The Height of Level 9 - Songhai, Asia map, mod Marathon, mod difficulty

[KrikkitTwo]

I think they should really patch the bug where you trade resource for gold then break the deal. It doesn't make much sense that you get to keep the gold. What's more you get to keep doing this to AI. I think it makes more sense if you can only trade resource with gold/turn, and AI should remember if someone breaks a deal. Just to make more sense and make it harder

It would be simpler removing Lump Sum Gold entirely..except possibly as part of a peace treaty.

The second issue is high level AIs becoming ATMs

 

[maltz]

Some questions

Did you mod the Barracks and the Armory to provide +45 EXP?

Units still heal +1HP?

Do you get to deal more than 10dmg or is damage capped at 10?

This combat mod seems really appealing to me, but city taking will have to involve MANY siege units?!
No multiple Crossbowman 1HP nibbling ether

I couldn't locate the XML file to modify barracks, etc. So they stayed at 15XP. Please advise where to find it!
Healing remained the same as +1 HP as before.
Damage in vanilla is uncapped, and is still uncapped. It is possible to achieve landslide 30 : 1 victory, which is very satisfying (or heartbreaking).
More units are required to take a city.
It is now impossible for 4 warriors to take a Defense 8 city. 6 might do.

 

[maltz]

It would be simpler removing Lump Sum Gold entirely..except possibly as part of a peace treaty.

The second issue is high level AIs becoming ATMs

Lump sum gold is not a problem as long as the AI spend their mountain loads of money, and leave little cash at hand. From my testing (hasn't updated in the story yet), they do get good at spending. And it does make things a whole lot more intense.

 

[vanjito]

I couldn't locate the XML file to modify barracks, etc. So they stayed at 15XP. Please advise where to find it!

I think this would be it:

C:\Program Files\Sid Meier's Civilization V\assets\Gameplay\XML\Buildings\CIV5Buildings.xml

row 2235

<Building_DomainFreeExperiences>
<Row>
<BuildingType>BUILDING_BARRACKS</BuildingType>
<DomainType>DOMAIN_LAND</DomainType>
<Experience>15</Experience>
</Row>

I don't know if it will affect your current game (already started?).

 

[Pouakai]

Subscribing

 

[Jaaboo]

Can't wait to read how this goes!

 

[maltz]

I am so sorry this is taking a long time. There is some family matters to take care of (good matters, not divorce, death or anything). My actual MOD progress is quite far, as I am about to start testing the 3rd version of the MOD..

This story will be short (as I soon realize it has a big problem, you will soon see), followed by another test game with a completely different rationale of design. Then I will conclude the trilogy with a better 9-th level mod with the actual mod available on Steam for people to try out.

 

[Sparthage]

Good. I want to see if I can beat it. Diety is fun, but it can get dull in the end (The end screen is such a letdown that I'm finding it less worth it to play through). Instead of Diety, I'm trying to beat a future start settler game in less than 15 turns.

 

[DragonHead]

Sounds interesting.

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

007. OK! Let's continue.
I learned from a previous game that AI's workers are very stubborn. After one gets caught, another will go to the same spot for the same improvement. After waiting for 9 turns, the Songhai warrior caught a 2nd Iroquois Worker! Nice.

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

008. Now I was quite happy with the result, and was ready to escort the 2nd Worker back... but the 3rd Worker came! How could I resist that?
All 3 Iroquois' free starting Workers have become Songhai's 3 free Workers just like that..

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

009. The workers are back! I took the shortcut to escort back the 3rd Worker, thinking Hill + Forest should make the defense easy for the Warrior. Not really. They were almost killed by angry Iroquois Warriors.

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

010. This is my technology plan for very early game. I want to go after Trapping ASAP to start selling the Ivories, then proceed to Writing for National College. Then I will either do Iron Working or Horseback Riding. I would definitely prefer the latter since I am using Songhai, and its unique Knight will make the difference later. But if things become too tough, or I happen to have Iron at home, then I will consider Iron Working and the old route of Steel for Longswordsman rush.

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

011. The second Warrior was purchased and sent to explore. Here is Ramky's home - one of his three starting cities. I don't like that horse at all (Elephant!). But luckly we are separated by the Himalayas. So Ramky, who is known to attack very early on, probably won't be able to rush me down in a heartbeat.

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

012. Just when I was thinking about Ramky's aggressiveness, he declared war just like that! That's Marathon Turn 36 (Standard 12)! A personal record for the earliest war declaration received.

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

013. But of course I loaded the save the turn before to extract some cash from him. My warrior #02 has now been trapped south of Himalayas, so they will have to keep exploring and find another way back...

At the same time I see that Bismark declared war on Hiawatha! That's very aggressive... very interesting.

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

014. With that money I bought the 3rd warrior. With 2 Warriors at home, I should be able to survive for a while. I was going to build Warrior #4, but instead I opted for Monument. Since I have very low cultural output, I need some help in order to get to Meritocracy on time. (More on this decision at the end - it turned out to be a bad idea).

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

015. Ramky's army was not showing up, so I sent out the army to look around. Here is one Iroquois Scout! Can't let him live! But Songhai's Scout, which was purchased earlier thanks to Ramky's partial contribution, will live and explore west.

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

016. Warrior #2 discovered Japan south of Ramky! I am very happy to see Oda, since Oda will always take my money to attack Ramky. But very soon I realized I don't even have to pay - Ramky has declared war on Oda! This is crazy!

 

[maltz]

Spoiler :

017. Scout explored west and found India. Since India is now occupied by Siam and Japan, Gandhi has moved to Pakistan. Turn 55 (Standard speed Turn 18) for 7 population in the capital, huh?... That's so sick.