GOTM71 - Second Spoiler

[civ_steve]

GOTM 71 - second spoiler, The Middle Ages

Reading Requirements:

1. Must have contact with All remaining Civs.
2. Must be able to research an Industrial Age Technology.

Posting restrictions

1. No maps showing Industrial or Modern resources.
2. No discussion of Industrial Age (or later).
3. Absolutely NO Discussion of any other active 'X'OTM contest!

Now that you've had a chance to get Keshiks, how were they? Did they give you that last leg up you needed to dominate the game, or were they not much of a factor?

 

[tao]

900BC the AA ended with buying republic from Russia for 36gpt, trading for the rest of AA techs, entering Middle Ages, trading for all 1st tier techs, starting research on chivalry for keshiks, revolting, and getting 5 turns of anarchy.

The Middle Ages were not at all easy going, but at least I had a plan:

• Research chivalry to get Keshiks.
• Wipe out Japan.
• Wipe out Korea.
• Attack England to conquer York with The Great Library.

By this time, I wanted to have cavalry. The attack would be timed for The Great Library giving me all upper tree techs including at least nationalism and steam.

Roughly, it worked out as planned. But the deity tech pace made me loose most research races. But always I was able to buy at favorable conditions.

650BC buy chivalry
430BC attack on Japan, triggering Golden Age
350BC first Great Leader builds Leo's
190BC gunpowder, theology
30AD chemistry
50AD peace with Japan, as they are down to 1 city in the far west; 2nd war with England to get their eastern cities with iron, ivory, saltpeter
260AD war to Korea
340AD military tradition
360AD conquer Seoul with Sun Tzu
470AD destroy Korea
490AD 2nd war to England
500AD conquer York with Great Library

Next turn I learned MA techs plus nationalism, steam, electricity, and rep parts. By now, I felt nearly in control of the game.

The AIs were engaged in wars going back to 730BC, when France declared on a refused extortion. Rome and England joined them, but I also signed alliances all the times, and never had to kill any substantial number off attackers (except English) beside my main targets.

But the wars will be long and bloody.

 

[I. Larkin]

Spoiler 2

Enter to MA at 1125BC in despotism, with poor income, and 2 “happy wars”. Korea and Ottomans know Feudalism and Monotheism. Next turn trade Currency to Russia “next to nothing” and Bring China to MA vs Arabia and Ottomans for currency. “Fortunately” Korea declare at 1050 BC and 20 gpt released. It also give third happy war. Capture Baghdad and had decent army of 8 swords and horses. Put research at 100% again and borrow money from France: the only civ that gives 18 for 1gpt it is 0.5% interest rate (!). Also, France is the only civ in PTW that pay interest to you, when you lend money.
At 1025 BC bring Germany to MA vs Korea and Spain, together with Peace treaty deal, and England vs Korea, Spain and Ottomans.
At 900BC Moscow build Great Library that force me to trade Construction “for nothing”. Unfortunately I had no money to establish embassy to bring Russia to war vs Arabs (at least). Russia got Engineering and next turn Feo and Mono, of course… Greeks declare (via MA, no WH).
BTW, other Wonders were: Pyramids - Moscow, Oracle – London, Colossus – Korea, Great Lighthouse France, HG and GW – Madrid. Manage to capture Mecca size 8.
At 875 BC somebody discover Monarchy and Republic was also known widely. Trade Republic from Germany and lift Persia to MA (alliance vs Spain). Trade Feudalism and Monotheism from Germany-Persia. Set Chivalry at 100%. (Thanks to France). Revolt.
At 750 BC come to Republic. Experience ww from Arab. Mecca flipped twice! Germany quit from Alliance and declares. England stays. At 675 BC 1000 years war with Arabs was over, got Dyes city via Peace treaty, that’s it. Make RoP with Japan to fight with Korea. Rome, Persia Declare. England honestly stay at war with 3 Civs 20 turns! (terrible loses suffer&#8230. Elisabeth did pop-up with “plain peace treaty renegotiation”. Completely forgot about that. 490 BC lost reputation without good reason, make peace treaty with Rome and they offer good gpt for war vs England. At 450 BC got monopoly on Chivalry and trade for Engineering, Invention and Gunpowder. Make peace with Ottomans. Beeline to MT. War with Korea was so-so. Free one Japanese City, lose some Keshiks and start GA. Make peace around 400 BC.
Wait when RoP will expire and declare to Japan. Unfortunately they had Pickmen.
Sometime Rome declare, Arabs declare, I really lost account of all this wars…
250 BC trade become possible: trade Fur to Russia., saltpeter for Korea.
At 10 AD Military tradition comes. Education was widely available at this time, and dilemma was
1) Stay away from Education and capture Moscow (strongest, richest and remote Civ in the Word)
2) Stay in Peace with Russia “forever” and conquer western word rely on Russian scientific help.
Contrary to historic outcome Mongols take wise decision and Western Word had no chances since then.
Education with University and Copernicus in Karakorum boost research very fast. Bach’s Cathedral also was very handy. FP was in Mecca.
Japan seas to be at 50 AD, Arabs loose 1 more City at Peace treaty (without real fight) and all troops go west along Great North Ocean Road. From that time Germany, Korea, and Rome was at war till the bitter end at early IA. Sensationally, England survive with single City until early IA as well. The only rational explanation is that Civs that go there also fight with each other.
IBT 330 and 340 AD Magnetism come and I trade IBT with Persia, Korea and Ottos Medecine and Steam power. Russia dose not give Nationalism “no matter what”.

 

[Lanzelot]

The plan with my second attack on Arabia was almost spoiled: 2-3 turns before I finished my preparations for the attack, they signed a MPP with Russia! That's it, I thought, I can't take them on both. Russia is pretty strong. But fortunately one turn later Arabia attacked England & Korea, so I thought, with them engaged in other wars I might risk it. I got China and the Ottomans (two strong nations close to Arabia and Russia) to join me in the war, and then it was 5 against 2.

One part of my plan didn't quite work out: someone must've sold the Arabs Salpeter! So the war was harder than expected. (I had hoped for Keshiks versus Spears...) But still I made good progress and the Ottomans also took quite a few cities. Again I had flipping problems: Mecca flipped once only two turns after I had taken it and took a substantial amount of Keshiks with it! Usually I don't leave many troops in captured cities, when I know there's a high risk of flipping. But I have never seen any city flip so early! Usually the first 5 turns or so are "safe".
And I only wanted to leave my Keshiks in there for two turns for a "quick healing". Oh well...

Another part of my overall plan did work out ok, however: after much fighting I finally got a great leader and immediately used it to build my FP in the Arab core. Didn't build it in Mecca, though, as I didn't want to risk loosing it again in a flip... I had a "home-grown" city close to Mecca, that I had built there after the first Arabian war, and that seemed a decent spot as well.
So my original decision to settle the capital on the spot on use it as a powerhouse, was now justified: no need for a pallace jump in this game!
This was around 600AD. A bit late maybe, but I'm catching up quickly now with most of the AIs in terms of power & fireaxis points. (Culture & tech are still a big problem, though.)

When the Arabs were down to one city, I wanted to offer them peace for a tech or two, and then rely on the Ottomans to finish them off completely (so as to end my flipping problems). But they refused to talk to me!! So no free tech here.

I'm still going with 0% science and bought myself through the middle ages. Prices are incredibly high, though, and now that I finished the MA, most of the AI are well into the industrial age. However, there is one very peculiar thing, which I want to report here: the Romans contacted me twice and offered to sell a tech for the incredible price of 12 gold!! (The first time it was Printing Press, and a while later Free Artistry. Sheakespeare's was already built at that time.) The prices for comparable techs were ~1800 gold. Something like this happening once is already quite odd, but twice and for exactly the same 12 gold pieces??

There are a couple of options now for the next phase, and I'm still undecided about how I will proceed:

1. I'm almost done upgrading my Keshiks to Cavalry, so I could start another quick war (for example against Korea, which had taken a number of Japanese cities close to me and which is currently engaged in a bloody war against powerhouse Germany on the other side of the continent), before Infantry is discovered. Cav against Rifles should be ok, as was Keshiks against Muskets. Persia still hasn't dicovered Nationalism, so that would be Cavs against Muskets, but they are too far away, and they are one of my best trading partners, both for resources as well as for techs.
2. I still need some time to consolidate my second core.
3. Buy Steam and then revolt from Monarchy to Democracy and quickly build my railroad system. I think this is essential in order to not fall further behind, but another attacking war on that difficulty level with Democracy doesn't sound too tempting to me...

Ok, one week left to finish the game. It's going to be close again!

Lanzelot

 

[Megalou]

I finally entered the IA in 880 AD as a side-effect of peace with the waning Chinese (no cities.) What I really wanted was to quell resistance in the former Chinese cities. I've done a good job of delaying research with the AI too but it's a complex game. Can't say more right now.