I Feel Lucky Tonight! Help Guide My Immortal Sal

[Gwaja]

Hi everyone! ^_^ Tonight I feel lucky. I don't know why, but I do. So I decided to be brave and risk getting embarrassed by playing an Immortal game. Now you might ask, why I am starting up so many games concurrently. Scrutinize me for being so amused with doing so many things at once! But I am pretty good at finishing what I started, so anything I started, I intend to finish them. ^_^

But in the meantime, I ask for your assistance in guiding me through an unknown territory of Immortal in Civ 4. I am so not ready for this, but what the heck?

The game was started with a random leader, and I was given:

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The game settings are:

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And the starting position:

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I am thinking either settling in place, or moving 1N. That marble looks very juicy, as well as the gold tile, which looks even juicier. I just might be able to go for the Oracle here. I sorta want to try doing a rush either with Horse Archers or Elephants if the appropriate resources are available in the vicinity. Therefore, I will try not to expand too much and use the commerce from gold to fuel my early research for my war efforts. Perhaps getting Metal Casting from the Oracle and getting early forges up may speed up things for my army production perhaps?

I am nervous... yet I feel lucky! ^_^

Initial save file available HERE!

 

[itsnotme]

I would move 1S, settling on the wine to get 3 off the bat, which will help a lot given Sally's weak traits combo. Plus moving 1N means wasting a FP.

 

[Soirana]

why not on marble?

 

[Gwaja]

I would move 1S, settling on the wine to get 3 off the bat, which will help a lot given Sally's weak traits combo. Plus moving 1N means wasting a FP.

Settling on the wine gives me 3? I thought I would only get 2 though. It is such a strong tile once I get Monarchy that I am hesitant on wasting it actually. On the same token, I also hate turning the floodplains into deserts by settling on it either...

why not on marble?

Wow now that is interesting.... taking 2 turns to settle on the marble... hmmm.

 

[lymond]

Marble is tempting, but you run the risk of a rather food poor cap. Warrior could move 1NW to see if there is anything that would make the Marble worthwhile for a loss of 2 turns. Actually I'd move him that way in either case since moving SE or E aint gonna reveal much. I'm inclined to settle on the wine as well. Marble/Gold can be had with a second city. Looks like a FP in the fog 2N...might help that city.

Pangaea is an interesting choice to start. Expansion will be key early to grab land or at least enough cities and resources to set up an early attack.

Key is very focused worker turns and research. Make sure you head to Pottery/Writing asap - only get what you need early to grow and defend.

Where's the save?

 

[lymond]

It is such a strong tile once I get Monarchy that I

Actually, it's not really unless your are Fin. It's food neutral and only 4c, so you don't gain much working it vs. settling. The early C boost is nice on this level.

 

[Gwaja]

Marble is tempting, but you run the risk of a rather food poor cap. Warrior could move 1NW to see if there is anything that would make the Marble worthwhile for a loss of 2 turns. Actually I'd move him that way in either case since moving SE or E aint gonna reveal much. I'm inclined to settle on the wine as well. Marble/Gold can be had with a second city. Looks like a FP in the fog 2N...might help that city.

Pangaea is an interesting choice to start. Expansion will be key early to grab land or at least enough cities and resources to set up an early attack.

Key is very focused worker turns and research. Make sure you head to Pottery/Writing asap - only get what you need early to grow and defend.

Where's the save?

I just provided the link for the save. ^_^

Where have you been? I've not seen you around for a while.

By the way, moving the warrior 1NW as you suggested revealed this:

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I chose Pangaea on purpose. It seems to be the best map type for learning purposes in terms of grabbing land, waging wars and etc. I also prefer to be in contact with everyone from the start as well.

Sal's unique building, the Madrassa, really intrigues me. I never really fully utilized it much before. Its +4 as well as being able to run 4 specialists really make things interesting. I am also thinking going for the Oracle with that marble. Maybe Metal Casting or Monarchy or Code of Laws for freebie tech?

Actually, it's not really unless your are Fin. It's food neutral and only 4c, so you don't gain much working it vs. settling. The early C boost is nice on this level.

Ah... this is a good lesson well learned. Everyone seems to be in agreement with the wine. Now that the warrior has moved and revealed some more land, the picture is getting clearer... that sugar tile could make settling on marble viable maybe?

 

[itsnotme]

Early commerce boost is so crucial on Immortal. You have no idea what an extra could do for you this early in the game. Sal's traits do not allow for faster worker or settler. Wasting 2 turns just to settle on the Marble without knowing what to expect is very risky. If there isn't any food resource around, you're screwed.

 

[GKey]

Warrior NW as Lymond said and wine never counted as a strong tile. In fact settling on wine is a common tactic. You right, it will give 2 commerce not 3.
I have feeling that NW is coast, making moving south even stronger. You want settle inland on Pangaea.

EDIT: Missed your post, where you reveal the land. Sometimes my feelings are right.

It's evil blue marble makes riverside coastal grassland look like FP.

 

[itsnotme]

Now that the warrior has moved and revealed some more land, the picture is getting clearer... that sugar tile could make settling on marble viable maybe?

I'd still move the settler 1S and settle on the wine. Then settle the second city on the marble to grab sugar and gold.

 

[ABCDPuppies]

Settling on wine also saves a flood plain, which is crucial in a cap with no tiles greater than 4F.

Wait to see what scouting reveals before deciding on second city placements, but marble/gold is pretty obvious if there's some food.

 

[lymond]

Where have you been? I've not seen you around for a while.

Well, with SGOTM13 and other succession games going on, I'm a bit busy. I still poke my head in often. For instance I just recently learned that you are

Spoiler :

a girl woot! it's good to have more of yall around here

Nice warrior reveal up North. As mentioned by others, not worth wasting the turns to settle Marble. Sally needs those turns to get that settler out for the marble site. Wine looks best. I may play along.

 

[AbsoluteZero]

Whats wrong with taking 2 turns to settle the marble? You get 3 production which should make up for 2 turns moving. The gold mine in cap get's you more then even in terms of commerce.

Grass cows are decent for food and you have 1 fp which you can farm. That's vs a crappy wine and maybe something else if you're lucky.

 

[huerfanista]

I'd settle on the marble.

 

[NihilZero]

I have a thing for settling on high hammer city tiles so I'd probably go marble, but it's far from being a no-brainer here and I would probably do it while knowing it has its drawbacks. It won't be a great capital in the long term but you can and should relocate to a better spot later.

 

[Jester Fool]

To 800BC

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Disclaimer: Not an Immortal player. The start seems really good though.

Settled on the wine for the extra commerce. Built warrior->worker->settler. I wanted to build cottages first so better to let the capitol grow. Researched Ag->Pottery->AH->Meditation->Priesthood->Masonry->Mining->BW.

Founded first city on the marble. Built warrior->Oracle (to 1 turn)->Walls (to 1 turn)->Monument (to 1 turn)->finished Oracle (1360 BC)/Walls/Monument. Took MC for the free tech and then researched Alphabet. Made some trades WITHOUT giving up MC and now have a tech lead!? - I don't usually do that on Emperor. Bah, has to be luck.

Have 3 GOOD cities and are almost done with the settler for the 4th (blocking city and it's good too) and then will settle a good backfill city on the coast (obviously I am building The Colossus - only 11 turns or something to complete). I will only have 5 cities but the tech rate is very good and two of them are pretty decent hammer wise.

I'm sure I will probably mess it up later but I think I did pretty good so far.

 

[awilder]

Just be aware that if you take the time to tech masonry and possibly hook up marble, oracle won't be a sure thing. I sorta prefer not to beeline the oracle anyway, and prechop so that you get it instantly if it's still there, but don't waste precious settler/worker hammers if it's gone.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

On the marble has some devastating potential...interesting

 

[Noogai]

1AD

Spoiler :

Gwaja felt correctly, this is quite lucky start. We got all the strategic resources and there is no lack of other resources either.
I settled on marble and started digging that gold while building 3 workers. After that I got enough worker techs and I started improving other tiles. Then I went for masonry and The Oracle. I Built it and took MC from it. Then I started expanding and wonder whoring. I am currently controlling six wonders, including the one that allows me to choose religion civics.

Here is the map:

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Yes, there is a problem with religions and Shaka declared on me with huge stack of two chariots.
Since I am spiritual (I didn't remember it while playing) I could also go for free religion to play same time and get happiness + science boost. I am controlling Parthernon and five other wonders, so Pacifism is really tempting, but then I have to pick my side! After picking a side I have to prepare for some serious military struggle. Maybe I should bribe some wars to give me a bit more time to see who is powerful and who is just a threat? And then maybe backstab or join the holy war.. It's actually very difficult when you are in middle of war zone and there is no lovefest of any religion.

Tech situation is just awesome:

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Capital:

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Another city with wonders:

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Any suggestions? Ideas according to my near future tech path are also welcome!

 

[Mylene]

The Marble is a no-brainer here for me.
It is the other way round to what someone posted, you win a nice amount of turns with it
A 3 hammer city tile + a gold mine, some more flood plains or settling on wine can not make up for that imho.