GOTM 50 - The ancient era

[ainwood]

GOTM-50: The ancient era.

To qualify for this spoiler, you must have:

1. Reached the beginning of the middle ages, and
2. Have contact with 11 other civilizations (or there remains), and
3. Have enough map to know the locations of all other civilizations' capitals.

The starting location gave you a choice as to which of a number of resources to target. How did you set your capital to optimise the placement?

Did you adjust anything in your play style because of the large map?

 

[tR1cKy]

First post in the spoiler thread! Well, this is just an anticipation, once my current session is over i will save the game then hopefully post a spoiler with a pair of shots.

Ok, settled in place. The scout goes west, as it seems the best location for city 2. Met the Iroquois quite soon, and a few other civilizations very early. The build order of Mecca is scout -> scout -> scout -> settler. The scouts go exploring in different directions - a good move, as it will be seen later. Cities are built around Mecca at RCP 4.5, and a second ring at quasi-RCP 9 is also built.

For the most part, research is set at bare minimum, with techs being traded. Iron Working is mastered, and no iron is around. The Wheel is mastered, and no horses are around! The nearest sources are in Iroquois and Aztec territory; if we want to go a little farther, there are the Persians

Lately, someone discovers Map Making, and my world map turns out to be extremely valuable. With it i buy the tech, then trade for Code of Laws and Horse Riding. The hut performance was abysmal, with only 5 of them discovered: 1 map, 1 worker, 1 deserted village and 2 techs.

In the early ancient i try to max out expansion, but obviously i lack some experience. The 1000BC mark is hit with 11 cities, and it could have been done better. In 670 BC, someone made it into the middle ages and a barb uprising follows. There's a warrior in the range of a hut i didn't have time to destroy; it sees 24 barb horses coming out. Some troops amassed south are recalled to face the barbs, leaving exposed the Aztec border. As it will be seen in the MA spoiler, those pukes won't miss the chance to complicate my game

Middle Ages are reached in 630 BC, still in Despotism and too early (but i would have gained nothing at this point to remain in the AA). At least a war will have to be fought with archers and spears, and they will be at risk of facing enemy pukemen. My 1st planned target are the Aztecs, the easiest enemy to overcome. Then, with swordsmen, we could deal with Iroquois and Persia, and build some horsemen to be upgraded later.

As will be seen later (next year!) things don't always go as planned. I feel like i won't be so effective as in game 49, but it's ok. This map is just plain EVIL - and some veterans of the GotMs have surely noticed a pair of things...

 

[Obormot]

I moved the settler towards wheat and then saw the fish and moved further for a 4-turner. I took the risk of going straight for a granary. Usually it works, but this time i didn't get away with it. The evil persian knig Ronald declared on me and his warrior walked into my capital. Conquest loss on monarch.

 

[ainwood]

I moved the settler towards wheat and then saw the fish and moved further for a 4-turner. I took the risk of going straight for a granary. Usually it works, but this time i didn't get away with it. The evil persian knig Ronald declared on me and his warrior walked into my capital. Conquest loss on monarch.

Oops! So the game you had 6 weeks to complete was over in around 6 minutes then?

 

[Nata]

PTW Open.
Goal: 20K.

4000BC. Scout East, sees more Hills and a possible 20K location 2SE from the start. 5 hills and 3BG in radius plus Wheat, on fresh water. Should it be a palace or a 2nd city?

But BG Cow looks good for an quick Settler factory start, and I deside to put my capital there. After much thinking I deside to put Mecca on BG, 1NW, to save a turn and minimize corruption in 20K. Mecca can be a 6-turner without this shield and it will regain it later when it'll be done with settler duties.
It means my 1st ring will be RCP3. Also I can use tiles improved for Mecca when 20K comes online.

3950BC. Build Mecca. 20K city will be on RCP3. Mecca will be a 6-turner. Build: Scout,Granary, Settler,...
Neighbours: lots of Religious and Expansionists.
Research? Let's do Wheel as Horse will be essential to our game.
3500BC - Scout#1 pops a warrior.
3400BC - Scout#2 contacts Iroquese. Hey, where did ya get that name?! We are even in everything.
3100BC - meet Persia. They have BW & Masonry but won't trade for our Pottery and 52g.
3050BC - Granary completes. Settler is started.
2850BC - WC from a hut. BW+1 from Persia for Pottery (they now trade).

2670BC - 20K Medina built. Starts Temple.

2590BC - meet Aztecs.

2310BC - Temple completes.

2190BC - Complete Wheel but 3 neighbours know it already.
Buy Mysticism from Aztecs for 100 g, sell it to Persia for Masonry+34g, get IW from Germans for CB+Pottery+Wheel.
2030BC - meet Zulu.
1910BC - Meet Otto.
1870BC - meet Carthage, obtain Alphabet from him for CB+Wheel. Start Writing.
Meet Russians, then England contacted us offering Writing for IW+40g, we buy with 8 turns of research left and start Lit.
Then trade contacts around and have all contacts.
1175BC - buy 2 workers.

1100BC - Oracle completes.

QSC stats at 1000BC - 8 cities, 23 pop. 4 workers, 4 slaves (traded), 2 scouts, 5 warriors, 1 spear. All contacts.
1 granary, 1 barracks, 2 temples, Oracle.
Have Lit, missing MM, Math, Poly, CoL, Curr, Constr. Can trade for MM, Math and CoL but won't yet.

975BC - Discover Philosophy and trade for CoL, MM, Math and gold via big picture. Also trade TMs around.

950BC - Library.

490BC - Lose GLib in a cascade which also takes away Pyramids, Colossus, GW and GLH. I could have built Colossus at least but I wanted to wait until I get Republic for GA.

370BC - researched Republic, traded via Big picture to Tech parity, entered MA, revolted.
Osman has Feudalism: he is the Scientific one, then. But he won't trade to us yet, not for Republic.

Next step is to research Monarchy while prebuilding for Hanging Gardens.

As can be seen on this end-of-age picture we lost the Western horse to Iroquese but managed to grab Southern Iron before Aztecs and have 10+ vet.warriors ready for upgrade. Plan is to attack Aztecs with Swords and take their Horse.

 

[MarcoPolo]

4000 BC

Moved Settler one square west to get the cow when founding Mecca.
Worker to build road-mine-road towards Wine then come back for cow.
Science to 100% to Research Alphabet while Mecca grows.
Build order for Mecca Warrior->Granary->Warrior->Warrior->Settler
Sent my Scout West but he finds no huts of value.

Meet the Iraqouis going West followed by Ottoman and Russians.
Warrior Meets the Persians going East then finds England and Zulu.
More Warriors are sent to the North and find a lot of Jungle and barbarians.
Trade for contact with Carthage, India and Korea.

I do a lot of early trading for Contacts and for Early techs. I get Bronze Working,
The Wheel, Masonry, Warrior Code, Horseback Riding and Iron Working. I keep researching towards Literature.

Iraqouis didn't like where Damacus was located because of the horses.
They send a bunch of Warriors to their deaths. My Spearman quickly becomes elite.
We sign a peace treaty and become trading partners again.

Started a Pre-Build with the The Pyramids for GL later.

I had to trade for Map Making to prevent shield loss when The Pyramids where built by Ottomans in 590BC.

Barbarian Uprising killed Spearman then sacks Najran, reducing it by 4 citizens and taking over 500 gold

Finally get Literature researched. England decides they need it too and declare War when I refused to give it to them.

470BC
The Great Library is finally constructed.

Peace made with England for Literature.
Set Research to 0 and Started building a Horseman army.
GL produces a bunch of techs including Feudalism and Monotheism.
Sold Monotheism and made a bunch gold.


50BC
Horseman Army is ready to go to War.

The Aztecs seem kind of weak and they do have some Iron...

 

[Marc Aurel]

I moved the settler towards wheat and then saw the fish and moved further for a 4-turner. I took the risk of going straight for a granary. Usually it works, but this time i didn't get away with it. The evil persian knig Ronald declared on me and his warrior walked into my capital. Conquest loss on monarch.

Really a pity, since you missed a great contest with the much nicer king Obormot of the Aztecs. Would have been interesting to see the case Obormot against Obormot. In any case exciting to see how all the elite players deal with their namesakes. Did you spare your AI brothers or hit them more than ever?

 

[ionimplant]

after the barbarian uprising (i think i had three groups of 10+ horsemen coming from three different directions at the same time), i spent all my money and established embassies with all 11 civilizations and bought the world map. i remember i first did it with Korea and looking at their map, i was plainly startled and then after i did it with German, the surprise is replaced with nostalgia... what a great map!
btw, i am playing for 20K. and by mistake established my culture city besides a lake, instead of sea.. therefore i couldn't build the colossus. the pyrimid is built by iraquois and the great wall by england. i did manage to build all the other AA wonders. i played the game kind of in hurry and made a lot of mistakes. the biggest one of them is that i find no city can use that starting cow!

 

[Scratcher]

PTW - Open, Planned victory.....at 4000BC unknown.

This is my first post in the GOTM forums. I played GOTM 49 and completed a domination win in 1610ad. I was very pleased as Emperor level is usually above my abilities until I saw saw some of dates victories were achieved! Hats off, there are some good players here! I also didn't keep a game log so I could not really contribute to the threads but this time I made a better effort.

So, decisions, decisions, How to begin with this start?

I took the easier decision first. I checked the rival civs via the space race screen and no one had The Wheel as a starting tech. Arabia also has a mounted UU and it wouldn’t hurt to know where the horses are as soon as possible. So The wheel will be the first research.
Now what to do with that settler? After a bit of arithmetic, that bonus grassland cattle would reap better rewards if it could be used as early as possible. So the settler was instructed to move NW,W, the worker was moved NW and the scout SE,SE.
This was the 4000BC opening move.

3900BC, Mecca settled, research at minimum, and my first build was scout, scout, scout and settler. A scout was sent in each direction to find goody huts and contacts.
3450BC the scout sent to the west meets the Iroquois. No tech trade possible. The scout to the east pops warrior code.
3250BC Contact made with the Persians. Persia up Bronze Working and Masonry, but we are up Pottery, Warrior code and Ceremonial Burial. Pottery and CB traded for BW +10g. This was the best deal available.
3100BC 2nd city Medina founded.
2950BC warrior popped.
2710BC Contact with Aztecs, nothing to trade.
2590BC Contact with Ottomans, gave CB + Pottery for Masonry +10g.
2510BC Contact with English, gave Masonry for Alphabet +10g. All first tier techs are now known except The wheel which will be complete in 11 turns.
2390BC Somewhere in the distant NW a goody hut provides a small city, a scout is lost to barbs and Persia has completed The wheel. 3rd city Damascus founded.
2230BC Trade with the Aztecs, they give The Wheel +35g for Masonry.
Research set at minimum to HB riding. No horses to be seen in the immediate surroundings. One seen towards the Iroquois'.
2190BC 4th city Baghdad founded.
2150BC Trade with the Aztecs, they give IW for the Wheel +98g, no iron to be seen in the surrounding area. One seen to the SW, near to the Aztecs. No iron or horses near. What now, an Archer rush?
2030BC Contact with Korea. Nothing to trade.
1910BC 5th city Narjan founded.
1790BC Mysticism traded from the Aztecs for our alphabet.
1675BC 6th city Kufah founded.
1525BC Horseback Riding is completed. The Persians have a monopoly on Writing and want the earth to trade for it. Research set to Polytheism, and head for Monarchy. The Aztecs have settled over the nearest source of Iron. War must be fought soon with archers.
1500BC Iroquois demand horseback riding. My military is not yet ready for war so reluctantly I agree.
1450BC Contact made with the Russians. The Persians are contacted and we give them Horseback riding and 30g for Writing and contact with the Zulus.
We trade Masonry with the Zulus for contact with Carthage and 15g.
1350BC English demand contact with the Iroquois. We refuse, and the English declare war. No real immediate danger, a scout and our distant city are probably most at risk.
1250BC 7th city Basra founded.
1225BC Baghdad successfully defended against barbs and the palace has a lovely patio for BBQ’s.
1125BC Two English warriors approach our distant city of Damascus which is only defended by a reg warrior. Surprisingly only one of the warriors attacks and our warrior is promoted to vet.
1100BC 8th city Kurasan founded. An archer also nears Damascus.
1050BC Our lone warrior defends against an English warrior and an archer and promotes to elite. Our scout in the English area however is becoming cornered and can not possibly survive much longer. Polytheism completed and Monarchy researched at minimum, will be complete in 40 turns.
1000BC 2 more English warriors approach Damascus. After his previous heroics I hope our elite warrior can survive.
950BC Again only one of the English warriors attack and we survive. Ottomans demand polytheism, we decline and the Ottomans back down.
800BC We declare war on the Aztecs while moving a stack of 5 vet archers and 1 spearman next to their iron city. The Russians join the Aztecs in a war against us. We are now at war with the English, the Aztecs and the Russians.
775BC Aztec city falls and is destroyed. We have a settler on hand to form a new city and to hook up the iron.
750BC 9th city Anjar founded for the iron.
730BC. Our monopoly on Polytheism is broken, so tech is traded with all possible civs and including map trading and we gain mathematics, philosophy, code of laws, map making and 308g. This will help with warrior upgrades.
680BC Aztec city of Teotihuacan destroyed.
630BC There are too many Aztec troops bearing down on Anjar and our connection of iron is in jeopardy, so peace is agreed and also peace is negotiated with the Russians for their WM, TM 15g and 1 worker,
590BC 10th city Fustat founded and iron connected, upgrade of warriors to swords.
530BC War declared on Iroquois. 11th city Aden founded.
510BC 12th city Yamama founded. 13th city Tanawanda captured, with horses, from Iroquois.
490BC Iroquois city of Caughnawaga destroyed.
430BC Iroquois city Tyendenga destroyed. Iroquois city Kahnawake destroyed. 14th city Iroquois capital city Salamanca captured with pyramids and starved.
390BC The English demand Territory map and 53g. We give this. The English seem to be very interested in our far away city Damascus. We will just continue to build defences here.
350BC a massive uprising is reported near Futsat. We are beginning to fall behind in tech as we still research Monarchy at only 10%. Still 9 turns to go, no one has monarchy or republic yet.
330BC The expected counter attack of Salamanca occurs and we manage to get an elite swordsman to get our first GL. Immediately the FP is rushed in Salamanca.
310BC A second GL is obtained and the Great Library is rushed in Salamanca. A temporary cease fire is negotiated with the Iroquois for the missing Techs of currency and construction. We continue to research Monarchy at 10% and will be complete in 7 turns, Everyone is still in despotism.
290BC 15th city Mansura founded.
Feudalism and Engineering gained from the GL.

Here ends the AA, we have a Forbidden Palace, the Great Library, 15 cities, iron and horses conected and the prospects for a lot of war.

I hope I have not bored you to death and wish you all a Merry christmas!

 

[Più Freddo]

Predator Domination Challenge

Taking A Long Aim

Our Scout Altair went SE and then S in the direction where the most
land appeared to be. The Settler and Worker followed south-east and
Mecca was founded two tiles away from the Bonus Grassland Wheat, which
would be workable after ten turns. The capital location was chosen so
that the strong location by the Cattle would fall on an inner ring at
distance four. Six cities would fit in this ring. The Wheat also had
the advantage over the Cattle that it had direct access to fresh
water. The Cattle site appears to have been specifically designed for
20' culture with its fake ocean access and many Hills and Bonus
Grassland tiles.

The Worker roaded his way towards the Wheat and then irrigated. This
saved worker turns on the way back and irrigation was completed on
time anyway. Build order in Mecca was Scout, Scout, Scout, Granary,
Settler, Worker and Settler, with the first Settler coming only in
2470 BC. The first Warrior was built as late as 2150 BC in Damascus,
our second settled city. Domination on a large map needs a long aim
and a deep foundation.

The basic idea is to expand as fast as possible but not as long as the
AI is apt to do, establish Republic, work the land in anticipation of
the Golden Age, build up an enormous army during the Golden Age and
then take one civilization after the other, or more at once, always
rushing cheap Temples in captured cities, until the domination limit
is hit. No war before Ansar Warriors. The first Great Military Leader
is to be used to rush the Forbidden Palace in a suitable second core
and the rest for Armies. Build no Wonders, but capture them,
especially The Pyramids and Sun Tzu's Military Academy.


Scouting

Altair was followed by Saad, Muhtadi and Muwaffaq, each going along a
different arm of the land in the search for other civilizations and
possibly a couple of Goody Huts.

3500 BC Ronald of the Persians
3150 BC Obormot of the Aztecs
3100 BC WackenOpenAir of the Iroquois
2710 BC zamint3 of the Ottomans
2550 BC MiniMe of the Germans
2430 BC Durkz of the Russians
2390 BC klarius of the Carthaginians
2310 BC SirPleb of the Indians
2270 BC Shaka of the Zulu
1475 BC EsatP of the Koreans
1475 BC Dynamic of the English​

What about Shaka!? Never heard of him before.

3200 BC Saad: An advanced tribe has joined us
2950 BC Saad: Pottery
2850 BC Saad: Nothing
670 BC Horseman: Polytheism
410 BC Horseman: Construction​

Getting Medina in what could have been the Aztec core as early as 3200
BC was of course very fortunate. I built a Temple (rush after ten
turns), Spearman and Walls in fear of the Aztecs Jaguar Warriors, but
they never attacked.


Research

Lacking Alphabet I started off pretending to research Mysticism
(0%). In 2710 BC for some reason I, Più Freddo, lost my nerve and
started researching Iron Working. Very embarrassing. Alphabet came in
in 2390 BC and I could not start immediately on Writing and so had to
buy it in the end instead of buying something for it

3500 BC Learn Bronze Working
3150 BC Learn Warrior Code
2950 BC Learn Pottery
2390 BC Learn The Wheel
2390 BC Learn Mysticism
2390 BC Learn Alphabet
1830 BC Learn Horseback Riding
1790 BC Discover Iron Working one turn after Iroquios
1475 BC Learn Writing with three turns left on self research
1200 BC Discover Philosophy
925 BC Discover Literature
925 BC Learn Mathematics
925 BC Learn Map Making
775 BC Learn Code of Laws
670 BC Learn Polytheism
410 BC Learn Construction, enter Middle Ages​

Currency should be there somewhere, I seem to have forgotten to log
it. I gifted Persia. Persia and Ottomans both got Monotheism. I'm
researching The Republic.


The Home Front

After irrigating the Wheat, the Worker mined to Bonus Grassland tiles
and ready was our 36-shield, 6-turn Settler Factory. Since the Factory
would operate at a population as low as three, but population in the
beginning due to Granary construction as as high as six, I could build
my first five Settlers in five turns apiece. I then had to start
building a Warrior between every couple of Settlers in order to
restore population. For the Warriors I would lower production to four
shields on the first turn by working the Lake. I also worked the Lake
at every growth turn, since I couldn't use more than the nominal six
shields per turn. The last Settler was produced in Mecca in 370 BC, a
few turns into the Middle Ages. I produced a few Settlers also in
other cities, and many Workers.

3950 BC Mecca
3200 BC Medina
2310 BC Damascus
2110 BC Baghdad
1910 BC Najran
1700 BC Kufah
1575 BC Khurasan
1575 BC Basra
1400 BC Anjar, the sixth and last city in the inner ring
1200 BC Fustat
1075 BC Aden
1050 BC Yamama
950 BC Muscat
825 BC Mansura
825 BC Bokhara
775 BC Aleppo
650 BC Fez
610 BC Shiraz
410 BC Balkh​

The Workers managed to connect the following resources in the Ancient Age:

2110 BC Incense
1475 BC Wine
1225 BC Horses in Medina only​

Foreign Events

In anticipation of a Barbarian attack which actually proved to fail I
established Embassies with eight civilizations in 1475 BC. In 925 BC I
had a complete map of the world. In 630 BC The Pyramids were completed
in Berlin and Germany jumped to the top of my list of vicitms. England
decided to attack us in 470 BC and destroyed Fez in the northern
jungles. I allied Germany and Korea against England and never saw or
heard anything more of England until we could sign a profitable peace
agreement.


Quick Start Challenge

12 Cities
24 Citizens
2 Granaries
7 Temples
1 Barracks
1 Walls
2 Luxuries
1 Resource, sort of
11 Contacts
1 Settler
5 Workers
4 Slaves
12 Warriors
1 Archer
1 Spearman
1 Horseman
lacking approximately half of the Ancient Age Technologies

4531 QSC Points


The Arab Empire in 410 BC

 

[AlanH]

Predator class.

Haven't played one for a while, so to try to stop my GR disappearing altogether, and in honour of the 50th month of the competition, and to keep sane while monitoring 500 submissions for C-IV GOTM 01, I thought I'd give this one a shot.

My usual war-mongering style would probably be well-suited to this map, with lots of civs to kill, and a fast attack unit as UU. Little did I know that I'd have to fight for the right even to build horses, let alone Ansars.

Did I adjust my usual play style? I built at radius four and seven instead of 3 and 5, but I've done that before, even on a standard map. And I decided I'd better build some cheap temples to help me to hold my ill-gotten gains against flips. My military build rate was relatively low in the early stages as it loked as though the land grab phasew would keep teh AI busy for a while before they started looking at my patch. I've been building more workers recently anyway, but this map is the first where my worker count matches or exceeds my military unit count.

My other change of style is that I took no notes for this game, and I don't have a QSC save. Sorry

Starting moves
I listened very carefully to Ainwood's comment that the wheat was on a bonus grass tile. It was also on fresh water, and the cattle wasn't. As the scout moved east it also appeared there was more land in that direction, and the fish became visible. That clinched it. A four turn factory was possible so Mecca was founded two tiles from the start. I then built scouts, a token warrior and a granery. Mecca's settlers rolled out a first ring at radius 4.x, and a second at 7.x building workers and barracks and archers.

Research
I ran minimum research up the Mysticism/Polytheism branch, and built a second scout then a warrior, then another scout. The scouts did a good job of research, popping four or five techs from huts. That plus trades kept me up to speed with the AI. After Polytheism I switched to full speed research and I was first to Literature and then Republic. The central position gave me lots of opportunities for contact trading and then map trades, and my treasury was pretty well stocked for the whole era. It did seem a little weird negotiating with SirPleb, Queen/King Dynamic , Obormot, Klarius and the rest.

Early war
I expected the eastern Persians to be my noisiest neighbour, and in the absence of nearby iron or horses I started to build a small army of archers to keep an eye on them. As it happened, Persia kept a very low profile. The western Iroquois, on the other hand, showed up at my gates in force and captured my cattle city, destroying my shiny new temple! My small band of archers weren't focused on that spot, so I pop rushed a couple more archers near to the Iroquois link. They quickly recaptured the city and I then held and developed the land bridge to Iroquois territory, batting off occasional Mounted Warrior raids. I set up an alliance with the Aztecs and Ottomans to keep them all occupied during the Iroquois golden age, and built a stronger archer army to capture Oil Springs with its horses. After the alliances expired I negotiated peace, gaining two Iroquois towns in out of the way places.

Peaceful Coexistence
The rest of the Ancient Era was fairy uneventful. My late build-up had brought me to 'average' vs most other civs, but with England and Ottomans looking like being the next gorrillas to worry about. I let the AI build the wonders, traded maps at a profit most turns, and moved ahead in technology. I have an insane number of workers by my usual standards, because of the distances involved on this big map and to tame the jungly north. Luckily the territory yields a lot of cash, and the Iroquois war declaration produced war happiness to keep entertainment expenses down, so I was never seriously short of money. Barb camps were also a useful source of income.

That's the way it is as we move into the Medieval Age, but peace will not last long. There's unclaimed iron way down south, and an easier source in the mountains just south of my home territory. The Aztecs are currently looking after it for me, but I'm sure they'll see reason if my horsemen ask for it nicely

I'll try to find a suitable end-of-era piccy to post when I get home.

[EDIT] No end-of era image, but here's one that shows my early city plan and my great military strength at 1600 BC ...

 

[Nata]

I gifted Persia. Persia and Ottomans both got Monotheism.

What?! Persia was scientific too? I thought Ainwood ment to leave only one Sci Civ and after I saw Ottomans getting a Tech I didn't even bother to check the rest.
OK, Persia is dead in my game and nothing would bring her back now. Sheesh.

 

[MarcoPolo]

Wow Freddo!

 

[ainwood]

What about Shaka!? Never heard of him before.

Might be because you grabbed the starting save within a few minutes of me posting it..... I <think> I fixed it within about 10 minutes...

 

[ignas]

Decide to play GOTM50. Going for 20K victory.
Found Mecca in 3950 Bc 1 tile north from starting location.Built scout and settler as fast as possible (finishing it in 3200Bc) to build culture city.Medina was found in 3050Bc SE, SE, S from capital on the lake and near the wine.From then all resources were spent for building culture. Mecca finished granary and built many workers to join and improve Medina. Because of that my QSC stats were meagre:4 towns, 1 city, 21pop, 5workers and 3 slaves.
20K culture city buildings in AA:
2590BC Temple,
1375BC The Oracle,
650BC The Great Library,
510BC Library,
90BC The Hanging Gardens.
30 Bc enter MA after getting construction from GLib
i'm glad i'm not the only person going for 20K victory

 

[shumble]

My brief GOTM 50.

I was going for a 20K Cultural Victory, and probably not doing that great, but then Persia threatened me and I accidentally did not give them what they wanted (20 GP) so I died soon after.

 

[Randy]

Mecca founded in 4000 BC. My first build will be a warrior. I study “Alphabet” at 100%.

The scout heads NW. In 3700 BC the scout sees purple border. The following turn we meet WachenOpenAir leader of the Iroquois. No trades are made.

In 3600 BC our first warrior is trained. He stands guard in Mecca while we build a settler. In 3500 I send him ahead to the NE to look at city locations.

Our scout meets zamint3 leader of the Ottomans in 3150 BC. No trades at this time.

The first settler head off toward the cow. The next turn in 2950 BC we found Medina.

Before the start of 2800 BC a blue warrior stepped into view of my warrior but before I could say hello a barb killed my warrior.

In 2590 the blue warrior finally comes into view. It’s Ronald of Persia. We trade with him and get 10gp (all he has) plus “Warrior Code” for Pottery. “Ceremonial Burial is traded for “Bronze Working”.

The next turn 2550 BC we learn “Alphabet” and it is traded to the Ottomans for “Masonry”. We study “Writing” at 100%.
Durkz of Russia is met in 2510 BC. They nave nothing to trade for.

In 2310 BC Medina builds a settler he heads to the wines a road is in place. Damascus is founded in 2230 BC hooking up the wines. In the same turn we barb village and trade the Iroquois “Alphabet” for the “Wheel”.

Mecca builds a settler in 2150 BC. Baghdad founded in 2070 BC this will put incense in our land after the road is finished. We get Iron Working from Persia the same turn.

1910 BC our first archer is trained he will be used to secure horses. In 1700 BC an Iroquois warrior/settler is in position to get our horses. We declare starting THE HORSE WAR of 1700BC. An archer takes out the pair and we have our first two slaves.

“Writing” is learned in 1650 BC. “Code of Laws” is studied at 100%.

1600 BC after 100 years of war the Iroquois have started to send unit in my direction. I see 2 warriors and an archer. I have not been trying to advance toward any cities but have been building up a force around the horses. By 1525 all Iroquois offence has been stopped but barbs have been seen SW of our land.

Najran founded in 1500 BC this puts the Iroquois horse in our land but it’s a first ring city to the Iroquois. Peace is made with the Iroquois our goal of horses is finished. Now to find iron.

Kufah founded in 1475 BC this is our wheat city. We also kill a barb horse.

In 1400 BC we know MiniMe of Germany. We get “Horseback Riding in a trade.

Basra founded in 1375 this is our first 2nd ring city as Najran is 3rd ring.

1275 BC SirPleb of India is known.

1175 BC we learn “Code of Laws” and trade it for “Mathematics” and “Mysticism”. “Philosophy” at 100%.

1125 BC met Obormot of the Aztecs. Khurasan founded the same turn. That’s our last 1st ring city. A few turns later I see our iron. It is in a mountain next to an Aztec city of Texcoco.

Anjar founded in 1025 BC.

QSC Stats: 9 towns.

“Philosophy” is learned in 975 BC. A trade is made to give us “Map Making” and we get some maps. “Republic” at 100% in 32 turns. I plan to use this to pick up all other techs.

Fustat founded in 925 BC.

800 BC Aden and Yamama are founded and we meet Drazek of the Zulu.

775 BC we trade and get about 300gp, all other contacts, all maps, and Polytheism. Muscat was also founded this turn.

Mansura founded in 630 BC.

610 BC the Ottomans know “Construction”. In 550 BC Persia, Zulu, and Iroquois get “Construction”. So we trade for it.

Persia got “Currency” in 530 BC. Their in the MA. Aztecs, Germany, and Ottomans learn it the next turn in 510BC.

THE IRON WAR of 510BC with our horses we take Aztec city of Texcoco with our iron. The next turn in 490 BC archers destroy an Aztec town. In 450 BC we pillage the Aztec horse.

Bukhara founded in 450 BC.

430 BC we learn “Republic”. Using the big picture we revolt and are now a republic. Aztec give us “Currency” and 91gp for peace. We take it and enter the MA. The war got us the iron we wanted and as a bonus we got the last tech in the era for free! As a supper bonus both science civs had “Monotheism” and “Engineering”. I got both by trading “Republic” to them in the same turn.

So I enter the MA in 430 BC with 16 cities and 2 MA techs (“Monotheism” and “Engineering”) ! And no I don't have The GLib.


The picture is from my autosave so it's the start of my turn before the trades.

 

[ionimplant]

Decide to play GOTM50. Going for 20K victory.
Found Mecca in 3950 Bc 1 tile north from starting location.

north from starting location? how did u manage to do that?
here's when a picture is better than 1k words.

 

[AlanH]

Found Mecca in 3950 Bc 1 tile north from starting location ..... Medina was found in 3050Bc SE, SE, S from capital on the lake and near the wine.

Neither of these match the map I played on. The wine was 2 tiles north of the start, so these directions make no sense. As ionimplant says, any chance of a picture?

 

[AdrianE]

I got a sense of deja-vu on this map. I also had horrendous stability problems. I had 6 crashes by 3000BC. Unfortunately they were neither consistant or reproducable so I can't track down the problem.

I did get a nice crash free spell that let me complete most of the ancient age. Then more crashes. I think I'll give up.