LOTR 1 - Daring Deity

[Arathorn]

I would like to start a Deity succession game, for a variety of reasons....

The roster is now FULL!

1. I've not seen a SG lose yet. I think it would be interesting and instructive. Deity can assure that.

2. I want to found my own SG and do something different.

3. Nobody's done it yet.

4. I'm sick...and need a distraction from it.

Parameters:

- Deity
- Small map, continents, rampaging barbarians, 5M years
- Civ: Egypt
- Opponents: England, America, India, Germany, France
- All win conditions enabled

Rules:

- 24/72 hours (more liesurely so can really micromanage ... and gives me time to play) for posting "got it"/playing.
- I'll play 30, next (Sirian, I hope?) plays 20, then 10 turns
- Minimal weed use

Now that I've attracted some interest, I'll post the first 30 turns when I can, hopefully tonight but quite possibly not until Monday -- slow, laid-back game.

Turn order:

Arathorn
Sirian
Toecheese3
Jaffa <<< PLAYING
Charis << On DECK

Arathorn

 

[Toecheese3]

30/20/10 sounds good.

I'll pick up somewhere after the 30/20.

 

[Sirian]

OK, I'll give it a shot.

 

[XCalibyr]

Sirian takes on Deity, I bookmark the thread.

Seriously, as somebody who's followed Sirian since the days of Ember in the Game That Shall Go Unnamed, it's always a thrill to see him step up to another challenge.

(and yes, I really did bookmark the thread)

Good luck, guys.

 

[Zed-F]

Heh, I'd consider jumping on the bandwagon, but I think I've got enough to do as is. Maybe if I hadn't joined the Roman mod game, or if Infantry were already over...

 

[Schnarrd]

I'd like to join another SG since RBD 3 will be ending soon, and I eventually want to play on Deity, but I haven't even played on Emperor yet and I'm not sure I'm up to the challenge. I'll be following the game with interest, though.

 

[Arathorn]

Still looking for at least one more....

I played the first few (like 6) turns last night. Reasonably good starting location. It's coastal which I'm not too fond of, but we did start on a river. I, of course, moved off of it, just to give Sirian something to complain about. :weed: Only kiddin'! We are on the coast, though, which is making me consider a Colussus try... Probably not the most centered of capitals, but I've been moving my capital (with a GL) just about every game lately, so I'm not too concerned.

The time is coming soon to decide on military vs. builder opening. With the river extending near us, I'm leaning towards builder....

Arathorn

 

[Iester]

I'm not ready to not screw up a deity level game. But I'll certainly be watching to see how y'all do!

Jester

 

[Jaffa Tamarin]

Okay, I guess I can give it a go

 

[Charis]

Did someone mention a game where our chances for getting slaughtered are significantly higher than usual???

Count me in!! (If there's a slot left, of course)

Charis

(PS Arathorn- your comment in one of our threads along the lines of 'I hope Charis reconsiders LOTR' is what drew my attention. I saw the original post back when there were no replies and did not think you would get a credible roster. With a crew that 'smacks around emperor', we stand a moderate chance)

 

[Arathorn]

We have a full roster. Turn order and roster are listed at the top of the page. I want to say thanks to those who willingly joined a SG with a relative unknown in the community.

A few notes on deity:

- Tech parity early is nearly impossible, but very important. IMO, the Great Library is critical. I've won with it mulitiple times and never lasted without it. Whether we conquer or build is another story....

As an example of this, America has 4 techs we don't ~3600 (notes are at home). We have one they don't.

Lincoln will pay 3 gold for our tech. Our tech plus 28 gold plus 3 gpt (all we can afford) registers as "They would probably be insulted by this deal." It's insanely brutal, especially after 1.17.

- You can build wonders, but only with a big headstart, either through prebuilding or tech superiority or both. I like building my own around ToE. I'm very seriously looking at pre-building the Library about now for us, though, as it's the way things are looking.

- Combat is the same. This is key. Since we're all capable of beating superior numbers (and occasional superior units), this is one of the areas we'll really need to keep on our toes.

- The AI players start with an extra settler, and a ton of extra units. It's usually best to let them spread out, so we can concentrate our efforts on a thinner force.

- Luck never hurts either.
Arathorn

 

[Toecheese3]

Arathorn said:

I want to say thanks to those who willingly joined a SG with a relative unknown in the community.

I include myself in that one as well - thanks.

And - I can attest to Arathorn's civ ability. Thanks for counting me in and I'm really looking forward to this game (even though it might be a drubbing)

 

[Sirian]

Let's see what we can do WITHOUT the poprush loophole. Whipping = OK. Whipping a city down to nothing but a specialist = OK. Adding workers to a specialist city to whip it more = Off The Table. Sound reasonable?

- Sirian

 

[Toecheese3]

OK with me -

 

[Arathorn]

Absolutely. I consider that an exploit. Whipping a city to complete unhappiness is fine (and possibly necessary), but cheating by adding and whipping is not OK.

Hopefully I'll get this played and posted tonight, but I make no promises, as I've still not eaten more than about one meal's worth of food in the last 4 days.

Arathorn

 

[Arathorn]

In the year 5000 BC, Arathorn, Cleopatra's latest trophy husband, suggested she settle down in a more permament place.

Almost exactly 1000 years later, she did....

4000 BC - Thebes is founded. The site is pretty excellent, really. We're on a river (and no, I didn't even really consider moving off of it!) with two shielded grasslands in range already and another one after culture expansion. We're also coastal, giving us access to Colussus, if we go that route (I don't think we should -- at least not initially). Keeping Thebes central might be difficult, but time will tell on that score.

Alphabet ordered at min sci. I'd like to go zero science, but the thought of being isolated scares me too much.

3800 BC - A lone warrior unit is formed in Thebes. It is sent out to explore the wilds. Arathorn is glad for a bit of a break from seeing the warrior pound turf. Another warrior is ordered.

3700 BC - The world waits to see what treasures lie in a goodie hut tantalizingly near Thebes this whole time. Unfortunately, it is empty. Arathorn mutters something about his luck holding true to its course.

3600 BC - A second warrior unit is formed in Thebes.

The warrior is dispatched to explore. We need knowledge of the land! Another warrior is ordered.

3550 BC - A banner year. Contact with stinkin' Lincoln, the leader of the inferior American tribe. Despite his generous offer of 6 gold for Ceremonial Burial, we decline. All deals offered are ludicrous and we pass.

Thebes' borders expand. The city grows. Luxury rates are raised to 20% and science lowered to 20% (exactly one of each -- beaker and happy face). We see furs to the west, but still out of range.

3500 BC - Third warrior unit. Sent exploring.

3400 BC - Fourth warrior unit. Sent exploring. A settler is now ordered. It essentially wastes a turn of shields but we're getting unit costs now and we can ill afford them. Waiting for another warrior would have delayed the settler one turn and possibly caused happiness problems.

The worker, having finished mining and roading the second shielded grass is building a road toward the future site of Memphis. Roads means faster settling.

3200 BC - The year of crossed fingers. One warrior enters a strange village. The people within are quite friendly and teach him the art of pottery. Phew! A different warrior enters another village, only to find it desserted like the first. If only deodorant had been invented, Arathorn muses. Still, opening three goodie huts with a ton of expansionist civs around isn't bad.

3100 BC - Shields eliminated so the settler arrives exactly simultaneously with the third pop point.

3000 BC - Settler created. Pyramids ordered in Thebes, as a hopeful Great Library placeholder. I'm banking a lot on getting the Great Library built, and starting this early is step one. I realize we don't even have alphabet yet, but.... Colussus is a good back-up plan.

The settler eschews the river to the north, heading east on the road built for his use. The land around Thebes is stunningly lush. Arathorn pointed out to Cleopatra that a certain spot would have access to two wheat, a shared shielded grass with Thebes, and, as a bonus, a freshwater lake. Can't ask for much more than that.

Luxuries are rescinded. Science upped to 30% (still one beaker). A warrior finds dark blue borders to the north.

2950 BC - Contact with Germany. They have 4 cities. We're still at one. However, I trade contact with America and 7 gold for alphabet and bronze working. The American scout was right behind my warrior, so this was a phenomonal deal.

The Germans are aware of another culture, the English. We decline to use the Germans as an intermediary, preferring to wait to meet the English ourselves. (I figure with a scout, the English will be along on their own soon enough. Why pay?)

Writing ordered at 40 turn rate.

2900 BC - Memphis founded. The wheat is tempting, but there's a mined, roaded, shielded grassland that's more inviting. I grab it, sending a worker to mine a wheat. I order a granary, expecting Memphis to be a great settler/worker location. With some micromanagement, I think whipping will be in order here.

Trade writing from America for 3 gpt and 6 gold. Lit ordered in 40 turns. Looks like the tech will easily beat the shields for the Great Library. I just hope we get it.

First barbarians spotted.

2850 BC - Pop another goodie hut. What are the expansionist scouts doing? We get 25 gold from this one.

2750 BC - Contact an English scout. Ha! I knew we didn't need to buy it. I trade Writing and Masonry for a worker and 9 gold. (Instead of the 9 gold, I could have gotten warrior code, but since I've pretty well committed us to a GL push, any tech which doesn't help in the GL quest is next to worthless).

2590 BC - Dispersed a barb hut near Memphis. 25 more gold.

2550 BC - Cleopatra tires of Arathorn's luxurious behaviors. As his final act of bravado, he ups luxuries to 20% nationwide, keeping both Thebes and Memphis happy despite their both growing to size two.

Notes:

- Warriors starting to head back towards the cities, to act as MP and protect against barbarians.
- The English are north of the Germans.
- We're relatively rich in gold, but other than buying workers, I don't see much use.
- First possible weed siting...I'm mining the second wheat near Memphis. As I think back, it might be near the freshwater lake, which still looks too much like an ocean to me. Irrigating would probably have been better. It might be worth correcting. That's what I get for playing sick and tired. I just couldn't wait any longer.
- If we don't get the Great Library, we're in deep doo-doo. I think I've set us up to get it, though.

Lots of decisions for Sirian, though. 20 turns. Then 10 per after that.

A better start than I could've hoped for but still MILES to go.
Arathorn

UP -- Sirian
On deck -- Toecheese3

 

[Arathorn]

Ummm...sure...that sounds fair??? NOT!!!

 

[Arathorn]

Pretty fertile and lush...

 

[Sirian]

IT 2550BC: Two cities? Hmm. Swap Memphis second tile to second wheat, change orders to settler. Had to increase luxury to 30%.

I would normally also irrigate wheat tiles, but no time to stop for that now. We need roads.

2470BC: American mob about to pick up 25 gold west of Thebes.

2430BC: Americans lose a warrior attacking the barb camp! Amazing. (Then one of their other 10000 units won, of course, but hey, they lost one, that's one more than I expected).

2310BC: Settler produced, heads west. Another settler started.

Somewhere in here: gave Abe 5 gold gift, he turns around and threatens me next turn, demanding tert map and 22 gold! I cave. (Did you SEE that mob??) (Demanding maps? They have mapmaking). Then Germans establish embassy with us and start Pyramids.

2150BC: Heliopolis founded on a hill by the river, should be decently defensible spot and establish a logical border for us, and lots of shields around. Starts temple. (Must expand border).

AI list of known techs is growing.

1950BC: road to Heliopolis connected.

1830BC: Settler produced at Memphis, starts warrior to replace one sent with settler. Luxuries increased back up to wasteful rates because Thebes is size 4 now with no temple and only one MP unit.

1790BC: Took the American incense offline by pillaging mountain road in neutral territory.

1750BC: Elephantine founded on lake by incense in the east. Some overlap (beggars can't be choosers).

Established embassy with America for 37 gold. Their Pyramids will be completed in seven more turns. We won't get Lit for 12. Must have another placeholder, and Lighthouse would beat Oracle due to coastal aspect. I check prices for Mapmaking. Abe, now all smiles after we gave him cash gift, licked his boots AND paid for an embassy, is willing to sell us mapmaking@4th for a mere 70 gold. (???) I'm in a Charislike mood, so I take it. (There goes the treasury! ). Swap Thebes to Lighthouse, due in 17, so our hopes for the GL remain alive (perhaps even likely, if Biz cascades to Oracle).

Full fledged map brokering yields us the known world map for about another dozen gold spent, and Biz now also polite with us.

Our last roaming warrior moved onto another neutral tile with a road in American lands. If borders do not expand next turn and it remains unclaimed, pillage that road!

WORST CASE: finish the Lighthouse and try to make contact with the other two civs. Might also still get the Colossus after first wonder, nobody else that we know of has a strong coastal city as yet. BEST CASE (like, in your dreams case): We get the GL then go on to get the Colossus too.

Oh yeah, and Biz was giving the biz to poor Liz. She's got two cities left (and a peace treaty finally). Got roughed up hard. Abe is about to rake in another 25 cash to our east, nothing I could do about it.

We need at least two more cities: one with no overlap on the west peninsula, to get the fur, and one on inland sea coast 4 directly NE of Helio. That will leave some unused land in the center, about enough for one half city very near capital at some later time when land grabbing has settled down.

Um... so far, so good. I suppose. No whipping took place on my watch I WANTED to build some temples, but my hands were tied.


- Sirian

 

[Sirian]

A peek at my humble expansionistic results.