[BTS] Shadow Game - Emperor / Gilgamesh

[Hesha]

First up: A fair warning - this is a Tiny map. If you think that's silly, that's okay! I just fell in love with this starting location and wanted to play this game publicly. The more feedback I get on my actions, the better, but I won't hold it against anyone, if commenting on a Shadow Game on a Tiny map is beneath you!

The settings are completely standard, apart from the world size. It's a Tiny / Fractal map, no huts, no events. I think I increased the number of AIs on the map from default 2 to either 3 or 4, I'm not sure. But not being sure is a good thing, this way I won't be sure I've met everyone for a while.

Here's the first look at my position:

Spoiler :

This has got to be the foodiest location I have ever had. Meshi starts with Agriculture and Wheel.

Here's what I would do:
- SIP seems like a no-brainer to me. PH, wet corn, freshwater lake, 1 FP, banana and 3(!) clams. All grassland. Yummy. Looks like I will be whipping like crazy.
- Before SIP, I would move the warrior 1SW to see what lies beyond that little lake, maybe there is another FP - but I doubt I will find a better place than SIP.
- For first tech Fishing seems to be the obvious choice? That will put me into conflict of whether to build warriors or WBs after my first worker, though. I guess that depends on the neighbourhood?

[Just out of interest: If I had started with Fishing - would I still build a worker first? I guess so, because wet corn is amazing, but what if it was only a sheep?]

 

[sampsa]

You can see from <F8>-screen that there are 3 opponents. I'd certainly not go fishing, as work boats are very expensive early on (without chops). Mining-BW is normal. Times well with farming corn+fp (farmed fp is one worse than clam, but clam costs extra 30!).

Even if you started with fishing, I'd ignore work boats before 2nd city. It might be different if you didn't have an improveable 6-tile. If wet corn was a green sheep, I'd consider moving towards fp-area. Alternatively boat first, but that leads to a slow (=weak) start.

 

[Fippy]

I slightly disagree with Sampsa, not that BW first would be unreasonable or anything (almost never is),
but here i would add fishing first cos with the extra ph hammer 1 boat can be built without much effort.
With a total of +9 when it's completed, i would then look at whipping your settler 4-2.

On deity level warriors first are good, but on Emp i think the boat has more value.
Basically there are no barb worries yet on Emp, esp on tiny maps, and fishing costs little (+ speeds up pottery later).
Your starting warrior should then only look for close city spots thou.

 

[sampsa]

BW comes a bit late though for 4->2 whip if you go fishing first? Not sure. One 6 and two 3 should be good enough. I agree that skipping fishing forces many hammers towards warriors which aren't super useful on this setting.

 

[Hesha]

Okay then, as usual: When opinions differ, I'll go with what Fippy says!

Founded city in place, moved warrior 1SW, started researching Fishing (followed by Mining, then BW), started building Worker - citizen working the corn.

Will I build the worker all the way and then queue a WB after he is done?
I guess the wet corn is the only tile that has a higher priority than the clams?
Should I then chop for WBs? If so, which tiles?

Spoiler :

 

[sampsa]

You should at least select/de-select for 5 turns, to get a bonus in case you meet someone who starts with fishing. If you go fishing-mining-BW your worker should farm fp I think, as that seems more urgent than roading. Depends a bit on 2nd city spot obv, 5T of roading is manageable. Plan chops to maximize the possibility of forest growth, without sacrificing precious worker turns.

 

[Hesha]

Here we are, turn 1:

Spoiler :

Moved the warrior 1NW and discoved the western coastline of my little island. Didn't expect that, tbh! How to move next? 1NW again to check for more seafood? Or should I move 1SW to determine asap that my continent actually ends there?

How would you prioritise a scout WB on this map? Or is it too early to make that call?

Also... just as a reminder, do I have to pick a tech in turn 5 or turn 6?

 

[sampsa]

Pick a tech on T5. Don't bother scouting coast very early, it's more important to meet AIs before T5 if possible. Very early to think about scouting boats. I'd start to think about it if you dont meet anyone in 30 turns.