LotR10: Scouting Sid

[Skyfish]

Aztec want 8gpt for on top of our Spice-Wine deal.
Ottomans start the Hoover Dam

1060Ad : Mongols have all first level techs

1070 AD : We lose the 5gpt we were making our lux deal with Spain, now it s a straight swap.
The Ottomans want to exchange TM for 2g I say yes just to keep them happy (they are "annoyed" )
They do not have rails in their territory One of C3Cs great ressource distribution again.
There could be lots of money for coal if we had some
I go on building units for later upgrades even though they are so expensive now...

I buy an embassy with Mongols (in Democracy), they have coal.
Aztecs & Hittites are Fascist [eek]
Russia, Portugal & Spain are in Democracy
Ottomans are communists

1080AD : This happens

We just have enough for a careful steal I go to Russia and...
we succeed !
We have one coal, not super but better than none ! It will take a while to connect though.
The units we can build are really outdated and I seriously doubt we will be able to upgrade them, we were buildings loads of longbow, ew are just over our Unit allowance and I want to keep it at that level in order to make at least
400gpt, I turn a few big cities to wealth, the increased value of wealth makes it worht it. We do not have enough workers but still
have hardly any size 12 cities...

1090AD : Aztecs extorts us 21g + TM ...

1110AD : I start some granaries in a attempt to get some more or less worker factories temporariliy running.
I start a Library in our Salt city in Aztec land, just for the culture.
The volcano in the north by the Mongol city of Mugla "turns active"...

1120AD : The ports come knocking for ToG ahving them Industrial could help us in 2fers we never know, so I exchange ToG for Navigation plus all their money (87g).
Mongols are trailing in techs so 2fers are available with them...Electricity is also only partially available (Russia lacks it *and* Iron!) so I would steal that one so a 3fer could be available

1030AD : We have an Iron Works city Not too badly corrupt.
The Ottomans reach the 100K gold but they are not prepared to give us more than 935g for our *only* coal !
this is really bad...
Same story with Spain at 25K gold, our coal does not even reach 900g...
We have right enough gold for a careful steal and I choose Spain because they look weaker and that Russia does not have Electricity...
Unbelievably we succeed !
Industrialization is extremely expensive I hesitate a lot and then decide that we have been quite lucky with steals until now the
next one might be fatal. So I decide to dent our economy in order to perform a 3fer (maybe a bit more )
So here it goes : Electricity, Iron, our only horse and 105gpt to Russia for industrialization
Electricity and Indus to Mongols for Medicine, Mil Trad, Printing Press 11g (all their money) and WM.
Nationalism is just way too expensive right now...
I go to Portugal and get Democracy, Monarchy, Music Theory plus all their Money for Steam and Medicine ( I lost my notes about that deal sorry...). There are 2 fers/3fers available with Russia and Mongol for our next stolen tech (if we succeed)
Change all our core cities to Factories.

1050AD : Osman does not want to renew the lux deal where he pays us 11gpt, we can only get 168g, nobody is accepting our gpt anymore...

Aztecs want 100g for renewing our RoP, do we really need it ? Next leader can decide...
We now have Salpeter from our Aztec city.

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads6/William_of_the_Dutch,_1150_AD.zip

 

[Reagan]

(0) 1150 - Wake Gouda’s sleeping worker and order him to rail the iron mountain (additional bombardment protection, if necessary). MM Amsterdam to shave a turn off our factory, same with Utrecht, Hague (six! turns shaved), swap Groningen to factory, Tepexpan gets more production because it can’t grow any further at the moment (cuts marketplace build time in half). Why are we RRing a hill when we could RR two mined grassland squares for the same price?! They’re too far along to stop now. Renew our horses deal with Aztecs for 572gp+worker (they have no gpt). The Aztec RoP is not needed any longer because we got our settler through their territory during the last RoP. Coal is simply too valuable to trade away for the small amount we’d receive for it. The AI should be programmed to pay more for coal, at least until they complete railroads on their productive squares.

(1) 1160 -

(2) 1170 – Russia tries, and fails, to plant a spy. We now have a six-worker RR crew by Rotterdam, which can RR flatland squares in one turn.

(3) 1180 – Ottos complete Hoover. We have three RR crews now.

(4) 1190 – Russia has SciMeth now. We have enough for a careful steal (to get RP), which fails. Fortunately, we avoid detection.

(5) 1200 - Aztecs take Mugla, which frees all cultural pressure from Khabarovsk.

(6) 1210 – Ottos raze Magadan. I move a longbow within one tile of the rubble, with the hope of staking our claim to it. Our fourth (and final) RR crew is formed. Russia now has RP but still lacks Corp.

(7) 1220 – Kathy boots our longbow, which is no biggie because the Otto troops remain on the rubble square.

(8) 1230 – Swap Khabarovsk to settler. Bah – Russia has Corp now, too. Mongols have RP.

(9) 1240 – Hittites and Russia are now at peace. I decline the Ottos’ offer of MPP and RoP. Spain starts the countdown to our demise by beginning construction of the UN.

(10) 1250 – Spain declares war against the Aztecs. Amsterdam: factory->coal plant.

We’ve got most of the mined flatlands RRed now. I started mining/RRing irrigated lands in size-12 cities. Four factories and the iron works will complete during the next six turns. We’ll also have enough to try another steal very soon. The longbow on the rubble is there simply for blocking purposes. I recommend settling where the other longbow is, so we’ll have full cultural control after the borders of the new city expand. Have fun!

edit: The upload feature isn't cooperating, so I'll post a pic and the save later this afternoon.

 

[Arathorn]

Solid turns, guys. Not sure what we can do to go faster, with the extreme price of techs from the AI and the painful gpt bug. Sigh.

Anyway,

Gothmog -- UP NOW (as soon as upload folder works)
Arathorn -- skipped until 12/29
Bam-Bam -- ON DECK
Speaker
Skyfish
Reagan

Really bad news about UN being built. Have any of the AIs behaved honorably enough to win a vote, though? I tend to doubt it, so myabe they'll have to do the full space race.

Corporation, for stock exchanges and Wall Street, has to be a fairly high priority for us. I think stealing and then paying for the 2fer/3fer is the way to go, now that we're caught up enough to do that a bit.

Good luck all! I'll be gone for over a week -- hope to access the web but definitely no Civ3 chances. I'll be back closer to 2004.

Arathorn

P.S. As regards patching, do whatever the team thinks is best. I'd tentatively vote for playing it out the way it started, but I don't really care much....

 

[Speaker]

Let's just play it out. We'll patch for Scouting Sid II (which I assume will be starting soon).

 

[Bam-Bam]

Agree on playing this one out. It would be nice if we can scratch, claw, bite, steal, and kick our way into the modern age before the AI launches.

 

[Reagan]

Sid Caesar

 

[Gothmog]

Got it, will scratch, claw, bite, steal, and kick... ?

Actually I don't think I'll be doing any biting or kicking, but I will claw, steal, and generally finagle for all I'm worth.

Hopefully no AI will win the vote, it's been good for us that there has been no uber AI in this game. We'll just keep on keeping on.

 

[Gothmog]

Damn, I left my notes at home. Well here is what I remember.

Did a bit of MM, mostly swaping to food/commerce tiles where builds wouldn't be slowed. I also swapped Lauwersoog to courthouse as it was at 1spt building a market, but nearby some cities that were doing OK with a market. This proved to be a good move as it is now at 5 spt with the courthouse. I also swapped to workers in a couple cities.

Early on Russia demanded 100g+TM. I caved mostly because they are our steal target and we don't have spy's. The next turn I did a safe steal, but Russia declared war on us. Feh.

I founded a city on the rubble in Russian territory in our Far East.

I watched the Aztec get a leader from a reassault on an Otto rifleman.

Gouda got hit with propoganda twice during my turns.

Many factories and coal plants are complete (also Iron Works), cities near 30 spt started creating more defenders and ones with more production got put on Wealth.

Otto started the UN.

My attention lapsed and I forgot to rush a granary in some city in our north west, we lost a half full box due to my mistake. Sorry, I had to play this set in about 5 sittings.

In the IT after turn 9 Russia landed a guerilla and a longbow in our North East. On my last turn I built rail access to the square and attacked with a longbow. He beat the guerilla hands down. Then I attacked the longbow with an elite horse, he won and we got a leader. I left him unmoved for the next person (Bam-Bam) to figure out what to do with him. I guess save him in case we get lucky and have a wonder opportunity?

Russia wouldn't respnd to my entreaties at any time during my turns. Steals are much more expensive from other Civ's (like 1000g more expensive). Probably worth our while to make peace with Russia and try to steal from them again. You might use excess cash to ruch some buildings (we have about 2000 now + 350 gpt).

That's about it, I'll check my notes tonight and post if there is anything else important (I doubt it).

http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads6/LotR10-1300AD.zip

 

[T-hawk]

Remember no rushing great wonders with GLs in C3C. You can rush small wonders though.

 

[Reagan]

Not that we're going to win anyway, but if we're going to try an assault on the UN city (once it's built) we might want to use the leader to build an army to fill with infantry (when we get 'em) to fortify our landing. Just a thought . . . .

 

[Bam-Bam]

Got it.

Leader will be used for a future beachhead army.

Merry Christmas to all. I hope the holiday finds you and your family well.

 

[Bam-Bam]

Sorry folks--Holidays have induced various maladies into the household--so I have to beg off this round.

 

[Speaker]

Got it.

 

[Speaker]

IT- Abel Tasman is returned to Amsterdam. I turn off the luxury tax, which requires hiring 1 taxman in our size 12 cities, but gives us an extra 30gpt. Eindhoven switches from an unnecessary cannon to wealth, gaining 20gpt. Rotterdam switches to wealth as well, since I see no real reason to build any more Swiss Mercenaries. Utrecht does as well. We are now making 458gpt. Unless I am grossly underestimating the Russians, I don't think they can threaten us. Aztecs will trade 13gpt (26 with doubling bug) for horses and I take the income. I trade Electricity to Portugal for Free Artistry, Chivalry, 30 gold, and 10gpt partially for the income and hoping an opportunity for a two-fer will open up.

*hit enter*

All hell breaks loose.
15 Cavalry
25 Infantry
2 Guerillas
3 Riflemen

1305AD (1): I consider a huge gpt deal with the Aztecs to protect against a sneak attack, but finally see two Ottoman units near the Aztec city of Mugla in our northwest. So I buy Scientific Method from them for 260gpt and then send it with 51gpt to the Mongols for the Corporation. Stock Exchanges ordered in all our cities producing wealth and in several cities producing factories which have less use.

IT- And it turns out that's where the stack is heading. A bit of overkill for two units methinks. Russia lands 2 guerrilas and 2 riflemen next to Khabarovsk, which is protected by a single horseman.

1310AD (2): I wake up all of our workers from tasks they are performing (clearing pollution, building rails, etc), and hope there are enough to build rails to Khabarovsk. And we have just barely enough to rail 3 tiles away. I am able to muster up a garrison of 5 Swiss Mercenaries, 3 longbowmen, 5 trebuckets, and 3 horsemen. The Mongols somehow picked up 2 techs this turn. There's a two-fer available, but we cannot afford it.

IT- Somehow we manage to kill a rifleman and a guerrila and only lose a single Swiss Mercenary. The Ottoman units have been killed and the Aztecs begin to run back home.

1315AD (3): 'Buckets bombard the Rifle down to 2hp, matching the guerrila. I don't dare attack yet, since they are on a mountain.

IT- They move off the mountain, onto the hills. And drop off two more guerrilas and one rifleman.

1320AD (4): I should have done this last turn, but I rush city walls for 60 gold. 'Buckets bombard the original Rifle and Guerrila to 1 hp. A pair of longbowmen take out the redlined enemy.

IT- Mongols declare war on the Spanish. Guerilla takes out our exposed Longbowman. Unfortunately there was nothing I could do to save him. But they do not attack the city. Spain builds the Manhatten Project in Toledo.

1325AD (5): Walls are built, so Khabarovsk should be safe now. Railnet now includes Haarlem.

IT- The units start to head toward our mainland.

1330AD (6): 3 Stock Exchanges finish and we are now making 131gpt. I start 3 cavalry units for a little more protection. Bombard the enemy further.

IT- They retreat back to Russian soil (they have a couple tiles poking unto our continent.

1335AD (7): Longbow takes out the rifleman. Longbow takes out a guerrila. Longbow takes out the last guerrila and we are safe for now.

1340AD (8): Several stock exchanges and a couple banks finish and we are up to 269gpt (and with the three Cavalry done we go back on wealth). We could potentially make a huge trade, but Atomic Theory is hugely expensive.

IT- Ottomans and Aztecs sign peace. Montezuma demands 100gold and our TM and I cave.

1345AD (9): Arnhem finishes its factory and starts Wall Street. Russia will finally talk and will give 125 gold for peace and I take it.

1350AD (10): I would love to attempt a steal for Atomic Theory, but most of the world is in Facism, so I don't dare risk it. Renew our Wines-Spices deal with the Aztecs and they whine an extra 2gpt out of us.

Conclusion- Watch out, our Silks-Wines deal with Spain runs out next turn. We have the number 1 GNP in the world! Uh, at least that's something to cling to. Good luck to the next player.

Stalking Sid

 

[Arathorn]

Looking "good" (as good as can be expected, considering the circumstances):

Roster:
Skyfish -- UP NOW
Reagan -- ON DECK
Gothmog
Arathorn
Bam-Bam
Speaker

According to F8, how close are the AI civs to launching? Who has the most parts complete and how many? We need to keep racing for tech as fast as we can. Thank goodness the Aztecs didn't throw that stack at us! While we might be able to absorb/defeat it, it would completely cripple us.

Arathorn

 

[Speaker]

As far as I can tell, only three Civs are in the Modern Age--Spain, Aztecs, and Ottomans. Portugal is more backward than us, and the Mongols, Hittites, and Russians lack Atomic Theory, which means they also lack Electronics, Radio, and Motorized Transport. I don't imagine that Spain, the Aztecs, and Ottomans have progressed too far in the Modern Age, since they are in Facism and Communism. Maybe if we could build up enough uber-bombers we could take the UN city.

 

[Gothmog]

Heh, the Swiss Merc's were for our totally unprotected cities and the cannon to help destroy Russian guerillas/rifles. But looks like you did fine without. Glad that the Aztecs didn't come at us.

 

[Skyfish]

The new year's feast goes on, am up in RBC1 as well...
Got it.

 

[Skyfish]

I played through half the turns but could not play today because of Samuel's 2nd birthday : we have visits all day long !
Sorry I should be ready tomorrow !

 

[Bam-Bam]

Skyfish--Congrats on Samuel's B-day!