News: GOTM 13 Pre-Game Discussion

[ainwood]

GOTM 13: Isabella

[img=right]http://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/info/leaders/leaders0011.jpg[/img]

This game MUST be played in patch version 1.61. We will NOT accept any games played under any other patch versions, and you can't play it in warlords!

Further, it MUST be played using HOF mod version 1.61.009.




Game settings:
Civilization: Spain (Leader: Isabella; Traits: Expansive, Spiritual)
Rivals: 8
Difficulty: Monarch
Map: Fractal
Mapsize: Large
Climate: Temperate
Water level: high
Starting Era: Ancient
Speed: Epic
Options: normal.
Victory Conditions: all enabled

Isabella:
Isabella is Expansive and Spiritual; starting with fishing and mysticism. Expansive allows a +3 health per city, as well as doble production speed of granaries and harbours. Spiritual allows you to change religions or civics with no anarchy period, as well as double production speed of temples.

Unique unit: Conquistador:
The conquistador replaces the standard knight. The cost and strength of the unit is the same, however it has a +50% bonus against melee units, and, very importantly, it does not suffer the knights 'no defensive bonuses' weakness.

The starting screenshot is here (click for a bigger version!)


Adventurer Class bonuses:

1. Start with a worker and an archer.

Challenger Class Equalisers:

1. All other civilizations beging with an extra random technology.

You will have approx. 6 weeks to complete this game.

 

[da_Vinci]

Can I squeeze this in first?

Yes! Now, to edit in something substantial.

Fractal Map? Something designed in the realm of quantum mechanics? Is there any predicting what this map will look like, or is it truly random?

Looks like we get to pick our favorite seafood at the start.

dV

Look! He beat CliftonBazaar!
No, you fool! CliftonBazaar only cares about being first to download the SAVE!
Oh! My Bad! Never mind!

With homage to Compromise.

 

[Conquistador 63]

Checking in early. I feel I should, given Isabella's UU and my nickname.
6 weeks to complete? Hmm, not bad, or else I'd be tempted to trash WoTM3. What else to comment? Large size map! First one in Civ4 GOTM history I guess. Hence the extended deadline? Or it is just due to the holiday season approaching?
Game-wise, nothing smart to say yet. Settling in place, probably, even though it doesn't look too brilliant. Are 8 rivals the standard for large maps?

 

[ainwood]

Large size map! First one in Civ4 GOTM history I guess. Hence the extended deadline? Or it is just due to the holiday season approaching?

We often give 6 weeks over xmas. And seeng as period is extended, I went for a large, epic game.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

We often give 6 weeks over xmas. And seeng as period is extended, I went for a large, epic game.

Out of interest, does that mean Gotm14 will start mid Jan rather than beginning Jan, or will the Gotm13 and Gotm14 periods overlap?

 

[CliftonBazaar]

Look! He beat CliftonBazaar!
No, you fool! CliftonBazaar only cares about being first to download the SAVE!
Oh! My Bad! Never mind!

That's it, I'm hacking into the system so I can put a post above yours

The reason I download the save first (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that Ainwood is in New Zealand while I'm in Australia (2 hours differance) so when he uploads in the afternoon - I'm awake and ready to play I can usually finish the game before the USA has even woken up!

 

[ainwood]

Out of interest, does that mean Gotm14 will start mid Jan rather than beginning Jan, or will the Gotm13 and Gotm14 periods overlap?

They'll overlap. GOTM 14 will be a good thing for those nursing a new-years' hangover.

 

[Jastrow]

What an evil starting setup causing for major decision before turn 1

Spain on a lake , so settling immedietly to race for religion is very tempting , BUT if we do that, we likely are blocking ourselves from ever getting that fish which may well be accesible ONLY to a city where the warrior now stands.

Even tho that square is nice, and leaves room for another city NE of the pachyderms to pick them up with the clams, because of the forest in between, it will take two full turns to get there, allow us to found only on turn 3, and putting early religions in jeopardy.

Moving the settler N-NE would allow us to found a turn earlier with a more favorable city placement, but we lose the lake for the capital.

Moreover, the Warrior is stuck in a corner, with no useful moves to gain any information before we make a decision.

I probably will end up plopping down in place, but I am far from convinced that is the correct play.

 

[Sabre]

It's been nearly a year since I've had the time to play any Civ. I finally get some free time and we're given an extra two weeks to finish. It's fate! I've been playing around with this month's GOTM, getting to know Civ IV a bit and I'll be making a try at a space victory.

I'm fairly sure I'll just settle in place. I'll miss out on the fish but I really don't want three mountains in my capital. I'll take a shot at Meditation, but I'm hoping to end up with Confucianism as my state religion. The free missionary is useful in enlightening my nearest target...er...neighbor.

I really enjoy the freedom the spiritual trait gives you. Being able to customize your civics to your current situation without anarchy is very nice.

Can't wait for the 1st!

 

[Lexad]

Trading 3 grasslands for 3 mountains and 1 fish is not a good start, imo

 

[DynamicSpirit]

What an evil starting setup causing for major decision before turn 1

The thought had crossed my mind too.

I'll probably settle in-place and accept the permanent loss of the fish. It's a reasonable spot (especially starting with fishing and meditation -> early religion possible), and with those forests around, it'll take too long for my tastes to look for anywhere better.

 

[slowrider]

Huge map ... dozens of cities ... just the excuse I need to buy a fast new computer and 30" monitor for xmas. I wish!!!

 

[da_Vinci]

Seems that the only reason not to settle in place is if you really want a city (capital or other) on the hill where the warrior is now. A lot of bother for one fish resource.

"There are other fish in the sea"

Should be able to find a better use of blood and treasure north or west, I would think ...

Which brings us to fractal maps (new to me). If the only land we get is what we see, then maybe we would want the warrior hill for a city. How unpredictable are fractal maps? In particular, are they so bizzare and random that a practice game does not give you a sense of that map style? Or are they random within some constraints?

I'm likely to wait to start this until we get into SGOTM 3 a ways, as I expect to learn a lot there that will help me in GOTM 13.

dV

 

[Lexad]

On fractal you just don't know whether you facing pangea or continents with galley communication or need astronomy - nothing more unpredictable

 

[Murky]

I might try to see how many religions I can found and go for a cultural victory.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

On fractal you just don't know whether you facing pangea or continents with galley communication or need astronomy - nothing more unpredictable

That's one reason why I love fractal maps on the GOTMs. You can't really decide on your overall strategy until after the game has begun. You have to adapt to whatever you find the map has thrown at you. I have even started fractal maps before and found I'm alone on a continent that's too small to create a viable winning empire on, so there's no choice but to beeline for astronomy (though I doubt Ainwood would give us such a map, as it makes for a very difficult game, and I guess it's less likely to happen on large maps anyway).

 

[DynamicSpirit]

The conquistador replaces the standard knight. The cost and strength of the unit is the same, however it has a +50% bonus against melee units, and, very importantly, it does not suffer the knights 'no defensive bonuses' weakness.

That sounds like a very powerful unique unit. I hadn't realized conquistadors kept defensive bonuses (and I definitely appreciate Ainwood pointing that out, otherwise I'd probably have played the whole game on the assumption they didn't). Well worth heading for guilds early if you're in a warmongering frame of mind. Other than elephants, nothing is going to come even close to touching them until musketmen. And since ivory is rare and we start in control of at least one of the local supplies...

 

[Markus5]

In a handful of maps, its been rather crowded. The UU might be nicely timed to expand by the sword. An early religion, maybe two, should be pretty easy. In a couple of runs emphasising commerce it was easy. In another run emphasising food I came within one turn.

 

[mushroomshirt]

Yow! Large and epic? I think maybe I will try a space race this time. I have yet to go that route in a GOTM. I'm afraid that 6 weeks is not enough RL time for a domination victory.

I guess I could try conquest, too. Maybe build nothing but barracks & granaries and whip, whip, whip. I'll either win or lose fast...

 

[Ronnie1]

I second Dynamics thanks to Ainwood! I also had never read the fine print on the Conquistador. Early religion should be simple enough, only 8 others on a large map seems light to me. The high water level will reduce some of the land of course, and astronomy will almost certainly be needed for the waring types. It could be a great map for almost any victory type. After a little exploring, I'm sure it will start to come into focus!