GOTM 48 first spoiler

[ionimplant]

open, early conquest
i haven't won any gotm/cotm game by conquest yet and decided to try it this time.
settle in place. and very unsurprisingly found Persia very close to me. i know this's gonna be a bloody start....
2900BC, declare war on Persia, destroyed their 2nd city (with my warrior lost 2hp first and then miraculously held on) and captured 1 worker ...
Persia is doomed because i know there just won't be a prosperous Korea and a prosperous Persia at the same time... and the best way is to cripple them at the early stage
2710BC, peace with Persia and got 3gold and warrior code
it seems Persia also rushed a archer in its capitol, bringing the pop to 1... wishing their citizen a happy mood..

triggered Persia golden age at 1350BC.... it had two cities, both with population 1..

the third war will finally get Persepolid for my palace jump.... building up archers for the fatal attack..

it turns out i had way too many archers for my purpose...

the great light house finished at 610BC... my prebuild is 67 tutrns away... my god!

570BC, palace jump...
470BC, Persea left the game... after all the peace treaty breaking and ROP raping,,, i really cannot allow it living on...

190BC, met 7 civs by now and i don't know what they're doing. most of them have only 3 cities besides the capital...

150AD, republic
enter MA around 360AD

quite happy with my current empire... all i need now is to conquer another decent continent and get a great leader to rush the forbidden palace there.

 

[ainwood]

The predator penalty seems quite heavy this time, and this adds fun and challenge to the game. However, this favours too much those who stick with the open class, for scoreboard purposes. A 10% score bonus for the predator class players wouldn't be a bad idea. Anyone supporting this suggestion?

Not here

The predator bonus here isn't that tough - the aim was to reduce the luck factor where a couple of players could get a huge advantage early-on with a lucky warrior rush.

 

[EsatP]

open -> conquest
Game ended without MA. After conquest at 650AD I have 132 swordsmen and 45 galers. Absolutelly tartar-mongol style of game - war on 2-3 fronts without pauses.

 

[shumble]

That's a crazy age. I don't think I could ever do that, but it would be fun to try that with just swordsmen.

 

[ionimplant]

open -> conquest
Game ended without MA. After conquest at 650AD I have 132 swordsmen and 45 galers. Absolutelly tartar-mongol style of game - war on 2-3 fronts without pauses.

this's cool... did you use ship-chain a lot?

 

[Dimy]

indeed...that's quite impressive... on a pangea map I can imagine it.. but with all the island hopping and only galleys... nice job!

 

[EsatP]

this's cool... did you use ship-chain a lot?

No, every ship moving individual. The main wonder - Lighthouse
The main strategy - declare war, alliance, waiting 3-5 turns, invasion.
Sorry terrible english.
Biggest mistake - I kill persian immediate. Crazy AI remove defender from his capital!!! I kill 1 spearment by 2 warrior and persian caput. All tech I learn without help of AI.
From CRPVeiwer (1000 BC)
CM = 203 (best AI 139)
Power = 4412 (best AI 2665)
culture = 132 (best AI 208)
cities = 17 (best AI 6)
from AssistII (975BC)
cityzens = 24
worker = 6 (2 slave)
tech = Bronz, Alph, Mas, Pott, Warr, Writ, Map, Wheel (-1 turn)
No contact AI
I think the best conquistadors kill all around 250-300AD.

 

[Dimy]

Biggest mistake - I kill persian immediate. Crazy AI remove defender from his capital!!! I kill 1 spearment by 2 warrior and persian caput. All tech I learn without help of AI.

At Regent level it's normal to learn all tech yourself, the AI is way too slow. I think it's only smart to get rid of the other civ on your island asap. You have extra territory in control = more points.

 

[al_thor]

Yes, this was a VERY interesting start.
I managed to hook up the Horses during my first war with Persia. I knew that peace would not last, so I concentrated on Barracks, Horsemen, and Spear.

About 15 turns into our peace, Xerxes sent several Archer, Spear and Warrior into my territory, a rather obvious portent of his intentions. I quickly turned Science off and made a HUGE Gold-per-turn deal with him for several techs (can't remember which ones, probably Iron Working, Writing, Masonry). As expected, he declared war on the next turn

This war lasted for quite some time. The horses were absolutely critical, as Xerxes was building Immortals. Using horse and spear, I surrounded Persipolis, disconnecting all of the roads and starving him down to size 4.

I obviously did not conquer Persia as fast as the others here. I took all of his cities on the main continent, but he had established himself with 5 cities on the large island to the northwest. For peace, he gave me 3 of those cities, one of which I quickly filled with military which was used to finally exteriminate the Persian nemesis.

I did get two Great Leaders, one of which I used for the Hanging Gardens. I built the Great Library on my own, hoping to maybe trigger a GA (not). I did manage to get like 5, 6, or 7 free techs from this, so it wasn't a complete waste. The other leader was used to re-locate the Palace into Persipolis.

My suicide galleys did quite well. I knew all other civs except for one by the time I reached the MA.

Inexplicably, I decided that, with the Hanging Gardens and a decent-sized Monarchy, I would become a Dairy Farmer and go for a "milked" game. I have never tried this before, so what the heck. After finishing this game, now I know why I have never grabbed a bucket, a handful of teat and started pulling - it's tedious work stretched out to 2050!

 

[ValOwnz]

Well this was (and still is) actually my 1st GOTM. i have been playing civ for quite a while and only now discovered the community. normally i play continents on monarch difficulty level, i dont use as much fleet, so this was defently going to be a challange.

After establishing a first city, a tile souther then the starting location, i figured out that in the worst case situation im not alone on the island. therefore i spend 20 minuts figuring out my 2nd turn. i knew i had an advantage of the pikeman, and leting him sit in my town, especially on regent, is not as smart, as i could use him to scout.
i found the persian right on, luckily the AI built a warior 1st, so i jumped on the situation. and attacked persepolis with my pikeman, it was a chance, but the win situation was FAR better then loosing a pikeman, especially when none of the other players had it. Persepolis was conquered on turn 6.

the rest is history. quick city build on the island, then i met an english galley which gave me contact with some other civs. and trading world maps helped me to see who is the weakest link and take them out.

the english took out the norse. the french took out the indians. the zulu took out the aztecs. i entered MA at about 300 AD. swiftly following to Industrial times.

Moderator Action: The rest of this post deleted, as it was way outside the spoiler range.

Welcome to GOTM and CivFanatics. BUT ... Please read and follow the spoiler conditions before reading or posting - AlanH

 

[killerkid]

@Al-thor

What victory condition are you going for, histo?
My histo Firaxis score was 2277 . I bet you can beat that score if you were going for histo!!

 

[Rubruk]

I have build Seoul at the starting position, then 3 warriors and one settler. My first warrior met a persian warrior. Then I decided to take the best land near to the persian borders, build some more towns, units and attack. So the second town was founded on the hill next to the cow NE of Persepolis, the third one a bit southeast such that the way to the mountains was closed. Then a town on the hill next to the fish north of the mountains, one town on the spice and three town on hills south of the mountains. First I researched warrior code, next Iron working in order to find Iron. But there was only one source below Persepolis that is on a hill defended by two spears. Next I got the wheel and realized that the horses where within my borders.

Having horses, an Immortal in plains or grassland is a dead Immortal. However, I took much time to build up my forces. When I have hokked up a second source of spice, I traded it immediately against a science, because Xerxes was treatening from time to time. I gave him the gold he wanted. But in about 100 bc, the priest of his temple came to him and told him that one day, all the world will be ruled from Persepolis. Thus Xerxes thought that he will win a war and send his troops. Unfortunately, he forgot to tell his trade advisor, so when the Persian troops crossed the border, I bought three contacts other civs and some gold for spices and gold per turn. Facing the decision between calling the warrior back and war, Xerxes declared war. Maybe the spices wherent spicy enough.

Then, in 50bc an epic war began. My horseman and archer destroyed the first wave of about 4 immortals and some warriors. Then the horseman completely disconnected Persepolis, and destroyed all improvements. So, no Iron out of persepolis. Then I started to attack all other persian cities, but unfortunately, the Persians had completet the great wall. Finally I took most of the Persian cities, but some revolted, so they where razed.

Then I build 7 catapults. They startet to bomb Persepolis. First, nothing happened.

Then CATAPULTS DESTROYED THE PALACE, THE PYRAMIDS AND THE GREAT WALL !!!

They are worse than nuclear weapons. Then I took all persian cities on our island and made peace. I got an almost complete world map, all sciences known so far, gold and some contacts and one of the two remaining persian towns on another island. The first part of the war took until 800 AD.

During the peace time, two of the former persian cities on my continent revoltet. After the expiring I tokk all three persian cities, and the persian empire has completely been integrated.

About exploration: I have send only one galley, but since the AI passes around world maps, I got an (almost) complete world map in the peace treaty.

The prophecy of the old persian priest may or may not become true, in any case different than Xerxes has understood.

 

[7Losses]

I'm very interested to hear how the GOTM-AI got on with this start. I can't imagine that it would have done all that well.

As for my start, I managed to complete 3 cities before being left with nowhere to build so I simply amassed archers and took out persepolis.

Took 8 archers to do it, but after that I could sue for peace.
I decided to take all their cities instead of techs so I could kill them before they contacted the outside world. this worked and I managed to destroy Persia aroun 900 BC and immediately palace jumped to Persepolis.

Fortunately they didn't managed to get an immortal out.

 

[Redbad]

@Al-thor

What victory condition are you going for, histo?

That will make three of us, as I'm too going histo.
I didn’t plan on doing a spoiler, but here are some details.

Settled 2S, building granary and three cities. Then barracks and an archer rush on the X-man. I captured Persopolis with the Pyramids and did a palace-jump. I build the Glight myself. At the end of the AA the Persians and over-sea civ A. are destroyed.

 

[Twonky]

open, goal domination

I built Seoul 2S, the Worker mines and roads the wheat. First build is a warrior who contacts Persia in 3350 BC. A Granary is constructed in our capital - a mistake, as I plan to jump the palace anyway. Only one more town is founded, the two cows N of Persepolis just needed to be claimed. After a barracks in 2150 BC Seoul is building Archers only, at a decent rate once it reached 10spt. Trades with Xerxes give WC, Masonry and a slave.
In 1625 BC Persia demands gold and declares upon denial. I only have 4 Archers and a warrior, but the war is proceeding well, because Xerxes had focussed on expansion. In 1450 BC, Susa is destroyed and Antioch obtained in a peace deal.
Now I had to make a decision: Wait for the Pyramids in Persepolis or strike now. I chose the latter and take the town in 1250 BC, Arbela and Tarsus are gained in the peace deal. The last town of Pasargadae is taken after its border expansion in 1000 BC and Persia is destroyed.

QSC-stats
7 towns with 14 citizens, one granary and 2 barracks
1 settler, 1 worker , 4 slaves, 2 reg. warriors, 1 vet. spearman, 1 elite archer, 10 vet. archers
12 techs, just started on CoL

Preparations are now taken for a palace jump to Persepolis. Raising a RCP4 includes relocation of 3 former persian towns.
1000 BC:

 

[Più Freddo]

Class: Open

Goal: Fast domination

Didn't take notes on this one.

3900 BC Settled 2S. Built two Warriors, then mostly Settlers. No
Granary. Research The Wheel.

2630 BC Founded P'yongyang on the hill close to the Cattle. Later
founded three more cities in between

1000 BC Five towns, nine Archers, three Warriors as MP.

825 BC Took Persepolis with eight veteran Archers. Got two more cities
in peace deal. Later founded two more cities in RPC4 around
Persepolis.

I have Galleys out and have met other civilizations, but as I
interpret the spoiler rules this does not disqualify me from
describing later events on the home continent.

390 BC Palace jump

90 BC Have thrown the Persians off the island. They are still out
there with one city.

50 AD Discover The Republic

210 AD Exit Ancient Ages. Working on moving one formerly Persian city
one tile to get six coastal cities in RCP 4. Finished this in the
Middle Ages in 330 AD.

 

[denyd]

For those interested in my results, after destroying the evil Persians, I was able to settle into a peaceful mode for the balance of the game. After I completed the game, I tried 3 more times to deal peacefully with Persia and even with the map pre-knowledge, all 3 times I was gone before 10 AD. In one case I managed to get 11 cities on the map by 1000 BC before Xerxes decided it was time for me to go and after he broke the peace treaty for the second time in 15 turns Seoul fell to 5 Immortals and I was gone in 300 BC.

 

[Megalou]

Meaglou checking in. I'm going for 100K. I had a weird start, attacking Persepolis twice without success. So I flipped palace to the wheat and cow area instead, planning to get Perspolis at distance 4. The failed attacks were time consuming but OK because they prevented Persia from taking the horses and a few other sites. The third time was lucky. But I'll be glad to reach 100K before 1800 AD.

This start map started out very interestingly but recently my starts have deteriorated. I entered MA around 280 AD, instantly getting all first layer techs. By this time the Persians were reduced to one town. The main plan is to take the Great Lighthouse from France. Eventually I also hope to capture Great Library, because I will need money for upgrades and rushing of culture.

 

[al_thor]

@Redbad & Killerkid:
Dang! X-man did not do me the courtesy of building any nice wonders for me to conquer.
And another "dang it" for you guys going histo - I'm sure to be out-shined, certainly by the more skilled Redbad (I did do better than Killerkid, but I won't say exactly how much better).
In my game, X-man was too busy with his military build-up to take time out for wonder building. That would have made my job easier if he would have put all of those shields towards a wonder. As it was, I had a heck of a time rooting him out - Persipolis was at size 12, sitting on top of that Iron, pumping out Immortals. This alone slowed my game down to where I'm sure Redbad (and others) will crush the score that I submitted.

Sort of makes me wonder what the difference was in our games - why did Xerxes build Pyramids in your game (and probably in most others) and yet build nothing in my game? Bummer.

 

[denyd]

I didn't give him the chance to build the Pyramids. After his first settler left the nest and Persepolis went to size 1, we were at war until he was gone. Neither of us ever got beyond spearmen, warrior & archers. I found in my replays that once he got Iron Working he dedicated himself to eliminating me.