RoM Challenge - The True Cultural Revolution

[JaeChunDaeSung]

I'd been meaning to attempt a playthrough, so here goes nothing...

Map: RoM Full of Resources
Speed: Epic
Size: Standard

Mods: AND, HAND, Clash, Shinto&Shamanism

Challenge: Cultural Victory

Ever figured the pretense of Mao's "Cultural Revolution" was not what it sounded? I figured to put this to the test with RoM and as Mao, lead China to a Cultural Victory.

To focus as best as possible on this goal, I will best avoid war, remain diplomatically neutral in foreign affairs as best as possible, and try to found religions as I see fit.

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

It all began with a leader of a tribe who felt inspired to lead his people with a grand plan of having them and future generations to become a society, even a civilization of infamy, to be remembered by all.

He compelled them to found their first city where he gathered them, by virtue of their access to bountiful potatoes, though he knew it would take more than those to start an everlasting empire of his machinations...

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

The tribe's first warrior inspired by the leader's words, explored to the east, to come across nearly impassable mountains, and headed north, to encounter an isolated tribal village, and to the north of it, a hostile barbarian city.

Upon entry of the village, the warrior explained his leader's ambitions, which compelled the village elder to share the knowledge of exploitative measures to control others (discovered Slavery), but found that being cut off by a lake, two mountains, and the sea meant going around them to approach the barbarian city.

Though the leader gained the knowledge of how to impose slavery, he felt it was not to the benefit of his people...at least yet.

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

Teaching his tribe the martial art of archery, the leader had faith that his masterful skills would pass down to future generations, and so two tribesmen, a warrior and scout set out southwards and westwards respectively to survey the surrounding land.

To the west was yet another barbarian's city, precariously close, so the leader asserted that their defeat was for the sake of his peoples' survival.

(Though not seen here, 4 tiles to the east of the first barb city was ANOTHER.)

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

To the south of Beijing, the scout encountered a peaceful tribal village. Explaining his leader's cause, the village elders offered the leader knowledge of woodworking (discovered Woodworking).

The leader claimed that success in encounters with lesser tribal villages was indicative proof that his cause was correct, further compelling his people to prosper, already expanding into a city.

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

Though the barbarians to the east were wiped out, the western barbarians of Tartar nearly stood in the way of the leader's efforts.

Swearing vengeance for the warrior who fell to the western heathens, a stronger warrior was sent to slay them with extreme prejudice. With their destruction, it left an impression on the leader, who now knew that barbarians of no honor or culture were not to be shown any mercy, for any man who chose to be savage as lesser beasts was not befitting of the vast potential he saw in other men.

The discovery of marble, however, served to relieve the burden on his heart, and was determined to procure it.

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

One part of the plan is to slingshot to the Oracle.

Since I noticed that if a civ has two cities and founds a religion, it is founded in the second city, so I can focus on the Oracle if I plot the second city close enough to the marble to build quick enough and be ready to potentially slingshot to Machinery, though I've only managed 2/3 of the time in other plays.

Woodworking + Bronze Working = Carpentry

Trade + Writing + Priesthood + Bronze Working = Monarchy

Iron Working (from Monarchy) + Mathematics (from Writing) + Carpentry = Siege Warfare.

So if I manage to research Siege Warfare just shortly before finishing the Oracle, I can slingshot to Machinery to start building Watermills and Lumbermills. Any thoughts or comments are welcome.

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

To the northwest, yet another barbarian city stood. With two warriors having fallen to them, the leader yet again swore revenge, which further infuriated him and set forth his future methods in dealing with barbarians.

Clashes on the frontiers led to a general to rise up and lead another brave warrior, spear in hand, to slay the approaching heathens. In hubris, he set forth northwest and razed their city to the ground, taking a laboring peasant as spoils.

With the third expansion of Beijing's borders, I now have access to marble. To the north (on the bottom right of this screenshot) lies a copper deposit, and to the right of it (unseen) is a river, which would make this a good second city and potential first holy city.

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

Encouraging a number of his people to settle north at the mouth of the river, the leader had taken the second step in his plan.

The city of Shanghai was thus allowing his tribe to flourish and prosper. To give the second city purpose, he ordered the construction of a temple, which if completed, he would pay a visit to share with his people a discovery he was close to making, so long as he was undisturbed...

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

"Success!" The leader declared, making his way to Shanghai to the recently constructed temple of the Oracle as promised.

Arriving at the temple, he gave shared his knowledge of a technological discovery he personally undertook, choosing to use the ceremony at the Oracle as a glorious opportunity and spectacle to appease the people.

Having innovated what could be best described as early machinery, he explained his discovery to his people that like the cogs in a machine, like steps in a plan, the people will serve each other and him for the greater purpose of creating a civilization to be remembered for eternity.

Thus, he gave the Chinese people the knowledge and technological applications of machinery, to serve in the greater interests of the people and himself.

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

The leader's gift to his people was only the beginning for this fledgling civilization.

Eventually, a wiseman in Shanghai established a creed that became popularly accepted as a way of life which seemed to reflect the hierarchical society the leader was preaching.

In response to this, the leader saw to the expansion of cities further along the coast. With that, he saw to it that legends of their ancestors became widely accepted truth (building Storyteller Huts), and to ensure further stability, proclaimed himself a king (adopted Monarchy). With this turn of events, he used the newly spread religion in his capital by proclaiming that he was equal to whatever divine power existed in the heavens, and became Qítiān Dàshèng (my name here is the Korean transliteration of this name) (Chinese for Great Sage, Equal of Heaven). (Adopted Prophets)

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

489 B.C. - An immense monument built in the likeness of the Great Sage to serve as a memorial to his contributions. Built the Colussus in Shanghai

384 B.C. - An engineer inspired by his majesty the Great Sage erects a pyramid monument in his sovereign's honor. Built the Pyramids in Beijing

Encased are tombs for subsequent generations of the royal family and prominent figures who contributed to his empire's master plans.

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

To the east, barbarians (to the surprise of the Great Sage) managed to organize as a city-state, but his majesty knew already that no matter what attempts at sophistication they will try, barbarians will be barbarians, sending a willing army to crush them before they become any more of a nuisance than they already are. Barbarians form the city state of Austria

Meanwhile, in the eastern city of Xian, a new faith, centered around the pantheon of heavenly gods said to have inspired the Great Sage is founded.
Shinto is founded in Xian

 

[CivEikka]

Will this continue?

 

[JaeChunDaeSung]

I've been delayed. I need to reinstall RoM after a technical error, and since it has to be done in specific order, I just gotta be sure I put in every mod I had in the first place. I saved multiple times too because it got super ugly when Austria become a full fledged civ, declared war right away.