OCC Deity Diplo Victory Guide

[Sadato]

Hi everyone,

I'll share with you a guide with an example game with screenshots explaining the gameplay to achieve a Diplomatic Victory playing OCC on Deity level.

This post is image heavy, I didn't know how to do the thumbnail thing so I beg pardon in advance if your computer gets laggy downloading all the screenshots.

Diplo victory nowadays is the fastest and easiest type of victory for OCC play. Less techs to research and less things to build.

Babylon will be my choice, fast GS with writing and faster GS will speed up everything. In addition, babylon bowman allows you to skip construction.

Spoiler :

Ok, this is the starting map. Mountain, river, 2 salts, deer and grain, awesome. I'll miss some hills but I'll grow like crazy. I already discarded a petra start cause I wanted to show non-desert gameplan, so although the start is quite OP I'll keep it.

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When I move the settler to found next to the mountain I discover marble and another grain... just wow.

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Ok so, I lock the salt tile and set production focus (for the free hammers when a new citizen pops),
Build order: scout, monument, granary, shrine, library. (Shrine after granary beacuse I have grain and deer and because there's no need to rush for pantheon, I just want fertility rites which the AI never takes and we don't need the faith as we will found a religion with Hagia Sophia).
Tech order: pottery, writing (GS), mining (salt), archery, calendar, philosophy.
Policy Order: Tradition, Legalism, Landed Elite, Monarchy, Aristocracy, Complete Tradition.

I found free tech (mining) and +1 pop ruins.

Spoiler :

My city is growing at a nonsense rate. I bought a worker asking a loan from my peaceloving neighbours Alex and Harald. We have quite some space between us so I don't expect attacks soon.
With the salt I sold I bought a bowman to deal with constant barb visitors and I will buy a 2nd worker.

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After the library I build another bowman before NC.
Tech order: Drama (free Amfitheatre), Masonry (I'll buy marble tile), Theology, AH, The Wheel.

Spoiler :

NC completed, I start Oracle. I have hammer shortage (no hills) but my city keeps growing. With my troops I clean a barb camp and get a 3rd worker.

Spoiler :

Once Theo is researched I switch to Hagia Sophia. Once I have Marble and Aristocracy I start chopping the forests. With the luxuries I sold I bought 2 more bowman and rush buy the water mill. I buy a hill and the marble tiles to get more hammers.

Tech order: Mathematics, Horseback riding, Currency, Civil Service, Education.

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T70 I finish Hagia Sophia. Found religion picking tithe and religious community.
Continue Oracle production.

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I buy enough troops to completely surround my city against AI missionaries.

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T74 I finish Oracle and complete Tradition tree

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After Oracle I build Great Temple to enhace my religion ASAP. Once I have civil service I buy embassies and sell Open Borders to everyone friendly to get some cash.
Policy Order: Patronage, Aesthetics.
Here you can see my city:

Spoiler :

While building the market and researching education Harald after offering me friendship pays a visit to his new friend:

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Expecting an attack I borrow his cash for GPT and buy a Pikemen.

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The attack starts and looks like Alex wants his part of the cake. I resell the luxuries and horses that I sold to Harld and keep the money to sign RAs once I research education. I leave the warrior as a bait to soften the attackers crossing the river under fire (I don't value warriors as I research iron working really late).

Spoiler :

After some turns the first wave has been defeated (though I couldn't work the Academy delaying Education).

Spoiler :

Education kicks in and with my 1k gold I manage to sign 3 RAs giving money for GPT to AIs to reach 250 gold.
Tech order: Sailing, Optics, Compass -> Astronomy (Oxford).
Build Order: University, Oxford, Observatory.

Spoiler :

While building the University the Danes keep coming. Had to rushbuy Walls to aid my defense. After losing many troops and being attacked by Alex, Harald accepts a white peace.

Spoiler :

My GP finally pops and I enhance my religion (I like Relicary but I couldn't get it, with my peaceful neighbours defenders of the faith seems ok:

Spoiler :

T97 I complete Oxford and bulb Astronomy. I see Harald is still at war with Alex so I send my new spy to Athens. Later he discovers some plots that I share with Harald.
Tech order: All low part to Metal Casting -> Machinery -> Printing Press.
Build Order: Observatory, National Epic, Garden, Workshop, Iron Works

Spoiler :

The babylonian spy network provides some results. Harald is broke so I have to lend him like 300 gold plus 100 for the era difference to be able to sign the RA.

Spoiler :

With my next policy I get the awesome Aesthetics. 10 turns before it I pledge to protect all CS I know.

Spoiler :

My spy in Athens will try to steal a tech in a few turns, and as AIs love Chivalry and Alex loves horses, although I don't see a Castle in Athens nor knights near I research Acoustics while waiting for the spy. Finally it pays off:

Spoiler :

Well, you know, Alex loves his horses:

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In the meantime RAs kick in and I reach Printing Press just in time for my Happiness Golden Age:

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After killing some Alex troops, he is willing to sign peace for all my gold so I spend my money and accept a cheap peace with Alex:

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

Turn for Harald to break our friendship and my costly Research Agreement. Now with a 100% more of Berserkers:

Spoiler :

Leaning Tower Completes and with some RAs I reach Architecture so I can rush Porcelain Tower with my Engineer.
Build Order: Leaning Tower, PT (Engineer), National Treasury, Sistine Chapel, Public School (when Sci Theory is up) Opera Theatre, Hermitage, Bank, Stock Exchange, Factory, Hydroplant (those two when I have coal/aluminum or if I can buy them).
Tech Order: Acoustics, Banking, Economics, Scientific Theory, Industrialization, Electricity.

Spoiler :

After defending myself against Harald for some turns he finally agrees to make peace. I give my cash for GPT to someone far and sign peace. My troops took quite a beating:

Spoiler :

 

[Sadato]

At T132 I open Rationalism, a bit late but my CS permafriends (4 maritimes) are really worth it:

Spoiler :

I complete Scientific Theory and start building the Public School (note that In OCC I seldom rushbuy the science buildings due to the high production of the city and the needs of gold for RAs). I bought an Inquisitor to avoid popping a GP before reaching Industrial Era. See the Culture I get for free thanks to Aesthetics:

Spoiler :

I keep growing my city while building all the culture buildings and I upgrade my troops to machineguns. I am blessed with 8 aluminium in a game where I don't really need them, well it's cash anyway.
Tech order: Steam Power -> Plastics, ignoring upper and lower parts of the tech tree.

Spoiler :

I reach 1k faith to buy a GS, my city T155 after Hydro Plant (I build Big Ben because it is worth 7 turns):

Spoiler :

I reach Plastics so I can build the Lab. Note that my army keeps growing thanks to Military CS. The AI doesn't want to attack my middle-sized advanced army.
Tech Order: Athomic Theory -> Ecology -> (Chemistry, Fertilizer and Ballistics with spare tech).
At this point I stopped signing RAs.

Spoiler :

My science is going fast but my culture is not keeping the pace due to many nasty coups on the Cultural CS so I put artists to work (I opened Order but I won't be able to get the Factories policy, I will hit some RAs and I need to complete Rationalism in time with Ecology to get Telecommunications and Globalization with the 2 free techs):

Spoiler :

I'm doing my best to speed the next policy to catch Ecology:

Spoiler :

I lost 2 turns due to low culture output. I set my city in gold focus (manually, I never use the AI admin) and get an Engineer with Faith to rush Cristo Redentor just in case to assure that I'll get Philantropy in time and to carry some hammers to the UN construction (should have rushed UN, I forgot it is a wonder).

Spoiler :

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Finally T194:

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Set the city full production except for some artists to get a Great Artist and get another Golden Age:

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I hit a Hapiness Golden Age (thanks to all the happiness buildings I build in advance) and set full production:

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T202 I complete UN and get a preview of the vote. Some AIs will vote for me and Austria only married 3 or 4 CSs leaving enough to win:

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I get Philantropy:

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I set my city full Gold focus:

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Every turn I sell a science or culture building to get more cash and GPT:

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I disband all my troops except for a pack:

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1 turn prior to UN vote I get all AIs cash in exchange for GPT and start gifting CS. Ais are broke so I only get 7k but at least they will have low cash to gift them next turn.

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After spending my cash on gifts I have almost all the CS allied:

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Next turn... Turn 211 Diplo Victory:

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Awesome win date due to awesome start, OP Babylon and no T30-50 attacks, but doable with anyone around T230-240 before AIs threaten to win with Science Victories.

Final notes:
- If you don't have a mountain, save Oxford for Ecology and ignore the upper part of the tree till the end.
- If you are not playing babylon or maya, you could be late on Hagia Sophia, try to found a religion the usual way, get a faith pantheon, pay a religious CS and go straight to Civil Service and then get Construction to upgrade to composite bowman.
- If you miss the Oracle, skip Patronage and get Acoustics after Education to open Rationalism after Tradition, if you fail the timing open Commerce, don't enter Patronage without the Oracle or you won't be able to complete Rationalism on time.
- Unless you have a superb research rate Leaning Tower is hard to get, it is safer to skip it and go to Architecture to hard build Porcelain Tower.
- If Austria is in the game, once you reach Plastics if she has started marrying and has lots of gold you'd better go to Science Victory, go straight to Satellites.

Hope you enjoyed! Feel free to comment or ask anything.

 

[Merenptah]

Very nicely done!

 

[Hyperion529]

nice guide, but you should hide the screenshots in spoilertags to make it more readable

 

[Sadato]

nice guide, but you should hide the screenshots in spoilertags to make it more readable

Done! You are right, now it is more readable. Thanks!.

 

[budweiser]

Thanks! I'll try this soon when I get time.

 

[Hammer Rabbi]

the OCC master has shared his wisdom once more.

 

[The Pilgrim]

*raises hand* I have a question.

How would your game have been affected, had you get Rationalism opener earlier? T132 is not a little late, it's decently late. As great as Aesthetics is, I'm always hesitant to delay Rationalism, because I assume that science will be the bottleneck.

 

[atarihuana]

really really nice. going occ on deity seems so scary to me. i would feel uneasy, waiting to get crushed

 

[Sadato]

*raises hand* I have a question.

How would your game have been affected, had you get Rationalism opener earlier? T132 is not a little late, it's decently late. As great as Aesthetics is, I'm always hesitant to delay Rationalism, because I assume that science will be the bottleneck.

It's a good question, I can't compare numbers, science at that stage could be a bit faster, but keep in mind that I only "use" one policy into patronage as there's almost always a spare policy to use before renaissance (you can avoid culture to time renaissance with rationalism but that would delay tradition completion aswell).
Rationalism opener is delayed quite some turns because aesthetics takes 20 turns to have effect but once it does you get back your investment going through rationalism at a faster rate than without aesthetics I guess.

Aesthetics gave me like 8 food + multipliers, 40-90 culture per turn 6-7 free units, faith and happiness to trigger GAges in exchange for one policy, delay entering rati and pissing AIs a bit, I think it pays off.

Also, a resting point of 30 with CSs is very helpful to ally them before the vote.

 

[atarihuana]

*translates* very helpful = 10k gold (or more?)

 

[The Pilgrim]

really really nice. going occ on deity seems so scary to me. i would feel uneasy, waiting to get crushed

The suspense. Gotta love it.
Although making peace is easy. All you need to do is to survive 7-10 turns and then you can 'concede'. Very cheesy and on one hand I'm hoping this'll be patched somehow in BNW, on the other hand, I'm not sure deity OCC would be possible without these cheap peace deals.

It's a good question, I can't compare numbers, science at that stage could be a bit faster, but keep in mind that I only "use" one policy into patronage as there's almost always a spare policy to use before renaissance (you can avoid culture to time renaissance with rationalism but that would delay tradition completion aswell).
Rationalism opener is delayed quite some turns because aesthetics takes 20 turns to have effect but once it does you get back your investment going through rationalism at a faster rate than without aesthetics I guess.

Aesthetics gave me like 8 food + multipliers, 40-90 culture per turn 6-7 free units, faith and happiness to trigger GAges in exchange for one policy, delay entering rati and pissing AIs a bit, I think it pays off.

Also, a resting point of 30 with CSs is very helpful to ally them before the vote.

Oh well, I hoped you have some numbers to compare. Now I'm tempted to try it myself, it's just that I hate diplo so much...

I also noticed you didn't pick Planned Economy. Was Order worth it at all? Couldn't you time a double pop of GE with you last scientist and pick Scholasticism? Or time one to speed up the UN? And how many RA's did you have in total?
Hopefully you don't mind the interrogation. I really don't know how VC affects SP choices. Have never played diplo OCC, only science OCC when you have 20-30 turns more to accomplish all the goals and don't really need so many allies. Although somehow I still end up with 10+ in every game, but not deliberately. That just happens. After signing the last wave of RA's I feel all of a sudden like a Rockefeller.
But SP choices, are probably the most interesting part of OCC, because you actually have some, while with multiple cities the timing is very tight.

 

[Hammer Rabbi]

im curious, did you do that without the final 'dow everyone to prevent ally flipping' the turn before the vote? im often surprised at how many sub-10% chance coups the computer can routinely pull off the turn before a vote.

 

[kirbdog]

Very nice guide, thank you.

 

[atarihuana]

yeah its easy, but it is just as "cheaty" as the insta peace after steal worker ( which i do use)

" (I opened Order but I won't be able to get the Factories policy, I will hit some RAs and I need to complete Rationalism in time with Ecology to get Telecommunications and Globalization with the 2 free techs)"

plans are great until the first shot is fired

 

[Sadato]

I had 4-5 RAs most of time.

If I remember correctly you can't rush production of UN with a GE that's why I used it on cristo.

Open order was a waste, coups and Austria's marriage of some cultural CS slowed me a lot. Like atarihuana says things never go as planned.

I don't do the declare war all thing, feels cheesy, I grab all AI cash with my huge gpt, feels more "elegant".

 

[kirbdog]

If I remember correctly you can't rush production of UN with a GE that's why I used it on cristo.

The United Nations is a wonder, and it can be rushed with a GE.

 

[Sadato]

The United Nations is a wonder, and it can be rushed with a GE.

How could I miss that? Though it was like Apollo. Thanks!
That's a good reason tu pick Order and buy a GE with faith then.

 

[Fire0rb]

Nice writeup
Do you still have the Initial Save that we can try this under your circumstances without rerolling maps to get a mountain river etc?

Thanks in advance!

 

[kamex]

Great guide! Enjoyed it! Well done!