Gotm21-Melee - Pregame Discussion

[Elandra]

Well, I'm still wiped out from GOTM20, but I'm eager to dive into 21. My surprising victory in GOTM20 has propelled me from Deity Paranoia to Macho Monarch, so I'll be trying Open Class instead of conquest. (besides, i never did cut-and-paste the treasure chest icon to identify my conquest posts.)

I plan to build at the start, so my capital can pump ships if need be later in the game. And I plan to build before moving the worker, unlike normal, so that I can see which square to improve. I am astounded by the hidden terrain pixel reading...I see nothing, and get a headache trying!

I plan to befriend any neighbors (my usual pacifist space race preference), rush research at max, and count on building aqueducts in all cities and many galleys. I am worried about an expansion stall given the fears of dry land, small islands, and choke points. Not sure how to get around it, except aggressive galley fleets.

I love SirPleb's plan of galley pairs with a decoy. I plan to modify it up a notch and launch flotillas. (a new term in my vocabulary). One sacrificial lamb, one unloaded galley to explore, and one loaded galley to unload settlers and units.


Happy gaming, don't get wet!

Elandra

 

[rabies]

I am knee deep into it...having just submitted my qsc. Good luck to all, and most of all..have fun. See you in spoiler thread 1!

 

[Moonsinger]

Originally posted by Elandra
I love SirPleb's plan of galley pairs with a decoy. I plan to modify it up a notch and launch flotillas. (a new term in my vocabulary). One sacrificial lamb, one unloaded galley to explore, and one loaded galley to unload settlers and units.

Would you please explain this tactic a little bit more? How does it work? I already know that if you send a group of sucide galleys and one of them carry a settler or whatever unit, if at least one galleys survive, the settler will always survive too. Since both galleys could be sunk too, how do you ensure your settler survival?

PS: I will start this game tonight. Since tomorrow is the holiday, I can stay up late tonight. Therefore, I can't post to this thread after tonight. Also thanks to ltcoljt for wishing me luck with the Powerball. I bought 1 ticket (randomly pick by the computer)...what can I say...I'm a big gambler.

 

[denyd]

Elandra,

Under the user cp button, edit profile selection is the signature box. Just add the version your play and the GOTM level you're in to this and you're all set. If you change levels or versions, you only have to change one place.

DenyD

 

[zagnut]

Originally posted by Moonsinger
Would you please explain this tactic a little bit more? How does it work? I already know that if you send a group of sucide galleys and one of them carry a settler or whatever unit, if at least one galleys survive, the settler will always survive too. Since both galleys could be sunk too, how do you ensure your settler survival?

I think SirPleb's suggestion was to send out one Galley to roam around the coast and attract the Squids. Then another Galley would be sent out a couple of turns later to try a suicide run. Hopefully the second Galley would not be attacked by Squids because they all would have converged on the first Galley.

 

[Ben E Gas]

This will be my 2nd GOTM. I can't wait to begin.

Do the squids stay around even during modern times? I've only seen the squids once during the last game and it was before I had any ships. Can the squid population be wiped out? Is it hard to kill or fend off a squid?

thanks,
Ben E. Gas

 

[CruddyLeper]

BenEGas: The squid population indeed dies out gradually. Once a squid is damaged it cannot heal... so once MapMaking is discovered, the days of the squid are numbered...

Bear in mind, at Monarch there is a slight bonus versus Barb units like squids... pretty sure it's 50%. So this month, not too hard to kill a squid... In general, much better to attack them than to let them attack you (unless you are carrrying valuable cargo that MUST reach land - for instance a settler or leader).

 

[Elandra]

Originally posted by Moonsinger:
"Would you please explain this tactic a little bit more? How does it work? I already know that if you send a group of sucide galleys and one of them carry a settler or whatever unit, if at least one galleys survive, the settler will always survive too. Since both galleys could be sunk too, how do you ensure your settler survival?"



It's more of a thought than a tactic. I hope to develop it further in game. I interpreted SirPleb's concept just the way zagnut describes: decoy galleys to draw squid away. I sometimes use warriors this way on land. The AI sometimes prioritizes the thrill of the chase above strategic damage.

I assume we will encounter closely-spaced islands based on real world geography, pregame discussion, and predator coastal mods. With narrow coastal waterways, I fear squid barricades or ambush locations. And the addition of "coastal rocks" give me hope for sea cliffs: mountains on the coast to provide visibility. So my thought was this:

Prior to map making, conduct a detailed coastal survey:
- explore the coasts fully with warriors
- identify the narrow coatal areas and the squid hangouts
- maybe fortify warriors on mountain tops to witness squid patrol patterns
- identify desirable waterway expansion directions, like toward the equator, adjacent islands, or water bonus resources
- build coastal cities near squid hangouts and desirable locations

After Map-Making, prioritize galley settling with a 3 turn approach:

First turn:
- launch galley #1 into a squid hangout but in the undesired expansion direction. of course, this depends on a clear waterway and squid intelligence...do they follow passing ships? dunno.
- hope the squid follow galley #1 the "wrong" way. (sucker squid)
- galley #2 and #3 stay safe in city

Second turn:
- galley #1 is probably dead now. If not, he continues the wrong way, playing pied piper to the sucker squid. If no squid, he returns to home base.
- galley #2 sails unloade in the desired direction, and parks next to any remaining blockade squid. (smart squids)
- if galley #2 reveals a clears safe waterway and proper destination, send a loaded galley #3 in the desired direction to park out of range of smart squid.

Third turn:
- galley #1 same as second turn
- galley #2 may be dead, if not, lure smart squid in wrong direction (new sucker squid)
- galley #3 breaks away from the smart squid school on toward the desired location.

The trick may be picking the right paths. Not sure how this will play out. I've never used boats before, except suicide galleys in GOTM20. I also didn't know that units "jump ship" onto collacated galleys to survive shipwrecks. I may have to explore the utility of this. Do they also jump ship after combat loss? If so, I may choose to send a fourth galley with galley#3 to protect against unexpected combat.

As I said, I've never really used boats. This concept could be seriously flawed!

(Denyd, thanks for the forum posting advice, I took it.)

 

[Moonsinger]

Hi Elandra,

Thanks for the detail of your plan. It does sound very good but may be a little bit expensive to implement. However, may be the payoff for making first contact will offset the cost. I will have to wait for your spoiler report.

As for me, I think I will play it safe. Unless I'm running out of land to build, I think I will stay on dry land and leave the squids for the AIs.