GOTM 35 Spoiler 3: Modern Age / End-Game Submitted

[ainwood]

GOTM 35 Final Spoiler!

Well, many of you appear to have rounded this game out well before this time frame (making good use of the UU). However, you can post your end-game wrap-up here.

For those of you pursuing space-race, cultural or diplo victories, you might want to tell us a bit about the modern age.

Please note: no screenshots showing locations of modern-age resources.
Qualification is cumulative with previous spoilers, and you must be researching a modern-age tech.

 

[rrau]

ptw 1.27f open

880ad Entered IA and received nationalism as our free tech. Gifted Greece into IA and they got medicine. Traded nationalism to Arabs for Free artistry, Military Tradition, WM, and about 600g and 133gpt
Tried to trade Greece Free artistry, Mil Trad, and all my cash and 100gpt for medicine and they refused, so ended up trading Nationalism for medicine. With the $ from Arabs, increased sci slider to 100% for steam power in 6
Upgraded my 11 of my knights. I am planning to take out Carthage's remaining 2 cities with them and hopefully trigger my GA
Traded carthage chemistry for 2 workers, 24g, & WM

880 ibt, we completed Newton's and entered GA before we could dow. Will hold off on war for now.

920 ibt we complete Smith's in Sogut, and start a bank as prebuild for US

940 arabs completed Shakespear's 8 turns before we would, will switch to palace and use it as prebuild for US or ToE.

1080 GA ended

1090 Dow Carthage and captured their last two towns the same turn

1150 Zulu has moved troops (2 impi) into our territory, we demand removal - he says he will move them, but they don't move. We sign RoP with Arabia so if they do declare, we can safely pass through their one city on the land bridge (It's not totally blocking our route to Zulu). Moved elite troops to block further advancement into our territory.

1160 Zulu again said they would remove troops, but don't.

ibt Zulu dow on us - we get WW boost

1170 finally got our first great leader! [dance] Sent to where we were hand building FP in Carthage. Rushed a factory with $$ so we wouldn't waste the shields accumulated so far.

signed MA with Arabia against zulu hoping zulu will capture their one city on the land bridge and then we can capture it.

1190 - well it didn't work, zulu razed the city

1250 second great leader - army

1280 Captured Zimbabwe with Sistine chapel

1345 destroyed Zulu [dance]

1375 entered MA and got ecology as free tech.

1440 will build UN in 2. Dow on Vikings (opponent) and sign mmp's and MA's with others against them

1445 built UN, held vote and won

 

[Denniz]

[PTW] 1.27f - Open Class (scientific from 1910BC forward)

At the end of the Middle Ages, I was going for either Spaceship or Diplomacy.

Industrial Age

I decided to leave the Greek/Arab continent alone. As Greece was scientific I was able to trade for their IA tech and might be helpful later if I went for Space Ship.

English War - 1110AD to 1180AD
After finishing off the Zulu in 1080AD, I cash rushed and otherwise gathered a bunch of galleons on the west side of the former Zulu territory. By 1110AD, I had 8 Galleons load with 1 Sipahi Army (3), 1 rifleman, and 24 Sipahi ready to land next to London. I invited the Vikings to join in. By 1180AD the English were no more. My territory was more than 48%.

Scandinavian War - 1275AD to 1295AD
When the MA with the Vikings expired in 1275AD, I invaded their territory. France was invited along this time. I had to give Joan an ROP so she could get there in quickly to help with the Berserkers. It took 5 turns to eliminate the Vikings. Along the way I got 2 MGL’s which made into my 2nd and 3rd armies. The conquest broght my territory to 59% (147 tiles short of Dom limit.)

Put the milking machine into high gear
At this point, I had decide not to research sanitation. I headed towards Scientific Method and Replaceable Parts. I was building RR as fast as my 28 workers and 58 slaves could go. At then end of the Viking war I had RR on all mined tiles and had a fair number of the irrigated tiles complete in my core. I began to irrigate all tiles possible as I finished the RR and changed all my big cities to creating settlers. I began to aggressively filling in spaces in my core and other areas where there were workable tiles. Due to the extra food. I built between 15 & 20 settlers during this period. I was selling off temples everywhere to reduce maintenance and control my expansion. I did not build any temples in the Viking area to avoid expanding there.

The machine strips a gear.
I was unhappy with my research rate. It was 5-6 turns rate on republic. I sold off improvement like barracks on the second continent (all but one). I thought I should switch to Democracy to see if I could get faster research. I didn’t want the long anarchy that a switch at this late date would entail. So after I finished Atomic Theory in 1305AD, I started a 4-turn research of Communism. I would use the “Big picture” button trick to get two shots at the anarchy period. And it worked! I went from 6 to 3 with Democracy being in 1340AD. After all that, my available income and research rate didn’t change! The extra corruption and unit support were almost the same as the increase in income. I switched all my to wealth except a couple building wonders.

The human element.

I hindsight what I should have done was save the game and think about it awhile and come back to it later. Instead I let the increasing micromanagement and the slow progress discourage me. My last two games, GOTM34 and COTM04, where both histograph attempts (one ended early with an unexpected 100K victory) . I was tired of micromanaging 100+ workers and all the cities. SO.

French War - 1350AD to 1355AD

After all that, I decided to ROP rape France and end it with a domination win. It took one turn to take all but one of France’s cities. If I had been planning to do that in one turn, I might have noticed I had placed 5 or 6 Sipahi outside of all but one of their cities. France was gone and I was rushing temples wherever I could to get some expansion. I was at 64%, only needing 50 tiles.

By 1380AD, I pick up the enough for a Domination victory. I could have done all this 50 years earlier. I will never know how I would have done had if I had stuck it out for the diplomatic win or won it in 1300AD. As it was, I had a surprising 9K Jason score. (A new personal best.) I might have broken 10K.

Entry class: open
Game status: Domination Victory for Ottomans
Game date: 1380 AD
Firaxis score: 5552
Jason score: 9028
Time played: 28:29:30

 

[Kaiser_Berger]

Open


As I entered the Industrial Age in 500 AD, I was aiming for a space victory.
My free tech was Medicine, and gifting Greece in netted the useless Nationalism. From there I started my research machine again.

550AD-Steam Power
610AD-Electricity
630AD-Forbidden Palace
670AD-Replaceable Parts
710AD-Scientific Method

At this point, I was starting to experience some difficulties in quickly researching the expensive IA techs quickly enough. With that in mind I used the Sipahi supply I had managed to build up to rip Carthage a new one and start my GA. Carthage folded by 760, and the income boost helped in picking up the more expensive techs.

760AD-Atomic Theory
790AD-The temptation of Sipahi gets the best of me, and I declare on the Zulu.
800AD-Electronics
840AD-Radio
880AD-Industrialization
900AD-Zulu destroyed
930AD-Corporation
970AD-Steel
1010AD-Refining
1050AD-Combustion
1090AD-Flight

In 1110 Greece managed to come way too close to finishing the ToE, so I was force to immediately switch my Hoovers build over to it. It brought in Mass Production and Motorized Transportation, and I was Modern in 1110 AD.

This time I got Ecology for free, and Greece got Rocketry. I easily traded for it.

1170-Computers
1240-Miniturization
1280-Space Flight
1310-Fission
1330-Both SETI and Internet complete
1335-Synthetic Fibers
1355-Sattelites
1380-Superconductor
1405-Nuclear Power
1430-Laser
1455- Robotics and SS launch.

Firaxis-5116
Jason-8620

Overall, a very fun game and a very unique map. Thanks for a job well done Ainwood and GOTM staff

 

[tao]

PREDATOR Panther 1.29

Ancient Times
Middle Ages

I entered the Industrial Age 460AD while still in my Golden Age. Free tech in 1.29 was nationalism. I did not distribute it immediately, because I first wanted to visit the Zulu. 480AD war was declared on Zulu nation; 560AD Great Leader Selim moves the palace to Zimbabwe and I have 2 very good cores. Zulus are completely destroyed 620AD leaving me with one Great Leader Selim for future use

Industrial research was steam (2 turns to connect coal), electricity, medicine, replaceable parts (no need for industrialization's productivity boost, but for faster workers), scientific method (Selim hurries ToE giving atomic and electronics). Since the AI was very slow in research, I decided to learn sanitation next for growing my research capability (remember: I hand-built The Pyramids) and hoped for the AIs to research industrialization. In vain. All thru the IA I distributed techs, strategic and luxury resources to the AIs, but they did not help with researching any required tech. Thus I had to research everything, and it was done in 4 turns each.

Uskudar (my second city, powerhouse, The Pyramids) was able to build the Iron Works and thus picked up all wonders easily. I started a well-timed pre-build for UN before entering Modern Times 1100AD. Free tech is rocketry and despite the chances being small, I donate Greece in Modern Times, but they also get rocketry. I delayed my pre-build, micromanaged the empire for commerce/research, joined a couple of workers to high-commerce cities, and fission came in 4 turns w 90% science.

Counting population shows the Arabs to be our competitor for diplomatic victory. 1130 I distribute bribes, declare war on Arabs, sign MPPS and ROPs with all other nations. 1140 Uskudar builds the UN, we get the final Palace expansion from our grateful citizens, UN vote is called and Suleyman is elected 4:2 with Arabs and Vikings opposing. Firaxis Score 5996, Jason Score 9946.

A game without problems, but regrettably the score is under 10.000 points.

 

[denyd]

Osman sipped champagne at the gala ball celebrating the completion of the Heroic Epic in Istanbul and thought of his upcoming schedule. Tomorrow morning was that meeting the Viking Ambassador, then he the opening of the Trading Post in Uskudar in the evening followed by a quick trip to Aydin for Newton’s University Dedication the next day. He was a little uncomfortable about the meeting with the Viking Ambassador, as Admiral Bugsy had mentioned Viking Galleys of the northern coast during the last staff meeting.

As expected Ambassador Thrall arrived late smelling of spam and ale. What was unexpected was the Ambassador’s demand for the knowledge of Industrialization. Osman politely declined and Thrall was happy with an exchange of World Maps. As he was leaving the room, the Ambassador turned to Osman and said “Oh, by the way we are now at war” slamming the door on his way out. “Get me the military leaders. There is a certain leader who needs to be taught a lesson.”

“First things, first General, there are invaders in the north” Osman began. “Not to worry sir, we have 10 Elite Sipahi fully rested in near the capital who’ll remove them immediately. What I would like to discuss, is our plans for the Arabs. I know that we are at war with the Vikings, but wouldn’t it be prudent to let the French and English fight the Vikings, while our troops visit Arabia, a weaker and closer target.” General Scoutsout recommended. “Excellent suggestion General, I’ll contact our ambassadors and make the arrangements. General, I’ll meet you here later to night to review your plans for Arabia. I should caution you not to expend too many troops in this endeavor, as I plan to cede these cities to Greece in the future to aid his research.”

All it took was the knowledge of Medicine and both England and France began their battles with the Vikings. Meanwhile Ottoman troops boarded galleons for eastern Arabia.

With war declared against Arabia, the infantry supported Sipahi lands in eastern Arabia met no interference. The coastal Arab cities of Medina & Mecca fell with token resistance. During the successful assault on Baghdad, an elite Sipahi killed an exposed Arab Longbow and Murad I became the second hero of the Ottoman Republic. The Arab cities of Basra and Kufah soon joined the list of conquered cities. At this point Osman received a disturbing communiqué. It seemed that Greek Cavalry had entered Ottoman territory in force near Kufah.

“Great, all was hoping for was a couple of cities to pass along to Alexander and the he starts acting aggressive. Send Murad I to Zimbabwe to have him hurry along that new palace for me and pull the troops back to the city. Let’s see just what Alexander has in mind.” Osman said.
“Welcome Ambassador Demetrios, shall we begin negotiations?” said Osman and when the dealing was done, the Ottomans were now the proud owner of Nationalism + 241 gold pieces for annual payments of 175 gold. “Now about your troops in our lands” Osman continued. “Enough talk, we are now at war” replied the Greek Ambassador as he stormed out of the room. “Send in the Arab Ambassador, it’s time to end our little spat” said Osman to his aide.

With peace and a right of passage agreement in place and four new slaves for the Osman, the Ottoman Army turned attention to removing the Greek Cavalry from it’s lands. During an Elite Sipahi battle, Suleyman I (the 3rdgreat leader) was born.

At the Universal Suffrage announcement, Osman received news that the French had allied with the Greeks and decided that it was time to remove his troops from soon to be Greek lands. The Arab Ambassador was amazed, the Ottomans were returning the five conquered cities and wanted to sign a military alliance against Greece. The deal was too good for the Ambassador to pass up and the Greeks and Arabs were now at war and all of the Ottoman troops were now home. For the compensation of Steam Power, England joined the Ottomans and Arabs against France & Greece.

“I think it’s time we end all the war nonsense, let us begin the healing process, get the Viking Ambassador here as soon as possible.” said Osman. And with and exchange of world maps the Ottoman and Viking empires were at peace. As Osman watched the Arab and English cities fall, he felt guilty in drawing in weaker powers to serve as cannon fodder for his enemies.

“I want to thank Suleyman I for his tremendous work in leading to the construction of this giant hydroelectric dam. This structure will power the Ottoman Republic to the stars.” Osman announced at the dam’s christening. At the gala following the ceremony, Osman spoke with General Scoutsout. “I’m sorry to hear of the Arab empires eradication and the exile Elisabeth to the island city of Oxford, but they made that bed and were left to sleep in it. I think it’s time to end this bloodshed. When I get back from the Military Academy opening ceremony tomorrow, I want to meet with the French & Greek Ambassadors.”

What a day it had been, the Military Academy opening, peace signings with Greece & France and then that trading session with the other ambassadors that brought Viking Furs, Greek Gems, Free Artistry, Communism and a large pile of gold. After tomorrows Wall Street opening, I need a vacation thought Osman.

“I know she’s in exile, but I get tired of looking at that face every time the world leaders convene. Elizabeth has to go General, make it so.” Osman ordered and after a brief skirmish, England was history. The next 75 years passed peacefully with only the completion of the Intelligence Agency in Sogut to highlight the period.

“I’m tired of paying those outrageous prices for Viking Gems and French Silks. General would you please make plans to claim those territories.” Osman said. “All of both countries? General Scoutsout. “All of France perhaps, but just enough land from the Vikings as is needed to get those gems.” Osman responded.

The year 1385 AD would be an historic one in the history of the Ottoman people as they were the first to enter the Modern Age that year. They would gift the Greeks nine technologies and then trade Rocketry and gold to the Greeks for Computers. That was also the year they declared war on the Vikings and landed tanks and Sipahi in preparation to acquiring gems. Later in the same year, an Elite Sipahi would defend against a Viking Cavalry and Salem (the 4th GL) would be born. With the capture for four Viking cities (2 were originally French) time came to for Osman to make peace and prepare for acquiring those French Silks. Unfortunately, a deal had been signed earlier involving sending ivory to France and had still time to complete. So with the world at peace Osman continued on his path to the stars.

The highlight year of Osman’s reign was 1420 AD. During that year, the Ottoman’s completed the Theory of Evolution, the Internet, and the Apollo Program and thanks to Salem, the SETI program. They would also obtain three modern age technologies.

Being the world leaders in science, productivity, economy and military, the Ottoman Republic continued is march to the stars unimpeded by anyone. A brief war saw the Ottoman Modern Armor, Sipahi and a pair of Tank Armies go from declaration to complete conquest in three turns. And in 1485 AD as the Space Ship reached 70% complete, Mursilis once again pulled his battered travel bag from his closet and began packing to head to space again.

His final week on the planet had been a very eventful one. Beginning with the dedication of the United Nations building in Aydin, then the opening of the Pentagon in Bapedi and finally the Battlefield Medicine ceremony in Aydin. Osman was exhausted, but it was time to head to the space center to get ready for the launch. As he picked up his bag and looked around the office he smiled and knew that he had not failed his people. He was leaving behind a fine empire, fully developed on the main continent and a full set of domestic resources and luxuries. His successor was left with developing the lands once held by Joan and defending the rest of the republic against the backward Vikings, but with the newly christened Modern Armor Army leading the troops; this would not be a difficult task.

A so in 1565 AD, Mursilis shed his alias and entered the stasis pod and looked at his the scouting report for his next planet. “Not a bad location. River and luxury available right away. Farmers and scouts should help get this new empire started quickly,” he thought as he activated the stasis unit.

Space Race Victory in 1565 AD – 25 hours & 48 minutes – Firaxis score 4928 – Jason score 8038

Congrats to Kaiser_Berger for an excellent finish. I was hoping a pre-1600 AD launch might be medal-worthy, but you beat me by about 120 years.

 

[Kaiser_Berger]

Thanks denyd Your date is impressive as well. With more solid performances like that you're bound to get the medal soon.

 

[Tone]

denyd certainly deserves a medal for the highly entertaining posts alone, let alone the game performance.

 

[WillowBrook]

Vanilla Civ, Open Class

My game wasn't terribly exciting, but it is satisfying to be able to report on my first GOTM.

I used knights to conquer the Arabs, and took Greece and Carthage soon after I learned miltary tradition, taking advantage of my Golden Age.

I then started my invasion of Zululand. Things went more slowly than I would have liked, but eventually they were gone. The Vikings eliminated the English the same turn. I used my only great leader to rush the FP on the Arab-Greek island, turning it into a fairly productive place by the time the game ended.

After considering other possible win conditions for more turns than necessary, I took the few Viking cities needed for domination to win in 1500.

Final score: Fixaris 8175

Lessons learned:
-pick a victory condition and stick with it.
-mix plenty of defensive units with the offensive ones
-take much better notes so you have something interesting and/or informative to write about in this forum!

 

[eldar]

Well done Kaiser, a full century ahead of the competition it seems!
Hmmm... I think Denyd's going to be a little piqued by my post?

PtW Open, going for Space.

Times Medieval

First off, I take no blame whatsoever for the various wars that kicked off during the Industrial and Modern eras. Carthage were long gone, the Zulus I had previous with, and the rest was the fault of Scandinavia. Arabia and Greece were lucky, Arabia particularly so for signing an MPP with France the turn I wiped out the Zulus, thus keeping them safe as I didn't want to lose my French Silks! (The Ottoman women would've hated me if their underwear supply had dried up )

I only went on the offensive once - a punishment action against Greece to take Mycenae. Once I saw the terrain I was up against on the island, I decided to stop there. I didn't want to trek through the mountains for 5 turns just to reach the next city!

Early on, I kicked off my GA to boost the start of the Industrial Era. The Zulus disappeared without so much as a whimper, and the entire southern sub-continent was irrigated, railed, and turned into a specialist farm. I'd kept a twin core of Sogut and Carthage up north.

It was then a case of defensive actions against unwanted intruders, and research and build. ToE was built a little early for my liking, but the opposition had started on it - I wasn't taking chances.

The timeline:
780 Learn Magnetism and enter the Industrial Era. In record time, yet again. I've decided to go for Space. Couldn't have got a better deal! My free tech is Nationalism - not brilliant, but a good one for trading. Greece gets Steam Power and we do a straight-up swap! I can hear the engines warming up already.... We have two sources of coal, one in ex-Carthage, one closer to home. Ainwood has been kind with these gifts this time around, I see. [Edit: there was a third, but difficult to spot as it was on a snow-capped mountain.]
820 DoW vs Zulu. Time for my GA. GA starts when a Sipahi takes out an Impi.
830 There's a Scandinavian stack on my territory - but I don't get the boot option so I can't hit them this turn. A couple of Sipahi move up to Carthage to defend it.
840 IBT: Get my first GL. I desperately need an FP, and I'll put it in Carthage.
850 Woah! The worker I got from Isipezi was originally mine! Cool!
900 Second GL. Universal Suffrage. Capture 3 more Zulu cities.
910 Take Umfulozi, the fifth Zulu city. Rush Universal Suffrage in Sogut. Zulu are in Anarchy.
930 Replaceable Parts. I have Rubber, too!
960 Capture Hlobane. Ready to move on Zimbabwe now.
980 Zimbabwe and the Sistine Chapel captured!
1030 The final three Zulu cities fall easily to my Sipahi, and my entire continent is finally mine. How much of the Arabia/Greece continent do I actually need, though? IBT: Arabia signs an MPP with France. Argh!! France are supplying me with Silks - so I don't want to fight them.
1110 Refining. 3 Oil sources! The cup runneth over….
1270 Greek stack? Fools. IBT: Greek DoW. Once Cav suicides and promotes my Infantry. The other wanders about with a great big 'Sipahi Bait' sign on its head.
1275 'Sipahi Bait' doesn't survive.
1290 Capture Mycenae (punishment action!)
1300 Peace with Greece for all his gold. Silly boy.
1310 Finish Electronics, go to F1, switch to pre-build, and complete Hoovers on the same turn. First time I've done this (and remembered to do it). ToE next turn, so research set to zero and I'll pick up Flight and Radio. I'd have liked to have delayed it, but there was competition.
1325 Now, what's that Viking Cavalry doing there? IBT: Viking DoW. Cav retreats nowhere from my surrounding Infantry.
1330 Kill the Viking Cav. IBT: England DoW.
1335 Complete Mech Transport and enter the Modern Era. Free tech is Rocketry. Greece gets Ecology, the price is high, but I take it.
1350 IBT: Arabia DoW.
1360 IBT: England come knocking for peace, and I take all their gold.
1370 Sign peace with Scandinavia for Ecology.
1390 Peace with Arabia. All wars are over, for now.
1400 Internet completed.
1420 SETI completed.
1450 IBT: France destroyed.
1455 UN Completed.
1465 Looks like Greece is coming calling with troops now. Fool.
1470 The Greek ships run away. Wimps!
1545 IBT: Scandinavia demands Spices. I'm getting off this rock in a couple of turns - he can have them.
1560 Complete Robotics, switch to Antalya via Big Picture and swap pre-build to the final SS part. SS victory in 1560.

Game date: 1560 AD
Firaxis score: 4954
Jason score: 8079
Time played: 18:48:49

First 8k game. Might've been more if I'd taken out Arabia and Greece as well - Greece were even nicely set up with a remote island to be isolated on!

Neil.

 

[mabellino]

open
Militaristic all the way!

I was aiming for a space race from the start, but had already passed Chivalry when the sci/mil announcement was made. Tough decision but I decided to honour my tribe's original traits. I didn't realise how much I would come to regret this decision later..

I launched my ship in 1820AD after a furious race against the cheating stinking Greeks! They kept stealing my tech as soon as I had researched it and I was unable to plant a spy with them. The Big Picture helped me to complete several wonders including ToE, The Internet, Hoover and I was pipped to the UN by one lousy turn (again the Greeks!). No election was called but I would have been a candidate as I had the largest pop and land area.

I went through the entire game without a single leader So much for the militaristic trait! I must have had at least 50 elite victories too!

War with Carthage towards the end of the industrial era gave me a well timed GA, Sipahi rock! I took all but 1 of their towns which the Greeks nabbed. Carthage were the subject of a huge dogpile with everyone being involved in a war against them. I of course didn't sign any MA's as I think they would have been more trouble than they were worth.

The rest of the game was relatively peaceful, I was ahead by 2/3 techs right until the late stages of the space race. I had all resources and could trade for any missing lux so my people were kept very happy. This was the first time I've ever finished my palace!

All was going well and I was just a few parts from success when the stupid Zulu decided to declare war. I noticed they had MPP's with the Greeks and Arabs so decided to play a defensive war as I couldn't risk being distracted from space. Mil adviser said my army was strong and my many Jet fighters took out almost every Zulu bomber before they had chance to bombard me. I had a few nukes that I was itching to use but held off cos no-one else had used them yet. I actually had a lot of fun rebuffing their tanks with my MA and MI. It was Zulu carnage! I even went leader fishing with a few elite Sipahi but not a sausage.
The Zulu eventually begged for peace once most of their army had committed suicide. Unfortunately they didn't have any tech and only had a few gold coins. Oh well, my goal was still Space so I gave in and let them make peace.

The rest of the game passed quite quickly and my ICBM shield holder was converted to the final part once Robotics came in.

Firaxis score 2504 (bit pants but it was my earliest space race ever!)
Jason 4303 (TBC)

This has been my most enjoyable game of civ for ages... cheers Ainwood and staff

 

[samildanach]

Predatory Reloading Monkey Class 1.27f (militaristic and scientific)

100K

Once in the IA I decided to research up to corporation as the stock exchanges might be useful. Research was helped by the conquest of the zulu lands - the FP was founded in their former capital. By the time the Zulus were destoyed I had a railroad connecting the north to the south built and I was able to shuttle my sipahi north.

I signed an ROP and an alliance against the Greeks with the Arabs. The Greeks had riflemen and cavs by this stage. I took one of their cities and signed peace with them after the Arabs had broken our alliance. I then destroyed the Arabs who were less developed than the Greeks.

I then declared war on the Greeks again which went better as they had lost one of their best cities during the first war and had still not recovered fully. The Greeks were forced off their home continent and we signed a peace treaty.

I stopped fighting at this point. Once cultural borders expanded I was left with about 40 tiles to domination. I thought about taking a small island in the south where the remnants of Carthage were eaking out a meagre existense but decided against it.

I rushed libraries and unis in cities first. Then temples, then colloseums and if I could afford it ruinously expensive cathedrals. At the end of the game my CPT was 1324. I went over 100k in 1490 AD giving a firaxis score of 5388. Jason 8837.

The date was O.K. but the score wasn't. Even with a unit as destructive as the sipahi I did not manage the balance between conquest and cultural improvement building adequately.

I was able to support four turn research throughout the MA without a second core. But I should have really gotten the second core much quicker and also had a supply of horses ready to upgrade to sipahi if I wanted to break 10 k ...or even 9k. Meh! Its not as if this game should count. Anyway, I'm going to withdraw this game as I wouldn't want to crib someone out of the 100 K award.

 

[Gyathaar]

Ptw, Open (scientific from the start)

Went for 100k victory.

After my home area was fully settled, I started a 'peaceful' cultural war with carthage for their lands, before they eventually decleared war, and I wiped them out After filling in carthagian area with cities, I started pushing my way though the zulu.

All the time rushing libraries,temples,universities, and when cash allowed cathedrals and coloseums in the newly buildt or captured cities.

I never left the home continent. but squeezed in 117 cities there. Finally won with 100092 culture in 1420AD. Fireaxis score 5745, jason 9440.

Anyway, I'm going to withdraw this game as I wouldn't want to crib someone out of the 100 K award.

Should not be nessesary

This is how the Carthage 'core' looked like when they finally declared war on me :

 

[chunkymonkey]

Open

Goal: Seeking out the cow

At the end of the middle ages I was finishing the slaughter of the Zulu with Sipahi.

Otto-Zulu War (Part 2)

860 – Bombard Zulu Saltpeter.
870 – As if by magic, 3 MGLs appear in one single turn. This game was a weird one for leaders. I must have had well over 100 elite victories over the entire game. The only three leaders I get appear in one turn. Strange…
880 – Capture Hlobane.
890 – Learn Steam power.
910 – Capture Ulundi.
940 – Learn Industrialisation
960 – Capture Zimbabwe with its Great Wall and Pyramids. Capture Ibabango.
970 – A lone greek longbowman lands near Carthage. Capture Bapedi & Leos.

The greeks sneak attack us leading to –

Otto-Greek War

980 – The Greeks sneak attack us. Build the Heroic Epic in Uskudar. Sign MA against the Greeks wth the Arabs for spice and 2gpt. Sign MA against Greece with France for spice and dye. Capture Swazi and Mpondo.
990 – The glorious golden age of the Ottomans ends. We build Newton’s University in Iznik.
1000 – The Zulu just live to see the turn of the new millennium before their final city of Umfolozi is captured.
1010 – Learn Democracy from the Arabs in exchange for Steam Power. Learn Elecricity.
1040 – Arab town of Herakleia flips to us.
1060 – Found Riza.
1070 – Learn Replaceable Parts.
1080 – Build the Pentagon in Edirne.
1120 – Learn Medicine.
1140 – Sogut builds Universal Suffrage.
1150 – Capture Argos.
1170 – Sign MA against Greece with the Vikings. Learn Sanitation.
1190 – Capture Thermopylae.
1200 – Give Arabs Medicine in exchange for Economics.
1210 – Learn Scientific Method.
1220 – Capture Pharsalos.
1230 - Capture Athens with Sun Tzus and the Oracle.
1250 – Capture Corinth. Learn Coroporation.
1260 – Iznik builds Military Academy.
1270 – Capture Sparta and get Great Library and Shakespeares Theatre.
1285 – Capture Knossos.

Need to make a start on clearing this island if I’m to get near my domination limit. So…

Otto–Arab War

1300 – Declare War on the Arabs. Capture Delphi. Capture Aden.
1305 – Learn Refining. Capture Yamama. Capture Mycenae.
1310 – Build ToE in Antalya. Learn Atomics and Electronics.
1315 – Sign Peace treaty with the Greeks. Get Communism.
1320 – The Vikings destroy the English.
1325 – Capture Mecca with its Hanging Gardens and JS Bach’s Cathedral.
1330 - Capture Medina.
1335 – Capture Kufah.
1340 – Learn Steel. Enter Anarchy. Capture Baghdad and Cop’s Observatory.
1345 – Capture Damascus.
1350 – Capture Basra and destroy the Arabs.

OK, I’m about 50 tiles under domination. Unluckily, I don’t have enough time to play the next 200 or so turns out to the end with any sort of efficiency to give a good Histograph Win, so my goal switches to Space.

Space Race

1365 – Enter Democracy.
1380 – Vikings destroy the Greeks.
1390 – The Vikings sneak attack us! Great, just as I’ve entered Democracy.
1400 – French declare on us as well. So we capture Anjar off them!
1425 – Learn Combustion.
1435 – Sign Peace treaties and an MPP with the Vikings. Hopefully that’ll keep them off my back.
1460 – Mass Production.
1485 – Learn Motorised transport.
1495 – Declare war on the French so that I can get a few tiles closer to Domination. Ridiculously, the French sign an MPP with the Vikings, so the Vikings declare war on us . Whoops.
1500 – Capture Rheims.
1510 – It is recaptured. My three sipahi armies, 10 infantry and 10 arty die in the Viking cavalry onslaught. That’ll teach me to be greedy.
1540 – Learn Flight.
1575 – Learn Radio. Enter the Modern Ages and get Computers as a freebie.
1615 – Learn Fission
1635 – The UN is built in Bursa. The Vikings declare war on the French(!) Learn Ecology.
1660 – Learn Synthetic Fibres.
1685 – Iznik builds SETI.

I realise that a 100K win is probably going to come before Space, so I start rushing universities and cathedrals in uncultured towns to shave a few turns off the win. It won’t be a great date, but hey…

1690 – Learn rocketry.
1700 – Sinop builds the Manhattan Project. Watch it, Radnar…
1715 – Learn Space Flight.
1730 – The Vikings destroy the French. And two remained…
1745 – Bursa builds the Apollo Program. Learn Superconductor. Switch off research and plow funds into lux for possibly a couple more happiness points.

1808 – The Internet is developed in Sinop just as the Ottomans are declared the World Cultural Power.

Firaxis - 5456
Jason – 7466

The Vikings were far too aggressive for my liking. Had they been friendly I might have managed to get through industrial and modern ages quicker with them as a trading partner. As it happened, I let the Viking-English-French island become too developed. I should have mixed things up a little in there before starting on the Greeks and the Arabs. Oh well…

 

[a space oddity]

Open, 1.29, Scientific

Link to MA report

From the GA onwards I was able to research all the tech in 4 turns. The AI was useless of course, but this time Greece helped me by gaining Fission where I got Ecology.
To mainwhile keep my citizens happy I conquered Scandinavia to get the two luxes I still lacked, then the English conveniently sneak attacked, getting me my last leader. I used him to build Apollo.

The first ring cities were so productive that I didn't need the units I stacked to help build the SS parts in time. The only trick I didn't use was to scroll forward to switch the pre-build I had ready, to get that last part the same turn as I did the last tech. But still I was satisfied to have my Space-ship lauch in 1490AD.

The 9800+ Jason score is an all-time high for me during the GotM, I never thought I would get it with this victory type. Next target: 10k Jason.

 

[jeffelammar]

PTW - Open - Scientific

Going 20K in capitol

Middle Ages

At the end of the MA I had the main landmass mostly mine. Once I got Siphi I kicked the Zulu off, and then took their last city on the island west of their land.

England and the Vikings decided at the same time to launch a "surprise attack". I put this in quotes since on the same turn they landed in my territory. I signed France and Greece into MPP before war was declared, and successfully had all significant opponents in war. The arabs were never a factor, I think Greece took care of that in the AA. I sent siphi up and protected everything and waited for them to declare. I then counter attacked with every elite troop in the mainland (This happened after I had RRs everywhere). I thanked England for the favor as an elite knight brought forth a leader.

With the AIs mired in war, I upped my research to drive through this age ASAP. I got Medicine for free, went Steam -> Industrialization -> electricity -> Replace Parts. The same turn I finished Parts, I also built TOE, getting Atomic and Electronics. Then I got to work on Hoover.

The AI was far enough behind that I could sell them techs 2 or 3 behind me to large amounts of $$$. This allowed me to keep researching fast.

I got all IA wonders, grabbed the various small wonders.
Once I finished the Factory and Coal Plant in Sogut it was producing a nice even 101 shields (100 after the 1 waste). This is just about perfect for wonders as most cost a multiple of 100.

In the Modern Age, I got Ecology for free (boo, no wonders there), and then researched Computers -> Miniturization -> Fission -> Genetics -> Rocketry -> Space
I timed each one so that the research would finish 4 turns after the last wonder. That way the Army prebuild would be full, thus allowing me to keep my tech rate lower, using the $$$ to improve my empire for better score. I wasn't doing a full milk, just wat didn't take me too much time.

After a 1 turn Nuclear Plant in between wonders, I was doing 126 shields a turn, perfect for the 1000 shield wonders in the MA.

For kicks, as I waited the last turns, I started rushing as many recycling centers as I could.

Culture 20K victory: 1796AD (bit later than I wanted)
Firaxis score:4895
Jason: 7099

Rest of the Culture buildings
920 AD: Heroic Epic (actual MA, but forgot it there)
1250AD: Universal Sufferage
1280AD: Theory of Evolution
1310AD: Hoover
1305AD: Battlefield Medicine
1325AD: Wall Street
1345AD: Military Academy
1410AD: Pentagon
1565AD: SETI
1615AD: Internet
1670AD: UN
1710AD: Manhattan
1750AD: Cure for Cancer
1766AD: Longevity
1774AD: Apollo Program

 

[heraclitus]

First gotm. Won't give detailed chronology as I didn't record one and most contributors surpassed my humble effort.

Won in 1882 by space race, my least favourite victory, but I'm still mystified how I managed to win. By 1832 I was coasting I thought to my usual space victory as the Vikings had beaten me to the UN. I normally play on Monarch and though I fall behind in the Middle Ages, I almost invariably get ahead in the Industrial Age and beyond.

This game was following my usual pattern. I'd got Theory of Evolution, the first Wonder I'd managed to build, used it to acquire Atomic Theory and Electronics so as to build Hoover Dam and I thought this is easy.

I should have been alerted by the fact that the Vikings got the UN though they'd started to build it later without cascade and their capital city looked no more productive than mine. However, they were ahead of me technologically and when I eventually got a spy in it showed they had 7 parts built with 3 in progress. I had 6 built, 2 in progress and needed miniaturisation, laser and robotics. Panic, there was no way I could win this game - teach me to be complacent.

So, as a last resort, I started war with them which got the Greeks and French involved through mpps I had with them and activated the mpp the Vikings had with the Zulus - the other three civs were long gone.

I wasn't really serious about this war as it was too late to invade Scandinavia though I did enjoy kicking some Zulu ass and settling some old scores. I expected each turn to announce I'd suffered an embarassing or humiliating defeat (I'd lost my spy by then and hadn't the funds to keep trying to reinstate her) but I got there in the end without risking an incomplete launch.

Seems the Vikings must have switched production. Crazy, I would have thought if they were so close to winning. Anyway, it taught me that having other civs at war with each other is a very handy tactic.

 

[CKS]

PTW 1.27 Open

I left the middle ages at war with the Zulu, planning on wiping them out and then coasting to a nice diplomatic win. I slowly worked my way through them, and I got my one and only leader near the end of the war. I used it to jump my palace over to old Carthaginian lands. This didn't really affect corruption issues (my income didn't change by more than 5 gpt), but it let me build marketplaces to increase happiness in a bunch of new cities. If I had been better at building courthouses in my old core, the situation would have been different. I didn't really have anything else to do with the leader, though, and it worked out okay.

Once the Zulu were gone, I concentrated on research. I traded with the AI and got a few techs and some luxuries. I built TOE and was cruising along, when the idiot Greeks decided to attack me. I didn't notice them land, and they took an undefended city and then stopped. Apparently they were after spices, which I had been trading to them anyway. I took back the city, the Arabs declared on my because they had a mutual protection pact, and the Vikings joined in. Suddenly my nice diplomatic win, arriving in about 30 turns, wasn't looking so clear-cut.

I allied England and France against the Vikings, but England switched sides almost immediately. Greece sent dozens of units down to the spice city to be slaughtered, but did nothing else. Arabia bombarded my shoreline but didn't invade except on the little island by the Zulu homelands. I sent two landing parties to Arabia, and both bit the dust eventually. As it was obvious that a military victory would take a long time, and that I wasn't prepared for it, I made peace as soon as possible without breaking deals. I would see how people felt when I got the UN ready and then decide UN or SS.

I thought, looking at the situation, that the Vikings would be my opponent. Luckily for me, everyone had been at war with them relatively recently. As fission and my prebuild approached completion, I gifted everyone something and then crossed my fingers. The vote arrives, and my opponent is not the Vikings but the Arabs. Now I'm glad I gifted everyone, including the Vikings. Greece sides with the Arabs, but the rest vote for me. I end with a diplomatic win before 1600 AD, which makes me happy.
Firaxis 4305, Jason 7293. I've yet to break 5000 Firaxis points in any game, so 4300 is pretty good, and this is by far my best Jason score. I'm not going to set any records, but I'm hoping to move into the top half of the field soon.

 

[DizzKneeLand33]

Well, I had a LOT of fun during this GOTM! I will admit that I didn't keep notes like you guys did.... will try better next time.

I settled on the initial tile, and really, that worked out pretty well for me. I found the land bridge and travelled down it before meeting a Zulu scout. I wanted to cut him off, but wasn't fast enough with my warrior.... . However, I knew that barb tribes were popping up all OVER the place on that bridge, and thought that there was a 50/50 chance that the scout would die before meeting Carthage.

I was right.....

I built lots of warriors to go exploring early. I found that "red" civ's box like everyone else. I waited..... and waited..... and waited......

FINALLY I saw a person to contact!! A scout I believe..... during the turn, he popped into view....

Then he disappeared again -- just a tease!!

I killed a barb tribe on the west end of the "island"..... with swords. When I did, I saw a "red" galley there and made contact!!

That turn, he landed a warrior and settler on my land. Needless to say, those 2 slave workers came in handy.... The only other battle during that war was ANOTHER warrior and settler, and, well, you know the rest....

I killed Carthage rather late in the game. I had GREAT production, and was going to go for a Spaceship. However, the Zulu sneak attacked me (for the SECOND time -- the first time, they got every other civ against me in a war, but 3 were only cautious lol). THEN the Zulu formed MA's with the Vikings and Greeks. SO...... I formed MA's with the weakest 3 civs (Eng, Fra, and Arabia, the FIRST civ I went to war with). Zulus moved a stack of death down the land bridge. I killed them all.

I found the horses and settled the land across from a Carthage city. During the first war, I took over that city and formed the Forbidden Palace in it, probably not an ideal location.

Because of the Zulu transgressions, I popped a GL in 1620 during the modern age! I had one turn to research Fission. Completed in 1625 (with the leader). Had vote in 1630, because there were only 7 civs left -- 3 that I was allies with, and me, would be 4 votes.

So I changed my strat from Spaceship to Diplomatic in 1630 and won. Firaxis score was 3348, and Jason was 6162. I was happy with that, considering it was my first GOTM! I am used to Monarch, so I think that helped.....

Is that a good score? I saw that people score 10,000+, which will take me a LONG time! I just hope that at least my score was respectable, and I was happy with it.

I am very looking forward to the next GOTM! I love archipelago, and it looks like a blast! I only had one week to complete this (that's when I saw the game), so next time I will have more time to perhaps micromanage..... at least at a competent level. However, I'm worried about Emperor level! Well, I've done good on Monarch, so perhaps I can at least survive (for some of you, 10k Jason is your goal; for me, it's survival lol).

Thanks a lot for making such a cool game to play! Oh, and I use PTW (gold) btw.

See ya next GOTM!

 

[delmar]

So I changed my strat from Spaceship to Diplomatic in 1630 and won. Firaxis score was 3348, and Jason was 6162. I was happy with that, considering it was my first GOTM! I am used to Monarch, so I think that helped.....

Is that a good score? I saw that people score 10,000+, which will take me a LONG time! I just hope that at least my score was respectable, and I was happy with it.

Hi DizzKneeLand33, nice to have you here.

Your post reminds me a lot of how I played my first GOTM. I think a diplomatic victory in 1630 is nothing to sneeze at, but you will see that there is a huge difference between easily winning the game and achieving a high Jason score. You can check out the scores of the previous games here.

These games sometimes feel like climbing a mountain, feeling good about your performance because everyone (ie. the AIs) is so far behind, and when you reach the top you realize that SirPleb not only reached the top a lot faster than you did but he also moved the mountain and turned it into a spaceship in the meantime...