Primitive Conquest Challenge

[Peaster]

I've generated a decent-looking starting save. Actually, I made 5 and picked the best one, the only one with two settlers. It's a large random map (which has not been checked out in any way), Warlord level, 7 civs, restless tribes, bloodlust/no restarts. We are the Greeks and have alphabet, bronze and war-code (uggh... already not far from Feud...). There are 9 visible grass tiles and two whales.

I didn't really like Magic's suggestion at first, about reloading any hut-pops that resulted in Feudalism. But if we start with WC, it's not a bad idea. Otherwise, we really cannot pop huts at all. Or, I can try for another start that doesn't include WC; then we can pop freely for a while. Opinions?

 

[Banach]

I've generated a decent-looking starting save. Actually, I made 5 and picked the best one, the only one with two settlers. It's a large random map (which has not been checked out in any way), Warlord level, 7 civs, restless tribes, bloodlust/no restarts. We are the Greeks and have alphabet, bronze and war-code (uggh... already not far from Feud...). There are 9 visible grass tiles and two whales.

I didn't really like Magic's suggestion at first, about reloading any hut-pops that resulted in Feudalism. But if we start with WC, it's not a bad idea. Otherwise, we really cannot pop huts at all. Or, I can try for another start that doesn't include WC; then we can pop freely for a while. Opinions?

I think we either have to disallow hut-popping or allow reloads to kill feudalism - much like EL comparisons or OCC. I suppose that if we want to continue in the spirit of EL comparison (my passion), we should diallow hut-popping. I'm in for the save you've listed - sounds as good to me as any other. I'm starting to get an idea for a strategy to go with, even though I'm not an EC player by any stretch. It'll be fun, atleast.

 

[Magic_gorter]

The save is ok to me. I also have some ideas for a good strategy, but will practice a little this evening to be sure it will work. Peaster I let you decide which rules you want. So it's you're call to decide hut popping will be allowed. Im very happy that I can join in a comparison game. You'll never know....mayby we will discover an whole new strategy of winning the game.

 

[Peaster]

The game is ON! I started a new thread in this same forum and posted the save there. So, anyone on holiday (Happy Thanksgiving!) can get started. My only definite strategic advice is GROW, but I'm pretty sure that heavy Trading is also a good idea.

 

[Magic_gorter]

Tried yesterday on chieftain level a practice game and did succeed in destroying all capitals around 1500bc with nothing more then warriors. Did not end the game, but that wouldn't be a problem.
Will try same tactic with the comparisongame. As soon as I have time I will play the game. I hope I can succeed again.

 

[Peaster]

Very good, Magic! I don't think you'll have any special problems moving from chieftain to warlord. Do you want to post a brief log, or describe your strategy ?

 

[Magic_gorter]

Peaster I did not make a log, cause I was just trying. I played on normal map so playing on large map might be a little different. My strategy was:

- building lots of cities in the beginning (ICS) till discovery of trade, map making and writing;
- quick discovery of monarchy (60-70% science) and chosing Monarchy as government type;
- build marco polo with 4 caravans, and after discovery of writing max taxes (70%). I don't need any techs and if AI has Feudalism it probably has more not discovered techs so when capturing a city I can avoid feudalism by chosing an other tech;
- building 6 (6 because there were 6 ai-civs) groups of units. Every group did contain 3 settlers, 1 caravan and 2 triremes. Each group went to an AI-capital;
- build cities near or in city-area of AI-capitol and moving trireme in city for protection. First to build in cities near AI-capitol were baracks (rushbuy (not from scratch, but next turn to save a little money)). After that those cities only produced warriors. The caravan was delivered to one of the AI-cities for nice revenue.
- when I had about 20 veteran warriors I placed them next to capitol and attacked it the next turn. I lost only a few warriors...even with an AI-capitol on a river;

Destroying the other cities with the warriors or bribing it with a diplomat was easy after that. I managed to destroy 3 civ's before I had enough of the game (restarts allowed was on by accident).

Cause all caravandeliveries I discovered democracy around 1500bc and build statue of liberty so I could change to fundy.

I know that I reached first civ around 2100 bc and the last around 1800bc and it took a few turns to build a huge army of warriors.

Only thing I'm not sure of is what to build in the cities on the starting island. I let them all build caravans to build wonders...perhaps great wall is good option, but mayby building marketplaces for more money is also good (however money was not really a problem in this game).

Don't know if it will work on the higher levels (happy citizens might be a problem or better defensive units). We will see after a few comparisongames.

 

[Peaster]

Magic: Good description! I like that much better than a turn-by-turn log anyway. I agree with most of your ideas and have been playing something like that myself. I'm starting to think that Marco's is not so urgent, because I don't like to give/trade techs with the AI in these games. It's still good for maps and the other AI-info.

I don't have any real system for approaching the AI's - I just send settlers in, and make barracks asap. I usually send in a dip to check on barracks, production and the food box (I may decide on a seige or sabotage). Compared to normal EC games, the AI seems unusually passive about allowing all this. I guess that may change at higher levels.

Homeland cities are a problem for me too. I use them for boats, trade vans, Wonders, vet warriors and to export more ICS settlers and I don't RB/IRB in them as much. Transporting hordes of vet warriors over long distances does seem inefficient. But I put them in any boats not full of vans, and maybe 30-40% of my army comes from home. Also, I don't have major problems with support this way ... how do you manage to support 20 warriors from only two cities ?

Glad to hear the river wasn't a big problem. I lost about 8-10 horsemen to a river city a couple games ago, so I thought this might be a huge problem for warriors.

I've started the comaprison game, but I don't think any of this post is spoiler info.

 

[Magic_gorter]

Peaster I had 3 settlers on the triremes so I build 3 cities near the capital. I tried to build it near a forest or other great shield tile. On monarchy every city has this way 3 shield for support. This means 6 warriors for every city (3 non-supported units). When the city grows to size two I had in the most cases an extra shield for support....and allowed me to build the last warriors.

I hope in the comparisongame all will go as easy as in this game and the losses are not to big. Í already started the game and has landed near most of the ai-civs. When finished I post my log. I also try to write down the losses in my log I have when attacking the capitals.