Superslug: Emperor

[superslug]

At the end of my Monarch thread I had mentioned that I planned on playing on that level again. However, I've had a change of heart and decided to move up a level to Emperor. I figure if I can score 28000 with the automated workers that I (shouldn't have) used in that game, I can do okay on Emperor by actually micromanaging them this time.

Anyway, the settings are rather typical: warm/wet/pangaea/5billion years with 8ai. I did enable sedentary huts this go around to try and accelerate the tech pace some. The faster I can get Riders, the sooner I can be done with the AI.

 

[superslug]

The below image is a screenshot of my first map for this level attempt. The tile limit is 3839, IIRC. I generated a few maps in the 3900 range, but none had a start position, much less opening area, quite like this.

The lone city probably looks deceiving. I didn't think I could afford wasting time on a settler, I built four warriors (two explorers, two mp's) and went straight to work on the Pyramids. In a few turns I'll be dropping towns like crazy, each with a granary from the start.

I've met seven of the eight AI. As anticipated, they've rushed ahead of me tech wise, due to the huts. The Mongols seem to be my closest neighbor , so I'm keeping them at bay with gpt deals on techs until I can afford embassies and ROP's.

Once I discover the map, I truly hope it makes sense to wipe out Genghis first. I still owe him big time from my first game of Civilization I many years ago.

 

[zerksees]

An interesting strategy. At least you can quit if you don't get the pyramids and you won't have that much time invested.

And look at all those cattle and wheat tiles!

 

[superslug]

The screenshot I took was taken two turns after completion of the Pyramids, so that mission is accomplished. The problem facing me now is that there's no Iron anywhere to be seen around me and I'm playing the Chinese! It's tough to walk away from this map, though. As you said, look at all those cattle and wheat tiles!

 

[zerksees]

Duh! If I could see I would have seen in your screenshot that you are already working on a settler.

Looks like you will be building a long road to iron once you find it. Sounds like you might need a few more explorers. In my first emperor game I played Persians and couldn't get iron - I know exactly how you feel. No iron = no immortals = short game.

From the screenshot you also appear short on luxuries - or did I miss them too?

 

[superslug]

Well, there's a pair of furs in the last two forest tiles at the northwest end of the woods...that's about it.

 

[superslug]

I finally built enough cities to afford the purchase of Republic. This screenshot is right after the anarchy subsided. I immediately started generating enough gpt to buy the rest of the requisite Ancient techs to get into the next age.

As you can see, I'm packing in my cities tighter than sardines. It's making the most out of decreasing space, and I'm settling the new ones primarily in the direction towards the Ottomans. They've got Sun Tzu and the Great Library. Hopefully there's Iron somewhere along the way...

 

[superslug]

I guess I should point out one clarifying detail on the minimap. The dull yellow/orange splotch to the east of the box (me) is the Ottoman territory. Since my last update, I have purchased the techs up through Chivalry and found a singular source of Iron between the Ottomans and myself. It looks like I'll be able to claim it before they do.

To be honest, I'm really embarassed and kind of intimidated about this start. Both exploratory warriors I put out before the Pyramids got smacked down by barbarians and neither got more than a tech or two. I'm thinking I should have output a Settler instead. I'm behind in techs and territory. I also can't get out of my head the fact that I've never won a game on Emperor...ever. (Beta testing C3C doesn't count, I think, considering the game was by nature broken.)

On the other hand, I have beaten Deity, and I did just score big on Monarch. Combine that with the fact I'll have Riders momentarily and I see no reason to abandon this game...yet.

 

[Darkness]

Very interesting strategy on the Pyramids gamble. I'm quite curious as to how this will end. I do think the lack of luxuries will be a problem though...

 

[superslug]

Well, I can't tell you how this particular attempt is going to go because I've decided to ditch it. Having only two luxuries and only one source of Iron is a really bad position to be in.

So, I've gone back to generating maps. I do plan on trying the Pyramid gambit again. This time, however, I'm not going to enable barbarians. For starters, it'll hopefully slow down the AI tech pace some (although I'll likely hit Riders about the same time regardless). Furthermore, with no huts to raid, there will be little need for explorers. That way I can crank out a Settler before the Pyramids. Hopefully, I can get a third and maybe even fourth Settler out of town two before the Pyramids complete construction.

I think the Pyramid gambit would prove far more successful if I can start my settler flood with three or four cities instead of one.

 

[superslug]

I'm still China on Emperor, warm/wet/huge. However, I specified no barbarians this go around and I also switched to Continents, rather than Pangaea. The tech pace is far more comfortable. I'm hoping that not only will this not leave me behind tech wise, that it was also possibly delay (even slightly) the AI getting out of Despotism, which should mean more room for initial expansion before I have to switch over to conquest.

Here's a screenshot of my current go:
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads5/screen31.jpg!

The domination limit is 4020 tiles and I have two luxuries. The wine is visible to the west of the capitol (512). My second city (511) is sitting on top of spices. The two workers are building roads towards gems to the north and incense to the northeast, where my third settler is heading. Given the ICS I plan on implementing, four luxuries should be plenty helpful!

The screenshot is dated the very turn I finished the Pyramids. Since at the very least Darkness (and others I'm sure) are interested in knowing how the Pyramid gamble pays off, I'll post another update regarding date/city count.

 

[zerksees]

Originally posted by superslug
I also switched to Continents, rather than Pangaea.

That's a switch. Most of my games are continents. It's just since I started exploring the high score HOF that I switched to pangaea. With continents, the game can be two phases - control your continent, then control the other(s). I think this is much more manageable to win on any given level but may affect your score. Specifically I wonder how are you going to get stacks of units over to the other continent. I usually use airports, but IMHO that tech comes pretty late for a top-scoring HOF effort. Ships will take resources that could be used for war units.

I hope it works - good luck.

 

[superslug]

You bring up some excellent points regarding continents, Zerksees. I haven't traded for a full blown world map yet, but based on my contacts, I'm guessing I'm on the larger continent since I know five nations. That implies three others elsewhere.

As far as moving stacks across water, I usually build a port or two at the narrowest strait and then start rushing a boat every turn...

 

[superslug]

Since I've decided to finally abandon my habit of 'targeted/limited' worker automation with this game, I'm currently questioning one of my other old habits, that being the razing of all AI cities. I'm curious what everyone thoughts are on this, whether it's better to raze immediately or keep and redistribut between conquest and milking. Just so you know for contextual purposes, I go to war before Steam Power (Chinese Riders), so reoccupying territory immediately with Settlers is out of the question.

 

[EMan]

......on Razing cities: DON'T.

(Each city is at least 9 territory points towards your Milking score...........you can always abandon/raze/resettle those cities AFTER the Domination Limit has been [nearly-] reached.)

Now a Fast Finish game MIGHT be a different story.

 

[Bremp]

Originally posted by zerksees

Specifically I wonder how are you going to get stacks of units over to the other continent. I usually use airports, but IMHO that tech comes pretty late for a top-scoring HOF effort. Ships will take resources that could be used for war units.
I hope it works - good luck.

You can send a settler and a leader in a boat to another continent as early as possible and rush your palace there... Once you have conquered your continent, place your entire army in one single city and gift this city to another civ. Your army will be teletransportated (or should it be "teletransported"? )to your capital

 

[superslug]

Originally posted by Bremp
You can send a settler and a leader in a boat to another continent as early as possible and rush your palace there... Once you have conquered your continent, place your entire army in one single city and gift this city to another civ. Your army will be teletransportated to your capital

Holy $#!+

 

[zerksees]

Originally posted by Bremp


You can send a settler and a leader in a boat to another continent as early as possible and rush your palace there... Once you have conquered your continent, place your entire army in one single city and gift this city to another civ. Your army will be teletransportated to your capital

That is wicked!

You could gift it to the civ you are about to attack and take it right back the next turn.


Superslug: I would not raze those cities right away. If needed, I would selectively raze them once you have fast replacements for the cities and lots of cash to rush settlers or workers out of the old city (or if you need to raze them to avoid domination).

 

[superslug]

I guess it makes sense to keep them then, it just means I'll have to build more workers since I'm used to getting freebies by the hundreds...and sometimes thousands. If I find any of them sitting on top of Iron though, I will likely burn those particular ones to the ground...

 

[EMan]

@SUPERSLUG: "If I find any of them sitting on top of Iron though, I will likely burn those particular ones to the ground..."...........EXCELLENT example of an EXCEPTION!