Wow, looks like a lot happened when I wasn't looking.
Bah, nocho, that was some selective hearing about Frederick. Oh well, I don't think I've played with him, so at least it will be a new experience. I guess it won't be so bad playing with a fellow who can direct an undercover army with one hand, and field an industrial army with the other.
I like the start, too, even with the cows. Hey, at least we have two, and they'll add hammers to what is clearly going to be an industrial powerhouse. All those hills . . . . S'yeah, let's get that scout on the northern hill to see what's what to look for more gold. Worker first sounds good, since we can get at most of those hills without having to chop down trees, and that gold will really boost early research. The only thing that would make it better was if we were starting on a plains hill.
I wonder if that water to west is a coast or a lake. If it's a lake, at least we can get another farm out of it. Another river to the south. Oh my. Perhaps the RNG actually gave us, the player, a decent geographical starting point? . . . Unlikely, but I'll hope until my dreams are shattered.
I think we'll be able to squeeze out enough food from the flatlands to work our hills, though we'll know for certain once we settle and see how much of it has access to fresh water. The grassland east of the settler is probably dry because of the way the game treats river deltas.
So, yeah, worker first, working on Animal Husbandry to hook up the cows for food and hammers, then move right into Masonry to unlock the Great Wall? Honestly, why the Great Wall gives spy points, I really don't know. We'll probably want Agriculture and the Wheel shortly thereafter, right?