GOTM 152 Spoiler

[Peaster]

Thank you, Ali. We are grateful to you and the current players for keeping the game alive.

I have finished my game, and can't see much point in keeping the ending a secret, since the EC players Inkerman and Tim have finished. If anyone else is playing for Green, don't peek until you are done.

Spoiler :

I finished in 540AD, with no republic phase. I guess I have lost my lust for Gold.
I did raise luxuries, but didn't bother to build last-minute WoWs or go for a growth spurt.
Some stats at the end: 31 ele, 3 crux, 39 triremes, 11 dips, 11 vans, 2 explorers.
I counted 15 AI civs, 5 original + 10 respawns. I had about 800g at the end, with roughly 70 cities and 5 trade routes (but I didn't count either).

 

[Inkerman]

The green star race...



My congratulations to Peaster who finished one turn before me (128 vs 129.) Thanks for playing and well done.

Thanks too to Tim for playing, and producing an entertaining log especially when there was delightful evidence of rust. I did enjoy the city names. By way of nothing in particular I mention that the arrival of Mesut Özil with the Arsenal football club here in London last summer caused at least one national newspaper to alter its policy on using accents on capital letters.

Peaster's approach was perhaps a little rusty but it seems to me it was more efficient and better balanced. Compared to 31 ele and 3 crusaders at the end I had 9 ele and 30 crusaders/knights, but compared to the 39 ships and 11 dips I had only 24 and 8 respectively.

In fact I'm slightly surprised that my "heavier" approach (knights and crusaders plus the War Academy) and Peaster's "lighter" one (mainly elephants and barracks) - produced such similar timings.

Maybe the difficult terrain and the awkwardness of chasing re-spawns on this map helped balance things (in my favour.)

Mind I would go the same "heavier" approach again.

I didn't have as many re-spawns. But I did get many after the first failed re-spawn (in 380) - with most coming on island 3 despite by then a strong presence of blue knights - sometimes the new settler even popped up next to a unit producing an immediate embassy. The end eventually came near the North Pole at (66,4).

 

[Peaster]

This responds to Inkerman's comments inside his "Spoiler" box, but I will not mention any ending dates here.

I was impressed by Inkerman's game. Well-played! Your heavy approach with Feudalism, Knights and STWA was better than mine on this map. I usually prefer crusaders over knights, but I never had many crusaders this time due to my tech issues. Also, the terrain was rough and slow, so I lost lots of ellies to cheap attacks by AI horses. Knights might have survived those. This is not 100% clear-cut ... I like the option to build cheap warriors (and to RB row one) and I managed to RB lots of vet ellies from only 3 German barracks + a few captured ones. Also, there is usually not much practical difference between a vet knight and a rookie elephant - both will usually win against phalanxes on plains, for example.

I do feel that transportation is underrated in both conquest and landing games, and that this is something I did fairly well. I built decent road systems in both the East and West (but not over the high mts in between). I built many canal cities. I usually build more triremes than anyone, and if I played this again, I'd build even more. Roughly half my ellies saw no action in the last 300 years, caught in the South when the action was in the North.

I feel that I understand respawn strategy pretty well, but I did not execute especially well this time. No disaster, but I might have saved a few turns by covering the respawn zone earlier.
I had some bad luck with huts, respawns and random losses, but also had some good luck with marginal attacks that succeeded with no room to spare, so I think the luck balanced out OK.

I probably went a bit overboard with growth, since my cities built after about 100AD had little effect on my conquests. But I might do that again, since a big civ is good insurance against unexpected losses in combat, and it allows me to play for Gold when in the mood.

I hope to see Tim here again. I have been awfully busy for the last few years and can't play every month anymore, but may get in a few more games this year.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Republic got established in this era. No more tributes. I have very few supported units and many of my units are exploring rather than protecting. Only a few of my cities are protected.


-1250 Berlin builds Library, first structure. Zulu -> 50g. Russians and Indians ignore me. Republic established. T3L0S7
-1150 Bremen founded.
-1000 Ran into Chinese chariot. Turned down Indian offer of 50g to declare war on Zulu. Zulu take over Delhi. Indian Civilization destroyed. Stuttgart founded. T2L0S8

Status at -1000
Population: 0.22M; Cities: 12; Techs: 9; Government: Republic
Gold: 46; Cost: 1; Trade routes: 0D0F;
Wonders:
Units: 2 Settlers (1 None), 2 warriors, 2 None Archers, 2 Chariots (1 None), 1 Diplomat
Goals: Trade, Marco
Russian: no embassy
Zulu: no embassy
Spanish: no contact
Chinese: no embassy
?: no contact
Indian: Destroyed by Zulu
?: no contact

-0975 Currency -> Trade.
-0925 Cologne relocated next door to 29,51. It will be the SSC. It has whale (hidden), fish, and wine. Nomad from hut.
-0900 T8L0S2
-0875 Trade -> Mapmaking. Literacy, Republic -> Chinese -> Mapmaking, no maps. Mapmaking, Republic, Currency, Alphabet -> Russian -> Enthusiastic but no maps. Bonn founded.
-0850 -> Seafaring. Salzburg founded.
-0750 Ran into Spanish. Republic -> Spanish -> Ceremonial Burial.
-0625 First Trireme produced. 6 barbarians from hut near Spain.
-0600 Barbarians kill my warrior and a Spanish unit. Horseback riding from hut.
-0575 Marco built.
Mapmaking, Warrior Code, Horseback riding -> Mongol -> peace, maps.
They are north of Zulu on the same continent as us. Is anyone offshore?
Trade -> Chinese -> maps
Horseback riding -> Spanish -> Iron Working, maps
Ceremonial Burial, Writing, Trade, Literacy -> Zulu -> Wheel, maps
Ceremonial Burial, Writing, Trade, Literacy, Masonry -> Russian -> maps
Everyone is on the same continent! Never seen that before on a map this size.
Have to establish offshore colonies soon.
-0550 None Legion from hut. Tech bombed Mongols.
-0500 Dortmund founded. T4L0S6

Status at -0500
Population: 0.52M; Cities: 15; Techs: 16; Government: Republic
Gold: 122; Cost: 2; Trade routes: 0D0F;
Wonders: Marco
Units: 7 Settlers (2 None), 1 warrior, 2 None Archers, 1 None Legion, 2 Chariots (1 None), 3 Trireme, 3 Diplomats, 9 vans
Goals: Hanging Gardens, Colossus, starting celebrations (right after Hanging Gardens), colonizing 12 (next turn), exploring 2 and 13 (in progress), bribing Delhi away from Zulu (too expensive right now)
Russian: 5 cities, 14 techs;
Zulu: 3 cities, 12 techs;
Spanish: 5 cities, 7 techs;
Chinese: 3 cities, 12 techs;
Indian: Destroyed by Zulu
Mongol: 1 cities, 15 techs;

-0475 Barbarian legions land near Delhi! 50g from hut. Kish founded on island 12. T5L0S5
-0450 Delhi defender dies in attack on barbarian legion. Seafaring -> Mysticism. None legion from hut.
-0425 Barbarians capture Delhi.
-0400 Delhi bribed for 104g. Got a legion and a diplomat. T4L2S4

 

[Ali Ardavan]

This was the era of pre-Michelangelo celebration and the start of offshore colonization and trade routes. Only about 8 cities participated in the celebration at various points with the main beneficiaries being capital Berlin and SSC Cologne which reached sizes 8 and 10 respectively. Science had to be sacrificed to luxuries which for a couple of turns reached 80%. Only two discoveries were made in this period. However, the Philosophy bonus, 3 discoveries by rivals, and one scroll of ancient wisdom helped keep tech advance at a healthy pace.

-0375 Hanging Gardens built in Cologne (SSC). All cities of size 3 celebrate. Brandenburg founded.
-0350 Nomad from hut on island 2.
-0325 T4L3S3.
-0300 Kerman founded on island 13. T3L4S3
-0275 Mysticism -> Philosophy. 50g from hut. Zabol founded on island 2.
-0250 Berlin and Cologne reach size 8. Seafaring -> Chinese -> Construction. Construction, Mysticism -> Spanish -> Polytheism. Zahedan founded on island 2.
-0225 Chinese build Pyramids. Legion and 25g from huts. T2L6S2
-0200 5 barbarians from hut. T1L8S1
-0175 Barbarians kill my diplomat. 7 barbarian horsemen from hut.
-0150 Barbarians kill my diplomat. No city can celebrate any more. T4L2S4
-0125 Polytheism -> Zulu -> Math. Tech bombed Mongols. Hides from west coast city of Nuremberg to Kish (island 12) establishes the first route for 148. Dresden founded.
-0075 Bavaria founded.
-0050 Legion survives barbarian horse and turns vet. Philosophy -> Monotheism -> Bridge Building. Domestic Hides for 72.
-0025 Barbarian legion lands near Delhi; I was afraid it will go for undefended Kerman on island 13. Astronomy from hut.
+0001 T3L4S3

Status at +1
Population: 2.2M; Cities: 23; Techs: 24; Government: Republic
Gold: 1; Cost: 18; Trade routes: 4D0F;
Wonders: Hanging Gardens, Marco
Units: 10 Settlers (3 None), 1 warrior, 2 None Archers, 4 Legions (2 None), 2 Chariots (1 None), 3 Trireme, 2 Diplomats, 11 vans, 1 explorer
Goals: Colossus, Michelangelo, Copernicus, further colonization of 13, Sanitation
Footprint : 2 on 2; 1 each on 12 and 13; 19 stretching from Russian border to east coast.
Russian: 5 cities, 16 techs;
Zulu: 3 cities, 16 techs;
Spanish: 5 cities, 11 techs;
Chinese: 3 cities, 15 techs; Pyramids
Indian: Destroyed by Zulu
Mongol: 2 cities, 22 techs

 

[Ali Ardavan]

The conquest players (Peaster, Inkerman, and Tim) have finished. Major and I are playing for Landing. (Major any updated logs past +1?) Is anyone else playing? haleewud? Prof G? Jimmy? ...

 

[Ali Ardavan]

+0020 Barbarian legion kills legion in Delhi. Chariot kills barbarian legion and turns vet.
+0040 Colossus built in SSC. Copper to SSC for 160. Advanced tribe founds Brujerd on island 10. Vienna founded.
+0060 Barbarian trireme appears next to undefended Konigsberg with 3 supported units away. I am hoping for a ransom. Domestic Silk for 96. T4L4S2
+0080 Single barbarian legion lands next to Konigsberg. Bridge Building -> Engineering. Domestic Silk for 120.
+0100 Paid 125g to barbarians for sparing Konigsberg. Beads from Konigsberg to Moscow for 148 establishes the first foreign trade route.
+0120 Hides to Spanish for 120. Wheel, Philosophy, Bridge Building -> Russian -> Banking.
+0160 Math -> Spanish -> Engineering.
+0180 -> Medicine. Prague founded.
+0200 Medicine -> University.
+0220 Sirjan and Bam founded on island 13. 7 barbarian horsemen from hut in Russia; chariot escapes on board boat.
+0240 Barbarians land near Delhi again! This must be a popular spot. Vet chariot kills them.
+0260 Salt to Spanish for 184. Chariot kills barbarian horseman and turns vet.
+0280 Domestic Cloth for 90. Frankenmuth founded.
+0300 3 barbarian horsemen form hut on island 3. Explorer escapes on board Trireme.
+0320 T3L4S3
+0340 Russians build Great Library. University -> Sanitation. Domestic Silk to SSC for 228. Aligudarz founded. Nomad from hut on island 15.
+0360 Nomad builds Abskun on island 15.
+0380 Michelangelo built. Hides to Spanish for 136.
+0420 Sanitation -> Theory of Gravity. Bergen founded. T5L3S2
+0460 Kharg founded on island 11. Cologne builds sewer and reaches size 13.
+0500 Domestic deliveries for 170, 144. T4L3S3

Status at +500
Population: 7.2M; Cities: 33; Techs: 30; Government: Republic
Gold: 46; Cost: 46; Trade routes: 18D4F;
Wonders: Hanging Gardens, Colossus, Marco, Michelangelo
Units: 18 Settlers (3 None), 2 warrior, 1 Phalanx, 2 None Archers, 3 Legions (2 None), 2 Chariots (1 None), 1 Crusader, 5 Trireme, 4 Diplomats, 25 vans, 1 explorer
Goals: Shakespeare, Copernicus, Newton, colonization of 14 (3 turns), colonization of the two southern peninsulas of homeland.
Footprint : 2 on each of 2 and 10; 1 each on 11, 12 and 15; 3 on 13; 23 stretching from Russian border to east coast.
Russian: 6 cities, 25 techs; Great Library
Zulu: 4 cities, 23 techs;
Spanish: 5 cities, 20 techs;
Chinese: 3 cities, 21 techs; Pyramids
Indian: Destroyed by Zulu
Mongol: 2 cities, 25 techs

+0520 Theory of Gravity -> Chemistry.
+0540 Domestic beads for 148. Milan and Ghent founded.
+0560 Domestic Silver for 124.
+0580 None legion from hut.
+0600 Chemistry -> Economics. King Richard's built in Cologne. Picked it over Shakespeare and Copernicus. Shakespeare is not very useful right now because Cologne is at size 15 and due to lack of enough terrain improvements can only grow by two more citizens. Copernicus is useful but with this city being on the edge of my empire near Russian border it is quite difficult and time consuming to get 14 more caravans there (for Shakespeare and Newton). The city is not producing many shields either and has most citizens on ocean. King Richards can boost the production to 20 and allow the city to build part of the wonders itself while waiting for caravans to arrive. Domestic silver for 150.
+0620 Pollution near Cologne. Pisa founded. Deliveries to Spanish for 100, 276.
+0640 Economics -> Invention. Domestic Silk for 144. Tonb founded on island 14.
+0700 Zulu build Lighthouse. Copernicus built.
+0720 Invention -> Democracy. Capua founded. Domestic Spice for 138.
+0740 RussianCanal founded at 18,38.
+0780 Democracy -> Gunpowder. Russians declare war over my demands for tribute; Zulu, Spanish, and Mongols ignore me; Chinese give 50g. Democracy established. T3L3S4. Budapest founded. Domestic deliveries for 40, 47, 220, 324.
+0800 Chinese develop invention and switch to Leo from Great Wall. Russians get Invention from Great Library and start Leo. Mine is 2 turns away. Russian horseman killed in attack on my warrior on top of a hill near Cologne. Newton built. Gunpowder -> Explosives. Silver to Spanish for 65.
+0820 Domestic deliveries for 69, 32. Reached peace with Russians.
+0840 Leo built. Russians abandon; Chinese go back to Great Wall. Explosives -> Navigation. Shush founded.
+0860 Domestic Beads for 42.
+0880 Navigation -> Physics. Domestic deliveries for 141. Daghestan founded. Two barbarian horsemen from polar hut disappear the next turn. T1L3S6
+0900 Physics -> Magnetism. Wine deliveries to Russians for 142, 210. Domestic deliveries for 132. T2L3S5
+0920 Magnetism -> Metallurgy. T3L3S4. Domestic deliveries for 84, 2x141, 246. Silk to Moscow for 234. Hides to Zulu for 120. Cremona founded.
+0940 Metallurgy -> Electricity.
+0960 Domestic deliveries for 100. Bucharest founded.
+0980 Electricity -> Conscription. Domestic deliveries for 107.
+1000 Shakespeare built as the last needed wonder in SSC Cologne. Conscription -> Refrigeration. Frankenlust founded. Domestic deliveries for 197. T0L3S7

Status at +1000
Population: 16.7M; Cities: 45; Techs: 43; Government: Democracy
Gold: 179; Cost: 126; Trade routes: 55D10F;
Wonders: Hanging Gardens, Colossus, Marco, Michelangelo, King Richards, Copernicus, Newton, Shakespeare, Leo
Units: 31 Engineers (3 None), 22 Riflemen, 3 Crusaders, 9 Galleon, 4 Diplomats, 18 vans, 1 explorer
Goals: Magellan (next turn), Adam Smith, Bach. Continuing the colonization of the two southern peninsulas of homeland.
Footprint : 2 on each of 2 and 10; 1 each on 11, 12, 14 and 15; 3 on 13; 1 North of Russians, 1 west of Russians, 1 in between the Spanish and Chinese, 31 stretching from Russian border to east coast.
Russian: 6 cities, 31 techs; Great Library
Zulu: 4 cities, 26 techs; Lighthouse
Spanish: 6 cities, 22 techs;
Chinese: 3 cities, 23 techs; Pyramids
Indian: Destroyed by Zulu
Mongol: 3 cities, 31 techs

 

[Major Advantage]

The conquest players (Peaster, Inkerman, and Tim) have finished. Major and I are playing for Landing. (Major any updated logs past +1?) Is anyone else playing? haleewud? Prof G? Jimmy? ...

Sure. I played my final turn last night and just submitted.

So comparing our games, I was behind 3 cities, 6 techs and 2 wonders in AD 1.

+20 Ask for indian gift, get seafaring; Emden, Fürth founded
40 Revolution
60 Republic established, had to settle on jungle to prevent a settler from dissolving
(India builds Pyramids)
80 meet chinese warrior, peace, get construction, they also have banking, maps, Sansibar founded on cont.2
120 Marco Polo built (nobody has discovered the wheel or poly so far), HG built in Kiel, Legion from hut near Sansibar
140 Medicine->Astro
160 We could really use the pyramids right now... get Ironwork. from Russia to gift it to China and Spain
180 Deliveries 96, 56
220 Astro->Univers.; Colossus built in Sansibar
260 50g gift from India
(Peking GL)
280 gift Astro to China
340 Univ.->Wheel;
400 Ulm founded, Lux to 30% to let Sansiar celebrate
420 Bremerhaven founded
440 3rd trade route for Kiel with coal (u) 56g
460 Wheel->Polytheism; Shakespeare Theater in Sansibar; Emden destroyed by barbs; hides(d) Sansibar>Madrid 248g

stats at 460 AD
pop.: 1.69M; Cities: 27; techs: 25; gold: 145; Gov.: Rep; wonders: HG, Colossus, Marco Polo, Shakespeare; TR: 0D/5F
units: 16 settler, 12 defence, 1 offence, 4 dip, 3 boat, 11 vans
Goal: Keep growing

480 salt(d) 168g
500 polyth.->Monoth.; Barb leader 100g, Duisburg founded
580 beads (d) 2?? g
600 Mono -> Engin.;
640 Eng.->Sanit.; Michelangelo built; hides(d)96g; Malle founded on spanish coast
660 domestic wine(d) 60
680 silver(d)>Sansibar 204g, continental copper 60
700 San.->Banking; beads(d) 384g; none Legion from hut in southern Russia; banking from China
720 Res. econom.; econ.->chem; wine(d)506, silk(d) 306
740 Chem.->Gravity; deliveries 156, 148; Rostock founded
780 Grav.->Navig.; gold(d)288, silk(d)396g >Sansibar; get Invention + Navigation from AI
800 Gunpowder->Explos.; dye(d) 224
840 Expl.->physics; delivery from Sansibar>Bonn changes commodities... and not for the better; cancel celebrations and focus on science until demo
880 Phys.->Magnet.; Leonardo; Meppen founded in Emden's location
(Zulus sneak attack and kill a van)
900 Aachen founded
920 Magn.->Demo; salt(d) from Sansibar 200g; Dresden founded
940 Demo(revolt&est.)->Feudalism; Göttingen founded
960 deliveries 122, 200; Sansibar's commodities are shifting constantly, get feudalism from Russia
980 Metall->Steam eng.; 32, 52
1000 50,47, 117, 267, 64

stats at 1000 AD
pop.: 8.51M; Cities: 35; techs: 43; gold: 793; Gov.: Dem; wonders: HG, Colossus, Marco Polo, Shakespeare, Copernicus, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Newton; TR: 24D/9F
units: 17 engineer, 15 defence, 2 offence, 9 dip, 5 boat, 18 vans, 1 explorer
Goal: Nothing special


So by 1000 I am 10 cities behind, 1 wonder, but we are equal in techs. I think it was a good move to have my SSC on an island, so we could have foreign offshore trade with colossus boost.

 

[Peaster]

@Major: Just curious about how you are getting your beakers. I once felt that vans were a superior method to scientists, but this map does not seem van-friendly.

You are making frequent deliveries, but with only 5 boats and not a huge number of vans. How ? Do your vans travel mostly by road or by boats, maybe on two-way ship chains ?

 

[Major Advantage]

IIRC, most of my vans were delivered either from the SSC to Spain (taking about 2-3 turns), or from my homeland towards the SSC (taking a little longer, there were some gaps in my road network in this era, Cuxhaven was the destination port city at 41,47). So I had two ship-chains: Cuxhaven<->SSC and SSC<->Spain.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

So comparing our games, I was behind 3 cities, 6 techs and 2 wonders in AD 1.

Indeed, however, the 6 techs is mainly due to the fact that you have not gotten the boost from Marco yet.

So by 1000 I am 10 cities behind, 1 wonder, but we are equal in techs. I think it was a good move to have my SSC on an island, so we could have foreign offshore trade with colossus boost.

Definitely the choice on island 2 is a good choice. My location is not that much better in terms of terrain. The only disadvantage is that you had to build your SSC later but arguably all those extra payouts more than make up for it.

I am slightly ahead but within reach. Looking forward to the update at +1250. I have not played past +1000 yet.

 

[Major Advantage]

Nothing spectacular in my next 250 years. A few more cities, lots of trade to ensure 1 or 2 andvances each turn, some more wonders.

1010 Steam eng.->Electr.; 264, 250
1020 Electr.->Conscr.; 354, 268, 348 stupid Russians are still not working on leadership, chose code of laws instead; Crusader from hut on island 15
1030 Conscription->Railroad(1081); Toronto founded on island 15; 53, 46, 244, 441, 202;
1040 Railroad->Industry->Atomic Th.(1127);
1050 Atomic->Corporation; Vancouver founded on island 11; 44 delivery for unblocking
1060 Corp.->Steel; 200g from hut; 37, 82
1070 Steel->Refining(1196); 50, 265, 305, 292, 367; Russians are doing communism instead of leadership...
1080 Ref.->Theology; Barely missed Theo, despite having rushed some libraries... Science to 90%
1090 Theo->Comb.->Automob.; 96, 92, 190, 117, 400, 106, 66; hut: barb knights on island 13; 200g gift from India
1100 Automob.->Mass Prod.->Nucl. Fiss.(1311); SHs in Sansibar and Kiel built; 120, 128, 108, 524, 177, 195
1110 Nucl fiss.->Electron.->Refrig.; 60, 402, 495
1120 Refrig.->Nuclear power; Bach cathedral; 450, 67, 740 (d-coal Sansibar->Kiel);
1130 N. power->Laser->Genetic(1612); 165, 488, 138, 70, 74; Sydney founded on cont. 3
(Russians develop communism & cancel Marco Polo, sign peace with Zulu)
1140 Gen.->Chivalry; 79, 566, 495, 172, 72; get chivalry from Russia
1150 Leadership->Tactics->Machine Tools; 122, 56, 42, 612, 105, 378; get Communism from Russia, re-trigger celebrations
1160 Mach. Tools->Mini; Cure for Cancer built; 157, 208, 156
1170 Mini->Computers->Espionage->Flight; Adam Smish & Darwin built; 468, 1020, 165; re-establish embassies with India + Russia
1180 Flight->Recycl.; 104, 20, 100, 143, 121; embassy with Spain
1190 Recycl.->Radio; SETI built; 228, 93; embassy with Zulu
1200 No techs this turn since trade is not paying off much; 252
1210 Radio->Adv. flight; 14, 347, 154
1220 Adv. Fli.->Rocket; Melbourne founded
1230 556, 225, 132, 126, 146
1240 Rock.->Mob. Warf.; 12, 924, 46, 98, 388, 30
1250 Mob. W.->Space; 178, 162, 432

stats at 1250 AD
pop.: 20.69M; Cities: 41; techs: 76; gold: 1321; Gov.: Dem; wonders: HG, Colossus, Marco Polo, Shakespeare, Copernicus, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Newton, Adam Smith, Darwin, SETI, Cure for Cancer; TR: ?D/?F
units: 19 engineer, 17 defence, 4 offence, 6 dip, 5 spies, 9 boat, 19 vans, 1 explorer
Goal: store vans, build full-size spaceship

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Impressive. 33 techs in 25 turns most of which were post Railroad era. I may fell behind you in the number of techs by 1250.

So far I have only played till 1030. Decided to delay railroad and go after Feudalism, Chivalry, Leadership, Tactics, and Theology first. Russians got Feudalism but did not go after Chivalry and I decided it is not worth waiting for them and others. So I exchanged for Feudalism and intend to research the rest myself. From this point the AI is only likely to discover Communism, which is off path of space flight. This means that I will discover Railroad much later than you. A side advantage of this is greater life for Hanging Gardens and King Richard's.

My plan is to reduce lux and end celebrations post the expiration of Hanging Gardens till I can build Cure and Bach. By the way, why did you skip Bach?

Expansions is still on going and I am not sure when to stop it. The world is large enough to allow expansion till the very end but that may not be a wise decision.

 

[Major Advantage]

Impressive. 33 techs in 25 turns most of which were post Railroad era. I may fell behind you in the number of techs by 1250.

Thanks. I don't dislike the railroad-penalty as much as others since it is a necessacity anyway, allows faster travel for the vans and, cleverly planned, it is only two (and very cleverly planned only one) turns until corporation.

So far I have only played till 1030. Decided to delay railroad and go after Feudalism, Chivalry, Leadership, Tactics, and Theology first.

I always try to delay chivalry as long as possible so the 20s-slot stays alive. Once in awhile, I can pick up leadership from the AI and bypass chivalry completely, still having the 20s-horsemen-slot.

By the way, why did you skip Bach?

Oops, I forgot to insert that into my stats, it was built in 1120. Still, there is usually some time going by in my games between Theology and Bach, since the Michelangelo (cathedral)- unhappiness is already increased from 3 to 4 citizens, making more unhappiness less urgent.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

This was the industrialization period. Railroad was discovered in 1100. Next period will be the post Flight period. Flight was discovered in 1250. One tech per turn was a stretch near the beginning of this period and easily achievable near the end. Only had one occasion of 2 techs per turn and that was when the box was almost full. Could have had a few more near the end but I opted to keep the tax rate at a decent rate since most trade returns were poor.

+1010 Chinese build obsolete Great Wall. Zulu switch to Oracle. Russians discover Feudalism and start Sun Tzu. Magellan built. Refrigeration -> Atomic Theory. Tech bombed Mongols (all but Democracy). Gold from Berlin to Karakorum for 351. Offshore Silk to Russians for 360. Domestic Silk for 204. Essen and Grozny founded. T3L3S4. None Rifleman from hut near Karakorum.
+1020 Atomic Theory -> Steam Engine. Cunaxa, Tangestan, and Gheshm founded. Domestic deliveries for 159.
+1030 Steam Engine -> Fundamentalism. Gunpowder -> Russian -> Feudalism. Domestic deliveries for 54, 55. Habasheh founded in Zululand.
+1040 Fundamentalism -> Chivalry. Domestic deliveries for 168.
+1050 Chivalry -> Theology. Domestic deliveries for 231, 142
+1060 Russians build Sun Tzu. Theology -> Leadership. Dezful founded. Domestic deliveries for 207, 102. T2L3S5
+1070 Leadership -> Tactics. Copenhagen founded.
+1080 Tactics -> Amphibious Warfare. Achen and Amsterdam founded. Amsterdam, a 4 special at 43,21 would have made a wonderful science city. Domestic deliveries for 54, 78, 191.
+1090 Bach built. Amphibious Warfare -> Railroad. Zangebar and Shushtar founded. Domestic deliveries for 242, 165.
+1100 Railroad -> Industrialization. T4L1S5. Celebrations will resume after building Cure. Deliveries to Zulu Bapedi for 52, 66. Gold to Mongol Samarkand for 90. Domestic delivery for 45, 148. Kuhestan founded. Bapedi subverted for 2x660g. Got 72g, Temple, and 3 soldiers.
+1110 Barbarian Dragoons land near Delhi. Industrialization -> Corporation. Cavalry kills Barbarian Dragoon.
+1120 Barbarian Dragoon kills my None Cavalry. Corporation -> Steel. Salt from Science city to Beijing for 360.
+1130 The same barbarian Dragoon kills a Rifleman. Steel -> Refining. Domestic delivery for 232. Zulu Hlobane subverted for 2x231g. Got 42g and Phalanx.
+1140 The same barbarian Dragoon kills an Engineer. Russians deliver to Heidelberg. Refining -> Genetic Engineering. Domestic delivery for 30.
+1150 The barbarian Dragoon finally dies in attack on my cavalry. Genetic Engineering -> Combustion. Beads to Shanghai from SSC for 364. Barbarian leader for 100g. Espoo founded.
+1160 Combustion -> Electronics. Domestic deliveries for 60, 106, 212, 50. Canal2 founded. Spanish Seville, surrounded by German cities, subverted for 2x535g. Got 200g, Monarchy, 2 structures, and 3 units.
+1170 Cure built. Electronics -> Automobile. Domestic deliveries for 178, 72. Spanish deliveries for 74, 110. T3L2S5
+1180 Barbarian dragoons land near Daghestan and kill my engineer and a Russian explorer. Automobile -> Machine Tools. Pollution appears and is cleaned up. Dye to Beijing for 436. Domestic deliveries for 65.
+1190 Machine Tools -> Mass Production. Domestic deliveries for 42, 198.
+1200 Rifleman survives barbarian dragoon and turns vet. Mass Production -> Miniaturization. Barbarian leader for 100g. Silk to Beijing for 80.
+1210 Miniaturization -> Recycling. Domestic deliveries for 134, 70.
+1220 Zulu build obsolete Oracle. Adam Smith built. Recycling -> Computers. Domestic deliveries for 152, 42, 318.
+1230 Computers -> Nuclear Fission. Domestic deliveries for 252, 66, 167. Ahvaz founded. T2L2S6
+1240 Nuclear Fission -> Nuclear Power -> Flight. Beads to Chinese for 500. Domestic deliveries for 287, 48. T4L2S4
+1250 Flight -> Laser. Domestic deliveries for 38, 30. Beads to Zulu for 40. Chinese deliveries for 103, 156. Abadan founded.

Status at +1250
Population: 35.5M; Cities: 65; Techs: 71; Government: Democracy
Gold: 52; Cost: 179; Trade routes: 122D22F;
Ancient Wonders: Hanging Gardens, Colossus
Medieval Wonders: Marco, Michelangelo, King Richards, Copernicus, Shakespeare, Magellan
Industrial Wonders: Newton, Leo, Bach, Adam Smith
Modern Wonders: Cure

Units: 37 Engineers (3 None), 28 Riflemen, 3 Cavalry, 9 Transports, 8 Diplomats, 19 vans
Goals: SETI (2 turns), Darwin, Space race.
Footprint : 2 on each of 2 and 10; 1 each on 9, 11, 12, 14 and 15; 3 on 13; 1 North of Russians, 2 west of Russians, 50 stretching from Russian, Zulu, Spanish, and Chinese borders to east and soutb.
Russian: 8 cities, 34 techs; Great Library, Sun Tzu
Zulu: 2 cities, 28 techs; Lighthouse, Oracle; war with Mongols
Spanish: 5 cities, 27 techs;
Chinese: 4 cities, 28 techs; Pyramids, Great Wall
Indian: Destroyed by Zulu
Mongol: 4 cities, 67 techs; War with Zulu

 

[TheViking]

I suddenly got the urge to play Civ2 after a long hiatus and decided to play GOTM 152. I had a lot of fun (which in my case means lots of military operations all over the world) and decided to not pay any attention to my GOTM score which is probably lousy, I was a bit rusty and I also could easily have finished the game far earlier than I did. But I wanted to do something towards the end that I usually did in the past if I had the relevant techs. And I did it:



Anyway this was an interesting game but I don't have a detailed log. Also a fairly unusual game since almost everything was on one huge continent. This made invasions from sea more rare than usual although I attacked the Chinese cities in the far north by transporting most of the units I used up there using triremes and caravels. Nice trade was also a bit more difficult with almost everything on a single continent and I had to build a city on a small island to get nice trade bonues.

And it was nice to still see some names here I remember from the old days (e.g. Tim).

 

[Ali Ardavan]

Wow! Another player from the past. It has been a number of years. Glad to see you back. Please make sure you submit.

 

[TheViking]

Done - I submitted two days ago (hopefully successfully, I had completely forgotten how to do it!).

Now the big question is: Another GOTM or not another GOTM...

 

[Ali Ardavan]

We would love to have you. GOTMs 153 and 154 are both on smaller than normal maps and should not take too long.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

+1260 Laser -> Radio. Helsinki founded. Silk to Zulu for 92. Domestic deliveries for 40, 30, 240. Wine to Russians for 74.
+1270 SETI built. Radio -> Advanced Flight. Copper to Russians for 106. Domestic deliveries for 178, 350.
+1280 Advanced Flight -> Rocketry. Domestic deliveries for 168
+1290 Rocketry -> Mobile Warfare -> Space Flight. Silver to Russians for 118. Domestic deliveries for 51, 80, 2x332. Nanking bribed for 2x309g. Got 69g, 2 soldiers, and a settler.
+1300 Space Flight -> Environmentalism. Chinese declare war rather than remove troops. Chinese chariot killed. Domestic deliveries for 28. T7L2S1
+1310 Mongols capture Zimbabwe. Environmentalism -> Plastics -> Robotics -> Superconductor. Darwin built. T6L2S2. Zimbabwe subverted for 2x192g. Got 79g, Colosseum, Lighthouse, and 3 soldiers. Oslo and Mann founded. Domestic deliveries for 280, 448, 274, 24. Dye to Russian Minsk for 50.
+1320 Superconductor -> Stealth. Domestic deliveries for 48.
+1330 Barbarian riflemen near Grozny. Domestic deliveries for 231, 10, 144. Corona founded.
+1340 Stealth -> Combined Arms. Andimeshk and Urumiyeh founded. Dye to Zulu for 35. Spice to Russians for 122. Domestic deliveries for 98. Chinese settler bribed for 316g.
+1350 Barbarian rifleman killed in attack on mine. Apollo built. Combined Arms -> Fusion Power. Domestic deliveries for 65. Stockholm founded.
+1360 Space race starts with 4 structurals. Domestic deliveries for 78. Dashtestan founded.
+1370 Senate hands cease fire to Chinese. Fusion Power -> Future Tech 1. Domestic deliveries for 32. Barbarian leader for 100g.
+1380 Enthusiastic Russians and Zulu declare war rather than remove troops. 6 Russian units killed. 1 Zulu unit killed. Cloth to Mongols for 70. Spice to Moscow for 164. Domestic deliveries for 70, 152.
+1390 Future Tech 1 -> Communism. Wandering Zulu legion killed. Russian Crusader killed. Mongol artillery parked next to newly formed Dashtestan bribed for 295g. Silk to Toledo for 98. T7L2S1 to delay Communism.
+1400 Russian diplomat killed. Domestic deliveries for 108, 112, 120. 3 defenders of Ulundi killed and the city taken for 146g and Oracle. Zulu civilization destroyed. Babylonians appear on island 3. T8L2S0
+1410 Babylonian civilization destroyed by Barbarians. Japanese appear near the same spot. Domestic deliveries for 144, 54. Ardabil founded. Russian cannon killed.
+1420 Japanese civilization destroyed by Barbarians. Communism -> Future Tech 2. T2L3S5. Domestic deliveries for 20, 30, 78. Silver to Chinese for 145. Wine to Mongols for 67. Sold a Colosseum and a temple and disbanded a cavalry to rush all the needed space ship parts.
+1430 Future Tech 2 -> 3. Full space ship launched. Domestic deliveries for 28. Russian explorer killed. T3L3S4
+1431 Future Tech 3 -> Espionage. 2 Russian cannons killed. Domestic deliveries for 11, 472. Silk to Spanish for 92.
+1432 Espionage -> Future Tech 4. Russian Knight killed. Baku founded. Domestic deliveries for 170, 285.
+1433 Future Tech 4 -> 5. Domestic deliveries for 54.
+1434 Russian crusader dies in attack on my cavalry. Future Tech 5 -> Guerrilla warfare. Domestic deliveries for 110, 486. Ganjeh founded. Russian cannon killed. 600g on Eiffel to beat Spanish to it.
+1435 Guerrilla warfare -> Labor Union -> Future Tech 6. Eiffel built. Number of polluted tiles stands at a record 7. Hoover is badly needed. 2 Russian units killed. Domestic deliveries for 127, 48.
+1436 Future Tech 6 -> 7. Domestic deliveries for 196, 167. Russian cannon killed.
+1437 Future Tech 7 -> 8. Domestic deliveries for 600, 184, 206, 339. Gems to Madrid for 136. 2 Russian units killed. Gibraltar founded. T2L3S5
+1438 Future Tech 8 -> 9 -> 10. Hoover built. Mongols have 3 units next to my cities. Mongol cavalry bribed for 399g. Spanish crusader roaming my lands bribed for 202g. I am nominally at peace with all but they keep violating my borders arbitrarily. Seville relocated. Sangestan and Gusheh founded. Domestic deliveries for 60, 83, 168, 234, 18, 34.
+1439 Spanish back away. Mongol units attack and kill one unit losing one. Russian crusader kills Rifleman defending RussianCanal. Future Tech 10 -> 11. 2 Russian units killed. Mongol artillery killed. Kandavan, Nakoja, Endgame1, Pol, and Khazar founded. Mongol Nishapur bribed for 430g. Got 92g, alpine, and 2 fighter planes who were no doubt going to attack me next turn. Domestic deliveries for 16, 195, 57, 236, 312, 30. T1L4S5
+1440 Future Tech 11 -> 12 -> 13. Liberty, Suffrage, UN, and Manhattan built. Pond, Yerevan, Endgame2, Helen founded. Domestic delivery for 20. Russian Odessa bribed for 795g. T0L10S0