SGOTM 06 - The Real Ms. Beyond

[sunrise089]

I don't see us researching currency yet - I suggest we do so. I also agree with the idea that soon-to-be obsolete military units do us little good, so lets make sure we have the troops to kill anything we can reach and then delete the stuff that won't be good post-Astro if that's necessary.

 

[Compromise]

I think you have the right ideas, Swiss. Our focus is the economy now.

One thing I might add: maybe another boat out of Carthage to explore due east?

 

[Swiss Pauli]

Lots of progress: Mali is now but a footnote to history, and we have two more cities. The economy is shaping up: +20g at 0% Research. Slow progress, but steady enough. No sign of Hannibal's city up to our northeast: he must have headed due east from his former capital. A new trireme is almost built to explore in this direction.

Aside from a sword at York, the focus has been on infra in the set. Mainly of the happy variety (esp in Carthage), but of course CHs have been constructed. We can build the FP now: Timbuktu would be the best of the existing ones, but I think 'commerce city' would be better still, so we could hold off for now.

The conquests:

We lost a fair few units on each as the RNG was a little cruel, but a big army is really needed at the moment. There's a bunch of units at York that can go and take Sakae if desired.

I didn't see Hanny at all until my last turn when a galley (empty I assume) showed up at Kumbi Saleh:

We can get some units there if needed in a few turns. There north of Carthage atm (and 3 heading east from Timbutu).

Tech wise, I used the plunder to tech to Calendar at 30%. I thought about delaying it until borders popped in the new cities, but we have so many workers and many Calendar resources to improve that the greater good was to get it ASAP. Currency selected for next tech and we're back to 0% to hoard cash for it.

time: the galley underway at Athens can't get through to Sparta (of course), and seeing as we're in a zero research period, I shouldn't have whipped the library in Timbuktu. The monastery in Sparta isn't my btw.

http://gotm.civfanatics.net/saves/civ4sgotm6/The_Real_Ms_Beyond_SG006_AD0875_01.CivWarlordsSave


EDIT: the northern sea route proved to be a dead end. Maybe the leaders are pausing for thought, having discovered there's no route off the island?

 

[ruff_hi]

I'm back with the power chart ...

Look at those increases ... bunches of teams doubling their power. Note that power is not just a count of units, but includes str of units and tech too. So this jump in power is a combination of units, unit type and techs. Maybe everyone upgrading their swords to maces?

 

[ruff_hi]

Edit: the dreaded double post.

 

[LKendter]

The economy is shaping up: +20g at 0% Research.

That right there tells you how far we pushed it. I know we are going in the right direction, but that number still sounds pathetic.

We can build the FP now: Timbuktu would be the best of the existing ones, but I think 'commerce city' would be better still, so we could hold off for now.

I think we should start the FP debate quickly. IMHO the economy is still pathetic, and I want to get this built ASAP even if it means building a city that will hurt us short-term.

The monastery in Sparta isn't my btw.

If the plan for a prophet is still in progress, there is nothing wrong with this. We need to start spreading our state religion.

 

[Swiss Pauli]

No idea: maybe CS slings? Or Philo LBs? Speaking of which, I forgot to mention that we have our first GS, born on my last turn.

 

[Compromise]

The power graph does imply some kind of significant (I hate the use of "quantum" here) shift. CS slingshots with Monarchy and lots of cottages are possible.

Regardless, we press on. Good turns, Swiss. I'll be able to give some more thoughts later this evening.

I think the best use of the GS is to bulb Optics. I think we should set our research to get this asap.

 

[Swiss Pauli]

@Lee - the candidates for FP are Timbuktu, Carthage, or my suggestion of yet-to-be-founded commerce city. Of these Carthage is the only one with the hammers to make a start, but it's going to be hamstrung by motherland unhappiness until we find and remove Hannibal. This, and finding out whether we can get to the other landmass are our immediate priorities. FP will help, but it's not a cure-all.

 

[Swiss Pauli]

The power graph does imply some kind of significant (I hate the use of "quantum" here) shift. CS slingshots with Monarchy and lots of cottages are possible.

Regardless, we press on. Good turns, Swiss. I'll be able to give some more thoughts later this evening.

I think the best use of the GS is to bulb Optics. I think we should set our research to get this asap.

To LB Astro we need: MC, Compass, Philo, Machinery, Optics. CS & Theo are verboten. Philo must be researched before we can LB optics. I don't think we want to be meeting the other continent before we show up with Galleons laden with troops, as they won't be in war mode until we have contact.

 

[Compromise]

Would putting the other AIs into war mode be better--because they'd build up troops rather than research and infrastructure--or worse--because they'd have oodles of troops when we get to them?

 

[LKendter]

No idea: maybe CS slings? Or Philo LBs? Speaking of which, I forgot to mention that we have our first GS, born on my last turn.

I guess I completely lost track of plans somewhere. I thought we were trying to a prophet for a shrine.

 

[Swiss Pauli]

@Compromise - well, they could be fighting amongst themselves, or bickering (more likely) so I'd come down on the side of avoidance. They're only Prince AI after all, so they'll not tech that strongly.

@Lee - we decided we were completely out of the running if Astro wasn't needed, so we opted to gun for Astro.

@team - we seem to be pretty even with Chokonuts again, so let's see whether we can beat Ozbenno's boys this time around!

 

[Compromise]

@team - we seem to be pretty even with Chokonuts again, so let's see whether we can beat Ozbenno's boys this time around!

Yes! An achievable goal!

More comments after I check out the save.

 

[Compromise]

I've looked at the save and have a few comments:

City suggestions (Note: I only looked at the city screens, so some workers might already be doing the tasks I'm suggesting):
London: Build and work some more cottages
York: Build and work more grass cottages
Corinth: Future missionary farm?
Thebes: Keep the farm on the floodplain to irrigate the city and therefore the wheat. Cottage everything else
Athens: Work food, keep scientists, build missionaries
Sparta: Future missionary pump
Carthage: Work food, make cottages
Timbuktu: More cottages
Kumbi: good
Gao: Make cottages

Let's hold off on taking the barb cities for now. We're at around 15% science with almost all courthouses installed.

I suggest we spread Christianity since we already have 4 cities with it (Hindu has 3). Also, we already have a Christian monastery in Athens. Don't switch to it until cities have popped borders though. Maybe another religion will spread to the cities without one and serve to pop borders.

I didn't think the Stonehenge-monuments expired with Calendar! That must be new with the patch. I suggest missionaries to pop borders.

I'm really at a loss for the tech route. I guess I'd aim for the ability to bulb Optics, but that seems so far away at this point. We need to work cottages. I'd only whip buildings to get rid of unhappy people.

Where the heck is Hannibal?!

One last thing: Not now, but down the road, we may want to build a panama canal, depending on where the AI is:



We'll have to see though.

We can always put workshops over the cottages in the future if we need to, but I'm thinking we're going to need Astronomy for this one. How about assigning 2 scientists in Carthage to help bulb it. The won't complete their work for 75T, but we may still need the GS.

And don't forget to switch to HR. The sooner the better.

 

[Compromise]

Current rotation: :
Compromise
TheArchduke
SwissPauli
LKendter [up]
Kodii [on deck]
sunrise089

Ruff_Hi -- lurking

While I'm woefully behind in updating our "progress" post, I did manage to update our rotation post.

So, we have Lee up followed by Kodii. Sunrise, am I right to assume that you're still on skip?

I'm out of town from Saturday (the 23rd) through Wednesday (the 27th). I don't see a need to delay the game for total consensus, including my opinions.

 

[Swiss Pauli]

I don't think the switch to HR is that urgent: we're about to hook up dyes and spices, and the problem with HR in a war game is that it tempts you to station units in cities and then have a happy-crash when you need to send them out into the field.

With the map as it is, I think we should raze the barb cities as they're not really great sites (and we can get a better one with 'commerce city). We should also think about founding Fish/Iron down the road, as we need another port on our western seaboard (but no hurry for this one).

 

[LKendter]

OUCH, wish I had realized I was up earlier. Last night would have been better to play.


I have it for tonight.

 

[LKendter]

http://gotm.civfanatics.net/saves/civ4sgotm6/The_Real_Ms_Beyond_SG006_AD1085_01.CivWarlordsSave


875 AD
Looking over the recent posts I don't see any clear objectives outside of improve the economy.

I agree with currency as the next goal. The bad news is our current science rate of 10% needs 31 turns.
I switch York to work another cottage, rather then a 1 shield forest. We need to concentrate on maturing cottage above all.
I don't understand the library in Timbuktu before a court since we can't research at the moment. My only guess is another source of scientists, but I didn't find any mention of this is the post.


920 AD
Hanny has a Trireme by Kumbi. Is this a hint where the missing city is?


965 AD
I get military action when an elephant stomps out a warrior.


1040 AD
We finally have enough cash for binary research on currency.


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New Updates

With all of the islands we are discovering, do we have enough land to win by domination? I count 50+ more potential tiles to claim.

I didn't revolt, but we should pick a state religion. It has zero diplomatic penalties in AW, and we would get another happy face.

With currency our economy has "improved" to +61/turn at 0% science. We can now sustain 30% positive science.
We can build markets.


I didn't want to build units, so I have London one turn from Hanging Gardens.
If we want the extra pop we can complete it. If we want the extra cash someday, remove it from the queue.

There is still no clue when Hanny's secret hideout is. We still have potential land east of Carthage.

 

[Compromise]

Cool. Good job keeping us moving along Lee. I'll be able to look at the save within 14 hours or so.

Clever thinking with the Hanging Gardens. With Stone, that's probably a better move than building wealth (which you couldn't have done by the beginning of your turn anyway).

Maybe I should swap with Kodii and try to play some turns tomorrow since I'll be out for 5 days starting Saturday? Let me know what you think, Kodii. And if anyone has any comments, please post sooner rather than later.