Space's first HoF attempt

[a space oddity]

After 70 turns (1250BC) the proud Mayans have 9 cities and 3 settlers.
They have great plans to unify the world and that is why the diplomatic picture currently looks like this:

 

[a space oddity]

Space: Best of luck on this one.

Any chance of posting the opening save in case I get some free time and want to check it out?

Thanks, Denyd.

I'll post the save a bit later, when I know the full map. I really am letting you guys look over my shoulders, you know. And while I know you would never post any spoilers, others could.

 

[superslug]

And while I know you would never post any spoilers, others could.

That's never happened in the HoF so far as I know, especially since it's your .sav, no one else can use it for their own HoF run.

 

[a space oddity]

That's good to hear. It'll get it posted sometime. Not today, though.

I played upto 750BC yesterday and made the mistake of allowing an archer to suicide on one of my Javelins, you know what that means.... Despotic GA, which I was trying to avoid by leaving building the Pyramids to my pet AI.

I'm not sure if it'll really hurt me, we're growing nicely and the 'biggest' opponent is neigh gone. Getting the score up will mostly take growth more than shields anyway.

The SoZ is online (and I by now remembered that a Rax makes them 5/5, can you tell this is my 3rd serious COTM game? ). Here's the military picture. On first look it might appear that we are slightly short on workers, but being Industrious really helps plus the slaves are a-plenty thanks to the enslavement capability of the 'throwers.

We'll know of a thing called 'Republic' in 3 turns, so all in all the Mayans fare not too bad.

 

[Bartleby]

I wish you well also.
Can I ask you whether you've had much trouble with disease? I've always shunned floodplain starts but maybe I'm just too cautious?

 

[a space oddity]

Thanks, Bartleby.
No, I haven't had any trouble, and I find that growth usually makes up for it anyway. Obviously I'm using the capital for settlers, so the population of it is constantly changing anyway. And by now I've got so many cities that it's not a big factor anymore.

edit: The capital itself in not on a floodplain tile, I think that makes it a little less prone to desease.

 

[Speaker]

I'm surprised you didn't go for the Republic slingshot. Should be a gimme on Regent level, even after getting Mathematics I should think. Just gotta research Code of Laws and still get Philosophy first. Or perhaps I'm misunderstanding you and Philosophy will finish in 3 turns, allowing you to get Republic for free. Good luck with the rest of your game.

 

[a space oddity]

Thanks, Speaker. I figured that it really didn't matter whether it was CoL or Republic that I got for free, as a high tech speed is not required. I could very well be wrong though, that is what is game is all about, a try out.

I've played palyed 100 turns now (550BC) and we're a Republic. The Sumerians have built the Pyramids, so guess in which direction we will expand?!

 

[Darkness]

Thanks, Speaker. I figured that it really didn't matter whether it was CoL or Republic that I got for free, as a high tech speed is not required. I could very well be wrong though, that is what is game is all about, a try out.

I've played palyed 100 turns now (550BC) and we're a Republic. The Sumerians have built the Pyramids, so guess in which direction we will expand?!

those Sumerians...

BTW, high tech speed is definately helpfull! Getting steam power ASAP (and replaceble parts) are always priotities for me in my HoF attempts. RR and faster worker speed really help increase your score!

 

[a space oddity]

Of course, steam power is important but only after we own 65,9% of the land. It would be ideal to time it so, that those two events occur simultanious.
My plan is to achieve dominance as soon as possible and settle and improve the choice parts later. All the time keeping my people as happy as possible. Not very original I know, but hey, it's all new to me.

 

[Speaker]

I wasn't referring to increasing the tech rate, but rather to removing the tile penalties as quickly as possible. Your score will quickly improve if all your cities are at 5fpt rather than 3fpt.

 

[a space oddity]

I know you weren't, Speaker. But founding cities will improve the score even quicker, so expansion first, improvement later, no?

edit: In actual fact improvements are very important always, I know, if I get some more experience in this I will try to calculate what emphasis gives the better result, quick expansion, high happiness vs high tech rate.

 

[mad-bax]

I'm a failure. 18 months I've been trying to make a warmonger out of you and now this. It's a sad day.

Good luck Space and I hope you get the top spot on the leader board. Go get 'em

Now where did I put Moonsigers map finder utility.....

 

[a space oddity]

My have my sincere condolances MB. There is some fighting involved, but it is true that I was looking for a low pressure game to be played without the time constraints of an SG or GOTM game. I am not thinking top spot ATM, just a first feel of the waters.

For you I would suggest a Tiny Sid Conquest...

 

[Moonsinger]

...But founding cities will improve the score even quicker, so expansion first, improvement later, no?

edit: In actual fact improvements are very important always, I know, if I get some more experience in this I will try to calculate what emphasis gives the better result, quick expansion, high happiness vs high tech rate.

For me, I think quick expansion is the key; high tech don't mean much for the score. My #1 priority is to build a lot of roads outward ASAP. This would cut down the time my settlers have to travel before founding new city. My minimum # of workers usually equal or greater than the number of towns.

As for building Wonder, the Bach's Catheral is the only one that I usually build (in my Sid game, that was the only Wonder that I built and finished before the AIs and before setting out to conquer the world). When the war begin, the extra two content citizens per each city would help out quite a bit.

For C3C game, try to avoid using the capital as the settler pump. Sure, it may pump out some settler now and then, but I use it mostly for pumping out military units. Since the unhappiness and corruption rate are virtually none at the capital, I think it would be best not to turn it into a settler factory (a war factory may be a better option).

As for enhancing the "fun" factor, I recommend using CRpMapStat by Dianthus. If Civ4 will be any good, it should have incorporated all those feature from CRpMapStat to help cut down a lot of map scrolling and many other boring tasks. If I'm a ruler of a huge nation of hundred of cites, I do not need to waste time asking/looking for direction. If I need to visit a city in trouble, I would just simply command "take me there" and I will be there instantly and the CRpMapStat will make that happen (in just one simple click).

 

[a space oddity]

Thanks for the tip, Moonsinger, I used it during COTM02. It is a great tool, makes life a lot easier, especially in that phase where you don't want any unexpected culture expansions or rioting.

Why is using the capital to pump settlers worse in C3C compared to PTW? My capital is pumping units BTW (even in anarchy, I noticed). Ancient Cavs!

 

[Moonsinger]

Why is using the capital to pump settlers worse in C3C compared to PTW? My capital is pumping units BTW (even in anarchy, I noticed). Ancient Cavs!

I don't really know the logic behind it, but by observation, I have noticed during my last game (patch 1.15b) that about 8 people in my size 11 capital were happy. IIRC, I had only two luxuries and no temple. In the meantime, most of my outer ring town of size 5 or 4 had two unhappy people in each town. My guess is that it had something to do with the new corruption formula in C3C.

 

[a space oddity]

Hmm... interesting! I already have more luxes so I'm not sure whether I can observe this behaviour in my game too, but now it has my attention.

 

[fret]

I'm a failure. 18 months I've been trying to make a warmonger out of you and now this. It's a sad day.

Hehe, Anyone who has ever tried a huge map HOF game will know that its nothing but all out warmongering for 150-200 turns. Thats pretty pure IMO

You have done an excellent job in making an ultimate warmonger out of him/her

 

[a space oddity]

Psst, Fret, don't tell him, he likes to wallow in it. BTW it's her in this case.