1600 (0):
Boy do my feet hurt. I hate to start my diary with such a complaint, but it seems that Ive been walking everywhere but getting nowhere. Being in the grand leaders warrior contingent patrolling the hills near London was supposed to be a grand assignment for one so new to the corps. It could not be less so as we live in constant fear of barbarian attacks and very rarely to we even get tea.
A barbarian war party was spotted on the next hill and I fear for the battle ahead.
Word from the home front is that our leader has scrapped some plans to train skilled workers to help improve our landscape. I agree in this case, as it seems a better plan to defend the cities before the land should improve else there is nothing going to be left as well that we already have four workers in the field as it is. Further, we must show strength lest our neighbours think us weak.
1575 (1): Our battle with the barbarians was as bloody as I feared, and we lost 2/3 of our men defending the Hill of London. At least we are being recalled to the capital whilst the second warrior brigade heads out to find the warrior stronghold.
1525 (4): While reassigned here in London, Ive made a friend who works in the science ministry, and there are so many interesting things apparently happening there. While our scouts are approaching small (and apparently friendly) tribes in the world, there has been a shift in research. Contact with the Russians allowed us to develop something relating to cism of the Mystics what ever that is. Their leader asked for 80 in gold, but our own shrewd leader only ended up paying 66 gold. Earl then changed the research target for our land to something dealing with numbers AND with hurling stones. He felt a lesser tribe could teach us to write, and hoped for the best. Our scout then returned from his foray to a new tribe with the ability to ride horses not what Earl wanted, but a valuable knowledge nonetheless. Youll never catch me on one of those things.
1450 (7): Our scouts approach another small village, Earl decided to shop the knowledge of Horseback Riding to his neighbors. The Russians offered 90 gold, and the Germans only 40. The French won the bid at 120 gold, and eventually gave 124 their whole treasury.
When Earl looked to sell now to the Germans and Russians, something EVIL was afoot. Somehow, the Russians and the Germans NOW HAD THE TECHNOLOGY!!!! Even I could hear our leaders curses something about bugs and autoloading.
Our research, it would seem, was at only 20%. This was not a good place to be as it ate away our monies while providing no speed to our research. The choice was to put science low and negotiate or high and study things ourselves. While our grand leader is an excellent negotiator and would have preferred to have others do his thinking, the most recent experience with his neighbors trading behind his back forced his hand and forced the tax rate to put 80% of funds into science. This gave us but a pittance of a surplus, but what could be done?
The good news is that our scouts have discovered the mystery of writing, and when Mathematics is figured out, we can begin the making of maps. An embassy is established with Russia as we do not know where they are located. Moscow is seen in the extreme southeast of our map, and knowing their expansionist bent they will soon be at our doorstep.
All of this is making my head spin. I need to get out and start more battles.
1425 (8):
Our warriors defeated a barbarian tribe and collect some gold for their efforts. Ive just been handed a long pointed stick called a spear. Apparently Ive just been promoted and Im to join some settlers out of York. Boy, protecting settlers
what fun.
The Russians begin the Pyramids. Earl contemplates this move and counters by doing the same in London. Moscow was only size 2 at the time we saw it with nothing but grassland around. The Hills of London will provide some excellent production once they are mined which some workers are already doing.
1300 (13):
OK, what the heck was I thinking about going back into the military. Where is my glory, where is the foreign travel my recruiting officer promised? I just escorted a bunch of helpless settlers to a site and it took us over 100 years to get here. Hmpf.
Anyway, the city of Keventry has been created, and it should be a very important one to the empire. This city is responsible now for BOTH iron AND horses. It will have to be defended well, and I am prepared.
1250 (15):
We can see the Russian city of Yakutsk to our southern border. Its near an iron deposit we desperately wanted. We may see some action yet.
1175 (18):
Looks like Ill be called upon again. With my experience I was asked to join in another spearman group heading out of London. Again, some settlers from York need escorting north, and they need their best troops as we are approaching German territory. This must be so, as there is only a small regiment of warriors remaining. They had better shore up that city soon.
1050 (22):
Well, Here I am on that same hill that I started this diary on. Funny how things have changed in that time. Our scouts continue to scour the land for friendly tribes with no luck however. We are very close to discovering math on our own, and still have writing while other civs do not. We have many spearmen throughout our nation, and many settlers who will be forming new cities very shortly.
The biggest difference between then and now is that now we are faced with some very aggressive Germans over this hill. I am afraid to leave the city of London as the Germans look as thought they may attack
It matters not, as Ive reached the end of the pages in this journal. Perhaps there will be more that I will write in later years.
Few things guys:
#1: I may be wrong, but I think that either Grey Fox or Silverblade must have reloaded from and autosave. Ive never seen this bug before, but it matched all descriptions. In essence, civs now trade INSTANTLY with one another during YOUR turn. This means that we probably cannot tech broker with civs who have contact with each other.
#2: We have no coastal cities. Keventry had to be build where it was to get us much needed iron AND horses. There are plenty of settlers that will be online very soon.
#3: A VERY nice city site is to our north heading toward the Germans. I can see 3 cattle in a row, and it can be a coastal city as well. We have a settler/spearman combo that is close but
..
#4: BEWARE THE GERMANS. They have a warrior near and I saw others as well. It would be just like them to launch and attack this early, and I know that they have horses as a resource as well. London is defended by a lone warrior, but our spearman/settler can return if need be. York is undefended, but 3 turns from a spearman. I spent some extra time with defense and settlers on our southern border as the Russians and French were much closer, but the Germans look to be an issue.
A few thoughts for the future:
1. Because of the apparent bug, I thought it best to try to study more on our own. We can still buy tech, and we have a pretty good pile in the treasury if something nice pops up. However, with successful huts and easy buying we are actually in the LEAD. With this in mind, perhaps we can look into an early Monarchy or Republic and try to take advantage of our commercial nature.
2. If not, I have a few cities building barracks, and some despot rush-building could be used. My thoughts on early war is that it may be better to go north and deal with the Germans first as we would face one civ. I would be too afraid of the Russians and French joining forces against us if we went south.
3. With that being said, I meant to establish embassies with the French and Germans as well. The next player may wish to do this. One suggestion would be to build cities on BOTH coasts to allow us to travel east and west when we explore.
4. Plenty of settlers on the way, and after that it may be a good idea to get libraries and other infrastructure. Or war stuff if that seems better. I started building swordsmen at first, but now we have horses and you can change to them if you wish.
Thats it! Have at it. Brittania! Rule the Waves!
)
:crazyeyes
Everyone it seems... about that autosave I actually loaded the 4000 BC save when I played, because I took some pictures, Closed the game and then reloaded that save... does this cause the other civs to Auto trade? 
