Post Mortem notes on my GOTM 7:
Well... I was able to finish the last few years Sat and Sun afternoon, albeit in a rushed manner because of computer problems (and lack of "real" time). Originally (early last week), I had estimated to finish sometime in the 1700's. However, real time constraints (that occurred as I was in about AD 1500) forced me to try a new (for me) approach of finish as quick as possible. With a relatively peaceful world and only King level, I pushed hard to make a 2-turn SS upon completing Apollo. As my expansion and growth got underway, the GOTM score showed a heavy influence of the 50^PNP effect, which I tracked in my notes (included at end of post).
The final GOTM score was higher than I had expected, though my Civ II score was still way short of the estimated 14,000 which can likely be obtainable on this map (and which I hope several folks achieved! <IMG SRC="http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/smile.gif" border=0>.
Based on the GOTM scores and the rate of increase that I observed in the 1500's, I'm coming to the conclusion that it may be better to finish earlier a game earlier, even with less perfected cities. Normally, I work on perfecting cities (improvements, trade routes, ideal terrain, etc.), including transformations to grassland. The 50^PNP factor is evidently quite a good bonus for speed of finish... with the same Civ II score, my GOTM would have been less than 150 had I finished in 1890 (and taken another week, LOL!) like I did last month. BTW, I spent more "real" time on GOTM 6 than on GOTM 7!
The key to rapid growth (my technique) is to lay a solid foundation (republic/democracy, some big cities, lots of trade), and then grow uninterrupted to max size under Democracy (celebrating), using hordes of Engineers to (hopefully) get the terrain in shape along the way. In GOTM 7, I was in such a rush that the only terrain I transformed was less than 10 squares in and around England. With more careful planning (timing the growth to max out just when SS lands) and using all the allowed cities (I used only 237), the game could have been over 12,000. And with terrain transformations to grassland, the score with this map could easily exceed 14,000, esp. at King level. However, the 50^PNP function would likely offset some of the benefit in the GOTM score.
I'm a strong trade/Democracy advocate (see my posts from June and early July for method) the key to growth and power is gold. And gold comes from taxes, and especially caravans/freight. I used hundreds of freight, and some Uranium freight was worth almost 4,000 near the end of the game. On the other hand, an advance (at about FT 110) cost around 15,000 beakers... so it took a lot of freight anyway to get 15,000 delivered each turn. And that, of course, gives 15,000 gold. In the last few turns, taxes were 0%, most cities were capitalized, and science was 70%. I was rush building Libraries and Universities by the dozens, as cities grew. This allowed a constant 4 advances per turn. Science was just not cheap enough on this map (and choice of civs) for me to sustain late game FT advances at more than 4 per turn. Last month I hit a steady 7 advances per turn at the end of GOTM 6. That was not possible in GOTM 7, due to the Map Size, Civ Choices, etc.
BTW, since I never got into the terrain transformation (everything to grassland) business in GOTM 7, I never had more than about 450 engineers. The bulk of my growth was at the 210 to 280 engineer level. Since I didn't use all 254 cities, nor did my cities finish growing when my SS landed.
Well, that's about it. I'll include a world shot from AD 1555 (my SS landing), but since I don't have DSL and just barely have a new (very slow) connection, that will be it.
Since GOTM 7 is over with and we have all submited our results, I'm going to leave the log I made intact (I use a Notepad window to type a little info each turn in mid/late game), including the exact scores along the way. But if Matrix or Thunderfall feels scores should still not be mentioned yet, it is fine by me for them to be deleted, or ask and I'll do it (if I can get this slow modem to connect <IMG SRC="http://forums.civfanatics.com/ubb/wink.gif" border=0> ). However, it might be helpful for other players to see. The progression of the Civ II scores (reported by the game itself), are typical for a "easy" game (below Deity level). BTW, King happiness facilitates growth somewhat more than Deity. Also, a relatively peaceful world and Democracy helps (esp. in the timing and use of Colosseums & Stock Exchanges as the cities celebrate to Max size).
<IMG SRC="http://forums.civfanatics.com/image_uploads/GOTM7_AD1555_World.gif" border=0>
General Log Notes (AD 1500 - End):
AD 1555 ******* SS Landing ******* Score 11179 (GOTM 392)
AD 1554 FT 116-19; 10857 (GOTM 381)
AD 1553 FT 112-15; 10750 (GOTM 378); Only 36 Engs left (Shuffled & NONEs); 237 cities
AD 1552 FT 108-11; 10626 (GOTM 375); ~40 engineers
AD 1551 FT 104-07; 10499 (GOTM 371)
AD 1550 FT 100-03; 10340 (GOTM 366); 80 Engineers
AD 1549 FT 96-99; S 10206 (GOTM 361)
AD 1548 FT 92-95; S 10056 (GOTM 357); over 42,000 science at 70% now. Advances cost about 13,000.
AD 1547 FT 88-91; S 9878 (GOTM 351); Some pollution; Less than 100 engineers now.
AD 1546 FT 84-97; S 9690 (GOTM 344); Score Leveling Off! About 35,000 science now; about 130 engineers left; Will not do "The Shuffle"... I'll just disband most engineers to save time.
AD 1545 FT 81-83; S 9591/9524 (GOTM 342); Science over 33,000 (Set TSL to 10%-60%-30%)
AD 1544 FT 78-80; S 9356/9383 (GOTM 334)
AD 1543 FT 75-77; S 9112/ (GOTM 325); E08 to U12 - 3638 gold!! (New Record in this game)
AD 1542 FT 72-74; S 8873/8900 (GOTM 317); killing off some engineers
AD 1541 FT 68-71; S 8646/8663 (GOTM 310) R09 to U09 Uranium 3109 (record); Killed 100 engineers; reset TSL to 30-40-30 to get more gold
AD 1540 FT 64-67; S 8480/8491 (GOTM 304); Uranium to S10-2944 (record)
AD 1539 FT 60-63; S 8279/8316 (GOTM 298); ~380 Eng Left
AD 1538 FT 56-59; S 8092/ (GOTM 291); GREAT WALL (Last Wonder)
AD 1537 FT 52-55; S 7852/7888 (GOTM 283)
AD 1536 FT 48-51; S 7608/7655 (GOTM 275) (Sci cost about 6500)
AD 1535 FT 44,45,46,47; S 7355/7416 (GOTM 266)
AD 1534 FT 40,41,42,43; S 7099/7172 (GOTM 257); Science is King... 4 Advances Per Turn (Cost is about 5700 each)
AD 1533 FT 37,38,39; Science 40%; S 6844/6925 (GOTM 248); R32 is in Disorder; MANHATTAN PROJECT; ORACLE; WOMEN'S SUFFERAGE (only Great Wall is left); 229 cities
AD 1532 FT 35, 36; S 6518/6588 (GOTM 236); Building science now; 30 pollutions left; GREAT LIBRARY
AD 1531 FT 33, 34; S 6234/6287 (GOTM 227); Pop=320+; 420/6 eng; Stopping Eng; building Libraries, universities; 222 cities
AD 1530 FT 31, 32; S 5956/6020 (GOTM 217); 319.2; 394/46 eng; (Rushing to finsh now)
AD 1529 FT 29, 30; S 5677/5769 (GOTM 207); Pop 305.5; 370/40+ eng; slowing new city starts; 218 cities
AD 1528 FT 27, 28; S 5448/5508 (GOTM 199); Pop 290.9; net tax over 10,000 at 50%; 210 cities
AD 1527 FT 25, 26; S 5188/5274 (GOTM 190); Pop 276.6; N19 Uranium-2640 gold (record); 207 cities
AD 1526 FT 23, 24; S 4961/5025 (GOTM 182); STATUE OF LIBERTY; Pop=263.3; ~280/39 eng
AD 1525 FT 21, 22; S 4689/4775 (GOTM 173); EIFFEL TOWER; Pop=251.7; 273/39 eng; 200 cities; 256/40 eng
AD 1524 FT 19, 20; S 4442/4538 (GOTM 163);(Sci3550); Pop=240.4 Million; Prod=3997 MTons; 195 cities; ~255/40 eng
AD 1523 FT 17, 18; S 4192/4318 (GOTM 154);C08-N38-2261gold(record); Killed Asian Barbs; Tabriz now size 4 and dying to size 1!; Can no longer afford instant improvement buys in new cities
AD 1522 FT 15, 16; S 3975/4069 (GOTM 147) ;York-C01 Uranium 2134 (record); 184 cities - unable to boost about 20 to size 3; Eng about 255/42
AD 1521 FT 13, 14; Score 3728/3843 (GOTM 138); Eng-224/43; Can sustain 10,000 gold (net total) per turn; F26-N36 Uranium-2108(record); 3 pollution
Note 1: In 1521, I started killing all the civs but the Mongols. Not a single civ respawned, even though I was finally ready for them with Stealths and NONE-calvary. The Spanish offered me all their gold for peace, which I took.... Then I immediately broke the treaty (Hawks supported it) and attacked (I was in Democracy, but normally never ever break a treaty) to rid the world of them. The Hawk party allowed me to attack everyone in the game. I did not want to attack the Mongols. Maybe it is easier to attack after you launch a SS... but I've never had a war (as the supreme power) after a SS launch, LOL...
Note 2:
S xxxx/yyyy means Score at start of turn (xxxx) and end of turn (yyyy). Freight deliveries, pollution, new citeis, joined Engineers, and citizen happiness (rearranging workers) affect score a lot.
AD 1520
SS DONE; Launched; Est. 1555 Arrival (80%); Score 3539/3605(end); 136 cities; Renaming complete; 213 Engineers; 46 in prod; ME7 to N14 Uranium-2000 gold(record); Making 2 Paratroops, 5 Stealth Fighters, 6 trspt, 10 freight
Note: Due to "real life" time shortage, I'll will skip terrain transformations and just start max growth while SS is enroute.
AD 1515 FT009,10; 2 Structural; 39-4-4-4-4-4 SS will be done next turn (want max modules); Spent over 9,000 on 8 Modules (increments from about 20 to 300 shields). Senate forced peace with Babs. Score 3389, 129 cities. Disbanding Calvary to make Transports to colonize islands. Making Stealth Fighters in NA and SA for for hunting.
AD 1510 FT007,8; APOLLO; est 280 engineers ("27 active"), making 46; Babylonians stole Fusion; Score 3248; Decided to make 2-turn SS & launch in 1520... Will end the game rapidly and not perfect cities and terrain due to lack of time. Loss of about 90 engineers (that won't be made over 2 turns) while making make SS.
AD 1505 FT005,6; Eng. Rollover, making 42; Sell off some recycling (Solar instead); many massive airlifts!
AD 1500 FT003,4; Civ Score 3022 (GOTM 115); 229 eng, making 36; making 9 frieght; 2948 MTons Production; 340 pollution
EDIT: Added GIF and fixed typos.
[This message has been edited by starlifter (edited September 04, 2001).]
