Nobles' Club LVIII: Elizabeth II of England

[vranasm]

Emperor Epic to 220AD.

Would love some input since I absolutely have no clue about the position I did.

Spoiler :

to review a bit the beginning... I started at SIP, teched BW, WB first, then teched agri->ah. Horses popped in the top left corner with fish, so there went 2nd city. I placed another near sheep. And that was for my initial expansion.

I kind of concentrated on getting Oracle, that I managed around 1200BC. Had my doubts about what to take. Since this map turns out to be some kind of pangea map I didnt took CoL, but Monarchy since I expected to have problems with happiness.

I have to admit I didnt took enough advantage out of the Monarchy though since my cities are rather small :-(.
I didnt prioritize many cottages since I dont feel like this map is strong with cottages except for 1 spot (the sheep+gems).

I have room for 1 more nice city (banana+wheat), those crabs west are a bit wasted...dunno.

I think I will have not problem with production since there is a lot of places with mines.

That leads... I should prepare for some kind of war. But which?
Tech rate is abysmal. i think I did something horribly wrong. Be it city placement? Not expanding enough? Dunno... I am just baffled with the whole situation.

have to admit, I am strongly thinking about starting from T0.

some screens documenting the position

 

[GGS]

Good time for a break from the Portugese NC game which is proving to be very difficult. Elizabeth should be less problematic at Monarch/Epic. Will settle in place which should favour an attempt based on both of the leader's traits.

 

[Ergo Sum]

@vranasm:

Spoiler :

I think this is just a plainly difficult start. Draft Redcoats war seems like the most feasible war to me, and that's what I did, even though dealing with draft unhappiness was harder than usual. Seems like there aren't many happiness resources on the map, nor enough surplus to trade for others who have more (like Kublai). Mids might be a decent but costly choice for Rep happiness. And I agree, cottages don't seem very powerful on this map.

Look like you have space for wheat and banana city, one on the western river, and maybe another city could eke out a pathetic existence between your copper city, eastern horse city and gems city. I was more proactive settling west for copper and fish, seems like a waste when you can fit a city there and another to the west on the river that grabs freshwater, FPs and crab.

 

[vranasm]

@vranasm:

Spoiler :

I think this is just a plainly difficult start. Draft Redcoats war seems like the most feasible war to me, and that's what I did, even though dealing with draft unhappiness was harder than usual. Seems like there aren't many happiness resources on the map, nor enough surplus to trade for others who have more (like Kublai). Mids might be a decent but costly choice for Rep happiness. And I agree, cottages don't seem very powerful on this map.

Look like you have space for wheat and banana city, one on the western river, and maybe another city could eke out a pathetic existence between your copper city, eastern horse city and gems city. I was more proactive settling west for copper and fish, seems like a waste when you can fit a city there and another to the west on the river that grabs freshwater, FPs and crab.

Spoiler :

actually I think you talked about east since other way it doesnt make much sense.

I was there really late. I didnt expanded aggressively, so monty was there sooner...
I agree it's tough, but I think I should have done better. i got the Oracle afterall ;-).

I didnt abuse Monarchy really and the food is there. CoL for caste should have been high too. Dont remember Mids time, but it went fairly early...

Draft war should be fine then. It's time to get theathers and GT then. It will battle unhapiness nicely ;-), it's a question if I manage to stay in tech parity that long

 

[Frost_]

Spoiler :

I didn't go for any wonders except the GLH, TGL, and I think Colossus. My early game was based on early expansions to cut off my neighbors from settling into "my territory".

Most of my cities seem to be relatively good production, but some grasslands, I've opted to cottage so my cities can kinda go from commerce mode to production mode when I'm at war. I also don't foresee my cities growing too big so I think this isn't too bad.

I am a little sad that I lost the fish resource in the north-east. But I think the crab, horse and wheat sort of make up for that.

Hopefully, I can start gearing up for military action soon. But city development and research rate seems a little slow so I might opt to develop infrastructure for a few more turns (i.e. granaries and barracks in each city).

 

[Ergo Sum]

@vranasm:

Spoiler :

sigh. I need more experience using Monarchy for happiness. I find it pretty difficult to get the production for enough garrisons once warriors and archers obsolete. I did it pretty well this game until I started drafting, had to use my culture slider and actually trade for Drama probably 1000 years too late. Stupid me

It was fun rolling over Brennus though, he had only just recently hit Gunpowder so 15-20 units suicided on my stack of ~15 Redcoats and 20 Cannons the turn after my DoW. I targeted Brennus because he was relatively backwards and so was Izzy, who was even farther behind technologically. Killing Monty would have left me next to Kublai, who was both CRE and the tech leader. I can probably take out Izzy and maybe Toku with Arty/Infantry or Tanks, provided my tech rate picks back up - at 1610, my tech rate had dropped to ~250 BPT at sustainable levels, down from 450-500 BPT pre-drafting. Sigh. But Rep/Free Speech/Emancipation cottages in former Celtic territory/Observatories will probably save me.

@Frost_

Spoiler :

Not bad, you've managed to expand pretty well and snag Lit wonders very quickly. I'd focus on getting Monarchy, garrisoning units, trading for happy resources and chain irrigating to grow your cities. That spot to the southeast near the horses is interesting - I think if you forgo the seafood like you did(right?), you get ~3 tiles of irrigable land, which might not be a bad trade off. Both vranasm and I settled to the east of your spot, but I'm wondering now if that's a better option.

 

[Grashopa]

Vranasm - You are FIN, work some coastal tiles.

 

[Y Draig]

Prince, Epic, Upto 535AD

Spoiler :

After exploring, concentrated on setting up some blocking cities to stop the Aztecs and Celts expanding in my direction. Grew London to happy cap and then produced settlers non stop while York produced garrison units to backfill the map.

London, York and Nottingham are designated as production centres with the rest of the cities being geared up for commerce. York is already producing swords and will continue to do so to provide units to upgrade to CR redcoats. Plan is to tech to rifling and then go on a redcoat rampage.

 

[GGS]

Monarch/Epic. 1,000 BC.

Spoiler :

The huts produced 51 G, mysticism, hostile. Montezuma and Brennus were out and about scouting early.

The builds (some pre-started) were: worboat, workboat, worker, barracks, worker, axeman, lighthouse, GLH, axeman, settler, workboat (because a volcano trashed clams and iron), axeman, Oracle in 7. The tech path: masonry, B/W, I/W, the wheel, sailing, hunting, A/H, pottery, polytheism, priesthood. Hereditary rule is part of the plan.

York was founded in 1225 1E of the pig as a blocker which can share London resources in the early going. Next up is a city all the way out 1NE of the eastern cow to block the Axtecs.

The intention is to use London as a wonder-driven GPF. This will depend on the attitude of the two neighbours. The Aztecs just demanded a clam gift which should help and writing is close in hope that Brennus will spread his Hinduism though the three lands. If their neighbours don't play nice, that's nice.

 

[drlake]

This is a fun map, dalamb! I didn't look at the map spoilers before starting, and have been pleasantly surprised. Played up to about 100AD so far.

 

[Hrun]

Emperor/Normal 1160AD

Spoiler :

Took this as my first game on Emperor. I thought I made a good start and was doing reasonably well in tech thanks to bulbs, made it to lib and was doing well with happiness problems. The AI were teching ridiculously slowly and so diplo was the major problems with an awkward spread of religions, I shared Judaisim with Brennus and Monty until Monty founded Confu and switched then I went FR. Everything was looking peachy I was thinking peaceful space or draft redcoats war and then BANG Monty's on the doorstep with sizeable stack calling me a fool, my cities are defended by weaklings and thats it at 1160AD. I might have been able to put up a defence and reclaim my taken cities but that would be too much trouble and not much fun. I might give it another go to see if there was any way to be prepared or avoid it.

Very interesting map definitely enjoyed the variety and surprise (I didn't even consider before playing that it would be anything but one of the usual map types).

I had pictures and stuff to post a report but no point now oh well

 

[i_imperator]

I'll try and have my game up by Tomorrow,Settings, Monarch, Normal, No Events.

 

[Y Draig]

Prince, Epic, 1400AD

Spoiler :

I never played a game where I have been constantly at war for so long! Since about 800ad Montezuma has declared war three times, Brennus twice, Mehmed twice and Tokugawa once. 7 enemy stacks have been destroyed at Hastings and 3 along the isthmus between me and Monty, I have at least one great general in all of my production cities. The only AI left who hasn't declared on me are the Mongols who are sitting pretty building a tech lead whilst the rest of the world is at war.

Here is what the world looks like:

And the Tech situation:

I am undecided how to proceed. Currently I am 35 turns away from rifling. I think I am out of the liberalism race as Kublai and Monty have almost completed education. Of 4 production cities, 2 are producing CR2 maces, 1 is producing knights and 1 producing cats. Three great merchants have made a dash through Aztec lands during the periods of enforced peace after treaties have been signed to be cashed in in Mongolia. As soon as Rifling is in I will upgrade all swords/maces to CR2 and CR3 redcoats and will then hopefully will be able to go the offensive. Who do you think would be the best target? Clear out Monty first to establish a safe border with Mongolia, Kublai is currently Friendly? Or make a push into Celtic lands? Any war against the Celts will also require war against the Ottomans as there is an Ottaman city nestled amongst the Celtic ones which I think would be foolish to leave behind.

Alternately the upgraded Redcoats can be garrisoned at my borders at either end of the empire focus on building a tech lead and go for a space victory?

 

[huerfanista]

Through 1620AD, Monarch/Epic:

Spoiler :

The early going was pretty routine, blocked off the eastern chokepoint and filled out our "continent". I went with my favorite ploy when playing a coastal Liz: GLH, oracle MC, Colossus. Every city is coastal, so this is a huge boost. Monty founded hinduism, and it spread to me early along with Kublai, so the 3 of us have been best buds for millenia. I've been in several fake wars with Toku and Mehmed to keep them happy. I also built GLib, Parth, MoM, AP, Hagia. I took MilTrad from lib, then teched to rifling (with a detour to econ to grab the free GM). I've gotten 4 GMs from the GLH/Colossus combo, for 8000 in trade missions, so I'm way ahead in tech (6 turns from finishing the SoL and nobody else has constitution yet). I just vassaled Brennus after taking all his cities above his southern choke point (drafted redcoats, cavalry, cannon). Monty is the only other AI with rifling, but he's pretty much a kitten in this game. Currently researching biology, but I think I'll switch to astro> physics and bulb the rest of bio with the free GS. Then it'll be steam> RR> combustion> flight> electricity> radio> AL, and that should be more than enough to take out KK (master of Mehmed). Along the way, I think I'll vassal Izzy and Toku. I'll post some pics later.

 

[Ergo Sum]

Monarch/Normal, 1610 through finish:

Spoiler :

Finish 1935 I believe through Space win. My last round ended on a high note: I had a relatively early war (by my standards) with a fully formed cannon-drafted redcoat war at mid-1500s. I finished off Brennus, and plowed through Spain (above all gunning for that Holy City. Spain vassals in cheesy fashion to Japan who sends their stack through, which by now is full of rifles and curis. This slows down and reduces my army, so I finish off Spain and decide to leave my army on the border with Japan. I could have upgraded to Infantry and Arty in short order if I really wanted to, but I wanted to finish off this game quick. Nabbed Sushi, dropped into Enviro to allow for quick industrialization. Grabbed Internet to catch up to Kublai who managed a tech advantage on me blush and Spaced up for a mediocre 43K, despite my 42% of the world's population.

It took me a while, but I wanted to finish this game on time because it's my last before Civ 5, and I have much less time now that I'm at college. I may have been able to negotiate a Domination win with some ingenuity and tech parity, perhaps whipped nukes or some such, but I felt that would take too long. Comparing with other people's games make me feel like my game is sub-par, but I guess we all start somewhere. And above all, I'm playing for entertainment and nothing else.

Fun game with some nice curveballs dalamb! If you keep it up (despite it being a lot of work) I promise to play at least every other game! I might even get some screenshots up sometime. Good work, though

 

[lorenzoctd]

Ok. Marble, seafood, forests....i'm going to SIP and try an oracle/mc gambit.

 

[May Day 10]

Alright.

Im ready to move on from my disappointment in Civ V. Back to Civ IV. Still get hammered on Noble and I need to grasp this. This will be my first full game on BtS.

 

[May Day 10]

Alright! And Away We Go.

Noble - Normal Speed

Spoiler :

Settled in Place to obtain the Powerful Seafood and FH tiles. WB First project of London.

Went for BW. WB takes 14 turns, W takes a bit more, BW is 12 turns. Didnt adapt Slavery. Im not a huge whipping guy and I normally dont switch if Im not a Spiritual leader

Some great huts: 50 gold, Agro, Scout, and Pottery!

Worker comes out of London next. Timed very well with The Wheel, AH, and the Masonry to get the cows and Marble efficiently.

Warrior next build to escort the Settler to follow.

Writing is next for Open Borders. Then comes Sailing for LH (and hopefully GLH).

Granary in London, then WB

Mysticism

Work Boat to get the other clams
Light House after work boat

Researching Mathematics now with the intent of 50% to blast out some Wonders with those juicy forests.

Founded York as pictured. Had the intent of locking Monty out, but signed OB with him (and Brennus) Started on a worker there, while the W in London began building a road to connect the cities.

London began building a Warrior to escort the Settler to follow for City #3

A shot of London 1600BC

York Placement to the East 1600BC

A tempting city spot? S of London. Leaves a lot of space between cities, especially with OB agreements signed. It seems one of my issues recently is getting too greedy and spreading my early cities too far.

So After I get my next settler out to found a new city, I will likely produce another Worker for London and I will also need one for City 3. I would like to start up on some Wonder production for London shortly.

This map style is intense.

How did I do?

 

[jwez11007]

Epic/Emperor
I ran through this one in a couple of days over the weekend and what an exciting way to make my emperor debut.(things really heated up at the end)

Early game->~500AD

Spoiler :

SIP; workboat->worker
I quickly realized this start required no REXing b/c of the two choke points, so I played a slow expansion targeting the copper to the east for my second city as I set up an oracle->MC slingshot so that I could take full advantage of financial colossus coast early. I also took a late shot at the GLH and was lucky to nab it around 300BC or so. From that point it was simply a matter of settling as many coastal cities as possible in my given land.

I also went for early lit and the GL in my capital (to hopefully pop me GSs from what was now my watered down GP farm in my capital). I quickly settled on a cottage spam in most of my cities with 2-3 gearing for production. This made Democracy and eman./US a a priority. So I set up to lib demo and was easily the first with some GS bulbs to help along the way.

I was fortunate to pickup monty and kublais religion in all of my cities and played nice with them for the majority of the game. Giving me some powerful war allies. With my east secure, I set my sights on the south for my first war target.

First war...some time after 1000AD

Spoiler :

With my financial cottages growing fast and the wonderful stock exchange UB, I was already set up for a powerful rushbuy push whenever I decided to go to war. Being the English Redcoats/cannons seemed an obvious choice. So beeline rifling and then steel. I easily beat all the AIs to both and began building an army.

I got an amazing break with a random event that offered -3 diplo with brennus for a +1 diplo with my allies. This caused brennus to DoW even though I had defensive packs with both monty and kublai. My army was not quite as big as I wanted but with monty and kublais stacks also laying waste, I was able to capture most of brennuses cities (lost 2 to monty and left 2 that where on spanish land) and capped him quickly.

Realizing toku and izzy (his vassal) still didn't have rifles or cannon I DoWed and took three of izzys cities. Unfortunately I bribed kublai into the war to help against toku but he ended up steam rolling him and picking up both capitulations before I could take izzys last city. Around this time I began to realize I was probably going to have to go nuclear on kublai in the end.

last three wars

Spoiler :

I continued teching up military techs, getting to infantry and arty before everyone but monty. And used my newly upgraded stack to capture a single ottoman city and accepted capitulation then gifted the city back. With only two blocks remaining monty was the next logical target. While I had just begun building nukes by the time I DoWed, I was hoping I wouldn't need to use them on him.

I captured the two cities he'd taken from brennus in the 1st and 2nd turn of the war and waited for his SoD to move into the city closest to my eastern border. When it did massed arty+infantry obliterated it and everything went downhill from there. I made it a point to capture three more cities including his capital (for the kremlin) and he gifted me one more upon capitulation.

It was now time to end the game with a bang. I had teched through nukes and tanks and shutoff research and had ~10000gp to rushbuy by the time I acquired the kremlin, allowing for alot of rush buy nukes. I positioned a couple of tacnukes and tanks to take out izzy quickly, as well as at least 3 tac nukes in each city that could hit one of kublai's in the first turn. Izzy fell quickly and I repositioned a few tanks and infantry to guard the two cities closest to toku. I then proceeded to triple nuke four of kublai's cities and one of toku's.

My main stack then moved quickly into kublai's northern territories to get to the capital which was well positioned to nuke 4 or 5 other cities. I found kublai's stack a few turns later encroaching on mehmed's lands from the south so I gifted him 2000gp to help and he managed to hold, losing only 2 cities until my main stack finished with kublai's now decimated northern lands and moved south. By then Toku had broken free, but neither him nor kublai was willing to capitulate even though I had hit all but two or three of their cities combined with triple nukes. Domination was achieved shortly before my armies arrived to finish wiping them both off the map.

pics

Spoiler :

Kills



Builds



Nuclear war weariness



Before the final war



I was confused about this coliseum can anyone explain...its in a recently captured city.