Julius Ceasar was rolled to my initial disappointment. To repeat myself, I assumed every leader starting with Tool Working was definitely ahead of those without it.
Rome doesn't have Tool Working. Thus incapable or producing workers right away. In isolation, that would be catastrophic.
This is Rome stats:
Anyways, what shines with Rome was the tech combo I did not realize along a start that allows laying cottages early. Pastoralism is pre-req of Agriculture, which in turn is one of pre-req tech of Pottery along Wheel. Rome got both Wheel and Pastoralism, leaving me with only one tech behind Pottery. The key of the early game, despite sounding wrong is getting an economic edge. While not obvious, early techs cost in average 100~150 beakers each. It's more than the early techs of stock BTS for normal speed.
A fast ReX while stomping a neighbour is often a possibility, but getting a bunch of techs early is not possibly without self-teching. And not to mention, tech trading is rather a rare event given getting any AI to PLEASED is one heck of a job. Don't even think about liberating a city that cost 200 hammers. That's not worth it most of the time.
The start that was rolled was golden. No typical amber or timber start, but something that syncs with Rome.
To me, it was no brainer to settle on a PH while getting cows.
And the exploration starts. What struck me instantenously was the immediate contact with Kroisos. He is like 6 tiles away from me. That's perfect, but I worried without my dear javelineers. Kroisos starts with Tool Working, which means he has two juicy workers.
Wow, seven tiles away from my culture border.
It takes normally 8-10 turns for the AI to border pop. In TAM, the Palace gives +1 per turn. While building Caravans, that can speed that up by one or two turns. I was allowed to see what will be of Kroisos' capital.
Meanwhile, another contact was made. The worst enemy of Rome! ANd looks like there is reciprocity to that.
Agriculture in.
While roaming around, I finally found the source of those flood plain farms. Sad to abuse like that, but I want to win.
Found the second.
It fled to make the living of cows agreeable.
While the worker stealthily escaped to home, I waited my chance to make peace and then pounce upon that worker doing funny stuff with those cows.
And here is my chance. The river shall recoil the archers from attacking.
Finally home sweet home. In 5 turns, I will be able to lay down the earliest cottages on earth.
One my successive warriors I trained while nothing else to do was sent eastward, from where Dido came. And I found that gem! Guess what?
As predicted, the archers refrained from risky trips.
And I was just one turn in time because another tribal warrior was trained. 4 units would likely have attacked from a river.
Finally, the key of success for Rome.
The other side effect of getting Pottery that early is the direct path to Burial Grounds, allowing Heliopolitan Gods and the Mids securing. Indeed, Pottery is the pre-req tech. And Nature Cult might be an in-between tech to grow larger (think Holy Site and Super Granary thanks to a civic).
You may ask why I start cottaging a normal flood plain while the clay FP is better. I reflected upon it may possible later I raze that cottage for the resource itself.
And another excellent new being Kroisos settling his second city towards us.
While outside screen (because I want to reduce the amount of screenshots to get the direct idea instead of idling here and there), I prepared an army of 6 warriors to take over Sardis. I suspected 2 units of those 4 units in garrisson will follow the settler, leaving the capital slightly at risk for several turns. 3 warrriors per 2 strength archer because I don't want random stuff to screw things.
While exploring extreme east, I found Dido's future second settlement. I had to refrain any attack although having correct odds (because one of trait of Rome is IMP being Combat I promo to melee units). Converting a 200 hammers into a simple 60 hammer worker is far far worse than the usual 100-->60 conversion seen in stock BTS.
The army is marching and I already see the tribal warrior accompanying the archer is doing the stupid stuff.
Time for Nature Cult before Burial Grounds.
Kroisos, some dude told me you have the ability to transform stuff into gold...or is it Midas? Whatever, I am gonna imprison ya.
And the battle started for gold, Rome glory, fame and women.
Any idea why this is?
