HFC - Glass 7 - Zara and the Home of the Brave

[Cam_H]

Half Full Club - Glass 7 - Zara and the Home of the Brave

Zara Yaqob of America OCC​

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The half-full club is an initiative of Metzi, although due to circumstance he is unable to play Civ4 for a while, and has asked that the community manage the series until his return.

The basic idea is to achieve an unlikely victory with an ill suited leader to the victory conditions. The player is to look at the 'half full' rather than 'half empty' glass, making the most out of less than optimal conditions. Following the first few games, increasingly challenging variants were introduced. In this case however there are no particular restrictions beyond traditional OCC rules for Civ4.

Presented now is Zara Yaqob of America in a One City Challenge. Creative and Organised are considered two of the less useful traits for One City Challenges, while America’s Navy SEALs and Malls are late game benefits of arguably limited value here. America starts with Agriculture (generally a handy tech&#8217 and Fishing (situation dependent).

The rivals have been hand-picked. On the plus side, no Industrious leaders make Wonder grabbing possibly a little easier.

• Charlemagne of the Holy Roman Empire
• Isabella of Spain
• Justinian of the Byzantine Empire
• Mehmed of the Ottoman Empire
• Saladin of Arabia
• Tokugawa of Japan

The map is a standard randomly generated continents map. The starting position is inland with Tundra-like land to the south, coast to the south west and several Plains tiles could already make this start somewhat daunting. Just the one visible 'happy' resource, and it's a Plantation one. Two Lakes don't help a lot either. On the other hand there’s wet Corn, a Plains Hill, and several Floodplains tiles if Zara was to settle in place:

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Below are two files; one as an Immortal-level normal-speed game, the other is the game contained in a zipped folder as a scenario … you can pick your own level and speed, but note that the AI tribes will begin with Archery regardless of the difficulty level you select. All victory conditions are enabled. Random events are 'off'.

If you wish to play-and-post, please include details in ‘spoiler’ tags. Thanks.

 

[lymond]

All right, Cam is really gettin' back into it. Still workin' on my Mao game by the way.

That's a whole lotta suck right there. I'm inclined move that settler to a better spot. 2W might be an interesting coastal site - hopefully seafood - and would grab all the hills, FPs and the lake would actually be useful with a LH. The spice will come into play by the time you can use it.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Warrior NW and if nothing settle 1E for the crucial health help and later levees, as well as granting a useful hill tile earlier.

 

[cas]

Below are two files; one as an Immortal-level normal-speed game, the other is the game contained in a zipped folder as a scenario … you can pick your own level and speed...

So the game is intended to be played at immortal/normal ?

That's a very difficult leader & start position for immortal OCC. I don't see any victory possible except diplo assuming PA is off.

cas

 

[lymond]

I don't see any victory possible except diplo assuming PA is off.
cas

Now that is just not in the spirit of "Half Full"...

 

[cas]

Now that is just not in the spirit of "Half Full"...

I guess AP/religious cheese is a possibility too, but I don't even consider that a victory. Diplo is helped a bit by the mix of fav civic theo/vassal with Toku being the odd one out with merc.

Obviously, dom/culture are impossible with PA off. Space OCC on immortal takes a combination strong start position/leader + luck. Conquest OCC is nearly impossible at imm without without very specific leader/map combinations...or an absolutely crazy start position.

If someone can pull off a space or conquest, I'd love to read the write-up.

cas

 

[Cam_H]

I'm giving it a go on Immortal, but make no promises! (I've played around 90 turns already, and will do a report later).

I've taken some steps to prevent AP cheese, namely; the continents map and an inland(ish) start in concert with a lot of leaders with Theocracy as their favourite civic. Tokugawa, as we know, is also reluctant to Open Borders, and with an OCC there will be no gifting of junk cities to make him Pleased. Still, it might be do-able?

With so many religious nuts on the map, there's some chance that they'll be beating up each other a bit. There will be a luck element on whether Zara can risk adopting a State Religion or not.

As I noted in the intro' ... no Industrious leaders leans somewhat in the player's favour, and only the one 'top tier warmonger' in Tokugawa, although any of the others can cause more than their fair share of problems.

Just to confirm, Permanent Alliances are not turned on.

Only one victory condition seems likely to me. The start is hard to get too excited about though so hopefully there will be hidden goodies!

 

[TheMeInTeam]

I guess AP/religious cheese is a possibility too, but I don't even consider that a victory. Diplo is helped a bit by the mix of fav civic theo/vassal with Toku being the odd one out with merc.

Obviously, dom/culture are impossible with PA off. Space OCC on immortal takes a combination strong start position/leader + luck. Conquest OCC is nearly impossible at imm without without very specific leader/map combinations...or an absolutely crazy start position.

If someone can pull off a space or conquest, I'd love to read the write-up.

cas

In a game with double digit broken "features", the AP is as valid as anything for a W.

 

[Metzi]

Cam H, thanks for this.

I realy like that picture, the expression of Zara is priceless.

And your continuing on the tradition, which is lovely. I see why you didn't add any extra rules, considering it's almost a suicide as it is.

Unfortunetly, my computer hasn't recovered since it's breakage on Friday the 13th... and I realy want to play this one.

Hopefully you can teach a bit more than I did. I just seemed to make a fool of my self.

 

[Cam_H]

Cam H, thanks for this.

No problem. I hope you get your machine back into action soon. I'm likely to be unavailable soon for a week or so, so hopefully we can get this done quickly.

Hopefully you can teach a bit more than I did. I just seemed to make a fool of my self.

I'm guessing if I am going to be teaching, it's going to be "lessons from others' mistakes!" I'm hardly confident on this game. I find Immortal OCCs hit-and-miss under ideal circumstances, so this one is at 'very long odds'.

100 Turns down. I’m putting the summary in spoilers in case others are playing along.

Spoiler :

Overall things are fine. We’re on the same landmass as Mehmed, Justinian and Tokugawa, and will be sharing borders with the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.

On the plus side, we built The Pyramids, our fogbusting Warriors did their jobs (we lost one, but we have another at Medic I), and so far a Hindu monopoly bloc seems to be forming of which we’re part.
_________________

I moved the starting Warrior onto the hut hoping for a map and instead got 41, and opted to settle one tile east.



Got cracking on a Worker before churning out fogbusting Warriors. Technology path to 1000BC was;

Mining > Mysticism > Masonry > Bronze Working > The Wheel > Pottery > Writing

Upon securing Bronze Working, adopted Slavery, and chopped a few Forests that lay outside the BFC as well as the Spice Forest.

In 1080BC we got ‘Target #1’;



Adopted Representation. Whipped out both a Granary and a Library pretty promptly, and began running Scientists. Opened borders with Justinian and Mehmed.

Polytheism > Iron Working (bingo!) > Aesthetics

Hinduism was spread by an Ottoman Missionary in 775BC, and there was no hesitation in adopting it with both the Ottomans and the Japanese in the fold (the Byzantines had no State religion). In 500BC we popped a Great Scientist and founded the Academy of Washington.



Our rivals had begin to settle closer to America, and several fogbusters could be pulled back, although one might go for an explore at some point.

Unsurprisingly we’re behind in technology;



Home;

 

[Cam_H]

Game aborted in early 20th Century. Spoiler contains ‘hidden’ information for those (if any) still playing or wishing to play.

Spoiler :

As per above, things were generally going fine, and Justinian was soon to also adopt Hinduism making the whole continent monotheistic. However Mehmed, despite being pleased, was in WHEOOHRN mode, and ‘yep’ a Classical Age declaration just as our Zara was making progress up the Aesthetics line. Despite becoming a fellow Hindu, Justinian too joined the Ottoman-American conflict. Mixed defenders of Swords, Spears, and Axes were hurried and split into two groups; one city garrison, the other atop the Forested Hill west of the city. Mehmed and Justinian suicided units, and Justinian was quick to settle for peace at the price of Aesthetics. Mehmed was reluctant to talk, and was gradually wearing down the Washington defence. A late strike on his behalf led only to further Ottoman casualties, and he too was bought out of the war with Aesthetics.

From then on, the game was war-free for Zara of the Americans, although there were times of threat – especially from the three distant tribes. Japan too fell out of favour by adopting Taoism not long after it was founded in Satsuma.

As much ill fortune as good luck was borne by Zara. On the positive side, several targeted world wonders were secured; The Pyramids as noted, but also ‘severe’ whipping and chopping led to The Great Library and The Sistine Chapel. Despite Japan’s move from Hinduism to Taoism, the Ottomans and Byzantines – the direct neighbours – both held with Hinduism, which typically allowed for good trading and indeed occasional gift giving. Mehmed at times was WFYABTA, but care was taken to limit trades to only necessary technologies.

The generation of Great People however was disappointing. Aside from Music’s free Great Artist, the Americans were to pop four more at disproportionately low odds, while only two Great Engineers were generated (despite much higher probabilities than Great Artists); one just as the Sistine Chapel was about to be constructed anyway, and the other very late in the game.



The free technology from Liberalism was missed by six turns, while the last hope for the game; The Internet bee-line, also failed. The Parthenon and Cristo Redentor were built by other nations before America could complete them.

Zara of the Americans was an unhelpful leader-tribe combination for an OCC, however the map did little to assist this handicapped start; no Stone, mostly inaccessible Marble, only Plantation happiness resources, one Health resource to offset Floodplain and population-driven unhealthiness, and several other poor quality tiles (inland Lake, dry Plains).

With The Internet’s construction in the Ottoman Empire, and several tribes already having built their Apollo Projects, the game was abandoned in the early 20th Century. Admittedly, this was still late for an Immortal level game.

 

[admtanaka]

@Cam H

I read the spoilers - the start looks unwinnable on Immortal (and probably would be very difficult even on emperor) without PA enabled or pulling an AP win that would make most players blush.

 

[Cam_H]

Impossible? Possibly!

Certainly I would normally have been far more advanced by this stage with a more compatible leader and a kinder patch of terrain (and a bit more luck at times), but there are some exceptional players out there who might be able to roll this one over (?).

 

[Soirana]

not having neither of industrous, marble or stone with rather meh terrain makes it next to impossible.

 

[Metzi]

Pitty.

Meh, now we know that organizing a suicide game usually works out.
Mayhaps a Glass 7a is in order, prehaphs on a lower level?

 

[Framesticker]

1931 Space Race Win, Emperor/Normal

Spoiler :

While the start and the leader didn't pose much help for an OCC, the continent was a very playable one. Justin, Toku and I were the Buddhist (though Toku did declare on Justin several times) with Mehmed being the lone sheep. Justin was a major MFG power, and after I'd shared his religion and gotten him to Friendly he was a great trade ally. Toku and Mehmed went after several times, but to no avail. As far as wonders go, I got the Pyramids, Hanging Gardens, Great Library, University of Sankore (for the Scientist points) and the Taj Mahal (for the GA for changing into FR). I got my first Scientist around 700AD or so (stupid Engineer points, got 4 at 20%-10% odds) which my tech rate pretty bad up until then.

I pursued the Liberalism beeline fairly easily, and decided to gamble by going for Biology. I figured with 3 Zealots on the other continent (especially as they'd gotten Taoism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity from us) would be backwards through war and religious conflict, so they wouldn't be much of a tech threat. I was right as they were met by Caravels on 1400AD. Once Globe Theater and National Park were put in place, I founded Sushi and Mining (Economics for the Merchant, saved one Engineer from about 400AD for the Engineer) and then pursued the Apollo project with ease. Isabella and Justin were the main Space threats, and they'd already built several part when my ship was launced, but I suppose that had to do with the UN forcing FR and making everybody happy with each other.

All in all, tough, challenging game. Careful diplomacy and religion block choose is critical in order to get into the "peace-builder-stage" of the classic OCC.

 

[Soirana]

Spoiler :

I've tried on immortal managed to get some early wonders [especially gwall which allowded to make some stealing in mid game.]

Religion deadly refused to spread to arround 1000AD so politics were tough.

got bio from lib. national park is meh on this map, but really not much options anyway.

In end got computers and intercontinentional invasion. Unluckily 10+CRII artilery and 10+cavalry were just too much...

If i had 5-6 more units probably could pull so can blame just me...


Well, on other hand byzantium was running away...

 

[Cam_H]

Congratulations Framesticker!

Soirana ... a bit unlucky I think too (esp. on religious divide).