[GS] Huge Earth TSL - which civs to include?

[Dr.Null]

Anyone have suggestions on a good mix of competing civs which make for a fun challenge?

Old world only, or mixed old + new world, both are welcome.

(Not interested in turn 1 settler-stealing setups.)

 

[comatosedragon]

View attachment tslhuge.jpg


I like to use this map (found on reddit) to set up my TSL earth games. You can see the starting point for every civ and CS, so you can make some interesting scenarios.

https://www.reddit.com/r/civ/comments/mxmgkg

 

[Krajzen]

I think the crucial part of TSL Earth maps being challenging is not playing in Americas or remote, sparsely populated corners of the world (Australia, South Africa etc), because in those cases you can simply take over gigantic amounts of land with no or minimal competition, stay far from any conflicts, and runaway quickly, easily and boringly. The most interesting TSL Earth sessions are when you start in the Middle East, Mediterranean Basin or Central Asia - you have guaranteed mess in all directions.

My favourite TSL civ in civ5 and 6 has always been Arabia for this reason (with start either in Arabia or Iraq). Then you put in India, China, Japan, Mongolia (you can also add Huns/Scythia on top of that to fill Central Asian void), Indonesia/Siam, Byzantium/Ottomans, Russia, one civ in Maghreb, like two in Europe so it is not overcrowded as that cripples them, Ethiopia, Mali/Songhai, Zulu, Kongo, few American civs, and if you want really hardcore early game you can also throw in Egypt/Nubia/Persia, and voila you start in the middle of global chaos, forced to fight for the right to exist, encroached by alien religions on all sides.

 

[Canadian Bluebeer]

I've been doing a WW1 thing with TSL Huge Earth (YnAMP ver) for Civ5. I've done WW2 in 6,
Waited until 1914 to declare war on anyone (the rest of them were dukin' it out before tho)

Ideology city flipping in 5, loyalty in 6.
(playing as germany)

Could do any historical type war, with that map.
Or nobody in new world, use old world civs, and see where it goes.

Map that size though, marathon. (never get land units east/west in any timely fashion on speedier)

It's long, but I find it's fun.
YMMV


PS: I saved that map. Knowing the start locations is gonna be handy for the next game. ty!

 

[Dr.Null]

I like to use this map (found on reddit) to set up my TSL earth games. You can see the starting point for every civ and CS, so you can make some interesting scenarios.

Nice map!

I'm asking for info about those scenarios -- how well they worked out

For example, I started as French Eleanor of Aquitaine with nearby Vicky, Dido, Amanitore, Suleiman, and Peter. Seemed like a decent mix, right? But nope. Vicky did nothing (boxed in by me and two city-states on her islands), Dido was stuck at one city (boxed in by Amanitore and Suleiman), and I beat Peter to an excellent Poland / Lithuania city site.

I think the crucial part of TSL Earth maps being challenging is not playing in Americas or remote, sparsely populated corners of the world (Australia, South Africa etc), because in those cases you can simply take over gigantic amounts of land with no or minimal competition, stay far from any conflicts, and runaway quickly, easily and boringly. The most interesting TSL Earth sessions are when you start in the Middle East, Mediterranean Basin or Central Asia - you have guaranteed mess in all directions.

Makes sense. I'm thinking of leaving the Americas empty, which gives enough room in the 18 civs to cover Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, in addition to Europe and the Middle East.

Not sure about Australia. Where does Kupe usually go?

In addition to playing as someone from Europe in general, I'm also interested in opponent selection for Matthias Corvinus, Cyrus, Jayavarman, or Amanitore.

My favourite TSL civ in civ5 and 6 has always been Arabia for this reason (with start either in Arabia or Iraq). Then you put in India, China, Japan, Mongolia (you can also add Huns/Scythia on top of that to fill Central Asian void), Indonesia/Siam, Byzantium/Ottomans, Russia, one civ in Maghreb, like two in Europe so it is not overcrowded as that cripples them, Ethiopia, Mali/Songhai, Zulu, Kongo, few American civs, and if you want really hardcore early game you can also throw in Egypt/Nubia/Persia, and voila you start in the middle of global chaos, forced to fight for the right to exist, encroached by alien religions on all sides.

Do you favor Japan over Korea?

Is Mongolia necessary or can someone else (e.g. Scythia) expand into their role?

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Not sure about Australia. Where does Kupe usually go?

There's always a chance that if you do no civs from the Americas Kupe might go there. He's definitely a wildcard.

Do you favor Japan over Korea?

Is Mongolia necessary or can someone else (e.g. Scythia) expand into their role?

Japan would stay on their island for a little while and won't be able to expand until they decide to learn shipbuilding. Korea will definitely be able to spread out more in the beginning. Scythia starts in Central Asia so they could go any direction, though usually expanding west towards Eastern Europe instead of into the desert. Mongolia however would keep Korea from spreading too much though.

 

[SaboteurINT]

View attachment 637729


I like to use this map (found on reddit) to set up my TSL earth games. You can see the starting point for every civ and CS, so you can make some interesting scenarios.

https://www.reddit.com/r/civ/comments/mxmgkg

How to dowload this map ?

 

[Nassim]

I would try something like :

Mali
Kongo
Zulu
Ethiopia
Egypt
Georgia
Gilgabro
Macedonia or Greece
Hungary (or Poland)
Gauls (or France, Netherlands, Germany or Rome)
Spain/Portugal
Sweden
Russia
India (either leader)
Khmer
China (Qin Shi)
Korea (or Japan but the AI is a bit slow to leave the island sometimes or could settle a city that would flip pretty fast)
Mongolia (Genghis)

Africa is the no brainer as it is fairly balanced, only Nubia is missing but they would be sandwiched between Egypt and Ethiopia
Obviously Europe will be more crowded but Spain/Portugal could use the North Africa free space, and whichever Western Europe civ is here has some space in the UK... you could remove one European civ and include Scythia but I feel they would have too much space.
Russia might have it a bit easy, though they get a lot of flatland

 

[Linklite]

WRT where Kupe settles, I generally find that he settles various locations in the Pacific Rim. So I'll find one of his in Japan, another in Malaysia, another in Australia, one or two on the west coast of the Americas, and in northeastern Russia, near that long, thin strip of land. That will be were the plurality of his cities will generally be.
Obviously, it depends on the roster - if Japan is playing, he will not settle there for obvious reasons. However, those are the locations of his cities as a general rule.