Immortal University 53 - Genghis Khan

[NihilZero]

@ yatta:

Spoiler :

My attack came off fine, but I think BorninCantaloup was much more efficient than I was - he skipped the cottages and went straight for Writing and got to Horseback Riding with scientist specialists, resulting in a much earlier attack date.

As for the situation at 100AD: well, it was pretty terrible. The economy was just too weak to support my number of cities. I had no choice but to run a 0% science slider and even then I was losing money. I was a long way from Code of Laws also. When libraries came in I ran a few scientists here and there to help things along and get to vital techs, but basically my financial woes continued for quite some time (I'm not sure if you have read the later parts of my writeup where is it revealed how I eventually solved them). The 12 beakers I do have are from running two scientists in the northenmost city (which became my GP farm since it had decent food) and building research.

As for whether building research is a good strategy: yes, I think it is very useful. If you can get to Alphabet you will usually be able to get yourself out of all but the very worst financial disasters by building research. When you discover Currency building wealth is often even better because then you can run the science slider higher and benfit from the +25% from your libraries.

 

[MarigoldRan]

"It has apparently fallen to me to host this one. I have purpose-generated a completely random Fractal map for your amusement. No care has been taken whatsoever to ensure the worthiness of this map or its suitablity for purpose. And that, fellow civvers, is the whole point. "

I think you're lying.

 

[yatta77]

@NihilZero
Thanks for replying!

Spoiler :

My attack came off fine, but I think BorninCantaloup was much more efficient than I was - he skipped the cottages and went straight for Writing and got to Horseback Riding with scientist specialists, resulting in a much earlier attack date.

I wish I had more time to dedicate to Civ IV (or maybe not?).
Sincerely I read only your first spoiler till now. To be honest I also would go for Library and SE instead of cottages, that's also the reason I razed more cities than you I guess.

As for the situation at 100AD: well, it was pretty terrible. The economy was just too weak to support my number of cities. I had no choice but to run a 0% science slider and even then I was losing money.

Flipping the coin: at the same point (around 100AD) we were both making 12 /turn, both making no , and both researching Mathematics; but you had 5 more cities to produce things and included a lot of land in your cultural borders. You managed to have a lot more solid position, so, besides playing better, those cottages were not there for nothing after all.

I was a long way from Code of Laws also. When libraries came in I ran a few scientists here and there to help things along and get to vital techs,

Happy to ear it, since it is about what I would do if I could positively finish the war against Babylon.

but basically my financial woes continued for quite some time (I'm not sure if you have read the later parts of my writeup where is it revealed how I eventually solved them).

See above, I didn't yet; I will have to divide my next days free time between playing game #54, and finishing reading this thread.

The 12 beakers I do have are from running two scientists in the northenmost city (which became my GP farm since it had decent food) and building research.

Ah, ok. So you had at least one Library already finished.

As for whether building research is a good strategy: yes, I think it is very useful. If you can get to Alphabet you will usually be able to get yourself out of all but the very worst financial disasters by building research. When you discover Currency building wealth is often even better because then you can run the science slider higher and benfit from the +25% from your libraries.

To be sincere I relay more on Specialists for science, so the slider can be from 0% to 100% and it doesn't matter so much. But you are correct IMO, being myself a Library builder, I prefer do the second option: better build and run science at say 10% for the +25% on that small amount of , than have a 0% slider and get no multiplier on building . I hope this sentence makes sense in English, but I'm basically confirming what you just said.
Anyways, build when you are lacking in science early is a nice alternative I never really thought about, I'll save that option for future cases when I'll be in that situation.

yatta.

 

[NihilZero]

@NihilZero
Thanks for replying!

Spoiler :

I wish I had more time to dedicate to Civ IV (or maybe not?).
Sincerely I read only your first spoiler till now. To be honest I also would go for Library and SE instead of cottages, that's also the reason I razed more cities than you I guess.


Flipping the coin: at the same point (around 100AD) we were both making 12 /turn, both making no , and both researching Mathematics; but you had 5 more cities to produce things and included a lot of land in your cultural borders. You managed to have a lot more solid position, so, besides playing better, those cottages were not there for nothing after all.


Happy to ear it, since it is about what I would do if I could positively finish the war against Babylon.


See above, I didn't yet; I will have to divide my next days free time between playing game #54, and finishing reading this thread.


Ah, ok. So you had at least one Library already finished.


To be sincere I relay more on Specialists for science, so the slider can be from 0% to 100% and it doesn't matter so much. But you are correct IMO, being myself a Library builder, I prefer do the second option: better build and run science at say 10% for the +25% on that small amount of , than have a 0% slider and get no multiplier on building . I hope this sentence makes sense in English, but I'm basically confirming what you just said.
Anyways, build when you are lacking in science early is a nice alternative I never really thought about, I'll save that option for future cases when I'll be in that situation.

yatta.

Spoiler :

Most of my cottages were inherited from Hammurabi, and since it took me an insanely long time to get Civil Service I couldn't irrigate my lands and replace them with farms, so the cottages stayed and ended up giving me quite a powerful economy eventually. But the problem with cottages is that they are useless for a long time, as demonstrated by me losing money at a 0% slider.

I did open with cottages to try to get to HBR. It worked okay but BorninCantaloup's game showed me that scientists are better for that too, at least on this map.

 

[yatta77]

I've read some more of the previous posts. By the way, I like your narrative / kidding way to talk about your game: beside being the same language my friends and I use to explain each other our games, it makes it more entertaining to read them on a forum. I was a little afraid to adopt this kind of language in these threads, seeing that others does, it makes me more comfortable adopting it as well.

I agree on BorninCantaloup's strategy being the best example here for that Keshik Early Rush, so

I also agree that having the AI civilizations in war with each other, unless one of them becomes an absolute power hard to face later, in SP it is a nice advantage for the human player.

But I still think you underestimate your game, I think you played solidly: being last in Tech for a little while means nothing sometimes (especially if going for Conquest), and taking later 4 rivals in 20 turns is a proof IMO.

An example of a game really on the edge, basically bad and too arrogantly played, where the victory is having a single shot in the dark, is IMO more my last Nobles' Club game (playing on Emperor level), where I was really last in like everything, for the majority of the time, and I pulled out a (kind of lucky) cultural victory leveraging the fact the AI doesn't think enough about preventing you to win. Btw, back to the previous subject, to be able to run an high % on the slider I have been building a lot in the late game (units in the HE city, in all the others!).

Now, back on #54!

yatta.

@all
Happy Easter!

 

[Gumbolt]

I played on a bit.

Spoiler :

I waited for KK units and went for Spain. I took 2-3 cities at which point the Vikings DOW on Spain. At same point Monty declared on Sury.

Overall Spain is down to 1 city now and looking pretty weak. I may have 10 or so cities but some are rather weak.

2 Ai nearly dead and I have lots of land albeit some poor cities.