GR16 - AWE Random setup vs 30 civs

[Greebley]

Parameters:
Patch: 1.22 C3C
Level: Emperor
Variant: Always War (No initial trading)
Civilization: Random [Edit: We got India]
Map Type: 250x250 Completely Random
Barbarians: Random
Rivals: 30
AI Aggression: Normal
Victory Condition: Any
Culturally linked starts: OFF
Re-spawn: Off
Preserve Random Seed: On
Cultural Conversion: On

We must immediately declare war (no trading first) upon contact, but can see if we are ahead or behind, look at graphs, etc.

Edit: Updated the image to match the game:


Looks like it may be a challenging game. I was thinking of settling on the non-bg grassland.

Players will again get 5 days to play especially in the latter part of the game. Pls post an "I got it" in 24 so we know someone is playing (or if you are up next you can mention when you next can play and are ready).

Roster - check in and verify you want to play. I rearranged the order in a somewhat random manner.

Greebley
NP
M60A3TTS
vmxa
ThERat
markh

Remember that Barbarians may be on. At leas this time there won't be wide open areas filled with huts.

 

[Greebley]

We should discuss start position - where do we move the worker?

For tech my vote is to try to get our UU first - its early to get a GA, but we want the UU's abilities.

 

[Ansar]

lurker's comment: Checking in to see another huge game.

Good luck all! Hope your computers don't slow down as much this time!

 

[madviking]

lurker's comment: Hope it's not an endless marsh of... um... marsh

 

[M60A3TTS]

Checking in and ready to go. Settle in place and start working the BGs. BW first and then we'll check terrain in the meantime. May want to go IW depending on what we find. Not in a hurry to start our GA.

 

[Aabraxan]

lurker's comment: Reserving my spot in the Lurker's Suite. Good luck!

 

[ThERat]

well, our UU will be the life saver giving us plenty of slaves in the first part of the game. A JW army will be nice to do that.

But the starting land looks terrible...are you guys sure, we don't want to settle on the coast? I mean settling in place wastes quite a number of sea tiles... I would actually move NW to settle, maybe we can shift the worker north on the BG to work that and if the north looks better, then settle NW?

 

[gmaharriet]

lurker's comment: Joining the rest of the lurkers and bringing popcorn for everyone.

 

[markh]

Checking in. I would move the worker either 1N or 1S and then decide where to settle.

 

[Northern Pike]

Checking in.

I'd integrate Mark's idea and Rat's, first moving the worker S, then sending the settler NW unless we've seen something to make us change our minds. I don't think we can accept a capital with both a lot of marsh and bad sea tiles, as we'd be doing by settling in place.

 

[M60A3TTS]

There are only 3 tiles that would be affected and we wouldn't need to worry about that until the IA. The swamps may also provide more BGs as they're cleared. The problem I have with the start isn't that it isn't on the coast, but rather that it isn't on a river so we'll need an aqueduct.

 

[vmxa]

That is one ugly start. No river, no lake and lots of swamp. At least we are industrial so the workers will have a better go at clearing.

The coast is good and bad. First we will have a crap capitol location with one whole side devoid of towns. Then the lack of shields you get from being on a coast will slow down production.

It probably hindges on what the rest of the land turns out to be and how soon we run into someone. I hope we have barbs as we need the slaves.

If we can get swords and do not have lots of contacts early we can try to hold back on fights with the UU and only use it on barbs.

 

[Greebley]

I think I like NP's suggestion. NW seems to have the most votes for the settler, and the S move does move outside the closest 9, but does give us the best chance of spotting more deer. I will play it that way unless there is a consensus against it. There is a 1/3 chance of archipelago in which case a coastal capital is important - thus coastal.

For tech, the research will definitely be minimum. We won't be able to get it in less with no rivers. That means we won't get our UU in less than 50 turns. I would like to get the slave capturing ability earlier rather than later, so I think that will be my first research goal. With def and attack of 2 they are a strong unit. IIRC they are under warrior code. I doubt we will want to build spears.

 

[Greebley]

4000 BC: The worker south was a good call by NP we find some wheat.



3450 BC: We are likely on a small island.

I am going to stop here. Its decision time. I believe we are on a small island (see picture below). I think we should immediately switch to Alphabet (I already switched worker to settler for 2 cow town). What do the rest of you think?

 

[M60A3TTS]

I have one word for you, just one word:

RESTART

 

[Northern Pike]

The switch to Alphabet sounds right to me.

 

[Sashie VII]

Wow. 30 Civs, AWE. That's huge. Wow.

Would be great to lurk and watch

 

[ThERat]

M60ATTS, I don't think we should just give up so easily. This is a different challenge, but of course, if we are on a tiny Island while th rest shares huge land, we should restart...

 

[M60A3TTS]

M60ATTS, I don't think we should just give up so easily. This is a different challenge, but of course, if we are on a tiny Island while th rest shares huge land, we should restart...

Define tiny.

Let me put it another way. In the interest of time, if I had happened to look ahead...which I'm not saying I did... Then I would be obligated to ask to be skipped from the roster until such time as all of the territory of said hypothetical island were to be uncovered.

 

[vmxa]

If this is an island, it willbe a very boring game, even if it is bit bigger than it looks. Especially if it is a long way to then next island.

Of course defending it will be easy.