Osman the Monarch

[steviejay]

I "think" it qualifies as a small wonder, so it "should" be ok

Three words- get that coal.

Whats the strength of the Hittite army? And would it be possible to see a map of the Hittite front? Do you have any ideas where you'll strike?

 

[Gdek]

@StevieJay - I hope that's the case, so I can use one or the other as a prebuild for ToE. Plus, having just studied the article on armies in the War Academy, actually building one or the other wouldn't hurt.

You can see the SE front vs. the Hittites in the 1275AD pic. I'll try to post a complete picture of the front tomorrow, along with some ideas as to what I'm going to do. Just to the north between Adana and Tyrana is the last Byzantine city on this continent, which I've managed to take out.

My only goal now is to take that city with coal, and retake Alesund, as there's a second source of gems there for me.

I'm also contemplating allying with one of the civs on the other continent to take out the last Byzantine city. That would hopefully help with some of the unhappiness issues I'm facing.

If everything goes as planned, I should be out of war in 20 turns or less.

I am trading iron to the Egyptians right now for coal, so I do have a source, and I don't think they're very likely to cross me, as they definitely need Iron. I may ally with them to try and start a dogpile on the Spanish, who seem to be the biggest threat on the other continent.

Gdek

 

[miRageR]

Very nice story.
Good luck.

What resources do you have? You've had to fight wars for most of your essential resources.

 

[Gdek]

@miRageR - I've had to fight for saltpetre and now coal. I also had to fight to get back spice, which I stupidly allowed to fall out of my hands. With my luck I'm going to need to fight for every other one as well. =)

@StevieJay - We're rated strong against the Hittites.

 

[Gdek]

1345 AD – As requested, here’s the Hittite front.

I’m going to try and take the five cities circled in red. Alaca Huyuk is the most important, as it has a much needed source of coal. The rest of the cities are to even out and shrink the border as much as possible.

I’ve done mass upgrades of defensive troops in all of my core cities, in preparation for moving them towards the Hittite front. I’ve got 5 turns left on Smith’s … once that’s finished I’m going to mobilize for a few turns.

IBT – Had a Siphai go elite while being attacked by a Hittite MI. Popped a leader from the same Siphai after being redlined by a Hittite archer. Died to a Hittite MI losing the leader. That’s kind of unfortunate, but I’ve never popped four leaders in a game before, so I can’t really say much.

1350 AD – Primarily rearranging troops, trying to bring riflemen forward to the front.

1355 AD – Retook Harran and popped another MGL in the process. This is getting a little silly now. =)

1360 AD – Captured Ugarit with relative ease. That leaves 3 cities to take. I think I’d be able to do a full run against the Hittites, but I think I really need at least 20 turns of peace in order to make sure the Spanish don’t start to run away with this game. I’m going to have to start the dogpile on the other continent soon.

1365 AD – Took Tyrana, destroyed Alaca Huyuk and captured Kadesh. That’s the five cities that I needed/wanted to take. The Babs will talk peace, though the Hittites will not. I’ll make peace with the Babs as soon as I take Alesund back, and hopefully the Hittites will talk peace soon.

1375 AD – Hittites still won’t talk peace. I’m very close to taking Alesund off the Babs, in order to secure an extra source of gems. No need to go to Mobilization now.

IBT – Lost 6 Siphai to the Babs. They lost a like number of knights, but I’m starting to think continuing to fight them is pointless. I don’t really have much to gain now, save for another source of gems. That’d be helpful if I was missing a luxury from trading, but I’m not, so who cares, really.

1380 AD – Peace to the Babs straight up.

1385 AD – Captured Alalah from the Hittites.

1390 AD – Capture Ankuwa and Hattusha from the Hittites. Once I get some culture in Ankuwa, I should be able to secure another source of saltpetre, and more importantly, deny it to the Hittites. I also generated another leader.

Peace to the Hittites for Peace, 2 workers and their world map. Finally, the Ottomans are at peace for the first time in 135 years!

We gained a great deal of territory, nearly half of our continent, as well as securing sources of saltpetre and coal, and re-securing a source of spices.

1415 AD - Discovered Industrialization to bring me into tech parity with the Spanish. I’ve got ToE 12 turns from completion which I’m going to use for Atomic Theory and Electronics. Researching Replaceable Parts now, and hoping to also get the Corporation and Espionage before ToE.

5 turns left on my peace treaty with the Byzantines. I’m going to sick the Chinese on Theodora’s last city. I’m also going to try to talk the Egyptians into going to war with the Spanish to slow down Isabella.

1440 AD – Researched Replaceable Parts, and discovered that I founded Istanbul right on top of a source of rubber.

1450 AD – 4 turns away from Corporation, 5 turns away from ToE, and have been spending much of the intervening turns working on my rail network.

 

[miRageR]

The light blue civ on the western continent is a bit warmongerish IMO. Waiting patiently...

 

[Gdek]

I've been really busy, but am going to try and update today.

 

[CivBattle]

Keep it coming... Just one question how many cities are under your controll?

 

[Gdek]

@ civbattle I think I have 40 some cities under my control, just from memory.

@miRageR - I don't think they're really warmongerish (?), just expanding too much. They're the Spanish.

I've been looking at the other continent, and trying to decide what to do.

Do I take out the Hittites (blue-grey), and secure the southern half of my continent and shrink my border? Or do I leave 'em, as they're not a threat and concentrate on the other continent.

I am going to mount an expedition to take the Byzantine city on the other continent.

I'm hoping to get the Chinese (pink) to go to war with the Spanish, and eliminate the Spanish corridor through the middle of the Chinese territory. I'll then take the southern Spanish cities, which have sources of dyes (the only lux I don't have securred either on my own or through trading).

Then, if I can play the Spanish, Egyptians (yellow) and Chinese off each other to slow down their advancement, I'll have a handy lead.

I'm a bit embarassed to admit that I can't recall what the victory conditions are. =) I won't get a 20k for sure, 100k might be feasible. Domination will be very tough and time consuming. Conquest will be right up there. I could bribe my way to Diplo, but I've won that way before. Ditto for spaceship. I'm also not sure I've got the endurance to play to a Histograph.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Gdek

 

[Flintlock]

I am going to mount an expedition to take the Byzantine city on the other continent.

Is getting that last city really that important? If I were you, I'd just sign a peace treaty and let some other AI finish them off later.

I'm a bit embarassed to admit that I can't recall what the victory conditions are. =) I won't get a 20k for sure, 100k might be feasible. Domination will be very tough and time consuming. Conquest will be right up there. I could bribe my way to Diplo, but I've won that way before. Ditto for spaceship. I'm also not sure I've got the endurance to play to a Histograph.

IMHO, Diplo and culture victories are very boring, and histo/conquest takes too long. I'd say spaceship or domination victories would be the best . (BTW, I won my first game on Monarch last week, space race victory, Germany, 1560 AD it was actually alot of fun )

 

[Gdek]

1460 AD – Nothing much going on. Working hard on the railway system, and most cities are concentrating on infrastructure. I’m working on blockading the sole Spanish city on my continent, just along the coast. I’ve got 4 privateers there now, and just need two more.

2 turns from Corporation, 3 from ToE.

Gave Free Artistry to both the Romans and the Chinese. I’m going to need to start getting some allies ready on the other continent for the eventual assault on the Spanish.

1465 AD – Scientific Method to the Spanish for 139 gold, WM and 68 gpt
Scientific Method to the Egyptians for 116 gpt.

Wanted to get Communism out of the deal, but neither the Egyptians nor the Spanish would go for it. I imagine I can hold out for a bit on it.

1475 AD – Built ToE and used it to snag Atomic Theory and Electronics. I’m also in the process of building Universal Suffrage, due in 12 turns. I checked the Egyptians and Spanish who were both building it, and I’m going to get it by at least 3 turns it looks like.

I’ve got 3 turns left in my peace treaty with the Hittites. Not sure what I’m going to do, but taking them out will secure a pile of spices and another rubber. It will also serve to shrink the border I need to defend.

1500 AD – Still not much going on. Rail network is complete, and I’m working through the process of railroading the core to maximize production.

1515 AD – An again not much going on. See above. =)

1545 AD – Spent the last number of turns cleaning up pollution, and deciding what I’m going to do next. I’ve got a good number of really productive cities with both hospitals and factories. I’ve decided (after reading this over again) that I owe the Hittites for their insults. So, below is the three stage (and hopefully three turn) end of the Hittites.

Of course, this could all change next turn when I discover refining and realize I don’t have any oil. =)

What eliminating the Hittites will do is tighten my border, leaving me only to deal with the Babylonians. It will also secure additional rubber, spices, and iron.

1550 AD – Well, amazingly enough, I’ve got a tonne of oil sources. 3 hooked up and 2 more within very easy reach. Who said taking over half your continent doesn’t work out. (Oh wait, that mighta been me)

 

[Gdek]

Is getting that last city really that important? If I were you, I'd just sign a peace treaty and let some other AI finish them off later.

I'm already at peace with them, so that's not a big worry. The key is the last Byzantine city is in a relatively strategic area on the other continent. Taking it will give me a foothold over there, and more importantly, the chance to secure some dyes, should my inevitable war with the Spanish go well.

IMHO, Diplo and culture victories are very boring, and histo/conquest takes too long. I'd say spaceship or domination victories would be the best . (BTW, I won my first game on Monarch last week, space race victory, Germany, 1560 AD it was actually alot of fun )

Never having completed a culture victory, I can't really comment on it. Diplo victories are anti-climactic in my mind, especially if you don't control the UN. I've done spaceship plenty, and am growing a little bored with that. Never done a dom victory, or a conquest on a map this size. I think for domination I'd need to control all of my continent, and a good chunk of the other as well.

Gdek

 

[CivBattle]

@ Gdek are you still at war with Byzantine? If so get them get your foothold!
Pity about that last Hittite town. Who are you going to conquer next?


My primary win conditions on large or hugemaps from Monarch to Diety (On Diety just 5 win for now, 2 CivIII,1 PTW abd 2C3C on a tiny map) where domination.

 

[Gdek]

1560 AD – Okay, here goes the attack. This will be the end of Mursilis, come hell or high Siphai.

Easily took Hubishna, losing only a couple of points off one of the knight armies, and a couple off one of the Siphai armies. The rest of the forces advanced in the hope of taking the next cities in line next turn.

1565 AD – Hattusas fell easily after a 10 artillery barrage turned their defenders to redlines.

IBT – The counterattack looks as though it’s going to be pretty anaemic. They’ve got 3 cavalry, and a bunch of outdated troops.

1570 AD – Tarsus and Aleppo both fell, and the back of the Hittite military was broken. They lost 4 MedInf, 1 Cav, 4 archers, and 6 rifles, in addition to the few defenders that they had.

IBT – The Corporation and Spices to the Chinese in return for Incense.

1575 AD – And once again, my inability to read a map irritates me to no end. The Hittites still have a single city to the far north, well on the other side of the Babylonians. I’ll make peace as soon as I can and leave them be.

 

[rbis4rbb]

Are you ever going to update?

 

[Gdek]

Been really busy, but hoping to have an update out soon. (Un)fortunately, Sid Meier's Pirates will be making it's way to my house soon, so I may be out of Civ mode for a while.

But at least it's another Sid game!

Gdek

 

[Gdek]

1600 AD – Still at war with the Hittites, but I’ve been moving right along. Discovered Espionage, and planted spies in Spain. Currently pulling in 290 gpt and am 3 techs away from moving into the modern age. I’m trying to produce enough transports to finally get over to the other continent. I’ve got one, I want at least one more.

I’m currently buying the love of the Egyptians and Chinese. Hopefully I’ll be able to get those two to dogpile the Spanish, and slow all three of them down. I’m up at least 3 tech’s on all of them.

1615 AD – Expeditionary force departs next turn. Consists of 1 Siphai Army, 2 Siphai, 5 Artillery, 1 Explorer and 3 Infantry. If that doesn’t make short work of the Byzantines, I’m in trouble. I may swap out the Explorer for a worker, in case I get flight soon. An airfield will make reinforcements far easier.

1620 AD – Damnit! Forgot that transports only carry 6 in CivIII. Time to build another.

1640 AD – Attacked Ohrid, the last Byzan city. First transport to arrive held 4 Infantry, an empty army and a worker. All the infantry piled into the army, and attacked. Redlined the army, but killed two riflemen. Theodora has one rifle, and one longbow left. The next two transports arrived this turn carrying a Siphai army, two Siphai and a pile of Arty.

Also managed to plant some spies, one in Egypt and one in China. I now have spies in my three major rivals. Military is rated avg against Spain and strong against Egypt and China. If I can get the latter two to go against the former, it’ll be a good thing.

1645 AD – End of the Byzantine reign. Ohrid fell very easily to the combined might of the Ottoman army. Stage one of the invasion of the Western continent has begun.

1650 AD – Discovered Motorized Transportation. I have 6 tanks in production, Flight is 4 turns off. I’m preparing to start after the Spanish.

 

[rbis4rbb]

Nice .