Help me with this start (Emperor)

[dr_s]

I've been playing at Emperor for a while, and while I have a lot of success, there is a certain class of starts that I seem to do poorly on. I'm not sure exactly how to characterize them, but I think the attached save is an example. I've attached saves at 4000 BC and 1800 BC. Leader is Lincoln, settings are Emperor/Epic/Large. My concern with the 1800 BC situation is that my tech rate is low and I don't have Writing yet. Obviously the game's not lost at this stage, but I just have the feeling I haven't managed things very well.

I'm looking for suggestions for how others would play this start (out to 1800 BC), with tech order, early city placement etc. and/or critiques of my 1800 BC save. Thanks.

 

[Habitus]

SS of start to help out

 

[Turin Turumarth]

I tried this start out. There is a lot of land to REX and if you don't, Joao II will take the land and become unstoppable.

 

[Mylene]

Suppose you didn't tech sailing but found it in a goody hut? And Mysticism?
Tech path i would take is prolly Hunting, AH, then either to BW with all the forests or wheel before.
Writing is ofc an early key tech with Phi. I would strongly advice against Mysticism, Monuments...shiver.

Boston is horrible as 3rd town. No AI near, nothing to work without a border pop.
Your 2nd city should have been NE between the fish and wet corn, considering it's Emperor and early barbs not a big problem so there is time to delay the horse city.
It's the perfect 2nd city with 2 great food ressources, and later your GP farm.

Make use of the whip with CHA and all this food, and also get libraries up quick to use Phi.
New York should be 1N, the rice is not important, but connecting the horses without the need for a *shiver* monument is
The N mark at the clams is something i wouldn't settle with all this other land around.
I wouldn't grow the cap to size 6, maybe size 4 then you need to work on more settlers and other stuffs first. You been forced to build a barracks while waiting it seems, not needed.
But your biggest mistake is Boston, try to realize why that city should never be settled early

 

[dr_s]

@Mylene, I thought about the fish/corn, but I don't like settling "backwards" toward the coast; it seems like a good way to get boxed in. I agree that I probably don't place high enough priority on the first ring. I agree about Boston; thought about that later, but again, I was trying to settle out toward the main land mass.

Even as charismatic you would forgo Myst/monuments? (Yes, if I have sailing, I popped it from a hut.) My tech path was AH, Hunting, Mining, BW, Myst, Wheel, Writing.

My concern with settling even more cities is the lack of commerce.

Thanks.

 

[Mylene]

@Mylene, I thought about the fish/corn, but I don't like settling "backwards" toward the coast; it seems like a good way to get boxed in.

Even as charismatic you would forgo Myst/monuments?

Emperor is not a difficulty where you have to worry about getting boxed in usually
A fast developing city with no need to defend it from barbs will help you greatly after a short while.
Much more than a medicore one towards the AI.

Monuments are among the worst buildings, yep with cha too.
You don't even have the city size at start to make use of the hapiness. You put hammers into it and research for a lousy tech. Beakers wasted that could go into worker techs, writing, pottery..
focusing on cities first with a decent first ring is a much better plan, settle the stuff that needs culture when you can chop libraries or traded for Myst.

 

[dr_s]

Makes sense.

 

[ben-jammin]

Plus dont forget that if you settle anywhere close to a religious zealot, they'll spread their religion to your outer cities first and with it the +1 culture. You can often end up building a monument in cities that quite soon after end up having no need for one.

 

[MarigoldRan]

City placement is different for Creative leaders compared to non-Creative leaders.

If Joao becomes a problem, kill him quickly.