The Deity Challenge Line-up #16 - China

[consentient]

Welcome to the Deity Challenge Line-up!

This was a fortnightly event, but the schedule has changed and new games will now be posted every 10 days.

- All the games in this series are set to Deity difficulty.

- User civilizations, maps, and opponents change with each challenge, but the game speed is always set to Standard and the starting era is always Ancient.

- We try for a variety of starts

- This isn't a competition so there will be no predefined victory conditions.

- The spreadsheet of all challenge finishers to date has been updated and is available here.

* We welcome all comments and write-ups and invite you to post screenshots of key moments and the moment of victory (if you are successful), but please use the spoiler tag if you post a picture, make a comment about which civs are in the game, or about wonders, or locations of ancient ruins, etc.

* In short, if it’s information you can only know by playing the game, don’t spoil it for others by divulging this information in the open. Thank you for your co-operation



DCL Game #16

You: China
Map Type:

Spoiler :

Pangaea

Settings: Quick combat, quick movement (turn it back on if you would like)

Everything else is set to default.

Game Version - 1.0.3.276

Downloadable Content: – G&K, BNW, Conquest of the New World Deluxe, Genghis Khan's Mongolia, Harold Bluetooth's Denmark, Isabella’s Sapin and Pachacuti's Incan Empire, Kamehameha's Polynesian Empire, Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, Sejong The Great's Korea, Wonders of the Ancient World. The map packs are intentionally excluded.

- - -

Schedule

Game #1 20/06/14 The Zulu Pangaea
Game #2 04/07/14 America Continents
Game #3 18/07/14 Persia Continents
Game #4 01/08/14 Sweden Pangaea
Game #5 15/08/14 The Inca Pangaea
Game #6 29/08/14 Byzantium Continents
Game #7 12/09/14 Ethiopia Pangaea
Game #8 26/09/14 Mongolia Pangaea
Game #9 10/10/14 Rome Small Continents
Game #10 24/10/14 Polynesia Terra
Game #11 07/11/14 Morocco Pangaea
Game #12 21/11/14 The Maya Continents
Game #13 05/12/14 Indonesia Continents
Game #14 19/12/14 (Xmas Special) The Netherlands Small Continents
Game #15 19/12/14 (Xmas Special) Poland Pangaea
Game #16 02/01/15 China

Spoiler :

Pangaea

- - -

I hope you all enjoy the map!

- - -

If you have any comments, questions or would like to submit a map for consideration for future challenges, please send an email to: deitychallenge@outlook.com

Please note that submitted maps MUST have map packs disabled, so those who do not have them can enjoy the challenge. To do this, you MUST go into the DLC option from the Main Menu and untick the options ‘Scrambled Nations’, ‘Explorers Map Pack’ and ‘Scrambled Continents’. You will need to do this EVERY TIME you start a new game, or just simply delete the map packs. Thanks.

 

[Fluphen Azine]

I was thinking this might be up a little early. Just a reminder to anyone playing this DCL and future ones that I will be keeping a record/player page for players who complete this challenge win or lose. You will also be able to earn Rank/Medals/Awards/Patches for completing extra objectives during your game.

If you reload a turn or replay the map from turn 0... I just ask that you are honest about it in your write up. Some Awards will not be handed out if you decided to do this. Some Awards require you to finish out the game to the bitter end as well. This is an extra page and will not hinder your statistics page which will show things like... how fast you completed the NC or a Wonder.

Most Statistics or Awards are handed out by showing a screen shot! This will require the player to do a little more work taking images during the game. You may even need to keep a better record of turn times for statistics and awards to be uploaded.

If your image is too big or you do not have a lot of space to show images on this site you can always send them to my email directly.

fluphen_azine@yahoo.com

The sites name can be found on this site under General/Forums/Other Civ-Related Sites.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=541401

This is the thread that I started on this site in the other civ-related sites section.

The site is an on-going process and in a very early stage. If you have any ideas to make things better please do not hesitate to contact me. I want this to be a site where the players can shape it into something that will enhance our game play. Any technical advice is welcome as well since I am very new to Word Press and site building in general.

 

[Fluphen Azine]

Turn 0-37

Spoiler :

I moved to the river/mtn spot to settle on turn 1. This spot is nice but the land is a bit cramped so I decided to stick with one city for now. Perhaps I should build one more to help along with food and culture but I am hoping to take India's Capital and perhaps some cities in the future.

B.O. 3x Scout, Monument, 1 more Scout. Turn 37 I decided to rush buy a granary to receive the Pabst Blue Ribbon Award. I know this is pretty corny but I find some humor in it and I do not want to be taken too seriously. I would rather earn this award the other way but I can do that another time to win it again. It also gives me a chance to show an example of how to take the screenshots to prove the objective was complete. A bit tedious but all in good fun.

I decided to go Tradition since I was not going to expand and I decided not to go for a religion with two religious CS's near all these Civs. I did declare war on Ragusa as soon as I found them and worker stole one worker before making peace so I could send them a caravan. I DOWed India and stole one worker before peace. The same turn I made peace with India I DOWed William to raid his caravan for 100 gold. I have two scouts posted out near his borders now to get more gold and workers/settlers if they come by.

Below is a screenshot example of no granary and rush buying a granary on turn 37 to complete the award objective.

 

[kb27787]

Bah... a civ with no bonuses for peacemongers whatsoever...
Anyway prolly gonna go for the river... and let's see what happens.
The GG bonus might be useful if I decide to go aggressive with my starting settler (assuming I find the AI early enough but with the rough terrain... I'm not so sure)

 

[budweiser]

KB - I think China in general allows for a peaceful turtle game after you expand thru war to 6 or 7 cities. After that just park the UU in cities for defense or bully people.

 

[Acken]

This is a worthy domination civ

 

[consentient]

Acken, if you do a commented LP of a domination win on this map, I will love you forever, in a non-scary, non-gay way

 

[budweiser]

Messing around on a second attempt. First attempt was a slow painful loss.

Spoiler :

 

[consentient]

@budweiser

Spoiler :

Tough spot. Looks like Askia and William both forward settled on you. I think the unit cap may stop you breaking out of your current position, but I hope you manage to prove me wrong.

 

[budweiser]

consentient

Spoiler :

I was forward settled by Willem both games, but it nothing a few citadels cant crack. I don't like my position though, not sure I will keep going. I guess I should sell that puppet city. I wish I had a few more build queues. I have Honor finished and Commerce open, but I am not sure how these mad rush games play out on deity. I sure wont win in 15o turns...

Spoiler :

And a little more.

Spoiler :

You see? I can stop attacking anytime I want and turtle.

 

[consentient]

@budweiser

Spoiler :

Yeah, I've not had much success with Honor+Commerce yet either. Either I'm doing it wrong, or it's strictly inferior to Liberty Domination and can only be used by a select breed of players, or possibly both. In my game, at roughly the same turn time as your last pic, I've got better science than you and control the entire top half of the map, and have 3 capitals, but am still in really rough shape in terms of diplo AND the tech level of the troops I am facing when I advance.

I wish Peddroelm would play one of the more recent DCLs and show us where we are going wrong. I hope when Fluphen Azine has this new site up and running, he can literally take over one of my saves when I'm doing really well at T80 and then play the next 100 turns without making the mistakes that I have, and crush the map.

 

[Fluphen Azine]

Id say the site is up and running at about 70%... I need to add a lot more awards for different styles of play. I did just put up a Tag Team tab on the main menu where members can upload a Civ File Save from turn 80. I am not sure if it is working so let me know. As of now I kinda have been a little biased towards Warmongers. It is a process and I hope to have it in really good shape in the next few months. I took some time off of building it to play out some of this challenge!

Turns 38-142

Spoiler :

Hey Bud... William almost forward settled on me as well but I scared him off of the hill he wanted, with a scout, and he backed up very far. He settled maybe 10 turns later hurting his empire. I also wrecked some havoc on him with a long war that I only scouted him and destroyed only 1 Caravan and got to plunder some of his hexes when Askia attacked him hurting his Empire even more. Funny thing is that his Empire is in much better shape compared to Askias now!

A recap of what happened after turn 37... I decided to stay with only one city for awhile and after the unit cap was hurting me from building 4-5 archers I decided to build a settler. It was a little too soon since I waited for the NC to be completed on turn 72. I waited on the wine and settled the expo on turn 73 I think since I had a mis-click and moved the settler lol.

Strange game for me since I am China and wanting to warmonger of course! I started Wonder Whoring it up actually since I seen Hanging Gardens still up and I completed it around turn 90ish. After that I seen Itza up still too and said that I can't get that but I tried and failed 2 turns away. Not much longer I went for Machu Picchu and got it as well! It was ok since I kinda planned on not getting Itza but I did get some fail gold to upgrade my units. I also completed some barb camp quests and got some faith rolling and thought I might be able to get a religion but i missed out with 240 faith! It was nice having God King though for a little while. Recently I got Buddhism and bought 1 Cathedral.

I was hoping to steal Education and I started to research Machinery completed on turn 118. A bit late but I am going with a 1-2 city empire and science is not very high.I could of researched Chivalry getting me to Renaissance quicker but I decided to get into Commerce a little bit anyway so waited for that. After Machinery I teched up to get over to Astronomy and bulbed it with my first GS. I did get to steal Education and also stole Banking both from Persia. I was surprised that Persia did not get Itza but it was India who completed it!

Once Machinery was researched I upgraded and went to war with France first since he built a city right next to my Capital. That fell in 2 turns and I moved over to Askia and started taking him down selling the first city to William and I am deciding to keep the other two for now. I might have to downsize and France is a monster now not giving me any peace and buying up all the CS's which I am trying to defend my Expo from attack. Gao Fell on turn 142 and it is time for peace.

I kinda want to turtle from here since France is going to be difficult to destroy. He is the tech leader for now 5% ahead in tech. However, it might be better to press in while Cho's are still somewhat strong.

I did build the Oracle as well before Hanging Gardens... I told you I was Wonder Whoring lol. So I finished Tradition and am down to Merc Army in Commerce.

Let's see if I can remember my B.O. a bit. It was something like... paper maker, shrine, 4-5x arhcers, settler, NC, Oracle, Hanging Gardens, Failed at Itza, Machu Picchu, archer, Caravansary, Caravan, Writers Guild, Artists Guild, and now building an Observatory. I did rush buy a Water Mill, University, and Workshop.

I also dropped in 1000 or so gold to Jerusalem to help in my war effort. It is a pain since they are a hostile CS but I felt they were needed in this direction of war.

Turns 143-170

Spoiler :

I am supposed to be doing other things but once you start one of these games it is hard to do anything else! Story to follow after break and party! I did put a pic below of demos on turn 170 after I won the WF by about 200 hammers.

 

[kb27787]

Spoiler :

What started off as a promising game almost turned into a disaster...
Failed to meet both religious CS so failed to get a pantheon until very late, then saw I had no hope of religion so took God-King which lasted around a dozen turns or so.
Worst thing is Askia's Islam was completely devoid of faith-purchase buildings, and his pantheon was utterly useless so I didn't get any faith going until my spy reached lvl 3 (and I would've cried if he died on the first coup, but it turns out my spy Li came through for me 6 times before I decided to retire him to live the lofty life of a diplomat)

Start of game... map ruins towards the right (did not settle in place due to too many river hills = low food; thought about the coast but on Pangaea I'm not guaranteed to be able to connect another coastal city)


Should've sent my settler to the left side... I could've cheesed William out of his starting settler by early DoW + city damage like I did on the 2nd deity challenge... t11 already and he still has not settled his 2nd, but the land looks quite bad so maybe it's best I didn't.


Oh my... how unfortunate, but your loss is my gain Willy...


The last thing I want is a warmonger in my face. You shall not pass!!! (It's quite common for me to send my scouts home when it's clear I won't be the first to meet other CSs or get more ruins, rather than continue to explore; it helps in situations where I need to block, and they help guard workers to)


I really should've DoW'd and take his settler here, but for some reason I didn't... (I probably should regret that since Askia later became the runaway)


Another free worker for my empire that I didn't take... I must be getting soft... (was hoping for DoF from him to trade my stuff for gold)... eventually I needed another worker and I ended up whisking one away from a CS instead. No DoW on or by a major civ at all this game.


Quite persistent, aren't we William... Usually AIs will send their settler in another direction once you block them... not this guy.


Willy entered RENAISSANCE (not medieval!) around t100 (I'm guessing Acoustics beeline probably) so to prevent a potential wondermonger/runaway I paid a visit to our resident river warlord. Problem solved. Little did I know I had created a monster...


France deciding to be an annoying little prick, settling a city with ZERO resources just to deny me some farmland. A bribe was in order.


Under normal circumstances I'd be very happy here with the wonders I've snagged. However, while Askia's usually a wondermonger in most games he's been quite tech-based this game... he proposed science funding which I dare not vote down. He also opened Rationalism so here I am denying him PT (my capitol is much bigger than his); I don't understand it... his capitol makes only half my science but he is around 12 techs ahead of me at this point.


Our runaway going to war with the whole world after wiping out the Dutch. Problem is with his tech advantage, he won those wars! I have no idea how he techs so fast with AUTOCRACY!? His capitol is tiny compared to mine, with maybe only 1/3 the science, and I don't see a single academy built. No RAs either. How? Perhaps there's a bug that causes the tech penalty per city to not be applied? I don't understand how he can tech so fast with a lot of crappy small puppet cities... And then you look at Hiawatha whose empire consist majorly of useless island cities and his tech is accordingly SUPER slow. I really don't get it.


Situation looked pretty hopeless here... India is still at 45k culture and Askia took Cristo (he got a research lab in his cap before t200!) I had to veer off to archaeology to keep the peace, and then down to fertilizer to keep growing at a decent pace; eventually that jerk Askia also Great Firewall (so I had to send my GMs to HIM instead of to culture powerhouse Gandhi) Most painful part was me buying an inquisitor for 1000 faith JUST to convert my capitol to Islam to get the religion bonus and prevent my influence with him from slipping. Oh, and he would've taken Hubble too had I not denied it with a GE. I spent way too much faith that I couldn't buy many GMs.


I thought of resigning (but decided to continue anyway since I had already taken the screenshots... I was waiting for the hammer to fall... sooner or later that last part was coming up... and I was still a handful turns short... Surely he has telecomm tech by now... I had closed the tech gap down to only 3 techs but it might be too late...



Then I see a message: Aluminum to Askia ended, Ivory from Askia ended...
Hmmm... and then Aluminum to Askia ended, Coal from Askia ended...
Aluminum to Askia ended, gold from Askia ended...
a handful turns passed.... no spaceship part? Couldn't be he doesn't have the tech and decided to grab things like globalization? Impossible...
Then I realized that possessing so many helicopters, modern armors, and probably hydro plants (and even a spaceship factory), he had run out of aluminum! He's probably at a heavy deficit at this point with so many high-tech units It was true! All the CSs that had aluminum were my allies! His allies only had coal and oil!
He asked me to renew those trade deals over and over pretty much every turn, asking for aluminum... I wasn't giving him any not if he offered me all his gold and every single city. I also bought out all the copies from other civs, lest he get them in a peace treaty. Too bad recycling centers are wayyyyy at the bottom of build priority for puppets...


Then in the end he finally figured out he had to take one of my CS allies with his massive gold... however, a turn later... I had finally caught Gandhi who was just hovering below 50k.


It's pretty rare for me to win while being second in BOTH tech AND population (a first for me I believe... usually it's only one or the other)


And my empire wasn't that small either... 4 cities over 30 pop each... crazy Askia thinking he's Korea or something... btw I'm sure you know at this point I've run out of useful stuff to build already... the last 20-30 turns were super nerve-wracking I thought I had lost.

 

[sun8119]

kb27787

Spoiler :

Any reason you have planted so many academies? I think it is generally agreed that planting more than 1-2 is worse than saving GS till the end part of the game.

 

[kb27787]

kb27787

Spoiler :

Any reason you have planted so many academies? I think it is generally agreed that planting more than 1-2 is worse than saving GS till the end part of the game.

With the historical landmarks WC proposal each planted GP improvement will boost your tourism by about 8-9 pts.

CV does not really need burst tech that much; your hammers have to keep up with your beakers. The only time it would need to bulb is to deny crucial wonders like Great Firewall or Hubble. I ended up bulbing once to deny Hubble both GSs from which were planted.

Sure you can bulb to internet faster, but if you have a culture powerhouse it's best to go for maximum endgame tourism than faster internet. Since you have a limited number of musicians, you'd best make sure they are as strong as they can be.

 

[budweiser]

A few more images as I continue to attack. Its T176, am I committed to Domination here, or can I stop and still win by another method?

By the 170s, the city defenses are in the 40s and the AIs are getting Muskets and Cannons. I have to upgrade my troops to continue fighting.

But what is interesting is the worlds culture leader only has 6500 or 7500.

This takes hours..

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

 

[consentient]

Great write-up KB, and congrats on a hard-fought win. I am close to quitting in my game. Like Budweiser, I went Dom (I usually do) and took over a decent chunk of the map but my science is too far behind. Unless I can figure out what I'm doing wrong, I will revert to Liberty since I didn't have many problems there.

 

[budweiser]

consentient - Try your Honor/Commerce strat with the Maya. No joke. Attack with UU right from the start.

In fact, maybe we try that on next ICL.

 

[sun8119]

...

OK, that makes sense Perhaps it's time to try other victory conditions on deity since SV is slowly getting boring

 

[consentient]

OK, that makes sense Perhaps it's time to try other victory conditions on deity since SV is slowly getting boring

Yes, this map, and the next one, have been specifically chosen to encourage non-SV attempts, for the sake of variety and new challenges.