning - Sioux are Decimated -)
125 - COLOSSUS BUILT at Science City.-
Chinese dicover Philosophy
75 BC - Hut at 76.26 = 25 Gold.
50 - Elephant Army ( 7 ) encounters a PERFECT location 66.28 seems to be an Ithsmus that Connects two HUGE bodies of Water ( Mediterranean 4 and Black Sea 3 ).This Estrategic Point will be held at ALL costs until SAFE Cities can be built near 66.28
Cedar Creek ( 88.26 ) now Becomes a Key City , since is the only city that can Build Settlers ( therefore PORTS in the Black Sea ), hopefully I made the right choice NOT destroying the Sioux, since they are standing between me and the unknown ...

1 AD :

Cities : 13
Government : Monarchy
Wealth : Taxes 40 % , Science 60 % , Discoveries 12 Turns
Infrastructure Support : 1 Barracks
Top 5 Cities : LEPTIS PARVA , SCIENCE CITY, RUSTICADE, CARALIS and Beijing ( Chinese )
Population : 1.490.000
Technologies : 18 ( 6 White )
Wonders : Pyramids and Collosus
Defense : 14 Settlers , 1 Warrior, 16 Phalanxes, 1 Archman , 2 Horsemen , 2 Chariots,
11 Elephants , 4 Triremes , 6 Caravans .
Supreme Power, Poor Reputation.

20 : Trireme from Science City and Horseman scouting area between Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Elephants from the West Army ( Near the Spanish ) start to Move and scout the territory.

40 : Tile 81.51 ( Science City ) mined to Phaesant - Weat Army discovers Cordoba ( Spanish ) 29.67 - Valladolid ( 35.69 ) discovered , has no army...18 Gold. Spanish Declare War..

80 - Demanded Tribute from Sioux ( 25 ) and Germans ( 50 ) - Tile 84.62 ( Berlin Mined = Silk )
HANGING GARDENS at Science City - ASTRONOMY - res Engeneering

100 - Tile 59.47 at Sciene City = Silk

130 - West Army Moving to conquer Spanish...

160 - Carthago Nova - 82.28 ( Port ) Built by Black Sea...

180 - Chinese Build Great Library -
Panama City - 67.29 - ( 4 Special Location and Gateway to the Black Sea , out of the 3 possible locations ( 65.27 - 66.28 and 67.29 ) this location not only has a GREAT strategic value but also 4 SPECIALS ...one visible Whale and 64.28 , 66.32 and 70.30 !!
3 Triremes builg BUILT ASAP to transport 6 settlers. Elephants will keep vigil and defend Location.
Tile 88.60 ( Berlin ) = Phaesant - CORDOBA - ( Spanish ) 35 Gold - Conquered-
Population 2.100.000 - MARCO POLO Built at LEPTIS PARVA.

MARCO POLO REPORTS :
White - Romans - Despotism - 1 City - 10 Techs
Green - Babilonians - Despotism - 11 Cities - 19 Techs
Blue - German - Despotism - 2 Cities - NO CAPITAL - 6 Techs
Yellow - Spanish - Despotism - 8 Cities - 5 Techs
Light Blue - Chineses -Despotism - 8 cities - 19 Techs
Purple - Sioux - Despotism - 3 Cities - No Capital - 8 Techs

200 - Trireme start scouting Black sea.
220 - Zaragoza and Seville ( Spanish ) discovered .
260 - Seville Destroyed.- Meet Chinese and Babilonians - Got 50 Gold from Chinese - Babylonians gave Philosophy
300 - TINGIS Built at 79.59
360 - Tile at 53.73 = Silk - Trireme Crosses to the Caspian Sea ... Romans Gift 150 Gold - ENGENEEERING Res . Medicine
500 - Zaragoza destroyed - Babilonians gift Republic , Romans give writing , Chinese 50 Gold.
Elephant Army Near Panama will start marching North and West.
COPERNICUS built at Science City. Madrid Located ( 19.71 )
540 - Panama Tile 64.28 mined = Phaesant, Chineses Capture ROME !
This changes the game...now 3 Civilizations ( Germans , Sioux and Romans ) have no Palace..
560 - Elephant discovers Hut 56.28 = BANKING
600 - 6 Elephants Approach Madrid. Babilonians discover Monotheism.
Romans Destroyed by Chinese.
620 - Celts Enter the Game. Hut at 54.34 = 5 Barbarians MADRID Falls ( LIGHTHOUSE ). 33 Gold. Elephant destroyed by Barbarians.
640 - SLAVE1 , built at 59.51 - Elephants discover Beijing ! ( 60.12 )
660 - BEIJING Falls - ( GREAT LIBRARY ) 55 Gold. SEAFARING. Exchanged Monotheism for Trade with Babilonians.
680 - TOLEDO conquered , 38 Gold. Peace with Spanish.
MEDICINE . Res Sanitation -
700 - Lighthouse , allows me to Navigate now faster from Mainland to Science City. Island 9 ( 5 Tiles ) 2 Specials Discovered.- Population 4.000.000
720 - CADIZ destroyed.
740 - SHANGAI conquered -
780 - ALALIA Built at 63.59 Island 9 , 2 Specials
800 - BILBAO conquered. 37 gold, BARCELONA Conquered 35 Gold
820 - SCIENCE CITY Builts SHAKESPEARE
840 - Granada destroyed
860 - Chinese steal Medicine - SALAMANCA Conquered.47 gold - Peace with Spanish.
880 - Xinjian Destroyed. - MICHELANGELO Built
900 - 5.000.000
920 - SLAVE2 built at 57.47
960 - TSINGTAO Conquered - 41 Gold - Cardiff located at 91.41
980 - SANITATION - Res.INVENTION
1000 - NANKING discovered.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Welcome back Uruwashi. Peaster is definitely around. He just started playing GOTM 129 (see his post in the game thread).

Did I read your log right that you got your first 4 cities out of Advanced tribes? That is amazing.

 

[Peaster]

Yep, right here. Welcome back Uru! I am at home playing EC on normal / large maps, and I like this one, sort of a Dark Ages View of the Mediterranean map, with lots of unexpected grass.

4000 BC I didn't do any map analysis and not much black-clicking, just cuz I don't enjoy that much. I was undecided about exploring with the settler for specials, or going for size-1 [how?] or just std play. Hut = horseman, convinced me to go for size-1 while the horse explored.

3950 to 3400 BC Carthage (1). Huts = 50g, ho, 50g [followed later by ho, hbr, 100g, ho, 50g, etc ...]. I consider this fairly good hut luck, but nothing special. Utica(2).

2750 BC Hut = AT. Cartenna (4). Meet Spanish, +50g for peace. Next turn; alphabet and Pan (5).

2400 BC Hut = AT, LP (6), and next cb --> cl. I didn't get any real hut help towards monarchy, but also very few off-path techs.

2000 BC Hut = monarchy, with revolt to this in -1850, but I was expecting to get it thru science in -1850 anyway, without the revolution. 8 cities + 4 Settlers in -1850. 6 minor units from huts. I am playing for ICS, for MPE and/or HG. For some reason, I thought this was Emperor level, and was a little over-concerned about happiness in this period.

1500 BC Meet Germans, +100g, 13 cities. Soon followed by Trade.

1000 BC 17 cities under monarchy. 10adv, 7 misc units + 3S. 2 AI contacts.

950 BC MPE --> Wri, MM and approx 300g in tribute + maps (within a few turns).

Approx 800 BC [poor note-taking in this phase] Pyr's (I am planning a big civ vs restarts). 21 cities, 2 nominal wars with Babs and Germans; Poly in 700BC. With no rivers or arrow-specials, it was hard to do much research. Also, I had maxxed taxes most of the time, for faster ICS.

525 to 500 BC HG. 30 cities, 3WoWs, monarchy, 9S, 5tri, 4ele, 1barracks. Am getting serious about taking down Spain, and starting my anti-respawn plan.

Am hoping to include "Big Trade" in this game and probably LH. This is unclear, with no Hides matches and no overseas AI to trade with. But there are a few scattered islands nearby for making trade cities. This is an interesting situation - I hope to read other logs soon to see what others did with this. I do not usually go in for non-overseas trade, but for those who need the science badly, it might make sense here. Have played to approx 100BC; more log to follow.

 

[URUWASHI]

Yes ALI , I did get my first 4 Cities from Huts....but was not BY LUCK.
Before 1000 I had encountered 19 HUTS ..I did use my Excel Finder since it was a Grassland Map...Imposible to locate Specials ...but easy to locate Huts....that also gave me the edge , when I triangulated HUTS and Special locations to " Build " cities in " Special " locations since they are all hidden under the grass ...but I knew where I had to Mine ...Instead of building cities in 4 special Locations I went for cites with 2 Specials , near the Ocean to Irrigate.

According to my Log the 19 Huts discovered before 1000 BC : 4 For cities , 4 Techs , 5 for gold , 4 Units ( 3 were Elephants and 1 Archer ) and 2 abandoned...

I think all Elephants were in Huts in the German Area....that allowed me to conquer them early , take their Capital ...but I did not destroy them...I just left them one or two cities.

Same with the Sioux as I marched North...

I was lucky that my FIRST hut in 4000 BC had a Chariot...

I sent my Chariot , HUT Hunting over the Spanish Territory , since I knew the Locations of all the 8 Huts in their territory ...

That , actually got the Spaniards way behind since I " discovered " all their Huts .
None of the Spanish Cities were built on a " Hut " Location .
In my game, acording to POLO they have several cities EIGHT ( see my log post ) as many as the Chinese ....but only 5 Techs , but the Chinese had 19 Techs during the same time !!
So in Theory if you can " take " the Huts available in the area of spawing , you can also deter the Tech growth ??
Interestingly ....the Babilonians had at least 4 ( Maybe 5 ) Cities by advance tribes , since I did not kept the location of Nineveh ...) Ur , Akkad , Uruk and Samarra are in HUT locations according to my Map...and they had 11 Cities by the time I built Polo ....

Here is where Babilonians Cities were Built in my game , locations with asterisk built on HUT Locations :

Babylon - 18.46
Ur ( * ) Conquered ( 11.43 )
Nineveh - Destroyed.... Location ???
Ashur- Conquered ( 16.40 )
Ellipi - Conquered ( 21.14 )
Akkad - ( * ) Conquered ( 6.30 )
Uruk ( * ) Conquered ( 10.32 )
Eridu - Conquered ( 24.18 )
Samarra - ( * ) ( 50.0 )
Lagash Conquered ( 20.29 )

I had my share of Barbarian Huts , lost a key city and a few units ....luckly, late in the game one HUT ( 18.0 ) had 5 Barbarian Knights and allowed me to use the " Partisan Trick " twice , so I got about 12 " FREE " Units...I still have 1 City ruled by Barbarians in Hope they take a few more of my Cities , as a rule the Partisan Trick only works two times...but we will see.

Before 1 AD , I found a Fantastic location for a SUPER SCIENCE CITY , so this game was a hybrid....one part of my Empire went to war , and the other dedicated to Technologies ...

After 1000 AD I went for a Wipe out ..and turns later only 4 Civs ( German , Sioux , Spanish and Babilonians ) remained, all with 1 city and no Capital, so I changed my GAME again !! I decided to go for a MASSIVE perfect society and a HUGE SS...Played in Soft Fundy for a while, after my cities were improved with Temples , Aqueducts and Sewer Systems ...I changed to DEMOCRACY .... I was getting Techs every two turns ....sometimes one every other Turn depending on deliveries...

I am enjoying this game a LOT!

 

[Ali Ardavan]

According to my Log the 19 Huts discovered before 1000 BC : 4 For cities , 4 Techs , 5 for gold , 4 Units ( 3 were Elephants and 1 Archer ) and 2 abandoned...

Looks like you got an even distribution of the main outcomes. Somehow I thought the chances for nomads/advanced tribes are smaller. Nevertheless, that is amazing. To get 3 elephants out of 4 units is over the top.

My first unit was an archer who did go on hut hunting but I kept getting gold (next 3) which was definitely better than off-path tech but one fast moving unit would have been great. The fifth hut gave me an advanced tribe in Anatolia. As always, I did a map analysis (thanks to the hut) and found the seed so, like you, I knew where all the huts were.

 

[URUWASHI]

As Usual ALI , you have triggered my curiosity.
Is it a Balance from the AI regarding HUTS , Techs , Advance Cities ??
For me ' 4 For cities , 4 Techs , 5 for gold , 4 Units and 2 abandoned " in 19 Turns represents a very close distibution of 20 % to Each possibilty ...
Does the AI then " allow " the HUTS, NOT at RANDOM depending on the need of the Computer Players ?
OK you had an Archer , a slower moving Unit that found gold ...than I did , does that compensates as me having a faster Unit and finding Advance Tribes ?
Why Did I get a couple of Abandoned Huts after I found 4 Cities ...then I only found Units or Techs then again Abandoned Huts , I am sure that this is not a random definition.
I LOVE THIS game more and more !!
Planning to Launch a Massive SS by 1750 ( hopi ng I do not get side tracked !! ) and at least 6 Mega cities ( That will equal one Science City ) in Each territory using my Engineers to Farmland ideal 4 Special Locations and end with all Wonders and 80.000.000...
We will see !

 

[URUWASHI]

Game Over .
Managed to launch a massive SS late in the 1700's , achive all 28 wonders . Finished with over 86.000.000 happy citizens .

 

[grigor]

I was reminded of a contest I had with Peaster a few years ago to see who could pack the cities in fastest before 1000bc. I am proud to say that in this GOTM I got 18 Cities by 1000bc , and although I played sloppily the next 2000 years, I managed to grow to 165 cities in Fundy before finishing by conquest sometime after 1200ad. Many respawns - I killed the French and the Russians twice in the same turns before the AI finally gave up.

Log to follow.

 

[grigor]

With all this grassland, I want to see how fast I can grow. Some hut luck would be helpful, but on King level happiness is not such a big deal and the AI is weak and dumb. Pop the hut and go from there.

4000 Hut: Archers.
3950 Carthage.
3900 Hut: horse. Res Alph.
3750 Hut: Tribe on the ocean
3650 Hut: ruins
3350 Germans: Peace, WC
3200 Hut: ruins
3150 Settlers in Carthage. Hut: 50g. Buy settler.
3050 Hut: Alph
3000 Malaca, Caralis.
Status: 4 C, despotism, 3 techs, horse, archer.

2950 Hut: NONE Archer. Moves to Utica.
2900 Hut: Writing

2400 Panormus
2350 Hut: Tribe on ocean. (6)
2250Cartenna
2150 9 Cities. Time to get some science

2000 Status: 9C, despotism, 2 archer, horse. 4 techs res CB

1950 Hut: 50g
1900 CB => CoL. Hut: Adv Tribe in West with fish special
1600 CoL => Maps
1450 13 C
1400 Settler in Gades needs to build roads.
1300 Maps => Monarchy
1150 17 C
1100 oops – some disorder. 18 C
1050 Monarchy => Currency. Revolt. Gov: Monarchy
1000 Sioux: peace, maps.
Status: 18C, 2 Settlers roading, horse, 2 archers. 8 techs, res Currency. Gov: Monarchy

900 Curr => Lit
850 Hut: Feudalism. Hmm. So much for the 1st row PRB.
775 Hut: tribe on Black Sea
750 Lit =>Trade
700 Spanish: peace, maps. I want their land.
675 Chinese: peace, maps.
650 Crete founded on a 3-special. looks like a good SSC.
625 Trade =>HB
525 Hut: HB
500 res Poly.
Status: 28C, 12 settlers, 2 vans, 15 Pikes, 2 trireme.

Need more triremes.Need to get rid of Germans. Poly in 1-2 turns.

475 Hut: Tribe. Germans Attack
450 Poly => Myst
400 HG in Crete.

225 Phil, Mono.=> Med. Berlin destroyed.
200 Subvert Leipzig.
150Babylon builds Pyr
75 Colossus in Crete
50 Medicine => Seaf

1AD
Status: 35C 16 Settlers. HG, Colossus, 19 techs res Seaf
7 vans, 7 triremes. Shipchain from Carthage area to Crete. collecting vans for MC.
Colonies in Constantinople (Canal), Athens, and near Chinese. Germans almost gone.

 

[grigor]

Plan next phase. MC is necessary. Then probably Republic to ease corruption. Maybe some trade. The AI wants Hides.

40 LH in Crete
60 Seaf => Theo.
80. Hut: Theo Nice timing.
140 Hut: Wheel
180 Babs seem to be in Sicily.
200 Konigsberg bribed. X Germans. Vikings respawn.
MPE,
Russians: Cordial, 6cities, 333g, IW, Mas, Math
Babs: Receptive. 270G 4C. Astro, IW Mas, Math, (Building Copes)
Vikes: 0 cities.
Spanish: 9C 415g. IW
Chinese: 9C, IW, 188g
Sioux: 8C, 427g

Should trade tech. Purple Civ has GL.

Russians: get Mas, Math. Tribute: 250g.
Babs: get Astro, IW. Peace, maps, 350g! Aha -they are in Spain – there is no sicily.
Chinese: peace, 150g.
Sioux: peace, 300g.

With 1000g we should be able to cet this civ rolling.
Rename Crete to Rhodes, now that the real Crete has been found.

Plan: shipchain to Babs for trade. War with Spanish. Copes in Rhodes
Settle Sardinia, Corsica, and Majorca. Colonize Calabria
Expand Black Sea area and shipchain. Find Vikings
get MC ASAP in Carthage – then Republic.

Need many vans for wonders.

Science Plan: Demo, Sol, Fundy? Possible to conquer before 1000?
I don't think a pre-1000 landing is possible -not enough Trade. But maybe the civ will be big enough to do it without heavy trade. Domestic trade should be OK in Demo once the infrastructure in Rhodes gets going. If I am rich enough, KRC is indicated.

Path: Constr, Eng, Rep, Bank, Inv.
Then Demo, then San.

Bought white goods.
PRB many caravans.

220 res Univ
240 Univ => Rep
320 JS Bach. Adjust happiness.
340 STWA.
400 Hut: Nomads on Majorca
420 Great Wall
480 MC. Adjust Happiness. Chinese 100g, Russians 125g. Vikings: peace, maps, 50g. They are near Bordeaux.

Status: 61C. 12 settlers. 2 Caravan, 13 uncoordinated trireme. 5 Crooks.
HG, Colossus, Wall, STWA, Marco, MC, Copes, Bach.
28 techs, Constr next turn. Need Oedo year to revolt to Republic, but after wiping out Spain.
Need about 4 more crooks and 5 dips for Spain.

500 Const => Eng
520 Revolution
540 Gov: Republic

580 Eng => Bank
640 Bank => Inv
660 Inv => Demo (1-turn advance)
720 Demo one turn late=>Chem. Leos
760 Chem => Nav Revolt
780 Gov: Demo
800 Lux at 30. Many celebrations
820 Nav => Phy. Vans delivered for SoL
840 SoL. Most cities size 5. Madrid captured. 300G for peace.
860 Phy => Guns
880 Guns => Sanitation (1-turn advance)
920 ToG => Expl deliver some freight.
940Expl => Bridges. (1-turn advance) Revolution.
Chinese: War. Capture Tatung, Chiv.
960 Gov: Fundy
980 785 g per turn. Spanish: War. Valledolid. Tribute. Buy temples.
1000ad Status: 85 Cities. 20 Engineers. Fundy. 7 vans, 17 Caravel. 23 Crooks, 64 musketeers.
HG, LH, Wall, Marco, STWA, MC, SoL, Leo, Copes, Bach. Magellans next turn
40 techs. Res Bridges.
War with Spanish.
Need to conquer som Bab cities., also Russians. perhaps everybody needs a trade route to Rhodes?
Fix shipchains, especially to Babylon.. Build up island cities (peloponesse, Majorca) deliver vans.

1010 Magellans. Tientsin subverted
1020 Bridge =>Econ. Shakes
1030 Spanish down to one city.
1050hut: Barbs
1060 Econ => ToG
1070 Chinese down to 4 C. Last Spanish city found.
1080 ToG =>Leadership
1090
1100 Lead => Steam
1110 Chinese one city.
1120 Babylon captured = Pyr.. Babs down to one city. Russians: war. Moscow captured.
1130 Sioux down to 2 cities.
1140 Steam => RR
1150 Russians down to 2 cities. Try to Finish by 1200.
1160 Eiffel Tower, KRC.
1170 Status: 141 Cities 25 Engineers.25 caravan, 43 Caravel. 115 musket, 30 Dragoons 16 Dips..
44 techs, researching Railroad.
AI all reduced to 1 city each, no capitals. 575G in treasury.

Should buy everybody except vikings to see where they go.

1180 RR => Ind.. Sioux destroyed. Indians respawn Chinese subverted. Americans respawn.
Spanish bribed, Egyptians respawn near Indians.
1190 Darwin, Ind, ToG => Corp. Egypt destroyed, Aztecs spawn. Russians bribed, Romans respawn.
Babs bribed, Zulus respawn.
1200 Indians destroyed by Barbs. Mongols respawn. Aztecs destroyed by barbs. No Respawn!!
Mongols destroyed. No Respawn. Vikings destroyed. French respawn.

1210 Romans destroyed. Celts respawn and are bribed. French bribed.
1220 Celts destroyed by Barbs. Russians respawn. French destryoed, French respawn.
Americans destroyed, Persians respawn. Persians bribed. Russians bribed. French bribed.
1230 Corp => Atom Theo. Women's Suffrage, Oracle. Russians destroyed by barbs. Russians respawn. French destroyed by Barbs – no respawn. Persians destroyed by Barbs. Persians respawn.
Russians bribed. Persians bribed. Japanese conquered.
1240 Russians destroyed by Barbs. Romans respawn. Persians destroyed by Barbs. Americans respawn. Americans bribed. Romans destroyed (no respawn). Lux to 80. (should have had higher lux earlier - this is a cash bonanza!)
1250 Americans respawn. Atom Theo => Magnets. Americans bribed.
1260 Chinese respawn. Chinese destroyed. No Respawn!!

I finished with 165 Cities.

 

[Peaster]

Feb 3: @Grigor - looks like we were neck and neck. At -1000, you have 18C to my 17C. At -500, you have 28C to my 30C. I will probably shoot ahead by 1AD, but then fall behind later. I don't have enough time these days for mega-civs, and will try to conquer around 500AD or so if all goes well.

Feb6: Barely finished on time wrt RL an wrt my EC goal. A quick log after 500BC:

500BC: 30 cities, 5 boats, 4 eles. 3 Ws
475BC: Spain down in one turn. Respawn as Aztecs in the far NE corner, pretty much as expected.
400BC: Small victories in Germany, but Berlin has walls, and I take 200g for cfire.
375BC: (approx) Phil-->Mono-->Repu
150BC: LH , and G's have declared war again. Dips remove walls at Berlin. Van =120g.
100BC: Aztec city down, but not the civ; I am trying to move any spare units to NE. Berlin down.
75BC: Carth settler accidentally makes a forest (I precharge a lot and wasn't counting). OK I guess.
50BC: Aztecs respawn as Egypt. All respawns occurred in the far NE, more-or-less by plan.
25BC: 2nd van = 224g.

1AD: 66 cities, mon, 15S, 10v, 10ele, 7tri, 2dip, 4W, 23adv, 216g, 1 war, 2.99pop. Repu-->banks

40AD: (approx) Revolt to Republic for the trade and growth. Babs "war". Vans for 240 (mon) and 408 (repu).
80AD: MC. Egypt down
180AD: (approx) Switch back to Monarchy, to restore wars. Moscow down.
240AD: Sioux steal tech allowing me to declare war [I prefer a clean repn, for no really great reason]. Some pathetics vans (corruption).
260AD: Sioux capital down. Only the Chinese have a capital now. I'll omit some battle news now, unless asked for more.
300AD: Revolt back to Republic, because I had about 5 nice vans that were doomed under Monarchy. Hoped 5 wars would last.
360AD: Vans brought in approx 1200g, but my Senate has stopped 3-4 perfectly good wars, so it's back to Monarchy.
400AD: Most AI civs are down or respawned in the NE. China still has 3 cities, including one not on my map, but my dips have removed walls from the capital, and I have explorers hunting... it was over pretty soon.

I didn't count cities at the end, but am sure I had much less than Grigor. Probably about 100. I wasn't really ICSing after 1AD.
I finished "Atrocious" (I blame my Senates for this) but was still able to get all the AI maps.

Strategy remarks: 1) I tried for "Big Trade" but it did not really happen. It took too long to get big island cities, and [almost] none of them made Hides, so no long stable ship chains were possible. Also, island "STCs" did not work well under monarchy because of corruption, and I couldn't afford to play Repu very long while aiming for EC. But it was not a disaster - I guess the vans/etc paid for themselves with small profits. 2) I experimented by changing govts 5 times (D-M-R-M-R-M) not counting anarchy. I always assumed the costs of revolting would be too high, but this actually worked out OK. Probably would have worked much better if I had planned it out more. 3) Anti-Respawn strategy worked like a charm.

I liked the Med map [but might prefer more variety in terrain].

 

[Ali Ardavan]

-0475 Bridge Building from hut.
-0450 Selinus founded.
-0425 Babylonian, Russian -> 100g; German -> 50g; Spanish, Sioux -> 200g. None legion from hut.
-0400 Chinese warrior killed.
-0375 Seafaring -> Literacy. Offshore domestic Wool for 64 establishes the first trade route. Babylonian -> 150g; Spanish, Sioux -> 0g.
-0325 Carthage builds Colossus. Domestic offshore beads for 44. Himera founded. Advanced tribe founds Arkagas in south west corner of the map. Russian -> 50g. German -> 25g.
-0300 Theveste, Saguntum, and Naples founded. Spanish, Sioux -> 0g. Babylonian, German -> 50g.
-0275 Literacy -> Philosophy. Sioux warrior bribed for 39 to gain access to the tile I want to build a city on. Issus founded. Spanish -> 0g.
-0250 Cunaxa founded.
-0225 Accepted Chinese offer of 100g for a cease fire. Philosophy and Elephant from hut. Spanish -> 75g.
-0200 -> Mono -> Republic. Spanish, Sioux -> 75g. Wine to German Leipzig for 50 establishes the first foreign route. 5 barbarian horsemen from hut.
-0175 Archer survives one barbarian horseman and turns vet; others disappear. Russian, Babylonian, Spanish, Sioux -> 50g.
-0150 Cremona, Cannae founded. 8 barbarian horseman from hut. Domestic deliveries for 48, 24. Silk to Babylon for 198.
-0125 Barbarians kill my elephant. Hanging Gardens built. Barbarian horseman bought for 41 and used to kill another. Capua founded.
-0100 Barbarian horseman kills mine. Republic -> Banking. Babylonian -> 0g, Spanish -> 50g, Sioux -> 25g. Barbarian horseman bought for 41. Peace -> Chinese -> 50g. None crusader from hut. Beads to Babylonians for 44.
-0075 Turin founded.
-0050 Russian -> 50g. Revolution started. T2L6S2.
-0025 Babylonian -> 0g, Spanish, Sioux -> 50g. Republic established. T3L4S3. 25g, 50g from huts. Genoa founded.
+0001 Seven cities celebrate. Crete founded.

Status at +1
Population: 1.3M; Cities: 32; Techs: 22; Government: Republic
Gold: 4; Cost: 0; Trade routes: 8D3F;
Wonders: Marco, Colossus, Hanging Gardens
Units: 14 settlers, 6 Warriors, 2 Phalanx, 4 slow and 6 fast assault units, 5 Trireme, 2 diplomats, 8 Caravans, 1 explorer
Footprint: 14 cities in NE Africa, 1 city in NW Africa, 2 cities in Asia near the Red sea, 7 in Anatolia, 3 on the West coast of Black Sea, 3 in offshore islands, 2 in Southern Italy.
Goals: Keep peace but be ready to eliminate any rival. Trade with every one. Settle all remaining islands. Ultimate goal is landing.
Russian: 5 cities, 15 techs;
Babylonian: 6 cities, 17 techs;
German: 5 cities, 12 techs;
Spanish: 8 cities, 11 techs;
Chinese: 3 cities, 8 techs; War with Sioux
Sioux: 7 cities, 13 techs; War with Chinese

+0020 First structure, a Library in the capital, is built. Domestic deliveries for 76. T1L8S1
+0040 2 more cities join the celebration. 5 barbarians from hut. None crusader kills one.
+0060 Barbarians kill my None crusader. 5 barbarians from hut again! Verona founded. T0L6S4
+0080 Barbarians kill my explorer. Banking ->Math. Domestic Salt for 188. Silver to Sioux for 224. T2L3S5.
+0120 Math -> Astronomy. Salamis, Lisbon, and Hamburg founded.
+0140 Sioux build Lighthouse. Michelangelo built. Prague, Salzburg founded. Gold to Germans for 150. Beads to Chinese for 152. Domestic Hides for 72.
+0160 Astronomy -> Medicine. Bergen founded.
+0180 Advanced tribe founds Venice.
+0200 Monotheism -> Babylonian -> alliance, 50g.
+0240 Medicine -> University. Milan founded.
+0260 Ghent, Pisa, Dublin, Toronto founded. 100g from hut.
+0280 Domestic Gold for 168. Melbourne founded. Advanced tribe founds Sydney.
+0300 University -> Chemistry. Carthage is size 12. Konya and Utica founded. Hides to Germans for 100g. Domestic Wool for 64.
+0320 Advnaced tribe founds Zurich. Silk to Babylonians for 432.
+0340 Chemistry ->Theory of Gravity. Domestic deliveries for 308, 40, 132.
+0360 Theory of Gravity -> Economics. Domestic deliveries for 112. Chinese Nanking subverted for 2x294g.
+0380 Copernicus built. Navigation from hut.
+0400 Advanced tribe founds Caralis2.
+0420 Economics -> Wheel. Math, Navigation -> Russian -> Wheel. Chad founded. Silk to Babylonians for 339. Domestic deliveries for 60.
+0440 -> Engineering. Crimea founded. Domestic deliveries for 32. Dubai founded.
+0460 Engineering -> Sanitation. Rome and Tunis founded. 25g from hut.
+0480 Feudalism from hut. Babylonian -> 75g. Domestic deliveries for 216; foreign for 51.
+0500 Babylonians build Pyramids. Chinese build Great Library. Domestic deliveries for 84. Foreign deliveries for 76. Mecca founded.

Status at +500
Population: 5.4M; Cities: 58; Techs: 35; Government: Republic
Gold: 65; Cost: 16; Trade routes: 33D10F;
Wonders: Marco, Colossus, Hanging Gardens, Michelangelo, Copernicus
Units: 32 settlers, 5 slow and 6 fast assault units, 9 boats, 3 diplomats, 10 Caravans, 1 explorer
Footprint: 19 cities in NE Africa, 2 cities in NW Africa, 6 cities in SW Asia, 11 in Anatolia, 7 on the West and North coasts of Black Sea, 5 in offshore islands, 6 in Italy, 2 in central Europe.
Goals: Keep peace but be ready to eliminate any rival. Trade with every one. Bribe far away cities of rivals. Settle all remaining islands. Democracy, Magellan, Bach, Leo, Newton. Ultimate goal is landing.
Russian: 5 cities, 18 techs; War with Chinese
Babylonian: 7 cities, 27 techs; Pyramids; Allied with me
German: 5 cities, 16 techs;
Spanish: 9 cities, 16 techs;
Chinese: 3 cities, 11 techs; Great Library; War with Russians and Sioux
Sioux: 9 cities, 26 techs; War with Chinese

+0520 Sioux build Lighthouse. Sanitation -> Invention. Chinese Warrior bribed for 22g. Macedonia founded. Domestic deliveries for 30.
+0540 Magellan built. Athens and Daghestaan founded. Foreign deliveries for 63, 54. Babylonian -> 150g. Chinese Kiev subverted for 2x224.
+0560 Invention -> Democracy. Foreign deliveries for 44. Marathon, Bologna, Ottowa, and Malta founded.
+0580 Spanish build Great Wall. Kish, Casablanca, and Niger founded. Domestic deliveries for 16.
+0600 Domestic deliveries for 12.
+0620 Democracy -> Theology. Instant revolution. 4 of the rivals ignore my demands for tribute. Russians declare war. Lost an elephant in attack on Russian Canton. Democracy established. Niagara and Medina founded. Deliveries to Russians for 128, 140. Russian Canton bribed for 375.
+0640 Foreign deliveries for 84. Avignon founded. Accepted Russian offer of 150g for peace.
+0660 Theology -> Gunpowder. Domestic deliveries for 68, 117. Foreign deliveries for 42, 100.
+0680 Gunpowder -> Metallurgy. Domestic deliveries for 81.
+0700 Domestic deliveries for 60, 105, 72. Kharg founded. T2L4S4
+0720 Metallurgy -> Explosives. Domestic deliveries for 82.
+0740 Domestic deliveries for . Foreign deliveries for 62. Algeria founded.
+0760 Explosives -> Physics.
+0780 Russians sneak attack and lose 2 units. Rouen, Kuwait, and Sparta founded. Babylonian -> 100g.
+0800 Russians kill a unit and lose one. 2 Russian units killed. Bucharest and Moldova founded.
+0820 Physics -> Magnetism. Domestic deliveries for 87, 142. Foreign deliveries for 93. Babylonian -> 75g.
+0840 Stupid Russians killed my diplomat instead of taking defenseless Kiev. Magnetism -> Steam Engine. Leo built. Russian catapult killed. Corinth and Grozny founded. Domestic deliveries for 183, 90. Foreign deliveries for 210, 200.
+0860 Steam Engine -> Electricity. Damascus founded. Domestic deliveries for 92, 125.
+0880 Electricity -> Conscription. Babylonian -> 75g. Ingoshetia founded. Domestic deliveries for 105, 123, 135, 84. Foreign deliveries for 183, 77.
+0900 Conscription -> Refrigeration. Newton built. Tonb, Marakesh, and Slovenia founded. Domestic deliveries for 107. Foreign deliveries for 51.
+0920 Babylonian -> 150g. Alhamra and Gheshm founded. All islands are now settled. Revolting Sioux Killdeer subverted for 177g. Got 7 units!
+0940 Refrigeration -> Atomic Theory. Budapest founded. Domestic deliveries for 126, 186, 75. Foreign deliveries for 120.
+0960 Atomic Theory -> Chivalry. Domestic deliveries for 90. Foreign deliveries for 72, 60. Accepted Russian offer of 150g for peace.
+0980 Chivalry -> Leadership. Domestic deliveries for 144. Foreign deliveries for 220. T1L4S5
+1000 Leadership -> Railroad -> Tactics. Bach built. T3L2S5. Domestic deliveries for 104, 80, 92, 48. Foreign deliveries for 136, 46, 70. Besancon founded.

Status at +1000Population: 26.6M; Cities: 92; Techs: 52; Government: Democracy
Gold: 23; Cost: 87; Trade routes: 87D27F;
Ancient Wonders: Colossus, Hanging Gardens
Medieval Wonders: Marco, Michelangelo, Copernicus, Magellan
Industrial Wonders: Leo, Bach, Newton
Units: 38 Engineers, 6 Dragoons, 9 Galleons, 2 diplomats, 36 Caravans
Footprint: 21 cities in NE Africa, 4 cities in NW Africa, 9 cities in SW Asia, 11 in Anatolia, 8 on the West and North coasts of Black Sea, 13 in offshore islands, 7 in Italy, 4 in Greece, 7 in central Europe, 5 in NW Europe, 1 in Spain, 1 in Russian land, 1 in Sioux land, .
Goals: Keep peace but be ready to eliminate any rival. Trade with every one. Bribe far away cities of rivals. Modern wonders. Ultimate goal is landing.
Russian: 6 cities, 19 techs; War with Chinese and Babylonians
Babylonian: 7 cities, 39 techs; Pyramids; Allied with me, war with Russians
German: 6 cities, 19 techs;
Spanish: 9 cities, 19 techs; Great Wall
Chinese: 1 cities, 26 techs; Great Library; War with Russians and Sioux
Sioux: 11 cities, 50 techs; Lighthouse; War with Chinese

 

[Ali Ardavan]

+1010 Tactics -> Industrialization. Sarajevo, Jordan, and Torino founded. Domestic deliveries for 68.
+1020 Industrialization -> Corporation.
+1030 Corporation -> Genetic Engineering. Domestic deliveries for 64, 78. Foreign deliveries for 166, 77, 120, 108. Sioux Xinjian subverted for 2x142g. Teflis founded. T2L2S6
+1040 Genetic Engineering -> Steel -> Machine Tools. Shakespeare built. Domestic deliveries for 72, 164, 146. Foreign deliveries for 100, 114, 125, 318. Charters founded.
+1050 Russians sneak attack and kill a freight. Machine Tools -> Electronics -> Miniaturization. Domestic deliveries for 84, 50. Foreign deliveries for 194, 52, 78, 120
+1060 Russians kill a cavalry. Miniaturization -> Amphibious Warfare. Baghdad and Basque founded. Domestic deliveries for 56, 162. Foreign deliveries for 2x116, 38. Russian Odessa captured. Accepted Russian offer of 100g for peace after senate forced cease fire.
+1070 Amphibious Warfare -> Refining -> Combustion. Domestic deliveries for 324, 28. Foreign deliveries for 86. T3L2S5
+1080 Combustion -> Automobile. Domestic deliveries for 165. Foreign deliveries for 2x66. Sevastopol subverted for 2x210g.
+1090 Automobile -> Mass production. Domestic deliveries for 68, 120, 52.
+1100 Mass Production -> Computers -> Nuclear Fission. Domestic deliveries for 70, 64, 46, 58. Foreign deliveries for 122. Zagreb founded. T3L3S4
+1110 Cure built. Nuclear Fission -> Nuclear Power. Domestic deliveries for 120, 102, 28, 74, 63. Foreign deliveries for 248.
+1120 Nuclear power -> Communism. Computers -> Babylonian -> 150g. Bern founded. Domestic deliveries for 254, 170. Foreign deliveries for 74, 262, 192.
+1130 Communism -> Espionage. First pollution appears. Foreign deliveries for 116. Engineering -> Babylonian -> 75g.
+1140 Espionage -> Laser -> Flight. Domestic deliveries for 158.
+1150 SETI built. Flight -> Recycling. Domestic deliveries for 288, 52. Foreign deliveries for 104.
+1160 Recycling -> Radio. Russian embassy established. Domestic deliveries for 290, 67, 131. Foreign deliveries for 58, 140, 94. Andolesia founded.
+1170 Radio -> Advanced Flight -> Rocketry. Domestic deliveries for 108, 63. Foreign deliveries for 110.
+1180 Rocketry -> Mobile Warfare. Domestic deliveries for 54, 114. Foreign deliveries for 127.
+1190 Mobile Warfare -> Space Flight -> Plastics. Chinese embassy established. Chinese declare war when asked to remove their troops. 2 Chinese units killed. Domestic deliveries for 60, 319, 58, 74, 50. Space Flight -> Babylonian -> 0g. Sioux Slim Buttes subverted for 2x400g.
+1200 Sioux steal Space Flight; I declare war. Plastics -> Superconductor. Spanish declare war when I ask them to remove troops. Second defender of Beijing killed and the city taken over for 153g and Great Library. Chinese civilization destroyed. Domestic deliveries for 283, 276, 290, 144. Foreign deliveries for 50. Spanish Seville bribed for 1500g. Got 4 units and made many more disappear. Senate hands peace to the Spanish.

+1210 Sioux steal Plastics. Superconductor -> Robotics -> Environmentalism. Domestic deliveries for 66, 208, 206, 412. Spanish declare war again. 3 Spanish units killed. Spanish Valladolid bribed for 810. Lost spy. Senate hands Spanish another peace treaty. 2 Sioux riflemen killed with my first tank and WoundedKnee captured. WoodLake subverted for 2x204g. Spy turned vet.
+1220 Germans steal Superconductor. I keep the peace, as I am too busy with the other 2 guys. Environmentalism -> Stealth -> Combined Arms. Big Mound bribed for 288g. Spy escaped. Domestic deliveries for 156. Foreign deliveries for 104, 57. Spanish declare war for the third time. Toledo captured. For the third turn in a row Senate hands peace to the Spanish. T4L3S3
+1230 Sioux steal Superconductor. I declare war. Germans steal Plastics. I keep the peace. Combined Arms -> Fusion Power. Domestic deliveries for 475, 82. Foreign deliveries for 34, 71. Spanish declare war again. Lost a stealth fighter in attack on Little Big Horn. With the aid of a tank and a Cavalry the city is captured for Lighthouse. Senate hands Sioux cease fire. Cedar Creek subverted for 2x280g. Spy escaped. Senate hands Sioux peace.
+1240 Germans steal Space Flight. I keep the peace. Spanish kill a unit. Fusion Power -> Future Tech 1. Carthage is maxed out at 37 citizens. Sioux Stony Lake, Bear Paw, and Three Forks subverted for 2x138g, 2x120, and 2x158g. Sioux declare war when asked to remove their troops. Point of Rocks captured. Senate hands Sioux peace. They are down to 1 small city. Stealth fighter easily kills ancient defenders of Madrid and the city is captured for Great Wall. Accepted Spanish offer of 600g for peace. Maghreb founded. Domestic deliveries for 44, 126, 176, 84.
+1250 Apollo built. Future Tech 1 -> Fundamentalism. Once again Spanish declare war. Salamanca and Valencia captured. Senate hands Spanish cease fire. Qartage founded. Domestic deliveries for 128, 77. T5L3S2
+1260 Russian sneak attack and kill an Engineer. Fundamentalism -> Future Tech 2. Space race starts. Domestic deliveries for 470, 67, 192, 82, 91. Senate hands Russians peace. Germans declare war. Barcelona, Saragossa subverted for 2x315g, 2x177g. Spy lost.
+1270 Germans take one of my unprotected cities. I get 3 partisans. Senate hands them peace. Spanish sneak attack and kill an engineer. Future Tech 2 -> 3. Spanish Cordoba captured. Spanish civilization destroyed. German Munich and Konigsberg subverted .
+1280 Future Tech 3 -> Guerrilla warfare.
+1290 Germans steal Fusion Power; I declare war. Guerrilla warfare -> Future Tech 4. 26s6c1m space ship launched. Due to arrive in 1298. T3L3S4. Log skipped due to lack of time.
+1291 German civilization destroyed.

I ran out of time near the end and had to play the last dozen or so terms in a very sloppy manner. My meticulously managed empire was turning into a mess.