Survival of the weak - first demigod attempt

[Seanirl]

oh wait, you said it was... whoops. Looks like Maya's doing pretty bad now... in my current game Carthage was huge, but then they attacked me and I took them over :soldier:

They were absolutely huge in power when I first met them but now they're original land is all gone and they live on their Roman conquests and I'm the undisputed strongest civ in the world by far :soldier:.

 

[microbe]

1295AD: Sumeria has Sci Method - and starts ToE in Beijing?

Maya drafted 2 rifles in Lagartero. It will take a few turns to capture. I move cannons up there.

1300AD: Furs/wines deal expired. Renew with 760g+WM. Elite cav produces my 3rd leader! Cav army for sure.



1305AD:

Lagartero is defended by a vet rifle and 2 conscript rifles.



Easily razed. Move the new cav army and a few cavs up to Palenque.

We are moving to Maya's core!

The war is proceeding surprisingly well. There is almost no counterattack except a couple of rifles trying to pillage here and there. I guess the long war between Maya and Rome/Germany has either exhausted most of its offense units, or makes them all at the north front line. In fact, even when Maya first attacked us, his units were almost all ancient-date ones (AC/Crusader being the strongest).

IBT: Sumeria builds Suffrage.

1310AD:



Cav army and another cav take out Palenque. I raze it and Ohrid is founded to bring ivory immediately online.

IBT: I give France Democracy and get a worker, WM and 9g. It only has one city left now.

1320AD: Cav/knight army attacks twice and razes Dzibilchaltun.



WW is 35%.

My next target is Lazapa which has Bach's. Happines has been a big problem to me - I have 3 local lux none of which have extra, and nobody else except Sumeria has any extra lux to trade (Sumeria has totally 7 lux, including all my three). I've had to pay hundreds of gold to Sumeria for lux and it makes him even stronger.

attack plan



1325AD: SciMeth done, immediately switch Military Academy to ToE, due in 4 turns. I shut off research completely as I cannot research anything in 4 turns, and set to Atomic Theory.

1330AD: all my offense force have been positioned on the mountain next to Cuello.

IBT: One Mayan cav kills one cav, another captures several workers working on a mountain. Two cav attacks one single reg rifle with cannon, both lose and it promotes!

1335AD: Cav army attacks twice, and we raze Cuello.



As you can see Copen has both Saltpeter and Coal. We don't have saltpeter and we need that.

IBT: Rome and Maya sign peace. A Mayan cav attacks 1-hp cav on the mountain and captures two cannons. We caught a Sumerian spy.

1340AD: Sumeria now has refining.

Cav army wins, 2nd cav loses to a rifle but redlines it, 3rd cav retreats but takes a rifle down to 2-hp, 4th cav kills 2-hp rifle and promotes, 5th cav kills 1-hp rifle, 6th cav kills a 2-hp cav, 7th healthy cav loses to a 1-hp cav and promotes it? I'm out of cavs. 5-hp cav army attacks and kills it. Lazapa is now ours, we are the proud owner of JS Bach's and Knight's Templar!



Gladly it's only pop 3 (Maya is in Facism).

IBT: ToE is due, choose Atomic Theory and Electronics. Set research to Replaceable Parts.

1345AD: I don't want to trade with Sumeria to speed it up. I'll do research myself and trade with other CIVs.

I sell Nationalism to Netherlands for WM+64g+10gpt. Astronomy to France for WM+16g+4gpt.

RP due in 10 turns with -93 deficit.

IBT: Rome demands Corporation, I refuse, he declares. Fine.

1355AD: Sci Method to Germany for WM+114gpt+173g. Saw about 8 Roman cavs approaching through Mayan territory.

IBT: Germany and Maya sign peace. This makes more Maya troops come after me. Many Roman cavs appear too - 3 attacks Smyrna, either retreat or lose.

1360AD: I had hoped to capture Copen but it seems I cannot get to it any more since more and more Maya troops are showing up, plus I'd have to deal with those Roman forces. I sign peace with Maya for 207g+10gpt. I'll be back after 20 turns. I immediately get saltpeter+WM from Maya with Corporation.

Below shows Smyrna is surrounded by 8 Roman cavs but I have moved 2 armies, a bunch of cannons and rifles into it.

 

[Seanirl]

Sounds good. What I'd like to know though is why raze cities?

Personally I always capture them under fascism which kills off a few natives, then when it gets settled down I forced labour them into building a temple or whatever. Leaving me with an... ethnically pure city shall we say and a free improvement.

 

[microbe]

After almost 20 turns of war with Maya, I now have 23 cities (with a couple of more to be founded) and get JS Bach's. Maybe I still have a chance of winning?

Maya is clearly not a threat anymore. However, Sumeria is way, way ahead of anyone else. It has Communism, Espionage, Refining, Steel, RP, and Facism, 6 techs on me. There are probably more after Refining/Steel. Almost every 4 turns he'll get a new tech. The only advantage I have is what ToE gave me: AT and Electronics, and Hoover Dam is due in 10 turns. RP is still 7 turns to go.

I really should make peace with Rome asap - not that I fear him, but I need partnership with him to make progress against Sumeria. I don't want him to waste his energy on wars. This would only benefit Sumeria.

1365AD: Kill lots of Roman cavs. Sign RoP with Germany.

We caught Sumeria's spy again.

1370AD: Kill the last Roman cav in my territory and get my fourth leader - army.

1375AD: 5 German cavs show up next to my border. I wonder what they are up to? They are paying me 116gpt and may be regretting..I move two armies into two cities within their attack range.

IBT: Sumaria declares on Netherlands, the last civ on its continent. Then the game pauses for about 10 seconds - is AI considering whether to attack me or not?

Phew..those German cavs move to France: I forgot they are still at war.

1385AD: Rome agrees to talk. I sign peace straight up.

IBT: Germany destroyed France.

1395AD: RP is due, set to Refining due in 10.

We have rubber, just beside Lazapa! But unconnected. I immediately sent some workers over. The doubled worker speed is nice.

IBT: Germany sign alliance with Sumeria against Netherlands. Rome joins too.

1400AD: Wines/furs deal expires, but our happiness is about OK so I don't renew. Rubber online, so we upgrade several rifle to infantry.

1405AD: Sumeria demands Atomic Theory, of course I decline. He declares.

 

[microbe]

Originally posted by Seanirl
Sounds good. What I'd like to know though is why raze cities?

Maya has more than double my culture. The city would flip easily unless I have huge garrison, which I don't really have. Especially now those cities are closer to its core and far from mine.

So I raze the cities and re-found them myself, unless the city has wonders that I need.

 

[microbe]

IBT: Hoover Dam is finished.

1410AD: I renegotiate peace with Germany for 3gpt.

1415AD: Sumeria destroyed Netherlands. Finally it occurpied the whole continent.

1420AD: Germany and Sumeria sign alliance against us. Fine.

1425AD: two German cav SoDs approach Lazapa. Totally 18 cavs. I bombard and kill one SoD of 8 cavs.



IBT: The other SoD doesn't attack my infantry and spends the turn moving around. Sumerian destroyers show up..

1430AD: bombard and kill the other German SoD.

With only 5 civs left, now we are at the bottom!!

1435AD: Close to 30 Sumerian boats appear..bombard them from the shore.



IBT: Massive bombardment from sea at Varna. We complete Wall Street. Sumeria landed two cavs.

1440AD: Maya has Electricity (I intentionally didn't trade to delay its access to RP). I now trade Sci Method to it for Espionage+WM.

Bombard and kill the two cavs, and get my 5th leader. Still army.

Capture Grenoble from Germany (the ex-French capital).

IBT: Rome and Germany sign embargo against us. Refining is due.

1445AD: Germany agrees to talk. He has Steel. I sign peace and get Steel, 8gpt and 21g by Refining.

Steel to Rome for WM+86gpt+36g. I need those partners to catch up and research for me, and buy selling Steel to Rome at least he wouldn't need to waste time on this tech which I already have.

I still hold Atomic Theory not to trade - Sumeria didn't have it yet before the war and I don't want it to get this tech by buying from others.

Set max sci and get Combustion in 9 turns.

Peace with Maya will expire in 3 turns.

1450AD: Sumeria agrees to talk, but asks for 80g. I sign peace. I don't want Sumeria to buy Rome or Germany again into the war. On the down side I do lose some happiness, and Sumeria could concentrate more on the research.

He hasn't got Atomic Theory yet!

1455AD: We caught Sumeria's spy the third time. .

 

[microbe]

IBT: We are second in the world?



1460AD: Saltpeter deal ended and We declare on Maya! Attack Quiriguo - it has 3 rifles and .. at least 6 cavs! I have to use 3 cav armies and a bunch of cavs to take it out, and lose 2 cavs in the battle. It is razed.



lux has to be raised to 10%.

IBT: Many Mayan cavs enter my territory. Some attack Ani but are fended off by my infantry.

1465AD: Our cav/knight army bravely takes out Copan alone - we've got Statue of Zeus, coal and the SALTPETER! But too bad that the city is not continous to our other cities so reinforcement cannot enter immediately..I rush library in Samosta so it could expand to connect it. The bad thing is our army has only 5-hp left..



Uaxact'n is also razed.



IBT: Too bad, the army is killed and we lose Copan again. :argh: Anyway, it's the least powerful army. If it were in a movie I'd replay some of the heroic battles it did in the past: it captured 2 cities from Maya in the first sneak-attack.

WW is already 36%?? I really don't understand this.

1475AD: Intelligence Agency is due, we plant a spy in Maya. Also one in Sumeria (expensive, it's 213g). Wow, Sumeria has 126 cavs and 296 infantry!

Sumeria has a new tech, which is .. ironclads.

All armies fully healed. One sent to re-capture Copan, another takes out Dijon. 13-hp army attacks a 2-hp rifle, kills it but loses 10-hp!!

1480AD: Copan is re-captured.

IBT: Maya obviously values Copan. Many cavs turn around to try to take it back. Geez, Vidin desposes - it was founded ourselves!

1485AD: Just in time, Samosata expands and now we have the saltpeter and can send reinforcement to Copan. We take Vidin back. Worker builds rail to connect to Copan and infantry moves in to secure it.

And I get my 6th leader. What to do with it? Army!

1490AD: Sumeria has Atomic Theory! Man he researches it in 3 turns?? Oh no, Germany or Rome researched it. Now everybody has it. But weird Sumeria still has all its gold intact. Maybe he traded some lux or gpt..

1495AD: Combustion due, set research to Flight due in 11. Not surprisingly, sumeria has Flight and Mass Production. It still doesn't have tank, but it has marines.

Bonampak falls. I founded Edess to claim its two incenses. Now I can trade incense to Sumeria for furs+gems. Deal. Drop lux to 0. Sci to 100% and Flight due in 9.

I sell Combustion to Rome for Communism+WM+24g+16gpt. Germany doesn't give Facism for Combustion so I pass, although I do want them to catch up to research for me.

IBT: Lots of Mayan cavs attack, kill one 2hp infantry but all others lose or retreat.

1500AD: Raze Piedras Negras.



It had Maya's second saltpeter within its range, but now it falls into Uxmal's culture border. Send a cav army to take it out.

IBT: Copan deposes! Man, may I keep this city? 3 cities disorder..

1505AD: Raze Uxmal. Found Taomina to bring saltpeter online immediately.



IBT: Shoot, Lazapa also deposes, we lose Bach's! Many cities riot.

1510AD: Sumeria has Electronics! How can I catch up? I think I'd have to steal at some point.

1515AD: Strangly, Maya still wouldn't talk, and it's still in Democracy?!! Fine. We re-capture Copan. Two armies raze Dirandium.



1520AD: Tribizond founded. Maya now agrees to talk. I sign peace, get Facism+WM+2workers+7g by Combustion. Sell Atomic Theory to Maya for 24gpt. Maya has RP but not rubber - no actually he has two rubbers, but none of them is connected apparently, otherwise the war would have been much tougher.

OK so much for the war. Now my only hope is that I consolidate the outcome of the war, and both Germany and Rome could do some research for me, otherwise there is no way I can beat Sumeria's 4-turn research.

In fact, I'm not even sure if I should have declared war this round. It weakened Maya further. Otherwise Maya might become a good partner and help me get more techs. But I hated Maya so much that I did it anyway. Might not be good for a victory, but he deserves it for his stupid sneak attack! That's the spirit!

 

[microbe]

1525AD: We continue to pop up infantry - most of our cities are empty! We have a tremendous army of 23 infantry and 16 cavs - including 12 in armies I'll tell you how many units Sumeria has:

133 cavs, 330 infantry, 41 artillery, 10 transports, 8 carriers, 42 destroyers, 6 battleships, 36 fighters, 30 bombers, 76 guerilla, and a bunch of other units. He has twice our landmass and almost 4 times of population.

What, Germany gets ironclads? Hey, don't you research uesless techs!

I sell Electronics to Germany for ironclad+WM+20g+60gpt - yes I know it's usually not worth, but I want those guys research something for me, such as Radio. I sell Electronics to Rome for 16gpt+30g.

1530AD: Sumeria has Radio. Yeah, exactly 4 turns. He has one tech to go for Modern Ages.

I sell ironclad to Rome for almost nothing to avoid him researching useless tech.

I give Maya Electronics for the same reason.

1535AD: We get Flight. Oh shoot, Germany has Flight at the same time! Set research to Radio due in 9.

1540AD: IBT Pentagon is completed.

1550AD: Sumeria apparently entered Modern Ages.

1555AD: Germany has Mass Production. Nice! I don't have anything to trade, though. Rome also gets Flight.

IBT: Oh shoot, Copan desposes again. I've lost it three times. Anyway, the age of saltpeter has ended. So let it be.

What, both Quiriguo and Dijon despose too? Fine, these cities don't matter anyway, and it may be good to let Maya be stronger.

1565AD: One Sumerian transport/destroyer pair appears, I wonder what he is up to..

I sign RoP with Maya for his 2gpt.

IBT:



Sumeria sneak attacks us from the sea. Man I hate this. Those AIs really like to pick on me! and we lost two lux.

1570AD: I sign alliance with Maya for Flight. After I get radio I'll do so with Rome and Germany too, but that's two turns away and I'm afraid Sumeria will have alreayd bought them first.

IBT: Not surprisingly, Germany signs alliance with Sumeria. But fortunately not Rome..

Bombers on Naissus and Nicomdia. Mayan cavs kill all landed Sumerian troops. Nice job! About 25 German cavs enter my territory and capture 4 workers. Welcome, just 25 cavs? 4 for each army..

the north



the south



1575AD: 4 armies kill 16 cavs, simple math.

IBT: Flak shoots down a bomber.

1580AD: Radio is done. However, the bad thing is I cannot trade with Germany. Finish off the rest of Germany cavs. I shut off research so I can trade after making peace with Germany, and save money to steal tech from Sumeria.

Sumeria is building SETI.

1590AD: Rome has Mass Production, but it asks Radio+1280g, hmm? I thought Radio is more expensive. Fine.

Motorized Transportation in 5 turns. Try to plant a spy in Germany but failed. Try an immediate steal on Sumeria, succeeded! Pick Motorized Trabsportation. We enter Modern Ages! Our free tech is computers.

I sell Motorized Transportation back to Rome for 1280g to get my money back.

I sell Mass Production to Maya for WM+32g+8gpt+Embargo against Sumeria.

Sumeria has now 305 Mech Infantry. 13 cruisers, 26 TOW, 1 Mobile SAM, only 1 tank. This means he has Rocketry on me. Good, at least we are not THAT behind.

I start research labs everywhere. Set sci to Fission due in 14 turns. Diplo win doesn't seem to be possible, though, since everyone is furious with me. But in case we have no other choice, we may have to try, plus Sumeria may get the vote.

IBT: Rome and Sumeria sign alliance against Maya. Massive bombardment from Sumeria again, we shoot down 5 bombers. Sumeria completes SETI. 5 german infantry enter my territory.

1595AD: with completion of 3 research labs, Fission is due in 12, 4 more due next turn. 2 armies kill the 5 infantry.

IBT: Sumeria is building UN and Manhattan.

1600AD: Now Fission is due in 9 turns. Kill 5 German cavs and 2 infantry.

One thing is not good: Sumeria now has 105192 culture, close to 130K.

IBT: Rome and Germany sign embarge against us. Germany and Rome sign alliance against Maya.

1605AD: This turn Sumeria's culture is 106357. That's 1165 per turn. This means at most 21 turns for a culture victory.

OK, the answer is simple, so diplo is the only choice now. Sumeria is building UN in Carthage, which is far away from its core and only pop 12. I start Palace build in Adrianople due in 8 and Fission is also due in 8. I should build the UN after 12 turns.

 

[microbe]

1610AD: I've tried to move two fighters into Naissus, but everytime it's destroyed as soon as it's done, so I give up but build flaks instead.

IBT massive bombardment again, our flak shoot down 7 bombers. some guerilla and cav land.

A German panzer comes out of nowhere and captures Vidin!

1615AD: A tank and a cav army take Vidin back. Two cav armies also raze a size-1 city which Germany just took from Maya. He still wouldn't talk. In the fog I see 8 panzers.



I ally with Rome against both Sumeria and Germany by Computers. Hope this will delay Germany. Rome turns polite.

I gift Maya Motorized Transportation to hope it could defend against Germany. He is still furious..

We sign RoP with Rome.

1620AD: Ivory to Rome for WM+20g+15gpt. He turns Gracious. Incense to Maya for 5gpt. He is still Furious.

1625AD: I know this wouldn't help from the famous AI Attitude article, but ivory to Maya for 5gpt. Still furious!!

1630AD: Germany agrees to talk. He has Ecology. But we pass for now.

IBT: Sumeria lands mech infantry. Rome and Maya sign peace - good! Sumeria builds SS Docking.

1635AD: I give Maya 50g as gift, still furious. Wow, Sumeria landed 8 cavs, 1 guerilla, 6 infantry and 2 mech inf. Where are your 131 cavs and 331 mech inf?

Bombard, two cav army kill two MIs. The rest are easily slaughered. Raise lux to 10% to make Adrianpople complete UN as fast as possible.

1640AD: Radio to Maya for 110g+27gpt. He enters Modern Ages.

IBT Fission is done - choose "What's the big picture", F1 and immediately switch Palace to UN, due in 5 turns. Sumeria starts Internet.

1645AD: We have 4 uranium. Change 3 taxmen in Adrianople to civial engineers, UN due in 4!

I now shut off research completely.

IBT Sumeria builds Internet. Must be a sci leader - phew, fortunately it didn't rush the UN.

1650AD: Germany lands 7 cavs and 1 infantry. Elite tank attacks twice and gets my 7th leader. I save it for now. Try to plant another spy in Germany, fail again.

IBT: Sumeria builds SS Cockpit.

1655AD: Sumeria drops 4 cav, 2 marine and 3 mech inf (I wonder why the marine didn't attack my city guarded by 1 infantry). Germany drops..one cav and one infantry. Impressive!

I create tank army which kills two mech inf. Cav army take out the rest.

IBT Maya and Sumeria sign peace. Rome and Germany sign peace.

1660AD: UN due in 1 turn. This is a crucial time and the crucial decision has to be made: how could I win?

 

[microbe]

I'll post the result tomorrow. I also post the SAVE in this turn here. Anyone that wants a challenge in diplomatic win could take the save and figure out how to do it. This is a very interesting situation. You should read AI Attitude Exposed by Bamspeedy if you haven't done so.

This is the diplo screen:

 

[microbe]

1660AD: Here is the situation.

Rome is at war with Sumeria, Maya is at war with Germany. I'm at war with both Sumeria and Germany.

Everybody is furious with me including Rome.

I should be able to get Rome to love me by signing alliance or MPP, but Maya is hopelessly furious with me - even if we had common enemy (Germany and Sumeria) before he was still furious. This means I probably wouldn't get his vote. Of course I cannot get vote from Sumeria either. So it leaves only Germany, which I'm at war with.

Germany actually seems to be a better candidate than Maya. I didn't fight with Germany as much as I did with Maya in the history, nor did I capture or raze any its cities, so this is really something worth trying. On the other hand, maybe I can sign MPP with Maya and he would turn polite? But signing MPP with Maya means I'll be locked into war against Germany.

Since Germany and Maya are at war (BAD!), I have to pick one of them as friend and the other as enemy to please the friend. Since Sumeria is going to have a culture win within 20 turns, I have to hold the vote IMMEDIATELY, so I cannot wait for another 20 turns to "fix up" our relationship with Maya or Germany. I have to get one of them polite NOW!

I read AI Attitude again and again, and here are the bad things which cause permanent negative effect:

For Maya
1. I razed Maya's cities, which caused +12 permanent penalty
2. I declared on Maya before, +4 permanent penalty

For Germany:
1. I broke an alliance before (+12)
2. I was caught on trying to plant a spy (+4)

Looks even? (but I am skeptical at why razing a city has the same effect as breaking an alliance?)

This is a tough decision to make, but Germany seems to be a better candidate. Since I'm close to Maya, it's easier for me to cause more damage to it which would please Germany (temporarily). Plus I don't want to face panzers.

So here it goes:

I sign peace with Germany, and sign MPP with it by Fission. He is still furious. I sign MPP with Rome with Fission, and he turns polite. I give Rome Uranium, and he turns gracious.

The reason Germany is furious is probably MPP hasn't triggered yet. Triggering it would mean I'd be at war with Maya, and that's OK if you wouldn't vote for me any way. But UN is due next turn, how can I be sure Germany is polite then? I delay UN by one turn. I switch citizens to entertainers until it shows "due in 2 turns". Food is at shortage, but who cares?

I also have to raise lux to 20%.

IBT: Sumeria offers peace up front, no way! Germany declares on Sumeria due to MPP. Rome and Germany start UN.

1665AD: What? MPP with Maya hasn't triggered? Germany is still furious. I can't wait anymore. I sign alliance with Germany against Maya for horses+3555g+99gpt. Germany turns "Annoyed"! I give him 100g, he turns polite! Yes! I gift him incense, still polite. Fine, enough for me!

Cav army attacks Quiriguo, kills one infantry and one rifle, it's razed. Two army raze Dijon shortly after. Move units to defend front cities.

Press enter, and pray..





Diplimatic win in 1670AD. Final score: 4581.

 

[microbe]

I don't know if anyone tried the 1660AD save. I tried MPP with Maya and it didn't please him at all, and you'll see this result:



However, *maybe* there is a way to get Maya back to polite, but I didn't try: sign MPP/RoP with Maya, but delay UN for as far as you could (but before Sumeria's culture hits 130K), and kill as many Germany's units as possible. It *may* improve Maya's attitude. But allying with Germany is abviously the easiest way.

 

[microbe]

It was a tough game. I almost gave up after I lost 5 cities to Maya, then I thought I'd play for revenge only. Just when I started to smash Maya and think "maybe I have a chance", Sumeria was running away big time with more than double my research speed. He also didn't give me any breathing time by sneak attacking me in the end, bombarding my size-13 city down to size 1. And then I saw his culture was going to exceed 130K in about 20 turns.

Even the final turn of holding the vote was kind of brutal. It would be much easier if Sumeria didn't attack me and forced me to be at war with Germany. The bad thing was Maya and Germany were at war so I had to pick one and only one. It was a big bet and you only got one chance.

There have been some weed too. For example, I probably should have picked Germany earlier so I could get more time to improve his attitude, and if that was the case I shouldn't try to plant spy on it which got caught.

I've been struggling with resources too. I had happiness issues for most of the game. I didn't have iron and had to take it from France. I didn't have saltpeter almost all the time. These all made for a difficult game.

Here is the replay:



After war with France



France is falling



Maya captured 5 cities from us



We took back 2 of them



Our revenge against Maya



More revenge



The last turn



The power



This game really made me very tired (plus writing the report)..I guess it will be a while before I try another demigod solo game. Thanks for reading.

 

[steviejay]

wow man, you rock. bringing the to the Mayans, congrats!!!

 

[Vizurok]

Very good play! You have won from a tough, hopeless situation!
Congratulaions for the victory!
Im really looking forward to your next story!

 

[Ville]

Congratulations!
Now I understand why it's important not to quit when losing...
Great game.

 

[microbe]

Im really looking forward to your next story!

I am glad you enjoyed it.

This game really exhausted my energy. My next game will be my first attempt at OCC (emperor) on a standard/archipelago map. I've always wanted to try an OCC and I guess I really need a peaceful/short game.