I'll go first but is certainly isn't anything exciting, a 14xxAD conquest.
I took care of everyone on the starting continent early using several warriors to box in the Arabs and before 1500BC took the city of Mecca which they had placed on the chokepoint. From there on it took some time to get enough units, mostly swordsmen, to take on the English, Indians, and Arabs. By 330BC the Arabs were gone and I was at war with both the English and India.
IIRC I had been at war off and on with both killing the settlers they were trying to place, until I could get enough swordsmen to take their cities. I had used captured workers to finally get a road from the starting city down past the chokepoint, though it still took several turns for fresh units to reach the battlefield. My plan was to make and break peace eliminating my rivals before any contact was made with the other continent and they could learn of my treachery. It worked by just a couple of turns as the Romans showed up as I was eliminating the last English city after a peace deal for their remaining cities was broken by me.
Sometime prior to 500AD England and India were also gone and the Romans had one city on my continent. It took a lot of time to build up more units and enough galleys to transport a force of any size to the other continent. A short war saw me taking the city on my continent and settling for one city on the other continent as a base for later attacks. Greece had fairly extensive territory and along with a France that was slightly smaller and both had most of the wonders.
War was soon declared on Rome and they invited Persia to participate. All the Roman cities were soon taken and then peace with Persia for some of their cities after I started razing everything captured to prevent city flips. I rushed to MT ignoring the top part of the tech tree. The peace was shortly broken after Cossacks arrived on the scene and soon the Persians were gone. I quickly consolidated and started war against the French, then a short peace while attacked Greece. After that it was constant war and I razed all cities that did not contain a wonder. I was careful to get two of the island cities the French had in a peace deal which made subsequent conquest a little easier.
The number of islands settled by the AI made conquest last a little longer. I assume that the mapmaker wanted it that way. The long supply chain really seemed to slow conquest down, though perhaps using horsemen early instead of swordsmen might have made it a little quicker. I also wonder if the better path would have been to hold off on war and expanded aggressively before trying to conquer the starting continent.
The key factors of this game were first of all the very weak start position of the human player which made sure this would be a long-drawn game... and then the usage of the Great Lighthouse + ship chains (once again...)
In this particular game the Great Lighthouse became even more pivotal, because I was able to use it to trigger my GA. (Researching all the way up to Cossacks would have been overkill and probably un-effective on Regent level.) So when I saw, that London (or was it Persepolis?! can't remember...) finished the Great Library surprisingly early for Regent, I delayed my Great Lighthouse build a bit to enable me to capture the GLib before its completion. This did not look like a big risk (none of the AI had a productive coastal city, only size 1-2 fishing villages...) and it worked perfectly. I set up a ship chain to London, captured the GLib, then finished the Lighthouse and had a well-timed GA free of charge. I even got an MGL at one point to set up the Forbidden Palace in London. This was probably not that decisive (the MGL was rather late, in the 400 ADs I think), but London (and 1-2 neighboring cities) were up and running just in time to contribute a few units to the conquest of the second continent. So a nice added bonus.
The ship chain for this map could be handled quite easily: first it was used to speed up the conquest of England and India, then only a few ships at the end of the chain needed to be relocated for the chain to reach Persia and then only a few ships needed to be appended to the end of the chain to get down to France. I left Rome for last, as that was the closest overseas target. (So new units from the core plus returning units from France & Greece could then be "converged" on Rome...)
So the main battle plan then was like this:
First force takes Arabia and then marches on to England
They were joined in England by a new force that came down via ship chain.
Approx. two thirds of that combined force then went on to India, while the remaining force was shipped to Persia.
By that time the chain was redirected to Persia, so new units from the core joined that Persian force.
While the Persian force moved through Persia and then slowly through Greece, the Indian force was shipped to France and was joined there by reinforcements from the core via the "long ship chain".
At the end, the French force was ship-chained back to Rome to attack from the south-east, while the Greece force moved down on Rome from the north and fresh units from the core were landed in the south-west of Rome. (Rome lasted only for a handful of turns...)
Of course this was interspersed with small expeditions to islands (the ones I wasn't able to get in peace deals) and sometimes 20-turn intermissions when I wanted to keep my "peace treatey reputation" clean. (BTW: I managed to prevent any contact between the two continents. So I was able to break my last peace deals with England and India with impunity...) All this resulted in a conquest in 740 AD.
Once again Lanzelot it seems you came up with a strategy I had not considered. Using ship chains to get units to England faster than building a road from the starting position to England. What was the most advanced unit you used?
As for my game, London had the Oracle, but neither India or Arabia had any wonders. Rome got the Great Library at some point after I claimed sole ownership of the starting continent.
I didn't use the ship chain method, I just built a road through the mountains, and used 6 movement horses to attack everybody. The Great Lighthose wasn't required to cross the sea to the other continent as there was a three square crossing. I never got to cossacks and therefore never triggered my GA. I got my conquest victory in 820ad.
France built the Great Library in Paris, one of the last cities to be captured, so taking this wonder early was not really a feasible option.
I started my wars with Swordsmen and then later used Medieval Infantry (especially against the Greek Hoplites and Roman Legions). As I had already made the plan to use a ship chain, when I had traded maps with everyone, I figured that in this game horses were not needed for speed (ship chains are faster...) and that strong attackers would be needed later anyway. (Attacking Greece and Rome with Horsemen is no fun...) So I based my army right from the beginning on Warriors, upgraded a big number of them to Swordsmen and then kept researching at least a little bit to finish those few techs the AI did not do, in order to complete the ancient age. (Wanted to take advantage of my scientific trait at least once...) With 3 scientific tribes in the game, I thought that chances would be good enough to get Feudalism for free.
Which AI capital builds which wonder is of course always a big "luck factor" in any game. However, I tried to influence the probability a bit towards my favor, by trading Literature only to the nearby civs. Perhaps that made a difference? But even if Paris would have built the GLib, I think on this map it would not have been that much of a catastrophe: I would have diverted 4 or 5 ships with 8 or 10 swords from my campaigns against the nearby AIs and would have sailed them down to Paris to capture it right in time for the Lighthouse to complete. Then make peace again with France (for 2-3 towns...) and wait until the main force is ready for the French campaign.
I am sure for your tactics taking Paris early would not have been much of an issue, but my plan was to run my horses to the crossing point and then run them from the crossing point to the war front. France was always going to be the last Civ to be taken out. The only wonder I built (rushed) was Sun Tzu for the quick healing of my wounded horses.
In my game I never researched Literature, and never built a single library. My towns just built barracks and then horses. I finished the game with around 130 horses. Paris completed the Great Libraray in 70bc, at at this date I had just killed off the Arabs (110bc) and was still finishing of the English (30ad) and Indians (90ad).
Rome and their Legions didn't put up too much resistance, but Greece and their Hoplites was quite hard to take. I seriously considered stopping the war with Greece, and coming back later with stronger units, but (as it eventually played out to my advantage) the Greeks refused to talk to me. In the end the huge number of horses I had wore them down.
The horse-based plan doesn't look too bad either: considering that you didn't have a GA, 820AD is not that much later than 740AD! I lost some time "inland" (i.e. once the units had been set ashore). Did you use Monarchy or Republic? With Monarchy it is probably not that much of a problem to use horses against Greece?! (The losses can be replaced quickly, as long as you don't suffer the war weariness.)
I used Republic throughout. With the 2 square attack of horses I was able to attack most towns from outside ememy territory, and the retreat ability limited my losses. I had minimal WW as the wars were usually quick. The only time WW kicked in was against Grecce where I was suffering lots of losses against the Hoplites, and even then I only had to increase the lux slider to 30%. I had 4 lux connected on the "home" continent, no marketplaces, and my towns were all limited to max 6 pop, or a settler would be built. For most of the game my lux slider was set to 0% or 10%.
Unit upkeep was my problem and I was always balancing my science / lux spending so my treasury was running at around minus 20gpt. I left several unoccupied areas on the home continent for barb camps to spawn, and every few turns I would trade WM with France, see where the camps were and send my vet horses to clean them up. Every 3 to 4 turns I could get 4 to 5 barb camps. This gave me a steady income to balance the treasury over spend and gave many elite horses.
I entered the MA in 90ad, the Arabs, English and Indians have all been destroyed. I have contact with the other 4 civs and Rome has settled 2 towns on my home continent. I am in a phoney war with Greece and have MAs with Rome and Persia.
In 210ad I peacefully cancelled the MAs with Persia and Rome and agree Peace with Greece. I founded an embassy with Greece and then declared war on Rome, agreeing MAs with Greece, Persia and France. The Romans have built the Great Wall in Rome. After the Roman towns on my continent are taken, the first forces are dropped off outside Antium in 260ad (10 horses, 6vet and 4 elite). The Roman towns are quickly taken or detroyed and in 390ad the 2nd MGL was generated, and used to rush Sun Tzu Art of War to speed up the healing of injured horses.
In 400ad Rome is basically finished, so I declare war on Greece, agreeing a MA with Persia.
in 410ad The final Roman town is captured.
The war against the Greek Hoplites was tough going and heavy losses was suffered. In 450ad a 3rd MGL was generated, immediately turned into a horse army and advanced into Greek territory. But in the IBT a reg Med Infantry attacked and killed the army, taking 13hp without losing a single hp. For the firt time in the game War Weariness was beginning to be an issue. Greece has settled Rhodes on a neighbouring island and won't give it up in a peace deal
In 580ad Mycenae is captured, peace is agreed for a town, leaving Greece with Rhodes on an island and a town in the jungle near France.
In 610ad I declare war on Persia attacking from 2 fronts. France were willing to sign an MA for gunpowder, but I don't want France to get Musketeers or start their GA, so I decide against the MA. Persia quickly folds and all towns are taken or destroyed except Gordium which is in the jungle near France.
I have French MIs in my territory and I get France furious and on 2 occaisions demand they leave. On both occaisions France move the units and decline to declare war. I am surprised because I have always been able to get the AI to declare in these situations. So in 680ad I declared war on France.
It took many turns to get to Gordium and in 700ad the Persians are destroyed. I now have 100 horsemen.
In 720ad I eventually get through the jungle and can attack French towns, and the towns fall quickly. I agree peace once for 2 towns, but immediately continue the war. I start to transport horses to the Greek island with Rhodes.
In 800ad my troops arrive on the doorstep of the final French town of Rheims, so I declared war on Greece, moving unots ouside of Rhodes and their jungle town. In 810ad the final 2 Greek towns and France's Rheims are all taken. Greece and France are destroyed.
820ad Conquest Victory.
I finished the game with 128 horsemen. I never got Chivalry or built knights, nor did I get to Cossacks. I also didn't have a GA. In retrospect I could have used a MGL to rush a wonder to trigger my GA. Only Greece settled on the Islands, a single city of Rhodes. So I didn't have any problem with getting to island towns. I was worrried tht Greece or France might have had a settler on a boat somewhere, but fortunately neither did.
The logs
Techs
Spoiler:
90ad Feudalism Free Tech
??ad Engineering research
470ad Invention research
600ad Gunpowder research
720ad Chemistry research
770ad Monarchy TGL
Full log
Spoiler:
170ad The indian barb camp cleared up.
210ad I cancel the MAs with Persia and Rome and I agree peace with Greece and build an embassy. I declare war on Rome. I agree a MA with Persia for WM, Poly and 6g. I agree a MA with Greece for WM and 270g.Embassy built in France and MA agreed for Feudalism. Ravenna captured.
230ad Persia and Greece agree Peace
260ad The first troops arrive on the other continent , 10 horse (6Vet, 4Elite) are dropped of outside of Antium. Rome has the Great Wall, so that will be my early target.
270ad Antium taken and a neighbouring Legionary for the loss of 4 horses. 3 Elite horses die and 1 redlined. I'm not having much luck with the elite victories.
310ad Rome captured and razed, destroying The Great Wall.
320ad Veii captured and kept (Ivory), Cumae destroyed.
340ad Hispalis captured and razed. Greece and Rome agree peace, breaking our MA - Greece is next on the hit list.
350ad Pompeii and Pease captured and razed
370ad Antioch captured and razed. Rome reduced to 1 town.
390ad IBT 2nd MGL generated by elite horseman defending against Roman archer attack.
400ad I declare war on Greece. Argos captured, but many horses lost to the defending Hoplites.
410ad I rush Sun Tzu Art of War in Antium. I want to quickly heal injured horses. Neapolis captured and the Romans are destroyed.
420ad 5 horses attack Ephesus, 2 die 3 redlined against a single(?) hoplite which is promoted from reg to elite. I am going to lose so many horses against these hoplites unless I can leave Greece until I have Cossacks. Greece doesn't want to agree peace.
430ad Ephesus captured and razed. No losses but 3 horses redlined.
450ad 3rd MGL generated. Make an Army and advance on Thermopylae.
450ad IBT Army is defeated by MI. What the f@ck?
460ad Thermopylae is captured and razed and 11no horses move towards Athens
470ad Athens is captured and razed 10 horses required. Invention completed. IBT Greece picks off a couple of horses with MI
480ad WW is beginning to kick in. Research is down to 20% on Gunpowder and Lux is raised to 20%, and still some clowns required to keep core cities productive.
500ad The super hoplite strikes again, my 8 horse attack on Sparta is repelled and the reg hoplite is promoted to Elite and redlined. But I have no more units to finish him off.
510ad Sparta captured, but the super hoplite still inflicts more damage with 3 more horses killed.
520ad Delphi, Knossos and Pharsalus captured. I am keeping a few Greek cities to improve my unit support. I was paying 130gpt in unit support.
540ad Eventually Dyes in Bombay (4th lux) are connected. I am able to drop lux slider to 10% and increase science to 40% at -10gpt. The resistance in Sparta, Knossos and Delphi quelled, now to starve the pop and recovered horse move on to next targets.
550ad The attack on Mycenae was abandoned after 6 horses didn't even kill one Hoplite (3 hops and an archer). But Corinth was captured. Forces will merge and then attack Mycenae.
580ad Mycenae captured and razed. The Greek capital has jumped to the island town of Rhodes. I agree peace for Heraklea, the only remaining town near my forces. I can drop the lux slider to 0% and crank up research to 40%
600ad Gunpowder completed. Units moved up to the Persian border.
610ad I declare war on Persia. I could get France to join the war for Gunpowder, but I don't want to be fighting French Musketeers or give France a GA. So I decide against the MA.
620ad Tarsus and Pasargadae both captured and razed while Persepolis , with the Pyramids is kept.
630ad 4th MGL. Arbela captured
640ad Susa with the Colossus captured. 5no French MI are coming my way through the jungle. They could be barb hunting but they could also be up to no good.
650ad 1no French MI disbands, but more arrive, now 8no, and they are impeding my access to the final Persian town, and French Territory. I will let them come into my territory and then goad them into war.
670ad 5 French MI head back, 3 no continue into my territory. I get France Furious and then demand they leave, but France agrees to remove them and no war.
680ad I try again to goad France into war declaration but they are having none of it. So I declare War on France.
690ad I now have 100 horsemen.
700ad Gordium destroyed and the Persians are finished.
720ad Eventually we get through the jungle to the French territory. Amiens captured. Chemistry completed
730ad Rouen captured.
740ad Dijon and Besancon captured. France now has ho saltpetre (and doesn't know Gunpowder)
740ad IBT A reg French MI takes 12hp and redlines my horse army without losing a single hp!!!
750ad Grenoble and Tours captured. France now has no iron. I agree peace for Poitiers and Cherbourg.
I start to transport horses to the island an the outskirts of Rhodes. 760ad Move units combat settler.
770ad I declare war on France. Paris is captured with the Great Library. I will keep Paris for 1 turn for any free techs then abandon. Lyon captured and razed. Bayonne destroyed.
780ad Avignon captured and razed.
790ad Chartres and Marseilles captured and razed. Orleans captured. 5th MGL created attacking Marseilles. France reduced to a single Tundra town Rheims, but it is deep in the forest.
800ad After my troops pass through Orleans the town is abandoned to remove any chance of a flip. My troops are no on the doorstep of Rheims, so I declare war on Greece and move 6no horses to Rhodes and 5no horses to Erithia. I hope to finish this next turn.
810ad Rhodes and Erithia captured and razed. Greeks destroyed. Rheims captured and razed. French destroyed.
820ad Conquest victory. Firaxis 4423, Jason 9453
Elite Victories
Spoiler:
1st MGL IIIII, IIIII, I - 150bc 11th victory generates Ivan the Terrible Rush Forbidden Palace
2nd MGL IIIII, III - 390ad IBT 8th Victory generates Peter the Great rush Sun Tzu Art of War
3rd MGL IIII - 450ad 4th victory generates Stalin, builds Army
4th MGL IIIII, IIIII, IIIII, II - 620ad 17th victory generates Lenin, builds Army
5th MGL IIIII, IIIII, IIII - 790ad 4th victory generates Trotsky. Not used.
In Vanilla and PtW, Armies really don't cut it. Too weak (no extra combat strength like in C3C), too slow (no extra movement like in C3C) and they take too long to heal (only one unit at a time heals, so even in a barracks town it takes 3 full turns until an Army is fully healed!) I don't see any big advantage over three single units that attack one after the other. (Except for slightly reduced losses.)
So if there is still a useful wonder available, I don't think twice about what to do with an MGL...
I submitted at the very last moment and i had to rush-play half of the game in order to meet the deadline. The end result is nothing exceptional, conquest in 860 AD with a Jason score just above the 10k mark. Got the golden age with the capture of Great Library plus the completition of the Great Lighthouse in the early AD. I built up a 2nd core, RCP 6 in the center of the big mass land, with the one and only leader i got, somewhere around 300 AD.
The conquest went fairly ok, considering that i didn't plan / optimize as usual. Then, everything that could go wrong with the French went wrong. Two nasty SOURs (vet knights dying en masse against regular spears), regular horses and archers that regularly beat my vet maces, horses coming out to the fog at the very right moment to capture worker squads and, as the icing on the cake, a damn settler on a boat that delayed my conquest for 3 turns. You may imagine how it feels to be a few minutes from the deadline and being unable to submit because of a goddamn boat settler but at the end i managed to sink that accursed boat and score the conquest. Phew...
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