How Would You Start?

[sampsa]

T61

Spoiler :

T51 only making 9 at 0% but now it's the time to build cottages so it will improve quickly. 6th worker out next turn - figured I have a lot of use for them will all the forest to chop and cottages to build. I also went agri and not fishing (hadn't discovered the fish in time). Here going for masonry first for GW failgold, but alas it was built, so switched to writing.

Also note Asoka fog busting my north.

3T behind in tech vs antimony's game but I'm not worrying about it really. 5th on plains ivory and Hari will 3-pop settler for 6th city soon. Will go on gems if nothing better, just need that . Oh yes Gilg plots, hope it's on me so that the game is not too easy. Lost the fog buster on "ba61", but can get my copper back in 3T which should suffice (trading it to Mansa).

 

[sampsa]

T80

Spoiler :

6 cities, 7 workers, still 10T away from construction. Probably pretty weak play but it's a nice empire and not much can go wrong, as it seems Gilgy is stuck plotting forever and I don't think it's on me. Mansa is WHEOOHRN too. Would love to get some -res via trade already. Think I'll go juda and attack Catnip first. Map seems totally unfair as they are not really expanding even. Putting some chops towards Mids for .

Oh decided to skip fishing this time for mach/engi-bulbs and working on those GS already. Won't finish, but surely can win pre-1000AD from here.

 

[sampsa]

ok played on a bit T101

Spoiler :

And I was Gilga's target! Too bad it was utterly pathetic, attack T87 or so with 3*vulture 1*chariot, slams them to the walls and makes peace.

Declare T97. That +1 from gold is needed, also switching to juda now.

It's not as easy game as the last one, but in 9T have bulbers for machinery and engineering, though need aesth, alpha and MC to be able to bulb. Lack HBR too for elephants. Catty built a shrine which helps a bit. Only trade so far math for IW with Asoka I think.

Can't play for a week so probably will just abandon the game now.

 

[sampsa]

@BornInCantaloup

Spoiler :

Thanks for the comments. I'm not really sure if AH or BW first is better, my gut said BW so I went with it. I should try AH first when I have time and maybe learn something.

I like your idea of going S first, especially if AH first. I do believe in "strongest sites first" very much. I also agree that on deity pangaea it's a very important idea to settle towards the center. On immortal and below the land grab part is not that important as you have more time to get the cities up.

 

[antimony]

@BornInCantaloup I did BW first, I skipped Agri though. To be clear I'm not sure that opening would work on Deity.

 

[drewisfat]

I'm also in the BW first camp. Only one pasture in capital, no agriculture, forests to chop, expansive would all push me in that direction.
It's straightforward to compare expansion speed, but much less clear when you factor in tech pace. You can always get further ahead by starting cottages earlier, but this comes at a gamble of losing city spots, barbs pillaging, getting DoWed without archery, etc.

 

[Gunboat Diplomat]

Wow. Thanks for the commentary everyone. Very insightful. Lots more to consider.

 

[Nick723]

Good to have you back @BornInCantaloup. Your posts are always thought provoking.

I’m sure @drewisfat can fight his own battles but I believe his point about archery being useless relates to barbs, not DOWs.

Building on your thoughts above, I’m generally struck by how much i value worker turns (or hate idle workers). Solution here seems to be to get the next cities up more quickly (so settlers ahead of workers).

 

[antimony]

Getting at a point where workers or techs arrive 'just in time' is a great feeling, although sometimes I found myself focusing too much on timing. For example, sometimes it makes sense to build a worker faster even if one is not immediately needed so you can free the city to grow earlier, free the queue for another build that will be available soon, etc. In any case alternating settlers and workers in the early game is a good default approach.