Fortunately, I was able to reinstall everything with no problem, and the story of the French Empire continues. As you will see, I did make a few changes in strategy. Also, we meet our first two rivals. Dora gets drunk. Bob and Wendy split up.
40 It turns out that I didn't actually do turn 40. So, this stretch will actually be 21 turns, not 20. Turn 60 will be played through until hitting enter. This turn, I've moved my Settler north towards the stone resource. Also, Dora beats up a vicious Bear! If I didn't mention it in the last turn log, she's also discovered a good source of venison to the south in the tundra. The Settler is complete, and I've started on a Granary. I realized as I re-read my previous turnlog, that I said that I'd start on a second Worker, but I already had two.
41 Masonry is discovered. I've started on Animal Husbandry (10 turns) for the Piggly Wigglies and the Ships (if you don't get the reference, then you may not have read Terry Pratchett. If this is the case, I highly recommend you do so
) After Animal Husbandry, I will go for Writing (12 turns as of right now). Judaism has been discovered in a distant land. Dora is given the Combat I and Medic I promotions. As mentioned earlier, she has proven very useful. I'm going to do my best to keep her alive for the entire game. She also discovers yet another source of Sheep. My Settler has crossed the river to the north, and behold, Kmad was right. There is a source of clams that would be within the BFC if I settled on top of the Stone.
Now, here's the thing. If I continue with Xanadu's plan, and settle on the Forest two squares east, it'll take 3 turns before I can build Stone City. I'd have access to all four Floodplain squares, as well as 4 hammers from the quarried stone once either Bob and/or Wendy got up there to quarry it and build a road. I wouldn't have access to the clams however. Also, I'd be stealing a square from Paris. If, instead, I settle immediately on top of the Stone, I'd be able to build my second city next turn, and have access to the Stone immediately (at least in Stone City). It wouldn't take as long for my Workers to connect the resource to my capital (ensuring sooner access), and I'd have access to the Clams. I'd only have access to three Floodplains, however, and I wouldn't get the four hammers from the quarried Stone. I'd still get two hammers for production, though. This will cost me 1 extra food (three food for working the Clams, four for irrigating a Floodplain. Additionally, settling on the Stone will give me (ultimately) 12 extra gold (before building a Harbor). Given all this, I am going to settle on the resource for the quicker access and the additional gold. This shouldn't alter my plans too much.
42 Stone City is built, and I am now at -1 GPT. However, I have a stash of 105. While it's not going to happen this way, if I never incur any additional costs, it will take 105 turns before I had to lower my slider. Stone City starts working on a Monument (15 turns). It will, however, grow in 8 turns, and I think I can start whipping it complete by then. Bob and Wendy begin building Stone Quarry Road. When they get there, one will split off to Farm the Floodplain tile being worked, and the other will go down to start on building Pastures.
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44 Dora meets some villagers who claim to have lived beyond the Sea. They tell her stories of trees floating on water with extra large t-shirts on them that catch the wind and make the tree go. Dora is skeptical, yet still tells us the secret of Sailing. Dora then beats up the silly villager and moves on.
45 Dora climbs a hill, discovers another source of Corn and Piggly Wigglies, as well Wine! Woot! This will have to the location for a city at some point. We're French. We need our Wine!
46 Bob and Wendy complete Stone Quarry Road and split up. Bob begins Farming the Floodplain tile, while Wendy initially begins towards Piggly Wiggly Ranch, before realizing that she has no clue how to build it, and won't for another three turns. She decides instead to head to one of the Forested Hills and begin chopping down trees. Dora climbs another Hill and sees that someone has drawn in dark gray crayon on the ground to the east. Fearing that this could be a threat to the Wine, she reports that she plans to check it out.
47 Dora walks down the Hill and is greeted by a hideous looking man. The two of them grunt at each other, and figure out a common pidgeon-speak, and the man says he is from a place called the Byzantine Empire. His leader, Justinian I (a very silly thing to call an immortal, since it means that there is likely not to be a II or III Justinian after him...) is the founder of a faith called "Buddhism". Dora is confused. She cannot conceive of anyone naming a religion after a beer that both looks and tastes like piss (my apologies to any real Buddhists reading this thread). However, she smiles nicely and agrees that she will not club him over the head, just yet. In return, Justinian's emissary agrees to leave the Wine alone, as they already have some. The Parisian Mayor decides that this Granary thing is taking too long, and whips his slaves into faster completion.
48 Paris completes it's Granary, and begins work on on Stonhenge. With moving production to a hill, it will take 12 turns. I know I initially decided not to build it, but after seeing what Pawelo and others have had to say, I'm going to try for it and the Pyramids. Plus, if I can get a religion, the Great Prophet will enable me to build the shrine for it.. Wendy begins chopping down trees.
49 People finally figure out how to herd animals into Pastures. We now begin working towards making pretty squigglies on bark. Writing will be discovered in 8 turns. Justinian, upon learning how effective whipping people into hurrying up is, decides to adopt Slavery as well.
50 Stone City's Overseers begin beating their slaves as well. The monument will be finished next turn.
51 Stone City completes it's monument, and starts on a Granary. This work will continue until the city grows in 6 turns (less, when Bob completes the Farm in 2 turns), at which point it will switch to another Worker. Wendy will move south to the other Forested hill (Paris will now complete Stonehenge in 7 turns) and chop those trees as well. Afterwards, she will start mining the Hills.
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53 Bob finishes his Farm, and heads to the southeast Forest square to start chopping. He'd join Wendy, but by the time he gets there and starts chopping, she'll already be done. Dora notices that Justinian's Scout is faster than she is, and grumbles a bit, feeling that he may already have gotten to all the small villages. She considers whapping him over the head for a second, but he moves away too fast.
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55 Paris completes Stonehenge! Work shall now begin on the Pyramids (40 turns). Wendy moves south to start chopping down more trees.
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57 The wife of one of our wisemen have figured out that if you squiggle on bark, and give the squiggles names, you can record things better. The first thing she Writes is something called a "Honeydew List," thus accidentally discovering the Modern Marriage... In retaliation, her husband goes out to Stonehenge and starts counting the Stones. He will be done in 16 turns. Dora finds another beach on the other side of the continent. She takes some of the Beer that Justinian's emissary gave her, and starts fishing.
58 Justinian's emissary pops up (literally) and offers to let us wander around the Byzantine Empire on two conditions. One, we let him wander around ours, and two, we promise not to kick any chickens. We agree, if for no other reason then the emissary has brought a few kegs of beer with him and promises to share it with us. Dora is told to stop fishing and go check out the gray borders. Disapponted (she almost caught a sixty foot trout), she finishes her beer and obeys. (As a side note, I don't like gray for borders. It's too hard to see on the mini-map.)
59 Dora heads towards the Byzantine Empire. Bob and Wendy continue deforesting Paris.
60 Another emissary pops up, claiming to serve someone called Joao II (henceforth Joe Two) of the Portuguese Empire. Given our distinct lack of extra club wielders, we agree to be nice to each other.
Marc
De Gaulle was made for stonehenge! Build it with a few chops, and it should be done in under 5 turns. the lack of hills is more than compensated for with your copius chops. Also, learning how to deal with barbs is an important early game aspect, so I disadvise the GW. otherwise, more scouting and gettiing your hands on copper should be your priorities.
roof, which is something else that is very important to learn for the higher levels. Also, you only need a max. Chop of 2 forest, leaving 7 forests left. Assuming normal speed, you've already chopped 1/3 of Stonehenge, and there are still enough trees to build another wonder with. Typically, in Noble, Stonehenge is built by about 1000 BC epic speed, so figure on having it built by 750 BC. It's also unlikly you'll get all three wonders, since they're built at around the same time(GW usually goes at 1250 BC), so you need to set the wonder you want and go for it.
