[BTS] New Isolated Immortal Shadow Game With Zara + Confusing Start

[krikav]

Did you oracle monarchy?
One option would have been to oracle CoL (that would have gotten you a religion) and then self-tech monarchy, both provide happines and thats dandy.
One more city, 1W of the peak, that way it can grab some good river tiles, and the wine+wheat.

When you build some wonder that generates other points than scientists, you usually let that city work cottages only, and other cities work scientists, that way the "polluted" city never catches up and you can get at least two scientists.
You want at least two, to bulb astronomy.

Your beeline goal now (or possibly after monarchy+CoL) is optics.
That means metalcasting, ironworking, machinery, compass... Most of them provide no immediate benefit, but optics and meeting the other AIs are huge and Astronomy is gamechanging.

I think it was overkill to build boats for all the crabs right away, will be hard to utilize all that food.
Some workboat should probably have been sent out to scout and possibly find AIs, or at least get knowledge of your landmass.

How is the barb situation?

 

[CGQ]

Did you oracle monarchy?
One option would have been to oracle CoL (that would have gotten you a religion) and then self-tech monarchy, both provide happines and thats dandy.
One more city, 1W of the peak, that way it can grab some good river tiles, and the wine+wheat.

When you build some wonder that generates other points than scientists, you usually let that city work cottages only, and other cities work scientists, that way the "polluted" city never catches up and you can get at least two scientists.
You want at least two, to bulb astronomy.

Your beeline goal now (or possibly after monarchy+CoL) is optics.
That means metalcasting, ironworking, machinery, compass... Most of them provide no immediate benefit, but optics and meeting the other AIs are huge and Astronomy is gamechanging.

I think it was overkill to build boats for all the crabs right away, will be hard to utilize all that food.
Some workboat should probably have been sent out to scout and possibly find AIs, or at least get knowledge of your landmass.

How is the barb situation?

Barbs are a huge pain. Who knew a 1.7/3.0 archer can kill a fortified warrior in an open field? Or a healthy archer against a 25% fortified warrior in a forested hill across a river? How the hell are they so strong?? I've had to reload like 10 times (mostly experimenting with different defenses.)

Spoiler Played To Turn 83 :

Originally went writing>COL (through Oracle) first then TW>Pottery but by time I had my 3rd city my economy was trash and was making +9 GPT at 0% but -15 GPT at 100% so I couldn't get to Pottery in time. Went back and went TW>Pottery, then Writing (Delayed the Oracle by 6-7 turns) and Oracle COL then immediately converted to CONFU.


Teching Monarchy is going to take a while. Meantime I'm building warriors for MP and I chopped a few to ward off unwelcome barb archers. Now my scout has double-forest promotion though he still can't kill an archer, even fully fortified on a forested hill. Damn those things are strong!


What to do with workers now? Where to settle next city?

 

[krikav]

I see no spots screaming to be settled right now. Maybe there is something further in the west.
Well... perhaps the piggies.
But other than that, soon you will start the optics beeline, you will put all cities on happycap, perhaps with a few military police, working cottages and rest caste-scientists.
You pre-build two triremes ready to be upgraded to caravels for 50g each the turn or the turns after optics.
Once caravels are moving, you fill up the island the usual way, one city per food resource more or less.

 

[5tephen]

Barbs are a huge pain. Who knew a 1.7/3.0 archer can kill a fortified warrior in an open field? Or a healthy archer against a 25% fortified warrior in a forested hill across a river?

When using warriors only for barb defence and trying to expand the cordon around my territory I use 2 warriors together so if one dies the other can mop up and gain experience. I usually find it safer to assume one will die than risk collapsing my perimeter.

From your screenshot, the marble tile isn’t fogbusted - a barb spawn there would be really annoying.

 

[CGQ]

I see no spots screaming to be settled right now. Maybe there is something further in the west.
Well... perhaps the piggies.
But other than that, soon you will start the optics beeline, you will put all cities on happycap, perhaps with a few military police, working cottages and rest caste-scientists.
You pre-build two triremes ready to be upgraded to caravels for 50g each the turn or the turns after optics.
Once caravels are moving, you fill up the island the usual way, one city per food resource more or less.

Spoiler Played To Turn 120 :

Whipped up one last settler before switching to HR Rule + Caste System. Settled 1E of the Pigs. Moved workers to pigs...only to realize I don't have AH yet! :O


After Monarchy I quickly nabbed AH and worked the pigs and Sheep from our cap. I also got two scientists out. Turns out that 3rd city was settled on iron so I made some Swordsman to kick Barb's butts:


Teching is taking a while because of expenses. Capital is now size 13 and unhealthy. I don't know what to do with workers so I built more grassland cottages and workshops:


I plan to get a 3rd GS out to bulb optics, then use the 2 GS for Astronomy. I feel like I'm pretty late though. Is that normal for this kind of game or am I doing something wrong?

 

[krikav]

It might be late, I'm sure it's possible to play the map more efficient.
But anything that results in bulbing astro around T150 is within the realm of acceptable.

Some super rich map, I have seen optics < T115, T120-T135 is very common, tough maps or when you don't care too much about early optics it can be later.

 

[CGQ]

It might be late, I'm sure it's possible to play the map more efficient.
But anything that results in bulbing astro around T150 is within the realm of acceptable.

Some super rich map, I have seen optics < T115, T120-T135 is very common, tough maps or when you don't care too much about early optics it can be later.

What should I do from this point on? Should I just keep building more workshops (since I have CS + Chemistry later)? I know I'm going to chop some triremes later when I get optics maybe I can even get a GM to send to them

 

[krikav]

Focus 100% on keeping maintenence down and commerce up.
This can involve NOT working extremly good tiles like 6F pigs.

You are in a commerce bottleneck that you have to get through asap, reach optics and then REX your island.

 

[CGQ]

When using warriors only for barb defence and trying to expand the cordon around my territory I use 2 warriors together so if one dies the other can mop up and gain experience. I usually find it safer to assume one will die than risk collapsing my perimeter.

From your screenshot, the marble tile isn’t fogbusted - a barb spawn there would be really annoying.

Spoiler Played To Turn 157 :

Got a 4th scientist. Was really hoping for Merchant. Used him for a Gold Age:


Managed to Bulb Optics, then went Math>Alpha>Calendar, then double-bulbed Astro at Turn 148:


Met the AI's:






Made the following trades:





How am I doing so far? What to do next? Where to settle next?

Note: Still a couple of AI left to meet.

 

[CGQ]

Focus 100% on keeping maintenence down and commerce up.
This can involve NOT working extremly good tiles like 6F pigs.

You are in a commerce bottleneck that you have to get through asap, reach optics and then REX your island.

I'm stuck. I don't know what to tech from here. I can play further but it would be a guessing game haha

 

[krikav]

Fill up your island, maybe take aim at steel (cannons).
The unique unit (Oromo warriors) are fun to attack with, musket+cannons.
The extra drill promotions carries over when you promote them to rifles etc later on.
Go abroad and conquer.

 

[konata_LS]

Judging from T157, AC doesn't want to trade Archery to you - he's probably also isolated. The isolated AC might be a tempting target for your first overseas war. Plus, his island is close to yours.

The trading table indicates AC has no Monarchy but he's able to adopt HR - he definitely has Mids

A wonder spammer like AC usually builds several wonders, not just one . If AC has some other shiny wonders apart from Mids for you to conquer, that would be even better .

 

[CGQ]

Fill up your island, maybe take aim at steel (cannons).
The unique unit (Oromo warriors) are fun to attack with, musket+cannons.
The extra drill promotions carries over when you promote them to rifles etc later on.
Go abroad and conquer.

What would be the fastest way to steel from where I am (GS/bulb tech-wise) Also what's the best way to attack another continent oversea? Quickest way to get to them? I'm more familiar with land wars lol

 

[krikav]

No Bulls för that I think.
Just beeline Steel.
Build galleons, maces. A piké or two. Maybe some museets.
You can prebuild trebs. Either for uprading or have they in the build queue so they get converted.

Try to trade for feud and engineering. Guilds if you are very lucky.

Land with 6-8 galleons, 10 cannons, some stack protectors but mostly maces and make sure reinforcements are comming too.