New Idea - Challenge Runs #1

Milae

Prince
Joined
Dec 17, 2019
Messages
409
Okay so here's my idea: Each week there is an initial save and a challenge to complete and the goal is to see who can complete it at the earliest turn. Challenge will be based around the unique bonuses of a civ so we get to try out some different playstyles and hopefully try some new things you might not usually do.

They'll usually be be without ruins and events so there isn't too much randomness and on medium difficulties so hopefully everyone will be willing to have a go.

First one is very simple, here is the start:
india start.jpg



Download the save below and the goal is to found and enhance your religion before turn 90.
You may not build any wonders.

Leave a photo from when your second prophet spawns as proof. Earliest turn will win some internet points!

Settings:
No events
No ruins
Emperor
VP 6-7-5 patch
Milae's Map v11 (not required)

Got some more interesting ideas for future but just wanna try a simple one first.
 

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I wanted to give it a try before the level gets too high
Spoiler One turn short :( :
india91.png

Spoiler Game description :

I went Purity but it ended up not being the best choice. Only few lakes/marshs around there
So I went all in for wine (monopoly around turn 50), then for incense (monopoly around turn 80). Due to the rush for faith resources, all my cities are in crappy positions
On policies I went progress for the free worker/improvement time, then tradition for the culture specialist with 3 faith per turn
Hopefully the game doesn't go on, I'm majorly weak right now and my neighbourgs will soon knock at the door
india91map.png


Really fun format with original objectives, I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to see the other playthroughs
 
Imma give it a try. Hopefully I won't have to switch too many submods on/off!
Edit: If anyone struggles to load the save... Gotta disable Really Advanced Setup on top of all other non-necessary submods.
 
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Commentary:
Spoiler :


I moved the settler 2 tiles southeast to get 2x Lakes in the starting hex since I want to go Shrine first (so I need good high-food starting tiles) and it'll take some techs to improve Wine.
Obviously I need the Wine monopoly ASAP. I need 5 so I need to secure these quickly and have enough Workers&Calendar. Other things are lower priority.
Wine spawns on Plains so I must explore towards it.
I move my warrior&pathfinder one extra step but find nothing of value before I can choose the Pantheon. Purity Sounds appealing but is it really such a good Faith generator?
I am tempted by God-King but once again will not scale much for such a short game. God of the Expanse? I won't be able to put Monuments out in time...
I decide to give God-King a go since the 2 production on turn1 will help towards workers and settlers.

Since my Capital is not on a River I am eyeing a Well. But first, Animal Husbandry so I can maybe push extra hammers or food on those Plains.
I meet Shaka and some Jungle. Time to head back down to explore Plains again: I've already spotted 2 extra Wine on Turn5 and Delhi reaches 2pop, working those two Lakes.
Turn6 spots the 5th Wine. Might not be the best ones, so remains to see more.

upload_2021-6-26_15-41-7.png


Darn it. No animals in the direct Hex near Delhi. And those Horses might actually disrupt my border growth towards the Wine!!
I research Mining for the Well. This delays Calendar, not sure if I'm doing the right choice.
I start realizing the presence of many Incenses... Double monopoly? Is that actually what the map genuinely generated?!
I discover the Grand Mesa and the 5th incense. It's definitely starting to take shape, and I might even get the Incense monopoly before the Wine. I bully Lhasa and send my Warrior home to defend.
Fortunately my first border Growth brings me Wine!

upload_2021-6-26_15-45-24.png


I build a Warrior to escort settlers. No point having better units, hammers are precious. Speaking of Settlers, I guess Pottery is next? I rush the Well before the Warrior actually comes out.
It is high time to get Calendar, starting with Wheel. I spot a Barb camp nearby.
Finally a Policy! Tradition is an obvious go-to for the Faith. Delhi reaches 6 pop (I expected 7 with the +2 pop? whatever). Time for Settlers and Workers.

upload_2021-6-26_15-53-12.png


uh oh. Fortunately seems the Barbs didnt want to enter my territory on the next turn.
I unlock the Faith policy and decide my next one will be the free Progress Worker. Somewhat lame, but it's the goal isn't it? I work the Artist slot to hurry the next policies.
So many barbarians... if only I was Authority. I settle Mumbai and hurry a Shrine. Time is ticking and Barbs don't stop comin'.

Calendar is done. I only need Workers, defense and happiness to sustain my growth now. I am unsure if I can reach Philosophy before turn 90... I decide to go for Masonry to sustain growth (which is Faith for GodKing) and happiness with arenas.

My three cities on turn50:
upload_2021-6-26_16-6-15.png


Embarked Barbs pillage my first Wine while I was busy with the nearest Barb Camp elsewhere. Wonderful...
At turn 73 I realize I havent been selling my luxuries. It's the turn I unlock the free Worker. Ahem... This is definitely a game that I will do better on the second one...

upload_2021-6-26_16-23-33.png

First GP on Turn 75. Eugh. Slow, slow, slow. I pick Apostolic Tradition (I think I'll get more Faith out of it than Holy Law) and Veneration (hey, it's 1 Faith)
Global Monopoly on Incense: Turn 82. Too slow, way too slow! Still, with the current Faith output, next GP would be turn 100. Not so bad! Let's see if I can snatch the Wine monopoly and turn the tide.



Result:
Spoiler :

Turn 90: Failed! Missing 8 turns from a GP.
upload_2021-6-26_16-38-13.png



I think I will actually record
Spoiler :
my second attempt with commentary.
 
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Spoiler comment on grasslands game :

Turn 90: Failed! Missing 8 turns from a GP.
You got really unlucky with the barbs, and building units has probably slowed you down a bit. I guess settling incense before wine is also a shortcoming.
But your choices around religion are much more efficient than mine. I went holy law + veneration, but almost no impact on my faith production (1x40 from HL and 20turnsx1 from V)
 
Spoiler comment on grasslands game :


You got really unlucky with the barbs, and building units has probably slowed you down a bit. I guess settling incense before wine is also a shortcoming.
But your choices around religion are much more efficient than mine. I went holy law + veneration, but almost no impact on my faith production (1x40 from HL and 20turnsx1 from V)

Spoiler :
My second game was actually the opposite lol, I built too many units and didnt get bothered much by barbs. I think rushing Incense might be possible but likely involves only two cities and buying tiles.
Holy Law + Veneration is actually probably the best output of Faith if you can unlock a Policy before 90. If not, Apostolic instead of Holy Law.
 
Did an extra attempt,
Spoiler :
Going Progress First -> Free Worker -> Tradition ; Rather than the other way around. Failed with 4 turns remaining on GP. I probably couldve done better.
I have the intuition that going for incense is actually bait and it's better to stick to 8 Wine as early as possible + shrines as early as possible + either Councils with Apostolic or Monuments with Holy Law. Tributing Lhasa twice will also probably be needed.
 
I think T90 was really rather hard mode :) that said.

Spoiler T87 enhance :


india challenge.png



Went wonder/mountain pantheon and moved my capital hoping for a big mountain chain. Which I didn't get but there are lots of wonders around so it worked out fine. Trying to get workers and units to defend vs barb swarm early was a bit of a pain. Could maybe shave 3ish turns off with better play and ordering of stuff.
 
Actually a great idea and a very hard one too. Looking forward to more of those.

Spoiler :


Big fat loss on turn 84. I hate India, choosing a pantheon when you don't know terrain is a nightmare. I haven't scouted third wine on my capital, I would have settled on top of coastal lake wine otherwise. Went for +3 :c5faith:, +2 :c5gold: from granaries pantheon but it took a lot of time for my cities to build them as first building. Got incense first with 2 tradition, 2 progress. I would have had wine monopoly for 2/3 already now if not for double attack of barbarians and assyrians. I would still be way off turn 90, probably 94. Gold seems really strong for some reason. Incense is a trap for inciting war and for working no :c5food:, no :c5production: tiles.
 
Would you like some cheese with your Wine?
Spoiler :
Or perhaps you would perfer Cheese with your Incense? Moved southwest for the Incenses and used Spirit of the Desert.
upload_2021-6-26_21-1-46.png


I now feel extremely dirty and will try doing it a more legit way

 
Even more cheese

Spoiler T80 :


india T80.png


india cap t80.png


Still did a bunch of stuff wrong including trying for and failing at a Incense monopoly. This is obviously not something you can do without knowing the map but it is very fun to start next to a wonder.

 
Spoiler :
Turn 87 with God of the Expanse -> Tradition2 -> Authority2. Actually kinda surprised it worked, was hard to predict since you rely so much on instant yields. Pretty sure I couldve done better, I forgot to sell Luxuries that wouldve allowed me to buy so many more early workers!

upload_2021-6-26_21-40-21.png


(technically turn 88 because I shouldve asked Faith Tribute 1turn earlier)

 
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Spoiler T74 :


Pretty close to optimal now I think without doing something wildly different. Totally ignored the wine and just focused on incense. Being right up against an AI seemed to lower the barbs well and I didn't need to build any early defensive units. Might be possible to shave a few turns off still.

india t74.png


 
Spoiler T74 :


Pretty close to optimal now I think without doing something wildly different. Totally ignored the wine and just focused on incense. Being right up against an AI seemed to lower the barbs well and I didn't need to build any early defensive units. Might be possible to shave a few turns off still.

View attachment 600820


Spoiler :
GOfNature I presume?
 
Okay so seems like this went quite well so I will try and keep doing them, I'm thinking next one will be on saturday and I might start keeping score somehow. Say 1 point for everyone who does it and bonus for fastest. Also I'll perhaps say don't move more than 1 turn for first settle since I can imagine natural wonders being the best start often.

What do you guys think? + feel free to send me ideas for new challenges.

Spoiler My run (T80) :

I thought everyone would do this so I'm surprised noone took God of the Sun and I wanted to see how good it was.

Messed up first time but second time I got the Wine Monopoly perfectly (2 cities with one worker each building 2 plantations each and then 1 more city on top of a wine).
Tradition for +3 faith policy.
Granaries into shrines everywhere.
Got lucky quests from Lhasa so got an alliance with them which obviously helped.
Religion was the faith from tech founder as it seemed the best though not much still and then creativity and built markets so I could work a specialist.
1 end.jpg


Varanasi was quite pointless I thought I might get another follower for tech bonus.
Sweden and Zulus joint declared on me just before the end!
 
I think just having the save being already settled on t1 would be best. While moving to a NW is fun it is also a bit silly as it almost never happens in a real game
 
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