LK82 - Science Experiment II Invitational, Spain, Deity

[LKendter]

Green grabs the river.
Red grabs the Spice.
Blue grabs the wheat
Teal grabs the Dye.

A bit tight of a build, but I agree with the sites. I see the settling order as teal (AI takes luxuries quickly), red, green and finally blue. Blue is last as the spot to take as the AI very unlikely to see grab it.

Spain is religious and should build temples ASAP on the teal and red sites. Barcelona should try to squeeze one in quickly. I think one of the big advantages of religious is the ability to get a strong culture rating. We the possible culture fights I really want to improve our rating.

Summary:

Signed up:
LKendter
Greebley
Microbe (currently playing)
Gozpel (on deck)
Kaiser_Berger


Remember 10 turns per round - STRICT 24 hours got it, total 48 to complete.
Don't forget the variant rules listed in the first post.

 

[gozpel]

We can get Bronze working for Cer Burial, 2gpt and 9 gold. I check and this is well below 1/2 to research BW so I do it.

Can someone explain this to me? How do I check the cost of a tech, if it's below half or what?

I'm pretty hungover, maybe I get it when my head is working again.

 

[LKendter]

Check the science slider for the amount of gold being generated. Say it is 45 beakers. Check F6 and the tech needs 18 turns. 45 * 18 = 810 total beakers. That is considered the research price. We can spend up to a maximum of $405 on the tech.

 

[gozpel]

Ok, that was simple enough

Thanks.

 

[microbe]

I got it.

Lee: for the tech cost, is it more accurate to get from the editor? Since there is last-turn rounding error with your method.

 

[Greebley]

It would be impossible to factor in the Libraries and Markets that way.

I think Lee's way is best.

 

[LKendter]

I realize my way may state it a little high. However, you won't see the effect of research buildings and wonders with the editor.

 

[microbe]

Preturn: Tech wise not too bad. Hmm, we are researching Philosophy - this is tough to get first. I'd have gone for Literature instead.

(1)1725BC: Our warrior meets America and it has no Writing but 4 techs up us! And even better, it agrees to trade Mysticism to us which no other known AI has!

We actually get Mysticism+Wheel from America by Writing.
Unfortunately Mysticism isn't enough for Map Making.
Mysticism to Netherlands for HBR+12g.
Mysticism+22g to Iros for Masonry. We have zero gold now.
HBR back to America for Iron Working.
Masonry to Zulu for 51g.

We are only down Map Making from Netherlands and Iros.

On the down side, America has 10 cities!

Still not enough gold to see remote AI capitals.

(2)1700BC: Vikings get Map Making too, but lacks 4 techs, so we get it plus 5g by Iron Working+Masonry+Mysticism. We are at tech parity.

IBT Netherlands start Great Lighthouse.

(3)1675BC: have to raise lux to 40 temporarily. I slow down growth of Barcelona to get settler in 3.

(4)1650BC: we finally found our dyes town. Start temple.

(5)1625BC: Netherlands have CoL.

IBT we build settler. America gets Pyramids! It will be a monster.

(6) 1600BC: movement. Lux drop to 20 and Philosophy in 22 turns.

IBT Iros complete Oracle.

(7)1575BC: Barcelona grows and we delay Philosophy again.

(8)1550BC: America proves to be a good trading partner again as it has monopoly on Mathematics but exchange it with Map Making. However it isn't enough to get CoL from Netherlands.

Vikings steal the spices from us. Even the blue dot will have culture conflict with it. I decide to send it to the south.

IBT America starts ToA. That means Polytheism. Probably we should have waited one more turn for the trade?

(9)1525BC: nothing.

IBT rax is finally built in Madrid and start spearman in 3 turns.

(10)1500BC: nothing. We are 21 turns from Philosophy at current rate. No AI have it yet but should be soon.

Note: we desperately need more escort and garrison. Two of our 3 cities are empty and one settler has no escort. Fortunately I didn't see any barbs so probably there is none.

I chopped a forest at our dyes town for the temple.

We got 7 techs with help from America. I don't think it has met anyone else we know. What a shame for an expansionist civ.

 

[LKendter]

Isn't it amazing what tech gap can pull.

My worries me right now is lack of luxuries. Missing the spices really hurts. That will kill us long term for tech research.

Signed up:
LKendter
Greebley
Microbe
Gozpel (currently playing)
Kaiser_Berger (on deck)

 

[LKendter]

The nature of this variant makes it hard to build up cash. I notice we have $62 on-hand. Please build an embassy with some of this cash. Based on how badly lack of embassies hurt in LK80 I want to get them now in this game.

 

[microbe]

We cannot establish embassy with the most advanced (remote) civs such as iros or netherlands. Vikings yes, although their location of capital isn't very interesting to know.

 

[LKendter]

I just recall LK80 and the lack of critical embassies with Russia and China. I don't want to get caught like that. Any embassy we can get may give us a critical alliance. I would much rather build an embassy with the cash then have it demanded away.

 

[gozpel]

I'll see what I can do and will also try to squeeze a couple of warriors somewhere, as we need protection.

Got it.

 

[gozpel]

Pre-turn - The empire of Leesabella is tiny and the settler confuses me where he stands. I have to check back to the forums and reread last turns.

Ok, no barbs, fine I get a town down there somewhere.

I spend 36g and establish embassy with Zulu, Zimbabwe is pop 1 and building settler.

I chosed them because they are in the middle of the continent and might be useful later.

1450bc - A carthagian warrior walks up from the south and I sell them Writing for their 67g. Iroquois still doesn't want to part with CoL for Maths and all our gold, so I establish embassy with Cartage for 57g. Carthage is way south, their city is pop 3 and building a settler. They have horses connected and we're up MapMaking on them.

Our settler spots a river SW of Seville, so he will head over there.

1425bc - We meet the Aztecs, no trade, we're up Maths and Myst.

1400bc - Toledo founded in between our 3 towns, it can share the cow every 3 turns.

Settler climbs a mountain to bust some fog and find a wheat by the river. But more important he will settle next to a Iron-mountain

Up science to 50%, Philo due in 13t.

1375bc - Establish embassy with Viking for our last 43 goldpieces, Trondheim pop 3 building the Lighthouse. Iron and horses connected.

Seville is pop 2 and get a scientist.

1350bc - America gives our warrior the boot.

Santiago is founded by the river -> worker. It's not the perfect spot as for 3 moves for protection and stuff, but S is empty and I wanted the iron and wheat within borders immediately.

A new settler is built and I send him way S to the spices. Everything is empty down there and the spot has 2 cows, horses and spices, I think we have to take the chance.

I really hate how Vikings placed Odense, maybe we should throw in a town there later, only 2 tiles from Madrid so we can build some workers with help of the wheat?

1275bc - Aztecs seem to be on the warpath, I see 7 units near Portugal/Iroquois.

1250bc - Philo in 2 thanks to the scientist, if we get it first we might be able to trade CoL for it and we go Republic?

Settler is heading towards the spices, settle N of the cow closest to the horse and the lux and we get it all with border-expansion. If we want that spot.

Carthage would give a worker and 29g for MapMaking.

 

[LKendter]

Carthage would give a worker and 29g for MapMaking.

I would take the deal.

But more important he will settle next to a Iron-mountain

Signed up:
LKendter (on deck)
Greebley
Microbe
Gozpel
Kaiser_Berger (currently playing)

 

[Kaiser_Berger]

I've got it.

 

[Kaiser_Berger]

Preturn- We look good.

IT- zzz

T1 1225

As settler moves towards spices location he reveals another source of horses close to Santiago.

IT- We learn Philo. We pcik up CoL from the Dutch. Switch to Republic and now for the moment of truth...and we pull it off! Revolt immediately

T2 1200

Not much to do.

IT- We become a Republic

T3 1175

We start research on Literature for our badly needed libraries. At 30% its due in 34 turns with +0gpt.

IT- zzz

T4 1150

Barcelona may now be able to run as a 4-turn settler factory since we get the full food effect from the irrigated cow. i have to drop research to maintain positve cash flow.

IT- zzz

T5 1125

We'll have dyes in three turns.

IT- Carthage completes SoZ.

T6 1100

Nothing new.

IT- zzz

T7 1075

We're in place by the spices.

IT- Vikings demand Republic I comply as I don't want this one to end as abruptly as the last one.

T8 1050

We have dyes connected. We lost any real brokering oppurtunities for Republic as the Vikings whored it around to anyone wit anything to trade. Murcia founded by the Spices.

IT- zzz

T9 1025

Valencia founded.

IT- zzz

T10 1000

We trade Philo, Map Making and 140g to Carthage for Construction.


Summary

Barcelona can now run as a 4-turn settler factory. The settler south of Seville was heading towards the gold hill, but the Zulu settler pair may change that. The settler east of Santiago is heading towards the spot north of the sugar. Our research is fluctuating a lot as the gold we earn is lost through settlers being built.

 

[LKendter]

We lost any real brokering oppurtunities for Republic as the Vikings whored it around to anyone wit anything to trade.

I gather there was nothing to get when we learned it. Trying to hold a tech more then a turn with the AI is a longshot.

Signed up:
LKendter (currently playing)
Greebley (on deck)
Microbe
Gozpel
Kaiser_Berger


Remember 10 turns per round - STRICT 24 hours got it, total 48 to complete.
Don't forget the variant rules listed in the first post.

 

[microbe]

Unbelievable. I've never seen we could get Philosophy and take Republic on a level higher than Emperor.

I concur with Lee. If we could get some techs from Republic we should have done so asap. Otherwise, nothing we could do.

 

[LKendter]

1000 BC
Unit costs are positively killing us. Our cities are just too small to support Republic. What is more annoying is we need more workers that would UP unit support. Our terrain isn't well improved.

I sell Carthage Republic for $154. That along with our existing cash lets us build 3 embassies.
The embassy with Netherlands shows them at size 5, 1 luxury, horses and 4 spearman defending.
The embassy with the Iroquois shows them at size 2, 1 luxury, horses and 4 spearman defending.
The embassy with America shows them at size 6, 1 luxury, no resources and 3 spearman defending.
The Aztecs are the only embassy remaining.
(IT) With utter disgust I give the Iroquois construction in tribute.


975 BC
I general hate disbanding units, but we can't afford exploring units at this point. I can up science by 10% thanks to this.

Now the Iroquois have currency and polytheism after I lost my trade material in tribute.


950 BC
(IT) $20 down the drain to the American jerk.


900 BC
The economy is choking so badly that I have to play with the science slider and luxury sliders every turn.


875 BC
The Vikings complete the Great Lighthouse.


850 BC
There is now a Viking city that really screwed our southern expansion. I stop building settlers, as I know have no idea how to use the ones we have.
(IT) The wars start as America declares war on Carthage. As long as nobody gets the upper hand I am very glad to see AI wars.


825 BC
Zaragoza is formed to claim more horses. We will eventually have a spare to trade. I just hope one of the AIs will need it. The city will need temple and irrigation to get anywhere, but I felt horses, possible saltpeter and insure that we control the route to the spices was worth it.
Pamplona is formed to simply claim more land.
The additional cities and fewer units get our science rate back to reasonable.


800 BC
Never mind, the economy bites again.


775 BC
This is starting to sound like a broken record, but now I can increase the science rate by hiring a taxman instead of a scientist.


750 BC
As this is the last turn I will let the next player decide to give the Zulu construction for 2 luxuries. The path is THROUGH Viking territory so we could give up a tech for just a handle of turns of luxuries. The Zulu are one of our two hopes to research currency for a trade.

==========================

Summary:
Our economy is pitiful.

We need to grow our cities and get the right to marketplaces. Republic is just too weak without them.
All of our southern cities are building temples to get the upper hand in as they are all in cultural conflict.

I think as we can replace the warrior with spearman we should disband the warriors. Right know we are dead in any conflict and can't afford to waste GPT our low quality units.

The workers on the iron mountain are to eventually get the spices connected. We really need that second luxury.

Signed up:
LKendter
Greebley (currently playing)
Microbe (on deck)
Gozpel
Kaiser_Berger


Remember 10 turns per round - STRICT 24 hours got it, total 48 to complete.
Don't forget the variant rules listed in the first post.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads8/LK82-750BC.zip