consentient
Domination!
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2014
- Messages
- 3,355
Well, I have to say that I'm chuffed to bits that my win time is comparable with my hero, Acken.
But I must also say that mine was a 2nd play through, so cannot be compared like for like.
Finally, I had considerable luck, as I will now describe.
I was far from optimal, so I concur with Acken that this map can be cleared a lot more quickly. My social policies were far from ideal (Liberty + Piety) because, again, I had no idea how quickly things would snowball and I wanted to get Jesuit Education. Also, I only hard built 2 expos, so with 1 or 2 more settlers could have made a dozen more units, or made the ones I had more quickly.
I'm still not where I want to be in terms of my unit movements during combat. There is only a certain amount you can learn from watching LPs, and the rest one must learn from experience, but I am happy with my sweep, and it's inspired me to try the same thing on the next suitable DCL.
But I must also say that mine was a 2nd play through, so cannot be compared like for like.
Finally, I had considerable luck, as I will now describe.
Spoiler :
Capital #1 - Ulundi - ca. T50ish
My Jaguar spam approached Shaka's capital to find his expo on about 25% strength from war with Boudicca (which I started) and barbarian assistance. I DoW'ed, literally slid into Umgungthingey, and used its ranged attacks and a few quickly built archers to take down what would otherwise become an Impi factory. During this time, he built only Settlers, whom I easily convinced to join my Central American murder religion instead. No one cared that I wiped a tribe out of history, except for Boudicca, who was of course next on the list.
Capital #2 - Edinburgh - ca. 60ish
Shaka may well have done the hard work for me. When I got there, with a couple more archers in tow, she had a lone horse archer. The horse archer didn't want the workers I offered it, but its ranged attack + the city's was not enough to kill units, and because I had a decent number, I took it less than 10 turns after Ulundi. A nearby barb camp had been eating her settlers, and actually, I never cleared this camp since it was a harmless distraction. (One lesson I've learned from this game is that if you want to win DomV quickly, you don't do anything unless it's absolutely necessary.)
Capital #3 - Warsaw - ca. 70ish
Captured workers had been building roads south, and were nearly at Krakow by the time I DoW'ed the guy who had become an unstoppable monster in my previous play through. Krakow fell in 2 turns, and Warsaw a few turns later. Nothing to say here except that I suspect Casimir may well have had the same treatment from the barbs as Boudicca. My most heartfelt thanks go to the barb leaders.
Capital #4 - Palenque - ca. 75-80
Again, absolutely no dramas. I could see that my unit count and unit 'edge' were good enough to take the map with a decent run, so I largely stopped making units at this point and concentrated on faith production, culture and saving money for upgrades. I paused for a while after decking the Maya so i could a) sort out the order I would strike at the remaining capitals, b) hit Machinery and upgrade my CBs, and c) get my happiness in check, since I had by this time a huge empire.
Capital #5 - London
I chose this one next because at this stage I had no idea how long the game would end up being and I didn't fancy overcoming the Great Wall late in the game. I suspect Acken probably took out Marrakesh before London, but haven't watched his game to find out. (I am a huge fan of his, but have been too busy writing and playing my own games!). Liz had no ability to make units for some reason, and this is a classic example of where Immortal can be too easy for me. From beginning my final assault of York until capturing Attila's Court was less than 40 turns, and in Deity it would take an era or two most likely.
Capitals 6&7 were almost simultaneous and wholly without resistance. Attila was still making Horse Archers, which a decent upgraded XB man can kill in one turn. Ahmad didn't make a single unit the whole time I was in his territory. What WAS the AI thinking?
My Jaguar spam approached Shaka's capital to find his expo on about 25% strength from war with Boudicca (which I started) and barbarian assistance. I DoW'ed, literally slid into Umgungthingey, and used its ranged attacks and a few quickly built archers to take down what would otherwise become an Impi factory. During this time, he built only Settlers, whom I easily convinced to join my Central American murder religion instead. No one cared that I wiped a tribe out of history, except for Boudicca, who was of course next on the list.
Capital #2 - Edinburgh - ca. 60ish
Shaka may well have done the hard work for me. When I got there, with a couple more archers in tow, she had a lone horse archer. The horse archer didn't want the workers I offered it, but its ranged attack + the city's was not enough to kill units, and because I had a decent number, I took it less than 10 turns after Ulundi. A nearby barb camp had been eating her settlers, and actually, I never cleared this camp since it was a harmless distraction. (One lesson I've learned from this game is that if you want to win DomV quickly, you don't do anything unless it's absolutely necessary.)
Capital #3 - Warsaw - ca. 70ish
Captured workers had been building roads south, and were nearly at Krakow by the time I DoW'ed the guy who had become an unstoppable monster in my previous play through. Krakow fell in 2 turns, and Warsaw a few turns later. Nothing to say here except that I suspect Casimir may well have had the same treatment from the barbs as Boudicca. My most heartfelt thanks go to the barb leaders.
Capital #4 - Palenque - ca. 75-80
Again, absolutely no dramas. I could see that my unit count and unit 'edge' were good enough to take the map with a decent run, so I largely stopped making units at this point and concentrated on faith production, culture and saving money for upgrades. I paused for a while after decking the Maya so i could a) sort out the order I would strike at the remaining capitals, b) hit Machinery and upgrade my CBs, and c) get my happiness in check, since I had by this time a huge empire.
Capital #5 - London
I chose this one next because at this stage I had no idea how long the game would end up being and I didn't fancy overcoming the Great Wall late in the game. I suspect Acken probably took out Marrakesh before London, but haven't watched his game to find out. (I am a huge fan of his, but have been too busy writing and playing my own games!). Liz had no ability to make units for some reason, and this is a classic example of where Immortal can be too easy for me. From beginning my final assault of York until capturing Attila's Court was less than 40 turns, and in Deity it would take an era or two most likely.
Capitals 6&7 were almost simultaneous and wholly without resistance. Attila was still making Horse Archers, which a decent upgraded XB man can kill in one turn. Ahmad didn't make a single unit the whole time I was in his territory. What WAS the AI thinking?
I was far from optimal, so I concur with Acken that this map can be cleared a lot more quickly. My social policies were far from ideal (Liberty + Piety) because, again, I had no idea how quickly things would snowball and I wanted to get Jesuit Education. Also, I only hard built 2 expos, so with 1 or 2 more settlers could have made a dozen more units, or made the ones I had more quickly.
I'm still not where I want to be in terms of my unit movements during combat. There is only a certain amount you can learn from watching LPs, and the rest one must learn from experience, but I am happy with my sweep, and it's inspired me to try the same thing on the next suitable DCL.