GOTM 14 - Final Spoiler!

[Torvoni]

I hope the next GOTM is not any higher than Emperor level.

If it is ... then maybe we could have the novice bonus be something really helpful like starting with an additional settler and a few warriors and a few hundred gold in our treasury.

Really it would be much better to go the other way and drop back to the Monarch level.




I understand that we have a wide range of skills. My normal level is Warlord. No wonder it felt so oppressive on Emperor. As I understand it, the levels are like this:

Settler​

Chieftain​

Warlord <-- my normal level​

Noble​

Prince​

Monarch​

Emperor <-- the GOTM 14 (Napoleon on sneaky Archepelago map)​

Immortal​

Deity​

Most likely I'm going to try the next GOTM no matter what. It will be very amusing if it is on Immortal. When those little popups appear from time to time I guess the great scholars of the ages will tell me that my little civ is pathetic, puny, weak, and otherwise poor. Maybe I will laugh when the enemy tanks and planes arrive to slay my recently aquired macemen and longbowmen.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I hope the next GOTM is not any higher than Emperor level.

The previous GOTM cycle peaked on GOTM10, an immortal level game with an exceptionally favourable start location. IIRC there were a number of complaints from some 'top' players that they wanted a deity game, or at least an immortal one without the great start. Around that time, Ainwood said that the next cycle would include a deity game. That's why I've guessed the next two GOTMs will be immortal and deity.

btw one factor that will have made this game harder is it was on normal speed. On normal speed, your units can't move as far as on eg. epic before they get out of date, which restricts your ability to use the biggest advantage you have over the AI: You can almost certainly use far better tactics in terms of moving units in wartime. (OTOH it was also on archipelago; that tends to favour you because the AI isn't that good at coping with lots of sea. OTOH we were disadvantaged a bit by starting on a pretty small island. OTOH....)

If it is ... then maybe we could have the novice bonus be something really helpful like starting with an additional settler and a few warriors and a few hundred gold in our treasury.

I did once suggest that the adventurer bonus for a high difficulty game should include a free tank. For some mysterious reason TPTB never adopted the idea.

 

[da_Vinci]

I did once suggest that the adventurer bonus for a high difficulty game should include a free tank. For some mysterious reason TPTB never adopted the idea.

With my luck, I would run into the legendary event of spearman beats tank!

dV

 

[Mutineer]

Heh, it is not that hurd for speamen to beat tank. It only need to jumm his spear with some stuff around it into tank exit tube - dead tanks.

I am not sure contemporary tanks can even fire with it's engines shut. Well, it could probably fire, but how to rotate raise/lower turet?

 

[Htadus]

Yo hoooooo I did it, I finished my first Civ4 game ever and almost won it . Well I would have won if it were not for that slick Incan. Yup the same punk who ruined many others dreams of Victory . When I see him next time he is going to be so sorry. Let me go, let me at em ....What?.....You want to know what happened? Let me tell you the long tale...

It happened long, long ago in a Archipelago far, far away. Napi the Not So Great started a civilization that he hope will some day be elected to Head all the Nations of this isolated mysterious land. Of course Napi did not plan that at the beginning, just happened to hope for in the name of glory during the middle of the struggle.

But before that he founded Hinduism, build a Wonder called the Oracle and was shown the secrets of Metal Casting. His empire consisted of 3 cities in the motherland and two islands to southeast. His settlers watched in horror as Incan's founded a settlement in a land with exotic animal that provided a luxury called Ivory.

During this time Napi met people from nearby India and Inca, as well as the far away Chinese and Germans. Once the artisans were able to build tall ships; Caravels, the sailors were the first to circumnavigated the land to meet the people of Rome and Arabia. All but the Arabians were pleased toward Napi.

During this time Napi maintained the leadership of most current knowledge by learning new and trading for all the old. During this time the Silly leader of the Inca's who was friendly declared war with out a cause . Napi the Very Pissed Off , sent his entire advanced force of Maces, cats and Spears to the Ivory land and annexed it for the Republic . An error was made by suing for peace within few decades when Napi had enough forces to take more of Incan lands. Huyana became friendly immediately .

When his sailors brought the news of pristine lands to the south waiting to be populated, he ordered his educators to find a way to transport his people to these far away lands before the others. This was the beginning of the downfall.

His scholars, having not remembering or knowing the existence of the art of Liberalism , were the first to learn the knowledge to traverse the high seas with people. However, not even 2 centuries after the discovery, Asoka the leader of the Indians, learned the secrets of Liberalism and was shown the ways of Astronomy. Of course Napi the Not So Civing, did not put the facts together until a Galleon with an Indian settler came within the Napi's Borders . Napi had earlier Dotted his hopeful city sites for these new lands and needed 7 settlers but only had 5 waiting for escorts or ships. The race was ON. Napi managed to build 5 cities very quickly as foreign settlers started to arrive at these distant shores. The economy was in chaos as Napi had not built any courthouses or markets. India and Germany founded the last two sites.

It was a continuous struggle to maintain the pace the other nations kept by learning technologies and trading amongst them selves. Only Asoka traded with Napi. It was during this time Napi Made the Mad Dash to Mass Media and built the United Nation. For the rest of the duration Napi was selected as the Secretary General of the organization but never was even close to winning. First against Incas and later against the Germans. During this time most all others started their space ship. Being third ranked, Napi realized that the only way to find Glory is to Live and Tell the tale after the year 2050 by attacking Incans and the Germans. First, Napi got the resolution passed for Non Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Murder and started to build a formidable force.

However there was a small problem. Napi the Unfortunate did not have Horses, Oil or Aluminum. So off to war we go in Arabia...yes all the way in the bottom of the map hoping for a Diplomatic Victory votes from the others who ere pleased or friendly.

By the 21 st century an Armada of MI, Artillery, Machine Gunners and Tanks where gathering north of Inca when they built the next to last part for the Space Ship. Napi was sure he would have time to launch an invasion when he noticed a Great Engineer in the Incan Capital. It was close but no cigar. Inca launch in 2014 AD. And that was the end of the story.

Base score: 3264
Final score: 5221

 

[Erkon]

By the 21 st century an Armada of MI, Artillery, Machine Gunners and Tanks where gathering north of Inca when they built the next to last part for the Space Ship. Napi was sure he would have time to launch an invasion when he noticed a Great Engineer in the Incan Capital. It was close but no cigar. Inca launch in 2014 AD. And that was the end of the story.

Nice story, better luck next time. BTW, you can't hurry space ship parts, so the GE was not involved. You can use a spy to check which city is building the last part. Then you destroy the food improvements to slow down the production (low risk to get caught)

 

[AgedOne]

Yo hoooooo I did it, I finished my first Civ4 game ever and almost won it . Well I would have won if it were not for that slick Incan. Yup the same punk who ruined many others dreams of Victory . When I see him next time he is going to be so sorry. Let me go, let me at em ....What?.....You want to know what happened? Let me tell you the long tale...

Excellent write-up! One of the best I've seen for a while.
But they got you as well , the swines.
However, if that's the first Civ4 game you've played through to completion ever, then a big up to you . I've played many more through to the bitter end, and was still nowhere near victory, and a long way short of the game you played.

One thing. Did you worry at all about the effect settling up to 7 new cities on the islands would have on your economy. I turned pale and chickened out of the whole business (Not that I had Astro yet) at the thought of my finances disappearing down the drain. But maybe that was the recent memory of WOTM04 where rapid expansion led to economic doom.

 

[Erkon]

Continue from first spoiler.

I declare on Hyana Capac in 540 AD, and steal a worker. I then wait for reinforcements and captures the Ivory City in 700 AD, then make peace. The reason for this short war was to stall the Incan since they we're racing ahead in score. Optics is learned in 860 AD and I send two Caravels to circumnavigate. I decide to go for Astronomy directly since I wanted to settle isolated islands. Since I was not worried about my economy and I didn't have any problems with keeping up in the tech race, I wanted more cities for the production and the resources.

1040 AD : second war with the Incas. I capture Cuzco and make peace (1129 AD). I am not used to playing these short, low intensive wars, but I didn't have enough troops to continue.

1120 AD: Astronomy learned

1220 AD: Third war with the Incas. Capture Vilcas and Ollantaytambo, then peace (1310 AD).

1420 AD: Lyons and Rheims founded on isolated islands. More cities founded later on to grab the best spots.

1500 AD: Fourth war with the Incas. Raze Machu Picchu, peace (1555 AD)

1615 AD: Fifth war with the Incas. Capture Tiwanaku, Vitcos, Huamanga and raze Ica, peace (1680 AD)

1710 AD: Filthy, filthy Qin Shi Huang backstab! Capture Beijing, peace (1820 AD)

1842 AD: Second war with the Chinese. Captured Hangzhou, Xian, Guangzhou, peace (1904 AD)

1922 AD: Third war with the Chinese. Captured Shanghai, razed Tianjin, peace (1930 AD)

1924 AD: Apollo Program completed.

1942 AD: First war with Saladin (only naval battles, joined Fredrick for relations), peace (1958 AD)

1969 AD: Launch.

I have absolutely no idea if this is a good date or not. There were periods in the game when I didn't do much trade, else I can't pinpoint any bad moves from my part. If anyone could direct me to a post that describes how to race for the stars on emperor and above, I would very much appreciate that. For example, is superior tech speed more important than production, or is it better just to keep up with the AI pace? When is it suitable to switch from specialist economy (farming) to cottage economy in respect to the tech tree?

The short wars ware nice. No severe war weariness, no large unit supply/upkeep costs. Very different from what I'm used to

 

[Htadus]

Nice story, better luck next time. BTW, you can't hurry space ship parts, so the GE was not involved. You can use a spy to check which city is building the last part. Then you destroy the food improvements to slow down the production (low risk to get caught)

Thank you, I did not know that about rushing Space Ship Parts. As for spy's, never thought about it, but I will use that in the future. Great idea. Thanks. This game has so many options it is awsome.

 

[Htadus]

One thing. Did you worry at all about the effect settling up to 7 new cities on the islands would have on your economy. I turned pale and chickened out of the whole business (Not that I had Astro yet) at the thought of my finances disappearing down the drain. But maybe that was the recent memory of WOTM04 where rapid expansion led to economic doom.

Yes I was concerned about the economy so my settlers were still sitting around the old cities untill I was done with few courthouses and markets. I have read so much warning about over expanding and was not sure what will happen. Luckely (unwisely perhaps), I have been selling techs for gold and had enough gold to keep science up. But in the long run these Cities helped alot. Next if I can stop feeling guilty about using pop rush, I think I will do better.

Thanks for the thumbs up on the write up, but credit actually goes to my 3 year old son. I am learning to be creative as I make up stories for him at night. This dad is not going to be second to Barney or Blue .

 

[Vynd]

In the end my biggest flaw was failing to build any significant navy and the enemy navies and air forces pummelled me but I did make it to 2050 and a loss on score (though I wasn't last place, that was Caesar).

A loss on score is actually a pretty decent result when you consider that many of us seem to have lost much earlier than 2050.

 

[Vynd]

As I am researching the top part of the techtree I am able to trade all the way from BW up to Banking. Sometimes even Economy. But never GunPowder or Chemistry. After that all AIs know all my techs, and I have quit researching, so I can’t trade anymore.

What tech do you offer in exchange for Chemistry?

I've pulled off this trade a few times in my cultural games. The most likely way to get Chemistry in trade is to give away Nationalism and Liberalism in exchange for it. I think I also had a game where I swapped Nationalism and Liberalism for Astronomy, and then next turn traded Astronomy for Chemistry. Education is also nice trade bait.

If you can get Education, Liberalism, and Nationalism ahead of most of the AIs then you may well be able to trade them for pretty much all of the techs up to and including Gunpowder, Chemistry, Economy, Printing Press, and Astronomy. I've never managed to get Military Tradition or Rifling this way, though, which is why I for one am happy to settle for Grenadiers even if it does turn off the Parthenon.

 

[godotnut]

Dear Godotnut, as you already know, I play this same strategy in my cultural games. I am surprised to hear that you get Chemistry in your trades. How can you do that?

As I am researching the top part of the techtree I am able to trade all the way from BW up to Banking. Sometimes even Economy. But never GunPowder or Chemistry. After that all AIs know all my techs, and I have quit researching, so I can’t trade anymore.

What tech do you offer in exchange for Chemistry?

Sorry for not answering sooner--but more or less what Vynd just said. I think you may be used to the tech pace at Deity from your HOF games. This doesn't happen on Deity, obviously.

@Redbad: Good point if you build the Parthenon. It's usually not a matter of choice, though. I take what trades I can get. But I wouldn't consider taking chemistry with the Parthenon.

 

[toller pretzl]

Contender, domination victory in 1884 AD.

I had a micromanaging nuisance in this game : everytime a city's population would grow, the new population would be assigned to be an engineer (because I had a forge in every city). How do I keep this from happening ? Most times I would like the new population to be 2food+2gold, rather than 2 hammers. Should I have clicked the "emphasize food" button in every city, or does that have other unwanted side-effects ? Is there another way ?

 

[jesusin]

Thank you, RedBad and Godotnut. I am used to cultural Deity games, that&#8217;s why I was so surprised at the Chemistry trade and why I don&#8217;r have Parthenon to protect. You know what, in my last cultural Deity game I have made a point of getting Chemistry in trades. When I got Print, Liber and Natio, 0&#37; research, I didn&#8217;t trade everything for money. If you are unlucky, the next tech an AI gets is just the tech you were hoping to give them in trade, so you lose the opportunity. If you are lucky they research something else like Chemistry and you can trade for it&#8230; and then you have more to offer to other AIs. It IS possible to get Economy, Corporation, Constitution, Gunpowder, Military Tradition and Chemistry this way. I then started to get unlucky and decided to trade everything for money.
Well, it was fun and it was a learning experience, but it really doesn&#8217;t make any difference in a cultural game.

toller pretzl :
I usually micromanage every city every turn but, in order to minimize it, I have the emphasize food button pressed. No specialist this way, the computer prefers a 2food tile better than a specialist.

 

[Khalid]

Well, what do you think Napoleon did in this game? Yes, what he tries all the time, he conquered the world in AD 1760.

But he isn't such a nasty bastard as is usually told. He is a calm builder. Under his reign Paris was founded in place and build to a great city. Orleans followed in a nice spot with marble and gems. French peaople enjoyed their life building fishing boats and libraries. Napoleon then gave his people insiration and they build Oracle to worship all the gods which were worshiped in distant lands and the gods told us how to cast metal.

Then we mined copper near Paris. And what is copper for? Yes, you are right, we build the nice standing man in the harbor with the name of collosus. Forges were built. As our knowledge was expanding, we were forced to build the great library in Orleans. Another two cities were foudned, one on the fishing island E to Paris and one south as the evil chinese settled the iron island. Our exploring workboat and galley met fred, quin, HC and saladin.

So there stood the empire at 1AD and Napoleon was tired and bored. We have marble and copper, but have nothing to use it. So lets get some axes with the bronze and some cattapult to throw the marble. And since then, the French people were constantly at war. Unhappy people were whipped, ships filled with soldiers.

The first victim was HC. His cities defended with only archers and quechas were no match for our glorious army. His capital fell first, donating the budhist shrine and pyramids to our empire. The other cities followed soon. We took a 10 turn break to get some more knowledge from him, but he was finally wiped in 1000AD, when our new maceman helped.

Now we had a dilemma. Our new army was in Paris, while our experienced army was way south in the former HC territory. I wanted to attack quin, because of his annoying islands in my empire, but I didn't want to take my army back from the south. So I attacked both Quin and Saladin at once. Took some od their cities, then signed peace with Quin and killed Saladin.

During this time we had a tough situation economically. The whole empire was producing army, but science was not hurt that much due to specialist. We also had some nice settled specialist in Paris, which was running bureacracy and representation (priest, scientist and engineer). But when we learned Liberalism and used it for gunpowder, our collosus based economy was doing poor. So I had to hire some merchants and kill saladin not to go bankrupt, while I massed courthouses all over the empire. I managed recover and be balanced, but only a century later, when I finally build forbiden palace I was really sure, that its only a matter of time. I was worried that Asoka and fredie will outtech me and I will not conquer them, but it didn't happen. The best thing I challenged was a musketman, while my cannons and upgraded CR3 grenadiers were perfect. So then it was easy and Quin, Asoka were gone at once and then JC at the same time as freddie.

 

[BLubmuz]

sorry i posted in the wrong thread

how can i delete this post?

 

[Jastrow]

Spaceship victory in 1993, around 8500 points.

Only 3 significant wars... Around 1500, I had two quick wars, one against China and the other against HC, taking one city from each, the Ivory city from HC, and a city on the island just south of Paris from China. That later one was rather key... It ended up controlling two coal mines, building the ironworks and the space elevator, as well a several components.

The 3rd war came from HC around 1930... A 10 turn affair where he ripped my fisherman to shreads setting my spaceship back at least 15 years. After 10 years, I was able to trow some techs at him to thankfully get him to leave me alone (Without access to oil or Uranium, I had no way of counterning his navies.)

For me, this was a tough map, with production being a HUGE problem... Fortuntaly, I was able to keep science churning in Paris (400-500 beakers per turn for most of the game) and kept a healty science lead throughout.

 

[Ulstan]

Heh, what a sketchy game. I got a domination win about 2010, a few turns before Frederick would have finished his space ship.

I got to optics first, and was able to found Chartres, Tours, and Marseilles in the hills rich islands to the SE, and used these islands as the base for my military production efforts. (Chartres was able to build any military unit I wanted in one turn, which was nice)

I fought a couple small wars with Huayna and Capac (I think they declared on me first) and took a couple cities from each of them. Then I noticed that Huayna was absolutely rocketing ahead in terms of research and points, (he had by far the best homeland areas) and launched a vicious war to wipe him out entirely. His good buddy Qin jumped in on the action, so I took Qin out too.

Fairly early on, I discovered that Frederick had no religion whatsoever, so I sent over a hindu missionary to his capitol, and sure enough, he converted to hinduism I also made sure to give him very nice trades and soon he was super duper pleased with me (as was Asoka.) However they were both more pleased with each other, and made a defensive pact.

I was able to get Frederick to join in on a couple of the wars but he never did anything really impressive.

Anyway after Huayna and Qin were gone, I built up a bit, and then went after Saladin and Julius Caesar, wiping them both off the map. Julius got stuck on a really bad island at the start and was a backwards little pushover (but was the only one I could really trade technologies with for a while) while Saladin was in the lead with spaceship parts.

At this point, despite having destroyed no less than FOUR rivals completely, I still did not have 64% of the land. (I had about 63% of the population however)

Moreover, both Frederick and Asoka were building space ship parts like mad. So, despite the fact that we were all good friends, I had to declare war on them and seize some of their land to make the domination victory.

My research really really suffered, I never even got past plastics. Still, xp 12 tanks do a fine job of taking out mechanized infantry in cities, so it wasn't real bad. If the computer had ever build moder armor and counter attacked, it could have been difficult, but as it was, I only lost about 30 out of the 70 tanks I built and just more or less rolled over everyone.

 

[ungy]

Diplo in 1800, score 64815 (contender)

I felt a little out of sync all game--I normally play on epic and haven't played industrious in a while. Went on a wonder spree-Oracle 1400 (MC), GL, Col, HG, GL.

Built 6 cities.

Poor luck with GP--never got an engineer despite 8 chances of 20+%. Didn't get a scientist until GP #6--kept settling prophets.

Somehow my diplo got bungled with the trading penalties I and ended up with a self vote. I was surprised at the end I didn't get Asoka as I was +7 and he was at war with my rival Qin.

Wars--Inca, Sal, Fred.

Overall took a long time to play--not sure it was worth it.