GOTM 67 First Spoiler -- 1AD

[jesusin]

GOTM 67 First Spoiler

Stop! If you are participating in GOTM67, then you MUST NOT read this thread unless EITHER

• You have reached at least 1 AD in your game, OR
• You have submitted your entry

Posting Restrictions

• Please do not disclose ANY events or information gained post 1 AD.
• Please do not reveal your final result if that happened after 1 AD.
• Please do not discuss the location of resources that may not show up before 1 AD.
• Please do not name civilizations that requires caravels to contact.

 

[babybluepants]

jesusin was so generous here, that I couldn't even decide what to settle first. My intent from the start was to expand into all the sweet land while beelining cavalry and then take over. Decided not to pursue the Oracle, being Immortal and all, but that was a mistake in retrospect - it didn't go until 950 BC. I did go after Pyramids, by settling stone first and using that city with chops. Lost it by one turn. I don't feel I'll have a very competitive game after that. I did build TGL and HG after.

Tech: Alpha - Math - Currency - COL - CS - Lit - Music - Philo (bulb) - Paper - Education (bulb)
Stats: 10 cities, 63 pop, 12 workers, 256 bpt @ 100%

At 1 AD, I just finished Education, and I should finish all my universities in 6-7t with chops. I'm intending a golden age just after that, to push me through Nationalism - Liberalism, and Taj right after that to speed up the initial build-up. Should also have 10-12 galleys by then, so I have tje option to attack across Danube, if I choose, though I'll most likely beat down Gandhi and Washington at least a bit first. Haven't decided on a VC yet. I'll probably just take whatever's the quickest.

One AI seems to have been eliminated before I even met him, btw.

 

[shyuhe]

The start was very generous here! I settled on the wine to the north to leave room in the south for a production city. I decided to be aggressive for once and declared war on Washington (after scouting him out and seeing how pathetic his army was). Having a river in the BFC for most of your cities really does wonders for your economy

I did not try to build any of the early wonders. I focused on growth and military. Although I could have been much more aggressive in my execution. I blame it on poor strategy (waffling about VC's).

 

[srad]

So be it! 75 BC - The sound of the war trumpet:

Spoiler :

My 12 city empire is protected by 4 warriors - I think you can say he got me with my pants down:

Spoiler :

I guess I'll never see again such a beautiful landscape - what a generous map!

 

[cas]

overly generous map, as others have indicated. Up to 1AD, this played more like monarch difficulty than immortal. No barbs, crazy resources, only 2 AI on our side of the river...and decent ones. The river prevents any substantial attack from the west. I had to fend off an early attack from WK, but since he could only shuttle 2 archers at a time, it was a pathetic attempt. Saladin settled a city on my interior west of the capital, but it is just a minor annoyance.

Oracle also went late in my game, but I don't consider it a mistake to ignore Oracle when Gandhi has marble in his capital BFC. Too must fail risk on Immortal.

Everyone on the west side of the river is Buddhist and it spread to one of my coastal cities. Gandhi founded Hindu/Jud. I've founded Conf and should be able to get Philo. Islam will come too late to matter.

I only have 8 cities which left Gandhi a large chunk of land...so he is #1 in pop. Washington is squished against the coast. Because there are 4 AI sharing the same amount of land on the west side, Gandhi should remain in #1 the entire game.

Diplo victory is almost assured at this point. Spread Buddhism to all my cities, bulb as far as possible along the Astro-Phys-Elec...hopefully lib->radio and pop a GE.

Every victory condition was easily possible on this map given the start.

cas

 

[Xcalibrator]

I settled on the ivory, have 9 cities, 49 pop, 1st in land, 3rd in pop, 2nd in score (912) behind Gandhi (1014). Not bad for me, but my economy and tech rate are trashed: -6gpt at 0% research! I've roughly teched up through the Lit/Cal/Construction column, but do not have HBR, Machinery, MC, or Currency, and I just had a major misclick when parlaying with Asoka--could have gotten Currency for some lesser techs that everyone else has but ended up giving him those for nothing. That hurt.

On the bright side, I have the Great Lib (300 BC). Oracle went 1200 BC to Gandhi, Pyramids to Wash (1280 BC), and GLH to Sal (50 BC); I didn't try for any of those. I've assembled a pretty good force of axes and swords and have cats on the way to attack Gandhi in about 10 turns, take most of his cities, extort the techs I'm apparently incapable of researching myself, then do the same to Washington. It'll probably take 2 wars on each to finish them off. Wash and Sal each have 1 coastal city to my north. I am not running a religion, as there's quite a mix. I'll probably go for Domination cuz it looks quickest.

 

[kcd_swede]

Summary: REX + Sword rush
I settled in place, then my plan was to REX until all the good spots were taken, and then decide from there what to do.

But the land was crazy generous, and with only 2 opponents on our side of the Danube (and peaceful ones at that!), both far in the south, I was able to fairly relaxedly block off and fill up more than 25% of the land area by 500BC, making me the largest civ by a factor of two! The game is already won, since I only settled good cities... that is to say, I filled my quarter of the map with a lot of cities.

Meanwhile, I build the Pyramids and the GLib, and used representation specialists to keep my tech going... because maintenence meant I had very low research slider.

Since I was going peaceful at the start, I beelined Alphabet. I probably should have went for CoL or Currency sooner than I did, but was able to get them when absolutly needed, at least.

I finally traded for Ironworking when I wanted to cut some jungle. At this point I see that Ghandi is defending with 2 archers in every city, and doesn't seem to have any metal. So I whipped a bunch of swords and took half of India (the better half, with Parthenon and shrine)... just because I could. Tech for peace... and take 3 of Washingtons 4 cities... then get tech for peace.

Now at 1AD its just a question of how I want to win... and since I've whet my appetite for the sword... time to make some galleys.

 

[lymond]

Pretty much rexxed early to get a solid impassible border to the south to stop Indian and American settlers while teching toward Writing and then HBR. DOW'd war on Gandhi and took most of his cities by 1AD including Delhi with Henge/Parth and a Hindi Shrine. I made peace with Gandhi to backfill some techs, including Alpha which he was the only one who had, as I bee-lined Currency. In fact, no other AI had Alpha for the longest time until I finally started trading it.

I plan to finish off Gandhi and start prepping for America. Surprisingly I got in the GLH - not that it is a big deal here. Should get TGL as well. I figure I should have the continent pretty much settled/conquered by 500AD or so and then head across the Danube.

I've buddied up with Mao quite a bit by trades and 2 DOWs on Izzy (or whatever the names are) at Mao's request. So I'll leverage that to attack the likes of Sal an Asoka.

Ha...yep, this is a very generous map indeed.

 

[FiveRings]

Pretty much rexxed early to get a solid impassible border to the south to stop Indian and American settlers while teching toward Writing and then HBR. DOW'd war on Gandhi and took most of his cities by 1AD including Delhi with Henge/Parth and a Hindi Shrine. I made peace with Gandhi to backfill some techs, including Alpha which he was the only one who had, as I bee-lined Currency. In fact, no other AI had Alpha for the longest time until I finally started trading it.

I plan to finish off Gandhi and start prepping for America. Surprisingly I got in the GLH - not that it is a big deal here. Should get TGL as well. I figure I should have the continent pretty much settled/conquered by 500AD or so and then head across the Danube.

I've buddied up with Mao quite a bit by trades and 2 DOWs on Izzy (or whatever the names are) at Mao's request. So I'll leverage that to attack the likes of Sal an Asoka.

Ha...yep, this is a very generous map indeed.

Nice to meet you here, too!

You've done much better and wiser than I did with the other bank of the Danube. Keep my fingers crossed!

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Let's see here...
Challenger, going for Domination (not sure if it will be fastest, highest scoring, or neither, but I at least have a type of Victory Condition selected )

Unlike what I said in the Pre-game Discussion thread, my Scout was blocked from heading 2 squares towards the north due to the Jungle (oops, I didn't think of that part when I planned out the Scout's movements). So, the Scout went west and found the Pig: I settled 1SW on the Plains Hills square and went straight for Animal Husbandry--no point in researching Agriculture if Jungle has grown on the only visible Farmable Resource squares.

Actually, the Jungle started to spread a bit later, so I had to be careful to leave some Jungle-blocking Forests until after Iron Working came in. Now that I think about it, I can't remember seeing any other Jungle on the map.

With access to Horse and Copper Resources, a rush was in order, so that's what I did.

By 1 AD, I have 12 Cities, 3 of which were self-built.

4 AIs have been marginalised but not eliminated, because war spoils seem to be the only way for me to advance my tech pace. 1 AI is my best buddy and I have helped him/her out in Science, so I will probably never bother to attack him/her.

Early on, I set my Research Slider to 0% and haven't really looked back. My Great Scientist sat down instead of building an Academy.

Due to carefully-planned out war bribes, I have been able to keep AI-AI tech trading to a minimum.

By the looks of things, I should be able to destroy my last main enemy before he/she gets Longbowmen, leaving me facing just a bunch of small AIs with Archer defenders, as well as a lot of free space in the NE of the map into which to settle spammed-Settlers.


Diplomacy is a bit tough because AI Leaders ask you to stop trading with a particular AI Civ. I don't see a very easy to way to find out what a Civ is named except by hovering my mouse over top of their Cultural Borders--which is info that I wrote down on a piece of paper, matching it up with Leader names, after being totally perplexed when the first request came in as to with whom I was supposed to be stopping trade. Does anyone have a better way of determining whom an AI is asking you to stop trading with/go to war with?

 

[neilmeister]

Does anyone have a better way of determining whom an AI is asking you to stop trading with/go to war with?

Don't rename them all in the first place!

 

[kcd_swede]

Don't rename them all in the first place!

That's always an option. Hmmm...

 

[Dhoomstriker]

That's always an option. Hmmm...

I suppose that it wouldn't spoil anything to put the info in the introduction of the Pre-game Discussion thread.

I mean, listing of a Leader Name + a Civ Name combination, if neither correspond to a real Leader or Civ in the game, is not a spoiler.

For example, knowing in advance that we'd be facing Kond of the Jenö Civilization would not really have clued us into the fact that we'd be up against a Leader with the same Traits, starting techs, and Unique Unit as Washington has.

If anything, it might have helped to better immerse us in the story, if, for example, we were given a one-sentence (or more) description about who Kond really was, particularly in relation to the Leader that we're playing as.


I.e. I don't think that we should stifle this type of creativity, as I really like it, but instead could just find ways of making the experience more immersive.

 

[psparky]

Playing the adventurer save, so 1000 gold inheritance to use.

In the current BOTM, kcd_swede suggests including some specific information from 3000BC in the first spoiler, and I thought I'd try it out here. Maybe I'm too slow, but it took until nearly 2500BC to complete the suggested number of techs/builds:

Settled In Place - always trust a mapmaker. At least when the start looks this good.

Research:
Agric - "Food first", and here we have (the best) two grains both next to a river! Sweet.
Mining - for access to the gems for a happy boost and the commerce for research
Bronze Working - For access to slavery (given all the food), axemen and chopping (in that priority order)

Builds:
Worker - Usually the best first build and here there is plenty for him to do
Warrior - Protect against barbs. But there are no barbs! Oh well, I need him for garrision I guess
(a turn or two of warrior to let city grow)
Settler - Let's get this expansion going!
Completes warrior - to replace first warrior (who went with the settler) in capital
----------

In a recent GOTM report, I rejoyced that my first plan (to make the capital my GP farm) had survived the whole game, noting that usually my plans only last a few turns. With that in mind, I present:

THE PLAN(S)
-----------
Turn 0:
Discover if copper is readily accessable. If so, build half a dozen warriors, upgrade to axemen using the inheritance, and acquire a second capital.
Turn 3:
(explores SW) Lots of good land here - do I need a second capital? Looks like the end of the world to the south.
Turn 6:
(Explores West to coast) Where is everyone? Beginning to look like I'm isolated. So. Many. Resources.
Turn 13:
(Explores to North) Yeah, looks pretty clear that I'm isolated. Just played an isolated culture game, so maybe I'll try for space. I'll use the inheritance to expand faster than ever before. Capital looks great for spaming settlers.
Turn 17:
(Explores to East) Meets two scouts. Hello Nyek. Hello Jeno. Where did these guys come from? Maybe there is more land to the south than I thought. I guess the rush plan is back on.
Turn 25 (3000 BC)
(Explores to South) Finds what must be Nyeks's second city. Capital must be further south. Maybe they are a bit distant for a rush.

So what's it going to be: rex or rush?

1 AD
----
Decided to rex. It didn't go as well as I hoped (see stats), but I suppose I've grabbed a fair chunk of land. Nearly went broke, despite the inheritance. Specifically, I didn't get enough workers, hence not enough chopping and not enough cottages. Kond declared war 75BC - that's just getting going really. Might have a shot at lib, but this war is going to make it hard.

Stats at 1AD: 9 cities, 2 more good sites safe to NE, pop 47, 79bpt at break even (50%), 14 cottages, no wonders, no religions founded, researching CS, phil already in.

 

[kcd_swede]

^hmmm... 1000 gold is a lot to burn through (I presume) paying city maintenance by 1AD. Especially with the generous land, economy wasn't really an issue for me. Pottery was good, but you have to work those cottages, and there were so many other good tiles... Did you prioritize CoL and/or Currency to support your REX? Calander would have been another good choice on this map, perhaps. Just some suggestions, which may or may not be relevant to your game.

Good luck!

 

[psparky]

Got to -32 gpt at one time.

Main step off the Currency path was Alphabet for tech trading - was that a mistake?

Currency was 600BC, Calendar 575BC (trade), CoL 475BC. The ecomomy is rapidly improving as courthouses go up, and cottages start to mature. Got a couple of cottages on duplicate resources e.g. wine, but didn't think of that early enough to be really benefiting yet.

At least I've got an army of sorts, unlike srad, to defend against Kond (Washington). Sorry srad (75BC exactly the same date for the DOW).

I'm still at 1AD BTW, finished play last night at that point.

Thanks kcd_swede. Suggestions (and good wishes) always welcome!

 

[Htadus]

I started this game wanting to go for a fast domination but this map begs for a science game. So that is where I am heading; to the final frontier.

Settled on the wine tile and started a worker followed by a few warriors growing to size 4. After that, the Mongols went on a littler rapid expanstion process with about 4 settlers and a several workers back to back with a grainary in between to grow to size 6.

Teched toward getting the Oracle and MC via Agg, BW, pottary, Writing and then to PH. Second city was chosen 5 Tiles south with 2 elephants, copper and corn. City 3 was to claim fish, clam, gem and copper to west. City 4 was blocking the Americans and 5 was blocking the Indians and claiming the lake fish. City 6 and 7 claimed the entire west coast and city 8 claimed iron and game to SE of the capital. Last city was to NE of capital claiming gold, Marble, copper and wheat (this may have been after 1AD).

Then I got ready to claim a couple of indian cites and did so. During that peace (which was a misclick), I dowed the americans and took ......I think I just passed 1AD. So I will stop here.

I did get the Oracle and MC and built the Colosus. I am very low on workers and I promise not to fix it . Not much whipping and I am not going to fix that either. I made a poor mistake in trading alpha a bit too early and ended up loosing the GLib to Sal and was building the GLH for no good reason but just being available. Also by this time I had most of the map explored.

The plan is to get the OU in a OK time like 1000AD and then head to Democracy. run many towns and win. I had tech parity even without trading MC but was falling a bit back at 1AD. Nothing major. I do have one Academy and Gandhi is building religious shrines for me.

 

[Htadus]

Got to -32 gpt at one time.

Main step off the Currency path was Alphabet for tech trading - was that a mistake? Nope, not in vanilla

Currency was 600BC, Calendar 575BC (trade), CoL 475BC. The ecomomy is rapidly improving as courthouses go up, and cottages start to mature. Got a couple of cottages on duplicate resources e.g. wine, but didn't think of that early enough to be really benefiting yet.Me too.

At least I've got an army of sorts, unlike srad, to defend against Kond (Washington). Sorry srad (75BC exactly the same date for the DOW).

I'm still at 1AD BTW, finished play last night at that point.

Thanks kcd_swede. Suggestions (and good wishes) always welcome!

So where are you heading? do not forget to get you GP farm, He and globe city established in right places. Food and a few hammers for farm and globe and farms and several hills for HE city. BTW check out Gandhi's capital.

 

[psparky]

So where are you heading? do not forget to get you GP farm, He and globe city established in right places. Food and a few hammers for farm and globe and farms and several hills for HE city. BTW check out Gandhi's capital.

Good question. This is where my inexperience really hurts, not knowing the right big strategy, and how best to make it happen. I was thinking dom, but reading your post I was wondering if space might be the way. To be honest I'll be happy to avoid messing up and getting any sort of win.

I've played a few more turns since, but at 1AD my coastal production city was earmarked for HE. My GP farm was already established in my border city, on a lake to the SW of capital, based on the idea that it is fairly suitable, and the alternative of cottaging it was bad as I expect it to see a lot of war action - farms are much quicker to rebuild than towns. Sounds like your cities are in similar locations to mine - which did you choose as a GP farm?

 

[Htadus]

Good question. This is where my inexperience really hurts, not knowing the right big strategy, and how best to make it happen. I was thinking dom, but reading your post I was wondering if space might be the way. To be honest I'll be happy to avoid messing up and getting any sort of win.

I've played a few more turns since, but at 1AD my coastal production city was earmarked for HE. My GP farm was already established in my border city, on a lake to the SW of capital, based on the idea that it is fairly suitable, and the alternative of cottaging it was bad as I expect it to see a lot of war action - farms are much quicker to rebuild than towns. Sounds like your cities are in similar locations to mine - which did you choose as a GP farm?

If you are going to use many farms, I recommend going for a military VC or Beeline to UN. Most efficient is to use military to claim the land for your self and have one or 2 small AI nations in your side or grow big enough for self vote. In vanilla you can have all the votes you need to elect your self to the UN and win too.

As for my GP farm. I was planing to get the same site I think you built yours but when my settler got there, gandhi had a city there. So I just claimed the fish and ran just 2 scientists there to get my Academy and Education GS's. My first GP was a GPro and he now recides in the capital. So I really do not have a real GP farm.