News: GOTM 19 Pre-game Discussion

[ainwood]

GOTM 19: Mao Zedong

This month, its a crowded map at emperor difficulty, with aggressive AI. It could be a bloodbath...

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 1.61.011.




Game settings:
Civilization: China (Leader: Mao Zedong; Traits: Philosophical Organized)
Rivals: 8
Difficulty: Emperor
Map: Pangea
Mapsize: Standard
Climate: Rocky
Water level: Low
Starting Era: Ancient
Speed: Epic
Options: Aggressive AI
Victory Conditions: all enabled

Mao Zedong:
Mao Zedong is Philosophical and Organised; starting with agriculture and mining. Philosophical allows a +100% great person birth rate, and double production speed of universities. Organised allows -50% civic maintenance, as well as double production speed of lighthouses and courthouses.

Unique unit: Cho-ko-nu:
The Cho-ko-nu replaces the standard crossbowman. The stats remain the same (strength 6, moves 1, cost 90), but it gains an extra first strike, and it also causes collaterol damage!


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


Adventurer Class bonuses:

1. Player starts with knowledge of hunting and archery.
2. Player starts with a worker and an archer.
3. Hill north of the cow has gold.

Challenger Class Equalisers:

1. Player starts knowing no technologies.

 

[Fold]

This is going to be painful. Adventurer class again for me I think!

Image of starting map appears to be broken though...

 

[ainwood]

This is going to be painful. Adventurer class again for me I think!

Image of starting map appears to be broken though...

Should be fixed now...

 

[Lehm]

After easy WOTM09 we have a real challenge once again. I don´t like the starting area because there is no food except that cow giving only +1 food. So how are we supposed to work those hills where I expect to find some Iron or copper? In the north one can see a bit of coast so moving to that circeled tile in the west would mean a lot water in the fatcross but probably at least one more sea food. I probably move the warrior 1S, 1W to the hills plains forrest. From there he can observe maybe something we can feed our people with. But I think I will settle in place hoping that the 2 unexplored fatcross tiles will give us some food... I really fear the emperor difficulty combined with the aggresive AI... But let´s see... Good luck guys

 

[Thrallia]

I'll move to the coast...I assume there is fish food out there since there's a blue circle there, and we'll still have access to the cows.

I'll be starting this game late, as I'll be out of town until the month is almost half over, but I think I'll be attempting to leverage the Philosophical trait to get fast teching and an early Cho-Ko-Nu that I can use to knock off a few neighbors. My ultimate goal will be a peaceful victory, but with 8 opponents on Emperor, I doubt you can win by being completely peaceful...as far as the forests go, I'll probably chop them to build settlers, that way I can get settlers out fast enough to claim a few good spots before the AI does.

 

[kuukkeli]

Definetely going to take the Adventurer this time. Starting location looks, like Lehm said, very low on food. Warrior to SW looks to be obvious but which tiles do we see from there - do we see both 1W and 1NW of wine?

 

[AgedOne]

Aww! I am getting so far behind. Not yet finished GOTM18, and haven't even started WOTM09.

Everything looks so interesting. Emperor has been on the cards for a couple of months now, and Mao - who I haven't too much experience with.
Can't wait to get cut to ribbons by the 8 Aggressive AI on pangea!!

Adventurer does have some attraction - though I have always resisted that temptation before. My preferred option is lots of preparation - and discussion here (!) - but that all means more time is required.

(I'm seriously going to have to do something drastic to get myself up to date)

 

[mart777]

Reminds me of GOTM 16. Fast military buildup seems necessary.

 

[LowtherCastle]

(I'm seriously going to have to do something drastic to get myself up to date)

Lots of coffee, no meals, only snacks, no showers, 1 bathroom break per day...

 

[Aborigen]

UU is very expansive, instead of 2 chokonu you can build 3 swords. I think the goal is conquest with cats, swords & elephants

 

[LowtherCastle]

Rocky, pangea...hmmm...someone's been gettin' or is about to get stoned...

>> Hammer-rich, food-poor map. <<

Outside-In World Domination?
An interesting strategy for someone wanting to play a longer game and milk the score would be to work the coastlines--the only place likely to have lots of food AND hammers. Half-priced lhs and chs, and the only place where you can take advantage of 100&#37; GPPs (unless you find some good, inland food resources). With low AI interest and lots of forests you could have a chance for Collosus, GreatLH, and possibly plenty of opportunity for expansion. You could settle all your cities on hills and the aggressive AIs are only coming at you from half the map. The coastal position would also serve well for rape-and-plunder sorties to limit the AIs' ganeral advancement. An outside-in approach to world domination.

My question for all you venerable warmongers is: What about fast conquest? What's the best way and what units are needed to succeed? Is it possible with only:

cats, swords & elephants?

If so, what's the fastest way to get acquire Construction and IW? Go for Alpha or not?

 

[Lexad]

UU is very expansive, instead of 2 chokonu you can build 3 swords. I think the goal is conquest with cats, swords & elephants

At Civru.com a Limited Reload tourny has just finished - watch Grey Cardinal employ Cho-ko-nu.

 

[AgedOne]

Lots of coffee, no meals, only snacks, no showers, 1 bathroom break per day...

Forgive me civvers for I have sinned.
It has been 2 weeks since my last civ-session
In the meantime I have allowed my thoughts to stray
I have been tempted by evenings out and alcohol!
My family, and even work has got between me and my civ.

Not sure if I can get outta this one so simply . . .
You've listed the way I normally live anyway!

 

[Lawrence]

The start is too poor in food. Have to find something more to eat before I will settle down the city. Beside the blue circles, 1NW is also possibility but I would definitely want to see what the coast offers, at first.

Will try to finish a quick domination, if I have time. I will be very busy in June, the only free days are 28th-30th. See that if I can finish it in 3 FULL and CONTINUOUS days

 

[Jove]

Move 1 NW, build a lighthouse and you get a 3-food lake tile. Plus the grass, well, it isn't exactly a food bonanza but it'd do.

EDIT: 2N looks like coast too, you get a plains hill, the lake, and a good shot at some sea food.

 

[bunkum]

Hi All,

Have been reading the forums for a couple of months and playing back some of the old GOTM, this will be my first entry. My aim will be not to end in the bottom 3, although 8 aggresive AI on Pangea could end in tears very quickly.

No idea where I will settle but will move warrior SW to see if anything opens below, if not will then move settler 1N 1NW and see what that opens up, if by chance a sea food tile appears within the fat cross, most likely settle there.

 

[mart777]

After trying a custom game with the same settings, several of them, played like 50 turns:

1) I wonder what "flavor" of the map we gonna get. There will be many mountains and scattered deserts. If there are rivers, it means more, or even many flood plains, otherwise food will be a problem, and there are no rivers visible in the screenie...

2) Contact with most of the civs will be very fast, I got multiple ones (often 2 in a turn) with scouts.

3) I tried approach worker-worker-settler. I was too late to get a good second spot. With 8 rivals it will be a crowded map.

4) I think getting BW and IW to see copper and/or iron is necessary for getting military fast.

 

[mart777]

Anyone into making test scenarios?

 

[Aborigen]

If so, what's the fastest way to get acquire Construction and IW? Go for Alpha or not?

You can build oracle to take construction or IW. I think alpha is a must, caz on emperor AI research techs fast. And with alpha u can catch them up

At Civru.com a Limited Reload tourny has just finished - watch Grey Cardinal employ Cho-ko-nu.

Well it was a game at normal speed, and with Reloads!
I took a look at his save, very impressive. In this game I think it'll be interesting to take MC with oracle. Recieve a fast GE (with philosophical trait x2 faster ) and lightbulb machienery. meanwhile research construction for cats. But I am still not sure wheather cho-ko-nu [with 6 power and 2 FS] are worth their 90 hammer... hmm ?-)

ADD: Well chokonu's collateral damage acts like a half of cat's. So, 60 from swordsman plus 30 (half of cat). it could work.... and no fear of axemans/spears

 

[Lexad]

Well it was a game at normal speed, and with Reloads!

Well, I know this, don't I? I just wanted you to check out how ti use cho-ko-nu for you seemed misinformed on their usefulness.