OB03 - The Power of Four

[Ralph_Jackson]

How about only 1 of each GP to be used
Artist
Merchant
Spy,
Scientist
Prophet

So we stick with 5 but if we wan't value form them we have to generate the "right" flavoured one? This restriction would let us free up our GG's as we are just going to spawn them from lots of warring which isn't our fault so we shouldn't be hindered from it.

The 5 Building rule has real potential to be interesting but is a genuinely tough restriction so should let us be looser (ooh err missus) in other respects.

I would exclude the Palace (no real control over it), Shrines and Corp HQ's (don't want not to be able to build one in the late game because we have used our 5) and allow 5 total other wonders to be built in our empire?

Ralph

 

[Ozbenno]

I'm starting to really like the 5 building restriction but think it should be...

"A city can only build 5 buildings (excluding shrines, wonders, palace and corporation HQs)"

You can really specialise cities, ie Library, Uni, Observatory, Bank, market in one city, barracks, forge, stable, granary, factory in another.

Its a tough restriction but will be a good exercise in identification of city specialisation from the get go (ie you have to identify whether it is commerce/science/production oriented when founding).

As for the GGs, I like Ralph's idea of not including them but restricting ourselves to 1 of each other kind. Again is a tougher restriction but means we have to focus on how we generate GPs.

As we used the least useful leader (phi/spi) in the last game, how about a useful one this time. Traits that would be good: aggresive, financial, organised, charismatic. Imperialistic, Expansive and Creative are marginal.

Hammurabi (agg/org) - marginal UU and UB
Hannibal (fin/cha) - bad UU and UB
Vicky (fin/imp) - great UU, marginal UB
Zara (cre/org) - great UU, marginal UB
Mongols (agg + imp/cre) - surpisingly useful UU and UB
Mehmed (exp/org) - great UU and UB
Darius (fin/org) - good UU and UB
Ragnar (agg/fin) - marginal UU and UB

I'm also thinking Great Plains as the map.

What do we think (on all the above)?

 

[Kodii]

The restrictions sound great and I'm fine with the map.

For the leader, I don't really have a preference. Maybe one of the BtS leaders?

 

[Ozbenno]

OK, we'll go Bablylonian.

I'll get something started in next couple of days.

 

[shootersharkey]

Lurker comment:

Just read through this SG. Fascinating, despite the faux pas by TLO.

One thought on your 5's idea: Exempt GGs from the restriction, but only use them as unit leaders, never for military academies, etc.

 

[Conroe]

OK, we'll go Bablylonian.

I'm assuming that we are going for a conquest victory? I am curious, though, as to why Babylon? I'm not opposed to the idea, I just would have thought Financial would be a much more useful trait, given our restrictions. And you also mentioned that his UU/UB were marginal. I've never played him myself, but it does seem to be more of a defensive UU.

 

[Ozbenno]

I am curious, though, as to why Babylon? I'm not opposed to the idea, I just would have thought Financial would be a much more useful trait, given our restrictions.

No real reason. Zara and Darius I've done in MLG and Pacal in RBTS1a so wanted someone new. I like agg/org as a combo (the old Toko combo), with 5 buildings only, we're going to be building alot of units so aggressive is good UB is on second thought good as extra happiness and health together is good.

Anyone has strong feelings about any other leader I'm happy to change.

 

[Mighty Dwaarf]

From my limited BTs experience I have found Holy Roman Pikeman very useful at a time when we will be fighting wars, Vultures are pretty good too as long as there is someone to fight early.
I agree with Conroe about Babylon ok on defense but not really a city taker.
If we are going to pump up the level to emperor and play Pangea we should take a civ with early UU, as we are going to need to be aggressive from the off, if another civ gets ahead will be hard to peg back.
Im not sure what civ traits the following have and only going on UU but my vote goes for either Sumeria (1st choice) or Holy Roman (Would need to get to Eng quickly). If allowed we could go for the new Persia guy also??

 

[Kodii]

I would prefer not to go with HRE because I'm playing it in MLG3, but if it is a unanimous vote for it, then I will go along.

 

[Ozbenno]

I'll nix HRE (as its the same as my reason for nixing Darius and Zara).

As for Sumeria, traits are both useless (cre/pro) but UU is good. My reasoning is that good traits (agg/org) make up for not as useful UU (both Babylon and Sumeria UB would be good). Hammurabi's axes are base 5.5 and allow cover (+25% vs archers) with a barracks (str 6.75). Gilgamesh's are base 6 and allow city raider (+20% city attack) with barracks (str 7.2) so he has a less than 10% advantage for attacking cities. Aggresive will give us the combat I promotion for swords, grens, rifles, muskets. Organised is probably the strongest civic for our variant as well.

Having said that happy to go with whatever, so speak up for Gilgamesh or Hammurabi.

 

[Kodii]

My vote is for Hammurabi because of his traits.

 

[Conroe]

If the choice is between Gilgamesh and Hammurabi, I would also vote for Hammurabi. I just don't see us getting that much mileage out of the Protective trait during this game.

I also think Ragnar (Agg/Fin) would be an interesting choice. His UU is a Maceman with a +10% city attack. The free amphibious promotion means you don't have to worry about rivers. The downside is a completely 120% worthless UB for our map. I also like Boudica's (Agg/Cha) traits. _{(all 4 of them)} The extra happiness from Charismatic would be a boost at this level. I'm not too excited about the UU, though. And that UB is almost as worthless as Ragnar's.

As I said earlier, though, I'm not opposed to Babylon, either. We'll definitely be building those 1/2 priced Courthouses as part of our building limit. And his UU provides an early level of comfort against any AI rush or a barb threat.

 

[Mighty Dwaarf]

Fair point about civ traits, I was basing earlier opinions on what I could remember off top of my head, which is never much!!

 

[Ozbenno]

It's happening again.