GOTM 142 spoiler

[Major Advantage]

This time, things went really great: Incredible early hut-luck, a lot of research assistance from the AI and most things went as planned.

basic plan:
-warrior for hut popping (first Dnjepr hut, then Caucasus hut, then head for India and China)
-cities: atlantic coast, then baltic coast, triremes can reach North America without LH
-rivals: Might take out one or two to have oversea trading partner
-tech goals: Monarchy, mapmaking
-size-1-settler?: would take 17 turns, otherwise 12 turns to grow to size 2, allowing 5 shields...

-4000 Rename Zurich to Zürich
-3950 Research Alphabet
-3800 Warrior built->Settler
-3700 warrior meets chinese horse->peace, now heads south instead
-3600 pop Caucasus hut: Advanced tribe! Wow, we are lucky...
-3500 Alph->Laws (hoping to get Burial from someone else)
-3450 hail chinese to learn what they learned (Bronze), deny tech-trade, deny tech-gift, but alliance
-3400 Meet Greeks, peace, obviously no techs to offer, Zürich size 2
-3200 Meet Romans, peace, no tech, might need some protection in Zürich
-3150 settler produced, defender next
-3100 get Bronze from Chinese
-3050 pop indian hut: Burial
-3000 Nantes founded accessing 1 whale, others should be babylonian anyway
-2850 NONE Archer from Himalaya-hut (Archer will head back and might go for Africa, warrior explores Asia some more)
-2650 Meet spanish, don't want masonry, peace, nomads in China, will settle them in India
-2450 Laws->Monarchy
-2350 Calcutta founded
-2300 Advanced tribe (Irkutsk), perfect also to support Zürich's warrior from now on
-2250 Mapmaking from Cairo-hut, gift mapmaking to China, exchange maps, get 50g gift
-2200 Antwerpen founded
-2100 Currency from hut north of Irkutsk
-2050 50g from hut near Calcutta
-2000 Another A.T., Abuja in the heart of africa

Stats at -2000: cities: 6; techs: 6; gold: 99; gov: desp;

-1800 50g from Taiga-hut, empty hut in Mogadishu
-1750 Monarchy -> Trade; trireme sails west with settler & warrior, stop by Babylon, gift monarchy, peace, trade currency for writing
-1650 Monrachy est.; 25g from hut
-1600 supported Archer in southern Africa, Chinese start HG
-1500 Nomads from hut at arctic ocean (Siberia)
-1450 And another advanced tribe (seriously, I am NOT reloading after 1st hut): Montreal
(Viking warrior enters our territory, sign peace
-1300 Finally some barbs (most northeast hut in Siberia)
(Barbs land in Africa)
-1250 New Orleans founded
-1150 Wladiwostok founded
-1100 Trade -> Myst.; Monrovia founded, 50g from hut, get Myst. from Spain (they just told me about it), give tech, maps
-1050 Research Literacy
-975 Belem, Saigon founded, get warrior code from hut

Stats at -975:
pop.: 290k; cities: 13 (3 Europe, 2 Africa, 5 Asia, 2 N.America, 1 S.America); techs: 11; gov: Mon, gold: 52, cost per turn: 0
units: 3 settler, 8 army, 2 boat, 1 van

wonders: -

Romans: bad mood, peace
Babylon: enth., peace
Vikings: bad mood, peace
Spain: enth., peace
Chinese: enth, allied
Greeks: bad mood, peace
plan: build HG soon, keep expanding, maybe take out Rome

Of course, I did reload on that very first hut until I got 50g.

 

[haleewud]

Major, I have a question about your log file.

I don't see in your log when you popped your first hut for 50g. When did this happen and which hut was popped? In your plan, you mention the "Dnjepr Hut". Is that the hut that is next to the Chinese starting position?

FYI, I have completed my game and will begin to post my log soon.

 

[Major Advantage]

Major, I have a question about your log file.

I don't see in your log when you popped your first hut for 50g. When did this happen and which hut was popped? In your plan, you mention the "Dnjepr Hut". Is that the hut that is next to the Chinese starting position?

FYI, I have completed my game and will begin to post my log soon.

Have you read my post until the very end ? I was heading for the hut at 60,24 (Dnjepr) with a warrior, met the chinese on the way there, assumed that that hut was already popped by them and headed for caucasus, so the hut at 64,32 was the first one I popped.

 

[haleewud]

I did read to the end. But I didn't put the note at the end together with the "Wow, we are lucky". I guess I didn't get that it really meant, "Great, I could have had a nice city, but I had to reload to get 50 gold".

 

[haleewud]

I think my plans were similar to Major's, but I assumed that the hut next to the Chinese starting position would be popped by them. My first destination was the hut on the rivered swamp.

I had pretty good hut luck.
50g - 3
Horse - 3
Archer - 3
Nomads - 2
Advanced Tribes - 2
Barbs - 2
Scrolls - 1


-4000 Zurich founded
-3950 Start Alphabet (10)
-3750 warrior
-3600 Hut -> 50 (this hut was at 60,24, My first attempt gave me a mercenary, don't remember which type)
-3550 Warrior moves toward Beijing
-3500 Alphabet -> Code of Laws (22), Warrior 2, start settler
-3450 Find Beijing, Peace with Chinese (hut is gone)
-3350 RB 1sh
-3300 Meet Romans (3), Peace and Vikings (Icy - 2) peace
-3150 Caucasus hut is gone
-3050 Code of Laws -> Bronze Working (30), RB 12sh(31) (food box has 18)
-3000 Settler

stats at -3000:
pop.: .01M; cities: 1; techs: 2, gov: Despotism, gold: 37; trade routes: 0D0F; cost/turn:0
units: 1 Settler, 2 Warriors
wonders: None
Footprint: 1 city in Eurasia

Romans: No Embassy, Peace
Babylonians: No Contact
Vikings: No Embassy, Peace
Spanish: No Contact
Greeks: No Contact
Chinese: No Embassy, Peace

-2800 RB 2sh
-2700 Normandy founded
-2650 Indian Hut (71,43) -> Horse (Non)
-2550 Hut (77,45) -> Horse (Non)
-2450 Hut (79,39) -> Nomad, Hut (73,37) -> Archer (Non), Tech Cost is now 33
-2350 BW -> CB
-2300 Zurich Settler
-2200 Meet Greeks, Peace, Peking founded by nomad
-2150 Meet Romans, Peace, Trade Alphabet for Currency (60)
-2100 Hut (78,28) -> Archer (Peking)
-2050 Spanish contact during end of turn, Trade Alphabet for CB (78), Peace, Start Mysticism, Contact Spanish, Trade CoL for Myst (91)
-2000 See Spanish kill Roman Phalanx, Start Monarchy, 13 spent on RBs

stats at -2000:
pop.: .07M; cities: 3; techs: 6, gov: Despotism, gold: 54; trade routes: 0D0F; cost/turn:0
units: 1 Settler, 4 Warriors, 2 Archers, 2 Horsemen
wonders: None
Footprint: 3 cities in Eurasia

Romans: No Embassy, Peace
Babylonians: No Contact
Vikings: No Embassy, Peace
Spanish: No Embassy, Peace
Greeks: No Embassy, Peace
Chinese: No Embassy, Peace

-1950 Hut (80,22) -> Barb Horse, Kill it, Hut (57,47) -> 50
-1900 Withdraw from Madrid, Belgrade founded, I am Supreme (84)
-1800 Hut (58,58) -> Zanzibar
-1750 Withdraw from Athens
-1700 Hut (79,11) -> Horse (Non)
-1650 Normandy Settler, Trade with Chinese Currency for Map Making (104)
-1600 Hut (90,30) -> Nomad
-1550 Horse (at 90,30) dies to Barb Archer
-1500 Romans develop Construction, Zurich Settler, disband Zurich warrior (must work Wine to insure Monarchy)
-1450 Monarchy -> Writing (117), Revolution, Monarchy Established, Hut (85,13) -> Siberia, Hut (91,13) -> HBR (140), 11 spent on RBs
-1400 Kill Barb Archer+Leader
-1350 Hut (52,56) -> Archer
-1300 Hut (97,15) -> 5 Barb Horse (kill 1)
-1250 Horse killed by Barbs, Viking Sneak attack (warrior on Wine near Zurich, warrior survives)
-1200 Peking Settler, Spend 41 on RBs, Hut (54,64) -> 50g
-1150 Chinese start HG, Kill Barb Horse
-1100 Normandy builds Trireme, Settler goes aboard, heads towards Greenland
-1050 Greeks develop Seafaring
-1000 Barb Horse dies attacking Siberia, Kill Barb Horse near Siberia, 8 spent on RBs, Land settler on Greenland

stats at -1000:
pop.: .21M; cities: 6; techs: 9, gov: Monarchy, gold: 188; trade routes: 0D0F; cost/turn:0
units: 4 Settler, 7 Warriors, 1 Phalanx, 3 Archers, 2 Horsemen, 1 Trireme
wonders: None
Footprint: 5 cities in Eurasia, 1 in Africa

Romans: No Embassy, Peace
Babylonians: No Contact
Vikings: No Embassy, War
Spanish: No Embassy, Peace
Greeks: No Embassy, Peace
Chinese: No Embassy, Peace

 

[Major Advantage]

I think my plans were similar to Major's, but I assumed that the hut next to the Chinese starting position would be popped by them. My first destination was the hut on the rivered swamp.

I had never dared to think that that hut might still be therer by the time one of my explorers might be there. I was actually heading for the same hut you were, but when a chinese horse (probabably from that chinese hut) was in the way, blocking the path by ZOC, I decided that heading somewhere else micht be a good call.

I was a little irritated by your seafaring: You dropped off your settler in Greenland and didn't stop by to say hello to the Babylonians. Babylonians are one of the most friendly civs ever, so I thought it was a safe bet to drop off a unit there for one turn to make contact, and it payed off.
And I thought about settling on Greenland or Iceland, but decided that an early foothold on the fertile lands of north america is a lot more worth. The warrior created Montreal and the settler went sout for southamerica.

So, hoping for others to put down their games & ideas, here are my next 1000 years during which worldwide expansion continued and I realized that my Capital nd SSC was a little short of helpers...:

-900 Panama, Riga founded, hail Chinese, get pottery, ask for gift, get 175g
-850 Harbin founded, hail Babylon to gift them trade, they offer to trade Literacy for it, thankfully accepted
-825 Research Philo, get HBR from Spain, exchange maps, they are about to settle in egypt, demanded hides to Babylon only bring in 72g, Winnipeg founded
-800 philo (should have gotten Masonry from AI last turn)->Republic->Poly
-750 Houston founded
-700 Zürich builds HG
-675 Assuan founded, trireme kills barb leader in Britain for 50g
-625 Chinese build Pyramids
-600 Seoul founded
Chinese-viking-war, China asks for help, I deny, no alliance-cancel
-525 Poly->Mono
-500 Borneo, Hanoi founded

Stats at -500:
pop.: 730k; cities: 22 (4 Europe, 3 Africa, 8 Asia, 1 Indonesia, 4 N.America, 1 C.America, 1 S.America); techs: 17; gov: Mon, gold: 18, cost per turn: 0
units: 7 settler, 24 army, 3 boat, 1 van

wonders: HG

Romans: bad mood, peace
Babylon: enth., peace
Vikings: bad mood, peace
Spain: enth., peace
Chinese: bad mood, allied
Greeks: bad mood, peace
plan: Michelangelo (probably in N.America), then Republic, take out Rome before (with Crusaders) for more room in Europe, turn Zürich SSC
Interesting alternative: Winnipeg (or Buenos Aires) SSC for better trade with europian rivals

-475 Iron Work. from Borneo hut
-450 get Construction from Chinese, Buenos Aires + Calgary founded, Chariot from hut
-425 dye(d) to Bejing 60g
-375 Librevbille, Mogadishu founded
-300 Acapulco founded, first black hat
-275 Ochotsk founded, Legion from hut
-250 Tokio founded
-225 Mono -> Bridge
-200 Wuhan founded, gift some techs to vikings, get viking map
-175 Zürich builds Colossus, copper(d) to Babylon: 168g
-150 Cuba founded
-125 Embassy with spain, maps, Athens is in roman hands now
-100 Dubrovnik founded (on road to Rome)
-25 Manila, Kiev founded

+1: Michelangelo built in Houston, Kirensk, Lima founded, 50g from hut, Babylons have Math

Stats at +1:
pop.: 1.37M; cities: 37 (6 Europe, 5 Africa, 14 Asia, 11 America); techs: 21; gov: Mon, gold: 142, cost per turn: 1 TR: 0D3F
units: 12 settler, 58 army, 3 boat, 2 van

wonders: HG

Romans: bad mood, peace
Babylon: enth., peace
Vikings: cordial, peace
Spain: enth., peace
Chinese: worshipful, allied
Greeks: bad mood, peace
plan: Take out Rome and Greece, connect Europe to Asia, Republic, get trade going

 

[Inkerman]

As a post to the game thread reveals this was a conquest game for me. It was played quite quickly.

4000- Use forest vs shielded grass river (default) to save one turn on build. Start HBR.
3950-
3900- Switch to shielded grass river.
3850-
3800- Warrior built - goes east.
3750-
3700-
3650- Warrior pops “Berlin” hut (rivered swamp) - 50g, and heads back down river.
RB warrior, change to settlers. Move worker to grapes to get an extra science arrow.
3600- Worker back to shilded grass river.
3550- Discover HBR -> Wheel. Warrior reaches bottom of river. Rush horse (16g).
Warrior looking for hut meets Chinese archer (hut has gone.) Give HBR for Alphabet. Peace.
3500- Chinese warrior too. Horse heads for Beijing, and huts beyond. Warrior goes back west.
3450- Horse moves next to Beijing (lucky with movement?) - it has a garrison.
3400- Horse attacks becoming vet as it kills warrior, but loses all strength.
Attacked by warrior out of Beijing - horse survives. We see another warrior go into the city.
Horse runs away to the north.
3350- Zurich is size 2. Spend money on next unit as far as warrior.
3300- Meet Romans. Swap HBR for BW. Agree peace. they mention legendary betrayal of Chinese.... Horse rests to regain strength. Emphasise shields.
3250-
3200-
3150-
3100- Zurich builds settlers. Horse somewhat recovered sets off east.
3050- Horse pops hut east of Beijing - weeds.
3000- Found Elbe(56,26) on river. Give BW to Chinese for ceasefire.

2950- Horse pops hut - mercenary NON archers - they may as well go into northern forest.
2900-
2850- Rehome warriors to Elbe. Pop hut - Mapmaking.
2800- Warrior explores as far as Channel - there is ocean between here and Britain.
Could have been a bit more thorough checking the map!
2750- Romans next to Zurich - we give Mapmaking. Give Mapmaking to Chinese.
Pop hut - Cedar Creek(78,28). Re-home horse.
2700-
2650- Archer pops hut - Masonry.
2600-
2550-
2500- Chinese chariot by Elbe. Pop hut in Himalayas - NON mercenary legion.
Pop hut in north - 50g.

2450- Chinese and Roman military very near our cities.
2400-
2350- Pop huts - mercenary legion, barbs, Pottery.
2300- Elbe and Zurich build settlers. Legion holds off barbs.
Found Amsterdam(54,24).
2250- We are less powerful. Exploring legion moving west meets Greeks - they offer WC for HBR we decline.
2200- We are supreme again i.e our own key civ. Found Kharkov(60,30).
2150- Sneak attack by Greeks.
Discover Wheel -> CoL.
Pop hut - weeds. Pop hut - Maths. Do a bit of IRB. Asian huts now done save Japan.
2100- Pop hut - CB.
2050- Chinese next to Kharkov demand Pottery - we give it. They are fighting Romans.
2000-
Stats: 5 cities (pop 7). 9 techs.

1950- Pop hut in Africa - 25g.
1900-
1850-
1800- Pop hut in Africa, meet Spanish, agree peace, get 50g, discover Mysticism.

1750- Greeks offer WC to end war - we decline. Chariot on mtn holds off Greek archers.
1700- Spanish offer Iron for Maths. We offer Wheel instead. They decline.
Vikings(4) approach, we agree peace, we ask for tribute, they give 100g.
1650- Emissary Chinese, they want war. We kill a horseman, We agree peace with Greeks.
1600-
1550- Pop hut Africa - advanced tribe Stony Lake(58,58).
1500-

Chinese boast of Polytheism.
1450-
1400- Approaching Shanghai, and have troops by two remaining huts (1 Africa, 1 Japan.)
1350-
1300- Discover CoL -> Currency (Monarchy not available).
Pop hut Africa - mercenary legion. Pop hut Japan - barbs.
Capture Shanghai taking 38g and Currency. Decline Polytheism or 50g for peace as we have an army.
1250- Archers in Japan on hill holds off barb horse. Legion lost by Beijing.
Start on Monarchy.
Beijing razed, taking 28g and Polytheism. Chinese destroyed.
Vikings share WC with us.
We give Wheel to Spanish, and get 25g.
We give Currency to Romans and get 50g.
We get 25g from Greeks.
Found Killdeer near Cedar Creek in Central Asia.

1200- Civil disorder Zurich as it grows to 3.
1150-
1100-
1050- Complete a square of road, first one, near Elbe.
1000- Sneak attack by Vikings (why?) They lose a couple of units. Maybe they felt boxed in.

Stats: Have 8 cities, 14 techs.

 

[Inkerman]

So at -1000, I have 8 cities (5 Europe, 2 Asia, 1 Africa) vs Major's 13 and haleewud's 6. Significantly Major has 3 cities in America already, haleewud has a settler in Greenland. In my game, I have not gone further west than Amsterdam and although I do not know it yet, America is home to the re-spawn of the eliminated Chinese.

Although I have 14 techs (vs 11 and 9 respectively) they have been acquired haphazardly, and they do not include monarchy or republic.

I have 1 settler, 17 army, 1 trireme (vs 3+8+2, 4+13+1.)

 

[haleewud]

I was a little irritated by your seafaring: You dropped off your settler in Greenland and didn't stop by to say hello to the Babylonians. Babylonians are one of the most friendly civs ever, so I thought it was a safe bet to drop off a unit there for one turn to make contact, and it payed off.

I will have to check this, but the issue of not contacting the Babylonians had to do with movement points. The settler was the only unit aboard the trireme. It used 2/3 of its movement points moving into Normanday and then sleeping. When the trireme moved next to Babylon, the settler didn't have enough movement points to get off the ship. On the next turn, I chose to have the trireme sail on, rather than wasting a turn to contact the Babylonians.

 

[Major Advantage]

Ok, that makes sense. IIRC, my warrior was already ready to board sleeping, so I didn't have to spend a turn for contact. Still I would say that the outcome of that contact would have well been worth spending a turn.
Later on, the settler stayed aboard when the warrior popped the hut that turned to Montreal, to keep him safe in case there might be barbs. With that outcome, they headed south to get a nucleus of crystallization in south america as well.

P.S.: Back-checking my log, I sent over another trireme with two settlers heading for south america, the originally sent over settler was founding New Orleans. By then I only popped huts after a city's radius was put around them to be safe from barbs in America.

 

[Inkerman]

975- Locate Viking Kaupang.
950- Capture Kaupang, 19g.
Kaupang destroyed and a warrior, in Viking counterattack.
925- Start Temple in Zurich.
900- Capture Trondheim, 21g, eliminating the Vikings.
Found Rostov(63,31), Big Mound(82,28). 11 cities - disorder may be a problem.
875- Found Voronezh(61,27).
Get 25g from Romans, 50g from Greeks.
850- Land by Babylon(5), Babs demand mapmaking, we refuse, they declare war.
Ele removes 1 defender but we have not come strong enough.
Rush temple in Zurich as reduce to 1 defender - it is size 3.
825- Ele lost in Britain-Babylon, but attacking warror seemed to lose strength.
Land and capture Babylon, 65g, taking Literacy. Destroying Babylonians.
Zurich starts on wonder.
Found Saratov(65,25). 14 cities.
800-
775-
750-

725- Legion on mountain in Africa just holds off barb archer attack.
Discover Monarchy -> Philosophy. Become Monarchy.
700- Romans are fighting Greeks.
675- 50g from Romans, 100g from Spanish, Greeks give Iron Working.
Found Point of Rocks, by Stony Lake, and Memel(58,22). 16 cities.
650-
625-
600-
575-
550- Looks like Athens destroyed in the Roman-Greek war.
525-
500- Found Bristol(51,27). Found Silver Moon in the Central Asian group.

Stats: 18 cities, 17 techs.

475- Discover Philosophy -> Trade -> Monotheism.
Found Narvik(56,14).
450- Found Volkhov(63,21).
425- Get 50g from Greeks, Romans withdraw, Spanish ignore our threats.
Found Olgagrad(64,28), StPetersburg(59,17). Found Snake Canyon in African group.
Beginning to need a lot of jesters.
400-
375-
350- Found Astrakhan(66,30). 2 vans into Zurich and a little RB. Get 25g from Romans.
325- Decline invite from Greeks to ally to fight Romans. Zurich builds Hanging Gardens.
300- Found Chief's Crag(84,30), Morning Light(86,32).
Switch tax rates to raise funds for vans as an EW road nears completion.
Also mine a few hills to increase production.
275-
250- Found Lush(70,24), by the EW road, and Svir(66,20).
Have to start moving single garrison units out of cities for happiness.

225- 25g from Romans. Greeks - war.
200- Found Cape(54,72).
Note: Japanese (Kyoto) and Germans (Berlin) and Persians(Persepolis) are in the game.

175- 3 cities into disorder. Found Ekaterinburg(67,27).
150- Found Cloud Nine. 31 cities. Give Trade to Romans. They have Construction. Production = 93, waiting for mines.
125- Discover Monotheism -> Feudalism.
100- Found Newfoundland on single square wooded island off North America.
75- Found Speckled Edge.
50- Van, Zurich-BigMound, Silk, for 34g.
Conclusion - really need international or intercontinental trade for it to be worthwhile.
25-
1- Pop hut in Canada - 100g.

Stats - AD1

Supreme and Excellent.
Population: 71 (1.21m); Cities: 33; Techs: 20; Government: Monarchy.
Gold: 16; Cost: 1; Trade routes: 2D0F;
Wonders: Hanging Gardens.
Units: 9 Settlers, 26 warriors, 4 phalanx, 1 archer, 2 legion, 1 horse, 4 chariot, 1 ele, 4 triremes, 14 vans.
Footprint: 28 cities in Eurasia; 4 in Africa, 1 off coast off North America.

Romans (4): Enthusiastic, Peace. 3+ cities, has Construction
Japanese:
Germans:
Spanish (5): Enthusiastic, Peace. 4+ cities
Persians:
Greeks (2): Uncooperative, War. 1+ city

 

[Major Advantage]

Next part of my log, during which we had a little bit of war, some nice deliveries and executed our plan to provoke respawns for more intercontinental foreign trade, that, well, went partly as planned...

+1 Bridge Build.->Medicine
60 Demand greek tribute, they withdraw, attack Sparta (Herat), empty but no more units nearby
80 Sparta razed (66g + Wheel), Greeks defeated; Dar-es-Salam, Guadalajara founded, demand roman retreat to clear the Alps
100 Demand Roman tribute, they declare war, capture Rome (112g & Masonry), capture Veii (renamed to Charkov, 35g), Sumatra founded
140 Recife founded, bribe Athens for 122g, 108 in return, Rome defeated, hides(d) Montreal to Babylon 216g
160 Medicine->Banking; silk(d) Winnipeg->Babylon 360g; Nomads from Java hut, Embassy with China
180 Embassy with Vikings
200 Bagdad founded; Revolution
220 Republic; Tasiilaq (Greenland) founded
240 Banking -> Engineering, Karachi founded
260 Patagonia founded
280 Find out that Karthago is demanding gems, sweet! There should only be Australia left for them, no confirmation by exploring trireme/dip though; coal(u) to Babylon 136g
300 Engineering->Math; Hatteras founded, get Math from Babylon
320 Researching Astro
340 Juneau founded, explorers halfway around Australia but still "near Borneo"..., Nomads from Tasmania
360 Astro->University; Zürich builds Shakespeare, wine(d) from Zürich->Calgary 364g
(Chinese about to finish Marco Polo, sorry, but I need to find the Carths)
380 Dunedin founded from Tasmanian Nomad
400 University->Sanitation, Marco Polo built in Wuhan, hail Carths, give techs, share maps, WHAT??!! Karthago is on that one tiny grassland very north on Ellesmere Island! Australia was still empty, and no white respawn there either... At least Carths have Feudalism. Silk(d) Irkutsk->Beijing 144g
440 Sanitation->Seafaring; get Seafaring from China
460 Research Navigation; gems(d) New Orleans->Canton 444g
480 Nav.->Physics; silver(d) Wladiwostok->Babylon 275g, Nomads in Australia, bribing Toledo (Cairo) would be 238g, Labrador founded
500 Maputo founded

Stats at +500:
pop.: 4.87M; cities: 53; techs: 32; gov: Rep, gold: 509, cost per turn: 11; TR: 1D/8F
units: 37 settler, 40 army, 7 boat, 9 dip, 15 van

wonders: HG, Colossus, Marco Polo, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, next turn Copernicus

Babylon: enth., peace
Vikings: receptive, peace
Spain: enth., peace
Chinese: worshipful, allied, Pyramids
Carth: enth, peace
plan: Magnetism, Invention, Leonardo, Demo, Bach, explosives, railroad...

 

[Ali Ardavan]

This time, things went really great: Incredible early hut-luck...

-3050 pop indian hut: Burial
-2850 NONE Archer from Himalaya-hut
-2650 nomads in China, will settle them in India
-2300 Advanced tribe (Irkutsk),
-2250 Mapmaking from Cairo-hut
-2100 Currency from hut north of Irkutsk
-2050 50g from hut near Calcutta
-2000 Another A.T., Abuja in the heart of africa

Stats at -2000: cities: 6; techs: 6; gold: 99; gov: desp;

Incredible indeed. By -2000 you got 3 cities from huts (doubling your city count), 3 desired techs, a None unit, and 50g (not counting the first hut). This is the best hut luck I have ever seen. The gold is yours to lose.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

When I decided to do OCC here, I expected late game action but the action started quite early and it was non stop. I have never played such an edge-of-the-seat oh-my-god-I-can-be-dead-in-2-turns game.

The set up was very challenging to begin with and my luck just made it that much more so. The first strike of bad luck came when I stepped next to the Caucasian hut. A Chinese warrior stepped next to me and the hut right away. This prevented both of us from tipping the hut. Furthermore, because of Geography I was trapped unless I wanted to go back towards home. If I had a way to just skip this hut and move on to Asia, I would have but the terrain did not make that possible. I decided to fortify and stay hoping Chinese would leave. But they stayed as well. My repeated offers of alliance were not honored either. This forced me to produce a second warrior (costing me one shield in support per turn) which took a slightly different route and I managed to eventually tip the hut. This wasted 9 valuable turns on top of the extra warrior and after all this effort I got an empty hut!

The Chinese settler left as soon as the hut was gone. By then Romans and Vikings had appeared in my city radius and thus I sent one warrior home so that Zurich will not be empty. The other headed to Asia for hut hunting.

My hut luck was somewhere between bad and awful:
Empty (Caucasian)
Horseback riding
25g
Masonry
Construction
Single barbarian horse which kills my warrior

As if I was not irritated enough by this streak of bad hut luck, the moment Zurich became size 3 and I no longer had to pay support for my warrior in Asia it was killed by barbarians.

Had my battle luck been as bad I would have not survived even to -2000. But thankfully my meager forces put up a valiant defense and allowed me to survive. Building a fort on top of the wine-hill was a very smart early move that allowed my heroic warrior to survive many repeated Viking attacks. Having to keep a unit there at all times meant that I had to raise luxuries to keep order in Zurich at size 3 and above. Still staying alive was a turn by turn challenge and several times I went to the brink of extinction.

Centuries later I made an explorer (in +300) to see if I have any better hut luck and headed for Africa first only to find Spanish Toledo blocking the entrance to Africa. Frustrated I headed to Siberia which took many turns and the first hut I tipped there gave me barbarians! Miraculously this time, my explorer survived a barbarian horse although it is still very vulnerable and can be killed by the other horses that spread around.

On the home front, Vikings are getting scarily big and powerful despite numerous losses to me and a massive war with China. They took Beijing in +20 and annihilated the Chinese in +520. They already have many cities, some as far east as China.

More details are in the log that will follow. It is going to be a roller coaster ride all the way to the end.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Date, Produced, Tech achieved, Other notables

-4000 Zurich founded. Warrior started.
-3800 Warrior
-3650 German hut gives 50g after 9 attempts
-3500 Alphabet
-3450 Alphabet -> Chinese (3) -> Bronze
Cannot move my warrior onto hut now!
And they do not agree to alliance.
-3300 Spent 28g rushing settler.

-3250 Size 1 settler Romans and Vikings within my city radius.
-3200 Romans -> peace. Zurich is size 2.
-3150 Warrior Vikings demand Bronze and declare war
-3100 Settler survives Viking warrior and turns vet
-2950 Caucasian hut was empty!
What a big waste of time.
1 warrior moves towards home for defense.
The other heads south.
-2600 Code of Laws
-2500 Horseback riding from Indian hut; how awful
-2300 25g from Himalayan hut.
Accepted Viking peace offer.
-2250 Laws -> Greek (0) -> Mapmaking, peace
-2200 Mapmaking -> Chinese (5) -> Burial
Mapmaking -> Roman (2) -> Currency
-2100 Masonry from Himalayan hut.
Vikings declare war rather than move their warrior
-2050 Settler survives Viking warrior.
-2000 Warrior on hill survives Viking warrior.

Status at -2000
City Size: 2 Government: Despotism Gold: 84 Techs: 8 Trade routes: 0
Structures:
Wonders:
Units: 1 settler, 2 warriors
Goals: Monarchy, Trade, Colossus, Marco
Roman: No embassy, peace
Babylonian: No contact
Viking: No embassy, war
Spanish: No contact
Chinese: No embassy, peace
Greek: No embassy, peace


-1900 Construction from hut
-1750 Warrior on hill survives Viking warrior
-1500 T0L4S6
-1450 Zurich is size 3. Barbarian from Chinese hut
-1400 Barbarian kills my warrior
Barbarians destroy Babylonians
Romans demand 50g and declare war.
-1350 Romans lose a warrior attacking me.
Chinese still refuse to ally.
-1100 Warrior on hill survives 2Viking warriors
-1050 Warrior on hill survives Viking warrior
How many wins does it take to become vet?

Status at -1000
City Size: 3 Government: Despotism Gold: 96 Techs: 9 Trade routes: 0
Structures:
Wonders:
Units: 1 settler, 1 warriors
Goals: Monarchy, Trade, Colossus, Marco
Roman: No embassy, war
Babylonian: Destroyed by barbarians
Viking: No embassy, war
Spanish: No contact
Chinese: No embassy, peace
Greek: No embassy, peace

-0875 Roman horse kills my vet Settler.
Warrior kills horse and is still not vet
-0825 Monarchy Monarchy established. T3L0S7
Roman settler builds a road for Zurich
-0800 96g spent on Colossus.
-0775 Colossus
-0750
Construction, Monarchy -> Roman -> peace, alliance, 0g
Construction, Monarchy -> Chinese (6) -> Writing, Math, alliance, 150g
Woof! This is a relief. I have played many edge-of-the-seat OCC games but none that turned that way this early.
-0725
Writing, Masonry -> Roman (3) -> Trade, Mysticism, maps. Chinese (6) -> maps
Roman Veii shares two of my western tiles
-0675 Phalanx Zurich is size 3 again
-0600 Caravan
-0575 Chinese build Pyramids
-0550 Roman -> 50g, Chinese -> 25g
-0525 Caravan
-0500 Roman -> 50g, Chinese -> 25g
-0450 Caravan
-0425 Zurich is size 4.
-0400 Roman -> 25g, Chinese -> 25g
-0325 Roman -> Iron Working, Chinese -> 50g
-0300 Marco
Iron Working, Writing -> Japanese -> peace, alliance, maps, no gift.
Kyoto is in Wisconsin, America.
Spanish demand 100g and declare war.
-0275 Laws -> Chinese -> Seafaring, Pottery
-0175 Chinese -> 50g. Roman -> 0g
-0150 Library
-0125 Seafaring -> Japanese -> Literacy
-0100 Japanese -> 25g, Roman -> 50g
-0050 Marketplace Chinese -> 0g; Japanese , Roman -> 25g
-0025 Caravan Zurich is size 5
+0001 Caravan Astronomy Chinese -> 0g; Japanese , Roman -> 25g
Wine to Veii for 110 for the first route
T0L3S7

Status at +0001
City Size: 5 Government: Monarchy Gold: 162 Techs: 19 Trade routes: 1
Structures: Library, Marketplace
Wonders: Colossus, Marco
Units: 1 warriors, 1 Phalanx, 1 van
Goals: Republic, Copernicus, Shakespeare
Roman: 2 cities, 17 techs; war with Spanish and Greek, allied with me
Babylonian: Destroyed by barbarians
Japanese: 2 cities, 20 techs; allied with me
Viking: 5 cities, 12 techs; war with Chinese and me
Spanish: 3 cities, 13 techs; war with Roman, Greek, and me
Chinese: 3 cities, 16 techs; war with Viking and Greek, allied with me
Greek: 1 cities, 7 techs; war with Roman, Spanish, Chinese

 

[Inkerman]

The previous post took my EC game to a "Supreme and Excellent" position (but not as supreme as the Major's) in 1AD. This takes the story to 500, the same date as in Major's recent post. Four opponents survive, so not quite so EC as it could be.

I started wars in the middle of the period, and despite some clumsiness on my part the end is nearing by the 500 date. Unfortunately I did not properly anticipate the re-spawn in Northern Canada, popping a hut that produced barbs that then razed my only nearby base. As the period ends veteran crusaders (probably they were overproduced but I was nervous of city walls in Rome and Madrid) are sailing across the Atlantic.

AD20- Pile 8 vans into Saratov.
AD40- Saratov builds Michaelangelo's Chapel.
Production = 125, now we have some mines.
AD60-
AD80- Van, Killdeer-Veii(Roman), Copper, for 36g.
100- Olgagrad completes Marco Polo Embassy.
We have 20 techs.

Romans (4): Enthusiastic, Peace. 3 cities, 12 techs incl Construction.
Japanese(1): Neutral, Peace. 1 city, 17 techs incl Feudalism.
Germans (0): Receptive. 1 city, 15 techs incl Wri, Con, Sea.
Spanish (5): Enthusiastic, Peace. 4 cities, 11 techs.
Persians(3): Icy. 3 cities, 16 techs incl Con, Sea.
Greeks (2): Uncooperative, Ceasefire. 3 cities, 6 techs.

Give Philosophy to Germans, they will not trade techs.
Pop hut on single grassland island north-west of Australia - nomads.
Pop hut in North Canada - mercenary legion.
Van, Stony Lake-Saratov, Gems, for 36g.
Found Arkangel.
Increase science.

The odd van delivery and city founding continue but are not often in the log from hereon.

120- Get lots of PRB to warrior done whilst there's the chance.
140- Romans start Pyramids.
Discover Feudalism -> Seafaring.

Curious problem with trireme lost at sea in Newfoundland harbour (landmass 11) - game doesn't know the square is OK - not seen this before - I reloaded from autosave as the pragmatic solution.

160- Saratov completes Sun Tzu War Academy.
180- Crusader on the Mississippi River meets a Persian ele - they declare war. We kill it. Note: Germans are at war with Persians, so they are probably in North America too, which means sending just one settler to South America should be OK.
200- Crusader holds off Persian warrior attack.
Pop hut in Canada - nomads.
220- Find Persepolis (Persian), Corinth(Greek).
Make peace with Greeks (to save a van next to Corinth).
240-

260- Persians develop Engineering - crusader lost to an ele attack.
Complete foresting the hidden special in Zurich's radius.
Break treaties and launch bid for world supremacy.
Sparta captured from Greeks.
Attack Spanish chariot that prevents attack on Greek Thermopylae.
Leaves crusader exposed.
Toledo captured from Spanish.
280- Romans get Mysticism from Spanish, Spanish get Construction from Romans.
A crusader lost in counterattacks.
Discover Seafaring -> Theology.
Capture Thermopylae from Greeks.
Give literacy and monarchy to Germans to get maps - oh they are in south South America.
300- Attack Romans, capture Veii, take Construction.
320- Crusader lost in counterattack by Romans. Disorder Saratov.
Found Niagara (in Canada) and Queensland (in Australia).
Roman Antium destroyed.
Capture Corinth destroying Greeks.
Rome and Madrid have walls, and we don't have dips (the Germans do.)
Give Iron to Germans, but they have no interest in trading techs.
340- Pop hut, north North America - barbs. Error!
360- Japanese develop Republic.
Attack Japanese and kill ele.
Destroy Spanish Cordoba, for loss of a crusader. Destroy Spanish Seville.
380- Romans develop CoL.
Germans get Engineering from Persians, Persians get Iron from Germans.
Spanish develop CoL.
Disorder Chief's Crag, Rostov.

400- Niagara, despite rushed defence, is destroyed by Barbs.
Volkhov builds Lighthouse.
420- Disorder Arkangel.
Have many vet crusaders ready to have a crack at Rome - lose only 1 capturing, Romans out. I did not need as many as I had.
Russians appear. Sell Rome's City Walls.
Capture Kyoto, which has a marketplace. Japanese out. Zulus appear.
Attack Germans, destroying Leipzig.
440- German ele, a long way from home in North America, kills our crusader.
Launch attack on Persepolis but do not capture it.
Gift techs to Zulus (all except Monotheism, to 23) and Russians (5, to total of 19) to get maps.
Both are in the icy wastes of north Canada. Moscow is size 5. Pity Niagara was wiped out.

460- Disorder in Cape as it builds settlers. Disorder Voronezh, Kharkov.
Capture Madrid and put Spanish out. Sell Madrid City Walls.
Capture Persian Persepolis and take Engineering.
480- Discover Theology -> Bridge Building.
Persian boat by Queensland, having crossed Pacific, is fortunately empty.
Capture Persian Pasargadae.
500- Disorder in Dawning Light.
Find Persian city of Susa.

Stats.

Supreme and Atrocious.
Population: 164 (3.26m); Cities: 63; Techs: 26; Government: Monarchy.
Gold: 438; Cost: 5; Trade routes: few;
Wonders: Hanging Gardens, Michaelangelo, Lighthouse, Sun Tzu, MPE.
Units: 9 Settlers, 22 warriors, 4 phalanx, 1 archer, 2 legion, 3 pikemen, 2 chariot, 1 ele, 39 crusaders, 14 triremes, 6 vans.

Russians: North Canada, 1 city
Zulus: North Canada, 1 city
Germans: Patagonia, 1 city
Yellow elim:
Persians: SW North America, 1 city
Orange elim:

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Curious problem with trireme lost at sea in Newfoundland harbour (landmass 11) - game doesn't know the square is OK - not seen this before - I reloaded from autosave as the pragmatic solution.

That is a known bug. The game only checks for land in the 8 squares adjacent to where the trireme is not realizing the special case of being inside an island of size 1. Reloading is the appropriate action.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Date, Produced, Tech achieved, Other notables
+0020 Beijing falls to Vikings. Zurich celebrates T3L3S4
+0040 Caravan Astronomy -> Japanese -> Bridge Building
Chinese -> 50g. Roman -> 25g
+0060 Caravan Japanese -> 50g
+0080 Roman -> 50g. Greeks declare war
+0100 Legion Chinese -> 25g
+0120 Caravan Japanese -> 150g.
+0140 Caravan T0L3S7. Literacy -> Chinese, Roman
+0160 Iron Working -> Chinese
+0180 Shanghai falls to Vikings. Japanese -> 50g
+0200 Vikings build Hanging Gardens
+0240 Copernicus
+0280 Diplomat Japanese -> 50g. Roman -> 25g
+0300 Explorer
+0320 Philosophy Phalanx survives Viking horse and turns vet
Republic Celebration in Zurich ends. T1L2S7
+0340 Caravan
+0360 Japanese -> 50g. Roman -> 25g.
Revolution started.
Cease fire -> Greek -> 25g
Seafaring -> Spanish -> cease fire
+0380 Republic established. T2L2S6
+0420 Republic -> Roman -> Wheel, 50g
Phalanx survives Viking elephant
Toledo is blocking passage to Africa
+0440 Settler Japanese -> 50g.
+0460 T0L3S7
+0480 Temple Zurich is size 5 again. Zurich celebrates
+0500 Zurich is size 6

 

[Major Advantage]

Incredible indeed. By -2000 you got 3 cities from huts (doubling your city count), 3 desired techs, a None unit, and 50g (not counting the first hut). This is the best hut luck I have ever seen. The gold is yours to lose.

I know, I really did have a bad feeling about all that luck. Later I only popped huts that were safe, either within a city's radius or far away from my cities.

...re-spawn in Northern Canada...

Same here. What makes the program think that settling in the middle of glaciers is better than settling in Australia???

Finished and submitted yesterday after having spent a lot of time on the final post-launch turns. In the end, I had all wonders and all cities except for Babylon and Karthago.

 

[haleewud]

During this period, I was concentrating on expansion, especially to the New World. I was still undecided about whether I was doing conquest or spaceship. This decision was finally made in -275 when I got Philosophy from a hut.
I had everything set up to complete Philosophy in -225 (OEDO year) and then I would have taken Republic as the free tech and done the immediate switch. But when I got it from the hut, I decided to take Feudalism as the
free tech and that pushed my onto the conquest path. No actual combat (by me) happened during this period. I probably should have spent more on RBs, but I did want to wait for Sun Tzu and Monotheism to be complete.
I also should have demanded more tribute, especially late in the period.

Hut luck was amazing during this period. 4 Mercenaries, 3 Nomads, 3 Scrolls, 2 Advanced Tribes, 1 Money and 1 Barbs


-975 Viking horse dies to Phalanx (on Wine), Zanzibar Settler, Belgrade Settler, Exchange maps with Chinese
-950 Hong Kong founded, 16 spent on RBs
-925 Peking Settler, Greenland founded, 37 spent on RBs
-900 Writing -> Trade (154)
-875 Normandy Dip, Dip and Settler board Trireme, Contact Babylonians, Peace, Kinshasa founded, Give MM to Spanish and exchange maps, Demand Tribute Greeks(0) 25, Spanish (1) 100, Romans (3) 150, Chinese (5) 150, 45 spent on RBs
-825 Ulan-Ude founded, Chumikan founded
-800 Siberia Settler, Belgrade Settler, Zurich Settler, 44 spent on RBs
-775 Peking Settler, 13 spent on RBs
-750 Zanzibar Settler, 13 spent on RBs
-725 Dikson founded, Hut (28,24) -> Horse, Zurich has 1 unhappy (riot factor(?)), 17 spent on RBs
-700 26 spent on RBs
-675 Chinese change to Pyramids, Trade -> Literacy, Normandy Settler, Hut (26,30) -> Toronto, Hut (35,9) -> Horse, 78 spent on RBs
-650 74 spent on RBs
-625 Withdraw from Seville, Winnepeg founded, Demand Tribute - Romans (3) nothing, Spanish (1) Construction, Chinese (5) withdraw troops, Greeks (0) Seafaring, 50 spent on RBs
-600 Khartoum Founded, 32 spent on RBs
-575 Hut (14,28) -> Horse, 33 spent on RBs
-550 Vikings ask for CF and peace, I agree, Hut (21,39) -> 25, Hut -> Nomad
-525 Siberia Copper, Borneo Founded, 4 spent on RBs
-500 Chumikan Food, Zanzibar Settler

stats at -500:
pop.: .63M; cities: 16; techs: 13, gov: Monarchy, gold: 389; trade routes: 0D0F; cost/turn:0
units: 6 Settler, 15 Warriors, 1 Phalanx, 3 Archers, 5 Horsemen, 3 Trireme, 1 Diplomat, 2 Caravans
wonders: None
Footprint: 9 cities in Eurasia, 3 in Africa, 1 in Greenland, 2 in North America, 1 in Borneo

Romans: No Embassy, Peace
Babylonians: No Embassy, Peace
Vikings: No Embassy, Peace
Spanish: No Embassy, Peace
Greeks: No Embassy, Peace
Chinese: No Embassy, Peace

-475 Ulan-Ude Food, Hong Kong Food, Literacy -> Pottery, Trade with Chineses Literacy for Pottery,Demand Tribute - Romans (3) withdraw troops and give 50, Vikings (4) ignore feeble threats, Spanish (1) give 50, Chinese(5) Give 50, Greeks Ignore feeble threats, Hut -> Nomads, Hut - Warrior Code (272), 6 spent on RBs
-450 Start Philosophy, Normandy Food, Jakarta founded, Hut -> Guadalajara
-425 Kinshasa Settler, Greenland Gems, Belgrade Food, Derby founded, 43 spent on RBs
-400 Peking Food
-375 Peking builds Hanging Gardens, WLTGCD in Peking, Hut -> Nomad, 59 spent on RBs
-350 Panama founded, 22 spent on RBs
-325 Greeks offer 50 for alliance against Romans, No, WLTGCD ends in Peking, Zurich Food, Orlando Founded, Hut -> 2 Barb Horse, 145 spent on RBs
-300 Barbs kill Horse, Barbs land near Babylon, WLTGCD in Normandy, San Juan founded, Durban founded, 112 spent on RBs
-275 Babylonians develop IW, Toronto Hides, Chumian food, Hong Kong food, 1 million, Hut -> Philosophy (306), Hut -> Legion, 140 spent on RBs, Trade with Spanish Seafaring for Masonry, T/L/S = 3/3/4
-250 start Feudalism, Feudalism -> Polytheism (520), Dikson Hides, WLTGCD in Greenland, Siberia Wool, Zanzibar Beads, Venice founded, Trade with Chinese, Trade for Polytheism (5467), 27 spent on RBs
-225 start Monotheism, WLTGCD ends in Greenland, Peking Food, WLTGCD ends in Mormandy, 16 spent on RBs
-200 Ulan-Ude food, Belgrade Food, 57 spent on RBs
-175 Borneo Beads, Hut -> Chivalry (572), 4 spent on RBs
-150 Ulan-Ude builds MPE, Normandy Food, Greenland Gems to Shanghai 156, 11 spent on RBs
-125 Vikings develop Whhel, Vikings get Literacy from Chinese for Wheel, Beijing builds Pyramids, 22 spent on RBs
-100 Babylonians develop Feudalism, I withdraw from Thermopylae (Chinese), Zurich builds Sun Tzu's, Toronto Hides to Babylon 248, 11 spent on RBS
-75 Monotheism -> Math, Derby Settler, 172 spent on RBs
-50 Romans capture Athens, Greeks are destroyed, Toronto Dye, Greenland Hides, English are in the game, I give them MM, BW and Trade, they are on the Tundra in Northern Canada, Borneo Beads to Ulan-Ude 44, 13 spent on RBs
-25 Ulan-Ude Diplomat, Zanzibar Beads to Shanghai 52, 107 spent on RBs
+1 Siberia Copper to Greenland 80, 183 spent on RBs

stats at +1:
pop.: 1.78M; cities: 24; techs: 22, gov: Monarchy, gold: 306; trade routes: 4D3F; cost/turn:0
units: 3 Settler, 29 Warriors, 1 Phalanx, 4 Archers, 1 Legion, 2 Pikemen, 4 Horsemen, 9 Crusaders, 3 Knights, 4 Trireme, 2 Diplomat, 4 Caravans
wonders: HG, Sun Tzu, MPE
Footprint: 10 cities in Eurasia, 4 in Africa, 1 in Greenland, 5 in North America, 1 in Borneo, 1 in Java, 1 in Australlia, 1 in Puerto Rico

Romans: 15 Tech, 4 Cities, 171 Gold, Despotism, Peace, War with Spanish
Babylonians: 14 Tech, 1 City, 212 Gold, Republic, Peace
Vikings: 14 Tech, 3 Cities, 432 Gold, Despotism, Peace
Spanish: 13 Tech, 1 City, 77 Gold, Despotism, Peace, War with Romans
Greeks: Destroyed by Romans
English: 13 Tech, 0 Cities, 0 Gold, Despotism, Peace
Chinese: 19 Tech, 6 Cities, 177 Gold, Despotism, Peace, Pyramids