News: GOTM 40 Final Spoiler - Game Submitted or Abandoned

[Erkon]

GOTM 40 Final Spoiler

Reading Requirements

Stop! If you are participating in GOTM 40, then you MUST NOT read this thread unless

• You have submitted your entry
• You have abandoned your game and will not submit your entry

Did you manage to combine technology leadership with warfare?
Did you run a non-cottage economy to reach a quick domination/conquest?
What did you do with your great people?
Did any of the AIs declare on their own?

 

[srad]

Nice game! I really enjoyed playing it! Dominated the world in 1590. Easy and nice to play map: Stone, marble nearby, one front war...

One interesting thing happend. I was aiming to take Communism from Liberalism and constantly check if Huyana or the Romans still want to trade for Education. Cathy was down to one city and I just forgot to check her....bang, she was the one who discovered Liberalism first. Stupid mistake!
But after finishing her and discovering Liberalism myself I was the first and could take a free tech What? Bug or feature?

Later I tried the first time some point milking but to early I hit the land limit (at the time I discovered Bio). Wasn't focused.

Build Heroic Epic in the capital and I was producing ervery unit in one turn during the game. Think this city was almost the only one producing units.

 

[Erkon]

...One interesting thing happend. I was aiming to take Communism from Liberalism and constantly check if Huyana or the Romans still want to trade for Education. Cathy was down to one city and I just forgot to check her....bang, she was the one who discovered Liberalism first. Stupid mistake!
But after finishing her and discovering Liberalism myself I was the first and could take a free tech What? Bug or feature?...

I checked the event log and Cathy learns Education on T181 (1210), then Astronomy and Liberalism on T192 (1320AD). That's weird because the free tech should be discovered one turn later than Liberalism, as was the case when you learned Liberalism.

 

[Adama]

At Prince level, I had a good start in the first spoiler. I went after Catherine third (after reducing Vicky to only one city and conquering America). I didn’t want Russia to get those darn Cossacks (her UU). I was very friendly with Izzy-bella. After the war in Russia was over in 1615AD, I went after my game-long friend Isabella (I’ll miss those warm summer nights…).

I founded three cities on the island between my mainland and HC. HC had conquered Ceasar along in here somewhere. I finished wiping England out, and removing Spain from the mainland; I was starting on her islands when I won a domination victory in 1760 AD, scoring 58k, and, while no threat to the leaders, still a nice win for me on a level I think I can almost play now.

I enjoyed it thouroughly, so many thanks to Erkon and xOTM staff !


Adama

 

[adrianj]

Oh man, such an intense game.

I usually consider myself an Emperor level player, but this Prince game really taught me a few lessons. I almost managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, only to snatch victory back again!

At the end of my first spoiler I didn't have a hugely interesting game to report. I was heading for a semi-peaceful cultural victory, spreading my religions amongst my cities and happily building things and amassing culture.

I discovered CS in 450 AD - and then FORGOT to revolt to Bureau until 760 AD.
In 700 AD I learned Music, but evidently was not the first to it, since I didn't get the free GArtist.
In 1100 AD I learned Philosophy - about 300 years after Taoism was founded.
In 1210 AD I was the first to Liberalism. Yay, a nice positive.
I take Nationalism for free, and after a few turns I finish Drama and Printing Press, where the researching stops at 1370 AD (Replaceable Parts at about 1 beaker per turn).

Ok, so I'm on track for victory. I noticed the Hanging Gardens hadn't been built yet so I built that, shortly followed by Taj Mahal. I'm pretty much keeping up in tech through trade up until the 1800's. I'm estimating my finish date for about 1860 AD.

1824 AD: Aargh! Huayna Capac is sitting just outside my borders with a massive fleet of frigates and galleons loaded with Cavalry, Cannon and a few riflemen. Alarm bells are ringing - he is nearest to a satellite city with only a longbow and a warrior defending it. Things aren't looking good for that city. Time to turn back on the research (Military Tradition) and generate some cash for unit upgrades, and shuffle some units around. I can weather this storm - only 40 or so more turns to victory.

1826 AD: As expected, HC DoWs on me. I have a few muskets for defence, and a whole lot of keshiks left over from my wars with Washington and Isabella. HC lands next to Murcia on the SE coast of my lands. He doesn't attack it immediately, instead pillages some improvements.

1830 AD: Murcia is captured and razed! Uh oh. Thankfully, HC's units took enough damage that the few Keshiks I promoted to Knights are able to mop up. Ok. So that was bad, but I'm not dead, and my designated legendary cities are unaffected.

1834 AD: I discover Military Tradition. Now I'm saving cash to upgrade all my Keshiks and Knights. Satellite cities are producing more cavalry, muskets and catapults. I'm feeling good. Back to investing commerce into culture. I can weather this storm - only 40 or so more turns to victory.

1888 AD: HC has returned. This time off the coast of Washington, which is to become a legendary city. Cavalry, a couple of rifles and Artillery this time! Aargh, stupid stupid. I am officially panicking, so I hit the panic button. Revolution to Nationhood. HC is swarming over my lands pillaging my most valuable towns and villages.

1900 AD: I eventually get the infestation under control, at the expense of a few divisions of cavalry. Revolution back to Free Speech. HC won't take peace for anything, so I figure my best way out of this war is to end the game. I have about 6 Artists waiting in the wings, but my calculations still suggest Washington is about 10 turns from legendary. (I had more artists in the game, but some were bombed earlier in New York).

1908 AD: Karakorum achieves legendary status. My cities are terribly out of sync, since Washington had its commerce production shattered by HC. It gets worse. HC has landed more units next to Washington - now I'm facing cavalry, artillery and SAM infantry! I don't have enough units.

1910 AD: My designated legendary city, Washington, is captured and RAZED! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... *sob*. Do I quit? I'm very tempted. But, I have my secondary GP Farm, Santiago by the floodplains east of Karakorum. It has amassed quite a lot of culture running all those artists. I can still do this. I'll need rifling though. I can weather this storm - only 40 or so more turns to victory.

1923 AD: I discover rifling. Riflemen aren't bad, right? Maybe I'll build a few more catapults as well. Back to full-time Culture commerce.

~1940 AD: Hmmm, a bunch of players have built Apollo Program. HC has landed another stack - this time right next to New York - my other legendary city and main GP Farm! I'm now facing Artillery and Tanks!!! Taking New York is unacceptable. I throw all my catapults at it, followed by my cavalry. Surprise! I actually eliminated the whole stack! Some of my catapults even managed to withdraw. new strategy = many many catapults + many many cavalry.

1945 AD: Huayna Capac has built Apollo Program. Some respite perhaps?

1950 AD: I'm holding my breath. HC's navy is keeping my coastal cities pretty much permanently on 0% defense.

1960 AD: I'm turning purple from holding my breath. I'm building nothing but cavalry and catapults.

1966 AD: New York is 1 turn away from Legendary. Time to put Santiago over the edge, so I bomb 8 Artists. Santiago achieves legendary culture!

1967 AD: New York has achieved legendary culture! Woooooo.

Final result: Cultural Victory in 1968 AD.

Lessons learned:
* don't neglect your military!!!!! Ever!!! !
* I guess my diplomacy could have used some more work - HC was Cautious when he DoWed IIRC. I gave in to all outright demands, but occasionally I refused to stop trading with XX when asked.
* Unless you're planning on settling a Great Artist, save the culture bombs until the very end. Who knows, that city you bombed in 1000 AD might not be around at the end.
* Catapults are great. They may not even scratch the top defender, but they still do damage to all those other units. Even if they only take off 5 hp per unit, with enough of them you'll have a stack of tanks down to a level where cavalry can finish them off.

 

[smitsk00]

After a number of mistakes warring (1st spoiler), I had to play catch up. Lizzy's borders kept taking my towns, so that made it harder than it should have been. I was never in a military position to attack her because I spent way too long killing Washington (he died in 1675!) I spent some time expanding into the islands (this ultimately made the difference in my game). I did not win the liberalism race - not even close. However...most people liked me. I beelined for the UN. Cathy DoWed two turns before it was built, but no one helped her. I started giving away techs and island cities and was able to gift my way into a Diplomatic Victory in 1932 AD.

Overall, I felt that this was a very weak game for me, but I did learn that I have a lot to learn about warmongering.

 

[kcd_swede]

* Catapults are great. They may not even scratch the top defender, but they still do damage to all those other units. Even if they only take off 5 hp per unit, with enough of them you'll have a stack of tanks down to a level where cavalry can finish them off.

You think cats are great? Try cannons. Or artillery. In the Vanilla version (and to much the same extent even in Warlords expansion), if you build nothing but cats and a few units to protect your cats... you can wipe out everything. (I thought everyone knew that; certainly everyone who's played multiplayer learns it one way or the other). In fact, vanilla seige (which have no max limit of damage and can actually kill units) units are so overpowered as to deter from the gameplay, imo. Keshiks getting bogged down? Build another cat! They are like the copunter for everything.

That's why I prefer BtS unless its a GOTM or WOTM.

 

[kcd_swede]

Recap to 500AD: Fun with keshiks. America eliminated, 4 cities captured. 8 cities total. Planning to ”do something about” the uppity English.

And as my previous post indicates, ”doing something” in vanilla usually means building siege units. I plan to use my friendly relations with Izzy to double team Liz, (then backstab Izzy). Turn 148(740AD) Izzy is bribed to DOW Liz. At this point I’m planning to let them wear each other down a bit while I get catapults number 6-8 built, and a few axe/spear to protect them. However, when I am ready to ”pull the trigger”, my keshik commander says ”all these footmen are whining about their feet. Look at all those spanish axe heading north. And wouldn’t Izzy make a much more welcome addition to your harem than that British tart?” How can you argue with logic like that?

War with Spain in 860AD. Incredible luck with catapults withdrawing from combat. First three cities fall with zero mongolian casualties. Next up… Barcelona. However, in 1030AD Izzy does something very sneaky… she lands by galley two horsemen (well, not keshiks so lets just call them ”guys on horses&#8221. Right between my GPFarm (corn/fp city) and another city -- which I think was originally settle by Spain. Total defenders in area, 1 axe and 1 warrior. My heroic epic city is nearby and making one unit per turn (macemen at this point), so one mace is called up. I could have perhaps sold a tech and upgraded the warrior… but my cats could use some healing before taking Madrid anyhow, so they will survive for war with England later. So rather than risk an unpleasant outcome from the RNG... I let Izzy buy peace for cash and maps.

Meanwhile… the Spanish have learned how to make longbows that shoot arrows with very long pointy iron tips. The range on these bows that can be fired by any peasant farmer make my once-feared legions of keshik quite vulnerable. They want to commit suicide for the honor of Mongolia, but I have a better idea. Hanno, the Great Merchant, was born in 1150AD, had a brilliant plan to clad our horses and men in iron armor making them mostly impervious to such cowardly weapons. Bulbed Guilds (99% of Guilds, rather), and upgraded to knights. Barcelona falls easily – too easily! I thought I could move to Madrid and attack without first healing my CR3 cats and Knights. Well… the attack on Madrid worked, but losses were more than I had anticipated (3 cats, 3 knights, 2 mace… all dead.) Enough left to mop up Seville, though, and then Izzy has no more presence on the mainland. Shes cute, but not so cute its worth braving the raging storms at sea (not to mention sea monsters), to hunt her down. She gets to buy peace in 1310AD (theology and compass) again, and this time its for good.

I had a lot of luck in missing out on world wonders just at the right time to give me cash for upgrades. Can’t say it was planned that way, but one must accentuate the positives. (Sist Chapel and Hang Gards both lost by 1-2 turns in Philidelphia, Collosus lost in AAA).

Somewhere around 1370AD, Romans and Inca sail by and say hello.

During this between war phase is where I made perhaps my main strategic blunder. I chose to go after Rifling for riflemen to make quick work of Liz (and then Cathy). I thought… like in BtS… that Cavalry wouldn’t be available anyhow until after rifling. LOL … IDIOT! This is Vanilla, ALWAYS go for cavalry first… they move faster, they are stronger, and the AI can’t just get Chemistry to counter them with Grens. Not that I had to fight any grenadiers (OK… two while mopping up Cathy), but even shuttling them with Galleons (the fleet I’m building for invasion of Rome, since I calculate I cannot get domination with just this landmass, maybe not even with the near islands) it was slow-going. Liz had muskets and LB’s defending. They didn’t last long, but I had long distances to walk.

I DOW’d England in 1545AD. Wasted way too much time building units and trying to grow. (Yes, I was sort of concious that Deckhand challeneged to beat my score, which meant I was going to at least try to milk this a little). 1610AD England is eliminated. But Liz is not up to standards for my harem, so she has a new job entertaining my troops. And lets not waste time… DOW Russia in 1615AD. I’m really in a hurry now… after assessing the Russian resistance is collapsing, I DOW Julius Ceaser in 1625AD… start the frigate bombardments while the landing force is still 2 turns out. 1685AD I take the last non-mongolian city on the continent, and give peace to Cathy (who had the island near my corn floodplain city) since this one's over as soon as I take a couple cities from Rome. 2 turns from Biology to begin the real milking, I accidently cross the Dom land threshold. Ooops. Now… if I skipped rifling and went straight for cavalry, I’d have long since had biology and maybe be pushing one of my better scores. As it stands, though:

Entry class: Contender
Game status: Domination Victory for Mongolia
Game date: 1720AD
Turns played: 254
Base score: 4666
Final score: 61332

About average for me, probably. Quite fun, though. Thanks for a good game, staff.

 

[Simon_c]

I managed a domination victory in 1750.
Blocked the American's off early, then finished them.
Cottaged the flood plains and aimed for Monarchy to get the economy back on track.
then pushed into Spain with maces + xbows + cats. then on into Liz and Cathy.
found the island in the middle of the ocean, so didn't need to move into JC's area.

I probably could have taken 20 turns of so off victory if I took astronomy earlier to get the settlers onto the island, and split my forces earlier to take out the island Izzy and Cathy colonized.

 

[MahatmaGenghis]

First attempt at a GOTM for me.

Won a Domination victory by 1884, which is pretty good for me, especially as I'm not an expect warmonger.

Took out America first with a earlish keshik rush. Izzy had been sandwich inbetween Elizabeth and me, the leaders throughout the game, with some pretty lousy cities with no irrigation or in the jungle so was easy to take out. Also Christianity spawned in her nearly undefended border city just as I declared war (with cats and keshiks) giving me my first religion. Finish her off with no problems getting two more religions, but have a problem as Elizabeth is playing a strong cultural game, is ahead on tech and her borders are pushed right up against mine. One important city flips to her despite my best efforts, and despite putting some Great Artists and the Hermitage I still have to wait a millenium before getting the Gems which are only sitting only one north.

Spend a few hundred years stabalizing my economy and catching up on tech, which is not too easy as neither Cathy or Beth like me much. Am just thinking about optics which Huanya and Ceasar turn up, they are equally split on their continent and in a Buddhist love-in. Trade maps early and go an concentrate on war tech something else which means I'm ignorant of the two smaller islands until everyone else has already settled. Skip a military generation and spend a huge amout of cash upgrading my large army to cavalry and rifles.

Now have a decision to make:

a) Take out Beth, my only neighbour, who is still a head on tech and shares a long border with me, giving her easy counterattacks to at least 4 of my cities, and has redcoats.
b) Attack Catherine, who's relatively behind on tech and whose only Iron is sitting on her English border. Cathy's in the same religion as Elizabeth which could cause problems. However once I'm holding this northern empire I can attack Beth from two fronts after her UU becomes obsolete.
c) Send a fleet to take out Huanya whose resources can probably be knocked out quickly. Caesar probably isn't going to be interested in helping me out though.

After pondering this for a few turns and starting my miliary build-up, Beth gets to Liberalism first, changes into free religion and suddenly the diplomatic situation has changed in my favour. I send my cavalry with a few ancient cataputs through English territory and able to take Cathy's cities from her longbow men without needed to waste my cataputs for the collateral damage. Leave her with only one island colony left, although she subbonly resuses to give me any techs for peace. Meanwhile have given up on economic development and every city is producing miliary units for the mother of all battles with Beth.

By the time Cathy's beaten I have about 20 cannon and 20 rifles waiting next to Beths borders in the south, but most of my cavalry army in the old Russia. Just about to declare war when I notice Beth has SAM Infantry. I'm a stronger cultural player and have not really mastered combat so am nervous about taking her on at this point, but decide that I have so many more cities and preprepared units it doesn't matter anyway. What follows is pretty brutal, with me drafting rifles every turn from my old Spanish cities and immediately throwing them at Beth. (One of the nice things about her wide cultural borders is I can draft a rifle and attack with on the same turn). In the end Beth crumbles pretty easily, showing me I was overly worried, though her artilary manages to decimate most of my old war heros.

Anyway at this point the game is pretty much won, except that I only have 63.7% territory. Have to waste a good 10 or so turns getting galleons over to Cathy's one remaining city, taking it and poping it's borders. Huanya at this point decides he's going to declare war on me (defensive pact with Cathy?) and my already oppressed Spaniards have to be drafted once more to take Madrid back from him.

Anyway as this is my first game, some questions for the more experienced players.

1) Did anyone attack the Huanya/Ceasar continent? If not can you foresee any circumstances where you might have done so?
2) What did you do with the massive floodplain to the east of the start point? I intended to put a cottage city there, but effed up and put my city where there were no hammers, exept for the bronze and so wasn't able to develop it as much as I should have been. Would you split this flood plain between two cities or make one ubercity?
3) Do you attack stronger, advanced neighbours first, or take out further-away weakinglings?

 

[jesusin]

1910 AD: My designated legendary city, Washington, is captured and RAZED!

Well done on no surrendering!

 

[Deckhand]

'Grats MahatmaGenghis, welcome to GOTM

Anyway as this is my first game, some questions for the more experienced players.

1) Did anyone attack the Huanya/Ceasar continent? If not can you foresee any circumstances where you might have done so?

Yes. Because I went for Conquest. Only circumstance I can think of that would result in attacking them. (edit) Also to stop them from winning Space Ship or Culture Victory.

2) What did you do with the massive floodplain to the east of the start point? I intended to put a cottage city there, but effed up and put my city where there were no hammers, exept for the bronze and so wasn't able to develop it as much as I should have been. Would you split this flood plain between two cities or make one ubercity?

This was decided for me. Barbarians founded Zapotec at the Western edge of the Bay; and Lizzy captured it as I was preparing to attack it (D'oh). Izzy founded Salamanca at the SE end of the peninsula. Zapotec became my Oxford with many cottages.

3) Do you attack stronger, advanced neighbours first, or take out further-away weakinglings?

I usually attack the closest neighbors first. Subject to diplomatic consideration. Logistics are a lot easier and your distance maintenance costs won't be as bad. Also, the strong get stronger. But if they are too strong, then you need to be flexible as you were.

 

[Deckhand]

"The time has come for you to lead a horde of mighty and angry horsemen to defeat the weaklings who inhabit the earth! Show no mercy and win honor in glorious battle!! Kill'em!!! KILL'EM ALL!!!!"






Settled on Plains Hill 2N of ‘phants.

Keshiks tour America: 300 BC – 375 AD

Rain of Stones on England: 1020AD – 1320 AD

It’s My Holy City Now: 1630 – 1705; 1795 – 1812

OK, I’m at 54% of land area - if I’m going to follow Erkon’s direction, then I will need to be careful not to get a Domination Victory. It looks like capturing Russia could put me to 64%. We have enough of the world. Rest will be returned to Wildnerness.

Infantry pwn Cossacks: 1814 – 1858

Huyana had a Defensive pact with Catherine and so we also went to war in 1814. Just took his island cities while destroying Russia.

Incans? What Incans?: (1814) 1858 -1896

[Went back to BOTM15 and managed to win it!] Took a break from war to get forces (tanks, gunships, fighters, &#8230 into position before DoWing the Romans.

Yes, I would like some salad, and everything else you have: 1918 – 1926

If Genghis was a softer more civilized man he might have been upset at all the friends that he betrayed [everyone at Pleased (except FDR) when I attacked] and all the Wonders he destroyed.
He also pillaged Every improvement (except roads). I spent a lot of time doing this. Extreme Environmentalists would be proud. I suppose I could have taken a couple more turns and done the roads as well.

Alas, I put my pursuit of Conquest ahead of my challenge to kcd_swede.
[My first Conquest Win and first Steel from Liberalism].

some unit built stats:
Keshiks 13, Catapults 23, Cavarly 13, Infantry, 16, Artillery 10, Tanks 24, Carriers 5, Fighters 12

Cities Built 9
Cities Captured 18
Cities Razed 33

Entry class: Contender
Game status: Conquest Victory for Mongolia
Game date: 1927AD
Turns played: 337
Base score: 6518
Final score: 31396
Time played: 16:52:10

 

[Erkon]

... It looks like capturing Russia could put me to 64%.

It does, doesn't it?

Cities Razed 33
...

Lovely! I will talk to Alan and check if we can add a "rage award" for this exemplary gameplay

 

[adrianj]

Oracle for MC in a cultural game? What for?
I'll go to the final spoiler now to see if I can find the answer there.

To be honest, I can't remember why now that I think about it. Typically it is sacrilege, usually going to CoL, Alphabet or CS if things are going really well.

It kind of panned out like this:
It's about 100 turns into the game, usually Oracle is well and truly taken by now.
I'll have a go at it, but not really expecting to get it.
I figure I am in a very tight race for it. BUT, I'm already about 50% through self-researching CoL, so I have 2 choices: Delay the Oracle to get CS slingshot, or take Oracle ASAP and get whatever is most expensive.
I opted for MC, it being the most expensive tech I could take.

In hindsight, I probably should have gone for CS. Or at least taken the more economically useful Currency instead of MC.

Well done on no surrendering!

Never! ... Well... maybe sometimes... but this is a GOTM after all and I wasn't in the mood to give up. Plus fighting an intense defensive war while backward in tech was certainly very interesting

 

[kcd_swede]

First attempt at a GOTM for me.

Won a Domination victory by 1884, which is pretty good for me, especially as I'm not an expect warmonger. Anyway as this is my first game, some questions for the more experienced players.

1) Did anyone attack the Huanya/Ceasar continent? If not can you foresee any circumstances where you might have done so?
2) What did you do with the massive floodplain to the east of the start point? I intended to put a cottage city there, but effed up and put my city where there were no hammers, exept for the bronze and so wasn't able to develop it as much as I should have been. Would you split this flood plain between two cities or make one ubercity?
3) Do you attack stronger, advanced neighbours first, or take out further-away weakinglings?

I attacked Rome. Why? Because (a) I estimated that our landmass would fall short of the 64% land needed for domination victory, (I do not know if my estimation was correct or not) and (b) if I need to put'em on boats anyhow, I might as well send them to the worst defended landmass.

Skipping the invasion of Rome would not have speeded up my defeat of England/Russia because that was limited by troop movement speeds, not firepower. There were closer islands... but these were defended by Grenadiers and muskets. Rome was defended by longbows and Praetorians and chariots. My attack force filled 5 galleons with cannon, rifle, and cavalry. PLus I had 3 frigates to soften things up. I made the navy early when I added my land % to 2x that of Liz (next highest) and came up short of 64%.

Congrats, btw

Alas, I put my pursuit of Conquest ahead of my challenge to kcd_swede.

 

[Thorrez]

A very late Domination after several mistakes that I wont bore you with. RL admitting GOTM and no other playing is starting to take effect...

It looks it was possible to get domination pre-galleons (with a culture bridge to the SE island). Was that the tvist of this GOTM? It will be interesting to see if anyone succeeded.

 

[dr_s]

Was it really not possible to get domination with just the main landmass? It surely must have been quite close. I got domination using a culture bridge to that island, but I didn't have 100% of the original landmass; not all the cities I'd captured had come out of revolt yet.

 

[Conquistador 63]

Great map, Erkon!

I'll try to address your questions as much as possible.

GOTM 40 First Spoiler

Did you enjoy the map so far? Not bad for newbie mapmaker
Did you find the Keshiks useful? Er...No, but maybe because I built just a couple in the whole game.
When did you attack your innocent neighbors? Liz got the short straw: a worker steal in 2400BC, she was out by 325AD, Cathy went next 300AD
When did you decide on the victory condition? I decided to go for a fast Conquest, after GOTM39 results were published, but also as a tribute to the mapmaker.
What was the state of you empire as of ~1AD? By 500AD I had 7 cities, including 3 former English ones.

GOTM 40 Final Spoiler

Did you manage to combine technology leadership with warfare? Sort of, I never got to research stuff like Drama, Music or Philo, which some AI had - but that didn't help them much.
Did you run a non-cottage economy to reach a quick domination/conquest? Hmm, I knew I had forgotten something
What did you do with your great people? Did I get any? Oh, wait, 2 GPs (early one settled, 2nd built a late shrine in Madrid, and 1 GS for an academy
Did any of the AIs declare on their own? I believe Caesar declared on Capac before I met them - noone dared to declare on Mongolia

While the map was great fun, I have mixed feelings about my gameplay.

The good:

• ignored HBR keshiks and got Construction from Oracle
• I went for Liz 1st, it made sense from a logistical and strategic standpoint
• With 2 production bases, I could go for war with Russia and America at the same time
• After that, the american front army went for a weaker Rome, while the russian front army went for Spain, then ferried to Inca
• Well executed Blitz took Inca (last to fall) in 5 turns
• Stopped research at Guilds

The bad:

• Failed to run a specialist economy, better suited to a short game
• Invested too many hammers in libraries for the border pops
• Failed to optimize production in my (many) cities
• Took Medit in a trade, learned CoL and thus was unable to bulb Astro
• Had 2k in treasury in the end
  
  The ugly (aka the stats), after the 1380AD Conquest victory:
  
  
  

 

[ainglis]

Domination victory in 1846 AD.

This won't be setting any records, but it was a pretty good result for me. I'd decided early to go for domination, having attempted it in my last XOTM and having failed miserably!

A very brief chronology:

Declare war on Spain - 250 AD.

Declare war on America - 1200 AD

Declare war on England - 1620 AD

Declare war on Russia - 1802 AD

Isabella got hemmed in early on by the English and the jungle, and was quickly annoyed with me, making her the logical first target. Both the civilisations on the other landmass were quite weak in my game. The Romans were dead last in both technology and score, and HC wasn't much better. They didn't engage in any wars, either!

Although this wasn't a particulary fast finish, I have finally learned how important siege engines are, especially in vanilla and warlords as kcd_swede pointed out. Seems like this was the first game where I didn't run out of them at the critical moment!

Overall, an enjoyable map. Thanks Erkon!