simple_01 Is This Monkey Craaaazy??

[Andronicus]

I won't stress a granary though, that's not my style. 3-4 settlers before a granary is my way and since I start, that's how it's happens. Pout as much as you want, you'll see the result later. But remember, 3 or 4 settlers is the max before we build that granary.

I dont think we will have the time to build a granary before we meet an AI civ - then the race will be on to get enough units before the horde arrives

Getting SoZ is no guarntee of win but would dramatically increase the odds
I've no objection to the cow option 'though and would be my second choice although the wheat option is well balanced with lux, food bonus and hills for later production. Not so keen on other 3 - I think we should take any breaks going our way particuarly with the strict AW rules SM has invoked

 

[SimpleMonkey]

Heh. Why do this the easy way?

I'd like a nice step by step of what goz does with this first turnset. If we can get 3-4 settlers in place before the hordes arrive, then we may have pretty good odds.

Go to it, goz.

 

[classical_hero]

I like the Ivory start too. It is always good to have a lux when starting on hard levels.

 

[gozpel]

Ok, I start this shortly and it seems like we all like ivory.

Let's just hope there are no enemies nextdoors, so we can have a couple of quiet turnsets.

 

[gozpel]

I played 6 turns so far and a russian scout found us already.

I'll continue anyways, but I need to know if we can trade before declaring? They have Pottery and we have Alphabet, maybe we should just declare right away and ignore trading?

You're the leader SM, you decide.

 

[Ansar]

lurker's comment: Russia is a Alphabet wannabe so they go for Alphabet first, so I would say trade while you still have Alphabet and Catherine doesent, well, if its in the rules, though, I dont think that Handy's rules allow that.

 

[SimpleMonkey]

The revised Handy rules say no trading before war. Grr. I would have loved to have gotten Pottery out of Catherine's chubby little hands before laying a smackdown on her. Still, I'm gonna say go with the rules we've got.

Looking back on Handy 24, sorta the grandfather of this one, they lived with the no trades rule and did pretty well. Heh.

Pull the trigger, gozpel.

Hey, at least it isn't Germany.

 

[Andronicus]

I played 6 turns so far and a russian scout found us already.

Hmm,
Russia- scientific, expansionist. Starting techs BW and pottery
That means we can expect a horde of warriors and spears - at least we have a little while before archers come
6 turns means 12 tiles if scout came direct, poss only 5-6 tiles away. We will see the Russian army within next 10 turns - could be real soon
Batten down those hatches (? whip a spear)

 

[SimpleMonkey]

My guess is that Fat Catherine is going to expend all he warriors (i.e. pretty much her entire military) in a single assault that it'll take her 10 turns to put together. She may in the meantime research Warrior code, but she may not. If we survive it'll be a bit before we see a significant second wave.

 

[Ansar]

lurker's comment: Well this is Deity, Catherine wont bother building any units , just send her given units that Deity gave her. So...yea, probably a SoD of Warriors and Spears.

 

[gozpel]

Constantinople founded on the spot -> warrior.

Max research on WC, no reason to waste turns on Writing etc and we need military stuff asap.

Worker to road the ivory.

3800BC - Ivory hooked up, worker to BG.

3700BC - Russian scout shows up.

3600BC - Con warrior -> spear.

Worker finished roading BG, mine.

3200BC - Russian spear shows up and I declare. We can forget that granary for a while I guess.

3300BC - Mine done. The spear is going for the ivory, block it with warrior. Our spear is due next turn, lux up to 10% for a turn.

3200BC - 3 warrior and spear are to attack Con next turn.

3150BC - 2 warriors suicide against our spear, promotes it to vet.

We learn BW -> Masonry. We want pults before anything else. Of course I like horses/swords, but catapults and archers are a good compbination early.

3100BC - Another warrior dies against our spear and promotes him to elite.

Ivory is irrigated, send worker to chop deer-forest towards settler. We can work the ivory for 2 turns until Con grows, Masonry in 12t atm.

Con spear -> warrior.

After this it's quiet, but look out for those spears that will pillage if they have a chance.

Red dot would be my first choice. Due to the early appearance of the russians, I couldn't squeeze out that early settler I was hoping for.

 

[SimpleMonkey]

I'd agree with red dot and then perhaps West Turquoise Dot. If it's bordering fresh water, then it's possible that it could build SoZ. We'd have Masonry for a prebuild and Math not so far after that. (Hey, I can dream, can't I?) Red dot has better production potential, but not the growth potential.

Great starting set, goz! I knew Fat Cathy's first wave wan't gonna be trouble. Are we agreeing on a settler as soon as Con pops its next caveman?

Current roster is:

goz - started our first war in 3200BC and fought it with stone knives and bearskins
Andronicus - up!
SimpleMonkey - on deck
markh -
classical hero -

with room left for one or two more reckless monkeys.

 

[gozpel]

Red dot has better production potential, but not the growth potential.

It can borrow the irrigated deer now and again later on.

 

[SimpleMonkey]

It can borrow the irrigated deer now and again later on.

True. On the other hand, it's going to be a long time before we build ducts anywhere. I've build the SoZ in a pop 6 city, but not on Deity.

 

[Ansar]

lurker's comment: Why would you need the ducts? Size 6 cities with walls are the same defense. Or is it for unit suppport?

 

[SimpleMonkey]

Unit support is always a good thing. But I was mainly indulging in my obsession with building the SoZ in this game. I know no wonder is worth skewing the game, but AC are da bomb. And it doesn't look like there's going to be iron in our immediate neighborhood.

A city stuck at pop 6 is limited in the number of shields it can produce, that's all.

 

[Ansar]

lurker's comment: Silly me, I forgot about shield count. About the iron, thats why we got ivory isnt it?

 

[Andronicus]

Got it .......

 

[Andronicus]

Played 10 turns and the big news is we have a leader .
Of course we cant build an army until we get 4 towns - currently have 2.
We are very thin on military

Turnset
Pre-turn - switch Con warror -> settler (we need second town soon to support more military

2950BC
Con -> size 4 - lux to 10

2900BC
Play musical chairs with pillaging spears
IT
eSp d rWar (1-0)
Con settler (sped by chop)-> archer

2850BC
worker -> road game
Lux back to 0

2800BC
settler arrives red dot

2750
Adrianopole founded at red dot -> starts spear
IT


2710BC
worker irr game

2670BC
zzzz

2630BC
more troops arrive
IT
eSp d vWar (2-0) -> WE GET A LEADER
eSp d rWar (3-0)

2590BC
Sci to 90 - masonary in 2
IT
rSp d vWar (4-0)
Con builds archer -> archer (could be walls or rax?)

2550BC
Units still have movement points. I would fortify archer as we have good defence (eSp and archer adds free defensive shot). I think worker should go to SW of Con - the only safe spot avail (we lack enough units to defend towns, tile and worker)

 

[Andronicus]

Roster
goz - started our first war in 3200BC and fought it with stone knives and bearskins
Andronicus - survived the second wave and pulled a leader out of the hat
SimpleMonkey - UP
markh - on deck
classical hero -