S-04 HC's worst nightmare

[sooooo]

I played 10 turns this round. For most of it I was in a golden age - thanks!

I set research on Sci Meth. The only remaining pre-req for communism, which should be god-like on this map. Whip harbour (Tlat), Theatre (Pamplona), Uni (Tiwanaku). Trade for nationalism from Louis for RP (he's the only AI that lacks this tech).

On turn 1 the french captured Brighton, turn 2 they got Dover. Turn 4, whip grocer in Tlat to let us hire some more merchants. Turn 5 Louis finally gets the balls to ask us this:



Sure Louis, we'll do that for you .

I use our scientist to build an academy in Moscow, which has a base commerce of 75. Kublai has enough on his hands, I shuffle nervously in my seat.

Turn 7, all is hunky dorey because Kublai declared on Vicky. We are immediately up to cautious, so I open borders with him and trade our spare corn for his silk.

On the way to Nottingham (Colossus city), I kill this stack, losing 2 catapults and a cannon:



Our troops are still healing from this.

Turn 8 Kublai captures Newcastle. But we take Canterbury, lost the screenshot.

I founded a city here:



Obviously I rename it to Cori. It can work the oasis and the coastal tiles, should be an OK city. Better than that city of Canterbury I just took anyway.

On turn 9 I gave chemistry to Louis for Economics and revolted to free market. I have no idea why, because we're going to state property once we get communism . That's 2 turns of anarchy we'll never get back. Beg 820 gold from Louis. Hastings falls to Mongolia.

It's now a 3-way race for who can carve up England fastest. Let it be us!

Think globe theatre should go in Madrid.

Save is here, mike p is up now!

sooooo - Just played
mike p - UP
Qwack - On deck
pindicator
blid

 

[mike p]

OK.

I should be able to play this afternoon after work.

Any ideas on who our next victim should be once Vicky is swept away?

Research wise, Communism sounds like the right goal right now.

 

[mike p]

Change of plans. I won't have time until Sunday, so if anyone wants to swap and can play Saturday, have at it.

 

[pindicator]

Just want to let you guys know that next week is looking pretty full already for me. I might have time to play on Wednesday, but most likely will be full of family obligations until the weekend after the holiday.

 

[mike p]

Vicky is nearly done. She's down to one city and one or two units. We wouldn't have been able to take either of her cities out since the Mongol Knights and French Musketeers were able to get into position quicker, so I made peace with her for Music.

Communism is done. We should revolt now, but may want to make some trades first. If we decide to pick up Constitution from someone, then we can also switch to Representation at the same time, if desired.

1628AD Trade Cows to Loius for 12 gpt.

1631AD Sci Method in, Mongolia captures York so our stack heading that way turns north to London. York had a couple of town I really wanted to take over. (I ended up pillaging them before KK's borders expanded after the war with England was over.)

1634AD I start Oxford Uni in Cuzco. We popped a Copper in Novgorod and I captured Nottingham and the Colussus, Hagia Sophia and Taj Mahal.

1637AD After looking around a bit, I start the Ironworks in Moscow. I started building watermills there in anticipation of State Property. It was our third highest production city when I started the Ironworks, but the first was Heroic Epic city and the second was Cuzco, which is getting the Bureaucratic bonus but it may be time to drop that civic too.

1643 We take London.

1649 I want to start shifting some troops to the Eastern border with Mongolia (the former Aztec lands). I'm pretty sure he's coming after us next.

1652 Great Scientist is born in Tlatleco. We should probably use him to lightbulb Astronomy - which will get us about 3/4 of the beakers needed. Astronomy can be traded without helping the AI too much on this map, and opens up Observatories, though we would lose the commerce bonus from the Colussus. He's still in Tlatleco for now until we decide what to do with him.

I also make with with Vicky this turn for Music.

1655 Communism done, Liverpool captured by Mongolia, Vicky is down to one city and probably two units. KK will be looking for another victim soon!

On the diplomacy front, we can get a Defensive Pact with Hatty if we desire.

On the civics front, State Property is a no brainer, we may want to stay in Hereditary Rule for the diplo modifiers, but it's probably time to dump Bureaucracy. We're getting 37 bonus commerce in the capital, but have 10 towns I found, possibly one or two more, so free speech will provide at least 20 additional commerce, and we have a number of villages that will mature into town over the next 30 turns. With lower upkeep, it's basically a break even now, and we get double culture everywhere instead of 6 bonus hammers in the capital. Or we could go to Nationhood and start drafting as well.

Techwise, I'm not sure what to research next. We have no beakers invested.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/56599/HC_s_worst_nightmare_AD-1655.Civ4SavedGame

 

[blid]

Many choices here on the research front. Biology is great and so are steam power and railroads. I think I am bit in favour of biology because we would have a head start on population growth. One of the rare domains where AI don't get bonuses on higher levels. We also have a lot of extra happiness

Should we try to build the Kremlin somewhere. Maybe St-Petersburg ?

I think Mongolian lands are not enough to get domination. We only have 30% right now and maybe we'll get 40% once english cities are out of revolt and we get some extra border expansion. We would have to fight Louis.

 

[sooooo]

It would be nice not to have to backstab our friends to win this game, going for a diplo or space win. Any thoughts on this? I think diplo may still be an option, even with Hatty as an opponent. Getting Louis' and Kublai's votes may be possible, and if not we can take Kublai's votes for ourselves. We have handled diplomacy well in this game.

Using the GS for astronomy and going for Physics for another GS looks a solid plan, after that biology and UN techs.

Let's revolt to state property and free speech. I would like to stay in HR for the fav. civic bonuses.

Qwack is up now:

sooooo
mike p
Qwack - UP
pindicator - On Deck
blid

 

[mike p]

I forgot to mention that KK demanded Printing Press from us, but I told him to F**k off. This was while we were both still fighting Vicky, but we have to be at the top of his enemies list. If we wipe him out once he declares, then we just have to make sure that the smaller of Louis and Hatty likes us better and we should have a diplo win without stabbing anyone.

 

[blid]

I've no problem with a peaceful finish. Don't refuse Louis if he asks for help. About Kublai, if he doesen't attack, we can help him by some arrogant demands. Did anyone tried this : annoy AI and wait for him to show "enough on my hand ...", then sign defensive pact with another strong AI, Hatty for instance. Seems as gamey as one can go but wanted to know if it would work or the the AI would just change his mind due to the increase of power

 

[Qwack]

got it, but ill need until thursday.

 

[sooooo]

Woah, I just looked at the save and Kublai is now #2 in pop! His new cities will starve slightly, but he'll also probably capture Coventry. Bee-line the UN!

 

[sooooo]

Qwack, what is your status?

 

[Qwack]

playing in a few hours. I was supposed to play yesterday but got home a bit later then expected (2 AM) so I fell asleep.

 

[Qwack]

Turns complete.

Sooos plan to beeline UN seems to be the way to go. I started off my microing some cities to emphasize food/research while starting to build some research buildings rather then military. Also, instead of researching military tradition, I burned our Great scientist on astronomy and then set research to astronomy en route to physics. I sent spices to kublai for 8 gpt as well.

AStronomy was researched in 1664



A few turns go by while I continue building infrastructure. In 1679 we go from annoyed to cautious with kublai Khan. I pull off this deal automatically to speed up oxford in Cuzco:



Its probably a good idea to cancel that once the 10 turn limit wears off. So anywyas, physics is now 7 turns away. I believe this may be my last turnset as we should have a diplo victory in around 50 turns. Military wise, I have 2 cities building military, we should sign a Defensive pact with loius as soon as he gets military tradition. I think Loius is better because we might lose the +6 religious bonus with him, so we should take care of him more than hatshepsut, who is guaranteed to vote for us as long as we dont piss her off . Our civics are set up nicely so dont change those

Save:

 

[blid]

That crop yield graph of Kublai is amazing. He managed to get good profit from english war even though he was a latecomer.

Signing a defensive pact with Louis would probably set us safe but he may drop it if he goes free religion. Trading for rifling and putting some rifles on the mongolian border won't hurt. We can give Louis steel, since Hatty already knows it

 

[sooooo]

Blid's suggestions look good to me. Pindicator is now up - are you able to take your turns or are you still with the family?

 

[blid]

I see it and should be able to play tomorrow if pindicator doesn't post a got-it before then

 

[pindicator]

Hey, I am going to be busy through Tuesday. I had a cousin drop in from the other side of the country and am stuck playing host until then. But she's cool so it's okay.

 

[sooooo]

OK, take it away Blid. If things are quiet, feel free to go back to 15 turns.

 

[blid]

On IHT, I whipped some cities for 2 pops to accelerate banks or unis and set governor with emphasize stuff. Better that than AI assigning specialists randomly. Microing every city now that we have ... euh 26 cities is above my patience

I made a steel for rifling trade with Louis. Workers are running to chop forests before AI culture grabs them. It's funny when you try to order a worker to go to a tile by scrolling south and he decides he wants to go north. Sure they have better sense of direction than I do

Just to post a shot in my turnset, I got that one. Already seen a 4 pop city generating that much of maintenance costs ? This is insane. I whipped that courthouse a few turns later




We got oxford in capital and now it is dedicated to military

We got physics and I set research on electricity. I did not know what to do with the scientist so just settled him in capital. Golden age needs three of them and we won't have them in time. He can research part of biology but that is a detour from our beeline.

Kublai is now pleased with us. Oh, how kind of him. The more reason to build rifles. Maybe he likes to backstab at pelased more than declaring on cautious. Just for good measure, I cancel the stone deal with him

Notice a bit later that he had some money sleeping. I gave him astronomy and took the money along divine right.

No one is in the mood for war (no enough on my hands rubbish). That's good. A war between Louis and Hatty could ruin our plan

I had three rounds of whipping in my turnset when I would circle all cities and whip when crappy tiles (lot of them on this map) are used and useful building can be rushed for 2-3 pops

We got from -30 at 50% to -14 at 60%. That is something like 100 commerce and even more beakers I think.

Electricity due in 2 turns. A great person is due in Tlateloco soon and we can have an scientist. If it is the case, then me settling the other one was a blunder because with two of them we could have researched a good part of biology and completed it in a couple of turns. Anwway, this should not matter much now

The hardest part of the game now is finding stuff for workers to do (whisper : automate). I already went on a frenetic deforestation program. You know, tundra, desert and ice forests all around just waiting to be chopped. And we have more health than we can use

radio turnset coming