Sullla's AI Survivor Season Eight - Playoff Game 2 Thread

[The Rook]

Hmm....

Possible scenario:
Brennus and Justin found first 2 religions. They both start with myst, and a commerce tile, and Gandhi does not have a commerce tile.
That might also slow down culture, and open up space for Aug.

Possible scenario 2:
Brennus and Gandhi found first 2 religions. Brennus's religion spreads to Justin down the river. They team up and beat up everyone else.

I suspect by far the most likely scenario is that Justinian and Gandhi found the first two religions. Brennus starts with seafood, and we know how the AI prioritises Fishing in this situation.

I also expect that peaceweight combined with the long river that stretches between Justinian's and Brennus's territory will make it far more likely that Brennus will inherit Justinan's religion than any other. The main thing that makes me cautious about an alliance between the two is the copper near Justinan's capital. We've seen how often the AI can prematurely get into war mode when they have early copper! Obviously the worst thing Justinian could do is attack a neutral Brennus before even bothering to settle the southern peninsular – thus handing the game to the high peaceweight AIs.

With the amount of land he has, and many on Justi & Augu, i guess Ramsy would be the best underdog pick?

I'm surprised Ramesses is so unfavoured compared to Augustus.If Augustus prioritises low production jungle cities in the south, then I could see Ramesses getting off to a faster start and claiming the core flood plain regions in the north and east. Also, Ramesses has two culture traits, and we know a mediocre culture win beats a mediocre space win. If Ramesses, Freddy and Augustus become peace locked it could favour Egypt, and if Justinian eventually comes crashing through Ramesses is his closest peaceweight partner. Ramesses might be underrated, he was the best AI in the AH for the championship final last season.

 

[Thrasybulos]

I also ended up picking Augustus, but frankly, I think Justinian, Augustus and Ramesses have about the same odds of winning here (I bet they don't, but I'm just not seeing it ).

So it all came round to the runner-up pick: since I believe Justinian is the most likely to be the runner-up, that leaves Augustus and Ramesses for winner.
And then reverse order points: I think that if Justinian wins, Augustus is more likely to be the runner-up than Ramesses.

By the way, although this isn't a Raging Barbs map, barbs could play a role and mess things up: there's a lot of desert around Ramesses / Augustus, so there should be more barb activity than usual. Wouldn't be surprised to see an AI city fall to the barbs, and who gets to capture the barb cities could be more impactful than usual...

 

[0urBall]

Brennus takes Justinian's religion as he's off researching Fishing/Masonry/some other useless Tech. So Gandhi gets the 2nd early religion which ultimately dooms him with Justincow. Fred gets sqeezed by everyone in the west and ends up FTD while Gandhi closely follows. Caesar takes the east better then Ramesses, but doesn't go far enough to stop Justincow winning.

So, 1st Justincow, 2nd Caesar, FTD Fred, VC Culture, 11 wars, turn 310

 

[Fippy]

Freddy has like 2 votes on the current graphics, geez it's so tempting.

 

[danjuno]

Go for it. Imagine Sulla's meltdown!

 

[Fippy]

Okay i will.

 

[Plains-Cow]

Okay i will.

Fits the avatar.

 

[a pen-dragon]

1st - Justi
2nd - Augie
FTD - Gandhi
Wars - 10
Victory - Dom, turn 285

Justi just rolls over the map, and I think Brennus, Justi and Ram (or Gandhi) will found a religion preventing Justianian being pleased with too many people. Brennus FTD also possible.

 

[Kaitzilla]

All 6 leaders will not declare at Pleased.

I imagine the initial religions will be founded by Justinian and Gandhi.
Gandhi will infect his 3 neighbors and Justinian will spread to Brennus on a river or coast.

I think Brennus and Justinian will form a team that won't attack each other.
Will Gandhi and Fred take out Brennus before Justinian and Brennus take out Gandhi?
Worst case scenario for a Justinian pick is Justinian and Brennus found competing religions.

Ugh. I'm not sure Justinian will spread to Gandhi/Fred/Ramesses with missionaries, but all 3 sign Open Borders at Annoyed.
Justinian just can't be a Worst Enemy of them, and thankfully the hate magnet Brennus will be Worst Enemy.
Maybe Ram will join the war on Gandhi and build up shared war with the other neutral Justinian.
Or pick up Justinian's religion and stay in it with Org. Religion favorite civic.

Real tempted to pick Augustus 2nd in case he wins space.
Urg, Dom with religion just a question mark?
Does anyone have marble for a Culture win?

Spoiler Playoff Game 2 Picks :

1st - Justinian
2nd - Ramesses
1st to die - Gandhi
8 Wars
Spaceship
Turn 329

 

[Fippy]

You know guys, i am really surprised at how many votes Gandhi FTD gets.
He has bfc copper, no horsies (important cos chariots are such a trap for AIs), and Freddy Ramsy & Augi around him.

 

[a pen-dragon]

I do not think that anyone on this map is likely to die particularly early, with only Brennus being crazy. Btw Brennus's starting position looks a bit slow to my eyes. Any FTD will probably be in medieval warfare and for that the early copper has little influence.
I think that Brennus/Justi will be going for him then and that he can not resist them.

 

[Fippy]

Domi has more votes than culture, wild times.

 

[Plains-Cow]

Domi has more votes than culture, wild times.

It's wishful thinking because we want to see WWWWWWAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR!

 

[antimony]

You know guys, i am really surprised at how many votes Gandhi FTD gets.
He has bfc copper, no horsies (important cos chariots are such a trap for AIs), and Freddy Ramsy & Augi around him.

It also seems to me that there are more scenarios that end badly for Brennus.

But Brennus FTD also has a lot of implications... Very low war count (everyone likes Justinian or everyone dogpiles him), Culture victory more likely.

I'm betting on Ramesses then because Egypt has a way to get those religions even if they miss the first two, and his PW situation is very favorable (then again, he got dragged in a perpetual war with Asoka, of all people, last time ...)

 

[Fippy]

I also picked Brennus FTD, i think there are so many scenarios where the peacecakes pile on.

 

[Keler]

It'a tie really, between Gandhi and Brennus. But masonry resources + coast capital has been so overpowered this season it is crazy.

 

[Saxo Grammaticus]

Justinian/Ramesses/Brennus, 9 Wars, Domination, T300. This just looked like a Justinian win the first time I saw the map. The isolation his start affords is a big advantage for most leaders. Now, it's been a while since I chose a victory condition other than Culture, but I suspect it's a somewhat better hedge for the likely turbulence on this map, and the likely simplification of fronts. There are compelling arguments for this game! Personally, I prefer Ramesses over Augustus, so that's what I went with.

 

[Fippy]

Famous last words from Sulla: i don't think Justi will win.

 

[Plains-Cow]

Famous last words from Sulla: i don't think Justi will win.

He was invited into the fold, and yet he turned aside. Now, the Cataphract's charge shall turn him once again....

 

[urbestfriend]

Starting the "Sulla picked my picks" support group