My tiny empire finishes the GL in 70 AD, and in 90 AD learns the last 3 remaining required Techs to enter the Middle Ages, and we also get a Free Feudalism. Now that we know Construction, our next objective is to build an Aquaduct and get to size 12 ASAP. Start building aquaduct, and continue minimal research on Republic; meanwhile, Niagara Falls is building Workers for us to join.
Republic is learned via the GL in 170 AD; Revolution! We cash rush the aquaduct, and switch Salamanca to maximum growth using all coastal spaces. Once we reach size 7, 4 workers are joined, and a 5th a few turns later to reach size 12. Order is kept with 10% Luxuries.
We cash rush a temple in 230 AD, and a Library in 270 AD. I'm now at my maximum shield rate of 17 usable shields. I've learned Monarchy from the GL, and with no pre-builds available to the AI I feel I can win the race. Start on Hanging Gardens.
Monotheism and Engineering come in via GL. I decide to sell Engineering around to raise some cash. I want to be sure I can build Sistine Chapel shortly after completing the HG, so I start researching Theology at full Science.
Hanging Gardens completed in 450 AD. A Cathedral is cashrushed in 470 AD and a Coliseum in 490 AD. I let Salamanca build them for 1 turn, then cash rush on the 2nd turn. I could have done this better, and saved a turn each, by having a couple extra warriors built by Niagara Falls; by disbanding a unit in Salamanca, I get some shields towards the building being produced and would avoid the cash rush penaly incurred by rushing with 0 shields, and also avoid the extra turn. Also, at 0 shields I could cash rush a Warrior at penalty costs, switch to the building I wanted to produce, then cash rush it normally, all in 1 turn. Luxuries can now be set to 0%.
I've learned Theology and can start on Sistine Chapel. I am happy to see that the Great Lighthouse had been built a few turns early, and only Greece has Theology, so he is the only one that might have a pre-build. Still, I don't think he can outproduce me at this point.
What to research next? After Sistine Chapel, I would like to build Copernicus' Observatory; Bach's would be nice but I don't believe I'll have the turns. I don't want Education yet, to give the GL as much time as possible. So I start Printing Press at minimum and save gold for a University cash rush.
The next Tech learned through GL is Education, so the GL is over. With the GL out, I begin a revised Tech trading style. I don't want to advantage the Tech leaders, because I want the tech pace to go slow enough that I have time to finish Wonders. So I do much tech research myself, and set my research at about 50%. I don't want to be the first to research a Tech (unless I need it for a Wonder) because this will make the research cheaper for the AI, so by setting my Sci% somewhere in the middle, I keep close enough but usually am not the first to research a Tech. Also, I ultimately reduce my research costs by letting the AI learn the Tech first. And by watching to see when the Turns to learn the Tech suddenly drops, I know exactly when the AI have learned the Tech.
However, I will trade Techs with AI who are not the Tech leaders. Since I'm primarily interested in learning the Techs in the upper part of the Tech tree, this is how I'll pick up Techs in the lower part. Tech leaders are Greece, Japan and Korea, and right behind them are Aztecs and Mongols. My main Tech trading partners were America, Arabia, Carthage and China. Persia, Rome and the Zulus were completely taken out and Egypt reduced to 1 city, so they didn't play much of a part.
My army at this point, and the entire game, consists of just 2 warriors. I got a lot of demands, and caved in to every one; I simply could not afford a war, especially having an AI kick me off the Fish squares. For the most part it was TM, or WM, and Gold, and I gladly handed it over. Another advantage of not being a Tech leader was not having to give up a leading Tech.
Sistine Chapel was built in 850 AD. 2 turns spent to cash rush University in 870 AD. My next target is Cop. Obs., but I am a bit concerned; the AI finished Sun Tzu's in 470 AD, but Leonardo's is available for the AI to store shields and generate a cascade. I withhold trading Education and Astronomy and cross my fingers.
Leo's is complete by the Zulu in 980 AD and I hold my breath ... no cascade. Whew! The AI is focused on Bach's. I finish Copernicus' Observatory in 1230 AD, and start on a Bank as a pre-build for my next targetted Wonder, Shakespeare's Theater.
I managed a trade for Printing Press and Invention earlier. I followed the AI to Banking and democracy and was expecting a fight to learn Free Artistry first. Since there was no advantage to learning FA early, I timed it to complete the turn I would finish my Bank pre-build. As I learned it, I chose "Show me the Big Picture", selected F6, chose Physics for next, then hit F1 and changed the Bank prebuild, using RMB, to Shakespeare's. The AI ignored FA entirely, going for Econ, Nav, etc.
I continued on, expecting Bach's to be finished any turn, and concerned that an AI might learn FA, or demand it from me, and then see a cascade. With 1 turn left, still no wonders completed, so I know it's mine (the human goes first in build order). Being safe now, I trade FA around to pick up Gunpowder, Chemistry, Econ and Nav; FA is valuable because Shakespeare's hasn't been completed yet
. I press enter, and complete Shakespeare's in 1365 AD. Bach's is completed 3 turns later by Japan in 1380 AD, and Smith's by America via cascade.
This is nearly ideal. The big piles of shields from Leo's are gone; only Magellan's is left and I have a shot at Newton's university. I research Physics as quickly as possible (I'm not the first), and use Magellan's as a prebuild. Once I start on TofG, I start off with high research, but again I don't want to learn it earlier than needed, or first unless I'm about to build Magellen's. So I get enough research in that I can finish it in a turn if needed (Magellen's is completed), and turn the research way down. Sure enough the AI beat me to TofG, and that causes me to learn it. I switch to Newton's. With 4 turns left to finish it, Carthage finishes Magellan's. Tentatively I press enter 4 times, and Newton's is mine! 1485 AD
I timed the completion of Newton's to finish on the same turn I complete research of Magnetism, and I'd already traded for Metallurgy. I enter the IA, in 1490 AD, a few turns behind those 5 AI that are the Tech leaders. My total culture in Salamanca is 6431, and the cpt is up to 74. The Middle Ages went really well. Not only was I able to build 5 Wonders, and cash rush the remaining cultural city buildings, my little empire was able to keep tech pace with the leading AI.
to be concluded ...
)
