SGOTM 06 - Chokonuts

[AlanH]

Welcome to your C_IV Warlords SGOTM 6 Team Thread. Please use it for all internal team communication, turn logs and discussions. Subscribe to it to receive notifications, and do not visit the other team threads for this game until you have finished. Please also subscribe to the Maintenance Thread for this game, where teams and staff may post non-spoiler information of general interest.

The Game

Gyathaar is playing this one close to his chest. Here's all the intelligence I've been able to wring out of him:

• Prince difficulty
• Epic speed
• You play as the Charismatic, Protective Churchill of the English Empire.
• You start with Fishing and Mining.
• Your unique unit is the Redcoat, replacing the Rifleman.
• Your Unique building is the Stock Exchange, replacing the Bank.
• The map is a highly modified Cylindrical Big And Small map, using the BtS map script. It is Standard, Temperate, Medium sea level.
• Always war. All VCs are enabled. I think the barbs are at default setting.

Here's the start - click the picture for one a bit bigger.

​

Versions
This game will be played in Warlords Version 2.13, on Windows only, with the DLLs as installed with BtS.

It will be played using the current version of the HoF Mod. This is version 2.13.002 for Windows. You will need to ensure that you can run the Asset Checker v2 before you attempt to load this game. Typlically, players who have upgraded to Beyond the Sword will have the right assets. Alternatively, you should be able to make your installation compliant by installing the new .DLLs released for WOTM 15. If you have a Steam installation then you will need to look at this post by ArcadicGamer for inspiration.

If later versions of Warlords or the HoF Mod are released they cannot be used for this game, and you will need to maintain a copy of your installed software at these versions to complete the game.

Timetable
The game will start on December 14th. I recommend you plan for a 4 month deadline for completion.

You will be able to download your start save from the SGOTM Progress and Results Page on December 14th, at midnight local server time.

Notes

• Please visit the Civ4 SGOTM reference thread to check out the rules and procedures to ensure that you are adequately prepared for this game.
  
• Warlords v.2.13 is supported for this SGOTM. No other versions can be used, and you will have to stick with the same version throughout the game.
  
• Teams will compete for up to four awards - the Gold, Silver and Bronze Laurels for the fastest finishes, and the Wooden Spoons for the lowest scoring finisher. The number of awards may be reduced, depending on the number of teams who sign up.
  
• Awards will be given to teams who win in the least turns.
  
• All saved game files uploaded to the server are parsed through software that extracts and archives data about your save, including reload count for each turn set.

Enjoy your mystery tour of the World of Warlords.

 

[Ozbenno]

Checking in.

I've played quite a few AW games (most of them in Warlords) so can put down some thoughts. I recommend everyone playing one until 1AD (time permitting of course) just to get a feel for how they go (they're a lot of fun as well ). Most games I have played in have three distinct phases to them.

Phase 1 - This is the most crucial phase and can be how the game is won or lost. You've got to get out early as possible and cripple your neighbours. Pillage, raze, capture whatever you can to stop them expanding. Mini-stacks (chariot, axe, spear) are best for this. Adding an AI capital or 2 to the empire early can be a crucial advantage. Build a ring of defensive cities (on hills with walls if possible) to protect your core because...

Phase 2 - The distant AI (and any close ones you haven't crippled) are going to come calling with endless streams of huge stacks. Those walled cities on hills on the front line should have many longbows and crossbows to absorb this. On continent type maps, this may not play out as badly if we cripple those on our island but things can look pretty bleak at some stages but...

Phase 3 - If you can get through Phase 2, the AIs will at some stage just run out of gas and the incoming stacks will decrease. You've got to get out and finish the game now. Conquest and then Domination are the easiest victories (although space, culture and diplomatic are all possible).

Things to note about AW games.

• AW=Always warrior. Whoever goes first, has to build a warrior first as a AI warrior wandering past can finish the game very quickly.
• We have to research every tech ourselves (hut popping excepted). This means that some techs you never research in SP games are really important, Archery, Feudalsim, Horseback Riding are priority techs.
• The way AW works is that we auto-declare when we meet an AI, if we don't meet them, they don't know we're at war, so sometimes it is better to avoid meeting the neighbours.
• We will be somewhat health and happiness limited because we can't trade
• Most of the time most of your cities will be producing military, so our economy is going to suck. We'll probably be at 20%-30% for most of the middle part of the game. That's not bad so don't get too stressed about it.
• Clear all forests from around all your cities, don't give the enemy something to hide in.

Anyway, AW is a really fun way to play the game. Its really hard as well and there will some scary moments along the way but hopefully we can see it through.

 

[McArine]

Checking in
Nice thoughts Ozbenno.
I'll try to get an AW game played soon.

 

[ngraner42]

Oz, thanks for the information. I will start a couple practice games this weekend.

 

[Mighty Dwaarf]

Checking in

Have only played a few AW games so far and have failed in these due to being unprepared for the mass onslaught from the AI. So echoing what Oz has suggested about getting prepared for this i.e. crippling nearby AI, pillage resources and steal workers so sprinting to AH could be first goal. Also that initial scouting should be confined to nearby circle of capital. Also don't be fooled by Prince difficulty this will probably be more like Monarch/Emp.

I think some of how this is to be played depends if we are on the big or small continent and what is meant by "higly modified"??

 

[Ozbenno]

I think some of how this is to be played depends if we are on the big or small continent and what is meant by "higly modified"??

This will be crucial to how the game goes actually. For reference, if you can't get time to play an AW game, here are a few AW SGs if you want to browse. None of the them are on the type of map we have but should give you an idea of what to expect and successful tactics.

BtS

Warlords

Vanilla

 

[cubbiesin08]

Checking in.

I really like the idea of not scouting much early - let them find us.

Also, is it better to just use farms and specialists for the economy since it will be hard to maintain the tech slider and cottages with all this war?

 

[Ozbenno]

Also, is it better to just use farms and specialists for the economy since it will be hard to maintain the tech slider and cottages with all this war?

We'll need cottages for the cash to support early expansion. Employing scientists where we can (and getting the Great Scientists) is also good. Usually you end up with 1-2 cottage cities and 1-2 farmed cities (for either production or specialists) and the rest hybrids.

 

[cubbiesin08]

What our opinions on settling the capital...are we founding in place or moving?

 

[Ozbenno]

I think settling in place is probably the best option. Could move the warrior 1SW to see if there are any more resources to pick up.

I assume we'll use the same method of roster determination as before, ie whoever can get to it first time through determines the roster. Whoever can grab it first may want to do a warrior move and re-post before continuing.

The beginning moves will be really important, so we should avoid quick turn arounds, in order to get consensus of builds, research etc.

Animal Husbandry might be the best starting tech as we have cows and horses are a great pickup in the early game. Bronze Working and Archery will also be good early techs.

Warrior, warrior then worker might be the best builds in the capital, then maybe settler if we need another city to pick up horses/copper. If we have copper in BFC we should forego settler and build 5-6 axes and take an enemy capital as our 2nd city (if there is one closeby).

Looking forward to this

 

[cubbiesin08]

I played the first 15 turns to get us going...

- Moved warrior SW and uncovered another banana in the BFC so I settled in place
- Started with warrior...he has 3 turns left
- Started with Hunting and then Animal Husbandry (hunting let us do AH faster and we need it for archery)
- Met Mansa and Hannibal

I'm including a screen shot of what we can see so far.

 

[Ozbenno]

I'd say get a worker started after warrior, as we can mine gold and pasture cows. Then warrior again then settler.

I'd also research Bronze Working so we know where resources are to plant second city.

 

[Terminator3k]

Checking in ...

Nice screen shot Cubbies!

I agree with Oz's note above for the build order and the research order.

 

[ngraner42]

Oz seems right on. I agree with AH to get those Cows online and reveal Horses and have a worker available to hook them up. I will play until AH comes in and post a screen shot.

 

[ngraner42]

Note that we were 9 food past size 2. We need to be very careful with early turns. We could have worked more hammers and got the warrior out quicker, this started the worker quicker. Each worker turn delay, we lose the production of the improved cows. I starved the city for 1 turn to get the warrior out and started the worker.

No horses in the immediate vicinity. Stone to the east. It looks like they have been kind to us and given us mountains to set up choke points.

It seems like we can put one city in 4W, 1S. Too bad we did not settle farther east to put more cities in behind the capitals culture. Teams that moved east to get more hills will be able to fit 3 cities in behind their capital.

 

[Ozbenno]

No horsies is a big blow. Early chariots would be a bonus. Never mind. We should be looking at Bronze Working next.

If no-one else does beforehand, I'll grab it in about 10 hours (found my Warlords disk after 2 days of looking, in my Civ III case).

 

[Ozbenno]

A quick review of the position shows all is well. We're already started on Bronze Working and building a worker.

I'm tempted to claim the first victim of the campaign but unless the odds are well and truly in our favour (>90%) or we're desperate it's not worth it.



Worker completes and I start another warrior.

Played 15 to bring us up to 2800BC. Warrior completes in 1, I'd queue another or a barracks for a couple of turns and then switch to a settler once London hits size 3 (in 3 turns). Bronze Working is in 6 so we'll now if we need to send the settler to a copper site.

Cows are pastured and I've moved onto the gold. The research boost once it is mined should be great.

The warrior should scout out south of the city better, so we can identify potential choke points and try to find the location of the nearest AI.

If we have copper in our BFC, then the question of where to park a settler becomes trickier. We can play safe and plant a city west of London or, if we know where one of the AI is, a city on a hill towards the nearest. If there is a choke point, then we probably should plant a city on it as the bonus from city defense will be greater.

I was able to scout out the north a bit. Didn't find any AI homelands. Plenty of decent city sites but it will be along time before we're going to be wanting to plant cities up there. Our warrior has earned a promotion but I didn't promote. If that scout puts himself in harms way again consider combat I promotion and scout eradication

Whoever is up next should play until the settler completes, so we can discuss city placement.

As for research after Bronze Working. If there's no copper close by we have to go Archery, if there is we need to go The Wheel to connect it. After that I think Pottery would be good to get a tech lead.

 

[ngraner42]

Oz, I agree with your thinking. As for City 2, I would like to suggest getting the second gold mine hooked up. I also like the idea of getting the Stone hooked up for a possible Wonder (though this may not be good thinking for always war). I have attached a screen shot with the idea. There is a fair amount of overlap with the capital, but I don't think that is bad for a city 2, since frequently resource sharing works well. If we pick up Agriculture, which should be quick with the Gold hooked up, we can farm the Bananas for a 4 food tile and hook up the Rice. This will give us strong food for city 2 and the Bananas can be shared with the capital. Being right next to the gold means we do not have to research Mysticism and wait for the border pop.

One minor suggestion, switching to the Bananas for 2 turns will get growth in 2 and the warrior still comes out in 1.

 

[Ozbenno]

I'd like to see how close the AI is down south and where the copper is before we decide final city locations but the two locations suggested are probably going to be the cities at some stage.

 

[Ozbenno]

Well one of terminator, McArine and Mighty Dwaarf needs to pick this up. We can't let this slide too much at the beginning because it will be a long ride. If you're going to be unavailable over the holidays just post letting us know when you'll be able to pick it back up.