[BTS] NEWS: BOTM 132 -- Starts June 1

[kcd_swede]

BOTM 132: Ragnarök

[img=right]http://gotm.civfanatics.net/civ4games/images/botm132civ.jpg[/img]

I intend to go on an extended sabbatical from map-making, so this is a farewell game, I will finish the way I started - with a fine Viking romp. Sorry that it means you get to play Vikings in two BOTMs at the same time... but what's not to like about Vikings?

Some twists... There are 4 minor civs who act like barbarians - no diplomacy is possible with them, and they are always at war with everyone. What would a Viking game be without a lot of action? So sharpen your axes, don your helms, and just go berzerk!

Be wary... one of the minor civs is led by Gilgamesh, and he has a really nasty friend.



Note: Espionage culture victories will count as normal culture victories for this game.



Game settings:
Playing as: Ragnar Lothbrok of the Vikings
Rivals: 4 AI plus 4 Minor civs
Difficulty: Monarch
Starting Era: Ancient
Speed: Normal
Options: no huts, no events
Victory Conditions: All enabled


Map settings:
Map: Custom Continents (4 continents + islands), Cold climate, Medium Seas
World Wrap: Cylindrical
Mapsize: Standard

Your traits: Aggressive & Financial.

Aggressive: Free Combat I promotion for melee and gunpowder units.
Double production speed of Barracks and Drydock.

Financial: +1 commerce on plots with at least 2 commerce.

and you start with knowledge of Fishing, and Hunting




Unique unit Berzerker
Replaces Maceman, +10% city attack
Starts with Amphibious
+50% vs. Melee Units



Unique building Trading Post; Replaces Lighthouse
Free Navigation I promotion for naval units built in this city
+1

on water tiles
Required to build The Great Lighthouse




Starting screenshot

This is the start of the game (click for a bigger image):





Adventurer Class bonuses:

N/A


Challenger Class Equalizers:

N/A

To Enter the Competition:

This competition will open at 00:01 am on 1 June 2017, server local time (UTC-6:00). From that date and time, you'll be able to get your chosen starting save here: http://gotm.civfanatics.net/civ4games/index.php?month=70132


Submit the save after your victory (or defeat) here, by 1 July 2017.

Here is a link to a list of the differences between Vanilla, Warlords and BtS.

Here is a link to a list of the differences between Vanilla, Warlords and BtS.

Software Versions

Windows: This game MUST be played in Beyond the Sword (NOT Civ4 Vanilla or Warlords), patched to version 3.19, and with the BUFFY mod version 3.19.003 installed. You can download the BUFFY mod here. Players using Windows Vista or Windows 7 are encouraged to read the notes on Vista fixes here.


Macintosh: This game MUST be played in Beyond the Sword (NOT Civ4 Vanilla or Warlords), patched to version 3.19, and with the Mac BUFFY mod version 3.19.003 installed. You can download the Mac BUFFY mod here.

While playing...

Remember - for your entry to be accepted, it MUST be your first attempt to play this game, and you MUST NOT replay any turns. If you make a mistake while playing, you have to live with it, learn from it, and carry on the game without replaying.

We will open 'spoiler' threads during the month for players to discuss what happens in their games. Do not discuss any details of your game outside those threads.[/h2]

 

[Pangaea]

Oh dear, that's a fishy start.

 

[nocho]

We'll miss you from map-making, kcd! Hope to still see you around though.

Looks like a fun game. I guess settle 1S for the PH and not miss the fish, looks like ice further south. Glad we get to say goodbye to Humbaba too!

 

[kcd_swede]

I'll be around... I hope to finish an Eptathalon one day... last man standing kinda thing. Just very disappointed that my sgotm involvement was less than stellar, and the games I've made in the last half year have been run-of-the-mill rather than the spectacular catastrophes and bizarre consequences that I once prided myself on. One day, Dr Evil may be back, but for now, he has too many balls in the air. There is Preparation A-F which were taking a lot of time, and now Preparation G has me by the short hairs...but I am also working on my newest invention, Preparation H... when I get time. Anybody else getting hungry for some ice-cream?

 

[MeowZeDung]

Even more Berserker carnage eh? I'm ok with that. That start. . . oh my. . .

 

[LowtherCastle]

Be wary... one of the minor civs is led by Gilgamesh, and he has a really nasty friend.

Does this mean Gilgamesh is one of the minor civs or is teamed with one or what?

 

[Fippy]

You are a genius mapmaker, and should not let sgotm disappoint you in any way ~~

Playing team games over such a long time period will always be difficult, it's so much different from playing alone and just starting whenever you are in the mood.
Everyone who signed up helped keeping this great series alive, imo there's no harm in finding out later that you ran out of time for it.
You played your part and that counts

 

[LowtherCastle]

Just very disappointed that my sgotm involvement was less than stellar

SG Rule #1: Have fun.

 

[Jovan Kukic]

Do we need to conquer minor civs for conquest victory?

 

[Pangaea]

Going for that again, are you? Checked some recent results, and saw you had some very early conquest wins.

Hope you come back to mapmaking at some point @kcd_swede.

 

[kcd_swede]

Do we need to conquer minor civs for conquest victory?

No-

 

[Jovan Kukic]

Thx, kcd_swede.

Going for that again, are you? Checked some recent results, and saw you had some very early conquest wins.

Probably We play as Ragnar anyway

PS. My 100th forum message

 

[kcd_swede]

If you ever start feeling frustrated in this game, just remember that the Minor Civs are enemies of your enemies. So that makes them friends!

 

[Deckhand]

PS. My 100th forum message

Congrats

 

[sirdanilot]

Settle 1S to lose a turn, or settle on the deer?

I think 1S is better?

 

[lymond]

Settle 1S to lose a turn, or settle on the deer?

I think 1S is better?

Scout needs to move, but 1S does seem the logical choice and appears necessary for fish preservation. Forest plains deer (and there are two of them) are the best unimproved tile on standard maps, and they are also quite excellent improved as well, so I'd avoid settling on those. What appears to be an island city can share them too.

I'm almost tempted to settle 1SW to get both deers in the BFC. You won't get either until border pops but will get the bonus once you do and the tiles can be improve with worker first and Rag's starting tech. Clams go to island city. Still, 1S is fastest short term and likely the best move. The start really warrants a test map. I think straight to BW/worker first would be the best move, but not sure the timing. Worker will be a fast build with only a deer to improve (1S), but 2 to improve if 1SW.

SIP is painful

Definitely a Ragtastic start. All Swedish Vikings should celebrate this great start with a day of raiding and pillaging, except for kcd_swede since he is a quitter and will not ascend to the Halls of Valhalla.

Spoiler :

just kidding swede...they still need mapmakers in Valhalla

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Thanks for all the maps kcd_swede! I shall miss you too. You've made a great contribution to the games, and hope to see you playing.

Looks like a fun game. I guess settle 1S for the PH and not miss the fish, looks like ice further south. Glad we get to say goodbye to Humbaba too!

Who says you're saying goodbye to Humbaba? kcd_swede isn't the only mapmaker with ideas, y'know...

Settle 1S to lose a turn, or settle on the deer?

I think 1S is better?

With 1S you lose a turn moving (and lose the possible forest chop), but being on a plains hill gives an extra hammer in the starting city, and that means you can build a worker in 12 turns instead of 15, which - in most cases - more than makes up for the loss of turn moving. However, that argument depends on your wanting to build a worker first, and in this game you might want to build a workboat first so you can work the fish quickly.

I don't think settling 1SE on the deer is a good idea. You not only lose the turn moving, but - based on a quick WB test - it seems you DON'T get an extra hammer (or an extra food) in the city tile - so you can't build a worker faster, and you've wasted the deer tile. Also, I'd fear you could cause problems with the fur: You'll probably want the fur not only in a city's BFC but also connected to the trade network asap. We can't see how big the fur island is, and if you settle your capital on the deer, you might be rather restricting your options for where you can settle on the fur island to get the fur into your trade network.

I think another plan might be to settle 1SW. You lose a turn moving and don't get a 2H capital, but you put the fish in your BFC, and you don't lose having a 3H forested plains hill - so can build a workboat in 8 turns by working it. You also will end up with a very high production capital, with at least 4 hills as well as the forests - and food to use them all! As a bonus, after your border pop you can work the 2F+2H deer tile even without building a worker, which is quite powerful. settling by the fur becomes very easy as soon as you have a galley too.

(EDIT: I see my suggestion of 1SW was cross-posted with lymond)

 

[sirdanilot]

Thanks for all the maps kcd_swede! I shall miss you too. You've made a great contribution to the games, and hope to see you playing.



Who says you're saying goodbye to Humbaba? kcd_swede isn't the only mapmaker with ideas, y'know...



With 1S you lose a turn moving (and lose the possible forest chop), but being on a plains hill gives an extra hammer in the starting city, and that means you can build a worker in 12 turns instead of 15, which - in most cases - more than makes up for the loss of turn moving. However, that argument depends on your wanting to build a worker first, and in this game you might want to build a workboat first so you can work the fish quickly.

I don't think settling 1SE on the deer is a good idea. You not only lose the turn moving, but - based on a quick WB test - it seems you DON'T get an extra hammer (or an extra food) in the city tile - so you can't build a worker faster, and you've wasted the deer tile. Also, I'd fear you could cause problems with the fur: You'll probably want the fur not only in a city's BFC but also connected to the trade network asap. We can't see how big the fur island is, and if you settle your capital on the deer, you might be rather restricting your options for where you can settle on the fur island to get the fur into your trade network.

I think another plan might be to settle 1SW. You lose a turn moving and don't get a 2H capital, but you put the fish in your BFC, and you don't lose having a 3H forested plains hill - so can build a workboat in 8 turns by working it. You also will end up with a very high production capital, with at least 4 hills as well as the forests - and food to use them all! As a bonus, after your border pop you can work the 2F+2H deer tile even without building a worker, which is quite powerful. settling by the fur becomes very easy as soon as you have a galley too.

(EDIT: I see my suggestion of 1SW was cross-posted with lymond)

I think id still go 1s and build a work boat first, then a worker. By then it should be at pop 2 or 3 (I am not such a good player that I can micromanage so much as to calculate the exact amount of turns though, I play only on prince. just started to get back into civ IV).

By the time one improved the deer and all the sea food one should have AH to build the pasture. And hopefully found horses somewhere for the second city, or settle on the island to get fur (I am just assuming it's an island because everyone says so).

 

[Pangaea]

I don't think settling 1SE on the deer is a good idea. You not only lose the turn moving, but - based on a quick WB test - it seems you DON'T get an extra hammer (or an extra food) in the city tile - so you can't build a worker faster, and you've wasted the deer tile. Also, I'd fear you could cause problems with the fur: You'll probably want the fur not only in a city's BFC but also connected to the trade network asap. We can't see how big the fur island is, and if you settle your capital on the deer, you might be rather restricting your options for where you can settle on the fur island to get the fur into your trade network.

Three points:

1. You are correct, you get the base of the tile as city center, so without features, with the minimum being 2 1 1. The forest doesn't count. floodplains is a little wonky, as it counts as a desert tile, so settling there would still only get you 2 .

2. The Fur is on an island, so even if you were to settle on the deer (which I think is a really bad idea), you can still settle in a comfortable position on the island, because you can settle only 2 tiles apart on different land masses. Quite often this can be the case with a 1-tile island off your starting continent.

3. Wouldn't go as deep into this as test games. My initial reaction on seeing the map is settling 1S on the plains hill. 2 city centres are very strong, especially for the starting city. Losing the forest hurts a little, but not much compared with the gains. You'd probably chop it pre-Math, so that's 20 . Just by 1AD, you have gained 114 from the city tile (115 turns, minus the one you lose moving). Comfortably better

Admittedly 1SW is an option, but without the lure of the PH. Looks like these two are the only options unless we want to permanently kill the fish. Little tricky to see just from looking at a picture, but this may be incorrect, and it's actually possible to settle a city further SW, which can work the fish.

Okay, one more point, which hasn't been mentioned I think. Where to move the scout? Think the only decent options are NW-NW and NW-SW. Think I'd prefer NW-NW, because that reveals new information, given my mind is otherwise set at settling 1S on the PH. It will have tons of food, but some can be shared with other cities. Makes for a dire Buro spot, so I hope there are some nice green rivers about. Not often I move the capital, but could be an option here, and then make the starting spot the NE city. Maybe with GLH and/or Oracle?

The problems here will probably be managing anger with all that food, and how to start re: worker or workboat, and tech choices. Easier to make some choices when we can open the save and move the scout.

 

[lymond]

By the time one improved the deer and all the sea food one should have AH to build the pasture. And hopefully found horses somewhere for the second city, or settle on the island to get fur (I am just assuming it's an island because everyone says so).

I would probably delay that AH thought until more scouting is done..certainly not for plains sheep in an otherwise food rich spot that you have the techs for at the start. Straight to BW is best for chops and whips. Sailing/Masonry for GLH. Your move toward Writing may depend on if The Wheel is needed to hook up something early, in which case POT may be a better path. However, if good AH resources do appear nearby then that may be the best path. Early Wheel may not be necessary if barb defense is not a concern and the assumption that early Sailing will get you trade routes on this type of map.

One thing we do know is there are no possible strat resource pops in the starting view. Settling 1S, there might be something on the hill SW-SW of the settler.