For my part, I'm fine with smaller turn sets once we get going. Plus it gives the team more chances to analyze the situation; and more input from the team means more learning for me 

they do still go for an easy grab
Build order: Warrior --> warrior --> Barracks --> [i forget]
dojo, have you read some of the earlier discussions? We have to go warrior first because we are at war, and we will lose if an archer shows up before we have defense for the capital. Also, since we don't start with any techs, there is nothing for a worker to do for a long time.
(1) Settle in place right now. Pros: good food, maybe great food after the sea tiles are revealed. Doesn't waste a turn. Cons: crappy production.
(2) Move settler NW. Pros: exposes most of the hidden sea tiles. Cons: what would be next? Wastes at least one turn. Probably won't increase production.
(3) Settle 1S. Pros: brings in an extra hill (after IW to chop jungle). Cons: 1 tile from coast, loses any seafood to the north.
Re: skipping the settler. We might as well move 1NW as do that, since we could then move back and settle on the second turn, same as staying in place.
Wow - I really didn't see that coming(2) We appear to be on our own (not very big) landmass.
The goal of this challenge is not simply to get a victory, but to get a victory quicker than all the other teams....
Does anyone have more insight into whether or not cultural is doable here?![]()
Is anyone here a whipping expert? If I understand things correctly, bonuses apply to whipping. That suggests we should whip just before the barracks is done (because we get 100% bonus) and use the overflow for a worker. Then the worker could chop the settler. We should make sure we do this right.
For building, I would continue with the barracks until it's down to fewer than 10 hammers left to build. Then I'd switch to a worker until BW comes in, then I'd switch back to the barracks and whip it for one pop. That should give us (assuming my understanding is correct) a 50 to 55 hammer overflow for the worker. Then finish the worker and start on a settler, chopping the two riverside forests.