PAE Stories

[pie_at]

You are cordially invited to write one or more stories about your PAE game! Please post your story link and I'll add it here.

CIV IV Story Thread @civfanatics​

PAE V

-) Scarlet King (May 2015): Deafening Silence: An Island Called Sparta
-) Scarlet King (May 2015): The End of Athens
-) Imp. Knoedel (July 2014): Senatus Populusque Romanus
-) Manco Capac (June 2013): PIE's Ancient Mediterranean on Deity

 

[Soulmate]

Bah ! This is what this mod truly needs ...
I had this idea long ago but still couldn't find any time to write about my Syracusian game. Looking forward for the great stories
The things you might experience in this mod are truly amazing !

 

[Keinpferd]

A new story by Scarlet King, that ends rather abruptly.

 

[Sonereal]

Here's another one.

Quick question: Does game speed affect the rate Sea Peoples spawn or is it a flat 20-turn rate? Because the latter would explain so much.

 

[pie_at]

Thx!

Sea Peoples: they appear every 5th turn between -1400 and -800 BC.
The amount of ships is different: 1 + WorldSize + HandicapType

 

[Sonereal]

That would explain a lot then.

[spoilers for Deafening Silence if anybody is reading that]

I'm playing a custom scenario, Eastern Mediterranean, with difficulty turned down to Noble (because I'm a roleplaying scrub) and gamespeed at marathon, which I'm guessing means the AI gets wrecked early and often because it can produce fast enough to deal with the problem. I don't know who is left, but if I had to guess, they're probably not bordering the sea.

 

[pie_at]

Would someone pay homage to PAE in writing a story with the latest version (PAE V patch 4) ?!



...of course into the story thread section of civfanatics: https://forums.civfanatics.com/forums/civ4-stories-tales.167/

Please announce it here so I can add the story link to the first post.

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Pie's Ancient Europe VI (Patch 6.2.0)​

Immortal Difficulty Phoenicia
Mapscript: PAE Strategea
Map Size: Large
Gamespeed: Epic

I thought Pierre might appreciate a feedback of his creation in the form of a story, albeit I ain't the best narrator.
Here we go.

Spoiler Part 1 :

Starting location. I like heavily forested starts as normal forest is a tile feature providing health points.

I move around with the settler to find more suitable capital positions. Furthermore, delaying the founding of the first city increases chances to pop workers and no barbs can be popped. I popped a worker. The presence of fur is excellent. PAE is ruthless when it comes to early commerce.

I tech Hunting first to produce hunters. I need to protect the worker while it improves the fur. Warriors are fairly risky.

Then, I go for Mysticism because building research is the most optimal move to rush towards Internal Formation of State and Colonization techs.

After improving the fur resource, I go to the cows. Always go to commerce first.

Border pop and lucky copper under the capital.

Turn 77: Formation of State. Dynasty is a powerful civic to switch on. I usually switch to Dynasty and Peasant Militia in the same turn to save anarchy time. However, this leader is religious, so no anarchy time.

The Huns are found. They live in the north.

Random positive event. Accelerated research.

The Britons' lands were found in the SE. Finding the Britons next door could be a good thing because of the Stonehenge. The Stonehenge is a powerful wonder providing +1 early in the game for all cities and GProphet
points. A bit sad to find their capital is settled onto a steppe hill. I will put this hunter in sentry mode to keep an eye on their development. I intend to rush them.

My rush army is mobilized. It is composed of axe warriors and basket archers. The archers will arrow shower the defenders to halve their health bar. The axe warriors are good city raiders.

A crazy event occurred! For some reason, Londinium revolted, weakening the defenders and removing the culture defense. I will not miss such opportunity despite the Stonehenge yet to be built. I will kill as many defenders and then make a cease-fire to let them build the Stonehenge.

More luck on the way. I meet the Sumerians. The sumerian religion is one of the best bonus for the early and even later stages of the game. Not only there are a handful of great wonders associated to this religion, but the temple also provides +20%.

Time to attack the Britons. I managed to reduce their defenses to one soldier. Then, a cease-fire is signed, so the AI switches to peaceful builds such as settlers, workers, and wonders. I choose cease-fire over peace treaties because the later forces a non-aggression treaty for 20 turns, which could be fatal if the player misses the tiny window where the AI is weakened.

Oooh! The luck keeps piling on. The Sumerians decided to convert the Britons.

Three turns later, as expected, the Britons completed the Stonehenge. However, I will wait for the confused missionary that keeps going in and out to decide converting the Britons. The +1 from religion is certainly welcomed.

It finally happened one turn later. The Britons even converted, leading to an anarchy period. Good.
I capture Londinium.

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 2 :

Indeed, I need the loot to replenish my treasury ASAP. One feature that makes PAE hard in the early game is the restriction of having the wealth slider more than 50%. Plus, not enough to get multiple +10% leniency on taxation. A revolt caused by high taxes can be fatal.

Now, my attention turns to Sumeria. The incredible luck of having Londinium revolts led to an exceptional situation where my original invading army getting out nearly unscathed. Sumeria is fairly close to the former Britons. Wished both of them being closer to my capital. It helped that I moved my original settler eastward.

Completed the Small Oracle, especially for the +1

I need the looooooot!

Having the same religion as Sumeria helps in making them PLEASED. Every leaders in PAE requires the PLEASED stance to open border. It is more tricky to do so in the early game. That was one of the main reason I waited the missionary to convert the Britons.

Preparation to the second raid.

Nice! Not only Uruk appears to be a good city, especially having a high commerce resource (Silk), but it is settled on grassland. I will commit to conquer Sumeria. I move my army to the north as it is easier and quickest to invade therefrom.

Finally, I brought the loot to the capital!

This is one advanced tactic I use to weigh in when to attack (DoW). In the espionage dashboard, there is a section called "Espionage Production". The associated value is as high as the selected city has hammers invested into a build. When I DoWed the Britons, I also checked the same dashboard and I knew they were going for the wonder. In the case of Sumeria, I want to see if they build the settler (x2 due to PAE bonus). Usually, the espionage value will be >500 points.

T145: Another milestones being the discovery of Internal Colonization. Indeed, in this specific game, building settlers is not as pressing thanks to the successful warface.

GProphet under way in Londinium thanks to the Stonehenge. Having early settled GMerchants or GProphets in the capital is nearly crucial for empire expansion. Not enough commercial avenue in the early game.

Ugh! It started. I struggle with money and push the taxation higher. Sadly, this brings a snowball effect of bad where you lack funds, but getting more funds lead to an even greater crisis. Sigh.

Sumeria built the settler (ended up twice because PAE feature). It is time to invade. Before DoW, I trade one tech to milk as much as possible from Sumeria. Do notice I never lead my stack of doom (SoD) next to the city tile if I do not need to. I don't want my SoD to be showered in arrows and get weakened. The city has been conquered with great success!

Moving forward many turns of nothingness, I turn my bloodthirst towards the Huns. I left them for last because I kind of knew they were located in most north west location and they offered nothing special to be rushed first. Knowing their territory won't be claimed by a neighbouring civilization, it makes sense to remove this bad weed before they become a thorn in my foot. I brought back the remainder of my original army and will sacrifice them to demolish the Huns.

Another key tech to have in the early game is Mercenarism. Why? The mercenary building allows to gain money by selling units. I implore this mechanics to not be removed because it is nearly essential for gameplay flexibility. Plus, it ain't that great in to return.

The Huns are about to settle the 3rd and 4th cities, so I have to be quick.

Most needed loot carts.

Time to attack and raze cities. The Huns would not have any qualms doing so on us. The neighbouring city revolted in response to the razing.

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 3 :

Border pop in Uruk thanks to holy city status (+2).

The Hun settlers are escaping the warzone.

Hmm, Tapiomatron (2nd Hun city) is well guarded by 4 shortbowmen. Too tough to capture that city for now. I also see a resident settler, which is perfect. I will sign a cease-fire, let the settler go out with two guard shortbowmen, and then DoW again. For now, I destroyed the other settler/shortbowman party going south from north.

Got my first GProphet. It is crazy to think I was not the first to obtain a GPeople as it is expected the owner of the Stonehenge to get the first dib to GPeople. Someone got a GScientist before me. AIs are so strong.

I sign the cease-fire to bring the AI back to peace mode.

Enslavement is discovered at a good timing. Razing cities will deliver slaves.

I see the settler going out with two shortbowmen. Then, it is time to backstab in a weakened position. Tapiomatron is utterly smashed. I do not keep the cities because my economy cannot take another blow from city maintenance.

Meanwhile, I bring a shortbowman to the north to explore the capital. Its capture looks quite feasible, but I will sign another cease-fire to incite the AI to build a settler instead of soldiers.

It is time to bring the GProphet to the capital to improve the economy.

I also drop a worker to Uruk on the way to improve the tiles.

Cease-fire signed.

GProphet party on the way.

About to get a second border pop in Londinium. Stonehenge is great.

I keep my eyes on the Huns. A worker gets out to improve.

Building the Slave Market is quite an economic relief.

GProphet party is now ensured to get to the capital safely. There are some aurochs in these deep forests.

Got my second border pop. No AI in sight. I love the way the mountain ridges are extending the blockade, preventing AIs to bring their settlers into my lands.

Once again, I observe the Espionage dashboard to determine if a settler is under way.

About to settle the GProphet in the city. Settling GPeople is essential in the early game to survive.

Positive random event. I buy two fine slaves for 60 .

I explore the surroundings because I want to know the map layout and how I can block unclaimed lands for slow colonization. Also, someone got the free shortswordman this early. The AI techs crazy in 6.2.0. Look how advanced are the Athenians and Babylonians.

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 4 :

I see the Huns have completed the settler. Time to annihilate them.

As predicted, the Huns were located in the NW corner. Using the unit pathfinding, I can deduce my position in the map. Knowing no one would claim the Huns land, I raze and leave the lands alone until my economy allows extended colonization.

Killed a mighty auroch.

At this point, warfare will end for a long, long time. No reason to go further and the AIs start to spam units at a rate no player can compete. Athenians are trying to convert us to Greek religion.

However, they disrupt my cities happiness, so I close borders.

Damn these aurochs. The trade route between the capital and Uruk/Londinium is tumultuous.

More city revolts due to high taxation or lack of religion.

In the meanwhile, my capital suffered pop reduction, but I gained an emigrant. It is great! I will use this emigrant to block off key locations while being able to build further settlers. PAE is quite severe with the one settler restriction at a time.

Stahp!!!

Another advanced tactic. While I am moving my settler towards the eastern narrow passage, I use my current local units to contain the wild elephant. The barbarian elephant will discourage AIs going into my lands.

In the south, we have the Berbers.

Second GProphet. I admit I would prefer GMerchants.

Uh, oh! The Athenians are located to my SE. Luckily, mountain ridges block them off from my lands.

I have placed my idle emigrant to a narrow passage leading to the Berbers. Urus/auroch forces me to settle earlier than I needed to. Even if the Urus wins and destroys my two units, the animal cannot conquer and raze the city. In fact, I move out the units after the city founding to preserve them.

Second GProphet brought to the capital and ready to be settled.

Enough is enough!

So advanced!!!!

More revolts, but 12 turns is exaggerated for a four pop city. It looks like a bug.

You peasants, stop doing temper tantrums. Obey the tyrant!

Found my 5th city because gems.

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 5 :

Second border pop in Uruk.

Found the 6th city.

Berber blockade city has a border pop.

Sigh...

I am so behind in tech the Athenians gave me one for free. Only happens when the player is extremely behind. I am behind against everyone.

Working on my 3rd GPeople in the capital.

I have enough of those revolts due to high taxation and lack of religion. I commit to Greek religion and will spread it to the capital.

Silphium within Uruk's borders. One of the rarest and best resources. Cannot be cultivated, so very happy to have them. +2 unique resource.

It hurts my third GPeople being a GScientist. A GMerchant would have been better.

There we go. The wild elephant has been killed and so is my artificial blockade against AIs. Time to found the blockade city. I could do it because it was the emigrant, letting me build settlers elsewhere.

This ends the first arc of the Phoenician Epic.

 

[pie_at]

Uff! Great!

... and I've noticed the revolt bug of a pop 4 city

 

[brettschmitt]

Nice story Horn!
I'm always wondering how people can compete at immortal level... good job so far

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 5 :

It dawns on me I am now allowed to construct the Heroic Epic for +100% military unit production.
Hence, the capital will be able to spew a unit nearly each turn. Apparently, settling GGenerals is
a removed feature.

I finally get the Berbers to FRIENDLY, enabling mass tech trading and complete insurance they
won't DoW on my blockade city and try to spam their cities inside my unclaimed lands.

I finally spawn a GMerchant. This is the most desirable GPeople for the early game. The +8
in the capital will massively ease up the cost of unit and city upkeeps.

We commence the marathon of catching up in tech.

The Berbers apparently had no other target than the Hittites. They DoW them.

Tech trade.

Blockade city at the east has culture expansion.

Tech trades.

Everyone is ganging against the Carthaginians, likely due to their religious isolation.
I DoW them in order to rack up diplo points. The AI SoDs are pretty impressive. Messing
with the AIs in the mid-game is a big no-no at high game difficulties.

Dammit! The Carthaginian war has ended shortly after. They capitulated to the Celts and such
circumstance does not spell good for me.

I built my first spy to start exploring the savage lands. In this version, they have 2. The next
PAE release buffs them up to 3, which makes spies the perfect scouts thanks to their invulnerability
(non-interaction rule) and their disregard of nation borders. I explore, fogbust and prepare the settling of a
strategic city next to the stone resource. On a side note, the Celts were brought into war because Babylon
has DoWed their Carthaginian vassal. Very convenient because my army is nonexistent and my economy
is too frail to maintain a standing army.

The purpose of getting the stone is twofold:
(1) Stone is a requirement for the Dam of Marib, a truly powerful wonder.
(2) Accelerate production of many Sumerian wonders.
Mathematics tech is discovered. I start on the Tower of Babel, easily in the top three of all wonders.
The +4 diplo points with all already met AIs have a lot of positive ramifications.

Tech trades

I do not know what are the intentions of the Celts.

Tech trade

My settler party is on the way to the stone. Sadly, the Temple of Artemis
wonder has been snatched by some AI already. A shame given I have access
to the Greek religion and marble has been sighted in the south, albeit yet to be
claimed with a city. Gotta focus on the stone first.

Self-tech Construction for access to the Walls of Babylon.

Bringing an army of workers to improve the stone tile.

Tech trade

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 6 :

The Hittites have the audacity to demand a gold tribute. Nope.
They cannot reach me anyways thanks to the Berbers acting as a buffer
state.

Stone linked. Tower of Babel hastened in speed.

Yikes! Someone got a GEngineer. Also, Rock-Cut City Petra is claimed by another
AI.

Time to build provincial palaces. Time to heal the Phoenician economy.

Being a tough choice given the lack of info, I opted to complete the Dam of Marib first.
The +1 for all riverside tiles and the make this wonder unique. It is indeed a gamble
because if the wonder is still around, that means no one has access to stone yet.

Architecture tech gotten. I had the Hanging Gardens in mind, but it was later discovered I needed
the aqueduct and the Phoenicians cannot build it.

Tech trade.

Soon I can whip the wonder.

The Berbers sent a GMerchant through our lands a while ago. Suddenly, a big amount of riches
appears in their coffers. Time to reap all the gold for a tech.

Time to rush the Dam of Marib!

Double yikes! The Celts are getting too close for comfort. The fact they cannot reach me due to the
Greek border is a real salvation.

Well, we know which civilization made the Parthenon of Athens. The one that just entered a GAge.

Tech trade.

I feel the pressure from the Celts, which are well equipped for a war after years of bickering with the
Carthaginians. I conceded to their demand, BUT I retrieved the gold in exchange for a tech afterwards.

Tower of Babel obtained.

Provincial palace in the former Briton capital is about to be built.

As I start to be economically relieved, I found another city.

Tech trades:

Self-tech "The Library". It is a non-tradable tech.

I am starting to grow my empire core. Having access to rice and another grain gives me
access to buildings of food storage.

Minos of the Greeks DoWed the vassal of the Celts. Good!

Self-tech "Cultural Tolerance" to become a bargain chip for more tech trades.

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 7 :

We keep tech trading to catch up with the top dog AIs.

The expansion phase for the AIs has ended for a while and their cities grow
to enormous size. Consequently, we start to see AIs with plenty of gold to
offer for a tech bait.

First sewer building in Uruk (former capital of Sumer). The surrounding swamps are drained.

Akko is founded.

Jade event (+2) on iron tile.

If I have to offer an unbalanced tech trade, I try to force the AIs to swap civics if it causes
anarchy. Anarchy is not only few turns where cities do not produce anything, but can also be
source of occasional revolts and emigration.

The Naval Port of Catharge wonder has been built. Despite the aggressive tech trading, certain AIs
are still waaaay ahead.

Walls of Babylon wonder about to be constructed. Here comes a sweet Golden Age (GA), swiftly stolen
under the nose of the Babylonians. Too bad for 'em! This is why having Sumeria as early target is such
a wonderful map generation gift. The sumerian religion provides superior temples (+20% ) and many worthwhile wonders!

Had to self-tech Patronage because non-tradable.

Finally! My capital reaches the status of a provincial city.

Map Making tech discovered (non-tradable). I want to see what is the political layout of the AIs and
vacuum the small change from as many AIs as possible by trading my own map. Pierre did a good
hotfix by making map discovery permanent for AIs. I remember the old times where I kept selling maps
every turn to get more pocket change. An exploit I used to do to keep my economy afloat, but a dirty
one though.

Ishtar Gate wonder is constructed. More trade routes for the capital.

Now, it is no wonder why Babylonia is so ahead. They got a terrific riverine landscape. Rivers were quite
an advantage in the base game, even more in BTS with levees. In PAE, they're precious land features. Try to
never miss the chance to settle next to a river. It pays off by letting the city grows way bigger. In PAE, it is
never good to have unhealthy cities; just one plague can ruin the kingdom.

There they are! The civ that built the Egyptian wonders. It was found out later the Nubians are completely
sealed off by mountains, making them immune from wars.

Annoying Celts are demanding gold tribute. I conceded, but recovered the gold a bit later in exchange for
a tech.

Tech trades.

We finally reached the Classical Era.

A GEngineer has been born in the capital.

We keep trading...all thanks to the +4 diplo points from the Tower of Babel.

The former capital of Sumer (Uruk) has reached the status of Provincial City.

The empire starts to rise in power.

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 8 :

Another city is founded. While Babylonia has great lands, I certainly do not have a lack in the department too.
My economy is strong enough to keep pushing the expansion as fast as I can pump settlers and bring
them to the spot (1 active settler rule).

We keep trading...

The Germans (Segestes) spit on their their Greek masters and then the Greeks (Minos) DoW
on Carthage to vent their frustration. Carthage is vassal to the Celts, hence I won't have to deal with
their tributes for the moment.

We keep trading, baby! Bless that Babylonian wonder.

Finally, after such an aggressive tech trading policy, I start to catch up to the average AI.
Yes, the few top dogs still have an edge, but we finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I want to get those crabs for more . In PAE, rules supreme. The larger your cities, the
easier it gets to topple the handicapped AIs.

Nuuuuuhhhhh! The Mausoleum of Mausollos is grabbed by the Lydians. That wonder is da best of the
mod. That +50% increase of the GAge span is incredible for the late game. There is a point in the game
where you bank those GPeople (especially the rare ones like GArtists) to trigger as many GAges as possible.
Very often, I end up playing the remainder of a PAE game in GAge mode.

Time to spread those rare grain resources.

One more city.

Another important tech: Literature. The National Epic (built with a GArtist) boosts by +50% the
output.

The Phoenician capital, Byblos, is one turn away from 10,000 .

Colonize, colonize, colonize.

Hellenism tech. Sadly, I used my former GBuilder, so I have to get another one for the cult.

No matter the shortcut in tech trading, these Greeks and Babylonians are tech powerhouses and running away.
Colossus of Rhodes and Great Lighthouse gone.

The Etruscans are behind in tech, but have the potential to become a powerhouse. Eventually.
They build the Forum Romanum.

Hellenism cult snatched by the Greeks. Oh well.

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 9 :

Time to settle the strategic city for getting the marble in the south.

We keep doing tech trading to catch up with the top dogs.

Byblos is the supreme city on the international stage!

Wowzers! Babylonia just built the Altar of Pergamon wonder. That is the thing with the
top difficulty levels in v6.2.0; the AIs with the best land and expansion/growth are nearly
impossible to catch up...until one realizes there is a hidden mechanism that forces the AI
to unselect tech under progress. I think Pierre implemented this to make sure the AI does
not complete the tech tree too fast or synchronize techs with dates. This would explain why
I cannot see research on certain AIs later, and then, out of the blue, they complete a tech each turn
as the AI banked the .

Time to settle the filler cities.

Phoenicia is at the top both in GNP (w/o Golden Age) and controlled land area.

We keep trading...

Mediocre city, but barley must be acquired! In the older versions, each grain provided +1 . Now,
each provides -10% military unit build cost.

Get tech and trigger anarchy for the Babylonians.

Time to settle the former lands of the Huns.

The Hittito-Berber war goes badly for the Hittites (white). Not even a Pyrrhic victory where the Berbers would
be vassalized at great cost. It is just mass suicide without gain whatsoever.

Someone hates my guts. They commissioned mercenaries who attacked right in the middle of the empire. Torture succeeded and revealed the mastermind: the Gauls. They really hate us despite the Greeks repeatedly DoWing them.

The Babylonians built the wonderful Great Wall of Gorgan (privilege of the Mesopotamian civs on top of having another GAge for the Walls of Babylon!). They obtain a Golden Age. The Greeks founded the cult of Mouseion.

Time to found where the Hunnic capital once was standing.

The Great Library goes to the one who founds the Mouseion cult. It is a nice wonder giving +100% to the host city.

Yahoo! Byblos is now a metropolis. The growth was insane thanks to the Dam of Marib (+1 on riverside tiles).

Uh oh! Alexander the Great (Macedonia) is having trouble. The Etruscans are pushing in and just took over the city hosting the Cult of Cybele. The Etruscans may be behind in tech, but they have potential to become a powerhouse.

 

[Hornakhtyotef]

Spoiler Part 10 :

Old enmity flares up again. The Gauls brought a party of soldiers through my lands to DoW on the Berbers, which are already busy with the Hittites. The Berbers retaliate by bribing the age-old foe of the Gauls: the Greeks (Minos).

I tech "Memorials" as I beeline to certain wonders.

I do not like Lars of the Etruscans mowing through the soldiers of Alexander the Great. I give him a payment for the war to cease lest capitulation happens.

Well, we know who got the tech "Glass Blowing". Babylonians founded the cult of Dionysos with the free GArtist.

I believe I am reaching the final phase of the game. Hence, I trigger a Golden Age with my GBuilder and hopefully have a string of GAges until victory.

Self-tech Imperialism.

Dammit! Lars of the Etruscans DoWs the Macedonians again. I know bribing peace between AIs do not
guarantee the 20 turn of forced peace. It is called peace, but it is actually a cease-fire.

Now, I am first in the world regarding the Crop Yield.

Yikes! Alexander of Macedonia is done for and will capitulate soon.

The Germans DoW on Lars (Etruria) despite being a nation of few cities. Macedonia likely bribed them.

Paper tech. I made a beeline swerve towards Stenography for the free GSpy.

Gulp! The Berbers pledge allegiance to their new Gaulish master, which means if Ambiotrix DoWs me, I will have to defend from two fronts.

Lydia completes the Platonic Academy (+50% ).

First to "Stenography" tech. Free GSpy.

The Hittites demand a tribute. I say nay.

Lars Porsena of Etruria vanquished Alexander of Macedonia. The latter capitulated.

Now, I beeline towards "Basilicas" tech. Two interesting wonders. Both require a religion (Roman and Phoenician religions). I got the latter and want the nice trade route boost in my capital.

This was expected. Babylonia is so advanced they already completed the wonders I coveted for.

Got "Public Facilities"

Finally, the GAge of Babylonia expires.

The Phoenician people are closing in to be top dog. Best in GNP, Crop Yield, Manufacturing Goods, Population, and Land Area. Once we are first in the "Soldiers" row, we become top dog.

Basilicas tech obtained...a bit way too late.

Woah! Commissioned mercenaries against a weakly defended border city.

We got it back the same turn it got ransacked.