Save the Mongols

[tR1cKy]

Yes, it does round down. For corruption purposes, it's the same.

But if i settle on the hill, then all the good spots for a RCP appear to be at distance 3.5, with the possible exception of the hill Sx2, unless the nearby hill is an equally good spot. The dye tile Wx2 is promising but i'd rather settler on the tile N of it, unless landlocked, to not waste a possible bonus grassland.

OTOH, if i settle on the dye tile, all the best spots for a RCP appear to be at distance 3.

Luckily, the Genius Settler does not bother to explain that kind of details because they appear evident to him. If they werent, i would be having a hard time fitting all this stuff into the balloon

 

[templar_x]

His settings are for PTW, Deity, so RCP will be important but doesn't RCP round down? So 3 or 3.5 are the same - RCP3.

oh. ptw. i should have read the text more carefully, but i was so focused on the pictures...

t_x

 

[templar_x]

ok, now i had another look on your start. i´d say, clearly dyes. it will take forever otherwise to get the cow worked. and only this way you can share the cow between your capital and 2nd town, and everything else would be a waste of food.

templar_x

 

[tR1cKy]

Actually, i'm inclined to settle on the hill. The usage of the cow would then be delayed only 12 turns (turn 23, as soon as city 2 is founded, instead of turn 11, when cultural expansion takes place). The delay in founding city 2 will be only 6 turns (5 for slower growth + 1 more turn to reach the spot and settle). In the meantime, i could perform all the necessary worker actions, with the road to luxury to be complete the turn after.

What bothers me more in this scenario is the inability to "pass" the cow to the capital. To avoid wasting food, i should put periodically an active tile over the river forest. Moreover, the capital would be bound to grow every 10 turns instead of 8, at least until republic.

The plus? The capital would have one more shield in the beginning, at least one more BG to exploit, a forest to chop, and the sensation that, in the long run, the little amount of extra space available for city growth will pay off.

 

[tR1cKy]

I ended up settling on the hill:

Research is a min run on Writing. The initial build phase is set to be warrior -> barracks -> archer -> settler, with the settler coming just in time for Genius City to reach size 3. City 2 will be founded E-SEx2 from the capital and will hook up the moo immediately.

Worker actions are: road+mine the 2 BG, road+irrigate the moo, road the forest dye near the capital. Dyes will be connected just in time.

The initial warrior is exploring around. The 2nd one is giving a peek east, then will come back to the capital for MP duty until the settler is complete.

Meanwhile...

Unfortunately for our warriors, the capital is a genius city, created from a genius settler, therefore it's perfectly able to speak and also to abuse its troops

~~~~~ to be continued ~~~~~

 

[templar_x]

an ultra-early rax on a small starting island? that is a surprising approach. if you fear barbs (are they on?) why not rather build an archer? i would not expect much trouble with barbs on that small island anyway.

t_x

 

[tR1cKy]

...
The initial build phase is set to be warrior -> barracks -> archer -> settler...

Barbs are there, of course, at restless level. Although there are no huts in my surroundings, a barb camp can always pop un in an unguarded square.

Meanwhile...

A few turns later, at 3000 BC, we're almost done with exploration, at least until boats come in:

In our genius capital, our genius denizens are discussing about the future of our civilization...

...and also engaging in some extracurricular activity...

...whose importance is not to be underestimated...

~~~~~ to be continued ~~~~~

 

[templar_x]

even Temujin or I could read that you planned to build an archer in that build queue. however, i meant to build an archer INSTEAD OF the rax. the rax will train units you will hardly be able to use later, and for their use now they neither need the experience nor do you want the costs.

t_x

 

[tR1cKy]

...
however, i meant to build an archer INSTEAD OF the rax. the rax will train units you will hardly be able to use later, and for their use now they neither need the experience nor do you want the costs.

t_x

Understood, but i beg to differ. I don't see why i should be "hardly able to use later" those veteran units i'm training now. Actually, my past experience suggests me the opposite, that is they will come to good use as soon as there's some enemy to kill, and by the time i'll be able to get off that island i expect to see much of the mainland already colonized (if not all of it).

Moreover, the bonus against barbs is zero. If a camp shows up, i'd rather fight them off with veterans instead of regulars.

All this for 20 shields, that is the cost of a single archer per town. Quite a bargain, IMO.

And finally, i don't have much else to build Moo city and fish city will get granaries, the rest will get barracks. Later on, somebody will enjoy the benefits of a marketplace. Capital will probably turn into the FP city with the help of a leader. Besides that, it's only veterans in big numbers.


EDIT: for some reason, i interpreted the RAX as "rapid early military buildup" when the X actually stands for expansion - too much lack of sleep, i suppose

Anyway, the most of what i've written still stands. I consider paramount to build at least a core of productive, uncorrupted cities, and i see no reason to delay it. Actually, i see reason to be fast.

 

[templar_x]

rax=barracks.
t_x

 

[tR1cKy]

rax=barracks.
t_x

LOL! I thought it was a typo for "rex".
I've been away for years, it takes time to get used again to the lingo...

 

[templar_x]

I know exactly what you mean. I posted in another civ community a bit lately, and of course they have a totally different lingo (aside from it being a German site).

Like, they call the Republic slingshot: "to play so that you get Republic as a free tech".

And no, it does not sound any better in German.

templar_x

 

[tR1cKy]

meanwhile, in 2710 BC...

keeping that warrior perched over the western tip did pay off, we got a contact...

...and a trade, although it's not exactly a cheap deal...

~~~~~ to be continued ~~~~~

 

[tR1cKy]

As time goes on, Idiot City starts directly with a settler, which is trained just in time for size 3 and goes to build our 3rd city, on the southern coast:

But then, in 2110 BC, disaster seems to stuck: as i'm 1 turn away from Writing and end the turn, Spain and Persia show up! They've completed the tech at the same time and promptly bought contact from the Zulu:

Surprisingly, the Zulu did not get Writing with the deal, so we can still sell the tech to them for contacts with Ottomans and Arabs... who don't know Writing as well! We end up netting contact with the Celts and knowledge of Bronze Working, Masonry and Iron Working, shelling out less than 100 quids in the process. It could have been much worse.

Now, what to do next? And, will there be iron? The next installment will tell.

~~~~~ to be continued ~~~~~

 

[templar_x]

very nice to see this develop.

i believe i would have founded 2 towns on the lake, one 1E of the current position and another one 1nw on the bg. ducts are quite an expensive build, and since this is ptw, corruption in the first ring will be just so much better so that i rather live with a somewhat crowded core.

t_x

 

[MTB4884]

A great story so far! I almost spilled my drink on my keyboard while reading the comments of the Foreign Advisor!

 

[tR1cKy]

@MTB4884: LOL! You better keep your drink at a safe distance from now on BTW, thank you very much and welcome on board!

@templar_x: i thought about that option and have been in doubt for a while, but ultimately i decided against it and went to place a single city in that area. Since all those 3 cities can grow up to size 12 without improvements, my concern was that i could have run out of space later and, therefore, not be able to exploit them to their full extent.

I didn't play more turns, but there's an anticipation: iron is there

Now the dilemma is how to proceed with research. I see three possible ways:

1) full speed on map making; it would complete in 35 turns at our present rate, but it's going to take a little less.

2) full speed on code of laws; 29 turns at present rate - sounds odd but in a previous GotM with Rome, i went that way and had the AS research both map making and philosophy.

3) min run on literature, hoping to trade both maps and the 2 precursors to republic; this option would let me amass a large pile of cash; the downside is that we have 6 contacts at the moment, and two of them are scientific civs.

Whatever route i will take, the next step would be a full run on republic - supposing i manage to snatch the prerequisite techs, one way or another.

 

[tR1cKy]

I choosed to try a min run on Literature. Even if someone beat us to it, we'll be able to buy at least Map Making and then obtain the rest of the techs with the pointy stick.

As expected, the AS have begun to go wonder-frenzy. 1910 BC:

1790 BC:

1650 BC:

Meanwhile, Idiot City completes its granary and begins tossing out settlers. The next one seems smart as well:

~~~~~ to be continued ~~~~~

 

[Dumanios]

Black Mage settler!

 

[tR1cKy]

As we slowly research Literature, the military buildup goes on, with some side effects:

In 1375 BC, another core city is founded:

In 1250 BC, the Lighthouse is built by the Spanish. It would be great to capture it, but it won't happen overnight...

~~~~~ to be continued ~~~~~