Rat 24 - AWE Training Game

[Greebley]

There are a few build completions I always zoom to city for. Aquaducts - because the city might be at zero growth and workers and settlers because everything is reassigned. Otherwise, I don't check the MM quite as often as gmaHarriot, especially in a game that will clearly be a win - I do try to check early, mid, late (and skip early if playing after a good MMer).

As the difficulty goes up, more frequent MM becomes more important of course. For these ending turns, I would mostly concentrate on military.

Note that there may be some kind of rush from the enemy, but I think the Sumerians have been at war with the Ottomans so have used up many units and it won't be huge. Not sure on Greece, but I think northern expansion first makes sense.

 

[Ansar]

There are a few build completions I always zoom to city for. Aquaducts - because the city might be at zero growth and workers and settlers because everything is reassigned. Otherwise, I don't check the MM quite as often as gmaHarriot, especially in a game that will clearly be a win - I do try to check early, mid, late (and skip early if playing after a good MMer).

Ok. I did notice what Gmaharriet said about Scientist Farms tiles changing to the shield tiles.

As the difficulty goes up, more frequent MM becomes more important of course. For these ending turns, I would mostly concentrate on military.

This is the mentality that I am using.

Note that there may be some kind of rush from the enemy, but I think the Sumerians have been at war with the Ottomans so have used up many units and it won't be huge. Not sure on Greece, but I think northern expansion first makes sense.

The Sumerians sent a SOD of about 15 units full of MDI, Swords, and Longbows.

Cavalry Armies took nice care of them.

I'll have my turns finished by the end of the day. I have to clean the garage!

 

[Greebley]

For those trainees who don't get a chance to play the initial invasion, I am going to include a save from just after taking the first town. I encourage you to play it out if you haven't tried an invasion of another continent. This is an easy (and fun) invasion - usually resistance is higher.

Note that the difficulty of an AWE game is very dependent on the shape of the land. With our initial land behind a choke and with us being able to seperate the English, this is one of the nicer AWE starts and made it a fairly easy game. Thus the invasion is happening early with us being really strong in tech and the AI's still at war. This is what makes the invasion of the other continent fairly easy.

 

[Ansar]

save

Pre-Turn
Everything looks good.
Place a Musket and Cannon outside Kutallu.

IBT
Ansar's Shop Worker -> Worker.
Nevertheless Cavalry -> Cavalry.
Beijing Cavalry -> Cavalry.
Chondote Harbor -> Galleon.
AARGH!! Kutallu desposes us!
Akwesanse Worker -> Worker.
Gortyn (Greek) is settled down south in the little tundra isle.

1. 1210 AD
Settle Ratagahe.
Capture Uskudar (serious flip risk, though!)
Re-capture Kathulla - I believe we can keep it.
Kill a bunch of Sumerian units - it is so nice when they all have less than 3 defense.

IBT
York University -> Cavalry.
Shanghai Harbor -> Cavalry.
Rat Falls Worker -> Worker.
Greebley River Cavalry -> Cavalry.
Gap Filler Cavalry -> Cavalry.

2. 1220 AD
We score another army!
Kill units on the Sumerian front. Armies will be ready next turn to attack.

IBT
Othniel's Iron Fist Cavalry -> Cavalry.
Oka Cavalry -> Cavalry.
Greebley Heights Musketman -> Musketman.

3. 1230 AD
Armies are ready to go play on all directions!
Settle Gmawauga.

IBT
Electricity -> Replaceable Parts (5 turns at 70% science).
Salamanca Cavalry -> Cavalry.
Rat Falls Worker -> Worker.
Caughnawa Cavalry -> Cavalry.

4. 1240 AD
Capture Kua. 10 resistors!
Cav Army standing on Sumerian Saltpeter. Hopefully it's their only source.
Capture Kuara too - it is so nice having lots of armies .

IBT
London Cavalry -> Cavalry.
Overseer's Chunk Musketman -> Musketman.
Sealant Cavalry -> Cavalry.
Peninsula Temple -> Courthouse.

5. 1250 AD
Capture Troy.
Capture Akshak - 12 resistors faint: !).
MM - Probably didn't do it right, though.


Light Blue Arrows - Sumerian Path.
Green Arrow - Greek Path.
Pink Arrows - Paths we should take.
The army in Kua will heal in the IBT.


Pink Arrows - Attack paths we should take.
We weren't able to take Phocaea because Hoplites survived Cavalry.

We are beginning our dive into the Sumerian Core. Armies seem to be doing a great job!

I still can't figure out where the Greek core is - SE of Phocaea or where the Greek units are coming from?? If from where the Greek units are coming from, then is the second picture just a peninsula we haven't realized yet?

 

[ThERat]

Looking good really. Be careful about all those potential flips and the armies that would go with it.

How much land % do we have by now? I am not sure whether infrantry will still play a big part in this game. I see the save posted, that measn the game now goes to Othniel once he is back from his trip

 

[ThERat]

The Roster:
Greebley
ansar - just played
Othniel - away till Sep 5th and up
ThERat
TheOverseer714
gmaharriet -

 

[Othniel]

I'm back and have a "got it" on the save.

Good progress!

As needed, I'll plan on shipping over settlers to the Sumerian landmass and finish off the domination win.

Anyone know how far we are from the tile domination limit? (I can't look at the save yet...)

 

[Ansar]

As needed, I'll plan on shipping over settlers to the Sumerian landmass and finish off the domination win.

I just made units and shipped them. Not sure if that was the right thing to do, though.

Anyone know how far we are from the tile domination limit? (I can't look at the save yet...)

I think we were at about 49-50% with area and we're above the 66% pop.

 

[Othniel]

I just made units and shipped them. Not sure if that was the right thing to do, though.

If we're kicking the AI militarily, that's definitely the thing to do in a domination win.

Sounds good on the 50% tile status. I definitely hope to wrap this thing tonight...

 

[Othniel]

Turnset is done...AND THE GAME IS OVER!! . The good guys win!
Summary:
-We win

Using the fine military machine built by my predecessors , I wiped out a bunch more Sumerian and Greek cities. I also cash-rushed 35+ settlers to fill in all the empty space...

Final Stats:
- Domination Victory in 1300AD
- Land area: 67%
- Population: 83%
- Firaxis score of 6402

In case anyone is interested...
<<Here's>> the final pre-win save
<<Here's>> the turn-after save

Turnlog:

Spoiler :

Preflight Check:
We are at 46% land area, 70% pop. Notice there are a few open tiles on our starting continent that can be filled in with settlers for the dom limit.

Research on Replaceable Parts due in 4 turns, I plan on turning off research after that.

Change many corrupt city builds to settlers, as that is the only thing they can really contribute to get more tiles.
Sell all self-built barracks for cash since Sun Tzu's is giving us free ones. Sell all starting continent self-built walls also.
Use most of the cash to rush many settlers

This game is completely in wrap-up mode. MM a few cities but largely I feel MM a little irrelevant now.

Move around some troops. We really have way too many musketmen when we should have cavalry, but oh well.

Notes on Resistor Suppression / Flip Risk:
I noticed that many of the newly captured cities had resistors, and moreover that we were garrisoning those cities with many troops.

Typically, the best way to deal with suppressors is to do this:
1. On the turn that the city is captured, put as many units in as possible to suppress resistors. This turn is flip-risk free.
2. After the first turn, garrison that city only with some garbage unit like a warrior (unless the city faces immediate counter-attack)
3. Leave all other possible garrison units outside the city to retake it if/when it flips
4. Build settlers/workers from city and rush when possible

We currently have too many troops in flip-risk cities--we could lose those troops to a flip unless we move them out. Also, most newly captured cities were building units. Instead, they should be used to build settlers/workers to reduce the population.

Ok, I hit enter...

IBT
Some enemy units move around...


Turn 1 --> 1255
We make 26 settlers this turn.

Take Phocaea with the loss of 1 vet cav
Attack Der with the cav armies and raze it ( I don't want to deal with the flip risk...)

MM workers by grouping them into proper railing groups: Either 6 native workers or 12 slaves can make a rail in 1 turn pre-RP.
MM ship-chain to move units quickly to other landmass


IBT
Lose Miletos to a flip


Turn 2 --> 1260
Capture Rhodes
Recapture Miletos. Greeks have 1 city left on this end of the landmass

Capture Agade (kept for military advancement purposes...)

MM more workers and mess with the ship chain. I plan on bringing over workers next to make RR on the new landmass.

Current land % of 53%.


IBT
zzzz


Turn 3 --> 1265
Capture Istanbul

Move around stuff

IBT
zzz


Turn 4 --> 1270
Research RP --> set research to 0% and turn all scientists to taxmen. We're currently making +714gpt

Capture Helicarnassus and grab Furs


IBT
Kuara flips
Agade is captured by the Greeks...
Spain lands troops on our main continent


Turn 5 --> 1275
Recaptured Agade
Capture and raze Kish
Kill Spanish invaders

Move units...

Up to 55% of world land area. Hopefully much more to come as more units move into proper position and rails are built


IBT
Spanish caravel suicides on one of our galleons
Greeks complete J Bachs
Sumerians cascade to Magellans...right in a city we're about to capture...


Turn 6 --> 1280
Capture Zaballam

Settle some spots. Build a rail network close to the front in Sumeria

Move units...


IBT
Greeks have cavs and they're moving them around. We have Infantry...


Turn 7 --> 1285
Capture Kissura and lose only 1 cav...to a pre-redlined Enkidu. Our artillery did a good job and we capture Magellans!
Capture Kutha after a long, arduous fight due to poor RNG luck
Capture Bad-tibira

We've finally hit the magic 60% land area...


IBT
Zabalam flips. No units inside..


Turn 8 --> 1290
Raze Lagash
Raze Zaballam
Capture Marad

Cash-rush settlers for a last land grab

End the turn with land % of 63%


IBT
Greeks move around some troops, land 1 invander on home continent


Turn 9 --> 1295
Capture Umma
Kill 7 muskets in Ur and raze it!

Bring up the many rushed settlers and grab land. End the turn with 67% of the land!!!


Turn 10 --> 1300

ENJOY THE VICTORY SCREEN...

Some final screenshots:

 

[Othniel]

Thank you to all the team for a fine effort!

...And a special thanks to our trainers, ThERat and Greebley for putting together the game and patiently teaching good strategy and game mechanics.

 

[Bucephalus]

Nicely done, guys.

 

[Ansar]

Sweet! Great job Othniel and the rest!

Also, special thanks to ThERat and Greebley for hosting the game.

 

[gmaharriet]

Nice finish, Othniel. 35 settlers? I'll have to remember that.

@ThERat and Greebley...Thank you so very much for the detailed turnlogs, explaining your reasons WHY and much general theory, and your patience in answering questions. This was the opportunity of a lifetime to learn about AW, and much of it will be useful in other types of games as well. You've been very generous with both your time and knowledge.

It's been a wonderful and fun team to play with!!!

 

[Aabraxan]

lurker's comment: Well done, one and all! In spite of not having time to play in the game, I learned a lot by lurking. My thanks to ThERat and Greebley.

 

[ThERat]

great finish In fact this game was almost too smooth a ride or was it just that the team was too good?

 

[Ansar]

Combination of both, of course. We can't take ALL of the credit.

Should we have another one? Maybe a small continents game or...dare I say it...pangaea eek: )?

 

[TheOverseer714]

Well-played everyone! This was an excellent game, couldn't have had a better team or better trainers. I enjoyed learning the mechanics of AW, and it makes me less fearful of the AI dogpile (in a solo game, I usually quit when everyone allies against me).

Pangaea sounds a little tougher, but if it's a small world, that only means 7 opponents. Sounds fun! Who should we play as? I haven't played as Persia in a while. The Zulu are fun but their city names are tongue twisters. I wouldn't mind playing with korea's whatchamallits, lethal artillery sounds fun.

 

[Greebley]

Well played all! Made it look easy

I wouldn't mind trying another if there is interest. I like AWE.

 

[Tad Empire_0_o]

why not try The Hittites almost nobody plays them maybe it would be a good Idea