Spoonwood's Hall of Fame Attempts

[Spoonwood]

I played a standard space game with Sumeria with all the other scientific opponents, except Russia on Demigod. I popped an SGL on Writing and made the Pyramids. I entered my GA at the beginning of the industrial age and had mostly 4 turn research from there on out, except like 5 turns for a few techs in the industrial age, and 6 turns on Miniaturization. The AIs got me Replacable Parts, Synthetic Fibers, and just as I was going to start it, Satellites. I completed the Apollo Program sometime on July 20, 2019. And launched the spaceship in 980 AD.

The game did accidently crash the first time after the warrior struck the metal with his hammer, but worked the 2nd time. I closed MapFinder the 2nd time around... I wonder if that messed things up the 1st time around.

Edit: My free techs were Engineering (none of the AIs had it), Communism (ugh!), and Space Flight (yea!).

 

[jarred!]

When did you learn Republic/revolt and when did you reach tech parity?
Space flight is a tier 2 tech, right? How did you get it as your free tech?

 

[Spoonwood]

When did you learn Republic/revolt and when did you reach tech parity?
Space flight is a tier 2 tech, right? How did you get it as your free tech?

Thanks for the questions jarred! I checked my 1000 BC save and it looks like I'm 1 turn away from learning Republic. I think I learned it, let the builds I had going on complete, and then revolted instead of revolting interturn using 'what's the big picture?'.

I'm not sure if I learned Currency before the AIs or slightly after them. I feel more sure that I learned Theology before any of them. Since I popped an SGL on Writing, it might get said I had tech parity by then or by the start of the middle ages.

Yes, Space Flight is a tier 2 tech (the only one I got in this game, unfortunately). I got it as my free tech by using 'what's the big picture?', gifting AIs up to the modern era until all 4 first tier techs, and then purchasing all of the first tier techs from AIs after that. I had purchased Monotheism and Feudalism earlier using the same method, but no one got Engineering, so that ended up as my free tech (it got have been Theology or Chivalry). The AIs got all first tier techs in the industrial era, but again, I got Communism as my free tech when Industrialization would have save some time, and Electricity would probably have saved even more time on the finish date.

 

[jarred!]

Thanks for your response
I am familiar with being a non scientific civ, gifting the scientific AI up to the next age, and buying their free techs. As a scientific civ I receive my free tech after gifting the first AI to the next age. (I use 'what's the big picture?' then go to the trade advisor and trade techs, but get kicked back to the 'new age' splash after the first trade.) How do you trade with multiple AI without being gifted a free tech yourself?

 

[Spoonwood]

I go the screen with their heads before doing trades. Then make the trades using that screen over and over again. Then the 'new age' splash screen gets turned off after I've done that by me. Doing that should give you a tech different than what you traded from the AIs.

 

[Spoonwood]

There have been some other attempts that I remember. Starting Huge Sid space and getting to the middle ages.

I'm starting a Huge 20k pangea attempt with maximum opponents, and the first start I see is lucky:

I picked opponents who were non-scientific. In order top to bottom on the spaceship launch screen: Rome, Egypt, China, America, Japan, India, Aztecs, Zulu, Mongols, Vikings, Celts, Arabia, Maya, Portuguese, Hittites.

Goals: scout some with a warrior, try to find the best nearby site, and get some cities up. No time for a granary even if I can trade for Pottery. The reason lies in that the quantity of cities I believe more useful than growth early for getting into war for an MGL for the Heroic Epic. Another decision point: do I research Mathematics or Writing at minimum? A trade route for ivory sounds very hard and dependent on luck to get up fast enough for the Statue of Zeus. Move the worker and plant in place. I spot a mountain at 4-4-2 from the starting spot (the numerals match what you'd press on the keyboard to move a unit there). I think I can't get a trade route up quickly enough, so I'll research Writing.

I already see a spot at 1-1-1 from the capital which can have 4 bonus grasslands and mountain, which makes me consider just putting out a settler. But, I stick with a warrior, because I think I can afford to have fewer cities (I think huge pangea 20k is possible without a food bonus).

Once the worker finishes irrigating, I consider using the worker to scout. But, if I do that, I'd lose production possibility on the best 20k I see so far, so I decide to have those workers start mining along the river. No are roads planned for now, except at the 9 spot from the capital. I plan to move the warrior to the mountain and then have it move the outer radius of the capital.

After 001 hits size 2 it riots. I had MapStat loaded, but not current. So, I load MapStat with the most recent autosave and make a happy citizen in 001 with the luxury slider.
3500 BC I had seen spices 2 turns before, and now I spot ivory!

Since I have ivory close, I decide to move the warrior to make contacts. I'm going to put the 20k site at 1-1 from 001 so that it can attempt the SoZ and not check to see if that's the optimum spot for production. That site can have 6 bonus grasslands and a mountain and a cow. I prefer the 2nd city at CxxC spacing, but I think the possibility of the Statue of Zeus is strong enough to warrant less shield production potentially long-term.

3250 BC A Portuguese scout appears, they have Bronze Working and Pottery and Masonry already. Plant 002. It starts on a palace prebuild. I consider having it use the cow, but I think I can build the SoZ without it, and 001 can focus on getting settlers out with the cow in use.

3050 BC Our warriors meet Mao, who has BW and WC.

3000 BC See that China has 0 gold, while Portugal has 20 gold. Since the AIs almost always research BW and WC this implies that Mao bought Alphabet from someone. Portugal sold Alphabet to someone else likely, since Mao doesn't have Pottery. I decided a few turns back to road the forest at the 2 spot from the capital. I think that isn't necessary to get ivory to 002 for the SoZ. But, I'm sticking with that road for now. Portugal starts on The Colossus.

2950 BC - Portugal now has Ceremonial Burial.

2800 BC - China now has Pottery and 51 gold. I don't recall such a jump this early like that before. Plant a third city which also starts on a settler.

2750 BC Portugal has The Wheel.

2590 BC A roman warrior appears. I have one turn left on the road for the ivory, so the luxury slider goes off (I had it off and on in previous turns depending on what was needed). Mao already has a surplus Spice source. Rome has no extra silks, and Portugal has no extra wines.

2550 BC China starts on The Pyramids (it's a prebuild on the Statue of Zeus I think... they have ivory, but the Pyramids can easily get built by AIs before 2000 BC). I road another forest, because I have no use for the shields right now from a chop. I have the worker moving towards another BG to mine.

2430 BC China now has the same techs as Portugal. I use the roaded first tile with my settler moving.

2350 BC I could buy a worker from Rome. But I want to buy Mathematics as soon as I can, so I decide against it. In the interturn Portugal completes The Colossus. They start on The Pyramids.

2270 BC Found a 4th city which has cow and spices. It starts on a settler also.

2190 BC Portugal now has Writing. Portugal starts The Oracle in the interturn.

2150 BC Rome learns a technology they didn't have. I believe it's The Wheel. Spot yellow looking borders.

2110 BC Rome has the same techs as China. Meet The Vikings who have 130 gold, spices (0), incense (0) and the same techs as Portugal.

1950 BC interturn China starts on The Oracle. The Maya complete the Pyramids!

1910 BC Portugal starts on The Oracle. Portugal, China, and Scandinavia have Mathematics. Using the settler trick, 002 has 158 shields in the box. I think China doesn't have ivory hooked. Could someone please finish that Oracle up now? Due to the move order the Hitties could cascade to it next turn with no more shields needed. China has the Oracle going in Macao.

In the interturn China starts the Statue of Zeus and The Oracle. Kazan, a Mongolian city completes the Oracle. It's only 80 shields for China to finish the SoZ if they continue to build it from scratch.

1870 BC - Our warrior meets Tokugawa and trades!

I check and Canton is building the Statue of Zeus.

1830 BC China was building The Oracle in Nanking last turn. Now they are building the Statue of Zeus there. But they didn't finish it. I probably would have done better to see where they started The Pyramids. I'm guessing it was Nanking. Maybe I should swap to a temple and forget it, but I leave the prebuild on The Palace.

1790 BC China doesn't finish the SoZ. 182 shields in the box making 8 shields per turn. Meet India who lacks Writing. Learn Writing. Portugal has Code of Laws. Rome almost has Writing. Trade Writing for Mysticism, BW, and 2 gold from India. Trade Writing + 20 gold to Rome for The Wheel and Warrior Code. Trade Writing for Iron Working and 2 gold from Japan. Start 70% run on Literature.

1725 BC Purchase Mathematics from Japan for 12 gpt and 47 gold. Swap prebuild to the Statue of Zeus and it's a lock with 1 turn left! It's now a 10% on Literature. Oh well. After the SoZ completes I decide a temple is better now. We won't make it to Literature for a bit now with having bought Maths, which we should have traded for Horseback Riding. A barracks would be nice, but AC's won't be spawning a leader. I'll want knights for that, I think. Japan put an embassy in our capital.

1700 BC - Trade Rome Maths for Horseback Riding and 96 gold.

1650 BC - Portugal has Map Making. In the interturn they start on The Great Lighthouse.

1575 BC - Vikings start Great Lighthouse.

1550 BC - India gets sold Mathematics for 25 gold by our salesman of the century. Meet America. The temple completes and starts on a palace prebuild.

1525 BC - Portugal has Currency. Change palace prebuild to barracks. On the interturn America starts The Temple of Artemis.

1500 BC - Build embassy with America:

 

[Spoonwood]

MapStat data indicates that everyone I have met so far has at least 16 cities, while France has 8.

Goals for now: get a trade network up (Portugal might have gpt soon having Currency... or does already), finish getting some warriors out for pillaging, see if I can snag Literature for the Great Library, get granaries up, maybe markets up also, try to get military up to prepare for a war. America has but one city on my borders iirc. I might be able to get into a rushed war, but then I wouldn't have infrastructure up, and I've generally preferred infrastructure before war preparations, since it's less costly; building infrastructure with a barracks in towns means that the barracks is only costing it's upkeep. But, the benefit of war would be an earlier Heroic Epic, and this is a 20k game. Either way, I need a trade network first for resources and gold reserves. Also, another goal is building embassies.

1500 BC AI turns (which I called 'interturn' above... that period is the same time, but the AIs taking their turns.. it's between the turns when the human player takes their turn) China starts The Great Wall. Will someone get a government slingshot? Portugal starts the ToA.

1475 BC Surprisingly, China knows Construction by their own self. At lower levels this might seem to suggest an n-fer as possible. I experiment with using all tax collectors and 0% science, but even then I don't have enough to purchase either Construction or Currency. Portugal does not have gpt available that they would trade for something. There's 10 turns left on the deal with Japan at 12 gpt. I do some math in my head. I could attempt to get literature quicker than this min run I have going on. But, 1. the AIs might still get it before me. 2. I wouldn't have capital to set up starting getting gpt from AIs. And that would slow down getting construction for a colosseum. It would only be a few turns on Literature. That could make the difference in getting The Great Library or not. But, the trade network is less risky for getting culture up quickly. Researching the Great Library is potentially wasted commerce. I can build horseman earlier with a trade network up and can more easily ensure control of luxuries and resources if I have them. I finally decide, to stick with the minimum run on Literature, since I want the ease of that control earlier and I might not get the Great Library even with maximum research. I do suspect that I'm making the weaker choice here though, but it feels more secure to stick with the minimum run. The maximum run rush on the Great Library would also mean earlier worker join ins by a bit... I want roads to other empire borders up also. I'm also feel inclined to believe (not on the basis of any evidence mind you!) that Portugal is more likely than most other tribes to research Literature, so min run it is.

Portugal is expansionist, the Mongols are another expansionist tribe that I've seen research Code of Laws, and I've seen The Mongols research it on more than one occasion.

1450 BC AI turns, Mao demands 24 gold and I give it to him.

1425 BC 002 completes barracks and starts on a palace prebuild. It says 30 turns, but I'll probably make that lower. MapStat tells me something has happened with Portugal's gold. I check with him and he now has 4 gpt available. I believe that I might get a trade network up in less than 20 turns. So, I don't use the gold in the bank to loan out to Henry at interest. Swap tiles so that 002 has 38 turns to complete the palace instead of 30, with Literature due in in 37 turns.

1400 BC - The Americans start The Great Lighthouse. The Portuguese start the Museum of Mausollos. Overall tech situation:

I check with the Military Advisor and:

They even took a detour to Currency, and still pulled off The Republic Slingshot. Portugal will now have plenty of gpt soon. I check, and it's 43 gpt this turn (43 gpt is "insulted" 44 gpt is "never"). On the AIs turns China starts the ToA. Vikings start the MoM. Portugal the GW.

1375 BC - The Palace would complete too quickly, so I finally give 002 2 a cow, and another weak tile. Too many shields in the box would not be good if I can't get The Great Library. Sun Tzu's and the Sistine Chapel are each 600 shields, and I need a revolution. Slower production I guess is probably better now than later. The other goal in progress is developing 002, I'm even roading forests, since chopping them might mean lower shield output for a bit.

AI turns Rome starts on MoM. China starts on the MoM. So does America. Vikings start ToA.

1350 BC See a Portugese curragh. You might not have seen an AI build a curragh before, but I have seen AIs build curraghs on Sid many times. Swap my capital to a catapult instead of a granary. I want more workers before I go too far with granary builds.

1325 BC I finally realize that using ACs as military police rather than putting them in planned attack position makes more sense. I also might pillage out my ivory.

1300 BC Portugal now has 44 gold with India having 159, America 102, and Scandinavia 100. Park an AC on that roaded forest tile ready to pillage. Rome starts The Great Lighthouse.

1275 BC Swap the capital back to a granary, since it will complete one turn before it's next growth. The Maya complete the Temple of Artemis. Portugal starts on The Great Wall.

1250 BC 002 grows and I swap one tile so that the Palace Prebuild matches the time left on Literature exactly. China starts on The Great Wall. America on the MoM. America on The Great Lighthouse. America finishes the Museum of Maussolos in Washington. Portugal starts on The Hanging Gardens.

1225 BC:

Now I just need to get 4 workers to that spot. Mao promises me Dyes, Spices, and 2 gold for 19 gpt. He tells me that we don't have enough credit to also purchase horses for 20 turns though. Having only 9 gpt coming in now, I decide against moving a worker into Portuguese territory to complete a trade network to them. America starts on The Great Wall. So do The Vikings.

1200 BC - The AIs do not do anything wonder wise.

1175 BC - Lincoln promises Wines for 10 gpt for 20 turns. A mine completes and I swap tiles around so that 002 doesn't get too many shields too quickly for it's Palace prebuild. Japan starts on The Great Wall.

1150 BC - Scandinavia, America, and China have horses for sale. No one has iron for sale. I have the AC on the forest below 001 pillage, since the trade network loops around now. Move warriors and workers to the pillage spot. Next turn I should be ready to pillage. Mongols complete The Great Lighthouse. Vikings start The Great Wall and finish it. Portugal starts Hanging Gardens and finish it.

1125 BC - Consult my military advisor. Only Portugal is a Republic. Portugal had surplus luxuries earlier, but doesn't anymore. Get 212 gold and horses from Ragnar, with him promising to supply those horses for 20 turns. Of course, we ensure that he does not fulfill his promise of supplying horses to our capital, since his traders won't bother to walk a few more miles without a road. Kids these days. They are lazy, I tell you. Or maybe it's his trader's horses who just won't bother to travel to our capital without a road... Reacquire luxuries from America and China.

1100 BC - Japan has surplus iron. That, for sure, I'll need to wait on.

I check the grey screen (no trade route to capital):

1075 BC - Checking with tax collectors I observe that we cannot afford Construction. However Japan will give us Wines 34 gold, and Philosophy for 36 gpt. Of course though, his traders won't bother to walk a few miles after our warriors tell them it would be good excercise to walk on natural terrrain for a change. On their turn, Portugal starts Sun Tzu's.

1050 BC - Pick up Code of Laws from China.

1025 BC - Pick up Polytheism from America.

1000 BC - trade Polytheism for Map Making + 21 gold from Rome. 002 grows to size 8. I use a scientist there to match the Palace build time with Literature. No roads get cut this turn.

 

[Spoonwood]

975 BC - Rome and Japan have Construction now, but lack Code of Laws. Pillage and make all citizens tax collectors. So, I pick up Construction + wines + 5 gold using 49 gpt and Code of Laws. I have just enough gpt to pick up 5 gold and a luxury from China. Then my warriors like usual insist that their traders walk a few miles on grass to their empire's capital. Portugal has 73 surplus gpt at the moment. I build embassy in Lisbon to see if I can figure out who Portugal is trading with.

Since I want to see where Rome lies on the map, I build an embassy with them also.

950 BC - Trade India Construction for 45 gold. I don't do any pillaging this turn. Japan and India sign a peace treaty.

925 BC - Think about declaring on Rome and signing Portugal against them, and signing MAs with others. But, I feel the empire doesn't have the gpt so far, so I forget it. We just pick some gold from AIs.

900 BC - Pick up 21 gold from both China and America. I check that city building screen with graphics. I don't see anything for the Statue of Zeus. It did get added with the Conquests expansion.

875 BC - American horses have gotten traded away. They have active trade deals with Rome and China. Rome is now a trading possibility. But, all of their silks have gotten traded away. It looks like those silks are going to China and America. Portugal is supplying Rome wines I think. Egypt declares war on Japan.

850 BC - Since I don't think I'll pillage out my ivory source to trade for another, I irrigate the ivory tile that is already roaded.
825 BC - Rome now has silks. China is now medieval and has The Republic. America also. Portugal has 140 surplus gpt.

800 BC - China has a worker and it's pink in MapStat. Using all tax collectors, it's China promising to supply Spices and Currency for 69 gpt and 182 gold. I cut, road again, and then get back the gold. Then do deals with others and pillage. Now see medieval techs, I can see that Portugal has Monotheism. I sell Currency to Rome instead of gpt. I also sell India Currency for 36 gold. Portugal starts Knights Templar.

775 BC - China and Portugal have Literature. I acquire Literature from China. I have 216 shields in the box. I rearrange tiles to all 2 shield tiles that I have. Great Library projected in 12 turns. It's 160 shields for AIs. I start moving workers to 002. China starts on The Great Library. And so does Portugal.

750 BC - Unfortunately, I can't investigate either Tsingtao, nor Oporto where The Great Library is getting built. After swapping tiles. I join in a worker and that drops The Great Library down a turn after optimizing production. 3 more are ready to join next turn. We pick up a slave from Rome. Someone must not have appreciated that the Romans built the aqueducts! Romans start on The Great Library. As do The Vikings.

730 BC - Three workers join 002:

A Chinese slave joins us.

 

[Spoonwood]

Before I end that turn above, I adjust the luxury slider (and did so before closing the save last night).

The Romans are building The Great Library in Veii. The Chinese in Tsingtao. The Vikings in Stockholm. The Portugese in Oporto. China and Portugal have the equivalent of 9 or France's total turns to build The Great Library, while it's 8 total turns for Rome and Scandinavia. (160 / 9) ceiling = 18. So is either Oporto or Tsingtao making 18 shields per turn? (160 / 8) = 20. So, is either Stockholm or Veii making 20 shields per turn? One of those four possibilities does strike me as more likely than not.

I look above at the picture I took above with America and the ToA. Apparently, my assumption above is not correct. It's 8 total turns for China or Portugal. And 7 for Rome or Scandinavia. So, is either Oporto or Tsigntao making 20 shields per turn? Is either Veii or Stockholm making (160 / 7) ceiling = 23 shields per turn?

I'd have preferred to have the ability to figure out if finishing wonder builds make any sense. I won't have an empire ready for war until I have a Republic. Also, I might have this sort of issue again in the middle age period. Another approach would be to try to get one's number of cities up to increase a city's palace prebuild potential. But, the solution to missing a wonder at the last minute or close involves stalling out shield builds with starvation. My plan instead will be to sign RoPs and use the ancient cavalry I have to scope out more of the world. I also have a warrior that's been trying to scout without RoPs.

Before I end the turn I also switch some of the builds I had going on temples to libraries. I have +0 gpt with the luxury slider now. This does mean getting culture into some of these border cities later though. I'll want the libraries. The temples won't do as much.

I get a palace expansion. The Americans start on The Great Library.

710 BC - The Indians now have both surplus iron and horses. I build embassies:

Beijing has very little wonder building potential for a long time.

Our diplomats pay 120 gold for an RoP with China (our empire will get that gold back, before the turn ends). 40 gold for one with Scandinavia. 60 gold for one with America. America is building The Great Library in Washington. It's 162 gold to investigate Washington:

With the help of the RoP, our warriors find Stockholm. It's 99 gold for a city investigation:

Since there's no aqueduct, our mathematicans also predict that they also won't be building The Great Library. They are building a potentially expensive aqueduct (and 002 is building a potentially expensive colosseum).
100 gold gets paid to Portugal for an RoP. If I recall correctly, Oporto is an early Portuguese city (AI and an player suggested city names always happen in a certain order). So, it lying near Lisbon is likely, if I have that right about Oporto. Did anyone ever collate the entire city name lists for all AIs?

The French empire is down to 305 gold at the end of this turn. I thought the city investigations might be costly and useless in some cases. But, I thought it more informative to readers to do them, so I did them here. The city investigation of Washington almost surely wasn't needed here, since I had a picture from earlier. But also comparing the pictures, notice that there are two fewer marsh squares than in the previous picture.

690 BC - MapStat has pink for China. Our warrior pillages, and Mao gets contacted. He has 7 surplus gpt, which we pick up for 126 gold. The Vikings also have 7 suprlus gpt. Horses get acquired from Scandinavia now, in addition to the luxuries we've had so far. The Portuguese start The Sistine Chapel.

670 BC - India has incense. China has 12 surplus gpt. Scandinavia also has 9 gpt. This puts in a position to pay gpt for iron from Japan. 10% for the luxury slider is possible, but one luxury could disappear, so I keep the luxury slider at 20%. 4 turns left on The Great Library. I can swap one tile to 002 to a higher food location without losing any projected turns on the completion of The Great Library. 532 gold in the bank.

650 BC - India is annoyed with us during the phase when there is gpt going to him. So, I order the gifting of Gandhi 100 gold. Of course, this gold gets reacquired.

630 BC - Japan has furs. China starts Sun Tzu's. Lisbon completes Knights Templar.

610 BC - 1 turn left on The Great Library! The current ancient cavalries will continue to scout. Especially that Portugeuse land. I have only 7 of the contacts so far. New ones will go to that hill and start to position for battle against America. I'll continue with the cultural builds. The empire is not in range of getting knights up yet. We are very low on workers, since starvation is likely during the upcoming revolution in 002. Citizens get rearranged to tax collectors. Republic is too expensive. But, America has more surplus gpt than we can afford to get this turn, at 76 gpt. We have 856 gold. They will only pay us 47 gpt, unless we get more gpt from Portugal. But, doing that wouldn't change the amount of gpt we would have. So, we get 47 gpt from America. I had ordered 2 workers to move away from the pillage spot. Again, we need more workers. China restarts Sun Tzu's. Portugal restarts The Sistine Chapel.

590 BC - see I had ordered a slave road one of the incorrect spots around 001. We could have used the spare warrior to pillage first this turn, but I ordered pillaging first. No deals this turn. We will learn The Great Library, and then revolt anyways. One worker unit begins irrigating grassland. Sign an RoP for 120 gold. We might not get this back now, since we can't pillage.

 

[Spoonwood]

I think more and the RoP with Rome is likely a mistake. Portugal is the tech leader among those known. I guess the Maya having built early wonders could be in a position to build some more. But, I believe that unlikely. I can probably wait on the other contacts. So, I order the ACs brought home, and try to get Portugal to declare war on Rome after the revolution end. See picture attachment at bottom of page. America starts on Sun Tzu's. We learn Republic and revolt.

570 BC - 4 turns left on the revolution.

550 BC - Sell India The Republic for 24 gold. No starvation in 002. 24 food per turn exactly. Having 7 luxuries during anarchy and a temple is nice. Rome declares war on Japan. The Vikings start Sun Tzu's.

530 BC - Make contact with The Zulu who get sold The Republic for 24 gold and 3 gpt. 007 flips to Portugal. Portugal starts Leo's.

510 BC - Disband the warrior scout. I don't believe it's upkeep will be worth it. China has a spear near 003. Become a Republic. Rome starts on Sun Tzu's, as do The Zulu.

Monotheism gets learned by several AIs.
490 BC We pick up Monotheism. America has Chivalry. Renogiate peace treaty with Rome when acquiring Silks. Short rush a worker, than a granary, and change to a library so that 002 finishes it's library in 1 turn at minimal cost. Cash rush one library elsewhere. Learn Chivalry from The Great Library. 002 library -> cathedral. Another palace expansion.

470 BC - America and China have Engineering now. Pillage and Rome declares on us. Maybe it's a little more pricey than usual:

And it works!

Gpt gets used so that China declares war on Rome. Scandinavia does not know Rome. India does not know Rome. America goes to war with Rome. Japan goes to war with Rome. Oh Japan was already at war with Rome. worker->cathedral in 002. Trade Zululand Monotheism for 18 gpt and 10 gold. Make a mistake and get wines from America. Now Portugal might trade those wines away to someone else. I rearrange the civs so that Portugal is in the 1st position clockwise from the image of France's ruler (I'm male, but don't use a mod to change that image). Learn Engineering from The Great Library.

450 BC - Cash rush a worker, then realize I would do better to wait on cash-rushing until after the pillaging phase, so don't cash rush market and let the colosseum finish, but that's the plan. We get a third palace expansion. Portugal still has wines. Even though it costs 386 gpt for Wines + Theology from Portugal, I decide to do that this turn, to maybe get Education earlier (and also the next targeted wonder that may be possible is something along that track). They do not have Education. With Japan lacking Feudalism, Monotheism, and Theology, The Republic instead of gpt gets used for trading with them. Oporto builds The Sistine Chapel.

430 BC - 002 starts on a Palace prebuild. We pick up Invention. Portugal has Gunpowder. Since 2 more workers got moved to the pillage spot a few turns ago, we also manage to pick up Gunpowder. And we have caught up to Portugal in technology. With portugal not having any surplus gpt, cash rushing in larger measure starts. Portugal has no Saltpeter. But, America and China both do in desert squares. Units get repositioned so maybe America won't easily move them towards Rome. 4 catapults get upgraded to trebuchets.

410 BC - Up to +871 gpt at 100% taxes. Unit support is 52 gold per turn.

 

[Spoonwood]

390 BC - I build an embassy with The Zulu.

Shaka accepts Engineering for 13 gpt and 38 gold. Portugal has several stacks moving through our land. I'm having cities buy workers or purchase something every other turn now, other than for 002. Egpyt declares war on the Chinese.

370 BC - Egypt declares war on America. I buy a worker for 80 gold to time better with a forest chop coming in next turn.

350 BC - Zululand now has iron for sale. Egypt declares war on the Portuguese.

310 BC - Portugal has Chemistry, which we purchase.

 

[Spoonwood]

Before the turn ends, I move citizens around in 002 to slow the palace prebuild. It's 9 turns left now, and I do not believe that anyone that I know will learn Astronomy by then. I get offers to renew Rights of Passage, but not renew them. Rome and China sign a peace treaty. The Chinese start Leo's. So does America.

290 BC - China goes back to war with Rome. We have 37 workers and 10 cities. Since I plan to park a stack of 9 or more workers in 002 soon, that leaves us with more than 2 workers per turn. So, I order builds to change to trebuchets and the last of infrastructure. We could put libraries in now. But then, getting to an MGL would get delayed even more. I buy a library in 004, the one city that MapStat says has a probability of flipping. Japan and Rome sign a peace treaty.

270 BC - Japan is Cautious now, so they get a gift of 100 gold. Japan goes back to war with Rome. Perhaps worthy of note lies in that I could have some AIs declaring wars against the Zulu or those who are not my neighbors. However, at this stage of the game wars can disrupt trade routes easily. Egypt and Japan sign a peace treaty.

250 BC - I've had a few cities go worker->trebuchet (as in cash rush a worker, switch to a trebuchet, and buy the trebuchet before a turn ends) in cities where I have a worker about to chop a forest in 2 turns. Also, workers have worked on irrigating some graslands so that some cities may get to 5 food per turn, or at least 3 or 4 food per turn.

230 BC - 004 reaches 10 shields per turn. The cities at the part of the empire furthest from America get set to produce barracks. The French empire has 18 trebuchets. Portugal has recently moved units through American territory at possible entrance points. So, I start placing units in American territory:

Three tax collectors get hired in 002 to slow down the palace build to 7 turns, losing 1 food per turn. I notice the red shield in it, and think 002 could have produced one more shield if I had put a courthouse in it.

 

[Spoonwood]

The Zulu start Leo's. Guimaraes finishes it. I had let RoPs expire. But, our empire had to sign an RoP with America. Fortunately, it cost us nothing since both our empire and America are at war with Rome.

210 BC - America has Gunpowder now. I do some tile rearrangement in 002 to a tile which I had ordered chopped and got revealed as ordinary grassland. Palace still needs 7 turns to complete. I plan to order buying of some more trebuchets next turn, and for a while after that, cities will produce horseman which will get upgraded to knights. Horseman cost 150 gold to upgrade to knights. The French empire has +1580 gpt right now. 9 cities making horse->knights equals 1350 gold from the upgrades. Even though it's more costly, I think I may as well start getting in horseman by short rushing workers. I have 12,932 in the bank. I order the last of trebuchets from the core made.

190 BC - China has hooked up a supply of saltpeter (though they don't have a surplus source). The Aztecs declare war on the Portuguese. One city hits size 6 with surplus food. Well, at least I know to put in an aqueduct.

170 BC - Checking, there's 248 shields in the box in 002.

150 BC - Rome has Education. No one else I know does.

I think we can stand ready to have America declare war on us soon:

 

[Spoonwood]

130 BC - Portugal has metallurgy. Having 10 knights and many ACs by Detroit now seems like a good time for America to declare war on France. France learning metallurgy will expire the Statue of Zeus, but soon ACs won't be all that helpful as an offensive unit. So, France picks up metallurgy. 001 having grown to size 7 and having some tiles from 002 in use, has reached 10 shields (for now). Portugal, China, India, Japan, the Zulu, and Scandinavia all have some luxury or resource, and all of them go to war with America. And to my surprise, all their luxuries and resources are still available for trading! I place the leaderheads so that the image of Shaka's face comes last clockwise, since the Zulu supply iron, and iron is not what I want when ordering horseman built.

The silks we have could get roaded, but there's still a chance we might have peace in a few turns with Rome.

110 BC - It looks like someone has razed Baltimore to the ground. Having grown up in the Cleveland area, I suppose I have an obligation to just shrug my shoulders or something (the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore a while back).

002 has 279 shields in the box. So, now I left all citizens off of it, so there's 21 turns until the Palace completes. Workers start migrating to 002 to join the instant Astronomy gets learned. Henry gives us a boot order, and I'm not so sure why. So, we sign an RoP. China and Rome sign a peace treaty. We learn Education from The Great Library from the Romans and the Americans. I use "What's the Big Picture" to check on the builds and they are now knights. So, I order the cash rushing of universities or libraries instead. Also a market in 008, as I see it doesn't have one.

90 BC - We could pursue learning Banking in 19 turns at most at 100% or Astronomy in 20 turns. I would feel shocked if no one we know would pick up Astronomy in that time though, so I decline on research. Rome likely researches Astronomy right now. Then I change my mind and decide I would rather go after Cope's than not and get more out of those shields instead of an expensive univerisity and try to time out research matching Astronomy time. Rome and America both stand at war now also. No one else knows Education. We have units parked just outside of old Detroit in case it flips.

 

[Spoonwood]

70 BC - Portugal has blocked the road between Detroit and Miami. Miami now has a musketman, unlike last turn. I take a look at 002 and it did starve from size 12 to 11. It now has 296 in the box though. It had 280 last turn, and I had predicted it would have 281 shields. I had not realized that when a city starves it can use the shields from citizens reassigned. This makes my stalling + starvation idea unworkable. On the other hand, it is consistent with shields gained from tiles upon growth. It fits the pattern that food precedes production. 002 swaps to a university. Since the AIs who know Education likely research something else, I decide to research Banking at 100%, projected in 15 turns. It seems a near certainty to me that I want to research faster rather than slower from here on out. But do I road up the tiles around my capital now or not? A large army seems desireable so that the AIs can't build wonders lately or launch, and to get the prebuild up. So, not roading up the capital yet seems preferable. Horseman won't get cash-rushed this turn. We defeat an American horseman with a knight and gain our first promotion. On the AIs turn, the military alliance with Portugal against Rome expires.

50 BC - Short rush a granary in 002 and then swap to a courthouse. Pay 240 gold for peace with Rome. And their silks are still available. Rome declares war on America. Rome had 0 saltpeter before they declared, and now they have 1. Something appears to have happened to one of the Chinese luxuries, as they only have dyes for sale now. 005 starts producing spearmen -> musketeers now instead of horse -> knights. Portugal signs a peace treaty with Egypt. The courthouse has no effect on production in 002. Start on a palace prebuild. An American longbowman attacks a Portuguese musketman and spawns a military great leader.

10 BC - We capture Atlanta. The trebuchets had gotten sent back to upgrade, and now the French empire has 24 cannons and 1 trebuchet.

10 AD - Rome learns Astronomy. I've decided to order some forests cut in 002 to see if any bonus grasslands are available. It's production has decreased:

The two forests observable in the above might still have bonus grasslands. I probably will end up with a forest on a tile or two or three there which later on won't yield any shields, since I've cut tiles around there.

 

[Spoonwood]

30 AD - Since Scandinavia has more than 30+ suprlus gpt, an order gets given to pillage our road to horses. America signs a peace treat with China.

50 AD - China declares war on America. We capture New Orleans. Two workers get sent as a pair onto flatland to get our native saltpeter source hooked up. Ancient cavalry units have volunteered to engage in pillaging duties. We have a city near old Atlanta in one of the above pictures. The people offer to improve my palace and I accept.

70 AD - Scandinavia has The Priniting Press. Perhaps now I can get the rest of the contacts. We acquire Printing Press and contact with the Mongols from Scandinavia.

We obtain contact with Egypt and the Aztecs from Portugal.

The Aztecs have 5 cities and are still in the ancient ages. We trade them Mathematics for contact with The Hittites:

They have 4 cities and also are in the ancient ages. We obtain contact with the Celts from Egypt:

We trade the Celts Mathematics for 9 gold and contact with The Arabs:

Arabia also is still in the ancient age. We trade Currency for contact with the Maya:

The Maya are also in the ancient age! It might have been better to wait, but there's a greater probability of getting in Copernicus's Observatory, so we go for a golden age:

And our musketeer is victorious. Cope's drops to 8 turns, and we switch our prebuild accordingly. It strikes me as unlikely that any AIs can get Cope's before us now. Portugal captures Detroit ahead of us.

90 AD - two workers and an AC arrive on the saltpeter tile.

 

[Spoonwood]

The governor of 014 gets deposed. The Vikings start Cope's.

110 AD - Scandinavia and India have Banking. Democracy would take us 11 turns. Cope's + Palace is 15 turns. Cope's + Cope's would be 18 though. The Military Academy is also 400 shields. I might not snag a leader in time, and both Scandinavia and India are probably researching Democracy. I might get to 18 cities in 18 turns. Shakespeare's Theater is also the highest value wonder, so we'll research toward Free Artistry. 014 has two spearman defending it. I make rather aggressive orders and fight St. Louis down to a 1/3 pikeman, but fail to capture it. Now the Portuguese might capture it in 2 turns. I've had the army split up too much, it seems. China signs a peace treaty with Egypt. The governor of 012 gets deposed.

130 AD - Our soldiers manage to capture St. Louis just ahead of Portugal's knights attacking it. Portugal and The Aztecs sign a peace treaty. The Mongols and Egypt sign a peace treaty. Portugal and Rome sign a peace treaty. 007 flips back to America.

150 AD - Portugal and India learn Military Tradition. As do The French. Retaking 007 results in two knights promoting to elite. The French capture Boston which has three trebuchets in it. Since Seattle lies on a hill, we decline to attack it this turn.

 

[Spoonwood]

I watch two American pikes get killed by Portuguese knights. The governor of 014 gets deposed. The people again offer a palace expansion to the French ruler, and I accept it. Rome starts Copernicus's Observatory.

170 AD - 014 has pikeman in it, unlike how they've had spearman in flipped cities before. Some nations are not at war with America. Egypt declares war on America. I can't seem to find the source of America's iron via trade route information. We manage to retake 014. This provides an opportunity to do some knight -> cavalry upgrades in that city, boosting some 2/4 knights to 4/4 cavalry. It goes down to the last hitpoint of an ancient cavalry, but our soldiers manage to capture Seattle.

This provides another opportunity to upgrade units in a just captured city. America signs a peace treaty with The Zulu. The Indians start Cope's. As do The Zulu.

190 AD - I increase the luxury slider to 10% so that 002 stays happy (it doesn't have a marketplace). The Zulu declare war on America. It seems that we have enough cavalry to take a city, and when our first cavalry marches near it we see:

We do manage to capture Houston, ahead of Chinese riders. The governor of 017 (old Seattle) gets deposed.

210 AD - We capture New York. We also stack dozens of cavalry on hills in American territory. Portugal captures 017. Scandinavia captures Philadelphia. Cope's completes in 002. It starts on our forbidden palace (or Heroic Epic). The Indians start Bach's.

230 AD - We pick up Music Theory. I consider swapping 002 to Bach's. However, there exists some possibility that it will be gone by the time we learn Free Artistry, and thus 002 stays on the FP. Our first leader emerges after fighting an American longbow:

Our leader persuades three cavalry to follow him as he moves near NY 017.

250 AD - Rome has Physics, which we pick up. I guess this makes for one of those unusual games where the AIs do not research Navigation after learning Astronomy. Our leader and those three cavalry form and army, and begin the charge into Washington. 002 changes to the Heroic Epic. With the capture of Washington, the Americans are no more and we can quash resistance. This allows us to tax the research slider up to 100% and Democracy drops from 4 to 3 turns.

34 cpt in 002.

 

[Spoonwood]

One goal I have going forward consists in getting workers to 002 if I can get Shakespeare's Theater for growing it to size 20 and pollution cleaning. Getting my palace prebuild up is another. Also, getting infrastructure in some of these captured cities from America to increase research speed. And getting a larger army up also.

019 starts to buy some explorers. I've thought about attacking China next and they look pretty tough. Pillaging their resources when the war starts might help. Japan also looks tough. Our palace gets another expansion. The Vikings, The Portuguese, start Bach's.

260 AD - 020 is the only city left resisting.

270 AD - Cash rushing has drained the treasury to 4313 gold. Our ambassadors sign an RoP with China and Japan. Science slider down to 70% with Democracy due in a turn. And I hook the saltpeter before I set the builds to horseman... sigh. I have gone with 2 turn builds on horseman lately, so maybe it's not such a big deal. With where The French empire have their cannons positioned, near the Viking city of Philadelphia, and having a city border with them, attacking Japan next seems to make the most sense. The drawback though lies in an even bigger border with China when our soldiers start fighting them.

 

[Spoonwood]

France learns Democracy. Free Artistry due in, at 100% science, in 6 turns. The Romans start Bach's. The Vikings start Magellan's.

280 AD - I saw a large stack of Japanese units in this area last turn:

But, most of them have moved. My plan goes to have Japan declare war on France, get allies, and kill off the handful of units, and pillage that road on the marsh to prevent Samurai from attacking that city. China can help out, but Japan moves before China. Free Artistry drops to 5 turns (some science multiplier buildings just came in). 002 swaps to a Palace prebuild of 5 turns to match that. Navigation and map knowledge has opened up the ability to trade gems with The Maya. 3 cavalry got sent to pillage out our new wine sources from Washington, so that we can continue to trade Wines from Portugal, our main supplier of gold.

The Aztecs, the Hittites, the Maya, the Celts, and the Arabs are not on our continent. They do not go to war with Japan. Everyone on our continent though does, including the Mongols. Fortunately, map trading suffices to get them to declare war on Japan. I figure out another alternative to pillaging:

Our army is on that bonus grassland. I got concerned about attacking San Francisco, but it only took two battles to capture it. At the end of the turn the army had moved to the jungle roaded tile above Cincinnati.