Make it a challenge... peaceful duel against the (grand)master AI

[V. Soma]

I made my own rules:

- You cannot take AI settled city
- You can only recapture cities you settled
- You can never declare war on the AI (hostility is allowed)

setting:
- tiny pangea
- 2 players : 1 master AI opponnent and me
- both players have culture as starting bonus

*

First try I was on level with the AI, both had 5 or 6 regions and I had a few vassals...
but I forgot about religion and the AI had it dominating, also managed to get to win Age of Harmony - so I got defeated...

Second try I got cramped in settling - had only 4 regions by the age of plague and got a bad barb event - and Ai attacked...
I did not play after that...

What I see is that AI is stronger in score so always declares war on me...

I find it a challenge - still learn the game... I like it, actually...

 

[V. Soma]

Now I did it, and won quite easily.
It is go Raiders and Kingdom - making 20 vassals and 3 regions
Got Age of Harmony victory by turn 190

keys for the victory:
- Raiders give lots of free units
- You get bigger power score than AI - it means peace
- You capture barb cities - they do not make chaos - no revolt problems
- You get vassals and with Kingdom they will produce a lot for you

 

[V. Soma]

playing UPDATE 3
playing vs Grandmaster AI
playing barbarians: normal Presence – less Hostility – strong Strength
starting barb unit has 22 strength, barbarian warlord is 66 strength
It is a real challange for me - it seems I will lose...

Diary:

turn 7
I meet AI
Score (me-AI): 61-98

turn 18
AI sends threat diplo message
Score: 137-212

turn 21
I enter the age of Bronze – go Raiders
Score: 173-252

turn 23
AI declares hostilities
Score: 184-265

turn 35
I settle my first vassal city – AI has 3 in total, 2 regions
Score: 278-398

turn 39
AI reaches Age of Iron
My two regions both have town
Score 314-526

turn 41
AI declares WAR
Score: 322-607
I use envoy to get from barbs my 2nd vassal – my score now is 330
AI attacks with 5 armies (2-3 units in them) – AI has crossbow/spear
I have 3 full sized armies at home – I also have have spear/crossbow but less units

AI razes land, destroys my main region town
my economy shrinks

turn 52
I enter Age of Iron
I do counterattack to defend my land – war is at kind of stalemate now around my cities
Score: 419-605

turn 60
AI captures my 2nd vassal city
Score: 405-745

turn 61
AI offers peace (I accept)
/this is surprising and is something new…/

 

[V. Soma]

PART 2
of my first grandmaster challenge

turn 62
AI sends threat diplo message
I have my 1st vassal as integrated region

turn 67
AI declares hostilities

turn 70 (880 BCE)
AI enters Age of Kings

turn 71
AI declares WAR
Score 458-966

turn 72
I recapture my 2nd vassal
/I guess this will be my only small term victory in this war/
AI has religion

turn 75
AI has armies of 140s strength
I have armies of 120s strength

turn 80
AI again captures my 2nd vassal
I defend my 2nd region

turn 82
AI offers peace – I accept
Score: 404-1159

 

[V. Soma]

PART 3
let's see how AI ends this...

turn 86
AI declares hostilities

turn 91
I settle a vassal

turn 92
AI declares WAR
AI has 3 armies at my 2nd region – I defend

turn 98
I enter Age of Kings

turn 105
Besides AI war, I have knight rebels, too
Score 461-1226

turn 113 (840 AD)
AI enters Age of Conquest

turn 125
I defend the 3 regions I have – with stone walls/towers and armies
AI has armies with knights/dragoons in them

turn 150
my economy collapses, I cannot keep up armies
AI captures my 3rd region
AI has arquebus, army of strength 210s
AI enters Age of Enlightenment
Score 547-3039

turn 152
AI captures my 2nd region – I left with my home region only

turn 155
funny, but AI offers peace – I accept

but then at the next war the AI finishes me off in turn 165...