1.27f
Predator
Ancient Age Post
As I left off my last post, I hit the Middle Ages by trading for Construction in 670BC. Had contact with everyone but Germany, but knew they were a power, as they already had Pyramids. I finally ran into one of their galleys in 390BC, and it was several more centuries before I could scout around their entire coastline.
I traded Republic to Rome for Construction, and apparently all the scientific civs got Monotheism, so no brokering opportunity there. But the Zulus also have Mono, and they lack Iron, so I trade Iron, 100g+19gpt for Monotheism, and start min research on Feudalism. On the one hand, I dont like giving Iron to a potential victim, but I would rather be selling it than let him connect it (he has sources available), and Im not sure pikes would be worse than Impis on defense (3 def, but at least then I could retreat). Tech moved slowly, as I didnt have too much free cash, but continued cranking out chariots. Got Monarchy in 570 from the Tokugawa, and revolted in 450, because unit support was starting to really climb.
Golden Age
My plan was to use my Golden Age start my build-up to knights. I had used one of my scouting Chariots to pick off a Roman warrior/settler pair deep in Russia in 430BC:
I then allied the Zulus against them for a ROP and 20gpt, hoping to deplete both of them of units, while I could build in peace. Also bought the Tokugawa in for 4gpt. Research cranks up to 50%, to get Feudalism in 13. Meanwhile, MM my cities to either 10 or 20spt to crank chariots, although I do pause for markets and cathedrals in my bigger cities. I also had a couple cities that hit 15spt, so they built horses (cheaper upgrade). I meet Germany in 390BC, and think I may get to take a shortcut, as they are still lacking Currency. I trade Currency for Literature and a worker, but surprise, they get Monotheism also. My only shortcut comes when EVERYONE else has Feudalism in 310
beating me by 2 turns. I buy it for 40g and start on Chivalry, due in 17. The next turn, I finish the Forbidden Palace in 290BC in Heliopolis, and I can boost research to finish Chivalry in 10, which should be before the end of the GA. In 210 Theology and Engineering are both available, I can get Theology for renewing Iron to the Zulu, then trade that to Germany for Engineering. The good news is I discover Chivalry in 110BC, but the bad news is so did everyone else
I had 20+ chariots, although only about 400 gold, but with research shut down, I was bringing in over 200gpt. I also borrowed 230g from my Zulu friends, and was ready to really hit Rome, before they got Iron connected.
Change in Plans
Everything sounded good, as I moved my first stack of 10-12 knights to the Roman border, when in 50BC the idiot Zulus ROP-Raped me! Their attack of a single med. Infantry didnt hurt, and I knew that they now had no iron
so I made a quick peace with Rome for a worker, and turned to attack the Zulu. I also bought in the Greeks for Wool. Hlobane was closest to the Roman border, so my SOD hit there, and it was bloody. I started to worry that the AI had some incredible unit boosts (even for Predator), as this small border town was defended by 8 Impis! This must have been his holding pen for settler pairs that didnt reach their destination, though, as when I finally did take it, there were 6 settlers inside. His other towns had a more normal 2-3 impis each, and a couple pikes in the capital. I was producing an average of a knight per turn from my core cities, and upgrading 2 chariots per turn from chariots parked at my forward base, so I had a steady stream of them getting added to my attacking force, even with the GA over. By 130AD I had taken their last mainland city, and they were left with a 3-tile island off their south coast. I stayed at war, though, until the alliance ran out. I didnt worry too much about flips, and usually put one spear/pike in to garrison, rush a temple, and take my chances. I did have a couple flips, but I was able to retake them fast, all the temples at home gave me a strong culture.
In 150AD I had shifted my first 15 knights to the Babylonian border, and attacked. I got Nineveh and the Great Lighthouse in 170, but since I had all contacts, and was going for early domination, I never explored beyond the starting continent. By 230 they were reduced to a few island cities, and I take peace for Invention and Kish, a one-tile island. I also sell them Iron and Horses for 200g+18gpt, so they can build knights on their island!
In 250AD it was time for the Tokugawa, as the Roman peace treaty hadnt run out yet. They were tougher, as the Samauris gave them a 4-defense unit and no retreats. It would take until 370AD, by which time they were reduced to a couple towns on the far side of Russia, and I made peace for Gunpowder. (I also picked up Education from the Zulus when I made peace with them). Another benefit of the Tokugawa war was
Ramses. I used him to jump the Palace to This (actual name of the town), centered between Babylon and Tokugawa lands, both for flip suppression and to make all those cities productive. Income went up, with all the river cities, but production dropped, as even with courthouses my big cities back home lost too many shields. Goshen, (near the original wool), had been a 24spt powerhouse, but now could only manage 12.
As I was wrapping up the Tokugawa, my peace deal with Rome came up for renewal, and I didnt want to wait another 20 turns, so we went to war in 310AD. They never did get Iron hooked up, that I could see, but they did have one elite legion, I dont know if it was a starting unit, or if they had bought some at some point. Anyway, they were destroyed in 400AD, and I got a second leader,
Cheops, who made a knight army. It was time to put another hurting on Babylon, as they had a couple cities on the large island to the south, and had founded a couple on the far side of Tokugawa. I took them quickly, leaving them with just a one-tile island, and got Banking out of the deal, although I dont think I ever built one. The only infrastructure I built were temples, a few barracks in key cities, and markets around my new palace. Everything else was Knights if they were real productive, and settlers for smaller towns to fill gaps. Corrupt cities built a few garrison muskets, and then I started swapping to wealth for the extra gpt.
I was now ready to take out Greece, as they didnt have Saltpeter. I attacked in 480AD, and although the Hoplites put up a fight, they were destroyed in 540AD. But now I was out of position, and it took me about 6-8 turns to get my knights to the border with Russia. While I was waiting, I started to research again, going for Metallurgy. I invaded Russia in 610AD, and the Muskets definitely made me pay a price (including losing my Knight army), but I also knew I was getting close to the limit. Metallurgy was done in 620, and I sold it to Germany to buy them in vs. Russia (and keep them from attacking me). I researched Military Tradition in 7, and started to upgrade a few knights in 690AD, but it was all over by then, as I took the last Russian city, and just had to wait for a couple border expansions, and found a few more gap cities. I achieved the domination in 710AD.
I should have planned out my conquests better, as I spent a lot of time moving knights from one front to another. I also could have sped things up by breaking some deals (or not making so many alliances), but I did complete the game with my reputation intact. Also, I probably could have/should have attacked the Zulus early, with the war chariots, I had about 30 waiting around for chivalry, and they could easily have taken on the Zulus much earlier while I was waiting. Partly because of that, I had relatively few elites, although I was getting more toward the end, and only the 2 leaders. Also didnt build any wonders, Germany pretty much built all the good ones.
My Knights experienced few setbacks and the Greeks were no more by 400 AD. Before the GA my income was in the 40-50 gpt range in Despotism; it became 80+ just as the GA started. The next turn, after becoming Republic and making a few adjustments, I got it up to 120+ gpt. And I finished my Forbidden Palace (built Brick by Brick) in Elephantine 3 turns later, which boosted my income to about +230 gpt. I used this time to get Marketplaces built in my key cities and grow the population; by the end of the GA I was earning nearly 500 gpt. This money was used to upgrade all my WarChariots and Horsemen to Knights (roughly 10 WCs and 15 Horsemen, so about 2200 gold to do the upgrades); after that the treasury was allowed to grow. And my core cities with Barracks built more Knights after finishing marketplaces.
; I took the one Roman city near the former Greek territory, then I used the ROP with Babylon to attack the Roman homelands. I took a city a turn, pausing only during my final assault vs Rome itself to establish an Egyptian city adjacent to the Roman/Babylon border. (This city would form a lauching point for Egypt vs Babylon #1.) I gained Ramses, my only GL, while attacking Rome; not sure what to do with him; right now I'm holding him to reposition my palace, maybe. Anyway, Romans were gone in 600 AD.
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1.29
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1.27f
