Here's something you don't see everyday...

[futurehermit]

This is one of my earliest victories ever. How I managed it: Built my first city on top of copper. Chop/whipped axes + impis. Wiped out Hannibal early. Cottaged up. Beelined CS/Machinery. Upgraded/chop/whipped maces + catas. Wiped out Ragnar with mutual struggle points with Washington. Cottaged up.

I figured I was going to go space race. I was a bit concerned about only having 12-13 cities, but I was confident I could win. I had low production except my capital and IW city.

I built the Eiffel Tower because I had major close border problems with Washington in a couple of my former Viking cities.

Of course, that means I needed Mass Media as well.

When I got Mass media just before 1800AD, I realized that the diplomatic situation world-wide could net me a diplomatic victory. I was friendly with Washington, pleased with Ramesses, and pleased with Bismark. Churchill would be my contender. Everyone was pleased with him.

I have never, ever gone for diplo victory before, so I thought: what the heck, let's give it a shot! I built the UN in my IW city and switch to organized religion (although I did not adopt a religion) to try and increase relations to friendly with Ramesses. I figured I would need to get him to friendly to have a shot.

Much to my delight I was voted Secretary-General with everyone voting for me except Churchill!!!

Now, I was even more pleased. At the first voting period, I called for a diplo victory to see how things stood. I thought some, like Ramesses would abstain.

But, nope, they voted me diplo victory first time!!!!!

SHAKA THE DIPOMAT

 

[frob2900]

Nice victory, Futurehermit!

Yeah, Shakas a great leader. Early on the obvious Impi/Axe rushes are great, but he really holds his own into the midgame/endgame, since you can have a really large empire with low maintenance due to the Ikhanda+Courthouse combo.

Now with BtS the Ikhanda will finally get the +2 happiness under Nationhood, but unfortunately his Expansive trait takes a slight hit.

Still, he is one of my fave leaders, but I hardly ever play him, since I prefer to have him in the competition

Diplo victory with Shaka is always an amusing contradiction, though, the AIs generally hate me when I'm Shaka (guess why? )

 

[futurehermit]

Nice victory, Futurehermit!

Thanks!!!

The nice thing was I only declared war twice and both times I wiped out a civilization. And I didn't attack anyone's friend (Hannibal very early and no one liked Hindu Ragnar).

So I was able to have very friendly relations and didn't need to go to war. I was last in power and didn't really fear an invasion from any of those civs.

I'm glad the ikhanda bug will be corrected. I don't play Shaka that often either--although I certainly don't look forward to meeting him --but I was quite pleased with how this game went. It felt very smooth and efficient, which only happens occasionally for me

 

[IAM]

Nice game!

 

[MangleMeElmo]

Nice one.

Heheh, poor Churchill must be having self-esteem issues.

 

[StuntedAzrael]

I like playing Shaka. His -20% maintenance from ikhanda is really big and lasts all game. Add a courthouse and later a forbidden palace and it's usually 90% science slider on monarch.