GOTM 44 First Spoiler - entering the middle ages

[azzaman333]

In the same year a Sumerian galley appears N of Ivory; no contact with Gilgamesh

i think you mean spain, as... (A) Sumeria wasn't in this game and (B) Sumeria isn't in Play the World, so it wouldn't be in a GOTM.

 

[Oryctolagus]

They were Barbarians.

 

[Mark Cutt]

Settled on spot.

Built Settler, Settler, Settler, Settler, Granary. Maybe I should have built the Granary before. I would have had more pop and more science but I tend to build Granary early in the game only when I have a >=2 food surplus.

Ur, the second city, was built NW-NW and built Warrior, Granary, Worker then some Warriors and a Settler ready to land on the new continent.

The first worker went E to road the Wheat then W-W to road and mine the BG, then S to road and mine the second BG.

Cities
I built four cities on the starting island:
Babylon (4000BC)
Ur (3200BC)
Nineveh (2550BC)
Ashur (2030BC)

Then two on the new continent (Ellippi on the Ivory - 1200BC, Akkad close to the Iron - 1075BC) and one in the lonely island south of the main one (Uruk - 650BC). Building Akkad 2 tiles from the Iron was a stupid risk (I guess I was tired). Akkad immediately built a Temple to expand and get the Iron connected in 450BC.
I saw Horses in the N in the radius of a Greek city. I decided to wait for MI to attack Greece and get the horses.

Science
I tried to squeeze every drop of science from my cities and this was the result:
3400BC - Pottery
2400BC - Alphabet
1700BC - Writing
1225BC - Map Making (trade Bronze Working, Warrior Code, Iron Working, and Code Of Laws)
1000BC - Philosophy (trade Masonry, The Wheel, Cerimonial Burial, Mysticism) and study Republic
490BC - The Republic (trade Mathematics)
370BC - Currency
210BC - Construction, trade for Polythesim --> Enter MA

Contacts
Greece and America (1200BC)
France, India and Korea (about 900BC)
Spain (about 300BC)

In 450BC Akkad connected to Iron and in 330BC the Harbor in Ellippi connected Iron and Ivory to Babylon.

 

[denyd]

Hammurabi was pleased to have been chosen to be the leader of the colonial team 57. The large land mass discovered during the planetary survey would be perfect for his cultural domination plans. If he could manage to convince the religious zealots and geeky scientists to work together towards a single goal the way to planetary control would be his. As his colony pod descended from upper orbit to a soft landing on the eastern shore of the continent, Hammurabi made his initial decisions, first we’ll settle our first town here, second, send our work force to improve that wheat to the east, third get the researchers busy on pottery and finally let’s get a warrior trained for exploring and making contact with our neighbors.

As Hammurabi waived goodbye to Thor, his exploring warrior, he turned to see the foundation of the Temple of Babylon being laid by local artisans.

“What are you doing back so soon” bellowed the shocked leader to Thor. That drunken twit of a pilot had released the colony pod too late and they had overshot the main continent and landed on the small western island. “We’ll need to get boats as soon as possible” wailed the leader. With the research on pottery complete, the research towards the Alphabet was begun with renewed commitment.

In 2750 BC, the city of Ur was founded and a second temple was begun and Hammurabi came to the conclusion that culture was still his strength and he would continue to play that card. With the founding of Nineveh in 2470 BC and the Colossus was already in process in the Capital, his fledgling empire had nearly maxed out the available land on the island. In 1990 BC a wandering bard told the tale of Babylon being the fourth most powerful nation. “With just threes cities, one warrior and 2 workers” laughed Hammurabi, “how can this be but a travelers joke on a marooned tribe”.

“With this Colossus of Babylon we take another step towards the future” Hammurabi told his people, while cautiously hoping for a miracle. With the founding of Ashur his island was fully populated. Now if only his scientists would hurry up with Map Making, so he could get a foothold on the island to the east before all of the coastal lands were claimed.

And in 1025 BC, construction of the first galley finally began. With two settler teams ready to go, Hammurabi hoped he’d be able to get a toehold soon and in 900 BC with the founding of Ellipi, he had that wish come true. Of course he had settled next to his first contact, the Greeks with their dreaded Hoplite defender.

Soon new Babylonian cities began populating the large land mass to the east. New tribes were contacted and the Americans even built and embassy in his capital. A trade in 630 BC with Korea provided Warrior Code & Iron Working and to his dismay, he had actually settler Uruk next to a source of the important mineral. With the discovery of Literature to spur additional trading, he soon that netted Masonry, Mysticism, Horseback Riding, Code of Laws & Mathematics and the Babylonian nation had reached technological parity with the known world. Hearing of the completion of the Pyramids in Paris, gave Hammurabi the military target he’d been looking for. Until then he had been content to shoehorn cities into each available location, but space was running short and war would be inevitable.

The discovery of Polytheism led to another trading session in 170 BC that netted Construction & Philosophy and later in 10 BC the Republic & Currency leading to the formation of the Republic of Babylon in 10 AD and the entry of Babylon into the Middle Ages in 50 AD gaining Engineering (the same as Greece).

It is now 130 AD and a wonder cascade has seen the Great Library (Athens), Great Lighthouse (Washington) and Great Wall (Delhi) completions. The nation has amassed a total of just over 2,200 of culture and is adding about 50 per cycle. With just 11 cities, Hammurabi knows the way to success is to expand and soon the world will see the first war begin.

[Editor’s note: After a 1 ½ game break (QSC only for the Japanese deity game) to spend some time on my HOF exploits, it feels good to be back in the GOTM.]

 

[DJMGator13]

Welcome back, I've missed your stories.

 

[IronKnight]

It’s been quite a while since I participated in the GOTM. I was quite excited to get back in. So far I have enjoyed the challenges of this map. I’m playing the “Open” class game.

I started out slightly different than most, as I took a few turns to explore before building Babylon (just in case it wasn’t an island). This ended up costing me 4 turns in the beginning. I built 3 cities on the starting island. Judging by when I researched Map Making only having 3 cities possibly cost me another 4 turns. The extra coastal commerce may have made a difference, or it could be the fact that I had to research Pottery. Nobody would trade it to me. I researched MM in 1100 BC, while I saw another player had it as early as 1300 BC. I’ll remember that for next time.

The island we started on was very small and limited, so I opted to not build much and just focused on 100% research all the way to Map Making. My thought was that once I reached the mainland, I may abandon my palace anyway, so I didn’t want to waste much production.

I noticed that in 1100 BC when I met all the other CIVS, nobody knew Spain as of then. When I traded for Korea’s world map, I saw the outline of the Spanish realm. I had to take a galley up the coast and meet them myself. Was this due to war? Barbs? I found it strange.

Here’s an excerpt from my QSC:

4000 BC Not a great starting position, tundra & water, is it an island or peninsula? Decide to find out, Worker - NW, Settler, NW

3950 BC Worker - N, Settler – NW

3900 BC Worker - N…Island!!! Settler – SE

3850 BC Settler - S, Worker – S

3800 BC Build Babylon (SW of starting location), Worker - Bonus Grassland, Begin researching Alphabet @100%

3400 BC Worker moves to wheat, sees ivory across the sea - the mainland?

2850 BC Build Ur on northern tip of island, begin temple

2630 BC Babylon builds spearman, begins settler, move spearman to wheat to gaze upon the mainland

2470 BC Learn alphabet, begin researching writing

1910 BC Build Ninevah on southern most hill, start temple

1725 BC Meet the Greeks!!! Spearman sentry pays off. They have Masonry, Pottery, Warrior Code, Iron Working & Writing. They are only willing to trade writing for 24g. I opt not to trade as I'll learn it in 1 turn. They know America, France & India

1700 BC Research writing, begin pottery (4 turns)

1600 BC Learn pottery, begin map making (21 turns)

1575 BC Greece sells their knowledge of me to America. Lincoln is not willing to trade

1425 BC Meet India (contact sold) I politely refuse 45 gold in exchange for WC

1100 BC Learn Map Making, begin Polytheism (25 turns). Switch production to Galley in Ur & Ninevah.

Trade w-map + 32g + map making to India for Cnct w/ France + Myst + WC + Mas.
Trade Pot + Myst + w-map to France for cnct w/ Korea & t-map
Trade cnct w/ Korea to India for t-map & 10g
Trade w-map + 8g to America for t-map
Trade mas + Pot + CB + w-map to Korea for Wheel + t-map + 5g
On par tech wise with other civs, know most of mainland map

1050 BC Land on mainland

At this point I start getting a foot hold on the mainland. I’m able to secure ivory, iron, horses & spices. I begin to mobilize for war, as that is the only way to grow anymore. I consider invading France first (wanting to avoid the hoplite). In the end I choose Greece. I like the location of their lands & resources. I want my new palace to be Greek lands near the border of France. If I can defeat them now, I won’t have to try and face them when they might have knights. France doesn’t appear to have any iron, so I can fight them later and not have to worry facing French knights. I also considered invading India, to avoid having to face the elephants later on, but decide against it because their land is poor. I think it’s very important to determine ahead of time what you’re going to be up against. Also set war goals, resources, luxuries, land. Don’t fight for nothing!

Strategies I consider in fighting the Greeks. I will use Swordsmen (and Medieval Infantry) to attack the Hoplites. I don’t attack right away with the Bowman, fearing too many defeats. My plan is to save a few Bowmen for the end of the war, then trigger the Golden Age just before peace time & the Republic. I also build catapults to help compliment the swordsmen. These will help reduce the Hoplite hit points. I have 8 of them in the field by the end of the war.

My war with the Greeks, begin in the Middle Ages. I’ll wait to get into that in the next thread…

 

[DBear]

My game's over, so I suppose I can talk about it now.

Managed 4 cities on the home island, n, s, and w. Didn't get off the rock until 1000BC. Settled my 5th city on the peninsula, and the 6th city on the one-square island south of home island. Was behind in tech, but I saw the iron which was unclaimed and tried to put up a screen of warriors to block it. Damn Greeks sailed around the blockade and tried to build a city. Of course you know this means war.

The first Greek war was a stalemate as bowmen went up against hoplites, triggering ancient golden ages for both of us, meh. Meanwhile the capital built the GL as I had contacted everyone else on the continent. This allowed us to research monarchy and switch.

I forget when we got out of the AA, but we were able to claim the iron with a city and launch the 2nd greek war, which probably stretched into the medieval age (I stopped keeping a log after the QSC, as I barely finished my last game on time when I tried) but it went well, smashing the Greeks utterly. I had France as an ally, they basically kept the Greeks busy, but didn't take anything. Surprisingly, India had crossed Greek territory and built a city on the northwest peninsula in addition to their homeland. Athens and Sparta turned into my most productive cities, while I built the FP in Eridu, which I had founded by the iron.

edit: Mark Cutt, I built my first four cities in the exact same locations you did! Only thing different was I switched Ur and Nineveh.

 

[tR1cKy]

Vanilla 1.29f, open class. The objective is world domination, although i've been tempted to go for 20k culture in Babylon. I'll probably replay the game with that goal in mind.

It's the 1st time i run a test game, and the thing really helps. After reading the pre-game discussions, i choosed: island start, crappy territory, no luxuries. Well, the guys were right and my test game was enough similar to the real map: not so crappy tiles, but less than a half the land i thought However, after figuring out the real terrain (and this required only a few turns) i've come with some considerations:

1) The only viable strategy is to get off from that stinking rock as soon as possible. Contacts would have come quite late. Max research to Map Making, then.

2) Improvements were not to be built. Even a few wonga spent in manteinance would be enough to cripple research. And so: no temples, and no early barracks.

3) Because of (2), a lot of building potential would be wasted. If founded on the spot, the capital could reach 10 spt when size 5, so it's better to keep it at max population. An option is to build a granary in Babylon ASAP. But why not the Colossus? Once finished, the extra money would be quite of help.


Getting off that rock

Babylon is founded on the spot and a worker is sent immediately to road the wheat. Research is set on Pottery at 100%. In the following turns, the worker goes to road the BG west of the capital, then the other BG south of the 1st. Priority is money rather than production.

Babylon produces a warrior, then a settler, then the city starts the Colossus. Meanwhile, Pottery is researched in 3400BC, and Alphabet is started at 100%. In 3000BC, the city of Ur is founded 2 tiles NW of Babylon. It starts with wealth, then it trains a worker, then a warrior, and finally a settler.

Alphabet is researched in 2510BC, and Writing is started at 100%. In 1750BC the 3rd city, Niniveh, is founded on the southern tip on a tundra tile. It's set to produce wealth (for a long time). No more cities will be founded on that damned rock, it would be an error to waste a settler here at this moment. Writing is researched in 1725BC, and next turn Babylon completes the Colossus. The money income goes high and Map Making is due in only 16 turns. Better prepare a pair of settlers to colonize the continent and some units to send along.

Babylon and Ur are set to produce barracks. They pop a few units, then build a settler each, then Babylon starts a temple as a galley prebuild. Map Making is researched in 1300BC, and Warrior Code is started, 5 turns at 1.9.0. Next turn, a galley with a settler and a spear sails the seas for the mainlands.


World meetings

In 1250BC, the 1st continental city is founded. Its name: Ashur. Now a luxury (ivory) is finally at my avail, i only need to build harbors, that will take a lot. In 1200BC i meet Greece (what else could i find? Bad start 'till the end). I do not trade immediately, but wait for completing Warrior Code, that is due next turn.

In 1175BC i manage to found a 2nd continental city, beating for a single turn a greek settler that had the same intentions of mine. Ellipi is founded in ICS with Ashur. The very same turn i complete Warrior Code, and a very productive trade round is called. Map Making is a monopoly tech, and i exploit it as much as i can.

I end up collecting 174 quids, all the techs i was missing (Mysticism, Iron Working, Masonry, the Wheel and Horseback Riding), contact with everyone (except the Iroquois, that no one knows yet - where are they?) and a complete map of the mainland. Not bad. Researching at full steam has definitely paid off. Research is set to Polyteism. 16 turns at 2.8.0 with a surplus of 2 gpt.

I'm doing the Monarchy rush. A mistake, i thought later, but at the end it paid off more than researching Republic directly, since i got another monopoly tech with it.


Continental landgrab

Beating the greeks in founding Ellipi has been a great strategic success. Here's why:

If the AS were human, they would have settled in the spot ASAP. But they're AS and, since the borders are too close, they won't, despite the obvious advantage they will concede me. Needless to say that my next settler goes to build a city exactly there, grabbing an important source of iron from the greeks. I also manage to delay the city a little (keeping a close eye on Sparta's cultural growth), in order to train some warriors for a later upgrade. Having swordsmen available against hoplites is surely a great advantage, and my golden age can be spared for later use.

Another city has been founded in 950BC, on a small peninsula to the north. Quite isolated and corrupted, but it grants another luxury (spices). However, it will take a long time before that luxury will be available to the rest of Babylon, but in the meantime i have secured it.

Research goes smoothly. Polytheism is researched in 750BC, another monopoly tech for me. Research is set to Monarchy at minimum (40 turns with a specialist), then i call another trade round. I grab Mathematics, Philosophy, Code of Laws, Literature, some wonga and an updated world map of the pangea. Still no signs of the Iroquois.

Amazingly, the greeks did not build cultural improvement on Sparta. Dumb AS. Finally, the city of Uruk is founded on the planned spot, in 490BC.

Despite the appearance, i'm perfectly able to hold Uruk safe from flip. Thanks to my culture, which is far superior to the Greek, a few units are sufficient. And since Uruk is the ideal outpost to launch an invasion of Greece, troops end up amassing there anyway. While i was procrastinating, some greek workers did me the favour to road the iron tile. How sweet! Researching at minimum has granted me the necessary money for a mass upgrade of warriors into swordsmen. It was the only way to avoid the poprush penalty.


First Greek war

In 390BC, i have the necessary brutes to put an end to this boring peace period. Alex is driven mad with demands, then war is declared and my forces invade Greece. The first city to fall is Thermopylae, then Sparta is autorazed and refounded in the very same spot, with the name of New Sparta. Finally, in 250BC, the big fish is owned. Athens is captured and peace is called. There's no way to extort the city of Argos, on the 1-tile island south of my core, and so i grab the 2 cities of Delphi and Sparta - yes, they rebuilt Sparta on another 1-tile island off the coasts of France. Athens is the ideal spot to build the Forbidden Palace, but it will take a while to complete it.

The offensive has been quite successful, and the research potential of the lone scientific civilization has been permanently crippled.


First French war

With Paris owning the Oracle, my designated next target is France. While preparing the offensive, the indian capital of Delhi completes the Pyramids, but it's too late to change plans: troops are ready to advance in French territory. A city is founded near the border, finally claiming some furs. As usual, Joan is driven furious with demands, then war is declared in 150BC. The city of Lyon is promptly autorazed, then Paris is captured in 50BC. With peace negotiation i extort the city of Marseilles, on the way to reach the settlement on the northern peninsula and finally connect spices. Another city is later founded on the open spot left by the ex cultural border of Paris (i needed to put up a blockade to avoid french settlers to colonize the area first.

Going republican

In 50AD, Monarchy is finally researched, but i don't revolt immediately. A trade round is called instead. Monarchy is a monopoly tech! On the other hand, Republic is already known by France and America. With the successive tradings, i obtain Republic, Construction, some wonga and an updated world map. The only AA tech that is missing is now Currency, and my best option would be to go straight for it (markets) then hope to achieve Feudalism as free tech (pukemen, MDI), or else researching it.

I choose to establish a Republic this time. With 3 pop units born content, and my cities still small, i don't have to care much about unhappiness. But the main reason to go republican is corruption. My mainland cities are for the most part corrupted, and so they will stay until the FP is built. With Monarchy things wouldn't have changed so much, and i would have been crippled for a long time. In Republic, i can squeeze out some decent production and income from some of them, and, most importantly, the FP in Athens will come way faster. Add to it an incoming golden age... and the result is amazing.


Indian war

In 130AD, workers have completed the necessary roads to have the Indian cities connected immediately. This will be a good deterrent against civil resistance and will grant an easy safe keeping of the conquered cities. Gandhi is driven mad, then war is declared. The first city to fall is Lahore, the city controlling the only source of iron of India. Golden age begins, and the effects are wondrous. With the Colossus in the city, the coastal tiles in Babylon produce 5 gpt each! And the Forbidden Palace in Athens is speeded up a lot. My next move is to go for the Indian capital (capturing everything is on my way), and secure the Pyramids. But the rest of this war will be told in the 2nd spoiler: in 190AD, Currency is researched and i'm finally into the Middle Ages. Too bad the free tech is Monotheism (the most useless), but i can research Feudalism in 13 turns with a 5.4.1 spending. Not bad at all.


Ancient age stats

17 cities. 55 pop units. Army: 11 swordsmen, 8 spearmen, 5 bowmen, 4 catapults, 2 galleys. 7 national workers and a respectable number of slaves. I'm number 1 in all the demographics. Score, power and expecially culture are way superior than anyone else.

Contacts:

1200BC: Greece
1175BC: France, America, India, Korea, Spain.

Wonders:

1700BC: Colossus in Babylon.
50BC: Oracle in Paris (captured).

Research progression:

4000BC: Bronze Working, Ceremonial Burial (prerequisites)
3400BC: Pottery (own research)
2510BC: Alphabet (own research)
1725BC: Writing (own research)
1300BC: Map Making (own research)
1175BC: Warrior Code (own research). Mysticism (trade, Greece). Iron Working (trade, France). Masonry (trade, India). The Wheel (trade, Korea). Horseback Riding (trade, America)
750BC: Polytheism (own research)
690BC: Philosophy, Literature (trade, America). Mathematics (trade, France). Code of Laws (trade, India).
50AD: Monarchy (own research). Republic (trade, America). Construction (trade, France).
190AD: Currency (own research). Monotheism (free scientific tech).

 

[k-a-bob]

I did most of the AA about a month ago, but wasn't quite out of it yet and was just able to get back to the game - so this spoiler is sketchy.
I was able to fit 3 cities on the rock, building Colossus in the capital. I went for Literature, and then map making. Why? I was going to get the Library and I thought I would be able to get my contacts from the Greeks.

I was wrong.

After I get MM and the contacts - the GL is mine and techs roll in. I am able to sneak in 2 cities around the Greeks - and steal the Iron Hill.
I gear up for war with Greece - which was painful. I was able to clear out the capital and Sparta to the north and a southern town, but that was it before I was gassed. Bowmen and Swords are not extremely effective against hoplites.

I let everyone else do the research, so the AA lasted a VERY long time (into the AD). I decide my goal is low score domination - I can take this rock, and my score was pitiful at this point ~100.

I get Mono as my free tech and I have 7 towns and room for more.

 

[civ_steve]

1.27f

I finished and submitted about a week ago, but I've been gone on travel for most of the last week, so here's a few spoiler notes.

Babylon is founded on the spot. It builds two warriors and confirms the amount of land available to Hammurabi is really, really small. Need Map-Making, ASAP, so finish Pottery in 3400 BC, build a Granary shortly after, Alphabet in 2430 BC, Writing and then Map-Making complete in 1200 BC. I built a total of 4 cities (including Babylon) on our little island. One was set to Wealth to pay for the Granary. The others added a few more Warriors to our forces, then just stored Shields for Galleys. Once Map-Making was learned, 2 Galleys completed simultaneously, got loaded up with a Settler and Warrior each, and headed off to the just visible Ivory. We had seen an American Scout flash by with no contact established so we knew there was somebody that way.

Made contact with Greece in 1125 BC. Map-Making was a unique Tech, so we ended up with additional contacts with America, France and India, BW, CB, WC, Wheel, IW and Myst (America held HorseBackRiding uniquely), everyone's WM except America and most of the loose Gold in the land.

At this point I can make some strategic decisions besides 1.) get off Island and 2.) found some more cities. No Iron on starting island, but there is a source that I can snag from Greece (as many have pointed out). I briefly consider building Barracks in core cities, then Warriors followed by upgrades, but that will require lots of construction in marginal cities and two Harbors. Better yet is to build a Barracks on the Main continent, connect Iron to that city and upgrade there. After capturing some cities, I can Palace Jump to my new, more powerful holdings. The city next to the Ivory is chosen for the Barracks because it has a Forest that can be chopped so a Barracks is doable in 10 turns, with a Chop and pop-rush.

I'm able to land two more Settlers and found next to the Iron (along with an intermediate city) by 1000 BC. Here's my QSC holdings:

I found another city to the North, and send a Galley around the continent making contact with Korea in 800 BC, and Spain shortly after. In 650 BC, Iron is connected. After several rounds of minimal research, and some trading of contacts around, I have over 500 Gold, and upgrade 13 Regular Warriors to Swords. The war with Greece is on shortly after that. I lose about 2-1 in Swords vs Hoplites, but first Sparta and then Athens fall. In 350 BC I Abandon Babylon, and Athens is now my capital. Now I build Barracks in the nearby cities, and after capturing Corinth as well, gain Delphi in peace negotiations. Greece is down to 3 widely separated cities.

France and India are next. I actually saw the Greeks capture and raze an Indian city ; I don't think Alex fully grasps the strategic picture! Anyway, I made a deal for Code of Laws with America along the way, and started on a 40 turn research of Republic. Finally learned it in 300 AD, and traded around for remaining Techs; we were in the Middle Ages and a Republic on the same turn. And in a Bowman-induced GA that has just started, set off at the same time as learning Republic. Here's my map at that time:

One of the things I did was carry Warriors to the one tile islands, so I reserved their occupation to my empire. Also, I've captured Paris by this time, and I've got a stack of units adjacent to Lyons, waiting for the city to expand culture now that it's the new French capital; I ended up doing this for several cities to minimize the Settlers I would need. I have another Stack forming near Madras, but I'm not waiting for this city to grow to size 2.

This game was much different from the recent Deity games. At Warlord (a level I've never played before! It was nice to get 3 content citizens) for a good score, you can't rely on the AI for anything. I intend to pursue a quick Domination from here on out, using Swords and Galleys. I'm in Republic for now, but will switch back to Despotism once the GA is over; either way the Gold gained per turn is roughly the same, but the extra Shields are nice for building up my forces.