Settled in place, build order is warrior -> settler -> barracks (as a prebuild for granary); as i didn't have to build immediately a granary, i researched Alphabet first, and popped Pottery from a hut later. Besides that, research was the usual beeline to Republic, with Map Making and Literature in-between and Code of Laws purchased from the AS.
Persepolis was used as a settler/worker pump for the whole AA. Cities were built at RCP 4. Despite the off-center location, it was possible to build a nice ring of 5 productive cities around the capital and a partial second ring at distance 7, only mildly corrupted.
Barbs were more an asset rather than a problem, providing both gold and training grounds for regular warriors first and veteran immortals later.
Egypt was met very early and India later on. Once Writing was researched i bought contact with China and achieved tech parity, including Iron Working. With iron right under our butts in Persepolis, immortal buildup could start immediately.
Once Map Making is researched, one galley is sent to the mainland with a settler to seize control of dyes and two are sent circumnavigating the continent in opposite directions. No safe route to the other landmass is found. By 1000 BC, exploration is over and i'm about to sent the 2 galleys on a suicide route on the ocean.
QSC is hit with 9 cities, 25 population units and an army consisting of 8 workers, 7 warriors, 5 galleys and 9 immortals. We lack Math, Poly, Construction and Currency are we are 11 turns away from Republic:
Soon after the suicide mission is sent abroad. One galley is sunk but the other one manages to reach the shores of the far continent and makes a contact. I get full maps, trade the bare minimum and do NOT sell contacts across the continents. The surviving boat continues to explore the coastline but is later killed by a barb galley.
As i plant embassies around, a clear picture emerges: everybody who counts something is busy building the Pyramids. India is to complete it first, with Egypt coming close second. An idea comes to my mind: if i let India complete the Pyramids and Egypt cascades to the Great Library, then all that i need to trigger my golden age is to capture those two wonders and build a third wonder at my will. The ideal situation would be to obtain 3 leaders: one to build the Forbidden Palace in the mainland, one to jump the capital to the center of Indian territory and the 3rd one to rush Sun Tzu somewhere and start the golden age.
It is a tempting scenario and i decide to pursue it. Therefore, Egypt and India are left alone for the moment and i go for the most distant target, China. The town founded to hook dyes becomes the near end of a chain of towns that extends right at the doors of Beijing:
Meanwhile, Republic is researched in 730 bc and established after 5 turns of anarchy, India completes Pyramids, the Vikings cascade to the Great Lighthouse and everyone else cascade to the Great Library, with Egypt ahead of everyone
War against China is declared in 550 bc. Beijing falls next turn and the rest of the Chinese territory is quickly overrun. I went elite fishing, attacking only with veterans and keeping any promoted unit out of the fight for the time being. A few elite immortals are obtained.
While i'm still at war, Thebes completes the Great Library and war with Egypt may begin. Once again, i go elite fishing by using veterans only and net a few more elite immortals. China is gone in 330 bc. The GL in Thebes is captured and the rest of Egyptian cities fall one after another. Meanwhile, i research Currency, get Construction from the GL and complete the last AA tech, Polytheism, in 210 bc, netting Monotheism as scientific bonus. Germany and Russia are sold to the MA and draw the remaining 1st tier techs.
The dawn of Middle Ages looks favourable. Pyramids and Great Library are virtually secured and with a dozen elite immortals at my avail, the upcoming leader fishing has good chances to succeed. The plan for the future is: seize the whole continent, research up to Navigation (it shouldn't take long if i manage to start the golden age at the right moment) and, of course, take over everything.
tech log:
4000bc: Masonry (prerequisite);
2950bc: Alphabet (research); Bronze, Ceremonial Burial (trade, Egypt);
2900bc: Pottery (goody hut);
2150bc: Writing (research); Wheel (trade, India); Iron Working (trade, China); War Code (trade, Egypt);
1575bc: Map Making (research); Horse Riding (trade, China);
1325bc: Literature (research);
1200bc: Philosophy (research); Mysticism (trade, Egypt); Code of Laws (trade, China);
_730bc: Republic (research);
_690bc: Mathematics (trade, Russia);
_350bc: Currency (research);
_270bc: Construction (Great Library);
_210bc: Polytheism (research); Monotheism (scientific bonus);
cities till QSC:
4000bc: Persepolis
3100bc: Pasagardae
2230bc: Susa
1910bc: Arbela
1675bc: Antioch
1525bc: Tarsus
1375bc: Gordium (gems)
1225bc: Bactra (dyes);
1050bc: Sidon;
meetings:
3350bc: Egypt;
2230bc: India;
2150bc: China;
_825bc: Russia, Germany, Scandinavia;
_710bc: Carthage;
) Did you decide to move and found somewhere else, or did you take the starting spot? How did the contacts go and are any of the other AI on your starting landmass giving you any competition? Going into the Middle Ages, do you feel you are in command?
Though I would eventually use them for most of my conquests I often found my mix of horses to be more effective. The horses often won against spears and retreated just as often if they didn’t. Immortals seems to drop like flies.
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