Succesion game - Russia / Small / Monarch

[Arathorn]

Highlights: Iron working, one city founded, another nearly ready, exploration continued. Our starting island is probably a continent on a small map and has just us, America, and Japan. Pretty much all the borders have been fully explored.

(0) 3000 BC - Where did all our people go? One person in Moscow and no settlers? Only the one worker? AARGGHH!! I doubt rushing the granary was worth it. Oh well.

(1) 2950 BC - spearman completes in Moscow. Settler to be produced, without my doing anything. DON'T QUEUE in a Succession game! That's like automating workers or using go-to or using the governor. Please, no!

(2) 2900 BC - decreased science rate to lessen expenses

(3-9) 2850-2590 BC - explore the island more fully *yawn*

(10) 2550 BC - finally get our first settler. Arathorn frowns in disagreement with the suggestions of the late Toecheese and sends him east to lock up the silk there. As late as we're getting started on the land grab, getting a few things near America is probably more important than sealing off the north. The land I chose gives good access to oceans, too. Another settler is ordered, as the time to build it exactly equals the time to grow twice, with current food in the box.

(11) 2510 BC - yawn

(12) 2470 BC - Iron working discovered. This hard substance is much better than bronze for weapon-making, as well as many future uses. Horseback riding ordered next, so we can have fast units for coming wars. Both America and Japan are absolutely broke and have NOTHING to offer other than cities. They have 0 gold (each time I checked) and no techs we do not.

(13) 2430 BC - Iron found northeast of Moscow. It's not currently available but it shouldn't be hard to get. Both America and Japan look to have iron available soon as well.

(14) 2390 BC - Furs arive in Moscow

(15) 2350 BC - Minas Tirith formed in the east near the silk. A spearman is ordered, as a first line of defense. A nearby warrior ceases his exploration and protects the fledgling city.

(16) 2310 BC - yawn

(17) 2270 BC - another settler built in Moscow. A temple is ordered produced, as a tribute to Eru/Illuvitar.

(18-20) 2330 - 2150 BC - the settler moves alone west to seal off the passage north. Continued exploration. Road towards Minas Tirith continued (will help speed settlers in that direction, too).

Arathorn mysteriously dies before the settler can form a new city. He says the current location is wonderful and his successor should build there.

 

[Arathorn]

I guess it's my turn to make suggestions to the next ruler -- and his turn to possibly ignore them.

I would build with the last settler right where he is -- hill for defense and it should seal up the north with minimal overlap with Moscow.

I would build on black dot fairly soon, too, as that will get us gold and the horse in our borders, once they expand. Of course, building to the southeast to stop America is also probably a high priority. I would also love to lock up the ivory to the southwest, if we can at all manage it.

Building a boat to explore the island(s) to the north would probably be a good idea, too (take the scout who's down south verifying borders there).

Short/mid-term: We're going to need an ancient or early middle ages war. We should ally with one civ against the other. My personal preference would be to destroy the Japanese, as I despise fighting samurai. The Americans could make a good friend for a large part of the game, if we play our cards right.

For a while, though, I think we should concentrate on expansion, maybe try to get one wonder in Moscow before TOO long.

Arathorn

 

[Toecheese3]

Apologies on the queuing - totally slipped my mind on a succession game. Toecheese

Respectfully disagree about the granary not being worth it. Since there were no premium food sites (wheat, cattle, flood plain), I built the granary to speed settler production. 20 turns to start is a bit low to get going - didn't mean to cramp your style of play.

Agree about locking up resources (as I'm currently playing a game where I have had to build cities WAY far away for luxuries). Best we get them now.

Disagree about black dot (for what it's worth); I would rather have four cities rather than three in the north. See photo:

Toecheese (beyond the grave) proposals in yellow. I'm guessing at yours Arathorn (in black), so please correct me if I'm wrong. Personally, I'd rather have four medium cities than three large ones, but again, it's playing preference.

 

[Arathorn]

Well, we'll see about the granary. Isn't one of the purposes of playing a succession game to learn others' strategies and compare with your own? Not my style but certainly I'm nowhere near good enough a player to call anything anybody else does "wrong". My personae can complain, though. I retain that right!

Sorry for the poor quality of my picture -- especially the dot (any suggestions on good ways to do that? I have primitive paint as my converter... uck!) My suggestion was for the coast north of the river, so both horses and gold would be included once the border expanded. With all the jungle up there, even that might be hard-pressed to find 6-12 good spots.

Your map didn't get included (or I'm even blinder than I thought I was), so could you put it up with your suggestions? I'm curious.

As for the 4 medium vs. 3 large issue...<shrug> Especially on a small map, I like to maximize the productivity of my cities and try not to have quite so many of them. But that's me. I guess we'll see what OneinTen, Toasty, or rybass (whoever's next) has in mind....

 

[Lovro]

It seems to me pretty obvious that conquest is the only way out of the situation, so even though another city would produce a few more Swordsmen/Horsemen later on, it might be better to save ourselves the trouble of building another Settler and get our military up and going. My 2 cents.

 

[Toecheese3]

Ugh - jpeg was too big, sorry.

Three or four cities - I guess it won't matter. I purposely try to maximize available land - even if it means some cities will grow VERY slowly until railroads. Having said that, I don't disagree with your choice on the gold/horses - in this case it might be the better bet.

Anyhow - here's the photo. Arathorn - I marked what I thought you might do in black.

 

[Arathorn]

Yeah, you got my cities right. I think I'd do the one by the horses fairly soon and the iron, too. But I'm worrying about getting some land in the middle of the island, too, so I dunno.

A couple different theories for the next player. Hopefully someone will take it and play soon!

 

[Toecheese3]

:aargh3:

Where are the other players??

One of the three needs to post in the next day or we need new players.

 

[i.Psychosis]

I've been looking for a new succession to join. This looks like it's in the early stages.
If you don't hear from the others, you can count me in.

 

[Lovro]

Sure, Psychosis, go ahead, download and play. I'll update the players list, dump the passive three and advertise two more free spots.

 

[Toasty]

Sorry guys. Guess I forgot I signed up for this one. I've signed up for so many others i don't really have time for this one . If you could, take me off the roster. Thanks.

 

[i.Psychosis]

Report forthcoming.

 

[i.Psychosis]

2110: St. Petersburg founded on hill, effectively blocking further northward expansion for our soon to be enemies. Road to Minas Tirith is continued.

2070-1910: Somewhere in here I raised our science to 70%, we were still netting +2 g/turn.

1870: Our wandering warrior was attacked by a barbarian force between Japan and America. He lost only one health, but did not get promoted.

1830: We master the art of Horseback Riding. We still as of yet, do not have horses? What were we riding? Nevermind, we begin our research into the Alphabet. The Japanese begin work on the Oracle.

1790: Our warrior discovers the camp the barbs attacked from and heads over to crush them.

1750: Temple finished in Moscow, work started on a settler to get the horses under our control. Arrgghh. We really need to get a wonder going. But when? News from the field our regular warrior was defeated by a conscript barb! His body will be brought home for a proper burial in the new temple in Moscow.

1725: Our scout notices Japan making their move for the ivory.

1700: The road to Minas Tirith is finally done. Damn, we need more workers!

1675: Worker begins work on a road to bring luxurious silks to Mother Russia. Japan founds Satsuma near the ivory.

1625: Settler done in Moscow, work begins on a worker. We need the iron, but can't afford another settler just yet. St. Petersburg needs a road still also. In Minas Tirith a regiment of spearmen are assigned to guard the city. Work begins on another worker. (The people of Minas Tirith have nowhere to grow to, we need to clear some jungle.)

1600: Changed my baby's diaper. Nothing really happened.

1575: Moscow finishes worker as 3 barbs approach. The settler (who was sent out alone) hides in the city with the worker, confident they will be safe. We now understand the alphabet, and begin research into how to write it.

1550: Barbs approach ever so close.

1525: They attack, spearman is promoted to Veteran status for his valor in protecting the settler and worker. I added a nice lawn to The Kremlin. (Er, hut of stones, I mean.)

1500: Another barb pounds his fists against our spearman and loses. There is another coming...

And with that the Mad One slips out the back door of the palace...

***********************************

What a mess we have here. Japan and America are both expanding towards the center of our little island. We really can't keep pumping out settlers or we'll always have size 2 cities! I say we crush Japan (Their land looks nice.) and make buddy-buddy with Lincoln and his cronies. Dunno. Big mess we got here.

Attached is a pic of Moscow getting attacked by the barbs. We have a worker and a settler there ready to go. There is a warrior between there and St. Petersburg to escort the settler. St. Petes will be done with its spearman soon.

 

[i.Psychosis]

Good luck. I'm counting on you guys.

 

[Toecheese3]

Got it!

Should post within the next hour or two.

Welcome to the game i.Psychosis!

 

[i.Psychosis]

Thanks. I hope to be of some assistance.

 

[Toecheese3]

Mess is right! Didn't think they would expand to the center of the island as much as they would - oh well. I agree about crushing the Japanese; the land around Kyoto would make an excellent Russian city. With that in mind, I proceeded to lay the groundwork and improve our infrastructure for a future assault.

1475 B.C. - Fortified spearmen at St. Peterburg and ordered up a worker. Production in St. P horribly skewed - rearranged tiles to produce worker in 3 turns (instead of 20). No food growth right now but that can wait. Wandering warrior sent to dispatch barbarians from north shore. Moscow orders up spearmen. Settlers ordered to head toward ivory to crowd out Japan.

1450 B.C - Our scout, who was serving no useful purpose, is sent to Minas and disbanded - worker there will be completed in two turns now. Other worker ordered to clear jungle at silks (in a half hearted 24 turns, erp). Oh well, we need some useable land there. Science bumped to 80%.

1425 B.C. - Minas completes worker - barracks ordered up. Worker heads toward jungle to assist other worker in clearing the land. Japan just built another city near ivory. Since there are no useable squares near there, settler and spearman are rerouted to the desert to stake a claim of some sort. A couple of grassland squares and a couple of flood plain squares will make this city OK.

1400 B.C. - Worker completed in St. P - another is ordered up.

1375 B.C. - Moscow completes Spearman, Settler ordered up. No growth issues in Moscow - every five turns for new population. Kiev founded - wealth ordered up for one turn, just enough to delay the worker production which will take place next year.

1350 B.C. - Our warrior heading north defeats a barbarian he encounters! No promotion.

1325 B.C. - Our warrior defeats a horseman barbarian! Still no promotion - perhaps they are slow learners.

1300 B.C. - Discovered writing, scientists (wisemen, sages, whatever) ordered to research map making. Notice the Egyptians across the sea to our west? We need to colonize the island to our north (and beat the Japanese into oblivion). Established embassy in America for 30GP. Decreased science rate to 70% to get +3GP per turn to pad the treasury a bit. Worker mining near St. P.

1275 B.C. - Worker completed in St. P - barracks ordered up. Warrior defeats another barbarian horseman and is still a regular. Perhaps the celebratory grog is affecting their combat skills.

1250 B.C. - Japan wants 20GP, we oblige. We are in no condition to even defend against them - yet. Moscow completes another settler, another is ordered up. Warrior defeats barbarian camp and is promoted, finally. Score +25GP for the good guys.

1225 B.C. - Warrior remains up north in case barbarians decide to spring up again. Palace is improved - we must be doing something right!

1200 B.C. - Workers finish mine near St. P. Ironvod founded - barracks ordered up. Embassy established with Japan - Oracle to be completed in 8 turns. Kyoto not very impressive except for population. Conscript warrior sent to Kiev in case of attack - better to be at front lines. America founds Seattle in an unflattering location.

1175 B.C. - Workers working on road to connect Moscow and St. P at the second furs.

1150 B.C. - Rearranged the sock drawer.

1125 B.C. - Settler finished in Moscow, heading toward the horses on the north coast - spearman ordered up. Workers finally clear jungle, ordered to mine the newly cleared land.

1100 B.C. - Worker completes road at iron - we are officially in the iron business! Kiev finishes worker - temple ordered.

1075 B.C. - Worker building road from Kiev to Moscow/St. P byway.

1050 B.C. - Mine completed near Minas - that helped immensely.

1025 B.C. - Japan started building Pyramids. Oracle completed in Kyoto. Minsk founded - temple ordered up. Traded world map and 7GP to America for Map Making. Literature ordered researched.

1000 B.C. - Finished organizing sock drawer.

I think we're in pretty good shape. Slow start no doubt, but we've got access to horses (soon), iron, and two luxuries. Infrastructure is starting to take shape and we'll soon be able to crank up the war machine. Attached is a grainy overview of the land to date. We could probably cram a city on the coast near the ivory, but it wouldn't be good for much (except ivory), or another to the northeast of Seattle. Also, we need to work on getting the island settled. Don't underuse Moscow for Settlers - the city recovers quickly with the granary in it!

Also - I sent the last Spearman from Moscow to defend the settler in route to Minsk. One is due to be completed next turn - and a barracks in Moscow wouldn't hurt for the future war.

Good luck to Arathorn! (or whomever is up)

 

[Toecheese3]

Here's the game -

 

[i.Psychosis]

Who's next? Arathorn? If no one wants to play, I'll go again. Seems like a difficult one, and I like those. I will wait 24 hrs, just in case.

 

[Lovro]

Sure, Psychosis, you do that.