SGOTM 22 - Fifth Element

AlanH

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Welcome to your BtS SGOTM 22 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.

You can find the Game Details in the first posts of the Maintenance Thread. If any changes occur in the game settings or rules, they will be posted in that thread.

Please wait until your team leader/administrator/scribe has reserved a couple of top posts in this thread for game admin information. Then post here to let your team know you have arrived.

Good luck with the game, and - Have Fun! :)
 
SCENARIO

You are Julius Caesar. Your destiny is to construct Caput Mundi, the capital of the world. The Roman people trust you to lead them to greatness and build the eternal city. In a world filled with savages and with the cards stacked against you, it won't be an easy task. You better be prepared for the worst.

Your goals in this scenario:
  • Never change or lose your capital.
  • Build 7 Wonders of the World in your capital.
  • Win the game by space or conquest.

All your actions should be dictated by the main goal of keeping Rome well and protected. Therefore you may only found a city (or keep one you got from another nation) if:
  • Your capital has at least twice the number of civilians as your city count (including the new one). So if you own three cities and want to build a fourth one you need a population of at least eight.
  • Your capital has at least as many civilian buildings as your city count (including the new one). Your palace is a building, Wonders are buildings and all normal buildings count but barracks, walls, stables and the like do not.
  • Your Capital has at least twice the number of military units defending it as your city count (including the new one). Once you discover Bronze Working or Iron Working, warriors and scouts won't count towards this any more.

Clearifications, Examples:
Spoiler :

For all requirements:

All requirements have to be met whenever you get a new city in any way (founding it, conquering it, buying it, etc) after you founded your capital. They have to be met only when you get the city and can be broken afterwards. You wont be disqualified if you move troops out, lose a building or shrink your population after you founded a city.

For the buildings requirement:

"Building" in this context refers to:
-Your palace
-All Wonders (National Wonders and Wonders of the World) and Projects if they show up in the buildings list of your city
-Special buildings (Academy)
-All normal buildings in the game if they are shown in the buildings list of your city

A few buildings are excluded and don't count, namely:
-Barracks
-Bomb Shelters
-Bunker
-Castle
-Drydock
-Stable
-Walls

If wonders grant you a building it will count as long as it's in the list.
If a building is disabled in any way and doesn't work, it still counts as long as it's shown in the list.


This scenario is intentionally more straight forward than previous games. It won't be easy, but less confusing, hopefully. Our goal was to offer an opportunity to players who didn't take part in any SGOTM in the past. All our teams are happy to accept new members of any skill level.

Your starting area
Click for a full size image


The AI-difficulty level is Monarch.
Your opponents received some significant starting bonuses including the priesthood technology.
You begin with three warriors and the hunting technology in addition to your normal starting units and techs.

Game Options
Ancient Era Start
Normal Speed
No Vassals
No Goody Huts
No Events
Raging Barbarians
Space or Conquest victory only

Map size Standard
6 Opponents
Map: Modified Pangaea
Difficulty: Monarch
=================================

The completion deadline will now be January 7th. Plan your game, and please avoid a last minute struggle to meet the deadline.
Please be warned, except in the event of cosmic catastrophes. THERE WILL BE NO DEADLINE EXTENSIONS.
 
Team Rules*

Required

  • Read the various rule threads posted by AlanH.
    [*]Before playing every single turnset, verify that your ini file has the autosave interval set to 1.
    [*]Before playing every single turnset, verify that the BUFFY log is enabled.
  • After uploading your save file, post BOTH the CivFanatics log (displayed on the upload confirmation web page) and the BUFFY log.
  • No reloads! We get one shot, no replays, period!
  • No reading other team threads. The easiest way to do this is to use the thread tools to subscribe to this thread. You could also bookmark the thread.
  • When looking at the save, do not perform any irreversible action. Do not move units, whip, or trade.
  • The flying camera exploit is banned.
  • If the game crashes, stop and PM AlanH with the details of what happened. Wait for instructions from AlanH before proceeding.
  • Do not open auto saves except to recover from a crash.
  • Stop and consult the team for advice if a new opportunity presents itself.
  • Stop and consult the team if anything goes wrong.
  • Stop and consult the team if you make a mistake. We've all done it, we won't bite, just be open and honest.
  • Have fun!

Strongly Recommended

  • Have fun!
  • Make manual saves often, preferably every turn, at the beginning and end of the turn, in case we need to review diplomacy screens or other metrics.
  • Pause the game before uploading or examining it.
  • Put TEST flags on the map on test games, and name test games so it's obvious they aren't the real game.
  • Let us know if you are unable to make a deadline, get too busy in real life, or are going offline for vacation.
  • Do not automate workers.
  • Do not use city governors.
  • Do not leave units on goto orders.

Etiquette
  • Active participation -- Your contribution to every set is important, even if it's an 'I agree.' Although everyone might have real life issues sometimes, it's courteous to notify the team of your absence.
  • Pre-Play Plan -- The spirit of succession games is to play the game following the consensus of the team decision. Therefore the player who is UP should post a clear plan for discussion. Guidelines have been posted for the contents of your plan in the next post. It might be that the team decides to head in a direction you were opposed to, it does not mean you are wrong but rather that the team believes the odds of winning are more likely with the decided approach.
  • Timing -- We will stick to a schedule in order to complete this game within the 3 month ironcast deadline. It is still important to reach consensus and ensure quality of play.
    -An "Initial PPP" should be posted within 24 hours of the previous submission. After 24 hours, ANY player is open to posting an Initial PPP for team debate. Getting the debate going is sometimes the biggest delay as everyone may be waiting for a specific person to post the Initial PPP.
    -Game must be played within 48 hours of team consensus, otherwise ANY available player can post a "SUB" and immediately play the set
    -A "WILL PLAY" must be announced by the next rostered player, after the team consensus to 24 hours after a save is submitted. Otherwise YOU WILL BE SKIPPED.
    -Some sets will take much longer than others. If the UP player cannot play within 48 hrs of consensus due to RL issues, please inform the team early.
  • Please, please, please include a report when you submit the save, complete with the CivFanatics log AND the BUFFY log. You may submit your report later but it would be preferable to have it before the discussion on the next set starts.
  • Finish all your discussed turns and upload the game saved at the END of the discussed part.
  • Don’t be afraid to post things that may appear stupid or evident. Each player has strengths and weaknesses. There are numerous examples in the earlier SGOTM threads when the most simple rule has been unknown to players (such as the difference between peace treaty and cease fire). Don’t be afraid that other members will think you are stupid.
  • Don’t play intoxicated (from alcohol, drugs or smoke). Don’t play when you are too tired. Don't play when your kids or spouse are talking to you.
  • Respect your team mates, and demand their respect. Take care of your writing style. Accept that people whose first language is not English will use English in a different way than you are used to. Disagree by all means, but don't make it personal, and don't take it personally.
  • Use smilies and emoticons in your posts. Jokes, humor, sarcasm, and offensive language can be misinterpreted, except when I am making them, when I will expect everyone to laugh!!
  • Remember that a lot of players read what we post. Don't be rude or disrespectful to any player not on our team.
  • SG's are team games. Be a good team member. Post your ideas, argue your case, and encourage and praise your team mates. Don't be afraid to post in our game thread. That is what it's for.
  • Have fun!


*Copied from neilmeister, Apostrophes SGOTM 19, which was itself liberally copied from various team threads in previous SGOTM games.
 
Turn Sets

There are 7 major parts to every set.

  1. Initial Pre-Play Plan: see below.
  2. Voting: everyone voices his or her opinion on the issues raised in 1.
  3. Plan: see below.
  4. Critique of the Plan: once the Plan is posted, players should try/read the plan and look for anything they'd like to change. This is where you must support your arguments!
  5. Final Plan: tries to glue everything together.
  6. Play the Set: see below.
  7. Post the Report: see below

What is the Initial Pre-Play Plan?

The Pre-Play Plan is to initiate the discussion on the diverging possibilities at the start of a set. This includes, but not limited to, EP focus, general city micro, general worker micro, general techs. Basically, make an idea of what you want to do with your 10/15 turns.

Below are general ideas as to what you can cover with the pre-play plan. Not everything needs to be discussed, only the obvious decision points. If others feel that other missing issues should be raised, then the debate after the Initial PPP is the time to do it!

1. Technologies
  • What techs are you aiming for? (One, a beeline ex. Literature, part-research for trading)
  • What trades will you attempt with who and when? (When to sell for gold ex. first opportunity or wait for more, specify the leader(s), waiting for a wonder to finish so the AI get failure gold)
  • Are we planning a Great Person bulb?

2. Dealing with AIs
  • Resource trade negotiations
  • Espionage assignment
  • Open borders (cancel or allow)
  • AI demands (resources, cancel trades, who do we send packing or not, technologies, war, religions, civics)

3. City placement and builds - mostly in the beginning
  • Where are you planning on sending a settler?
  • Are you sending a worker along?
  • Is the land fogbusted/do we have an escort?
  • Initial city builds (Monument/Granary etc...)
  • Tile improvements around this city (food, hammers, commerce)

4. General micro
  • Special tile assignments (starve city for specialists, switch to growth, etc.)
  • Tile swapping with other cities
  • Whips
  • Build order (infrastructure/military/settlers/workers/wealth/science)
  • Dealing with happy/health caps
  • Worker improvements and moves

5. Civics and religion
  • Are you planning on civic switches/do we need to acquire the techs? (Caste for border pops, slavery for whip...)
  • Are we expecting a religion change?

6.War - if applicable
  • Refuse/accept AI war demands
  • Bribing civs to declare war or for stopping war
  • War plan (who, how many units and how to acquire them, which cities to strike, scouting prior to DoW...)

7. Bigger picture
  • Gifts (city, gold, techs...)
  • What AI do we try to please
  • Goals for the future
  • Diplo manipulation
  • Extras

What your Plan should cover:

The plan must contain 2 detailed parts:

  1. What you will check for every turn (EP, trades available, GPT available, etc.) [this is easy].
  2. Turn-by-turn worker moves, city micromanagement, unit movement and or general guidelines as to what we can't control via test game [this is the hard part].

The team will almost certainly decide to slack on #2 once the game becomes well in hand, but for the first 100 turns this is expected.

How your set should go:

  • Play according to the plan
  • If something unexpected (or an opportunity) comes up, STOP AND CHECK WITH THE TEAM.
  • If you have to adapt, do so!
  • You can add markers in game during and at the end of your set. It's a lot easier on team members to figure where units are going.

What your set report should cover:
  • WHEOOHRN alerts and possible/likely targets
  • Great Generals and Great Engineers in distant lands
  • Religions founded
  • Wonders built
  • When to renegotiate trades
  • What you were planning for the future
  • How the plan worked out/didn't
  • Anything unexpected
  • Remember to post BOTH the CivFanatics log (found on the upload confirmation screen) and the BUFFY log.
 
Suggestions

Please set your Graphics setting on the main options screen to check "detailed city info". This tells how many turns until finishing build and how many turns until city growth. This is beneficial for screenshots.

Please set the following options in the Buffy setting (Ctrl-Alt-O):
Under the scoreboard tab under "Power Ratio", set the ratio decimal places to "3".
Under the clock tab, uncheck "alternate game clock" and uncheck "completed percentage" while checking "complete turns" and "game date and golden age turns".

When referring to tiles in relation to another tile, please us a number for each direction such as 2S1E, as opposed to stating 2SE. 2SE could be interpreted as 2S1E or 2S2E.

When referring to a specific date/turn, please refer to the turn number, not the date. (feel free to add the date with the turn number.)

When referring to a turn when a unit or building/wonder is completed, please state the turn that the unit is produced and ready to move, or for buildings/wonders, state the turn that the build queue announces that a building/wonder is completed and a new build needs to be chosen.
 
sgotm22large.jpg
 
Roster and Order of play

Checked in:-

pigswill (Up)
enKage (on deck)
NobleZarkon (in the hole)
zbgayumn
(unclethrill)

Lurking:-
blubmuz



Looking forward to an interesting game with old friends and new, please check in here now that the initial posts have been made. Once everyone has checked in we can agree on play order etc.
 
Welcome to SGOTM#22

I'm glad we finally started this game! This scenario has a lower AI-level, but don't be over confident as it won't be easy! There's no fun without threat in Civ, at least that's what I think. So don't be discouraged if you bump your head: It's meant to happen.

As far as I know most admins and mapmakers before me have been quite silent during the game. But I like to stay in touch with the players. I read the threads and I might comment from time to time. If you want to be left alone, just tell me. It's your thread and if you don't want any visitors that's entirely your choice.

It would be nice if you somehow mark the posts (turn reports) in which you got new cities, so that we/I can check if you stick to the rules. And we all love to see screenshots all the time.

OK, that's all. Have fun and good luck with your game!
For the glory of Rome!
 
Thanks for volunteering as scribe, NZ! I will only have access through Tapatalk for a few days here, but I should be ready by the time we get started.
 
And here we are again.

Blubmuz for Captain (if he has the time available).
 
I'm checking in. I got your PM NZ.

I have CIV installed correctly but I get the not valid for HOF play error when I try to open or start a Buffy file. I have followed all the suggestions in the threads and reinstalled over and over but to no avail. I have had this happen before but it was fixed usually by a permissions reset or reinstall. This time it just won't seem to go away.

If anyone has suggestions, it is Steam version on windows 10
 
checkin' in. As in PM, hardly available till next monday, or at least friday (there is still Marin Cilic in competition)
 
So does anybody have initial thoughts about this scenario?

My first thought is that it's going take a long time to build 4 buildings, so we may not start a settler until T60. The exception would be if we found an early religion, but the chances of that are really low.
 
First settler must go at size 2, so we need only 2 buildings. Romans start with fishing + mining. BW should be closed because otherwise we will need 4 axes/spears.

It is raging barbs, so GWall can be one of early buildings.

The quickest way to 2 buildings is org lighthouse, so I fovor scouting the coast first and settling there.


We need a lot of food so I am tempted by settled merchants / really fast corpo, settling coast and early GLH helps with merchants.

IMO settle coast, tech AH sailing masonry. builds: barrack, LH, gran, GLH.

not tested anything, just a quick thought
 
Oh, we need pop 4. and only 1 more building (palace IS a building).
 
Just to stick somewhere, the pattern for settling / conquering cities:

2nd city: 4 pop in Rome, 4 units, 2 buildings
3rd city: 6 pop, 6 units, 3 buildings
4th: 8 pop, 8 units, 4 builds
5th: 10 pop, 10 units, 5 build


----

number of buildings is only extreme early limitation. I see population the biggest problem
 
The richest food site is 1N, 4 more food than coastal wine/pigs (banana tile). But any seafood makes it equal. Question do we take a risk and if it is justified by extremely cheap lighthouse

victory conditions: space or conquest. it is modified pangaea, so probably some AIs will br blocked somehow
 
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