GozGram 1 - Hammurabi and The Code of Laws (100k)

[microbe]

We'll have to expand by military, but the variant rule is very tough on that: 1 city per war. Even if we have war every 20 turns, we'll have about 20 more cities in the end. That's certainly not enough.

This is a very hard game. Let's just see.

 

[grs]

Yes, the curragh was good! And what about this getting more difficult? In my eyes the setup promised a very difficult game - especially at the start due to the research rules.

 

[Sir Bugsy]

I'm thinking that we probably won't have the benefit of a Philo gambit, we'll be very behind in tech as opposed to just being moderately behind. I also thought we would have more cities by this time. The lack of population is really ham-stringing our civ. Thus I feel it is getting increasingly more difficult.

 

[6thGenTexan]

It looks like we have our work cut out for us.

an easy builder game with limits to war is my type of game

What was he thinking?

 

[Sir Bugsy]

I'm sure he'll play a game like that someday. Just not here.

 

[grahamiam]

an easy builder game with limits to war is my type of game

What was he thinking?

careful what you wish for i guess you didn't read 2.0 grams. setting up good players to get run over by the AI seems to be one of my specialties

 

[gozpel]

We'll have to expand by military, but the variant rule is very tough on that: 1 city per war. Even if we have war every 20 turns, we'll have about 20 more cities in the end. That's certainly not enough.

This is a very hard game. Let's just see.

We can wage war on ANOTHER civ after we sued/begged for peace with the first one. So if we go for that Portuguese town first, wait for peace and then go for an Indian town.

It looks really tough though and I have no great ideas of how to turns this around. Without enough cities we will fall behind even in GA

Hmm, where did I put that RNG-charm now?

 

[grahamiam]

Preflight check: As tex indicated, we are cramped! Switch granary in Babylon to settler, due in 1T. We have 0g in the bank so I turn down the research to 10% to make sure we don’t go negative and lose something, like the barracks that’s going to finish next turn.

IBT: Babylon: Settler-> bowman, we have 1 g, making -1gpt; Nineveh barracks -> settler

T1: 1725BC We have 1g in the bank and make -2gpt. Cannot lower lux tax since only 1 MP is in Nineveh so I have to hire a taxman to keep research going.

T2: 1700BC Reg bowman returns to Nineveh and the citizen gets back to work. Reset research to 30% (14T, +1gpt, 2g in bank)

IBT: Inca demand 2g and I cave (good think I wasn’t –gpt)

T3: 1675BC Settler moves into position SW of Babylon. Not a very good spot but should secure whatever is left of our rear.

T4: 1650BC Ashur founded -> warrior. MM sci slider to 40%, 8T, +2gpt

IBT: Portugal demands 2g and I fold, down to 0g in the bank; Babylon bowman -> settler; Port, India building ToA.

T5: 1625BC Meet the Mongols and they are far ahead as well. MM Ninevah to get extra food, settler still in 2T.


T6: 1600BC Indian settler/warrior pair is going for our Northern tip. Try to block them with the bowman from Babylon.

IBT: Nineveh settler -> bowman

T7: 1575BC Settler heads NE of Nineveh, will settle on the hill with a tight build. Since everyone’s content, I move the reg bowman out of Ninevah to help block the India W/S pair.

T8: 1550BC Ellipi founded on hill -> bowman; Take a chance and leave Ashur exposed, moving the bowman N to block the W/S pair

IBT: Ashur warrior ->worker

T9: 1525BC continue blocking maneuver; Income has suddenly mushroomed to +7gpt. Set sci to 80%, Writing in 2T, +1gpt

IBT: Indians building HG

T10: 1500BC ditto. Lower sci slider to 70% to get up to +2gpt, writing in 1T. Setter due in 1T from Babylon.

gozpel is up
microbe is on deck

 

[Sir Bugsy]

Use the settler at the very end of the peninsula. We can then back fill later. Great job managing a very trick budget.

 

[6thGenTexan]

@Grahamiam I read through the first attempt of 2.0GRAM and see we have about as much land as you did then. The big difference.....only 2 direct neighbors. Lets hope the outcome is better

 

[ForTheEmpire]

lurker's comment:

Hmm, where did I put that RNG-charm now?

Hey now, I could have used that last night for SGOTM! Oh yeah, this is a cool variant you and grahamiam came up with. Very original and very challenging.

 

[gozpel]

ForTheEmpire: It became more challenging than anyone of us wanted So now we need some original moves to even survive this.

I got it and wish myself good luck.

 

[gozpel]

We are damned to the abyss.

Pre-turn - Nothing to do but to check diplo and I see Writing is known all over the place, as expected on this level. Silly AI being buddy-buddy.

1475bc - We learn Writing - CoL at 90% for now - 29t and -2gpt.

Babylon settler - granary.

1450bc - Blocking Indian settler and move stuff.

1425bc - Nothing

1400bc - Ashur worker -> barracks

Switch Ellipi to barracks.

1375bc - Nineveh bowman -> bowman.

Akkad founded -> worker.

The new Ashur worker starts chopping forest for barracks.

Have to lower research to 80% - CoL in 20t.

1350bc - Just scouting.

1325bc - Inca completes the Pyramids.

1300bc - Portugal finsih the Lighthouse and Zulu the Great Wall.
And Inca happen to complete Zeus as well. And Rome finish Mausollos.

6g in the coffers and I run 90% for a couple of turns - 11t.

1275bc - Mongols ask us politely to remove our flotsam from their territory.

1250bc - Nineveh bowman -> bowman.

The whole world knows CoL now and we can buy it for 10-11 gpt.

2g in the kitty.

We have nothing, no resources and no luxes.

Our military: 6 bowmen, 3 warriors and a spear plus 2 curraghs. And we are supposed to declare war now, after buying CoL. I think our fate is sealed.

 

[grs]

The research rule maybe the cause, that this is even harder than expected - I really thought this would only be possible to survive in a very good postion, which we did not have.

The only early advantage we have on this level is clever trading and we are almost stripped of that by the rules. Microbe needs to pull of a geniusses move for us to survive.

 

[gozpel]

If I would known the AI was going so quick in the research, I would've built more bowmen. Unluckily I found out they researched the heck of each other and traded everything they got to each other as well. No surprise.

When we declare (in a couple of turns) just move all bows to the selected area, take the town and hunker down until we can get peace. Set research on min on Lit and if necessary, pay gpt (if we have any) for peace.

We're not shot in the bottom just yet, we are only in a very precarious situation.

I think the only choice is the gem-town near Ellipi. India is too close and seem quite strong.

 

[grs]

Do we have to buy CoL or can we continue researching it (not that we would get much stronger, but maybe even 5-10 turns could help a bit).

 

[gozpel]

Either we go for Portugal and this town. The mountains will be both a blessing and a curse.

 

[gozpel]

Or if we go for India

 

[grahamiam]

imho, we should finish CoL ourselves. however, for the attack, let's think this thru...

if we go for the Portugese town of Sagres, we get gems but we also attack a spear or 2 fortified on a hill and will be hardpressed to stop swords coming over the mountains. we could throw up walls quickly (10T with 1 citz working the mined BG) and fortify about 3 bowman there (if we have that many) and weather the assault as best as possible. do we have Masonry?

if we go for the Indian town of Jaipur or the new town they are about to form, we get a little more room and probably access to a wheat and cow. also, we can create a nice leaping point for the Incense town to the south. they may be very strong militarily but we can setup kill-zones in the grass areas by taking away the mountains. however, we don't get any much needed lux.

tough call here.

 

[grs]

Without knowing their military strengths, I'd say India - they are easier to handle due to the terrain. Holding off swords coming down from the Portugese mountains will be close to impossible.

Has India settled in our north or have we been able to? I read Akka founded, but I dont know where. From the borders it seems we have the north. Is there a settler under the warrioir s,s,s of Babylon?