BOTM 286: Shaka of Zululand.
Time for a Deity level game! You play as Shaka on an altered Great Plains map against 8 opponents. If you play the Contender save, it will play like a true Deity level game: barbarians start with Archery, and opponents start with 2 settlers, 2 workers, 2 scouts, and 4 archers. If that sounds insanely difficult, you can play the Adventurer save, where YOU start with 2 settlers, 2 workers, 2 scouts, and 4 archers whereas your opponents start with only 1 scout and 1 settler (and barbarians have not yet learned archery). Adventurer class could help those who don't often win at Deity level finally do so, though you would not be eligible for fastest finish awards or medals.
Game settings:
Playing as: Shaka of Zululand
Rivals: 8 AIs
Difficulty: Deity
Starting Era: Ancient
Speed: Normal
Options: No goody huts, no random events
Victory Conditions: All enabled
Map settings:
Map: Great Plains modified
World Wrap: Cylindrical
Mapsize: Standard
Climate: Temperate
Sea level: Medium
Map latitudes: 25°N to 45°N
Shaka is Aggressive and Expansive, and you start with Agriculture and Hunting.
The Aggressive trait gives free Combat I promotion for melee and gunpowder units and double production speed of Barracks and Drydock
The Expansive trait gives +2 health/city and +25% hammers for worker production and double production speed of Granary and Harbor
Unique unit: Impi (replaces Spearman)
The impi is a super-fast mover: It has 2 movement points, and starts with the mobility promotion, giving -1 terrain movement cost - which means it keeps the fast movement over most forest, jungle and hills (but not forested or jungled hills).
Unique Building: Ikhanda (replaces Barracks)
Not just a mere barracks, the ikhanda acts like a mini-courthouse, reducing city maintenance by 20%. However it costs more to build - 60 hammers against 50 for the plain barracks.
Starting screenshot
This is the start of the game (click for a bigger image):
Adventurer Class bonuses:
YOU start with 2 settlers, 2 workers, 2 scouts, and 4 archers whereas your opponents start with only 1 scout and 1 settler (and barbarians have not yet learned archery).
Challenger Class Equalizers:
No Challenger Class... Deity should be challenge enough.
To Enter the Competition:
This competition will open at 00:01 am on 1 Feb 2025, server local time (UTC-6:00). From that date and time, you'll be able to get your chosen starting save >>>here<<<.
Submit the save after your victory (or defeat) here, by 15 Mar 2025.
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 3.19.005 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.
Last edited:
J/K
