That's what's up folks, it's time for a complete random marathon game, told in story form with screenshots and spoiler tags! It's gonna be a bit scrubby compared to some of the good stories on this forum. :c I just figured out how to make screenshots.
Well... not completely random. The map size is standard. I've tried huge maps on marathon and... well my machine has yet to forgive me.
So here's the rest of our settings...
The other options I have on are no ancient ruins to cut out randomness and luck factors, raging barbarians because everyone loves barbs, and new random seed... I don't plan on relying on it but I always leave that door open, for those awful "predicted damage: 7v3, result: 3v8, I'm dead" moments.
So... let's see who we rolled!
Looks like I'm Oda again...
was looking forward to something different but hopefully the rest of the randomness will make me rethink my strategy. Looks like a good starting location; I love having marble on my capital. 
I'm thinking maybe this is an islands, archipelago or fractal map? Too early to decide though. In the meantime my game plan is to open up the liberty tree with my shiny new monument, and to research mining and chop these woods/tech to the marble.
My first neighbor, a city state. Militaristic and hostile... big meh.
Ruh-oh Raggy, rarbrarians! I like these odds, let's take 'em!
In the early part of a marathon game, there's really not much going on, so barbarians are kind of a big deal. I'll stop boring you guys with the barbs once I find a real enemy to sink my teeth into.
Normally I'd have to heal before launching attack no. 2, but Bushido makes the Japanese unparalleled at one on one (or rather... unit on unit) combat. The poor barbarians are dead before they know what hit 'em, and my warrior Oda gets his drill promotion! (seeing as all my units are going to be upgraded to Samurai at some point, I'm not gonna bother giving them Shock I.)
Looking at the minimap now, I'm leaning toward a fractal map, at least from the description the game gives of it anyway.
Nothing crazy going on here, just beating the tar out of some more barbs. Having Bushido means I can go apesit with the risk-taking, as long as the combat preview says I'll come out with at least 1 hp.
The island is fully explored, as you can see in the minimap. It's definitely pretty tiny... though I don't know how reasonably tiny a starting island is, never having played tiny islands. It could be archipelago... or fractal... I have too little knowledge of what these maps look like to decide. All I know is that I won't be able to rush anyone anytime soon, but the same works in reverse. This could be good or bad, I usually rush my first neighbor as a warmongering civ...
My monument-al investment pays off in due time, and I grab liberty for some expansion, limited as it may be. There's a sweet looking spot not too far east of Kyoto. Normally I'd hesitate to park a city there with all that tundra and un-improvable water, but beggars can't be choosers. My first worker is busy at work on some food improvement, at least til this slow, slow, marathon research completes. My first settler is due to finish around then as well.
I quickly realise that there isn't any good in popping a third city here, as further north of Budapest there is nothing but snow and tundra. I opt for the free worker and the speed boost to tile improvements instead, seeing as I can't steal one from a neighboring Civ.
And the first of the list-bearers arrives in my lowly kingdom! Not so lowly apparently though. Japan is numero uno on the list. c: Too bad I don't even know what that means.
Truefacts: The AI plays to win... by making terrible city placement suggestions for the human players.
/facepalm
Barbarians are notorious for waiting for you to drop to red HP during an attack, and only then un-fortifying to counterattack. The Oda clan is all but lost. T_T So young...
Loljk, BUSHIDO HAPPENS. The Oda clan not only survives the merciless barbarian attack, but cuts them down to the last man!
This wasn't a reload situation either; fighting at full strength no matter what is just straight dope. One Oda survives and will rebuild his clan to fight another day (is that what happens when units 'heal'? O.o).
And with that final victory, the reign of the barbarians is ended. My entire island is visible now, either to me or to Budapest, except for that bit of snowy area up north. But any barb camps coming from up there are Budapest's problem, not mine, unless ofc they offer a quest.
The year is 2490 BC, we're 101 turns in, plenty more ahead! I'm trailing in the scoreboard, but I'll have that fixed soon enough.
Well... not completely random. The map size is standard. I've tried huge maps on marathon and... well my machine has yet to forgive me.
So here's the rest of our settings...
The other options I have on are no ancient ruins to cut out randomness and luck factors, raging barbarians because everyone loves barbs, and new random seed... I don't plan on relying on it but I always leave that door open, for those awful "predicted damage: 7v3, result: 3v8, I'm dead" moments.
So... let's see who we rolled!
Spoiler :
Looks like I'm Oda again...
was looking forward to something different but hopefully the rest of the randomness will make me rethink my strategy. Looks like a good starting location; I love having marble on my capital. Spoiler :
I'm thinking maybe this is an islands, archipelago or fractal map? Too early to decide though. In the meantime my game plan is to open up the liberty tree with my shiny new monument, and to research mining and chop these woods/tech to the marble.
Spoiler :
My first neighbor, a city state. Militaristic and hostile...
big meh.Spoiler :
Ruh-oh Raggy, rarbrarians! I like these odds, let's take 'em!
In the early part of a marathon game, there's really not much going on, so barbarians are kind of a big deal. I'll stop boring you guys with the barbs once I find a real enemy to sink my teeth into. Spoiler :
Normally I'd have to heal before launching attack no. 2, but Bushido makes the Japanese unparalleled at one on one (or rather... unit on unit) combat. The poor barbarians are dead before they know what hit 'em, and my warrior Oda gets his drill promotion! (seeing as all my units are going to be upgraded to Samurai at some point, I'm not gonna bother giving them Shock I.)
Looking at the minimap now, I'm leaning toward a fractal map, at least from the description the game gives of it anyway.
Spoiler :
Nothing crazy going on here, just beating the tar out of some more barbs. Having Bushido means I can go apesit with the risk-taking, as long as the combat preview says I'll come out with at least 1 hp.
The island is fully explored, as you can see in the minimap. It's definitely pretty tiny... though I don't know how reasonably tiny a starting island is, never having played tiny islands. It could be archipelago... or fractal... I have too little knowledge of what these maps look like to decide. All I know is that I won't be able to rush anyone anytime soon, but the same works in reverse. This could be good or bad, I usually rush my first neighbor as a warmongering civ...
Spoiler :
My monument-al investment pays off in due time, and I grab liberty for some expansion, limited as it may be. There's a sweet looking spot not too far east of Kyoto. Normally I'd hesitate to park a city there with all that tundra and un-improvable water, but beggars can't be choosers. My first worker is busy at work on some food improvement, at least til this slow, slow, marathon research completes. My first settler is due to finish around then as well.
Spoiler :
I quickly realise that there isn't any good in popping a third city here, as further north of Budapest there is nothing but snow and tundra. I opt for the free worker and the speed boost to tile improvements instead, seeing as I can't steal one from a neighboring Civ.
And the first of the list-bearers arrives in my lowly kingdom! Not so lowly apparently though. Japan is numero uno on the list. c: Too bad I don't even know what that means.
Spoiler :
Truefacts: The AI plays to win... by making terrible city placement suggestions for the human players.
Spoiler :
/facepalm
Barbarians are notorious for waiting for you to drop to red HP during an attack, and only then un-fortifying to counterattack. The Oda clan is all but lost. T_T So young...
Spoiler :
Loljk, BUSHIDO HAPPENS. The Oda clan not only survives the merciless barbarian attack, but cuts them down to the last man!
This wasn't a reload situation either; fighting at full strength no matter what is just straight dope. One Oda survives and will rebuild his clan to fight another day (is that what happens when units 'heal'? O.o). Spoiler :
And with that final victory, the reign of the barbarians is ended. My entire island is visible now, either to me or to Budapest, except for that bit of snowy area up north. But any barb camps coming from up there are Budapest's problem, not mine, unless ofc they offer a quest.
The year is 2490 BC, we're 101 turns in, plenty more ahead! I'm trailing in the scoreboard, but I'll have that fixed soon enough.
