GOTM 73 First Spoiler -- 1AD

[jesusin]

GOTM 73 First Spoiler

Stop! If you are participating in GOTM71, 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.

 

[zamint3]

5AD: Cities: 10, Pop: 52 Sustain 37 bpt at 20%

Immortals are great for Deity barbs. I did not see that many though, the barbs settled two nice cities NE early on.

Peaceful game so far. I blocked the AI to the south, kept my borders closed for a long time and settled the northern part of our continent.

Spoiler :

 

[damnrunner]

I went the early war route. Took on Arabs before they could link up copper (some help from Mali for grabbing the really close stuff before they could) and managed to take all of their core cities (3 if I recall) including two delicious holy cities. Immortals churned through their archers except in the capitol where my stack of close to 10 was unable to kill 3-4 archers (don't recall exact #s). I slaved a 2nd round though to finish the job. Traded peace for much needed tech. They then accepted offered OB due to shared religion which was handy for commerce and some tech trading.

I was also able to grab a good number of barbarian cities (3-4). I ended up with a string of cities down the central core of the landmass from my capitol to the former Arab one. Also had 2 fantastic coastal cities spots in the north eastern lump. Mali filled up the open coasts on either side.

I was able to do some tech tech trading with Mali, and a bit more with Arabia - but overall I am very backwards. By contrast Mali of course is a tech beast and even Arabia has a good lead on my over expanded lands.

By 1AD I continue to plot my rise and scheme how to take the war to Mali and beyond. Granted Mali and the the "beyond" (according to the demographics screen) are rising far faster than I. Hmmmm.... this will be quite a challenge. In retrospect, with 2 holy cuties, hunkering down for a culture win may have been the optimum post-Arabia war strategy. But too late for that now-death or glory!

 

[neilmeister]

My game has taken a similiar path to damnrunner.

SIP, teched Ah-Wheel-Mining-BW. Whipped a heap of Immortals and all but took out Saladin. Wow his capital sucked, so that got razed.

I have DoWed Saladin a few times, to milk techs out of him. He and Mansa are sharing and have a large tech lead on me.

At 1ad I am actually the score leader, which seems very odd at Deity. Wonders are being built at a furious pace off-shore, so I am not completely sure how I will win this one.

The first thing will be to somehow eliminate Mansa, but how, as he already has crossbows?

 

[damnrunner]

Yeah I kept the capitol as it had a shrine - built within a few turns of capture too! Go Buddha Go!

 

[ZPV]

Perhaps the earliest resignation of all time from me...

I decided the scout couldn't affect my choice of settling spot, so I settled in place without moving it.
Then I saw the techs that were on offer.

I had chosen the challenger save by mistake.

I've played out a bit to see what the map is like; I dare say this is designed for a cultural victory, given the mapmaker.

 

[Cactus Pete]

Our map maker has mastered making Deity manageable.

Settled on the NW plains hill (perhaps in place was optimal, but early production was certainly helpful), then researched Mining, Wheel, AH, BW, Pottery, Writing, Alpha. Barbs were no more than trainers and convenient city builders.

Declared war on Saladin in 1570 to capture workers, pillage, and delay his development (not to mention his axes and spears); made peace with Sal in 700 for Math; got the GLibrary built in 580; declared war on Mansa in 280; adopted Pacifism in 190; captured Djenne and Pyramids in 25; adopted Representation and made peace with Mansa for Machinery in 10BC. Plan to declare and probably finish off Sal in a few turns.

Now have 11 cities, a hoard of gold in the treasury, and one GScientist with another nearly complete (waiting to bulb Astro). Interested to learn how the two other AIs have researched, given their presumed inabilty to trade techs.

 

[Htadus]

Damn, you guys are good.

I did not expect to survive long enough to write anything but my hope of finding horses proved good thanks to the good (as opposed to evil) map maker.

SIP and and settled another city to south claiming gems and copper. Actually the city was not placed in the correct spot due to Sal settling nearby and ruining my city placement plan. Then I built the Oracle to get MC. BTW my blocking city flipped a barb city that mansa has been attacking and loosing for a while. I had 6 Immortals on hand to take it when Mansa reduce the strength of the defenders but in the end that city cost me 0 units and got a warrior defender for free.

I wanted the AI to build a few wonders fro me and they have complied so far. It is almost time to go to war for me and they should have plenty of infrastructure in the cities and well develop cottages.

I have a question to experience Deity players. Mansa is willing to DoW Sal for Alpha and MC, should I?

Oh I own the whole of north. I am going to use my GP to mostly bulb CS. Deity(Vanilla particularly) is new to me so any advise is welcome.

 

[ZPV]

I wanted the AI to build a few wonders fro me and they have complied so far. It is almost time to go to war for me and they should have plenty of infrastructure in the cities and well develop cottages.

I have a question to experience Deity players. Mansa is willing to DoW Sal for Alpha and MC, should I?

In Vanilla, the AI tends to pillage the land bare.
So it's up to you, if you think you need the military help, more than you need the tile improvements on the border(s)

 

[Cactus Pete]

I have a question to experience Deity players. Mansa is willing to DoW Sal for Alpha and MC, should I? I didn't because I didn't want Mansa to build units, since I was planning on attacking him soon. Didn't think about the pillaging, but that is certainly a concern as well.

Oh I own the whole of north. I am going to use my GP to mostly bulb CS. Deity(Vanilla particularly) is new to me so any advise is welcome.

If you do that, you will not be able to bulb Astro.

 

[Htadus]

Thank you ZPV, I did not consider pillaging and CP thanks for the reminder. I see your plans.

I was considering going to space and see if I can beat Deity AI at that. But Domi may be the sure way to win this game. I was only going to GS bulb Philo and Machinary before heading to Lib for Astro. But I may want to Lib MT now. See I am focused as usual.

 

[Falabello]

Hello everybody! For the first time I'll try to upload a game. Finally I got a pc stronger enough to run all the game (my old machine made me wait an eternity every turn...)

My game: Settled in place and started with worker, but changed rapidly to warrior. So another warrior > worker > warrior > settler. Techs were AH, The Wheel, Pottery, Mining, BW, Masonry
then Myst, Meditation, Priest (but the Oracle went before...) so Writing, Alpha and CoL.

In 5AD was researching Code of Laws (12), 6 cities, Pop 28, 7bpt at 40%.

My confort zone is very below Deity (Prince, maybe Monarch), and I'm learning how to make a good start. I think that to a beginner in his first attempt in this level was a daring, but in the end were well done (untill now)... I tried to stay in peace with the neighborhood, cause I wouldn't know how to fight in this level. And in 5AD I was in contatc with Saladin in that way:
+1 : +7 : +2 : -1; and Mansa refuses to talk: +1 ; -4 : -1 : -1. I had three tyles of border with Mansa in South (the rest with Saladin). I stay watching the border and until now things went well, with no signal of war. At least I have the hope that Saladin declares against Mansa and both of them loose power.

From now on I don't know what to do: maybe a Diplo or Space Race. A victory (even with the lowest score) will be a great conquest to me!

I hope to participate of all Civ 4 (now that my pc runs the games). Sorry by mistakes in the text (if this forum was in portuguese would be easier) and advices also are wellcome!

 

[jesusin]

Hello everybody! For the first time I'll try to upload a game. Finally I got a pc stronger enough to run all the game (my old machine made me wait an eternity every turn...)

My game: Settled in place and started with worker, but changed rapidly to warrior. So another warrior > worker > warrior > settler.

Thanks for posting your experience.

I am curious to know, what made you change your first build from Worker to warrior? Are you satisfied with the result of that change?

 

[PattonTwo]

Settled S-SW on hill for extra flood plains and better defense which proved unnecessary. I started with the easier download file and sent all the units off exploring. Didn’t even remotely consider trying for the early immortal rush as I’ve never been able to pull that sort of thing off but reading comments here perhaps I should have tried. Impressed with everyone who did it well.

Main mistake was not anticipating barbarians. The surprise appearance around 3400 BC was way earlier than I would have expected and I had moved my archers south to stake out city spots. In the end it worked out but the delay caused me to lose the more ideal spot for my 3rd city to the south east.

I rushed along to Alphabet but had to trade it away to the other civs as it was the only thing I had to trade with. Pushed for Math but both civs got it right before me and I found myself falling behind in the tech race. In 85 BC the Arabs made a demand for money which I complied with but my army is weak and the game looks to already be lost if something surprising doesn’t happen.

 

[Falabello]

Thanks for posting your experience.

I am curious to know, what made you change your first build from Worker to warrior? Are you satisfied with the result of that change?

As I sad, being my first game at a level far above which I used to play, I thought it would be more prudent already have a defense, so the change. But it worked well. After my third warrior, the barbarians came and attacked me. I just reassured when I produced my first Immortal. Thus, I was very pleased with the change, but I needed to dominate several aspects of the game and the higher leves! !