Sirp's Training Day Game for Aspiring Monarchs

[Lkysam]

I have been lurking here so is it ok if I step in with a comment? Even though I didnt play in this game it helped me to win on monarch for the first time! Thanks! It think one of the things that helped you was using the entertainment slider instead of entertainers (ents from now on so I dont have to type it ) I also think your good SP has helped too. You went to republic sooner than I usually do (I go monarchy first) but had a smaller army. I dont really understand why people like chivalry so much though. I prefer MDIs myself 'cause pikes dont get a bpnus vs them. And I definitely think war is a good idea right now because you can grab that nice land around your capital. And you never know When youll get a surprisingly good city. In my last game I got a city in the ancient age that later went on to build Iron Works and start producing almost 200 spt !!!!

 

[Shaesha]

I think that what I have learned most is .. hmmm .... city placement was a big thing. I never really grasped the extra food thing.... but now I do. Happiness obviously still gives me some problems but I think I am getting a *little* better at it

 

[bewareofgnomes]

i am also a lurker. i think that what improved your gameplay the most were two things. first, little helpful tips such as the entertainer slider. second and prolly most important for me is the detail in every turn. these combine to make succesion games about a level easier IMHO. i am about 50-50 on monarch, but in succesion games with ppl close to my skill level, i am almost posotive i could win on emporer. speaking of which, after this game is finished could you do an emporer then possibly a deity. if you do reserve a spot for me sirp

 

[Renata]

@lyks

Pikes don't get a bonus against mounted units - that was Civ2.

<--- had forgotten about MDI as well

Renata

 

[Matt_G]

The three things that I have learned that will help me the most are;
1. Don't be afraid to use the lux slider.
2. Research at max even if the turns to go don't change.
3. Dont worry about your cash in the early game. It's alright to be broke.

All these things have had a lot to do with our success in this game, but I think the two biggest factors were:
1. The bonus food/granary combo at Athens and Sparta.
2. All the fresh water.

Of course having hoplites from the start doesn't hurt either.

Matt

 

[Sirp]

Well, we certainly got a good starting position, and there is *lots* of fresh water around, which has helped us alot. Exploiting it took good city placement though, and that's a factor that shouldn't be underestimated. Even if we got Babylon's starting position, we'd still be #1 now, maybe not by so much, but we would be up there. After all, their starting position isn't *that* bad. The granary at the start also helped alot, and was very good for this type of start, with lots of open land around.

The luxury slider is an important thing I notice. Everyone should remember that it is the most efficient way to keep people happy in terms of happiness/gold spent ratio. The only bad thing about it is it's on an empire-wide instead of city-specific basis. Note that using the luxury slider costs you only commerce. Using entertainers costs you food, shields, and commerce. Entertainers are *very* bad. If you have them, you should always either (1) use the luxury slider instead, or (2) be working towards getting rid of them.

You always want to rush to Republic asap. @Lkysam: don't go to monarchy. Don't even research it. Rush for Republic, it's far better. Not to mention how horrid two periods of anarchy are. Once you have republic, switch to it immediately. Yes, research *may* suffer for a little while, but your growth will shoot up, and within no time at all, your research output will dwarf what it was in despotism. Don't be afraid to undertake a move which will hurt your research in the short term but render slightly longer-term benefits. Even if you have to set luxuries to 40% when you first enter Republic, the growth and extra shields will make up for it in no time.
There is an important thing that no-one else has mentioned: we built a fairly large number of workers, and we used them effectively, not chopping lots of jungle too early, and very importantly, irrigating grassland very quickly after entering Republic. Many people are loathe to irrigate over mines if there is completely unimproved land around. You might have noticed that's exactly what I was doing in my last turn. Irrigating an appropriate amount of grassland is very important upon entering Republic, you should try to get as many core cities as can to food surpluses of at least 4-5. @bewareofgnomes: Yes I may have another TDG after this on a higher level, if there is enough interest. I'd probably ensure that the starting spot is a little poorer, and yes I'll pen you in if it goes ahead.
-Sirp.

 

[Sirp]

We haven't heard from Stormrider, after Matt_g's turn finished more than 24 hours ago, so he is skipped. If we don't hear from him before his next turn, he will be dropped from the game.

Matt_g
Stormrider (skipped)
Shaesha <--- UP NOW
Sirp <--- on deck
Renata (hope she does well on her midterms)
CivGeneral

Good luck Shaesha!

-Sirp.

 

[Stormrider]

Sorry I did not post an 'I got it'.

I checked on Saturday and saw Renata's comment that CivGeneral's report was still owed. I figured that there was still CivGeneral and matt_g before I was due and that I had until Monday to say 'I got it'. I did not expect Matt to play at 3 AM on Saturday and did not have a chance to log onto the internet on Sunday

I'm MIA for a few extra hours and all of the sudden I am in danger of being dropped? Not nice

 

[Sirp]

Stormrider,

I do understand your reasoning, however it would be great if you could check back at least once every 24 hours to keep check of progress.

I didn't mean to 'threaten' you with being dropped. I just said that if you didn't show up before your next turn, which is a long way away, then you would be dropped. I don't think it's unreasonable to drop someone if they haven't been heard from for a full rotation. Others who have ran training day games (and other forms of succession games) usually have the same rule in this regard and generally express it in the same way.

I am still happy for you to play your turn now, so if you post an "I got it" before Shaesha does, then you can play your turn.

-Sirp.

 

[Shaesha]

I got it

 

[Shaesha]

Pre-turn
Thermopylae university --> Cathedral
Pharsalos Marketplace --> Cathedral
Knossos Temple --> Worker

400AD Moved workers on the mountains to the mountain with the iron. Gave the
bonus grasslands to Delphi. Moved a Pharsalos worker to the Themopylae side and
gave that tile to Mycenae. Changed Miletos to a worker.

IT Started Banking.
Eretria Worker --> Worker

410AD Workers north of the choke are connecting cities. South of the choke
chopping forest (mostly) Changed Athens to a knight.

IT Athens is dying of disease due to the jungles.
Sparta University --> Cathedral
Thermopylae civil disorder
Athens knight --> Medieval Infantry

420AD Raised lux and got rid of the entertainer in Delphi.

IT Thessalonica Library --> Worker

430AD Blah

IT We take on a barb galley and win
Athens Medieval Infantry --> knight
Delphi Marketplace --> Cathedral
Herakleia University --> Cathedral

440AD The Aztecs are in our territory, asked him to leave and he agreed.

IT Corinth University --> Temple

450AD I think I just sunk a galley!

IT Thessalonica worker --> worker
Rhodes Library --> Temple
Eretria worker --> worker
Lost our galley.... Sorry!

460AD The workers are still working

IT We're starting to research Astronomy now
Argos University --> Cathedral

470AD More work

IT Athens knight --> knight

480AD We're still working - almost have all the cities connected north of the
choke

IT Thess worker --> Worker
Miletos worker --> worker

490AD Blahhhhh

IT Nada

500AD more of the same =o)

<phew> Only one civil disorder!


The Game

 

[Sirp]

Shaesha,

A good turn overall. You had sensible build orders, and you researched what we want: Banking and Astronomy. It's unfortunate about Athens suffering from disease, and especially frustrating that it was from its very last jungle tile. At least it happened now though, and not earlier in the game when it would have been more critical.

When that did happen though, you should have moved Athen's citizens, to optimize the city for food, so it can grow big again quickly.

I'm not sure how you lost this galley, but I assume you sailed it out onto the sea. I'm sure you know not to do that

Fairly good build orders in our cities, although you should probably have gone straight for a bank in Athens once we discovered banking. But then again, we are gearing up for war!

And speaking of war, I see that Rome and the Aztecs have both acquired Feudalism, and the Babylonians, having reached the middle ages, have shared Monotheism with them.

This means that each of our rivals can build medieval infantry and pikemen.....if they have iron. The Aztecs have one source of iron. Right on the border with us. I will deal with them quickly

'Got it'.

-Sirp.

 

[Matt_G]

The Aztecs have one source of iron. Right on the border with us. I will deal with them quickly

Monty better look out!! Sirp's gonna him!

 

[Sirp]

Well, I will prosecute a war against Monty, and if I feel like it I might declare on Rome too. Anything to see how Renata deals with a difficult situation

Only ten turns left now before it's her go!

-Sirp.

 

[Renata]

Sirp:

Renata




Bring it on -- I'll be able to play Thursday night.

Renata <--- not skeered of a few iron-less Aztecs and Romans (much)

 

[Matt_G]

Originally posted by Sirp
Anything to see how Renata deals with a difficult situation
-Sirp.

That's evil.
I it!

Glad to see your back Renata!
No matter what Sirp hands you, I'm sure you'll do just fine.

I wish it was my turn. I am taking tomorrow off from work because we are in the middle of a one helluva blizzard here in Colorado. We have 2 feet of snow on the ground here and will have over 3 feet by tomorrow night.
That's 1 meter for you Sirp. Maybe a little more by the time it's done. It's that real wet heavy stuff too. Can't hardly shovel your driveway without killing yourself.
At least I don't live in the mountains. There are places up there that have gotten 4 feet (121 cm) in the last 24 hours, and are expecting another 3 feet tomorrow!

Matt

 

[ToddMarshall]

@ Sirip

Don't forget your promise now

Hmm...that gives me plenty of time to line up something real good for you Renata

Two caravels, a settler, three hoplites, and two swordsmen, with em you'll be expected to set us up to take out an entire civilization on another continent

I'm sure she has been waiting all week in anxious anticipation of this challenge

 

[Sirp]

Marshall: Unfortunately there weren't as many turns between then and now as I thought, so there were two skips, and that challenge is going to have to wait a little

Matt: Turns just have a way of not coming up when you're all ready to play, and then coming up when it's not convenient don't they? I've been waiting for play a turn for a while, and all of a sudden I'm up here *and* in Russian Researchers. (And lucky you for being home, I'm stuck at work, and have never so much as seen snow in my life!)

Hmm...maybe it's time for this to become "Sirp's Training Day Game for Aspiring Warmongers" by declaring war on all our neighbours or something fun like that

-Sirp.

 

[Renata]

Never seen snow! Yowsa.

I was just wandering through smilie land and came across this one; I think it looks a lot like matt_g right now don't you all?

Renata

 

[Sirp]

Well it just doesn't snow in most places in Australia. Actually I tell a lie, I have seen snow from about 30,000 feet while flowing over the alps, but I don't think that counts. I've never been to other countries during winter.

And I can't see smileys when I'm at work cause I'm using a text-only browser

-Sirp.