Nobles’ club XXXIX : Asoka

[L-Plate Ruler]

@ Tapewormlondon

Re the screen shots, just be wary of using Alt + Print Screen unless you downgrade the images. I recently found my Photobucket account was getting so much traffic from people viewing threads with my pictures loaded into them that they stopped serving my images for a few weeks. (your images will be loaded even if tucked away in spoiler tags.)

It seems there's a bandwidth limit you shouldn't go over with the free account. As a result I now post screenies taken using the in-game Print Screen option which produces JPEGs of slightly lesser quality but much smaller file sizes (100k vs. 2.5MB).

 

[Amao]

Noble/Normal

1760BC

Spoiler :

Too many trees, so BW after Agri and started a worker. Warrior just circled around the capital and didn't go far. Met AC and Ram, hmm, one easy target and one not so easy. Since there was a pig, I went for AH next and started chopping trees after the corn was irrigated. Once the horse was revealed in the BFC, it was really simple that a Chariot rush would be the best to go from there. So, i only chopped one settler and once the Wheel is searched, it's all Chariots.

So, here is 1760BC. I got 3 workers, 3 warriors, and 6 Chariots and ready to take out Ram. Ram took his time built SH for me, very nice. And it seems he didn't researched Archery yet, even better! I might have a shot turning back and say hi to AC with Chariots.

Screenshots: military position and current techs.

Spoiler :

900BC

Spoiler :

Ram only had 2 warriors in the capital. And Thebes fell causing minimal damages to my Chariots army, while giving me a worker, Stone Henge, and holy city of Hinduism and Judism. So I left the wounded to guard the city against the barbs and send the Chariots north to face the more formidable Roman defenders, and chopping out more Chariots in the 2 homeland cities.

AC got the 3rd city settled right before my main Chariots army was in attacking position of Rome. But my main goal was Rome first because it was the only city with high pops which given time means high archers and that was not affordable. So i first attacked the Rome with some suicidal Chariots to take out the only 2 archers. Then I took some time and waited for more Chariots to join the rank and taking out the rest 2 cities. I razed the 3rd city for city maintanance concerns even it could provide me the ivory. 1000BC, AC was dead.

Now that I turned into empire building mode. Yes, I have scouted out where the mongols located and they are still pretty weak. But I only have Chariots and I've enough land to build more than a dozen cities at least. So I built 2 settlers and settled one between Thebes and home cities and another to the east coast of Delhi to use 3 flood plains and some more river side grasses.

OK. now it's 900BC, I have 4 self built and 3 captured cites. Before currency it's a little overexpansion even it's noble. I just got math instead of Alphabet. So, I'll get currency next for sure. Then there will be the debate of Alphabet (for tech trading), IW (for juggle cleaning), CoL (for Caste System, and courthouse). Well for now, I need to focus on the invading barbs and connect to one of the 2 copper site and have axes ready before barb having spearmen.

Diplo wise, Toku and Mao showed up by boat. None had a religion yet. So the unknown guy had the buddism. And I only opened border with mongol so that my Chariot scout can inspect the only potential threat nearby. They have 8 cities all together.

Screenshots:

Spoiler :

the big picture and resources

the tech

the finance

Delhi, many cottages are waiting for lib to be up

Bombay, a pure commerce city, i want nothing else

Thebes, a good settler/worker base for now. will be a nice Great People base.

 

[Amao]

Noble/Normal

500BC

Spoiler :

Built another city to claim the Gold for happy cap, Copper for axe for barb defense, and also Fish for more health. The first Great Person is about to born, it was a GPr, though. I joined him to Capital for some gold/hammer work.




Tech wise, Currency, CoL, and Sailing was researched. The sailing was researched so that the new city can share its resources before the road was connected.



This city looks good for a military city.

50AD

Spoiler :

All 3 AIs now joins Buddism league. This also convinced me that the best strategy is not to adopt a religion and I never did in the rest of the game. But I added 4 more cities in this period, including this one next to Toku, so that my city count is still the sum of all 3 of them. Off coast city is good for my empire.


Tech wise, I got IW, then Calendar so that I could not only clean up the juggles but also claim those calendar resources. Then went for CS, Alphabet. I also researched medication, and then traded the other techs with Kublai and Mao. With the Bureaucracy, the peak beaker is easily over 200 now. Financially, the total cost is only half of my income, I'm fine.







The pretty weak capital due to failure to produce a Great Scientist soon enough. And other scientific centers

 

[duckstab]

I'm going to start this tomorrow.

Initial thoughts: will probably settle in place, build Worker first. Initial techs: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and, since the start is so heavily forested, Bronze Working. Beyond that it depends on whether there's Horse or Copper nearby. Since Asoka's Spiritual the Pyramids are tempting, and again all those lovely forests are there for the chopping. If I can grab Priesthood early I may even try the old Oracle slingshot.

I think I'm going to try for an AP win this time.

 

[Amao]

Noble/Normal

500AD

Spoiler :

I settle 3 more cities during this period. Actually, 2 of them were just settled in the face of Kublai's western expansion was not checked. He beated me in one turn so i didn't get the pig/incense site. However, I threw in another settler quickly to block his second settler. And I have one more settler on its way to settle on 2N1W of the corn by the river. And another settler will be ready in 2 turns, and settle 1E of the horse hence seal the eastern border... well for a few hundred years only.



Diplo front, I finally met Zara. Once I found him willing to war his neighbors. I bribed him into warring with Mao. Then Mao allied Toku. The war was in virtual stalemate. I finance both side with horse or copper or iron. Only Toku lost a colony, otherwise, they were just in the war... I'm very happy about this.



Tech wise, just got Music first, and used triggered the first GA. Peak beaker went for 442. I went the entire north route which is kind of a waste, though. The Drama can definitely wait for later because nobody had dye at the time. However, I figured I won't build a lot of universities for the Oxford anyway. I'll just get MilTrad and use Cuirassiers to finish anybody who's advanced enough to have LBs.



The graph showed I'm way ahead in prod which mean I'm won. So I picked a target, Toku and started messing my Cats/Elephants army.

800AD (Turn 150)

Spoiler :

My army arrives the northwest ferry point.

 

[Amao]

Noble/Normal 1170AD Conquest Win

Spoiler :

The war was just labor. I wiped Toku out but accepted the other 3 as vessals. What disappoint me was that Kublai didn't put up a fight. When I declared on him and just sacked 2 of his border cities, he's willing to capitulate with 9 more cities left... Zara was the last to fall because I had trouble delivering my troops to his continents. However the intial invading Army through Japan and China proved to be enough after sacking 2 cities and laying a seige on his capital.

Final score: 197401 so does it mean that I'm better milking than KaytieKat?

After all, it was a fun game. Some highlight: early 2 city Chariot rush; never adopted a religion, went directly to free religion at the end; minimal Wonder building (MoM, GLib, and Taj; National Epic, Hero Epic, and Maoi Statue) (hmmm... 6, that's a lot. ). Other features were weak capital for a long time, one GP farm, and only 2 more commerce cites, all other cities were pretty much farms and later workshops. Once last thing, i won the circling world race after I traded maps. didn't know why the other 2 didn't make it. coz the late open border?

 

[avdale]

Noble/Normal 175 B.C

Spoiler :

Game is effectively won here by the looks of it. Room for 10 good cities on my dotmap, Jewish Holy City and Noble A.I

After the spending the first 2000 years thinking this was on Emperor I saw that I'd accidentally left it on Noble and decided to indulge in some horse archer silliness.

Scouting put A.C with no stat resources except Horses so he was a fine target. However when I attacked I had 3-4 Praets running around his cities for some reason. On anything higher I'd probably get blasted but I managed to brute force through it and wiped out his 4 cities, keeping 2 decent sites.

Praets were a suprise, guessing someone traded him Iron but none of the A.I's I know have any to trade?

Current Empire.

 

[Groogaroo]

Well finally getting round to playing this myself... As I know the map pretty well having checked it before letting it loose on the NC crowd I decided to do something to give myself a bit of challenge...

Update 1 - 4000BC - Deity/Epic

Spoiler :

Not a serious attempt, more just for fun or to see how long I last

Settled in place...



First thing I notice about this level is bronze/working is going to take one turn longer than my fastworker even with working the extra commerce from the spices. But I think in order to atleast get a couple of cities with this crowded start I'm going to need to chop straight from the start.

Should atleast be interesting to watch me get pummeled by the deity AI

 

[Groogaroo]

This actually isn't going too bad

Update - 725bc - Deity/Epic

Spoiler :

Opened with a fastworker & Bronzeworking whist my starting warrior popped a hut for Masonry.

tech path - Bronzeworking > Aggricuture > Animal Husbandry > Wheel > Pottery > Writing > Fishing > Aesthetics

Tried to expand as quickly as possible with chops going into workers and settlers, considering this is Deity and a crowded start I think I've done well to grab six cities. one was actually barb city... cheers barbs




Tech situation - I was the first to aesthetics which gives me some options for trading. Need to avoid toku & Mao to keep my relations up with the neighbours.




Power is just a joke!




All in all diplo should be okay for now, it's one big hindu love fest with mao as the lonely buddist.

 

[Groogaroo]

Still alive

Another update - 55AD - Deity/Epic

Spoiler :

After trading aesthetics I realised I wouldn't be able to snag the Great Library, as Ramesses could tech Literature in 3 turns, so I went Drama then music & bulbed Lib with my first Great Scientist.

I've managed to trade up fairly well with these three techs. I was the first to music and burned the Great Artist for a golden age while getting some hammers into sistine chapel (will be my first wonder) and getting another scientist for an acadamy in the capital, I'm wondering whether that was wise or if I should have saved him for education, everything seems different at this level.

Here's the still six city empire... Somehow I'm managing to pull out 196 beakers a turn at 55ad (at a deficit) never managed to achieve those numbers before.




Tech situation looks alright all things considered... I might still have a chance at Lib.




Relations are still very good which is the only reason I'm still alive as I could never repel an attack, power wise I'm a sitting duck so hopefully we can all live in peace for as long as possible.




I'm going to go for a culture win here, with the sistine, six cities and two religions I might have a half chance of actually winning this game??? but probably not

 

[GrayInvisible]

How do you use the ingame print screen tool? I don't want to upload too many huge, normal print screen pictures.

Noble/Epic

Spoiler :

I've been playing out the game so far and doing pretty well on noble. I quickly settle my first 4 cities to block rome. I grabbed the bronze to the west, the elephants and cows to the east, and the gems/stone spot to the south. After that, I waited, and let Egypt build wonders and found religions. I destroyed Egypt, and took the hindu holy city.

Right now, the economy is great and I'm pulling ahead in tech, while keeping my military up. Rome is still around but boxed in, and I made sure not to let them have open borders. Mongolia is pretty big, as I decided to leave them be to develop. They are a bit better than me military wise, as I stopped to build infrastructure.

 

[dalamb]

The print screen key puts a .j[g in your ScreenShots folder (underneath the bTS directory in My Games). You can then use a tool like IrfanView to crop and resize to 50% or 67%.

 

[L-Plate Ruler]

Prince/Normal 1 AD

Spoiler :

Things started off pretty well. I settled in place and took it slow, producing a couple of warriors before starting on the first worker.

I popped BW from one goodie hut and a scout from another About this time I met Caesar. So close to the north he had to be a rush opportunity. I set about founding a second city and having teched AH saw we had horses nearby. Perfect, chariot rush... And so it was Casear fell in the summer of 850 BC. By this time I'd met Ramesses and being a bit greedy teched for horse archers and rushed him too. He fell in 375 BC.

Here's a summary of the first 81 turns, up until Caesar was dead:

Turn 0/500 (4000 BC) Delhi founded
Turn 1/500 (3960 BC) Research begun: Bronze Working (13 Turns)
Turn 3/500 (3880 BC) Tech acquired (trade, lightbulb, hut, espionage): Bronze Working, Research begun: Agriculture (8 Turns)
Turn 8/500 (3680 BC) Contact made: Roman Empire
Turn 12/500 Research begun: Animal Husbandry (11 Turns)
Turn 23/500 Research begun: The Wheel (9 Turns)
Turn 31/500 (2760 BC) Research begun: Pottery (9 Turns)
Turn 37/500 Contact made: Egyptian Empire
Turn 40/500 (2400 BC) Research begun: Hunting-Archery (5 Turns), Bombay founded
Turn 49/500 (2040 BC) Vijayanagara founded
Turn 51/500 (1960 BC) Research begun: Horseback Riding (24 Turns), Contact made: Mongolian Empire
Turn 71/500 (1160 BC) Research begun: Writing (7 Turns)
Turn 77/500 (950 BC) Research begun: Masonry (3 Turns) Research begun: Polytheism (3 Turns) Research begun: Monotheism (3 Turns) Research begun: Theology (3 Turns)
NC XXXIX Asoka (India) declares war on Augustus Caesar (Rome)
Turn 81/500 (850 BC) Contact made: Chinese Empire, Roman Empire has been eliminated

The bulk research path at turn 77 was when I decided to go for the AP and tech to Theology. I even founded Christianity in 150 BC

The Egyptian capital was packed with goodies, no wonder he had no military; The Temple of Soloman, Stonehenge, The Mahabochi, The Temple of Artemis and he'd founded Budhism

 

[GrayInvisible]

Noble/Epic 1786

Spoiler :

I was able to win a domination victory. I went to war with kublai, and pushed him off the continent. He had two cities left on Zara's continent. I made him my vassal. After that I built up some more, and basically just meandered around, industrializing, and building up my recently captured cities (I had the tech lead to eliminate every other Civ, however I'm bad with the naval aspect of Civ).

I switched to universal suffrage, and I finally bought myself some galleons to haul my oversized military over to the continent with Mao and tokugawa. They quickly capitulated, which gave me enough land to win domination. This is my second win on noble. I could have done it faster, but I think I did a good job. India's fast workers were very useful, and the spiritual trait was nice.

I didn't really document the whole game that well, but next time I'll be better with that.

 

[Groogaroo]

As was expected... I lost!

Defeat - 1630ad - Deity/Epic

Spoiler :

I finally got my first dow at around 1300ad form Mao followed shortly by Zara. Managed to survive both attacks somehow all cities intact and after that I never got attacked again for the rest of the game.

Ramesses was going for culture and he had some sick cities, he controlled all the religions, founded sushi and built just about every wonder that was going, including the late cuture wonders like hollywood etc.

There was no chance in catching him up and it was pretty clear he was going to win. Still I hit enter a few times and let him take the victory.



I think I scored 2600/danquayle or something like that

Oh well I wasn't expecting to win... I wasn't expecting to last till 1630ad to be honest! An interesting learning experience.

 

[GrayInvisible]

As was expected... I lost!

Defeat - 1630ad - Deity/Epic

Spoiler :

I finally got my first dow at around 1300ad form Mao followed shortly by Zara. Managed to survive both attacks somehow all cities intact and after that I never got attacked again for the rest of the game.

Ramesses was going for culture and he had some sick cities, he controlled all the religions, founded sushi and built just about every wonder that was going, including the late cuture wonders like hollywood etc.

There was no chance in catching him up and it was pretty clear he was going to win. Still I hit enter a few times and let him take the victory.



I think I scored 2600/danquayle or something like that

Oh well I wasn't expecting to win... I wasn't expecting to last till 1630ad to be honest! An interesting learning experience.

Nice job lasting on Deity! I have one question though. Is there any way you could have atleast taken one of Ramesses culture cities to stop him from winning, or was he too powerful?

 

[duckstab]

To 775BC, Noble/Epic

Spoiler :

Well, this is embarrassing. I'm probably going to give up on this one but if anyone has any suggestions for salvaging this game let me have 'em.

Basically went Ag->AH->BW->Writing, then started to backfill. Went for the Pyramids as planned, chopping most of the way. Founded Judaism, which quickly spread to Gus, so I'm going to cultivate him as an ally.

I founded Bombay in a crappy location so I could snag the Copper. It'll never grow to more than 5 or 6 but at least it's the Jewish HC.

But the upshot is, having gone for the Pyramids I have only one cottage up, only one decent city, am getting boxed in by my neighbors, and am dangerously weak militarily. I'm going to try and settle at least one more city, then switch to Police State and crank out Chariots and Axes. That is, if I don't just quit. What do you folks think?

View attachment Duckstaba BC-0775.CivBeyondSwordSave

P.S. Using BUG 4.2

 

[Groogaroo]

@GrayInvisable

Spoiler :

Nice job lasting on Deity! I have one question though. Is there any way you could have atleast taken one of Ramesses culture cities to stop him from winning, or was he too powerful?

He was way too powerful and I had pretty much given up keeping up in power from about turn 2

I could have (seeing as I was going to lose anyway) had a go at attacking one of his legendary three and maybe gone out in a blaze of glory rather than a wimper.

I'll certainly be going back to Emporer for the next game.

Congrats on your win by the way

 

[Groogaroo]

@Duckstab

Spoiler :

That is, if I don't just quit. What do you folks think?

I couldn't open the save for some reason so it's hard to advise, but I would definatley stick with it a little longer and see what happens.

 

[L-Plate Ruler]

Prince/Normal - Space victory 1976

I'll keep this brief...

Spoiler :

After taking out Caesar and Ramesses I concentrated on building my infrastructure and getting a strong cottage economy going. Everything was ticking along nicely until 1000 AD when bloody Kablai Khan got his knickers in a twist about being the smaller of the two on our continient and DOW on me, he was all too I smacked him down a bit, razed two cities and grabbed a bit of land. Then a few centuries later after I he DOW'd again. Same story, raze and land grab. Then around 1800 AD the punk DOW'd for a third time. I don't know what he was thinking Any how, long story short Infantry > Longbowman and I have the continient to myself

That done I beelined for a space victory and here we are. My earliest and highest score win on Prince.

Things I learned from this game:

1. Use spies during wartime. If I'd had just destroyed Kublia's only iron resource early on the second and third wars would have been much easier on my troops.
2. Don't wait to place that costal city. Some AI will sneak in and steal your plot otherwise.
3. Learn how to use the AP properly. Having it seemed to bring no benefit this game. Just lots of voting for myself and never having the opportunity for a diplo win which was my original objective.
4. Use more seige weapons. i.e. have more than 2 per stack.
5. Have plenty of jails. The population loss suffered during war #3 was depressing.

@ Groogaroo - Good job with the map, I throughly enjoyed it (between stints of putting a fence up and getting too much sun)