NC XXV: Cyrus

[Trystero]

A brief update, Noble/Normal, 1000 BC to 1 AD:

Spoiler :

When I started this round (and checked the BUG dotmapping tool), I realized I had placed Susa 1W of where I had intended, such that it's BFC overlapped with Persepolis. So I used the BUG game log and replayed the initial round from an earlier save, but settled Susa in the place I intended. I repeated all my other decisions as best I could, and arrived at about the same position at 1000 BC (I had a little extra gold, but was 1 more turn from IW than in my first play-through):

Not too much happened this round. I settled the horse island, and discovered a nearby source of iron, for my military build-up. After IW, I teched Math > Construction > Alphabet > Currency > CoL (I founded Confucianism, but did not convert for diplomatic reasons). I tried to do less wonder-building and more expansion. (I tried for the GLH, but was beaten to it).

I explored much of the surrounding area with galleys and met Boudica, Bismark, and SB. My current map:

I have a tech advantage over everyone but Pacal. He has Aesthetics, Med, and Polytheism, but he won't trade them. I got a GS in Persepolis, and debated using him for Compass, but decided use him for an Academy in Persepolis, which will be my science city.

At this point the plan is build military and infrastructure, and take out Pacal. There is another (so far) uninhabited island to the North with plenty of resources that I can expand to, once Pacal is gone.

 

[Trystero]

...and to 500 AD:

Spoiler :

Again not too much happened other than continuing to build Immortals/Swords/Cats to take out Pacal (soon!) and founding a city to grab the Southern Marble/Fish. I built the Moai Statues in Persepolis (anticipating Bureaucracy), and to help build the GL once I had Marble hooked up (continuing with my plan to make Persepolis a science city).

To that end I researched Aesthetics > Polytheism > Literature for the GL, and then CS for Bureaucracy and to start toward Liberalism. I made some trades with Boudica for Med, HBR, and Calendar. I also met Churchill who's buddies with Bismark and SB.

State of the world:

England is on the landmass NE of Germany/Celtia

I'm pretty well positioned, but I'm trying to decide what victory condition to pursue. If I go for Domination/Conquest, I'd attack SB/Bismark after Pacal.

 

[Trystero]

@mwdowns:

Sorry this is late, but I just played through this myself.

Spoiler :

The problem with ending up with Pacal as a neighbor when you are Persia, as you found out, is that his UU (a spearman) is the natural counter to the Immortal. That, combine with the delayed access to horses on this map, ruled out a rush.

I think you need to take out Pacal. At least capture his capital (Mutal), which is a very nice city. One of the things I've learned from following games here is that it is usually better to take out a strong rival than pick off the weaker ones. Mutal (in my game at least) was so nice, that it was worth the costs of capturing it, and it will probably pay for itself in short order.

You almost have Construction. I would build a stack of Cats and City Raider Swordsmen and go take out Pacal. If he has been building as many wonders as you say, then he hasn't been building other things, like military. Go get those wonders for yourself!

 

[Trystero]

Noble/Normal to 1980, Space Race victory:

Brief wrap-up of not a very good game on my part, and my worst score on Noble to date.

Spoiler :

I've played about half a dozen games at Noble and won 4 (haven't finished the last 2, but the positions are "winnable" I would guess). This was probably my worst game strategy-wise, so it feels more like a loss than a victory.

I carried out the initial part of my plan from my 500 AD update, used cats and swords to take out Pacal and claim the land mass by 1200 AD, and started settling the large island to the North. From there I maintained a tech, power, and score lead almost the entire game, but never really capitalized on my advantages.

In my game Bismark, Churchill, and Sitting Bull formed the Hindu group, and Boudica was viewed as a heathen. I found all of them using just galleys. I teched to within a turn of Liberalism, and then got Optics so I could get Astronomy from Lib to get the circumnav bonus and find the remaining civs (and build Galleons for war). While this was going on SB declared war. Since he owned a fairly large land mass, I figured I would take him out and then decide if I could pull off a domination victory.

I forgot how much of the game wars can take when playing at Normal speed. On top off that SB had the AP and kept using it to thwart my invasion. It also took forever to reinforce my units, since he was all the way on the other side of the globe.

By the time I got SB to capitulate, it was the early 1900's. The good thing was that I was in strong enough position to keep my economy rolling and maintain a tech lead through the (greatly) protracted conflict. By that point I decided to go for Space Race, where SBs cities weren't really much help anyway.

I retrospect, my big mistake wasn't adopting Hinduism and playing things better diplomatically. I didn't adopt a state religion at all in this game. I had good enough relations with Bismark and Churchill that I was able to do some tech trading (though not much since I was the tech leader most of the game), and neither gave SB assistance in the war, but neither was willing to help me out for a Diplomatic win (I also built the UN). Also, the war with SB was pretty pointless. My own territory was sufficient once I switched to Universal Suffrage and State Property, I didn't need SB's land. I admit part of wanting to take him out was that I was annoyed he declared on me. Revenge doesn't make for a good strategy.

I might go back to the save after I defeated Pacal and see if I can play this better at some point.

 

[pigswill]

Prince Epic. 1000bc.

Spoiler :

Settled in place. Explored a bit. Met up with Pacal and Bismark's workboat though haven't found his homeland. Settled first city in horsecrab island, second city as a blocker by the desert gold. Missed out on stonehenge by four turns .
Thoughts: Lots of islands around, organised trait, maybe Great Lighthouse, CoL for courthouses and rex. No point killing Pacal if I can outgrow him. Try to get him to friendly (need shared religion and both running HR) and use him as a tech trading partner.

 

[pigswill]

Prince Epic 1000ad.

Spoiler :

Got up to nine or ten cities, settled three of them on copper island north of Pacal. Pacal is friendly as per plan (+19) and has been a good tech trader. Got Glight and Glib in capital. First to Col, missed Taoism by one turn though as I'm in Hinduism to keep Pacal happy that's not such a big deal.
Just got circumnavigation and found the mysterious last civilisation (our friend Tok who as usual is hopelessly backwards).
Techwise I've just got to education, and seem to be well ahead in the lib race.
Discovered after my last post that we're not Organised at all confused so expenses are expensive.
Bismark and Bod are possible targets for a galley born invasion (probably cannon, pikes, crossbows).