Play by play: A go at Emperor

[ionize]

Good morning fellow civilization fanatics. Some of you may know me already from the Play by play: A go at Monarch topic. Yesterday I beat the game and now I'm pumped up for more.

Here is a little quote from my initial post in the Monarch game:

Initial thoughts:
1.) I want to try Monarch before going for Emperor. I feel pretty comfortable with Regent by now and I tried Emperor ones (after I read the topic on transitioning from Monarch to Emperor) and lost right away. This is why I want to play a game on Monarch.

2.) I always won my games through a vote or a spaceship. Now it is time to try and conquer all enemy countries. This way I want to play a Conquest/Domination game (but I leave the other VCs open for the AI).

3.) I won't pick a race. I won't roll various starts. I really need to try the first thing that comes along. I'll see how this will go.

Map Settings:
* Size=Small
* Landmass=Continents (60%)
* Barbarians=roaming
* Geographie=Normal/Climate/4 Billion
* Rivals=5 (all random)

1.) I feel super comfortable with Monarch now. OK! It was just one game, but I learnt a big deal. And I never felt like I couldn't handle it. It is time to step up the ladder. My Monarch rivals proved too easy to defeat in war. I need the cheating AI!

2.) I will stick with all VCs. I won the Monarch game through domination. I was just too lazy to conquer the rest. Though it would've been easy. The Hittites were on the verge of being wiped out and the Dutch had taken a fair beating a few hundred years earlier. So Conquest/Domination it is.

3.) I stick with that. Although this time I will save the first roll, explore around and plan for my first city.

Map Settings:
* Size=Small
* Landmass=Continents (60%)
* Barbarians=none
* Geographie=Normal/Climate/4 Billion
* Rivals=5 (all random)

I disable barbarians. With the improved AI I don't want them to get goody huts.

==Hit Enter==
And I am ruler of Sumeria. That's new to me. We'll see how it goes then.

This time I am ruler of the Koreans. Another first for me. I like it.

Now to the starting location:
I attached a screenshot where I took two turns to explore. I initially started on the cow. There is silk two NE of the cow as well. I don't know why it is not on the shot, but anyways...

My initial thought is to move the settler 1 NE of the cow to the grassland and found the city. I would road the cow and the silk and then road in the Western direction to faster expand.

What do you think?

 

[Spoonwood]

Yes, I'd move the settler back near the cow. Also, that's incense not silk. I'd advise to develop the cow and the bonus grasslands first.

 

[bigFRANK]

Isnt it a cow and some tobacco (not silk (silk is blue and red cloth))?

Setler back to NW of the cow S of the tabacco and found your civ there.

 

[ionize]

It is cow and tobacco that you can see. The silk is in the fog near the cow. And I'm pretty sure it was silk @Spoonwood. Or are you talking about the plains due West?

Anyways, will play the starting turns in a few hours. Wish me luck.

 

[ionize]

I've played the first 40 turns and I have to admit I'm all beginner again. I constantly feel like I should do 100% better, but dunno how.

Here is the turn-log:

Spoiler :

We are the Koreans.

Turn 0
Move settler one NE
Road cow

IBT
zzz

Turn 1
Found Seoul => warrior
Set city governor
Adjust sliders, Writing in 50

IBT
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Turn 2
Nothing important

IBT
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Turn 3
Mine cow

IBT
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Turn 4
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 5
Nothing important

IBT
Seoul warrior => warrior

Turn 6
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 7
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 8
Adjust sliders, Writing in 35

IBT
Seoul warrior => warrior

Turn 9
MM Seoul

IBT
Disorder in Seoul...

Turn 10
MM Seoul (Note: Citizen turned happy while on silk!?)
Road BG

IBT
Cultural expand at Seoul

Turn 11
Adjust sliders, Writing in 40 turns

IBT
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Turn 12
Nothimg important

IBT
Seoul warrior => worker

Turn 13
Mine BG
More silk to the East
Adjust sliders, Writing in 31

IBT
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Turn 14
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 15
Nothing important

IBT
Seoul worker => warrior

Turn 16
Adjust sliders, Writing in 35

IBT
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Turn 17
Road silk
Find wheat to the far East

IBT
Seoul warrior => warrior

Turn 18
Nothing important

IBT
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Turn 19
Find furs to the far East

IBT
Seoul warrior => settler

Turn 20
Road BG

IBT
Wealthiest nation #5

Turn 21
MM Seoul, settler in 5

IBT
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Turn 22
Find ivory close to the North
Find more furs to the Far East

IBT
Road to silk finished

Turn 23
Mine BG
Find more ivory close to the North

IBT
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Turn 24
Nothing important

IBT
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Turn 25
Spot second landmass on Northern coast

IBT
Seoul settler => warrior

Turn 26
Send settler SW of Seoul

IBT
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Turn 27
Found P'yongyang => curragh
Finaly find borders (dark red)

IBT
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Turn 28
Nothing important

IBT
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Turn 29
Meet the Byzantines. They got WC and CB and won't trade.

IBT
Seoul warrior => worker

Turn 30
Adjust sliders, Writing in 16
Rival check:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Byzantines(despotism), 2 cities, peace, weak to +WC +CB
---------------------------------------------------------------------

IBT
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Turn 31
Nothing important

IBT
P'yongyang curragh => curragh

Turn 32
Nothing important

IBT
Seoul worker => barracks

Turn 33
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 34
The other landmass is 100% a new continent. A warrior confirmed that.
Send curragh in direction of new continent.

IBT
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Turn 35
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 36
Nothing important

IBT
P'yongyang curragh => settler

Turn 37
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 38
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 39
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 40
Nothing important
(save & quit Note: Ready to hit enter!)

I attach the latest save and two screenshots. One of the world and the same but with three indicators as to future moves/cities.

I hope you have some suggestions as to what to improve. I have the feeling I will have a tough time building settlers without irrigation and the nearest river is 'far away' in my eyes (to the East). Any ideas?

I won't mind playing the first turns differently too. Would give it a go, but right now I have no clue how (apart from that one turn lost to disorder. ).

 

[Spoonwood]

I meant tobacco, my error!

 

[tao]

On emperor, I would have settled earlier, especially on a small world. In this game probably 2NE of the cow to get ocean access. You don't need the silks so early, because your towns are small.

 

[ionize]

@tao I agree with you, that I need settlers faster. I really have to step up my settler production or I will miss the best chances to REX.

I'm thinking about mass expanding due West. Build a big group of cities near the river. But that would mean they are far away from my capital and palace. How do I compensate? With the FP? Or should I jump the palace? How do I do that (best)?

 

[tao]

I took a short look at the 2150bc save. Things I noticed:
You need irrigation for the cow bringing it in from the West. Thus it was an error to mine fields you soon want to irrigate. The BG needed a mine first.
You don't need to explore the coast line with warrior, if you (correctly) send curraghs.
You will need lots more settlers. Hopefully you will meet someone selling you pottery for graneries; I would have researched it. A granary instead of the barracks would have been more useful, especially as you can't build archers yet.

 

[bigFRANK]

Pump out more settlers if you can, try to force a stop line across the mountains so you can keep the river/forrests and luxuries to the north.

 

[ionize]

I've played a couple more turns.
- I established contact with all my rivals.
- I finally got access to water. I had to chop jungle and build a city close to the river, but I can now start irrigating my core. (I need a better government though.)
- I was beaten to Phil by the Inca. Ever since then I research at 10% and trade as good as I can (though I accidentally gifted Maths to China... ).
- I formed a artificial border in the South using archers and warriors.

Here is a turn-log

Spoiler :

(load game)
Rival check:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byzantines(despotism), 3 cities, peace, average to +WC +CB
------------------------------------------------------------------------

IBT
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Turn 41
Send worker to road towards river and prepare irrigation.

IBT
Byzantines want us out, we apologize.

Turn 42
Walk further through Byzantine territory.

IBT
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Turn 43
Byzantines +Masonry

IBT
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Turn 44
Nothing important

IBT
Byzantines want us out. We cave.
Seoul barracks => settler

Turn 45
Adjust sliders, Writing in 3 -1gpt

IBT
zzz

Turn 46
Nothing important

IBT
P'yongyang settler => spearman

Turn 47
MM citizen
Adjust sliders, Writing in 1 +2gpt

IBT
Writing => CoL

Turn 48
Found Wonsan => warrior
Adjust sliders, CoL in 23 +0gpt
Spot pink borders, no contact.

IBT
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Turn 49
Nothing important

IBT
Byzantines want us out, we apologize.
Seoul settler => warrior

Turn 50
Contact with China.
Trade Alphabet for Pottery, WC +1gp with China.
Trade Pottery for Masonry +10gp with Byzantines.
Change builds to granaries.
Rival check:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byzantines (despotism), 4 cities, peace, weak to +CB -Writing
China (despotism), 4 cities, peace, weak to +The Wheel +CB +IW
-Writing
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(save)

IBT
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Turn 51
Nothing important

IBT
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Turn 52
Re-change builds to warrior and spearman. No need for granaries at the moment.

IBT
Wonsan warrior => worker

Turn 53
Found Pusan near the river to start irrigation network.
Pusan => warrior

IBT
Seoul warrior => archer
P'yongyang spearman => worker

Turn 54
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 55
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 56
Nothing important

IBT
P'yongyang worker => granary

Turn 57
Our territory is walled of with warriors and a city.

IBT
Seoul archer => settler
MM citizen to time settler and extra gpt
Wonsan worker => warrior

Turn 58
Nothing important.

IBT
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Turn 59
Spot another island/continent. Want to suicide curragh through 3 tiles.

IBT
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Turn 60
Spot bright pink borders with suicide curragh. No contact.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byzantines (despotism), 6 cities, peace, average to +The Wheel +CB
+IW -Writing
China (despotism), 6 cities, peace, average to +The Wheel +CB +IW
-Writing
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(save)

IBT
China wants us out, we apologize.
Cultural expansion at Seoul.

Turn 61
Nothing important.

IBT
zzz

Turn 62
Contact with Inca.

IBT
Inca want us out, we apologize.
Wonsan warrior => worker
Pusan warrior => worker

Turn 63
See brown borders, no contact.

IBT
Seoul settler => archer

Turn 64
Adjust sliders, CoL in 16 +0gpt
Contact Russia
Decide to trade writing.
Trade Writing for IW +The Wheel +9gp to China
Trade Writing for CB to Byzantines
Trade IW for Mysticism to Inca

IBT
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Turn 65
We have iron and horses close to the South.

IBT
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Turn 66
Found Namp'o near ivory.
Nanp'o => barracks

IBT
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Turn 67
Nothing important

IBT
Wonsan worker => warrior

Turn 68
Just realized, we already got horses connected.
Hurry granary in P'yongyang

IBT
P'yongyang granary => warrior

Turn 69
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 70
Nothing important
Rival check:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byzantines (despotism), 7 cities, peace, average to
Russia (despotism), 7 cities, peace, weak to, +Math +MM +HBR
Inca (despotism), 7 cities, peace, average to, +Math +MM +HBR
China (despotism), 7 cities, peace, average to +HBR
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(save)

IBT
Seoul archer => settler

Turn 71
Adjust sliders, CoL in 1 +8gpt

IBT
CoL => Phil

Turn 72
Adjust sliders Phil in 12 -2gpt
No! Inca beat us to Phil... *drop*
Re-adjust sliders to 10% science +9gpt
Trade CoL for HBR to China
Trade CoL +1gpt +15gp for Mathematics with Russia.
Change builds in 3 cities to catapults.

IBT
Inca want us out, we apologize
Pusan worker => worker

Turn 73
Nothing important

IBT
zzz

Turn 74
Nothing important

IBT
Wealthiest nations #2, #1 Inca #3Russians

Turn 75
Nothing important

IBT
Byzantines demand HBR, I tell her no. Nothing happens.
Namp'o catapult => barracks
Constantinople finishes The Colossus

Turn 76
Accidentaly gift Math to China...
Trade Math for MM with Byzantines

IBT
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Turn 77
Nothing important

IBT
Byzantine spearman enters our territory, but on retreat. Idc.
Seoul settler => horseman
P'yongyang catapult => settler
Wonsan catapult => settler

Turn 78
Nothing important

IBT
Madrid finishes The Oracle.

Turn 79
Contact with Spain.

IBT
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Turn 80
Irrigation network started.
Found Cheju => worker
Rival check:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Byzantines (despotism), 8 cities, peace, average to, -CoL -HBR
Russia (despotism), 7 cities, peace, average to, +Phil +Construction
Spain (despotism), 5 cities, peace, average to, +Construction -MM
Inca (despotism), 8 cities, peace, average to, +Phil +Construction
China (despotism), 8 cities, peace, weak to
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(save & quit)

Where do I go from here?
I will start getting irrigation to my capital. I want to irrigate every grassland without bonus to gain more food once I changed to The Republic/Monarchy.

Which leads to the question what I switch to. I was thinking Republic, as it is a strong government. But then again I want to wage some wars in the far future (after REX) and I have no clue how hard war weariness is on Emperor difficulty. Any advice?

 

[del62]

You suffered from trading writing too early.

 

[bigFRANK]

Republic looking at that map, your going to want a war with Byzantines soon to stop them growing bigger than you and pushing you off the map (I would still push your settlers out and build whilst you have space first though). Connect that iron up soon and get producing swords when you can, a fairly short war should reduce the Byzantines to owning just land to the west of the continent that you will own, war weariness should only be a problem if you let the war go on past 10 turns or take a heavy beating.