GOTM 176 Spoiler

[Inkerman]

The deadline has just passed and now I can send big thanks to Jokemaster, Major and Ali for playing and recording their thoughts on this composition. Much appreciated thankyou! As usual (I also did 131 "Ashoka", 148 "Dreyna", 169 "Red Cloud") I tried to set up some different problems and entertain.

Still, unless mercurios is playing looks I'm getting a free blue if both of you are going conquest.

Possibly the gold too. It may depend on how Charlie got on.

Sadly we haven't had the company of mercurios for many games now, but it has meant that there has been more blue available than there was for many years - since well before I started. Catalin said that the long big game was a favourite style, but it does take so much time, and mercurios is irreplaceable.

I have just sent in my own landing game. Having got behind with my play I had to rush this last weekend. If you are wondering, no, I didn't use the Great Wall. Overall I think I have kept my record of not doing too well playing my own compositions. I will post a bit about the game later.

I didn't look at the spoiler whilst my own play took shape, and was very amused when I did eventually turn to it. Good stuff chaps!

There are some points I wanted to wait until the deadline to comment on.

I did try and arrange that it was expensive to bribe the red cities, and that their capture would not bring in gold. I was thus alarmed about Charlie's comment that he got mega-gold for razing an early city. So well done him for sorting it out. If it was my fault, sorry. I did a fair amount of testing in both Classic and MGE, and I think Civ2 is super well-written, but when we go into new areas such as this setup of course unusual things can happen.

Yes the barb cities were not all the same.

The swimming warriors were an attempt to represent shore batteries at Kristiansand, and so make exit from the "Baltic" an achievement. In my game I forced them with a trireme attack, but I think you can bribe them easily as an alternative.

I agree with Ali that whatever you want to do it does not make sense to take the option to destroy the Mongols at the start, despite how tempting that might be!

Ali asked in the game thread why I gave the player Chemistry at the start, and I made an answer naming a Russian chemist. What I wanted to do was to make the early tech path a bit slower. A typical way to do that is to provide an extra tech or two; if you look back long enough you can find how delighted the players where when the Duke gave masonry to everyone at the start, in one of his more challenging setups. In my view one of the great achievements of Catherine the Great was introducing the culture of progress. And if that tech came in handy for trade swaps later that was reward for pushing out to the AI.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

The deadline has just passed ...

But some of us are still playing though we are all well enough into the game that there are no surprises left.

As usual (I also did 131 "Ashoka", 148 "Dreyna", 169 "Red Cloud") I tried to set up some different problems and entertain.

and as usual, you succeeded.

Sadly we haven't had the company of mercurios for many games now

Indeed I have noticed that too. He never commented on anything but was a consistent player and submitter. I too miss his participation.

I have just sent in my own landing game.

Glad you chose to participate after all.

The swimming warriors were an attempt to represent shore batteries at Kristiansand, and so make exit from the "Baltic" an achievement. In my game I forced them with a trireme attack, but I think you can bribe them easily as an alternative.

I guessed as much. Their mere presence encouraged me to keep pushing on that route to the end. After I realized I cannot attack them with land units, I bribed them. They were rather inexpensive.

Ali asked in the game thread why I gave the player Chemistry at the start, and I made an answer naming a Russian chemist. What I wanted to do was to make the early tech path a bit slower. A typical way to do that is to provide an extra tech or two ...... And if it came in handy for trade swaps later that was reward for pushing out to the AI.

Upon further reflection I reached the conclusion that you wanted us to have something to gift/swap with the rivals (particularly Mongols) but did not want to give us anything that gave an advantage in the early game. Chemistry is one of the few techs that fits that description (it enables no unit, no building, and no wonder; it is not prereq of anything in the early game).

 

[Major Advantage]

The deadline has just passed

That has just reminded me to check wether or not I had submitted. I did now!

Why?

Seeing how early you managed to defeat the persians, I could have fnishied a lot earlier if I had.

Amazing how you could get your troops there so quickly. You obviously have not taken all barbarian cities on the way and judging by the number of your boats there were not shipped there either.

The general route for my troops was to go west. Later on, troops were sent north and south. I spared barb cities with defense bonus (on river) until vet crusaders. Some barb cities were unattackable, when I tried to attack, I got a message that the mongols (my allies) had repaired my units.

No it was not. As you can see in my game I eliminated the Persians early on and saw the same thing nevertheless.

I know by now, I discovered the persian Susa later on.

Amazing. Despite me being ahead in all the other measures you are doing almost as well with the actual conquest. It is going to be a tight race for the green.

We'll see. A very bad thing about my game was that my plan to keep the mogols contained in their territory to just two cities failed! One of their settlers slipped by and founded a city in unhospitable terrain, unnoticed until after I took their two cities in one turn as planned.

 

[Inkerman]

I allowed some weeks to pass between making the game and starting to play, and found that whilst of course I knew the general design, specifics of the barb cities had all faded by the time I started. I had not used much pattern with the barb cities (and as mentioned they were not all the same) and that helped the forgetting.

I felt I was obliged to get the Mongol map info as soon as I could, and so I did that in 3950BC, giving them my techs, and getting MM in return. I established Moscow where the hut had been.

I wanted to use the special (82,18) square for an SSC, and basically aim to land reasonably early. I hesitate a bit to call it "EL", because I am not sure I really know how to do that properly. The game may have something of a style of score accumulation too. I also knew, and could confirm by black clicking, that there were several continents around. Working out a picture would need actual exploration, but that would facilitate trade too.

Before I started I thought I might be able to make contact with the western AI and get some help with techs, especially if I wasn't too strong from captured barb cities. I think I was probably wrong about that.

I did know that getting extra techs in the early game wouldn't be easy, and decided that taking some barb cities was a good plan, and so Poly was made the priority. I did not realise that horsemen could do the job.

To 2000BC, when I will have 4 cities, and have got Poly.

By comparison, in the three logs ahead of mine, all have more cities (7,11 and 8) and more familiar tech paths - two having traded techs with the Persians.

4000- Pop hut: archers. Do not take Karakorum.
3950- Swap HBR to Mongols for MM. Peace. Give Che and Mys, swap maps. Found Moscow.
Start on CB.
3800- Archer holds off attack of barb warrior and becomes vet.
3750- Archer pops hut: 50g. Find Vyatka.
Mongol horse razes Vyatka.
3450- Size-1 settler.
3400- Found StPetersburg(83,27). Hut: Horse.
3350- Hut: 25g.
3300- Find Vilnius at size 3.
3050- disc CB -> Poly.
3000-

2850- Hut:25g.
2550- Found Kiev(82,18) - at the special place on the Baltic.
2500- Swap names of StPetersburg and Kiev!
2450- disc Poly -> WC. Found Minsk(89,29).
2050- We have found Mongol Samarkand and are warned away.
Mongols offer BW for CB - we decline.
2000- disc WC -> Alp. (wanted WC partly for 30-pt IRB point.)
We give WC to Mongols to get BW.

Status: Cities:4, Techs:8, 10g. Plan - use eles to capture cities. The top cities chart has nicely filled with red names and cities with increasing population.

 

[Inkerman]

1950- Attack barb Vilnius. Ele kills single defending warrior and second ele moves in. 17g. We are Supreme.
1850- Withdraw trapped warrior from nr Samarkand at request of Mongols.
1750- Vet ele defeats phalanx in rivered city of Lvov, and we capture.
1700- Raze Mongol Samarkand.
1550- We get 50g for ceasefire with Mongols. And peace.
1500- disc Alp -> CoL. Capture barb Kungur.

1350- Vet ele lost capturing Lublin from barbs. (replay after game end - yielded 9g.)
Ship reaches Kristiansand fortress and confirms passge is blocked by land unit in sea.
1300- Capture barb Podolsk.
1250- Ship finds Mecklenberg and lands its horse beyond.
1200- Horse slips past Magdeburg.
1150- Horse finds Hannover and Hamburg, and is blocked from going west.
1100- disc CoL -> Mon. Two ele's capture Orenburg.
1050- English start Pyramids.
1000- It's very close, but not able to make the -925BC OEDO for Monarchy unless creative. Switch from building barracks in Lvov to Courthouse - I think that does it.
And need to capture somewhere (we do have 10 ele's.)
Horse slips west past Brunswick.

Stats.
We are Supreme.
pop.: 27(.52m); Cities: 10; techs: 10; gold: 56; cost: 0; Gov.: Desp;
wonders: -;
TR: -;
units: 2 settler, 6 warrior, 1 phalanx, 1 archer, 1 horse, 10 ele, 1 trireme.
Goals: Monarchy. Settlers. Contact the west. The Baltic.

 

[Inkerman]

975- 1st building, a courthouse in Lvov.
Attack Warsaw, running into a legion and an archer. When we threaten to move in we get a warning about a peace treaty with the Mongols - we capture Warsaw (now size 1), and are still at peace.
950- disorder Orenburg as troops move out - oops- that could spoil the OEDO plan.
Fortunately, the Orenburg troops capture Kamyshin. Also capture Potsdam and Kovno.
Horse blocked at Nancy.
925- disc Mon -> Cur. Become Monarchy.
Take out some single fortified barb warriors, helping eles to vet.
900- Horse blocked by Amsterdam. Get 25g from Mongols.

875-
850- Kiev horse "near Lyons".
825- Meet French(2) at Lyons, get 25g, and also find Orleans.
800- Start wonder at StPetersburg.
Peace with French. They have Pot.

775- disc Cur -> Pot. Swap Mon to French for Pot. They also have Wri.
Give everything but Poly to Mongols(0), but they won't swap maps.
Big attack on Malmo - not captured but many phalanxes killed. One ele lost.
Start on Tra.
750-
725- Horse finds empty French city of Tours, oh, it's tempting.
French demand withdrawal - well we're not pulling our emissary horse all the way back, so apparently it's war.
Tours is now occupied by a French defender.
700- Capture Voronezh (which is on a hill.)
Notice Persians have taken Azov - they are nearby.
Babyls start GL.

675- disc Tra -> Sea. Settler discovers Popitz, which I had missed before.
Spanish(4) meet our horse - we refuse Mys, so they attack, fortunately he was on a mountain.
Persians(5) approach, we make peace, swap MM to get Iron (so we see what they have - also Mas) and they give 150g tribute.
650- Give Iron to Mongols.
Spanish ele kills our horse.
See a Persian ele too.
625- Attack Malmo again - kill 3 phalanxes and it is clear it can't be taken alive.
600- Ele lost attacking warrior fortified on river.

575-
550- Capture Mecklenberg (1st city far enough west to be different continent number.)
Capture Baku.
(After game note: these will be important trading cities as the game goes on, with Mecklenberg being the second trade centre of the empire, and Baku taking lots of Oil deliveries.)
525- Capture Popitz.
Persians start Pyramids.
500- disc Sea -> Whe. Mongols(2) give 100g.
Swap Sea to Persians to get Whe.
Contact others and get peace (French) ceasefire (Spanish).

Stats.
We are Supreme.
pop.: 62(1.48m); Cities: 18; techs: 17; gold: 329; cost: 4; Gov.: Mon;
wonders: -;
TR: -;
units: 14 settler, 12 warrior, 2 phalanx, 1 archer, 10 ele, 2 trireme, 9 vans.
Goals: Trade and wonders.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

With no port cities in western Europe and a twisted northern passage, getting to England was expectedly time consuming. I conquered all others and were left with the English and the Mongols. I instinctively left Mongols for the last turn which was dumb to begin with since I no longer cared about tech past achieving Navigation (which I wanted for building Magellan).

London's capture went according to plan. 2 Vet crusaders killed its (single) defender and an explorer walked in. I had a whole bunch of reinforcements waiting on the west coast of the mainland Europe and 3 triremes for transporting them in case 2 vet crusaders were not enough but there was no need for plan B.

Diplomats ran around the English country side bribing the other cities. This took a few turns simply because of the rough terrain but otherwise went according to plan.

When it became clear when the last English city will be bribed, I planned the capture of the sole remaining Mongol city, Karakorum for that same turn. Meanwhile I started a siege of Karakorum with 6 crusaders (only 2 of them vet) and a warrior. A diplomat went in to see what we are up against and we saw a warrior and a pikeman behind city walls. 6 crusaders stormed walled Karakorum and 5 of them plus my vet warrior died attacking the pikeman. Only one managed to kill the warrior and survive.

This was an unexpected and avoidable disaster. If I had made 2 fewer crusaders and made diplomats in their place I could have taken the city walls down and then 4 crusaders would have been sufficient to kill the 2 defenders.

This delays my conquest by 3-4 turns as due to the rough terrain there is no quick way to get to Karakorum and I have no forces nearby.

 

[Ali Ardavan]

+0020 Barbarian elephant emerges from Palermo and is killed. Copper to Babylon for 168. Mongol Phalanx killed. Single defender of barbarian Susa killed and the city captured for 1g. Hawks in the senate allow me to attack Paris. 4 crusaders attack and 2 are lost before the walled city of Paris is taken for 63g. French civilization destroyed. Hawks allow attack on Seville. Lost a legion before killing the defender of Seville and capturing the city for 30g. There are several Spanish archers nearby. Cordoba bribed for 204g. Got 27g and archer. Accidentally accepted Spanish offer of cease fire.
+0040 Astronomy -> Invention (Navigation not a choice). Lighthouse built. Domestic wine for 80. Deliveries to Babylon for 176, 480. Senate does not allow attack on Spanish. Single defender of Turin and 2 defenders of Freiburg killed and the cities captured for 1g. Revolution started. Lost a horse and killed 4 Spanish units. Toledo bribed for 652g. Got 64g and archer.
+0060 Spanish kill a diplomat. First barbarian landing party disembarks near Prague. Canal city of Copenhagen founded. 1 Spanish unit killed. Crusader lost attacking Spanish Lyons. Republic reestablished.
+0080 Invention -> Navigation. Domestic deliveries for 2x27, 51, 28. Hides to Malta for 36. Lost another crusader attacking Lyons before killing its defending legion. 2 barbarian legions killed.
+0100 Spanish kill a diplomat. Barbarians kill a crusader. Shakespeare built. Last of the barbarians landed near Prague killed. Lyons captured for 33g. Senate hands cease fire to Spanish. Hides to Babylon for 88. Domestic Hides for 66. Mongol legion killed.
+0120 Navigation -> Physics. Hides to barbarian Malmo for 44. Domestic delivery for 52. Doves have been having the upper hand in senate for too long. Revolution started. Spanish settler blocking the pass to Madrid killed. 3 vet crusaders storm walled Madrid and kill its 2 Phalanx defenders with one loss. Madrid is captured for 101g and city walls. Lost a crusader attacking a Spanish elephant which is then reluctantly bribed for 96g. Walled Babylon is attacked next by 4 units and with the loss of an elephant and a crusader its 2 defenders are killed. Ur is bribed for 344g. Got 41g and phalanx (had it been a fast unit it could have walked into Babylon).
+0140 Babylonians lose a warrior attacking me. Magellan built. Undefended Babylon captured for 100g. Nineveh bribed for 171g. Got 37g and phalanx. Babylonian civilization destroyed. Single defender of Salamanca killed and the city captured for 25g. Valencia bribed for 224g. Got 39g and barracks. Spanish civilization destroyed. Lost a Crusader and a horseman on the walled city of London. Republic established. Domestic deliveries for 63, 39. Monarchy established. T7L2S1
+0160 Pillaging barbarian archer killed. Mongol settler killed. Beads to London for 132. 2 vet crusaders attack walled London and after one is lost London's sole phalanx defender is killed. The city is captured by an explorer for 49g. York bribed for 320g. Got 67g, barracks, granary, and 2 units. Silk to barbarian Palermo for 306. 3 barbarian warriors defending Palermo killed and the city taken for 1g. T5L4S1
+0180 Physics -> University. Bokhara and Astarakhan founded. English horseman killed. 4 barbarian units killed. Domestic deliveries for 27, 95, 6, 16, 22, 24, 120, 75, 20.
+0200 English kill a crusader. Nottingham's legion defender killed and the city captured for 36g. Hastings bribed for 177g. Got 42g, phalanx, and granary. Domestic deliveries for 137, 22, 17, 54, 13. Silver to Malta for 55. Barbarian Brunn, spared due to being a trade partner of the science city, captured after killing 2 archers defending it for 2g. Revolution started.
+0220 Barbarians land near Constantinople. Oracle and King Richard's built. 6 crusaders storm walled Karakorum which is protected by a pikeman and a warrior. Lost 5 crusaders and a warrior. Managed only to kill the warrior and badly wound the pikeman. This is a disaster. I was hoping to be done this turn. Now I need at least 3 more turns. English Canterbury bribed for 112g. Got 51g and 2 units. English civilization destroyed. Barbarian warrior bribed for 21g. Republic established. T3L6S1. Domestic deliveries for 24, 84, 44, 10, 33.

 

[Inkerman]

Start on Writing.
475- Give Whe to Mongols(1). Give Mon to Persians.
Have noticed a few barb units (archers, legions) on the move.
450- Give Poly to Mongols(1). Brings research cost down. Give Tra to French.
Found Smolensk (84,38). Capture Magdeburg.
425- StPetersburg builds Colossus.
400- Civil disorder Potsdam. Capture Saxony.
Ele lost trying to pass Kristiansand.

375-
350- Give Sea to French(1). Give Tra to Mongols(0). Give Chem to Persians(4).
Attack Krakow.
Explorers begin to uncover black squares in the centre of the continent.
325- StPetersburg gets a market.
Capture Krakow.
Spanish start Pyramids.
300- disc Wri -> Lit. StPetersburg builds HG.

275- 2 ele's (1 vet) lost attacking Brunn.
English nearly done Pyramids.
250- Capture Brunn. Bribe some barb warriors for 31g.
London builds Pyramids.
Persians, Spanish change to LH.
225-
200- StPetersburg gets a library.
Van, StPetersburg - Mecklenberg, Spice, for 203g.
Capture Berlin.

Spanish own former barb city of Nancy; barbs own former French city of Lyons.

Check this forum - will note how many gold at next barb city capture.

175- disc Lit -> Phil.
100g from Persians, establish embassy at Azov, 6 cities, 15 techs, researching CoL.
Persians develop CoL (and move on to Cur.)
150- Capture Stralsund (Pop 4, 5g.)
Have 14 vans nr StPetersburg.
125- Memel would cost 420g to bribe.
100-

75- disc Phil -> Mono -> Rep.
Hides from Kungur to Mecklenberg, for 72g.
Silk from Moscow to Mecklenberg, for 120g.
50- Wine from Mecklenberg to StPetersburg, for 170g.
25- StPetersburg builds Courthouse.
disc Rep -> Mas.
Give Rep. Phil, Sea, Wri, Lit to Mongols(0). Get 50g.
Give Rep to Persians to get Mas. Start on Con.

Notice Brunswick is now Spanish.

1AD-
Hides from Orenburg to StPetersburg, for 120g.
Hides from Potsdam to StPetersburg, for 120g.
Hides from Kamyshin to StPetersburg, for 132g.
Explorer finds Frieburg which is Spanish.
50g from French.

Stats.
We are Supreme.
pop.: 98(2.59m); Cities: 25; techs: 23; gold: 652; cost: 16; Gov.: Mon;
wonders: Colossus, HG; Mike's imminent.
TR: 11D;
units: 19 settler, 25 warrior, 2 phalanx, 1 archer, 8 ele, 5 crusaders,
2 trireme, 3 dips, 21 vans, 3 explorers.
Goals: Trade and wonders. Will want to grow StPetersburg sometime.

Comparison.
My game is quite modest, as "the snowball" I think an earlier post calls it, can be rolling by 1AD.
Jokemaster reports that on replay he achieved 101 cities by 1AD.
(His submitted game is 38 cities and 22 techs.)
Ali's game is 80 cities and 29 techs.
The Major's game is 71 cities and 26 techs.

 

[Jokemaster]

1000 AD (cont.) Democracy. Basle coal (d) to Krasonyarsk: 397g. Communism. Suse taken for 90g+6citizens. Baku bribed for 370g, get 55+40 back. Persians down to 3 cities. Will attack Spain with leftover troops from Bab campaign. Yes, could have traded with Babs, but I want space to expand+not enough engies to build excess infrastructure required (food is tight). Sneak attack English: 2 Warriors (?!?) killed in London. You have those fancy walls and that’s the best defence you can put up? London conquered for 3citizens+94g, and Lighthouse. And I thought I had it the whole time?!? Ok I’m dumb. The cities are too small and have too many citizens, risk getting some sacks… Democracy. 68, 53g vans. I won’t be able to restart 0-turns until 1030, so it’s gonna be 2 turns of peace, 2 turns of 0-turns.

1010 AD: Electricity > Electronics. Nottingham sacked for 22g. Canterbury stormed for 42+1citizen. Senate forces peace treaty, that’s mostly fine. Dips can mop up. Marseille found. One city uncovered for Persians. Vans: 159g, 40g, 65g, 53g, 302g, 159g. Cure in Moscow in 2 turns. Having serious issues sustaining a proper engineer network. I suspect that anyone able to create a trade network to Babs/English is gonna pull ahead (or anyone who simply clued in to GW’s OPness in this specific GOTM)

1020 AD: Electronics > Steel > Machinery. Pasargades bribed for 402, get 66+40 back. T4L1S5 to get a very temporary cash flow going: need money for bribes. Vans: 157, 137, 60, 55, 63, 228, 40g.
Interturn: Senate forces peace treaty with Persians. Like I care. Rep is already Atrocious. I’d wait until the wars are over until building Eiffel.

1030 AD: Moscow CfC. Machinery > Refining. Revolution in Kungur, 0-turn. Communism. Sneak attack Persians: Azov taken for 1citizen+18g. Who builds a city on a hill?!? 2 turns and I bribe Grozny. Marseille bribed for 110g: get 30g+1citizen. FRENCH CIVILIZATION DESTROYED BY RUSSIANS. I will attack Spanish next turn, waiting on seaborne troops for Cordoue and Valladoid. Plan is to bribe Séville and blitz through the rest. Bribe York for 490g, breaking the peace treaty: get 150 back+6citizens. English declare war. They even had a dip ready made for me… Democracy. Vans: 137g, 53g, 170g, 141, 455g, 167, 155g.
Interturn: Senate forces peace treaty with Persians. This 0-turn revolution stuff is broken af!

1040 AD: Refining > Miniaturization. Really need to spam aqueducts at some point. Could have really used some heavyduty trading this game. Wonder if going straight for Corporation would have helped after Demo. SSC not being super impactful outside of a good van dump city. 0-turn in Kungur, Communism. Kill 2 units in Coventry: stormed for 77g+3citizens. Hastings bribed for 223g: get 44+40back+3citizens. ENGLISH CIV DESTROYED BY RUSSIANS. Sneak attack the Spanish: 2 units killed in Valladoid: city stormed for 87g+4citizens. Kill 2 units in Cordoue: COrdoue stormed for 62g+3citizens. Bribe Séville for 760g, get 72+40back. Kill 3 units in Madrid: city stormed for 77+40g and 5citizens. Tolède bribed for 320g, get 35+40 back. Van: 77g. Democracy. Van: 125g, 160, 31, 160g, 182g. Keeping some stock in gold since I might need more than expected for the next set of bribes.
Interturn: Random Spanish ellie… chooses not to sack the empty size1 city and instead suicides on Paris. OK… thought they were despawned from host city getting conquered…

1050 AD: Miniaturization > Refrigeration > Combustion. Grozby subverted for 590*2g, get 92 back. Freiburg bribed for 538g, get 147+80 back. Salamanque bribed for 345g, get 76 back. Senate forces peace treaty, subvert Valence for 195*2g. Get 33+40back. Yakutsk II built. Vans: 44, 71, 159, 392, 24, 187g. T3L1S6 to build up gold reserves again, I’m planning another celeb push soon and need to build necessary Aqueducts.

1060 AD: Combustion > Only Flight available in on-path techs… I’ll take it anyways. Lack of trade arrows all across the empire (from Krasonyarsk routes) is going to hurt, but being able to set up earlier Airport in London/Babylon is going to be worth it for the trade bonuses. Subvert Barcelone for 252*2g, get 156+40 back. Saragosse subverted for 57*2g, get 25 back. SPANISH CIV DESTROYED BY RUSSIANS. Vans: 63, 42, 162, 71, 141, 72g, 175, 30. Vladivostok II built. Still T3L1S6. Going to floor the science rate after getting Radio and celebrate en masse. Size 12 whereever possible, higher in coastal cities.

1070 AD: Flight > Automobile. (Radio not available) 0-turn in Kungur. Communism. Arbela bribed for 216g, get 33 back. PERSIAN CIV DESTROYED BY RUSSIANS. Just the Mongols left, and it’s gonna stay that way. Novgorod II built. T2L1S7. Only 258 beakers in Krasonyarsk… the city has no scientists and neither of Labs or SHs. Krasonyarsk II built. Riga II built.

1080 AD: Automobile > Radio. 0-turn in Kungur… waitwhat? Forgot to turn it off. Thank god it’s not 1090 AD. SHs rushed in Krasonyarsk and York. Rostov II built. Astrakhan II built. Naples II built.

1090 AD: Moscow Hoover. Lots of cities in disorder, I’ll have to increase LUX rate. Triple black hats are nasty. Radio > Mass Production. Van for 159g. T1L2S7. Back up to 396 beakers in Krasonyarsk, city is still size 18. Could also raise it to 30% to celebrate everywhere on autopilot… we’ll do that instead. T6L3S1. Relying mostly on van science from now on, can switch to T5L3S2 is vans prove insufficient. I really wonder if 89 engineers is enough (probably not) and whether I could have feasibly built more of them (probably not) Random Barb frigate near Yakutsk II: nearby destroyer almost gets killed but sees its enemy drown. Vans: 78, 62, 65, 49, 75,. Wow, that’s actually not as much as I would have liked. Cunaxa built. Foreign delivery for 204g. Cremona built. Cannae built. T3L3S4 for a tech next urn.

1100 AD: Mass Production > Computers. Vans for 126, 84, 194, 176, 70, Krasonyarsk-to-London dye (d) for 1032g!!! #OhBaby. Long distances+different landmasses seem to be 100% required by now, fortunately my RR network is finally done. (West of Moscow at least) Demands oil now.. that’s for next turn. Vans: 150. T5L3S2. Feels so awful to return to my 1st attempt after hitting 100+ cities pre-AD/Explosives on my 3rd try.

1110 AD: Computers > Mobile Warfare. Vans for 567, 1608(!!!) Capped, most likely. Math doesn’t add up (would have gotten 1800ish otherwise) T7L3S0. Pop goes from 29 to 35 million citizens. Crête II built, Vérone II built. Just realized I forgot to add the names of 8ish new cities.

1120 AD: Mobile Warfare > Advanced Flight. Pop goes to 41 million citizens. Vans for 97, 70, 190, 152, 188, 88, 108g. Skipping deliveries to Krasonyarsk this turn since the city has a dye van I want to get out first.

1130 AD: Pop goes to 47 million citizens. Vans: 130g, 77g, 667g, 217g, 218g, 118g, 51g, 102g, 57g. Box full. Lisbonne II built. Still missing out on new cities built…

1140 AD: Krasonyarsk spice. Advanced Flight > Rocketry. Vans: 623g, 67g, 310g, 624g, 923g, 172g. HambourgII built.

1150 AD: Rocketry > Recycling. Pop exceeds 57 million citizens. Vans: 294g, 745g, 184g, 201g, 192g, 64g, 177g, 282g, 67g.

1160 AD: Pop goes to 63 million citizens. Oh dangit, forgot to increase the SCI rate for this turn, so no tech pop. Vans for 114, 119, 206, 26, 290, 17, 62, 122, 280, 948… whoops Krasonyarsk van! 254g. Well, that’s a wasted turn. Prague II built. How the heck is my GOTM score above *00k? Holy moly we’re going to see huge high scores this time around, I KNOW from what’s posted on the spoiler so far that I’m behind the curve something fierce. First factory built in Moscow. I’m not ready at all for the space race, if you can call it that anyways. A full spaceship is going to cost 15k only for the modules… OW.

1170 AD: Recycling > Space Flight. Going to go towards Espionage afterwards since I’m likely to be dip-bombed by the Mongols afterwards (+ I can survive Communism hit towards Cathedrals. Postgame edit: LOLNOPE) so spies to deal with the Mongols will be necessary. (Could bribe with dips, but screw that. If I need to control the Mongols, I need to be able to investigate cities w/o losing dips.) Pop above 68 million citizens. Vans: 150g, 344g, 242g, 1188g, 138g. SalzbourgII3 built. 137g, Bergen II built. Van: 402g, 91g. Venise II built. Mongols suddenly Icy, seems they got triggered. Definitely darting towards Espionage afterwards and bribing them to 1city.

1180 AD: Space Flight > Communism not available > Plastics. Apollo started in Krasonyarsk. Vans: 399, 290, 620, 258, 1312, 71, 40g. Apollo rushed in Krasonyarsk. Running low on vans! Need to get higher-quality ones from SH cities.

1190 AD: Krasonyarsk Apollo. Plastics > Communism. Vans: 1132g, 243, 1000g, 543g, 100g. Milan II built.

1200 AD: Communism > Espionage. Vans: 476g, 422g, 96g, 174, 110, 154, 226g. Not enough vans for a tech.

1210 AD: Pop exceeds 88 million citizens. Moscow SS structural. Vans: 1461g, 196g, 206g, 42g.

1220 AD: Espionage > Nuclear Fission. I actually don’t know if Uranium is actually worth it for trading: very worthwhile but clogs up demand lists something fierce. (Is it a direct upgrade from Coal? Idk) Vans: 106, 296, 1461, 132, 220, 255, 157, 1114g.
Interturn: Mongol crusader sneak attacks and kills defending Rifleman in KRASONYARSK!! Yes, you read that correctly. Thankfully no reinforcements are had so the city stays in my possession. It said I have peace, but whenever I send emissaries it behaves as contacted… spies are up tho.

1230 AD: Gênes SS structural. Krasonyarsk salt (heh) Nuclear Fission > Nuclear Energy. Pop exceeds 96 million citizens. Bribe Samarkand for 1000ish gold, get 157 back. Subvert Bokhara for 264*2, get 60 back. My score seems to be peaking, need to end soon. Back up to 37 freight now. So many cities need infrastructure, funds toward Engineer-building are comparatively thin. 85 only, that’s probably why. Vans: 1227g, 1300g. Bribe Arkangel for 1067g, get 140 back. Senate forces a cease-fire. Vans: 286, 227, 86g, 214g. Rly need to start prioritizing funds for SS components. Van for 290, 218, 138, 313.

1240 AD: Nuclear Energy > Robotics. Pop exceeds 101 million citizens. Vans: 976, 668, 540, 410, 337, 400, 200ish. 714 undemanded, 1652. Ghent II built. Almost out of real estate space. 127, 380, 214.

1250 AD: 3 cities SS components. Robotics > Laser. Pop exceeds 107 million citizens. Rush the UN to get the peace counter ticking ASAP for score. (Post-game edit: It only starts ticking up after the 200th turn. So after every civ goes haywire against me? Brian pls...) Vans: 288g, 167g, 164g, 760g. 677 undemanded from Canterbury to Krasonyarsk… Eiffel rushed as well.

STATUS AT 1250 AD: (Beginning of 176th turn)
Population: 107.030.000 Cities: 158 Government: Democracy Total advances: 78 (researching Laser)
Gold: 187 T7L3S0 Income/Cost per turn: 5533 income, 903 cost. (A lot of it is inflated by 1-pop-boosting Supermarkets) Production: 1822MT 0 polluted tiles
Wonders: After next turn, all but Manhattan, Oracle and KRC
Foreign relations: Mongols only have their capital left. Everything else does not matter.
Notes: Building that spaceship is taking a lot of funds, probably won’t have enough to rush courthouses where I’ll need them. As if I’m anywhere near close enough to completing it anyways.

 

[Inkerman]

20- Vilnius builds Michaelangelo Chapel.
disc Con -> BB. Give Con to Mongols.
Capture Halle - probably a vet, the defending legion made it a bit sticky.
Hides from Lvov to StPetersburg, for 104g.
Hides from Kamyshin to StPetersburg, for 168g.
Spanish change to GL.
40- Wine from Orenburg to StPetersburg, for 184g. Enough.
Find Mongol Bokhara.
Attack Poltava. Rebuffed at Debrecen.
Persians nearly done LH.
60- disc BB -> Med. Give BB to Mongols, StPetersburg builds Aqueduct.
Capture Anhalt, pop 3, 3g. We can see a Spanish chariot in city view. Find Weimar.
Capture Poltava, pop 2, 2g.
Explorer finds hut at (51,47).
Give Phil to Persians.
Spanish approach and we make peace. They give 50g.
Constantinople builds LH.
80- Hut: NON crusaders.
Hard to get Persian map despite attitude as they only have one line before breaking off talks.
100- Capture Weimar (4 pop, 4g).
Hut: NON legion.

120- towards end of turn Russian Revolution. 100g from Persians. 50g from French.
Embassy with Spanish at Brunswick. They have 10 cities, 15 techs, researching Maths.
Copper from Kungur to StPetersburg, for 104g.
Madrid warns explorer away.
140- Become Republic. Only problem settler is Podolsk. Warsaw can't grow.
Triremes run past Kristiansand's guns.
Capture Hesse (pop 6, 5g). Find Luxemburg.
Capture Varna (pop 6, 4g).
Capture Breslau (pop 3, 2g) with units from huts.
160- StPetersburg harbour.
disc Med -> Eng.
Capture Luxemburg (Pop 4, 3g).
Capture Pskov (Pop 3, 2g).
Give Con to Persians.
Pop 3.83m.
180- StPetersburg builds Shakespeare Theatre. Pop 6. Sell temple.
Pop 5.12m.
Capture Hannover and Hamburg.
Copper from Podolsk to Halle, for 100g.
Small barb uprising in the east (nearest to Mongols).
200- Pop 6.23m.
Capture Memel (Pop 4, 3g). Now have 37 cities.

Spanish have 11, Persians have 7.
and Spanish capture barb Amsterdam.

220- disc Eng -> Sanitation.
Pop 7.15m - growth from Rep happiness now running out of steam.
StPetersburg = 8, Mecklenberg =10.
Found Odessa (need use up the Warsaw settler.)
Give Phil to French.
Gems from Baku to StPetersburg, for 432g.
Hides from Potsdam to StPetersburg, for 220g. Enough.
240- disc San -> Inv.
Lux to 50% to get Mecklenberg (library and courthouse, no colosseum) to 12.
Silk from StPetersburg to Hesse, for 448g.
Persians develop Cur, and are now doing Maths.
260- disc Inv -> Bank. Give Eng to Mongols;
That discovery will take the trade bonuses down of course.
Silk from Baku to StPetersburg, for 231g.
Capture Walbeck (Pop 5, 4g).
Capture Debrecen (Pop 4, 3g). Find Prague. Find Constantinople.
Spanish nearly done GL.
280- StPetersburg builds sewers, and reaches size 11. Give Inv to Mongols.
Copper from Magdeburg to Moscow, for 88g.
Lux down to 30% as only StPetersburg growth matters. Several others reached 8. Mecklenberg = 12.
Madrid builds GL, Babyls abandon.
300- disc Banking -> Dem. StPetersburg =size12.
Dye from StPetersburg to Luxemburg, for 216g. Next OEDO is 380.

320- Pay 488g to incite revolt in Malta, gaining 6g back, but also there are 16 legions.
We only have 7 shields, so can disband a lot into a wonder.
There is a hostile knight on the island though. Disband 14 of the 16.
Embassy with French at Marseilles, 7 cities, 17 techs, researching Banking.
Spanish capture Sigmaringen.
340- StPetersburg builds Bank, size=14.
Find Paris.
Babyls start GW.
360- French start GW.
380- disc Dem -> Gun. 0/806. Become Democracy. Managed only 2 cities into disorder.
Lux to 20% is enough for StPetersburg - now at size =16.
Spice from StPetersburg to Mecklenberg, for 417g.
Buy wonder in Malta.
Pirates south of Azov.
400- Malta completes Leonardo's Workshop.
disc Gun -> Exp. Lots of musketeers.
Beads from StPetersburg to Berlin, for 176g.

420-
440- disc Exp -> Maths. We have 23 engineers.
Give Gun to Spanish for Maths. Give Inv too. Swap maps.
Give Maths to Mongols.
Land Explorer in England, give Inv, make peace, give Rep (Spanish get too via GL), Iron, Gun, Tra (Spanish get too), swap maps.
French develop Banking (Spanish get).
Start on Ast.
460-
480- disc Ast -> Uni. Give Gun to Mongols.
Wine Magdeburg - StPetersburg, for 295g.
Coal Popitz - StPetersburg, for 225g. Enough.
Capture Prague (Pop 6, 5g).
500- disc Uni -> ToG. Bank given to Mongols.
StPetersburg builds Copernicus Observatory. Size=21, getting harder to grow.
Wine from Brunn to StPetersburg, for 252g.

Stats.
We are Supreme.
pop.: 12.39m; Cities: 42; techs: 36; gold: 471; cost: 61; Gov.: Dem;
wonders: Colossus, HG; Mike's, Copernicus, Shakes; Leo.
TR: manyD;
units: 23 engineer, 21 musketeer, 29 crusader, 5 trireme, 41 vans, 3 explorers.
Goals: Space.

Babylonians(1) No contact yet, ? cities
French(3) Unco-op peace, 8 cities, 19 techs -> Con
Spanish(5) Enthusiastic peace, 13 cities, 25 techs -> Mys
Persians(4) Enthusiastic peace, 7 cities, 20 techs -> Maths
English(2) Enthusiastic peace, 6? cities
Mongols(0) Neutral peace, 2? cities

 

[Ali Ardavan]

+0240 Barbarians near Constantinople pillage. University -> Banking. Barbarian legion bribed for 84g and used to kill another. Domestic deliveries for 22, 20
+0260 Last of Barbarian raiding party dies attacking my legion. Babarian legion for 150g. Karakorum produces settler! Diplomat destroys Karakorum's city walls! Domestic deliveries for 87, 33, 127, 32, 32, 33, 18, 40, 12, 46. T2L6S2
+0280 Domestic deliveries for 57, 75.
+0300 Banking -> Democracy. Domestic deliveries for 30, 12. Senate hands peace to Mongols.
+0320 Copernicus and Leo built. Senate does not allow attack on Karakorum. Revolution started. Lost 2 units before killing pikeman defending Karakorum. Karakorum captured for 58g. Mongol civilization destroyed.

 

[Inkerman]

Research, led by the SSC at StPetersburg, makes good progress.

520- disc ToG -> Econ. Give Ast to Mongols (Spanish get from GL).
StPetersburg builds Uni.
Gems from Stralsund to Luxemburg, for 144g.
Pirates next to Lvov.
540- StPetersburg (size=22) builds Isaac Newton College. disc Econ -> Met.
Give Exp to Mongols - Spanish get from GL.
Gold from Kovno to Mecklenberg, for 180g.
Capture Basle (Pop 4, 3g).
560- disc Met -> Conscr. Give ToG to Mongols.
Hut: 50g.
Gems from Brunn to StPetersburg, for 303g.
580- disc Conscr (musketeers -> riflemen) -> Feu.
Capture Bremen (Pop 1, 1g), Carinthia (Pop 4, 3g).
Silver from Podolsk to Saxony, for 135g.
600- disc Feu -> Theo.
Give Met to Spanish, swap maps, Inv to Persians, swap maps.
Give Met and Feu to Mongols(now 1). Spanish get Feu from GL.
Dye from StPetersburg to Saxony, for 230g.

620- disc Theo -> Chi.
Give Mys, BB, Phil, Conscr, Eng, to Spanish(5).
Give San, Econ, Dem, Med , Uni, Theo (Spanish get all these too), Conscr, Mas, to Mongols(1).
Mono is the only one we have kept secret.
Capture Zwickau (Pop 5, 4g).
Wine from Berlin to StPetersburg, for 235g.
Silver from Kungur to StPetersburg, for 187g.
Salt from StPetersburg to Azov (Persian), for 480g.
Babyls abandon GW.
640- disc Chi -> Lea (crusaders -> dragoons) -> Nav.
StEx StPetersburg.
Give Chi to Mongols (Spanish get from GL). Give Chem to Spanish.
Gems from Anhalt to StPetersburg, for 405g.
Wine from Lublin to StPetersburg, for 215g.
Silk from Kungur to Mecklenberg, for 366g.
Capture Kishinev (Pop 6, 5g).
660- disc Nav (trireme -> caravel) -> Phy -> Mag.
Moscow builds JSB.
Silk from Orenburg to Mecklenberg, for 378g.
680- disc Mag (caravel -> galleon) -> Tac.
Silk from StPetersburg to Mecklenberg, for 480g.
Coal from Hamburg to StPetersburg, for 410g.
French abandon GW.
700- disc Tac (dragoons -> cavalry) -> Electricity.
Give Nav to Spanish. Give Nav, Phys (Spanish get too), Mag (Spanish get too) to Mongols.
Embassy with English(2) - 7 cities, 18 techs. Give Con, swap maps.

720- disc Electricity -> Steam -> Refrig.
Give Steam, Leadership, Electricity, Monotheism to Mongols(1). We have only kept Tactics.
Give Gun to Persians.
Give Nav to English.
Gems from Odessa to StPetersburg, for 222g.
Kill Barb in Dalmatia - Senate prevent capture as it would involve breaking treaty with Mongols.
Capture barb Sofia (Pop 5, 4g.)
Spanish and French swap techs.
740- disc Refrig -> RR. So probably last turn of pop growth as HG will expire.
Give Refrig to Mongols - they swap maps and we learn about Arkangel.
Capture Fiume (Pop 5, 4g).
Coal from Halle to StPetersburg, for 355g.
Spanish start KRC.
760- disc RR (cancel HG) -> AW.
Pop reaches 20m. Give RR to Mongols.
Thought we had seen it before - English attacking English.
780- disc AW -> Ind.
Moscow completes Magellan.
Give AW to Mongols.
Capture barb Genoa (Pop 6, 4g).
Gems from Hesse to StPetersburg, for 398g.
800- disc Ind -> Corp -> Refin.
Moscow builds Adam Smith.
Give Ind to Mongols.
Spice from Stralsund to Madrid (Spanish), for 480g.
Silk from Lvov to Mecklenberg, for 258g.
Wine from Hannover to StPetersburg, for 407g.
Capture Milan (Pop 4, 3g).

820- disc Refin-> Ste -> Comb.
Give Ste, Ref to Mongols.
Capture barb Nice (Pop 3, 2g).
840- disc Comb -> Auto.
Give Comb, Corp to Mongols.
Hides, from Stralsund to Bokhara (Mongol), for 88g.
Copper, from Moscow to Nancy (Spanish), for 212g.
Capture barb Susa (Pop 5, 4g).
Capture barb Karlsburg (Pop 2, 2g).
860- disc Auto (cancel Leo) -> GenEng.
Give Auto to Mongols.
Gems from Prague to StPetersburg, for 390g.
Found Sevastopol.
880- disc GenEng -> MT -> Electronics.
Superhighways StPetersburg.
Give MT and GenEng to Mongols.
Coal from Kiev to Mecklenberg, for 242g.
Coal from Saxony to StPetersburg, for 640g.
Hides from Krakow to London (English), for 268g.
Capture barb Turin (Pop 4, 2g).
French and Spanish swap techs.
900- disc Electronics -> MP -> Mini.
Kiev finds C4C.
Give MP and Electronics to Mongols.
Meet Babyls(0) and give San, get peace.
Wine from Hesse to StPetersburg, for 915g.
Copper from Basle to StPetersburg, for 582g.

920- disc Mini -> Atom -> Comp.
Mass Transit StPetersburg. Superhighways Mecklenberg.
Give Atom and Mini to Mongols.
Attack barb Malmo, killing five units.
Copper from Orenburg to Mecklenberg, for 504g.
Coal from Magdeburg to StPetersburg, for 685g.
Wine from Anhalt to StPetersburg, for 712g.
940- disc Comp -> Recycle -> Flight (cancel Colossus) -> Radio
Minsk completes Darwin's Voyage.
Coal from Basle to StPetersburg, for 380g.
Razed barb Malmo.
Capture barb Glatz (Pop 3, 2g).
960- disc Radio -> AF -> Communism
Research Lab StPetersburg.
Give Tra and Phil to Babyls(0), swap maps.
Silver from Brunn to London (English), for 347g.
Hides from Krakow to York (English), for 211g.
Wine from Walbeck to StPetersburg, for 387g.
980- disc Communism -> Rocketry.
Give Radio to Mongols(1).
Coal from Anhalt to StPetersburg (both airports), for 625g.
Copper from Vilnius to Mecklenberg, for 188g.
1000- disc Rocketry -> SF -> Pla.
Factory StPetersburg.
Wine from Potsdam to StPetersburg, for 290g.
Copper from Breslau to Mecklenberg, for 176g.
Gems from Bremen to Salamanca (Spanish), for 56g (same continent.)
Silk from Poltava to Amsterdam (Spanish), for 180g.
2 x 150g barb leaders, using plane nr Baku.

Stats.
We are Supreme.
pop.: 23.76m; Cities: 57; techs: 73; gold: 3633; cost: 101; Gov.: Dem;
wonders: Colossus, HG; Mike's, Copernicus, Magellan, Shakes; Leo, JSB, Newton, Smith, Darwin; C4C.
units: 49 engineer, 2 warrior, 1 alpine, 21 riflemen, 28 cavalry, 1 fighter, 5 transport, 3 dips, 31 vans.
Goals: Space.

Russians: That's us. 57 cities. 73 techs -> Pla
Babylonians(0) Enthusiastic peace 4? cities
French(3) Receptive peace 9 cities 23 techs
Spanish(5) Enthusiastic peace 13 cities 44 techs -> Lea
Persians(4) Enthusiastic peace 7 cities 24 techs -> Wri
English(2) Enthusiastic peace 7 cities 21 techs
Mongols(1) Cordial peace 2? cities


Give RR and Inv to French, swap maps.

 

[grigor]

I had to wait until the end of the school year, but this was pretty quick. I like world maps or semi-world maps. Restarts off means conquest for sure!

On King level, I thought the barbs should be easy to conquer, but probably for the AI too. Fast early conquest must be the optimal strategy. Probably need a horse or 2 for conquest – Barbs like to pack defenders in their cities.

The only reason to keep the Mongols around is for getting to Monarchy faster. This is not a space race where I need to keep a key Civ. If they have one of the other techs I could trade Chem later. Or a 2-step trade, first pre-Mon, then Maps. Wipeout in turn 1 might make Mon slower. It’s not on a river, so no need to take them out now. Eliminating Mongols should be an early goal after Monotheism.

Tech Path: Monarchy ASAP, then Poly. Get Trade from Persians
Lit-Phil-Mono
Let’s Roll!

Wonder plan: HG, MC. Colossus in trade city. Capture MPE.

4000 Hut: NONE Archer. Move 1 sq north.
3950 Archer attacks warrior => vet
3900 Archer succeeds in popping hut: NONE horse. Moscow on 4-special. Working Peat
3850* res Alph. Horse spots irrigated square in East.
3800 Hut: 50g. Size 1 settler now likely.
3750 Horse attacks Barb warrior => vet. Orenburg found
3600 Size 1 Settler. Moscow starts Horse
3450* St. Petersburg at special site. Starts Horse
3300 Alph => CB. Horse in Moscow. Vet horse pops Hut: NONE Archer. Time to take out some cities! Avoiding cities on hills, forests, or rivers
3150 Mongols:trade Chem for Map Making. They have no pre-Mon tech – Waaah! If I replay this, I will take them out first turn. Peace. 100g tribute. Maybe the tribute will be worth it.
3100 Krakow has a phalanx – horse dies.
3050* Pskov captured by Archer/Horse combo
3000 Moscow builds barracks.

Status 3000BC:
3C, 2 Warr, 2 Archers, 2 Horse.
4 Techs, res CB (27/36)

2950 Hut: 100g.
2800 CB => Poly (4/66). I changed my plan. Glatz found and conquered by vet horse. Giatz proves in the end to be a totally useless city. St. Petersburg starts LH in preparation for HG the hard way. I have no faith in getting Trade on time.
2750 Vilnius captured.
2650* Barracks in Vilnius
2500 Poly => CoL.The fun begins!
2450* Archer finds Breslau
2400 Archer takes out Breslau Warrior => vet
2350 Breslau captured
2300 Vet Ellie takes out phalanx in Lvov. Horse captures Lvov.
2250* Hut: Chariot (Breslau)
2200 Warsaw had too many defenders – razed.
2150 CoL => Mon. Mongols: 50g
2050* Linz captured
2000 Lublin captured. Memel captured

Status 2000 BC:
10C, gov: Despotism
4 Warr, 2 Arch, 7 Horse, 1 Chariot, 2 Ellie, 1 Trireme
8 Techs res Mon (60/88)

1900 Mon => Pots. Carinthia captured. Revolution.
1850*gov: Mon. Passau captured. Kovno captured. Vienna found – Walls

 

[grigor]

1800 Mongols: 50g
1750 Mongols ask us to withdraw: No – WAR. Popitz captured. Horse immolates on Vilny warrior.
1700 Mongols kill ellie. Stralsund captured First unhappy in Vilnius.
1650* Pots => Wheel. Zwickau captured.
1550 Prague, Berlin. Hut: 50g
1500 Wheel=> Wri. Kungur (Mongol) captured: BW. Peace with Mongols. Pilsen captured.
1450* Big attack on Malmo is inconclusive. Debrecen.
1400 Brunn. Need HG soon. Still no joy in Malmo. Bribery will be better. In the end I never got around to it.
1350 Potsdam
1300 Wri => Curr. Krakow, Basle
1250* Arkangel
1200 Turin, Dalmatia
1150 Karlsburg. Samarkand, Iron Working.
1100 Currency => Lit. Fiume.
1050* Turin
1000 Mongols: still WAR. Orenburg.

Status 1000 BC:
33C., 7 Settlers, 60 g, gov: Monarchy
49 Warriors, 1 Archer, 10 Horse, 1 Chariot, 14 Elephant, 1 Diplomat
2 Trireme
15 tech, res Lit.

Plan: Lit in 2 turns, Phil in 6. HG 144/200 in St. Petersburg.
Want Trade from Persians.
Maybe ignore Karakorum and continue sweep south
Need like 10 more Elephants. They totally rule!

975 Varna (34) Genoa. Modena. Dresden founded. Leipzig founded (both on rivers for transportation. Dresden was useful, Leipzig not.) Attack Visby, but too many warriors. Bribing is too expensive even at size 1.
950 Literacy => Phil. Kamyshin. Empty Venice.
925* Venice captured.
900 Saxony. Anhalt. Nice. Karakrum captured, losing 3 Ellies. Should have captured turn 1. WC. Mongols destroyed.

From the Mongols I got 3 techs, 3 cities, and 150g in tribute. Was it worth it keeping them around? The first 100g was very timely. But the northern ellies could have taken out many European cities faster. I would raze them 1st turn next time.

875 meet Spanish. Peace, give tech, get maps from them, 200g. They will regret it! Susa. Buy HG in St. Petersburg. Baku.
850 HG in St. Petersburg. Phil => Mono (Trade not offered) => Trade. French: get Construction. Give tech. get maps. 100g
825* Halle captured (2 elephants lost)
800 Weimar. Sigmarigen
750 Voronezh. Mecklenburg.

Status 750BC:
51C, HG. 8 Sett, 89 Warrior, 1 archer, 12 horse, 1 Chariot, 14 Elephant, 11 Crooks, 1 dip
5 Trireme
20 techs, res Trade, in about 2 turns
Working on long Road from Moscow west

Plan: get 8 vans ready for Trade and MC in Popitz
Conquest got much harder after Mono. Vet Ellies die on walled phalanx.
Need to conquer two more lines in Europe before the Rhine.
Decide Christiana plan – 3 vet crooks from somewhere.
Trireme with dip is heading for England, and eventually to coast of France for trade.
Trade from St. Petersburg to Christiana, London

725* Ellie dies on phalanx at Brunswick. Hut: Nomads in Greenland. Barb Knights discovered in south. Trade next! Sofia captured.
700 No Trade! Grozny. Persians – a pleasant surprise! Exchange Poly (unfortunate) for Trade, give Myst, Lit for Worshipful, trade maps, get 250g.
675 res Bridges – maybe should have gone Republic – I am not ready yet. St, Petersburg spice caravan (for Constantinople) Bridges => Rep (6 turns – should have MC by then) Attack Kristiansand with 3 vet ellies and a Crook – 2 legions and a phalanx killed, one ellie dies, other 3 units are in deep red. Crook=>vet.
650 Another legion appears in Kristiansand- Crook dies, one ellie takes it out, last ellie captures it. I need to use only vet crooks for London.
625* Magdeburg. Hesse. Poltava. Vienna (lost a crook). Savoy
600 Luxembourg. Kishenev. Freiburg. Brunswick
575 Deliver vans for MC. Nancy.
550 MC in Popitz. Azov. Hannover.
525* Republic => Eng. Revolution. Gov: Republic
-- 67 Cities -- this is getting really fun!

 

[grigor]

gov: Republic. Lux at 40. With HG and MC, most cities will grow to size 5 even before temple and MP.
525 Hamburg. Smolensk, north of St. Petersburg
500 Many celebrations. Amsterdam. Walbeck

Status 500BC:
71 cities, Republic. 10 settlers
50 warriors 1 Archer, 12 horse, 9 Elephant, 27 Crooks, 67 Dips
6 trireme, 4 vans (36 in prod)

Plans:
Wipe out Bremen next turn.
Bribe legion in Malta forest. Maybe the knight first so dip can escape. (I didn't notice the fortress)
St. Petersburg spice van arrives in Constantinople in 8 turns, hopefully for a big cash infusion.
Build 2 more vans in St Pete. (1 next turn) then structures - Aqueduct, Library.
Moscow and Kundun have trade goods demanded in St. Pete.
Build Colossus in St. Petersburg.
Stralsund Hides on the way to London.
Roll up Spanish with 4 crooks.
Roll up French
Build LH, Oracle.
Prepare for Power Demo if necessary.

475 Barb Pirates near Stralsund. Podolsk. Madrid. Seville. (Malta Knights cost 84g which I don't have) Bremen emptied
450 Pay Barbs near Stralsund 75g to disappear. Eng => Med. Many celebrations cancelled as cities reach size 5. (mostly with 1 scientist). Moscow Wine to St. Petersburg (d, 144)
425* Lyons captured (Masonry). English: WAR. St. Petersburg size 8, one unhappy - needs improvements for growth. Moscow size 7 needs structures for growth, and 1 irr in order to work the iron.
400 Medicine => Math. Orleans captured. Malta is continuing. Bribe a legion.
375 Legions destroy our beachhead on Malta. Need a better plan.
325* Mathematics => Astro. Paris conquered. St. Petersburg Spice to Constantinople (d, 599). As advertised.
300 Astro => San. Senate forces peace with French.
275 Rhiems, Cordoba subverted. Spanish destroyed.
250 Sanitation => Univ Brunn Silver to Pasargadae (d, 150). Tours subverted x2. French destroyed.

Status 250BC:
84C. 13 Settlers, gov: Republic. HG, MC.
56 Warrior, 2 phalanx, 1 Archer, 2 legion, 14 horse, 9 elephant, 26 crooks, 1 Knight, 9 dips.
10 trireme. 25 vans, 54 in prod
29 techs, res Univ
Oracle and Pyramids next turn.

Plan: Demo, SoL, Fundy, conquer.

225* Kamyshin builds Pyramids. Dresden builds Oracle. Bribe 2 legions on Malta, move to fortress. Add 2 crooks.
200 Univ => ToG. Settler finishes irrigating swamp and Bruges founded. This was a worthless strategy - better would have been to keep using the NONE settler (from polar hut in 725bc) for roads and irr.
175 Gibraltar. Stralsund hides to London (d, 192)
150 St. Petersburg builds Colossus. Perhaps a little late. Malta captured. Voronezh hides to St. Petersburg (d, 172) Palermo.
125* ToG => Bank. St. Petersburg courthouse. Perhaps that should have been first, before building HG the hard way. St. Petersburg beads to Constantinople (d, 661). Debrecen spice to Constantinople (u, 84). London captured. Bribe York for 2x gold.
100 Bank => Seaf. Venice builds LH, also perhaps a few turns late. Find Babs. Get their maps. Nottingham bribed for 2x. Persians: Senate forces peace.
75, Lublin Silk to St. Petersburg (d, 252). Nineveh bribed for x2. (Seafaring) Babs: War. Persians no war.
50 Econ -> Inv. Persains: no war. Basle Coal to St. Petersburg (u, 164) Smolensk Silk to St. Petersburg (d, 204). Berlin Wine to St. Petersburg (u, 114)
25* Copes in St. Petersburg. Arcangel Silk to St. Petersburg (d, 288). Persians: WAR! (finally) Attack Constantinople, lose 4 crooks on the pikeman and legion walled on a river, but capture Constantinople, MPE. Ur subverted for 252g. Babs down to 2C, Persians and English 1 each. Change Tax rate 30/10/60 to build cities via WLTCD. Deliver remaining vans before Invention. Weimar Gems to St. Petersburg (u, 168) Karakorum Silk to St. Petersburg (d, 252).
1AD Inv => Demo. Vans delivered for Leos. English: WAR. Hastings subverted, English destroyed. Pasargadae conquered, Persians destroyed. Ashur subverted. Babylon emptied with only one vet ellie. Lux to 80. I could win now, but I have a wonder coming and 80 growing cities.

Status 1AD: 97C, Pyr, KG, Colossus, LH, Oracle, MPE, MC, Cope’s. gov: Republic
21 settlers
59 Warrior, 4 Phalanx, 3 Archer, 3 Legion, 11 Horse, 6 Ellie, 17 Crooks, 1 Knight, 4 Dips.
11 Trireme, 38 vans.
35 techs, res Demo.

Babs: 1 City, all other AI conquered.

I kept growing for a few turns and conquered in

Spoiler :

60AD

.

 

[grigor]

AD 20 Venice completes Leo’s
40 still growing.
60* Berlin completes KRC. Vans delivered for Shakes in St. Petersburg but I am not growing any more.

Spoiler :

Citizens: 1094
Achievements: 200
Barbs: +25
Total Score: 1319

Rating: 105%
Catherine the Strong.

 

[Jokemaster]

WOW. I think you've got me beat by only 5k GOTM score if my calculations are correct. Well played.

1000 AD (cont.) Democracy. Basle coal (d) to Krasonyarsk: 397g. Communism. Suse taken for 90g+6citizens. Baku bribed for 370g, get 55+40 back. Persians down to 3 cities. Will attack Spain with leftover troops from Bab campaign. Yes, could have traded, but I want space to expand+not enough engies to build excess infrastructure required (food is tight). Sneak attack English: 2 Warriors (?!?) killed in London. You have those fancy walls and that’s the best defence you can put up? London conquered for 3citizens+94g, and Lighthouse. And I thought I had it the whole time?!? Ok I’m dumb. The cities are too small and have too many citizens, risk getting some sacks… Democracy. 68, 53g vans. I won’t be able to restart 0-turns until 1030, so it’s gonna be 2 turns of peace, 2 turns of 0-turns.

1010 AD: Electricity > Electronics. Nottingham sacked for 22g. Canterbury stormed for 42+1citizen. Senate forces peace treaty, that’s mostly fine. Dips can mop up. Marseille found. One city uncovered for Persians. Vans: 159g, 40g, 65g, 53g, 302g, 159g. Cure in Moscow in 2 turns. Having serious issues sustaining a proper engineer network. I suspect that anyone able to create a trade network to Babs/English is gonna pull ahead (or anyone who simply clued in to GW’s OPness in this specific GOTM) (Postgame edit: Looks like grigor is going to make me eat my words. Maybe.)

1020 AD: Electronics > Steel > Machinery. Pasargades bribed for 402, get 66+40 back. T4L1S5 to get a very temporary cash flow going: need money for bribes. Vans: 157, 137, 60, 55, 63, 228, 40g.
Interturn: Senate forces peace treaty with Persians. Like I care. Rep is already Atrocious. I’d wait until the wars are over until building Eiffel.

1030 AD: Moscow CfC. Machinery > Refining. Revolution in Kungur, 0-turn. Communism. Sneak attack Persians: Azov taken for 1citizen+18g. Who builds a city on a hill?!? 2 turns and I bribe Grozny. Marseille bribed for 110g: get 30g+1citizen. FRENCH CIVILIZATION DESTROYED BY RUSSIANS. I will attack Spanish next turn, waiting on seaborne troops for Cordoue and Valladoid. Plan is to bribe Séville and blitz through the rest. Bribe York for 490g, breaking the peace treaty: get 150 back+6citizens. English declare war. They even had a dip ready made for me… Democracy. Vans: 137g, 53g, 170g, 141, 455g, 167, 155g.
Interturn: Senate forces peace treaty with Persians. This 0-turn revolution stuff is broken af!

1040 AD: Refining > Miniaturization. Really need to spam aqueducts at some point. Could have really used some heavyduty trading this game. Wonder if going straight for Corporation would have helped after Demo. (Usually optimal, but you lose out of HG's effect and CfC is expensive...) SSC not being super impactful outside of a good van dump city. 0-turn in Kungur, Communism. Kill 2 units in Coventry: stormed for 77g+3citizens. Hastings bribed for 223g: get 44+40back+3citizens. ENGLISH CIV DESTROYED BY RUSSIANS. Sneak attack the Spanish: 2 units killed in Valladoid: city stormed for 87g+4citizens. Kill 2 units in Cordoue: COrdoue stormed for 62g+3citizens. Bribe Séville for 760g, get 72+40back. Kill 3 units in Madrid: city stormed for 77+40g and 5citizens. Tolède bribed for 320g, get 35+40 back. Van: 77g. Democracy. Van: 125g, 160, 31, 160g, 182g. Keeping some stock in gold since I might need more than expected for the next set of bribes.
Interturn: Random Spanish ellie… chooses not to sack the empty size1 city and instead suicides on Paris. OK… thought they were despawned from host city getting conquered…

1050 AD: Miniaturization > Refrigeration > Combustion. Grozby subverted for 590*2g, get 92 back. Freiburg bribed for 538g, get 147+80 back. Salamanque bribed for 345g, get 76 back. Senate forces peace treaty, subvert Valence for 195*2g. Get 33+40back. Yakutsk II built. Vans: 44, 71, 159, 392, 24, 187g. T3L1S6 to build up gold reserves again, I’m planning another celeb push soon and need to build necessary Aqueducts.

1060 AD: Combustion > Only Flight available in on-path techs… I’ll take it anyways. Lack of trade arrows all across the empire (from Krasonyarsk routes) is going to hurt, but being able to set up earlier Airport in London/Babylon is going to be worth it for the trade bonuses. Subvert Barcelone for 252*2g, get 156+40 back. Saragosse subverted for 57*2g, get 25 back. SPANISH CIV DESTROYED BY RUSSIANS. Vans: 63, 42, 162, 71, 141, 72g, 175, 30. Vladivostok II built. Still T3L1S6. Going to floor the science rate after getting Radio and celebrate en masse. Size 12 wherever possible, higher in coastal cities.

1070 AD: Flight > Automobile. (Radio not available) 0-turn in Kungur. Communism. Arbela bribed for 216g, get 33 back. PERSIAN CIV DESTROYED BY RUSSIANS. Just the Mongols left, and it’s gonna stay that way. Novgorod II built. T2L1S7. Only 258 beakers in Krasonyarsk… the city has no scientists and neither of Labs or SHs. Krasonyarsk II built. Riga II built.

1080 AD: Automobile > Radio. 0-turn in Kungur… waitwhat? Forgot to turn it off. Thank god it’s not 1090 AD. SHs rushed in Krasonyarsk and York. Rostov II built. Astrakhan II built. Naples II built.

1090 AD: Moscow Hoover. Lots of cities in disorder, I’ll have to increase LUX rate. Triple black hats are nasty. Radio > Mass Production. Van for 159g. T1L2S7. Back up to 396 beakers in Krasonyarsk, city is still size 18. Could also raise it to 30% to celebrate everywhere on autopilot… we’ll do that instead. T6L3S1. Relying mostly on van science from now on, can switch to T5L3S2 is vans prove insufficient. I really wonder if 89 engineers is enough (probably not) and whether I could have feasibly built more of them (probably not) Random Barb frigate near Yakutsk II: nearby destroyer almost gets killed but sees its enemy drown. Vans: 78, 62, 65, 49, 75,. Wow, that’s actually not as much as I would have liked. Cunaxa built. Foreign delivery for 204g. Cremona built. Cannae built. T3L3S4 for a tech next urn.

1100 AD: Mass Production > Computers. Vans for 126, 84, 194, 176, 70, Krasonyarsk-to-London dye (d) for 1032g!!! #OhBaby. Long distances+different landmasses seem to be 100% required by now, fortunately my RR network is finally done. (West of Moscow at least) Demands oil now.. that’s for next turn. Vans: 150. T5L3S2. Feels so awful to return to my 1st attempt after hitting 100+ cities pre-AD/Explosives on my 3rd try. And I would have gotten Democracy at 225 BC if I didn't horribly mess up!

1110 AD: Computers > Mobile Warfare. Vans for 567, 1608(!!!) Capped, most likely. Math doesn’t add up (would have gotten 1800ish otherwise) T7L3S0. Pop goes from 29 to 35 million citizens. Crête II built, Vérone II built. Just realized I forgot to add the names of 8ish new cities.

1120 AD: Mobile Warfare > Advanced Flight. Pop goes to 41 million citizens. Vans for 97, 70, 190, 152, 188, 88, 108g. Skipping deliveries to Krasonyarsk this turn since the city has a dye van I want to get out first.

1130 AD: Pop goes to 47 million citizens. Vans: 130g, 77g, 667g, 217g, 218g, 118g, 51g, 102g, 57g. Box full. Lisbonne II built. Still missing out on new cities built…

1140 AD: Krasonyarsk spice. Advanced Flight > Rocketry. Vans: 623g, 67g, 310g, 624g, 923g, 172g. HambourgII built.

1150 AD: Rocketry > Recycling. Pop exceeds 57 million citizens. Vans: 294g, 745g, 184g, 201g, 192g, 64g, 177g, 282g, 67g.

1160 AD: Pop goes to 63 million citizens. Oh dangit, forgot to increase the SCI rate for this turn, so no tech pop. Vans for 114, 119, 206, 26, 290, 17, 62, 122, 280, 948… whoops Krasonyarsk van! 254g. Well, that’s a wasted turn. Prague II built. How the heck is my GOTM score above *00k? Holy moly we’re going to see huge high scores this time around, I KNOW from what’s posted on the spoiler so far that I’m behind the curve something fierce. First factory built in Moscow. I’m not ready at all for the space race, if you can call it that anyways. A full spaceship is going to cost 15k only for the modules… OW.

1170 AD: Recycling > Space Flight. Going to go towards Espionage afterwards since I’m likely to be dip-bombed by the Mongols afterwards (+ I can survive Communism hit towards Cathedrals... or so he says) so spies to deal with the Mongols will be necessary. (Could bribe with dips, but screw that. If I need to control the Mongols, I need to be able to investigate cities w/o losing dips.) Pop above 68 million citizens. Vans: 150g, 344g, 242g, 1188g, 138g. SalzbourgII3 built. 137g, Bergen II built. Van: 402g, 91g. Venise II built. Mongols suddenly Icy, seems they got triggered. Definitely darting towards Espionage afterwards and bribing them to 1city.

1180 AD: Space Flight > Communism not available > Plastics. Apollo started in Krasonyarsk. Vans: 399, 290, 620, 258, 1312, 71, 40g. Apollo rushed in Krasonyarsk. Running low on vans! Need to get higher-quality ones from SH cities.

1190 AD: Krasonyarsk Apollo. Plastics > Communism. Vans: 1132g, 243, 1000g, 543g, 100g. Milan II built.

1200 AD: Communism > Espionage. Vans: 476g, 422g, 96g, 174, 110, 154, 226g. Not enough vans for a tech.

1210 AD: Pop exceeds 88 million citizens. Moscow SS structural. Vans: 1461g, 196g, 206g, 42g.

1220 AD: Espionage > Nuclear Fission. I actually don’t know if Uranium is actually worth it for trading: very worthwhile but clogs up demand lists something fierce. (Is it a direct upgrade from Coal? Idk) Vans: 106, 296, 1461, 132, 220, 255, 157, 1114g.
Interturn: Mongol crusader sneak attacks and kills defending Rifleman in KRASONYARSK!! Yes, you read that correctly. Thankfully no reinforcements are had so the city stays in my possession. It said I have peace, but whenever I send emissaries it behaves as contacted… spies are up tho.

1230 AD: Gênes SS structural. Krasonyarsk salt (heh) Nuclear Fission > Nuclear Energy. Pop exceeds 96 million citizens. Bribe Samarkand for 1000ish gold, get 157 back. Subvert Bokhara for 264*2, get 60 back. My score seems to be peaking, need to end soon. Back up to 37 freight now. So many cities need infrastructure, funds toward Engineer-building are comparatively thin. 85 only, that’s probably why. Vans: 1227g, 1300g. Bribe Arkangel for 1067g, get 140 back. Senate forces a cease-fire. Vans: 286, 227, 86g, 214g. Rly need to start prioritizing funds for SS components. Van for 290, 218, 138, 313.

1240 AD: Nuclear Energy > Robotics. Pop exceeds 101 million citizens. Vans: 976, 668, 540, 410, 337, 400, 200ish. 714 undemanded, 1652. Ghent II built. Almost out of real estate space. 127, 380, 214.

1250 AD: 3 cities SS components. Robotics > Laser. Pop exceeds 107 million citizens. Rush the UN to get the peace counter ticking ASAP for score. Vans: 288g, 167g, 164g, 760g. 677 undemanded from Canterbury to Krasonyarsk… Eiffel rushed as well.

STATUS AT 1250 AD: (Beginning of 176th turn)
Population: 107.030.000 Cities: 158 Government: Democracy Total advances: 78 (researching Laser)
Gold: 187 T7L3S0 Income/Cost per turn: 5533 income, 903 cost. (A lot of it is inflated by pop-boosting Supermarkets) Production: 1822MT 0 polluted tiles
Wonders: After next turn, all but Manhattan, Oracle and KRC
Foreign relations: Mongols only have their capital left. Everything else does not matter.
Notes: Building that spaceship is taking a lot of funds, probably won’t have enough to rush courthouses where I’ll need them. As if I’m anywhere near close enough to completing it anyways.

1250 AD (cont.) Van: 259g, 390g, 478g.

1260 AD: Milan II Eiffel Tower, Cremona UN. Laser > Superconductor. Vans: 280, 928, 253, 30, 450, 270, 670. Mongols: peace. Rep is still Atrocious. Tech cost 3300ish? Rush a single SS component. Upkeep costs are still pretty big for continued growth. Or maybe I’m just overspending. Vans: 190g, 150g, 362g. Pise II built.

1270 AD: Superconductor > Guerilla. 3 cities SS components. 3 cities pollution, distressingly enough. Really don’t have the money to blow on these things… Vans: 1428, 338. First uranium van from Azov to London for 1968g. 54, 56g. 4 SS Modules rushed. Gonna take a LONG while. I think I can launch in 8-10 turns? I’d like to finish before turn 200, but idk if I can do it. Vans: 219, 150, 638, 142.

1280 AD: 4 cities SS modules. Guerilla > Fusion Power. 1 city SS component. 2 cities SS structural. 6-4-3-2-1-1 so far. Vans: 56, 828, Dublin II built. Van: 480g, unblocks wine in Madrid. Malta wine (d) to Madrid: 950g. Vans: 114, 470, 210, 1232. 4 more modules rushed, Q’d for 2 turns. (300s wonders are useful.) Apparently you only start accumulating Peace points until after the 200th turn (year 1500 on this map? I think..) GOTM score going up VERY SLOWLY… only 1k apiece. Really need that spaceship launched ASAP. Stop complaining, start trading! Van: 396g, 510g. Toronto II built. 236g. Melbourne II built. 159g.

1290 AD: Fusion Power > FT1. 1 city SS structural. 7-4-3-2-2-1. Van: 1728, 318, 1096, 1400. Tech box already filled… Last 4 Modules rushed. 2.5k left, wait what do you mean I HAVE 50 VANS AVAILABLE? 9/9 more components rushed. 455, 582, 522, 392, 1209, 1433, 285. Maybe I can launch in 2 turns? 130, 448, 560, 162, 218, 84, 139, 72, 194, 496, 410. 31 vans left now. Easy there bunny…
Interturn: Mongols develop Chivalry. LOL. A little late there buddy…

1300 AD: 3 cities SS modules, 9 cities SS components, 17 cities SS structurals. FT1>Labor Union. 25-8-8-3-3-2. Vans: 304, 1400, 524. 14/14 structurals queued. Launch should be a go for next turn! Vans: 194, 490, 290. 30. Van production decreased compared to van stock… not good. 28, 872, 183, 144, 174.

1310 AD: Labor Union > FT2. WTH I’m lacking 2 modules? OK then. Vans: 1503, 1764, 151, 874, 370, 496, 186, 156. Some more serious buys being made, including 2 WoWs. (Only Manhattan left) Fully in score-boosting mode now. Still need a healthy dose of vans for gold flow.

1320 AD: Pise II KRC, Krasonyarsk Oracle. FT2 > FT3. 39-8-8-4-4-4 SPACESHIP LAUNCH. Landing date 1331 AD. 1430, turn 193. Vans: 143, 1120, 86, 662, 390, 1940. I’m starting to get some really awkward red hats… maybe going for Communism really is that bad. I’m now stuck needing to get bigger food surpluses or rushing Colosseums for only one guy! Misfire, I swear. 456, 59, 494, 285, 217, 195, 328, 1246.
Interturn: MONGOLS SNEAK ATTACK AND KILL 3 VANS. Why, the **** are they so nasty?? (Uh, your rep is Atrocious&#8230 That actually hurts, those vans were super valuable! Random Mongol explorer near Turin II in the SOUTH POLE. Really… gonna lose that city for a bit. Sucks to lose tech but I can’t do anything about it anymore. The AI in this game makes no sense. It never did that on Classic, nor did it do that in normal MGE…

1321 AD: FT3 > Combined Arms. Walls blown up in Karakorum. Spy, Bomber rushed to deal with the rogue explorer SE. Kill all 3 defenders in Karakorum and blow up Temple in Karakorum as well. Vans: 1134, 165, 350, 420ish, 437, 388, 618, 224, 153, 456.
Interturn: Mongols seize Turin II, steal Advanced Flight. Well, could have been worse. Maybe they take the first tech on the list alphabetically? Now I can conquer Karakorum and cripple them even more.
1322 AD: Combined Arms > FT4. Bomb Turin II and kill defending explorer… city is destroyed at its stake. Holy moly it does that for air units too? I thought it was only ground units... Well, TIL. Or technically, TIFU. Contaminate waters of Karakorum twice, city size 1, destroy musketeer production. I’m done here. Vans: 252, 360, 2208, 205, 422, 1456. 1252, 483, 390, 789, 107, 390, 258, 68, 1068, 266, 191, 154, 145, 104.

1323 AD: FT4 > FT5. 1458, 460, 158, 256, 2296. Tech box full. Up to 67 vans now, LOL. A lil’ bit late there to get on the invest-train… but who cares. Still have everything bought for/rushed this turn… maybe II need to start paying the 80g extra for 1-turn rushes! 1568, Sydney II built. 444, 364, The Mongols got 30 free shields for a musket w/o actually spending any gold… force peace with Mongols. They refer to this “fool’s offer” also known as I-SHOULD-HAVE-RUSHED-EIFFEL-EARLIER. I thought it was the rep that immediately went up 20 points, and not the attitude… wanted to wait until the wars were over to go from 0 to 20 immediately. RIP. 384, 23, 159, 52, 95, 1144, 99, 66.

1324 AD: FT5 > Amphibious Warfare. 346, 1488, 2140, 321, 236. Lots of Courthouses and Supermarkets being rushed, GOTM score still increasing markedly albeit at a slower pace. Moscow III built. 1344, 278, 747, 1806, 1834, 287, 514, 76, 434, 264, 972, 603. StPetersbourg33 built. 65, 36, 142, 132, 296, 30, 28, 79. Down to 51 vans and only 34 in production…

1325 AD: Amphibious Warfare > FT6. Kiev III built. 684, 1960, 143, 1638, 384, 1288, 366, 740, Minsk III built. 71, 1156.

1326 AD: FT6 > FT7. Pop exceeds 176 million citizens. Score is increasing so fast I might hit 5.5f'in K total. GOTM score sure to be above 700k total. 336, 1484, 345, 212, 204, 600, 590, 484. Smolensk III built. 122, 698, 582, 490, 133, 606, 136, 265, 174, 156, 86, 1224, Sébastopol III built. 79. 54vans59prod. I’d be losing about 5.3k gold per turn if I wanted to do a 2-tech turn… me no likey. Not enough SHs and airports, only 55… “Only” 55. Was too concerned about courthouses. On the other hand I have 149 supermarkets, so that’s going well.

1327 AD: FT7 > Ecology. Pop exceeds 182 million citizens. 251, 225, 682, 366, 462, 360, 912, 304, 258, 168, 344, box full. Mongols seem to be harmless for now. 81 vans left, 82 engineers. 2116, 178, 1008, 448, 190, 172, 428, 455. Manhattan rushed. Tblisbi III built. 13, 76, 20. Sverdlosk III built. Yakutsk III 5 built. VladivostokIII5 built. Novgorod III 5 built. KrasonyarskIII5 built. 17, Riga III built. Rostov III built. 3 turns left, 2 turns to actually rush things. 1590.

1328 AD: Melbourne II Manhattan. Ecology > FT8. Rushing so many libraries, nothing else to buy. 2076, 735, 455, 1344, 334, 620, 1210, 520, 340. 494, 416, 87, 859, 724, 95, 1363. Astrakhan III built. Naples III built. 70 vans left. Issos III built. 124. 180, 402, Cunaxa III built. Cremona III built. Cannae III built. 516, 713, 312, 172, 1272. T3L3S4. 484.
Interturn: Religious Armed Fanatics near VeniseII!!! First organic barb uprising of THE WHOLE GAME. Aaaaand I missed the AI movements.

1329 AD: FT8 > FT9 > Fundamentalism. Give Mongols every tech except Rocketry. Capoue III built. 487, 687, 164, 154, 450, 1475. Turin III3. 1526, 178, 520, 215, 133, 310, 190, 133, 399, 692, 390, 624, 306, 1476, 388, 99, 1710, 458, 198, 175, 567, 696, 307, 177, 360, 105, 366, Gênes III built. 1710, 366, 686, 200, 735. At least I’m learning how to manipulate demand lists more efficiently. 276, Crête III built. 52 engies, 43 vans left. Vérone III built. 80, 140, 1710, 103, 198, Salamis III built. Lisbonne III built. 142, Hambourg III built. 1710, Prague III built. Salzbourg III built. Bergen III built. 102, Venise III built. Milan III built. Ghent III built. 32, 690, 32, 146, 398, 456, 178, 504. Still have 27 Freight, but 8k gold. T0L3S7. Always remember: On the second-to-last-day taxes don’t matter since the last turn’s RB’s won’t process until the game ends. So better crank up the science rate to get a few more future techs.

1330 AD: Fundamentalism > FT10. >FT11 > Stealth > FT12 > FT13. Huh, Stealth is ranked higher despite coming later on alphabetically speaking on the “Select a tech to research” window. Can’t avoid it forever, it seems. 4 techs from city research alone, wowzo. Pise III built. 623, 1834, Dublin III built. 526. Forgot that gifting the Mongols every tech under the sun caps the deliveries again. Toronto III built. Melbourne III built. Sydney III built. Moscow IV built. StPetesbourg4 built. Kiev IV built. Minsk IV built. Smolensk IV built. Odessa IV built. Sébastopol IV built. Tblisbi IV built. 17, 47. SAVE… ENTER.
Interturn: Mongol gov’t overthrown.


END!
Final score: 5727. Over ***k GOTM points. 458%. Not making a final status because screw that.

 

[grigor]

After I had such a success in Republic, I thought about a spaceship game - I could have gotten Demo in 60 AD, which might have set me up for a landing before 1000AD, but I wanted to have time for the 20 city game. And I hate those 10 turns between Demo and Magnetism when all the boats cause problems. If the 20 city game goes well, maybe I will retry from 20 AD and go spaceship. I won't be doing the WWII scenario.

 

[Jokemaster]

I usually never bother switching to Democracy until Magnetism is obtained.. do you usually end up hiking the LUX rate to keep order during those 10ish turns? (This does assume JSB is in use)

WWII scenario doesn't take that long tbh. If you have enough bombers and tanks the enemy cities fall quickly enough. Russia especially was a lot simpler to deal with than in the WW1 scenario.