How crowded can a map be?

[mastertyguy]

How crowded can a map be? Some have tried to play against 30 opponents on huge maps, so have tried the same number of opponents with the AW variant, but none has tried AW agaianst 30 opponents on a tiny map, until now!

Level: Regent (how can I defend myself against free units?
Size: Tiny
Shape: Random
Temperature, Age, Climate: Random
Barbs: Sedentary
Opponents: The whole bunch of 'em
Victory: All

Tiny 30 civ is a tricky game. Started it once, got pretty good results, but haven't finished the game (no time). The trick is that you discover 3-4 civ right in 4000 bc, so 3-4 wars in 4000 bc. Expansion is 1 city or 2, so the middle ages war start in the early game. If you are lucky, you get one ressource from the beginning (may it be iron!). The biggest civ are the easiest to wipe out in this game. Why? The big civ have less units per city, while the small civ have A LOT.
I decided to play with Germany. The Militaristic trait... well, it is no question. Scientific gives me a few freebie tech (totally useless), cheap libraries (nearly useless) and Bronze Working (only reason). How will I defend me otherwise? with archers and warriors? The main bad thing is that the panzers won't be any use. Too bad! I'll survive with the base units!
So there it is!



Not the greatest start ever... but I get furs, and lots of space (relatively). Because the Ottomans and the Celts are in my 9 tiles, they cannot build there city in 4000 bc, so I get a free turn over them.

I started a warrior, traded for a few techs (masonry, pottery, and a few others) and declared war over my only known opponents. My worker got to the bonus grass. I researched IW (may I get iron!!!). Nothing to say until 3800, when I finished my warrior.. It made it's way to Entremont, and...



Too bad! only 29 opponents! I got a worker there () and i used it to build a road to the furs. I sent the warrior to explore. Discovered Theo, declared war.

I finished a spear in 3350 bc, and I started a barrack (too bad for the money, I have 30 bucks!). In 3250, a Byzantine warrior attacked my spear (ya right!) and failed, so I got a vet spear now!

In 3150, I discover Madrid, and traded Pottery for Alphabet. They attacked my Warrior, which became a vet too ()! Then, in 3000 bc, I got IW. And where is the iron?

 

[mastertyguy]

In 2750 bc, I finished settler, sent it north and sent it on the tundra next to the sea (north of the worker in the last pic). Leipzig would produce my cats (I forgot to say I am researching Math), While berlin would give me vet archers and spears.

Nothing happened until 2390 bc, when I encountered the vikings. I traded ceremonial burial and masonry for writing and gold, and declared war. Destroyed Bergen in 2270 bc with archer. Finshing mathematics, I started cats in Leipzig. I attempted to take Trondheim with my warrior and archer, with no succes (am I surprised?). I started to besiege Madrid in 1170 bc with two cats, one archer and one spear (for now...). Actually, I had no more need for the Spanish iron (there is one in my backyard), but anyway... Here is a pic with the situation at this point:



After a few turn and a lot of bombardment, I finally attacked the damaged units in Madrid. Result:



In 1775 bc, a Viking assault rushed to Berlin. The fight finished in my advantage, and I got a elite spear (). Next objective: Istanbul!

 

[MrMahk]

wow sounds like a really fun game - lol @ the celts

 

[mastertyguy]

I sent my army to Istanbul. The strategy is: bombard and attack a when possible. The assault is long, and doesn't end until long, so that is it for now on Istanbul. I built Koenisberg in 1325 bc, next to the iron (swords!). Two turns later, I built Frankfurt on the dyes, near Madrid. The siege of Istanbul still doesn't end, and I build more sowrds and more cats. Nothing was done until 1000 bc. At this point, I started to get more swords, and the attack got better. In 975 bc, I killed one spear. In 950, another two. The count reduced slowly, but as the number of spear reduced, I could have a damaged first def unit (). Then, in 750:



Next: Constantinople!

 

[mastertyguy]

wow sounds like a really fun game - lol @ the celts

I must admit that they weren't the luckiest AI ever seen.

 

[mastertyguy]

Actually, the attack on Constantinople only took a few turns, unlike Istanbul (confusing, isn't it?). The main reasons are:
1- The cat stack is already big
2- I have swords
3- They were affraid!
So here it is:

So I decide to attack Copenhagen, and, en route, I encountered an archer:



Barbarossa! It created an army. Then Copenhagen took one turn, I kill one spear, so, no big comments. They sent a settler, to rebuild it... HA! Two free slaves! The army moved to Trondheim. Another easy shot, only one spear:



Now I had conquered the island:
1- Finish to settle it
2- Drop my army in Korea (you can see it's border in some pics)

EDIT: 1,200 post!

 

[DvD-IT]

Another crowded game! It is a fashion.
The bigger the opponent, the easier to wipe 'em out? Hmmm. If the biggest opponent is an AI, then no way. It is big AND with a lot of units. If the biggest opponent is you, then the problem is on the first turns of your 'greatness', where you are mostly exposed to enemy attacks. After that the big production will make you the 0wner. And tiny civs have LOTS of troops (I know from personal experience , I was lucky however.

Good luck with the game, it seems you already paved the road for your victory!

 

[Mathias]

Interesting. I wonder if AW rules will actually make this difficult. I've played 30 rivals on tiny maps before, and once you take out the first two or three opponents, you become a relative powerhouse.

 

[IroquoisPlisken]

Heh, strange. I was planning on doing a game just like this (without the AW variant, though) any day now.

I'll definitely be following this.

 

[mastertyguy]

Interesting. I wonder if AW rules will actually make this difficult. I've played 30 rivals on tiny maps before, and once you take out the first two or three opponents, you become a relative powerhouse.

Actually, afterwards, I think that a game like this on emperor (minus free AI units) would be more interresting.

 

[mastertyguy]

OK, nothing to say until Jesus' birth, in 0 AD (theorically). In 10 AD, I discover both Feudalism and Portugal. I decided to attack them instead of Korea. Why? They are closer!



I send the army from Constantinople to Frankfurt. Lisbon finished the Statue in 150 AD. I decided that I'd get it before they can use it (so I'll use it!) I destroyed their army near Madrid with my sword army. Nothing happens for a while, until I discover Monarchy, in 250 AD. Started a revolution phase: 6 turns! I redlined a few galleys with trebs (2) and cats (5) coming near Frankfurt.

 

[mastertyguy]

In 350 AD, I dropped a 2 trebs, 1 sword and 1 pike near Lagos (see pic below). This way, I need less galleys to unload my army. Next turn, I unloaded another treb and a cat. I got attacked by two sword, making my pike elite. Good: I got an elite pike! Bad: I got a redlined elite pike... I got it back to Frankfurt. And I got to bed!

 

[mastertyguy]

While I was sending my defending pike to heal in friendly territory, I got a minor ancient cav army unloaded near Leipzig. No problem, I send my sword army to kill those. I kill one, I upgrade my spear in Leipzig, the other is redlined. Here is the problem:



I must destroy those two Korean buddies and the ancient cav, but it I have 2 offensive units for 3 ennemies to kill. I send the army on the spear, the MDI for the archer and I try to finish the ancient cav with the pike in Berlin. I win! This situation could have been dangerous (read lethal).

At the same time, the siege of Lagos was going well, here is my evaluation of their forces:
2 reg spears

I got:
1 vet sword
5 cats
3 trebs
1 elite pike (rest in frankfurt)
1 elite* archer

In 390 AD, a sword attacked my stack and killed the #1 defenser (the sword). After one rest turn, I must recall the pike to Lagos, as an archer against a sword... well! After redlining the spear, I attack the sword with my archer. No more threat from there!

I continue to build units and send them to Lagos. Minor kills there. I encounter England in 420 AD. Declare war. The siege on Lagos is long, but I send a first MDI in 450 (). And:



A stronghold! That's what I needed! Lisbon started in 480. After 7 turns of offensive, the Portuguese capital fell. And with it:



Now, Potugal must be cleaned up!

 

[Dachs]

Heh heh heh. Brilliant. I finally discovered this, and it is quite entertaining.

 

[mastertyguy]

Isn't it?

In 570 AD (1 turn of combat), I take Oporto, leaving one single city to Portugal.



Easy one: 2 spear against trebs and MDI. I decided to go on Amsterdam, to the south. btw, here is a map of the new territory (forgot to send one before ) Here it is:

 

[mastertyguy]

The assault on Amsterdam started before I got all my artillery. I killed two spears with my MDI result:



Manfred von Richtofen comes to help me! How can I get the best WW1 aviator without any planes? Anyway, that is two spears, and I expect at least 5, as they have no other cities on the continent. Three turns later, and 7 spears later:

 

[mastertyguy]

I decided not to worry about the last portuguese city and to take Rome. I sent two MDI first. An ennemy CA was countered easily (1 archer and 1 chariot). I unloaded every turn more and more of my deadly trebs an MDI. I encountered Sumer in 690. Every turn, I got new units for Rome. But Persia, on the same continent, was sending me Immortals too. Another map of the new territory:



My army is on the hills with horses, next to the volcano. I sent all my army in Portugal, using the Ancient Cavalry to defend/conquer. The MDI Army I had in Rome (with Richtofen, I sent an empty army there, and loaded vet MDI) killed 1-2 spear every turn. The Knight Templar (have I said I SGL rushed it?) was giving me plenty of crusaders to conquer Rome, but I missed galleys (and money to rush 'em). Finally, in 1780:



The end was near! I got a 1 def #1 defender after a few cats! I knew it could be the last turn of the Roman Empire...



And it was! Actually, the Roman empire lasted ~1000 years longer than the Byzantine empire. Civ is certainly not a historical game.

 

[mastertyguy]

With that foothold, I was able to finally heal my army. You can see, on certain screenies, a little grey border, which seem to be to Indian border. I haven,t met them yet, so it is possible. I sent the only fast moving unit I got, an Ancient cav, to see them and possibly capture a few workers. It got killed by an immortal. Too bad I killed the immortal with a MDI . Here is India (Delhi must be somewhere south):



But something changed the situation at this exact moment, in 800:



oops. Forgot about flips! I must send a punitive expedition! Two AC will be enough, as there only is 1 pike there (they seem to have iron). On the same turn, I finally get some crusaders to attack India. My army was moving into position (the hills NW of Bombay). The battle was short:



Actually, Delhi wasn't there, so I had to go for Persia. Will I beat the Prince of Persia?

I think yes. Pasargardae, 840:

 

[mastertyguy]

Another crowded game! It is a fashion.
The bigger the opponent, the easier to wipe 'em out? Hmmm. If the biggest opponent is an AI, then no way. It is big AND with a lot of units. If the biggest opponent is you, then the problem is on the first turns of your 'greatness', where you are mostly exposed to enemy attacks. After that the big production will make you the 0wner. And tiny civs have LOTS of troops (I know from personal experience , I was lucky however.

Good luck with the game, it seems you already paved the road for your victory!

Actually, it will have a lot of unit too, but the small AI will all have 'em in one single city, while the big one will have a normal unit number in every city, which is small enough for me to them without artillery support.

 

[mastertyguy]

In 860, I took back Oporto. at the same time, I sent my army to Persepolis. There, I killed a whole bunch of spear on the first turn of the attack. the next turn:



Tomorrow: Arbela, South of Persepolis!
Good night!