[BTS] Let's Play - Deity Gandhi

[Pangaea]

Been so long since I've tried this, so I continued the shadow. Won't continue into the actual war, but I do wonder: What's the approach here, do you build up a bunch of units beforehand, even if you can only produce axes, and do you whip out forges? What's a good/reasonable date for Engineering and the actual attack?

Spoiler Turn 108 :

Took a chance and went for Music, although Mansa could be teching it as well. Actually won, perhaps because he picked something else. Tried to trade sensibly and get gold when I could. Noticed Wang was teching Machinery, so when he got 230g failgold from HG, I gave him Machinery when he was 2-3 turns away.

Also had some fortune with the barb city up north. Noticed some chariots and archers going up there, so I abandoned a city and took a combat axe up there. It had four archers... Very lucky, but I'll take it! A terrible city without food really, but it can grow to size 2 on the iron, and eventually work gold. It can stay size 2 forever.

T108 Engineering is a bit later than Jarno due to the Vijay whip, but other than that things turned out okay I think. Accepted a MC demand from Shaka, I certainly didn't want to anger him. Turned it down from SB, and was able to beg soon after. Looked a little bleak getting Construction, but thankfully I could got it recently. Think it was from Wang actually (for MC), so he must have gone Machinery right after.

Ragnar declared on Hammurabi 5 or so turns ago, so it would be great if that war lasts a bit and we can backstab Ragnar and steal his stuff. He's right in our face anyway. So far only Sitting Bull has Feudalism, but that's bound to change quickly now when approaching 1AD. It's upsetting how quickly Deity AI sometimes gets it. Like 800BC or sick stuff like that.

Spoiler T108 situation :

Sorry for the tilted screenshot, but it was the best way to show the so-called empire in one shot. Yeah, micro in pig city is a mess, but I played a bit quick and dirty here. Off to a birthday party soon.

I'm intrigued to see how @Jarno plays this, and the situation in your game, not least diplomatically, if some war breaks out between AIs that you can take advantage of.

 

[Jarno]

Thanks @Pangaea for your feedback and shadow play. Didn't check you last update, but I'm curious on your attack date. Not sure I'll bother with forges, but I will try to (pre)build some units beforehand indeed.

First of all gifted Shaka writing, didn't do me anything. However next turn I can gift him alpha, which brings him to pleased. Willing to trade now, I can make the Aest for IW+Med deal. Since Shaka won't trade techs known by less than 50% of the players, he won't trade it further.

Spoiler Trading with Shaka :

Next turn I can trade Med for PH with Sitting Bull, opening up Monarchy. Don't have iron in my territory, two irons close by including one near a barb city up north. SB weakened its defences a bit, Hammurabi is also approaching with a few units. Might want to snag it before they can. Not to keep but to deny it to them.

So at T88 I can finally trade Aest for Currency with Mansa (who himself teched CoL for another(!) religion. He is going nuts here. Broker PH with Ragnar for 30g, just enough to put one turn into Monarchy this turn, which I hope to trade for next turn. Still no Maths on the table unfortunately, this is getting annoying. Next turn still no maths available. I can trade Aest for Monarchy but hold this off until I know from who to get maths. Will put one turn into CoL, maybe I can get this next turn as well. Turns out to be quite an intricate trading game, without a lot of action (so far...). Hope you are still enjoying this nonetheless!

Spoiler T90 :

Ok so that's the situation now. Many trading options but I'm really undecided. Can trade Currency for CoL with Wang, can trade Aest for Monarchy with Hammy, but that doesn't bring me closer to Engineering. Also lots of unhappy faces but no wars around yet. Am I expecting too much? Maybe if I get a bigger tech lead on Ragnar I can bribe him on Mansa... before declaring on him myself . Will have to see in the next episode!

 

[Pangaea]

Will put one turn into CoL, maybe I can get this next turn as well.

Perhaps I was too paranoid, but I was under the impression that CoL would mess up our bulbs, so I held off on getting it in the shadow. It opens up Philo (unless you DON'T get Medi).

As briefly mentioned I won't continue the game into the actual attack, I just wanted to play until Engineering to get a slight feel for it. So in that shadow I didn't build up a melee force. Could have chopped out a bunch of axes and then only needed trebs, but I kept the army to a minimum to reduce maintenance costs. Would be easier to serial 2-pop whip trebs with forges, but it's not that easy to get up those in time. Very expensive buildings, unless Industrious. As with almost every scenario under the sun, HC is king. Well, Philo is pretty awesome as well tbh. Even more so in longer games where you want Oxford.

 

[FlyinJohnnyL]

and hold off selecting a tech for the next 5 turns.

I realize I've been gone from the forums for a few years, what is this all about??

 

[Fippy]

Agree with Pangaea, Philo would come up for bulbing.
Bit stuck on teching currently, unlucky with maths (or you could tech construction).
Maybe switch to Drama? Always great for grabbing techs or gold later. Would collect some gold meanwhile too at 0% slider.

I like that you settled pigs, when going this war path no need for being afraid of Rags imo
Will get plenty units from this city.

Picking up Monarchy & gifting to Rags (or for his little gold) looks good, you would get pleased with him (favorite civic HR).

 

[Jarno]

I realize I've been gone from the forums for a few years, what is this all about??

Welcome back! In the first five turns you can deselect research but the beakers are stored in a magic container. Advantage is that you can postpone your decision until you know your surroundings better, but even better is that if you meet a neighbor in these turns that knows the tech you get the +4% research bonus over all your stored beakers. Small gain but could give you the tech one turn faster.

Philo would come up for bulbing.

Yeah should have known that... AbsoluteZero used Caste System to get his scientists, but as he avoided Med as well this didn't open the Philo bulb.

Also realized that I messed up my GPP calculations. I cannot get the 100GPP and 200GPP from the same city while getting 300GPP in a second city, because that city would hit the 200GPP way sooner than the first city. I will delay the GS from Vija because I want to get Delhi off GPP production sooner to let it grow. Unfortunately that would mean that I can only get engineering on t107... but gives me more time waiting for maths...