hoLLo
Chieftain
Hey all, I don't often post anything, but try to read as much as I can. I've been playing for years, and made my way up to Emperor level, normally playing fractal, small sized maps standard everything else.
Here's my question/point: I don't often read anything about Sumeria, yet I've found Gilgamesh traits and Sumeria UB/UU to be absolutely devastating in ancient age. I shunned the protective trait for the longest time, however now that I'm playing regularely at emperor and taken a few stabs at immortal (one win...with Sumer) I'm realizing how powerful it all works out to be. I find that the combination for Sumeria has a little bit of everything you need in the ancient times. You've got a powerful ancient UU, then an easily accessed (and whipped) UB to clean up the mess. Here's how an average game goes for me:
1. Starts with Wheel/Agriculture... huge for first build worker 99% of the time.
2. Out the gate I race to BW, to spot the copper for the unique unit (and switch to slavery)
i)if have copper, hook it up ASAP and rush with 6power axemen (massive)
ii)if no copper, not to worry, you have two traits that help you survive during expansion (creative for borders and protective for well, protection) until you find iron. If you have no copper, and no iron, i don't care who you're playing as it's going to be tough.
3. Use creative trait to found cities in optimal locations, relying on free border pop, and land blocking
4. Use protective trait for archers obviously, and every now and then it's nice to rush a wall for cheap
i) the creative/protective work nicely together too, push the border city cultures and have a few archers with walls, and you'll have more than enough time to respond to any threat with a counter attack... then all you have to do is watch the gg's roll in.
5. Here's when it gets fun, after I've got any worker techs I need plus BW, beeline to priesthood, opening up the oracle and UB Ziggurat. Ziggurat's and slavery are nasty, considering you don't need to open up writing and CoL therefore can rush Zigg's before even messing around with scientists (more production and food for slavery) I find that for every Ziggurat I whip, I can afford to found a new city or steal one, so my expansion continues at a very nice pace. What I find is with Sumeria I've always got options in the ancient age, and to me thats the most important time to be flexible. Keep in mind these are just patterns not outright directions on how to play, meaning that every game and map will have unique challenges. Normally I like to get to gunpowder, have at least two cities with a great general settled pumping out drill 3 muskets (not to mention the city defender which I find a very nice bonus)
Now this is a strategy you could use with any civ I suppose, but the combination of UB/UU and traits makes it more powerful with Sumeria. Conquer your neighbour, then use the whip to clean up the mess.
When it does come time for science, cheap libraries from creative help, and I personally like the cheap coloseum for a one-pop whip too. It's basically a temple without culture, however you don't need the culture anyways. I think it's actually the same cost as a temple, so a creative civ whipping a coloseum is the same as a religious one whipping a temple. Someone correct me if i'm wrong... or someone just come on here and tell me that there is in fact Tons of love for Gilgamesh and that I just haven't been reading in the right places.... Thanks
Here's my question/point: I don't often read anything about Sumeria, yet I've found Gilgamesh traits and Sumeria UB/UU to be absolutely devastating in ancient age. I shunned the protective trait for the longest time, however now that I'm playing regularely at emperor and taken a few stabs at immortal (one win...with Sumer) I'm realizing how powerful it all works out to be. I find that the combination for Sumeria has a little bit of everything you need in the ancient times. You've got a powerful ancient UU, then an easily accessed (and whipped) UB to clean up the mess. Here's how an average game goes for me:
1. Starts with Wheel/Agriculture... huge for first build worker 99% of the time.
2. Out the gate I race to BW, to spot the copper for the unique unit (and switch to slavery)
i)if have copper, hook it up ASAP and rush with 6power axemen (massive)
ii)if no copper, not to worry, you have two traits that help you survive during expansion (creative for borders and protective for well, protection) until you find iron. If you have no copper, and no iron, i don't care who you're playing as it's going to be tough.
3. Use creative trait to found cities in optimal locations, relying on free border pop, and land blocking
4. Use protective trait for archers obviously, and every now and then it's nice to rush a wall for cheap
i) the creative/protective work nicely together too, push the border city cultures and have a few archers with walls, and you'll have more than enough time to respond to any threat with a counter attack... then all you have to do is watch the gg's roll in.
5. Here's when it gets fun, after I've got any worker techs I need plus BW, beeline to priesthood, opening up the oracle and UB Ziggurat. Ziggurat's and slavery are nasty, considering you don't need to open up writing and CoL therefore can rush Zigg's before even messing around with scientists (more production and food for slavery) I find that for every Ziggurat I whip, I can afford to found a new city or steal one, so my expansion continues at a very nice pace. What I find is with Sumeria I've always got options in the ancient age, and to me thats the most important time to be flexible. Keep in mind these are just patterns not outright directions on how to play, meaning that every game and map will have unique challenges. Normally I like to get to gunpowder, have at least two cities with a great general settled pumping out drill 3 muskets (not to mention the city defender which I find a very nice bonus)
Now this is a strategy you could use with any civ I suppose, but the combination of UB/UU and traits makes it more powerful with Sumeria. Conquer your neighbour, then use the whip to clean up the mess.
When it does come time for science, cheap libraries from creative help, and I personally like the cheap coloseum for a one-pop whip too. It's basically a temple without culture, however you don't need the culture anyways. I think it's actually the same cost as a temple, so a creative civ whipping a coloseum is the same as a religious one whipping a temple. Someone correct me if i'm wrong... or someone just come on here and tell me that there is in fact Tons of love for Gilgamesh and that I just haven't been reading in the right places.... Thanks
One of the best REX-er of the crowd and great rusher if need be. Combine his Creative with Vultures and you have no fear from someone else borders.
