STR-05: Shaka the Virgin Conqueror

[Strauss]

I have been playing Civ4 for nearly a year now, but I have never completed an Always War game. Therefore I am now starting an AW-SG, to force me to finish one and lose my AW-virginity.

Game Settings:
Game Version: Warlords 2.08
Difficulty level: Prince, this is hard enough for AW on Warlords
Map type: Fractal
Map size: Standard
Game speed: Epic
Civ: Zululand
Leader: Shaka (Aggressive, Expansive)
Victory conditions: All enabled, conquest or domination pursued.
Opponents: 6 random
Barbs: On

Variant: Always War


For the roster I am hoping for a mix of AW veterans and virgins.

Roster:
1) Strauss
2) Ozbenno
3) Bede
4) berserks01
5) karr1255

24 hours for a 'got it', additional 48 hours to play.

I will roll the start once the roster is filled.

 

[Ozbenno]

AW games are fun. If you'll have me, count me in.

Are you enabling tech trading? Prince with new AI and tech trading could be tough but a win would be very rewarding!

 

[Bede]

@Strauss, ignore the PM and sign me up. (I had too many windows open and losst track of which one went where, you had already followed my gratuitous advice)

 

[berserks01]

I'm a war junkie myself. If you'll have me, I'd like to sign up for this.

 

[karr1255]

I'm a AW virgin and I'd like to join.

 

[pigswill]

I really ought to mend my pacifist builder ways so this seems an opportunity too good to pass up. (never played always war before).

 

[miller4242]

Not a sign up, but I will be lurking this thread heavily. I have always wanted to see how well the Zulus could perform in AW. Good luck.

 

[Strauss]

Roster:
1) Strauss
2) Ozbenno
3) Bede
4) berserks01
5) karr1255

Unfortunately I have to leave you out pigswill. Hopefully we'll meet in another SG soon.

I hope be able to start today, but a big party is coming up tonight and I still need to make some preparations. I will at least roll the starting position for you to drool over.

@ Ozbenno: yes, tech trading is enabled

 

[pigswill]

No problem. I shall lurk and admire.

 

[FeedBack]

Too bad I got here late too. I'll sit next to pigswill at the lurker's corner.
Good luck!

 

[Strauss]

As expected, I don't have time to play the starting turns yet. Here is the starting position though:

Sheep, hills and flood plains. Doesn't look too shabby.

 

[berserks01]

Only question here is: Does scout produce better results from tribal village than settler?

 

[karr1255]

Yes but afaik you can't get a tech as long as you don't have a city. I'd just settle on the spot.

 

[Ozbenno]

You need to settle on first turn. In an AW game on epic speed with a starting scout rather than warrior, you have the risk that if an AI warrior wanders over to your capital before you can produce a warrior its bye bye. Given that, I'd settle in place.

From my AW games I've noticed the following

• Isolated starts are good
• At some stage (probably early ADs) we will start getting swamped by the AI, if we can have some cities on a hill protecting our core, we will be all right.
• Crossbows are the best units, as when the above swamping happens it will be with axes and swords mainly (drill 4 crossbows are the absolute best)
• AIs won't pursue wonders, so Oracle/Pyramids are doable if we want for Metal Casing/Hereditary Rule

 

[Strauss]

I apologise for the delay in starting up this game, but I want to make sure I make some good early moves here. I'll be home early tomorrow so I wil start this up then. Stay tuned.

 

[zakalwe]

Maybe you should consider settling NW, on the plains hill? The turn spent moving will easily be offset by the extra hammer, both for producing your initial warrior and worker. The site would be a strong commerce site, and on fresh water unlike the starting position. It also looks like you could protect it and its cottages with additional cities to the north and east. The hill defense bonus doesn't hurt either.

 

[berserks01]

Settling NW would gain the extra hammer, but you'd lose another plain hill for production, 1 turn, and lose 1-2 tiles to desert tiles within our BFC.

The pluses does not offset the minuses, IMO.