GOTM 30 First Spoiler

[ainwood]

GOTM 30 First Spoiler

Reading Requirements:

1. You must have reached at least 0 AD.
2. You must have visibility of the entire coastal area of the starting continent.
3. You must have contact with any civs on land-masses reachable by coast.

Posting Restrictions

1. No discussions on anything post 500 AD.
2. No discussions on any civs on continents not reachable by coast.

 

[Bugg123]

Contender save

Settled on the jungle hill turn 2 which turned out to be nice. Ofcourse I promptly met our nice English neighbors (ha! kinda what I figured the adventurer Swordsman was there for ).

Anyways.. Researched AH->Mi->BW as planned (copper in fat cross). Decided to go for Pyramids (nice GP farm potential close to initial starting position. London would also be nice for this purpose, but I kinda figured that more of a production site). Got Pyramids kinda late (910BC) (initial build Worker->settler->warrior->Pyramids). I guess maybe I could've gone for a quick Axerush on those poor English fellows next door, but I figured my chances where better by getting Pyramids and trying to get a decent SE going before going after them. Probably not a smart decision, but at least it was my thinking at the time.

So, so far so good. Only problem was I also decided to try some aggressive city placement early (which was a really bad idea at this level, as it turns out). My 3rd city was founded near Banana, Clam, Gem and Iron on Kublai's border (2nd was on the southern hill to get horses and 2xFish). This was an excellent longterm location (I thought), but short term I kinda could not support it (economically or health-wise). In the end I was kinda happy when Kublai DOWed in 535BC. I fended off the initial wave up in aggro-city, but his 2nd wave razed it. By this time I still didn't have Alpha for some reason (probably had something to do with the drag on my economy from the aggro-city). Finally got Alpha and got peace from Kublai as he was closing in on Paris, pillaging everything in sight.

This left me surrounded by 4 crappy placed English cities (+ the nice english capitol, ofcourse), and my 2 city empire was not all that scary for my opponents at this time, I guess. Things looked up as I hit CoL, researched Lit and built the GL (with GE from Pyramids). Still 20 turns off NE in 500AD though, so that can't be very good. Also still researching CS that I need to take out the English and hopefully mount some sort of offensive action. I fear I've fallen too far behind to really stand a chance winning this thing, though, but we'll see.. First mission accomplished as I stayed alive untill the first spoiler

Met Fredrick rather early (500BC) , for him being on a different "continent", but I guess it really hasn't helped me much. I'm still horribly backwards technologically.

 

[JerichoHill]

In my first attempt on contender, I attempted a worker steal on Kublai Khan. I gambled.

I got the worker.

I got peace a little while later.

500 years pass.

Kublai DOWs me. With 15 units. My civ dies a swift death.

That was my first attempt. I made a second attempt which I will go into detail next. Essentially, it appears that attacking Victoria was the proper strategy. She's much more likely to sue for peace.

 

[JerichoHill]

I submitted my awful defeat and tried again. This time, I performed a worker steal on Victoria.

I settled on turn 2 on the grassy jungle hill. With rice and cows, it looked like a future GPF. I started on a worker, teched for AH. Stole Vicky's worker and sued for peace. I did a worker steal about 4 times in this manner.

I settled a second city up near the 'phants. Researched Pottery so I could cottage my tech rate up. Built a library and ran specialist scientists (2). Settled a third city on the hill to my south with the two fish.

Attacked Vicky with 3 axes, 4 warriors, 1 chariot. She dies. Quickly. London is mine! I settled a fifth city in the wasted space that has 1 fish resource. Bleh.

After that, I start cottaging and building back my science rate. I've got some contacts in the world, namely Frederick. I'm able to trade techs, running about a tech or two behind everyone, but I'm able to keep up trading, so its an ebb / flow kind of thing.

My general plan at this point is to build the national epic in my GPF, build academies with my super scientists, and tech to construction, to get cats.

I can't recall the date I attacked Kublai. I'm going to check that tonight.

 

[Affirmative]

I used the adventurer swordsman to harass lizzy to death, I stole 2 workers and a settler from her, and then asking for peace when she moved a stack of archers towards my borders. I planted my second city far in the northern jungle to block Kublai out. The combination of that and my harassment of the english allowed me to easily settle the southern end of the continent, and to later just roll through the Mongols.

I tried to run a SE, and quite frankly, I'm just not good enough at doing it yet. Having never taken a SE game past the early medeival times due to me winning, the lack of the ability for early domination/conquest in this game really threw me off. My save is at like 1000 AD right now, research path on steel, maybe I can take freddy out and get an acceptable domination date. Dunno.

Question for those that know, how do you stay up with the AI while running a SE? Do you just need to have food powerhouses that are capable of running 6-8 scientists?

 

[Sarek]

"Prematurely" stole a worker from England.
Ooops...Archer alert!
Warrior beats English archer back to capital just in time.
Archer eats warrior for breakfast.
Au revoir...

 

[shikhee]

I plan(ned) to go for a cultural victory, but I didn't plan out my early game very well so its looking quite unlikely later in the game.

I'm a big girls blouse so took Adventurer, settled in place, built a Warrior for city defense and Stonehenge - sat on Liz's doorstep with the Sword and Archer and took London... did the same thing with Kublai (had an extra Warrior as backup by that stage) and took his capital (can't remember the name). I eventually knocked him out of his 2nd city (didn't take it).

By this time I had a 4th city going, happiness was a big problem for quite a while and my techs were slow on the uptake, and until I detoured on my tech course for a Galley I had no one to trade with and no focus on what techs to go for, just researching as I needed stuff. Because of the warring and bad tech I missed out on most of the early Wonders, and no religions making my culture idea a bit stupid.

But I settled most of the continent, had 7 or 8 healthy cities, generous resources and good infrastructure. Seriously behind on tech with those fellas across the coast and didn't have researching above 50% until later on.

Doesn't look like I'll win but I'm not likely to be destroyed either. If time permits I'd like to replay, same early attack plan on Liz but probably hold back on Kublai because he's too far away. Tech towards a religion (or 2) and wonders earlier to get that culture steam-rolling as I still like the idea of a culture win.

 

[Htadus]

This is what I call a low investment with no return game.

Settled on the plains tile east of the hill to NE. Warrior did the normal exploration loop and found Vic. Her worker showed up, warrior capture the worker to find 2 archers in London and the thired pop up IBT. Game over.

Well I guess I will be getting some sleep this month. Time to go

 

[semithue]

Settled on the plains tile east of the hill to NE. Warrior did the normal exploration loop and found Vic. Her worker showed up, warrior capture the worker to find 2 archers in London and the thired pop up IBT. Game over.

Seems like I unintentionately replayed your game

 

[erikthecelt]

I did the move to the jungle hill. Then the English worker steal. Then the Mongol worker steal. I also placed the northern city to get gems, clams and banana's and hem in Kubli. Then I rolled the English with an axe rush. I took three english cities and settled the southern hill for horses and fish. I am cottaging everywhere.
Then I only had Kubli so I went teching to IW and then Alpha, thinking I needed Optics to find the others. Freddy showed up and I should have teched to Construction and rolled Kubli instead of trying to bulb Astro. I was just shy of Optics and when Kubli DOWed. I am a few techs behind both Kubli and Freddy. So far I've managed to hold off Kubli in the north although he pillaged the gems. I have a construction in place now and machinery so the phants and cats are coming with xbows in support. I expect to counter attack Kubli soon.

 

[ssjos]

<Contender> I started out settling 2 square to the NE on plain hill. Big . .. .. .. .ing mistake I think.
Anyhow at the start I reserached mining and started building worker. Scouted elizabeth and stole her worker, switched over production to warrior.

I manged to dominate elizabeth quite early making her turtle up inside her base with two cities of my own. Problem was, I wasnt producing any commerce. There was no commerce resourse in sight
(Would have been alot better to settle in place and have access to water tiles, or at least to have reserached pottery early. But pottery without river and financial isnt so great either:\)

I met Kublai Khan who was doing great and had most of the continent. While being alot behind in tech I started to build an army to finally conquer elizabeth at least. I manged to get a few axemen out and as elizabeth moved south west west to settle city 2 I invaded her capital.

After that I just sent all my commerce on gettting construction. Whipped and chopped a great army of catapults. Kublai Khan didnt have such a great military even though he had several wonders and advanced tech. Around 300 AD I started to invade kublai khan capturing the gem site, and his capitol by 500 AD.

As it stands by 500 AD I have military advantage over Kublai but Im streched out thin and Im totally technologically backwards.

 

[kcd_swede]

Got a late start on this one, and didn't have much of a plan. Being emp level, (I usually do well on Monarch but am struggling to move up) I figure survival is a good plan, and for me that means making nice to all and trying to keep pace with techs.

Settled: Forest 1E of start. Why? It had a pretty blue circle, I guess. Blue IS my favorite color. Not displeased how it turned out, but maybe not optimum.

Now... I'm figuring I want stonehenge (I always want stonehenge), so first tech is Myst. Start warrior build and switch to SH when Myst is done. Got SH! Plan completed.

Time for another plan? OK, lets beeline Alpha. (Now at one point about halfway slowly slogging through Writing I was questioning the wisdom of this, but I am nothing if not stubborn). Finish warrior, build worker, build settler. All with no pops or chops because I can't even mine a friggin hill at this point. AH > Writ > Alpha so at least the cows are tasty, and the horse in BFC was a lucky bonus. Maybe made a farm or two as well. Got Alpa after about a million turns. Meanwhile founded city 2 4N (or 3N, can't recall) from start location and city 3 on coast 1S of ivory (that I can't build camp yet either!). All land is now taken on whole cont. Trade time!

Liz and Kub have the same 5 or 6 techs I lack, but neither has Writing nor Alpha. Trade orgy...I now have tech parity and happy neighbors! Then I meet Fred. He has a big list of things I want, and vice versa. At the end of the wheeling/dealing, I have Tech lead on Liz/Kub and parity with Fred.

Next research Lit, and chop/pop the GL! (Note, couple GPro's settled in cap - I live on a relig-free continent, too.) Viola.... cultural pressure flips Nottingham (S coast river city) to French. Cult pressure also opens enough land for maybe to settle another city, but at least to take copper and rice - the rice very handy since health now prob in city 3. Next goal? I don't know... why not try for Liberalism? Save a GPro to bulb Theo ...once I go back to tech Med and Mono. Right about when I get to Paper, I find a nother Civ (well... more accurately they find me). Another orgy of trading, and buying maps and viola... my maps have proven the world is round (I hope that isn't spoiler info for any of you )

500AD... Some numbchuck has written a history of the world, and the Most Advanced nation is ... France. Can you F-ing believe it??? My army consists of 2 Axe, 3 warr, 1 Char. And that's it. 4-city civ (which is 2 more'n Liz, ha ha!). Kub/Liz Pleased, Fred Cautious (had to close bords w/Fred to keep Kub happy).

My maps show me... well, lets not go into that. I am feeling good about the Liberalism race. After that, I'll need a plan. Before that, I better decide what free tech I should take from the Lib race!

I'm building a settler to squeeze in another city. Why? I don't know... why NOT? (Civ1 vets like me generally build cities when they can't think of anything smart to do)

Status at 500AD: Lots of cottages, very little prod except in cap, good GP farm. 2 wonders (SH & GL in cap), and next to last in score. I lead in tech and in culture.

I guess space race or UN-diplo are my best bets here. No religion yet, so Cult victory is out. If I go for space I'd need to take some production cities first. So please vote for me. Thanks.

Notes from comparing to what other's posted: I am damn glad I make nice to all Civs rather than try to gain an advantage by being a bully. Also, getting Alpha first is truly a very powerful tactic. But the way I did it was perhaps... less than optimum (too many workers with idle hands for a while, very late expansion left me little room to grow).

Wish me luck (I'm gonna need it!).

 

[Thorrez]

Now... I'm figuring I want stonehenge (I always want stonehenge), so first tech is Myst. Start warrior build and switch to SH when Myst is done. Got SH! Plan completed.

Why? You are cultural so you don't need the obelix, so the only reason is the early GP for a shrine, but you are not going for a religion... I guess a settled GP is not that bad in itself but it is at the expence of a later academy.

I think settling one more city instead of SH would be better. Or am I missing something?

I'm building a settler to squeeze in another city. Why? I don't know... why NOT? (Civ1 vets like me generally build cities when they can't think of anything smart to do)

Took me a long time to stop doing this, especially after Civ3 only made the addiction worse

 

[orb]

Emperor is well above my abilities, but as always I gave it a go.

My plan. - Move away from starting position to gain some sort of land advantage over neighbours that I could back fill later.

What happened...I moved the settler NE, NE to settle below the rice in the centre of the lower section of the start continent. - This worked really well (especially when Copper popped up in the fat cross.)

Lizzy quickly settled all round Paris (much faster than I expected her to), but conveniently this meant my axe stack only had 4 moves to each English city (except London). I whip an Axe army.

I DOW'ed on Lizzy and captured York (southern horse resource) while teching towards horse riding. - I also pillaged the English Iron resource which was just over the border, so Lizzy was left with archers against my Axemen and Horse Archers.

By just after 0 AD I had captured all 4 of the English cities (...except one founded by a fleeing settler on galley.) - He went to the north...(At this point I dont know where...well I do, but I cant post about it yet.)

Unfortunately my economy is in ruins, but the cottages around Paris are starting to develop. - I move my stack to the northern border with a view to attack Khan. - He's got 1 spear and 1 archer in the border town (near elephant)...but a sneaky peek with a Jewish Missionary (I captured the Jewish founding city off the English) tells me that Khan has crossbows in the next city up. - Curses...Crossbows will mince my axe stack. - I call off the attack.

In terms of Victory conditions -Trying for a Domination...I have 18% land, Khan has 19 (?), I have 7% pop, Khan has 20%....My whipping came at a heavy price.

The plan now....Grow economy, gain military advantage over Khan and start the next war.

Have to wait for the next post to see how it went.

 

[kcd_swede]

Why? You are cultural so you don't need the obelix, so the only reason is the early GP for a shrine, but you are not going for a religion... I guess a settled GP is not that bad in itself but it is at the expence of a later academy.

I think settling one more city instead of SH would be better. Or am I missing something?

Why? Hmmm... lets see if I can explain it. Did you ever have like a favorite old T-shirt that you just had to have on whenever you watch your favorite team in the big game because to not do so would be such a jinx and you'd never be able to forgive yourself if they then lost the match? For me, SH is that old T-shirt.

As you so correctly point out, it clearly was NOT the rational thing to do. Even the AI are clearly not stupid enough to make SH the very first build that they complete... which is why I thought I would get it. I was right... but there is a cost to everything.

I'll just pretend that the extra culture is what flipped Nottingham (and kept it flipped). Yeah... yeah.... that's the ticket...

 

[Thorrez]

Why? Hmmm... lets see if I can explain it. Did you ever have like a favorite old T-shirt that you just had to have on whenever you watch your favorite team in the big game because to not do so would be such a jinx and you'd never be able to forgive yourself if they then lost the match? For me, SH is that old T-shirt.

I know the feeling, the T-shirt is called Great Libary in my case

As you so correctly point out, it clearly was NOT the rational thing to do. Even the AI are clearly not stupid enough to make SH the very first build that they complete... which is why I thought I would get it. I was right... but there is a cost to everything.

I'll just pretend that the extra culture is what flipped Nottingham (and kept it flipped). Yeah... yeah.... that's the ticket...

You got me on that one! Nice planning!

 

[Markus5]

Contender save.
Speed game. Not too much thinking.
I settled inland and got copper in my FatCross. Built two other cities - one south that will be a GreatPerson factory; and one west that will be marginal, but cottaged up. I built a stack of CityRaider axes and took out England. I took 3 cities, got a tech for peace, then took the last city as soon as I could declare again. England never built an axe even with the iron in London's FatCross. I'm cleaning up and trying to get some science and economy going. I didn't have an economic collapse and I'm keeping pace in tech. Both trading partners are happy enough. There is one city that I'd like to take either by cultural envelop or force, then I'd be happy to race to space. But, I'll do some exploring as soon as I can and build infrastructure, then decide. Its 385AD or so, and I have time. I have 7 cities, and 2 are marginal. There is a place for one more city in the south.

 

[AgedOne]

This looked like a tough game for me. Emperor level is a long way above sea-level for me.
But I've been doing quite a bit of training at deity level recently in preparation for the SGOTM 07, so I thought it was worth a shot, just to see if I've learned anything.

Well, the good news is, I'm still alive at 500AD.

Preparation
I played a few practice runs, and found that there was a very fine line to tread between getting a sterile game with few prospects, or a useful looking game where you can hold your own against the AI into the later stages. Being cultural was useful, as you don't have to spend any time on obelisks or stonehenge. In my best attempt I had :

• Not been killed by an early attack
• Built the Oracle (turn 90 - 1300BC)
• Built the Pyramids (turn 159 - 115BC)
• Been first to Alpha (turn 174 - 110AD)
• Built the Gt Library (turn 204 - 560AD)
• A useful 5-city empire at 500BC
• Attacked my nearest neighbour and took 1 city off him before getting peace
• Aims of being first to liberalism

I did this with a tech and build path that I felt comfortable with, and so kept them as a crib-sheet by my side in the real thing. A lot of the strategic theme of this game revolved around grabbing a chunk of land to call my own, and wedging myself in there, keeping all rivals out.

The plan was to get to some more advanced forms of government, boost the science output, get to Alpha first and trade wisely. Then try to construct an empire with a high science potential to lead in to a space race.

The Real Thing
The real game went somewhat differently.

• I had a quick look inland, and decided to settle on the jungle-hill, leaving a possibility of back-filling the coastal strip later. Met Vicky and Kublai Khan very quickly. It was going to get crowded, but that wasn't unexpected.
  
  
• A few turns in, I'd got the lay of the land, and knew where Vicky was. It seemed that I would have to grab the land to the NE, the bit with marble, banana and ivory but a shed-load of jungle, in order to keep Vicky in her prison.
  
  
• Unfortunately, I was too slow, and Vicky got out before I could close the lid. What had I been playing at? Building 2 warriors and a worker before my first settler, that's what. It had worked alright in practice, but the capital had been more productive then.
  
  
• Oh well, so it turned into a kind of python-strangle, with me settling Orleans near the marble, and Lyons to the south by the horses, and trying to cut Vicky's empire in two with my increasing culture.
  
  
• Got the Oracle on turn 94, but due to poor science I was only able to choose Horse Riding as my free tech. It was that or Monarchy, and I thought that a possible horse archer army would be more useful than a civic that I would be able to improve on with the pyramids anyway.
  
  
• Very shortly afterwards, I researched Bronze Working, and realised that I could hook up my copper reasonably quickly. My first axemen began to roll off the production line, and a quick tour of Vicky's land (we had OB) showed that she didn't have an copper.

Then came the big shock.

I lost out on the Pyramids with 5 turns to go!!! Arrgh! This didn't happen in the trial games.

Taking Stock
So. After a quiet rethink, I adjusted the plan a little. No Pyramids, but 500 gold for missing it. Hemmed in by Vicky and Khan, but with copper and horses we can plan a violent land-grab at Vicky's expense. I also wanted Alpha and Iron Working as soon as possible. I suppose it shows what a backward game I'm in that no-one has yet got Alpha in 500AD! Iron working is vital not only for jungle chopping but also to find out if anyone else has metals.

So 500AD arrived in the midst of a strange slow jungle wrestling match over territory. I was hoping to show that the python could not only constrict, but also had teeth!

 

[Yamps]

Contender save. This has been a nice game for me so far.

I regret now for not making notes while playing, I didn't feel like it. Anyway, my plan for this game was war, war, war and then some.

I settled 1E of starting location. Not a great location, but it will do. Met Victoria and decided to steel a worker. I saw a forest hill near by and decided to fortify the warrior in English land for the choke. Scout was scouting, two archers defending the city and I left my city undefended.

Soon after that, English archer killed my fortified warrior on a forest hill! One quick march to my capitol and it would be game over for me. Paris was building a worker at the time and I switched to a warrior. Starting tech was AH btw. Luckily, retribution never came and warrior was built to protect the city.

After AH, I went for mining + BW. I built barracks after the warrior and finished a worker. Then a chariot which killed the English scout wondering by my city. Soon after that Victoria accepted peace. Then I started building more chariots and a settler, chopped every forest nearby and I think I also whipped the settler.

Meanwhile, Vitoria founded York. I had 5 chariots and attacked the city defended with two archers. 4 chariots died, but the 5th chariot won the battle and won again on next turn so I took York. I settled Orleans nearby at the same time and made peace with Victoria.

After BW I went for IW. Yes, I was going for blood. . At that point, Mongolians were getting close. Orleans hooked up copper and I started pumping axeman. I whipped a lot this game, always popping 2 population for optimal effect. I built granaries in all cities (switched to pottery, it was too soon for IW).

I declared on Mongolians on 895 BC. IW had been researched in 1270 BC (writing next) but I didn't had iron at that point. My plan was to pillage everything to cripple them down. I had 2 stacks prepared near two sides of the border. Mongolians left some space and I used it for an ambush to knock out all strategic resources first. I ignored all enemy units moving around and brought the stacks back to the city closest to my borders. With some reinforcements, Turfan fell.

After Turfan, I made peace with the Mongols and went back for the English. London fell in 445 BC. Only Nottingham left but I decided to go back for the Mongols and made peace with England. At this time Writing was finished and I started Alphabet.

Still didn't have the swords so I pillaged some more. Yes, I was really mean this game. I managed to take Ning-hsia, they send some defending archers out to attack me. Razed Old Sarai. At this point I switched to hunting. Mongols had chariots, didn't manage to pillage the pasture. I was gathering swordsmen made from English iron for the kill. Mongols built New Sarai on the same place they had built Old Sarai and it had the same fate.

Finally, Karakorum fell in 125 AD. My economy was really suffering btw. I built many cottages and kept at least 100 gold in reserves at 0% research to stand the loss. There were some scary moments, stacks hurrying from England to Mongolia and back just to pillage or raze for some gold income.

Germans were met in 215 AD. In 245 AD Beshbalik, the last Mongolian city, fell to the swords and Mongolia was out. In 455 AD I took Nottingham. I waited for a settler galley to sail trough my land before capturing the city. In 470 AD Alpha was researched and I extorted some techs from Victoria. I allowed her to settle a city for this purpose.

So, at 500 AD I'm waiting for the peace treaty to expire to capture the continent completely. Fred has a considerable tech advantage, but he doesn't have Alpha. Next target Germany...

 

[civ_steve]

I've been away from playing CIV for a few months, but I got the itch back and fired up GOTM30. Decided like many that moving inland would give Paris more useful tiles, and ended up founding just North of the Cows.

Scouts from Vickie and Kublai came by to give their respects. I sent out my single Warrior (Contender version being played), and scouted as much as possible. Meanwhile Paris built a Worker, then some Warriors. Worker pastured the Cows first (of course) then started on Cottages, but I get a little ahead of myself.

With France's starting Techs it seemed a shame not to jet straight to Alpha, with an eye towards eventual GLib. So AH - Pott - Write - Alpha (1570 BC), and Tech trading was on. Pottery to Kublai for Mining (1540 BC), then Writing to Kublai for Myst and Hunting (1510 BC). Vickie already had Writing and I really wanted BW, so Alpha to Vickie for BW, Arch and Masonry (1480 BC), and I'm mostly caught up.

Meanwhile, I've been playing a OCC (for now). I've got Bronze in the fat cross, and Vickie has nothing, and 3 cities. I decide to research Horseback Riding and use HA's to take out Vickie - so nice of her to settle some cities for me! A barracks is built and Chariots with Combat 1 start coming out, waiting for a future upgrade. HorsebackRiding learned in 940 BC, and research is turned off to provide money for upgrades.

War declared in 685 BC, with York falling that turn.
Nottingham (founded on the southern coast, but not on the river) taken and razed in 520 BC. London is in my sights!
Something interesting happens. I'm resting my HA's just out of English territory. I send a stack of 3 Warriors (who had been guarding my Horses from potential pillaging out of Nottingham) towards London to scout the defenders. Vickie sends 3 Archers out to attack my Warriors! I can't let a chance to decimate her defenders slip away, so my HA's easily eliminate her stack of weakened Archers. Next turn an HA looks into London - and there's only 1 Archer left to defend it! (Along with a WB, a Galley and a Worker.) Needless to say, London fell easily! (445 BC).

I take out a couple of exposed units and prepare for peace, leaving Vickie one city on coast to the NW (with Ivory). Unfortunately I hit the wrong key and sign peace without getting Techs from England.

I trade Alpha and HBRiding to Kublai for Math, IW and Fishing.

At this point, other than another round of War to finish England, I work on building my little empire. Kublai is pretty strong, but we've been fairly good trading partners. I do build GLib finally (155 AD), found Orleans to the South to get the 2 Fishes, and have built HE in London, to be my arsenal city. Kublai is ahead of me by Construction and Feudalism (and Sailing). It's 245 AD and I've just llearned MetalCasting and traded for Monarchy. I plan to keep building up, learn new Techs to trade for Kublai's, and seek to learn the Techs to allow me to make other contacts. Not sure how this one will go, but I'll see if I can pull it out.