The Republicans go to War

[Lanzelot]

By the way, your map looks quite familiar, I believe I might have played it before.

Perhaps you have been watching the original SGFN-08 back then (in 2010)? I'm playing the same game again, only this time as a Republic instead of a Monarchy. (Plus a few other improvements.)

BTW, for comparison, here is the situation in 1000BC in the original game:

See Post #310 in the original thread. There's also a 1000BC .sav file.

By now the difference can already be felt significantly: 14 pop, 4 workers, 1 settler and still being in Despotism, while with the new approach I already got 23 pop, 7 workers, 1 settler and already a Republic since 1100BC.
In the original game, we stayed in Despotism a thousand years longer and became a Monarchy in 10BC. Of course this crippled our game much more, than a little war weariness under Republic would have, so in retrospect I think that winning this game under Republic will actually be easier than it was under Despotism/Monarchy as employed in the original game?!
Also I now think that another big mistake in the original game was that we built the Great Library and relied on the slow-poke AI for getting our techs. That was the main reason why it took so endlessly long to finally get Monarchy. (And if we hadn't researched that tech ourselves in the end, we would have stayed under Despotism for another 1000 years... ) So I will do my own research, and I'm pretty sure that being a Republic and using the cheap libraries, I will be able to out-research the Monarch-AIs even in an Always War game.

 

[HardCode]

Additionally, you have much better city placement this time around. I remember there were some issues with city placement in the original SG.

 

[Lanzelot]

Yes, city placement was a problem in the original game, I remember...
First we had very bad luck, that the first player did not spot the wheat in the fog, then the second town was placed off the river and too far from the capital, so that a 4-turn settler factory was not possible there until very late, when we got out of Despotism, and then someone did not pay attention to our dotmap and walked two settlers far away into crap locations, while prime locations close-by were still unsettled... (We ended up settler disbanding these two towns right away...)

 

[Lanzelot]

I had been thinking a bit about the "best" strategy to apply for this game. Basically I have three options, and all of them have their charm. I'm torn back and forth and still unsure, which one is the best. In the end, each one of them would probably suffice for victory, but which one will be fastest?

• I could stop research after Horseback Riding, save the gold for other techs and the shields for libraries and take over the world with horsemen. Usually this is enough for Monarch level games. However, will it be enough in an AW game? Also there are two other points I don't like too much: a) I will still need at least Currency (marketplaces) and Construction (in order to trigger my GA with the Great Wall). And the Great Wall is basically a waste of shields in this game. b) I know the Greeks are waiting for me, and Horsemen against Hoplites are already no fun...
• I could stop research after Chivalry, take over the world with Knights and trigger my GA with the Knights Templar.
• I could research up to Military Tradition, trigger my GA with Leonardo's workshop and then use disconnect/connect over saltpeter to create a huge Cavalry force. This option is probably the most fun... However, it might be overkill for this type of game... On the other hand, it would take full advantage of the libraries, and it would also allow me to go for extra strong Armies with Military Academy + Pentagon. And a disadvantage is, that Leonardo's is twice as expensive as the Great Wall or the Knights Templar... (But then, it is certainly the most useful of these wonders.)

It will probably be one of the later two, as I will need some libraries anyway to get access to all the nice coastal tiles. Anyway, I'm still open for advice and suggestions from the inclined reader...


T081, 975BC:
The Wheel -> Masonry
München: barracks -> archer
Heidelberg: barracks -> archer

Science is increased to 40% to get Masonry in 4 turns.
Horses are visible just inside the Dutch borders. So that's going to be the first target.

T082, 950BC:
Hamburg: archer -> archer
Köln is founded opposite to the other whales tile and starts a worker.

The Dutch now have Horseback Riding.

T083, 925BC:
Zzzz

T084, 900BC:
Berlin: settler -> worker

A Dutch spear appears on our border and we attack:
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): spearman (2/3)
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (2/3): spearman (2/4)
Archer (5/5) vs spearman (2/4): archer (3/5)

Science is reduced to 20%

T085, 875BC:
Masonry -> Mysticism
Hamburg: archer -> archer

Science back to 40%

T086, 850BC:
Berlin: worker -> worker
Nürnberg: barracks -> archer

Hannover is founded and builds another worker.

T087, 825BC:
The Dutch now (or in one of the previous turns, I didn't check every turn) also got Iron Working and Code of Laws.

T088, 800BC:
Berlin: worker -> worker
Hamburg: archer -> archer
Frankfurt: archer -> archer
Heidelberg: archer -> archer

Another spear arrived at our borders:
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (4/4): spearman (1/4)
Archer (5/5) vs spearman (1/4): archer (5/5)

Kill ratio is getting better...

Lower science to 10%.

T089, 775BC:
Mysticism -> Literature

A Dutch galley appears on the west-coast. I better keep a few units there in case they unload a spearman...

Increase science to 70%, Literature due in 5 turns.

T090, 750BC:
The Dutch ring us up and want peace. No way...
Berlin: worker -> worker
München: archer -> archer

Archer (4/4) vs archer (3/3): archer (3/4)


Here is now Germany in 750BC:

As you can see, the first ring is now complete. A couple of towns will soon reach size 6, and then, while waiting for aqueducts to become available, they will shave off a worker whenever the food bin is full. I have 24% of the world's population, compared to the Netherlands' 5%...
My military is still considered weak compared to theirs, but that should change soon, with 5 towns now building archers.

We are up Philosophy and Republic on the Dutch, while they are up Iron Working, Mathematics, Horseback Riding and Map Making.

 

[Lanzelot]

Quick update on the current casualty lists:
Losses Germany: 2 warriors, 6 archers, 1 spearman for a total of 160 shields
Losses Netherlands: 5 warriors, 7 archers, 6 spearmen for a total of 310 shields.

So far the Dutch have gotten themselves a bloody nose with their attacks. I hope that I will be able to go on the offensive next turnset, and then my losses will probably get a bit higher, as I'm attacking fortified towns. I would already have been ready within the next 2-3 turns, but due to the Dutch galley sailing north, I had to re-locate 3-4 of my units to the north. (Mental note to myself: build 2-3 curraghs for coastal defense!)

 

[Lanzelot]

T091, 730BC:
Hamburg: archer -> curragh
Tenochtitlan completes the Oracle.

T092, 710BC:
The Dutch unload one archer at Königsberg.
Berlin: worker -> settler
Köln: worker -> courthouse (pre-build for library)

At Königsberg:
Archer (4/4) vs archer (3/3): archer (3/4)

I need another worker pump, and I think, Heidelberg is going to be it, as much as I would have loved to setup an early Forbidden Palace in Heidelberg.

T092, 690BC:
Hamburg: curragh -> worker
Frankfurt: archer -> courthouse
Heidelberg: archer -> granary

Here is a picture of Heidelberg:

As you can see, with one more irrigation on the tile marked red, it has +5fpt and 5spt, so can build 2-turn workers.

T093, 690BC:

Archer (4/4) vs spearman (4/4): archer (2/4)

Reduce science to 40%

T094, 670BC:
Literature -> Horseback Riding
Nürnberg: archer -> archer

Switch Frankfurt, München and Köln to Library.
Cash-rush two shields in Berlin and set it to 10spt, so that the settler finishes in 1.

T095, 650BC:
Berlin: settler -> library
Hamburg: curragh -> library

Our offensive begins: march on Rotterdam.

T096, 630BC:
Hannover: worker -> library

Attack on Rotterdam:
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): spearman (2/4)
Archer (5/5) vs spearman (2/4): archer (3/5)
We destroy Rotterdam. Darn, I thought it would have grown to 2 by now.

Here the situation after the battle. In the stack 2N of the horses there are a settler and a worker to claim the horses.

T097, 610BC:
The Dutch spear moves one north. We need to get rid of it, before it interferes with the construction work at Heidelberg.

Archer (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): archer (2/4)

Science down to 20%.
Rearrange Königsberg to 8spt, so that the Colossus is due in 3.

T098, 590BC:
Horseback Riding -> Iron Working

Bremen is founded and starts a courthouse.

Science rate increased to 40%, Iron Working due in 4 turns.
Rush 5 shields in Berlin and set it up for 10spt.

T099, 570BC:
Berlin: library -> Mausoleum of Mausolos
Hamburg: library -> worker
München: library -> archer
Nürnberg: archer -> archer

Science can now be reduced to 30%, but lux needs to be increased to 30%, as Frankfurt needs 5 shields this turn for finishing the library and can only keep enough happiness with a coast tile, but not with a land tile.
Utrecht has grown to size 2. I never expected that and therefore my stack is set up to march down, bypassing Utrecht:

Well, the next wave can take it on its way south.
The curraghs sail north again, as there is no more Dutch galley to be expected from the south and it is better to cover the northern shore.

T100, 550BC:
The horses are finally connected!
Hamburg: worker -> horseman
Königsberg: Colossus -> library
Frankfurt: library -> horseman

Nürnberg and München switched from archer to horseman.

Lux rate lowered to 30% and Frankfurt gets back a coastal tile for enough commerce to not riot.

Archer (5/5) vs warrior (3/3): archer (5/5)

We have 6 archers at Amsterdam, so if everything goes according to plan, we have wines next turn and can lower the lux rate again.
Iron Working is due in two turns at a positive gpt. Then we can research Mathematics at a reduced price, before we finally have to tackle a full-price tech: I need Construction before Map Making, as I want to let my first ring grow, so aqueducts as early as possible.
At the moment only Berlin and Königsberg can grow.

The tech situation: The Netherlands are up Iron Working, Mathematics and Map Making, while I am up Literature and Republic.

 

[Lanzelot]

T0101, 530BC:
Battle for Amsterdam:
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (4/4): spearman (2/4)
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (4/4): archer (4/4)
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (4/4): archer (1/4)
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (2/4): archer (3/4), we capture Amsterdam and a settler.

I have two unused archers, so before the Dutch spear on the wine hill pillages the hill, I attack:
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): spearman (3/4)
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (3/4): spearman (2/4)

Science rate can be decreased to 20%, Iron Working will finish at +25 gpt. Unfortunately the lux rate cannot be dropped despite the captured wines resource. But at least Frankfurt can change the coastal tile back to a plains tile for an additional shield.

T0102, 510BC:
Iron Working -> Mathematics

The Dutch galley, that left Amsterdam northbound last turn, comes back south and drops an archer and a warrior next to Amsterdam Another archer comes out of Utrecht (now we know, why its size dropped from 2 back to 1 last turn...) and the wounded spearman goes from the hill to the plains??! Normally they retreat for healing?!

Archer (4/4) vs archer (4/4): archer (3/5)
Archer (5/5) vs warrior (3/3): archer (3/5)
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (2/4): archer (2/4)

At Utrecht:
Archer (4/4) vs archer (3/3): archer (2/5). Uff, that was close...!

Even though I did not lose a single unit this turn, we now have war weariness level 1?!? Frankfurt needs a 3-commerce coastal tile again, to stay happy. Darn, that means losing a shield.

Our curraghs discover purple borders in the NW:

So we know from where to stay away...

Science increased to 40%, Mathematics due in 4 turns.

T0103, 490BC:
Hamburg: horseman -> horseman

Very strange: Frankfurt had its cultural expansion this turn, and then rearranged the citizens to hire an entertainer IBT even though I had set it up to be happy without entertainer?! Probably the governor checked the citizen-assignment interturn, noticed that he could switch a coastal tile to a mined/roaded grassland for an additional food and shield, then noticed that the town would go unhappy by this and changed the grassland into an entertainer :crazyeze:

Heidelberg: granary -> settler

I rearrange Frankfurt back so that it is happy and does not starve:

T0104, 470BC:
Another Dutch galley appears on the west-coast at Nürnberg. I will send my curraghs towards it and try to sink it before it can unload.
Köln: library -> courthouse (pre-build for harbor)

T0105, 450BC:
Königsberg: library -> courthouse (pre-build for harbor)
Frankfurt: horseman -> worker
München: horseman -> horseman

Our first Horsemen Army, Barbarossa, is now operational!

Sea battle at Hamburg:
Curragh (3/3) vs galley (4/4): curragh (2/3) There was at least one unit loaded, so let's count this for 50s.

For some reason Berlin is now unhappy at size 8?! So we need to raise the lux rate to 30%. Science can be lowered to 20% with Mathematics due next turn.

T0106, 430BC:
Mathematics -> Map Making
I know, I wanted to do Construction first, but as some of my towns can already use a harbor and as we as a militaristic nation get half-priced harbors and as Map Making is the last tech that the Dutch are ahead of me, I decide to go for Map Making and take advantage of the reduced tech cost while the Dutch are still alive....

Hamburg: horseman -> horseman

The Dutch discovered Construction this turn! What a coincidence... I guess, they will live a little longer then...

At the front we discover two towns. Eindhoven is size 1, so cannot yet be attacked, and The Hague has unknown size. Barbarossa can check next turn by moving 1W before the attack.

Science is increased to 50%, Map Making due in 4 turns at -31gpt. We have 96g in the bank, so hopefully the last turn we can reduce the science rate enough to not go bankrupt...

T0107, 410BC:
Frankfurt: worker -> horseman
Heidelberg: settler -> settler

A reg archer came out of The Hague, so we try for another MGL:
Archer (5/5) vs archer (3/3): archer (5/5)

Barbarossa moves next to The Hague and discovers that it has size 4, so let the attack begin:
Barbarossa (12/12) vs spearman (3/3): Barbarossa (8/12)
I switch Hamburg to Heroic Epic
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): archer (3/4)
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): archer (1/4) and we capture The Hague.


T0108, 390BC:
Nürnberg: horseman -> horseman

T0109, 370BC:

Stuttgart is founded down by the fish.

Science rate can be reduced to 30%, and Map Making will finish at -2gpt. We have 2 gold left in our bank account... Now that was a close shave...
After some rearrangement of the towns, we get the balance to 0gpt.

T0110, 350BC:
Map Making -> Construction

Königsberg and Köln are switched to harbor IBT.

Königsberg: harbor -> barracks

In the south we discover Groningen, also at size 1. I decide to park my stack in between the two cities and wait, which one will grow first.

As our cash reserves are gone, we now need to research a bit slower: Construction at 30% is due in 9 turns, and we are making +8gpt.
I already set some size 6 towns to courthouses as prebuilds for aqueducts: München, Frankfurt and Nürnberg. Our military is already big enough anyway, as the war against the Dutch is currently on hold, until these duffers have finally some towns > size 1...
And no one else has up to now discovered us, so I can invest a bit more into peaceful build-up.

Tech situation: the Dutch are up Construction and we are up Literature and Republic.

Here a view of my economy and the biggest cities:

Germany in 350BC:

Spoiler :

Losses so far:
Germany: 2 warriors, 8 archers, 1 spearman for a total of 200 shields.
Netherlands: 7 warriors, 11 (+1) archers, 16 spearmen, 1 galley for a total of 640 (+20) shields.

 

[templar_x]

a horse army?
at this stage of the war, would it not have looked more promising to just keep the empty army around for later use?
nice to see 2 updates today!
t_x

 

[Lanzelot]

Another comparison to the original SGFN-08. The 350BC save is here: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=9170361&postcount=455

The world in 350BC in the "parallel universe":

Spoiler :

Interesting is especially the tech situation, because in SGFN-08 we built the GLib, while here I skipped it and decided to do my own research. So in SGFN-08 we had 6 contacts by this date and got the following techs:

- Bronze
- Masonry
- Alphabet
- Pottery
- Wheel
- Warrior Code
- Ceremonial Burial
- Iron Working
- Writing
- Mysticism
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Code of Laws
- Literature
- Map Making
- Horseback Riding
- Polytheism
- Construction

Despite having the GLib, we are currently researching Monarchy, in order to get out of Despotism eventually...

In the current game I have the following techs:
- Bronze
- Masonry
- Alphabet
- Pottery
- Wheel
- Warrior Code
- Ceremonial Burial
- Iron Working
- Writing
- Mysticism
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Code of Laws
- Literature
- Map Making
- Horseback Riding
- Republic

So in terms of techs the situation is almost equal (Polytheism + Construction are worth a bit more than Republic), but I am already out of Despotism for 34 turns. This shows quite well in the empire development:
SGFN-08: population 30, 9 workers, 5 slaves, 1 settler, 3 barracks, 1 granary, 1 library, 2 harbors, The Great Library (rushed by SGL)
Current game: population 58, 15 workers, 2 slaves, 6 barracks, 2 granaries, 6 libraries, 3 harbors, The Colossus

So as long as I am able to avoid contacts as I was up to now, the game is going better than the original.

 

[Lanzelot]

a horse army?
at this stage of the war, would it not have looked more promising to just keep the empty army around for later use?

Could be. I didn't think too much about it. I just wanted to get the Heroic Epic as soon as possible, hoping for further MGLs. And also at this stage I'm still undecided as to whether I go for Chivalry or Military Tradition. In the later case it could still be for quite a long time that I have no powerful units to put into the Army. (Remember: no iron anywhere in sight...) And during that time the Horsemen Army can already do quite some damage.

 

[HardCode]

Nice updates. Don't you feel a little MP-thin in the core, in case Utrecht spits out an Archer and your Archer in Hannover loses on the attack?

 

[Lanzelot]

Nice updates. Don't you feel a little MP-thin in the core, in case Utrecht spits out an Archer and your Archer in Hannover loses on the attack?

The Barbarossa-Army can move north a bit and help out where ever needed. With 9 movement points on roads it can cover quite an area. (And soon more military will be produced in the core - then the Army can move south again.)

 

[Lanzelot]

T0111, 330BC:
Zzzz

T0112, 310BC:
Heidelberg: settler -> worker

We meet Ragnar Lodbrock... They are down Mathematics, Philosophy, Code of Laws, Literature and Republic. We declare war.

I move Barbarossa north in case Ragnar unloads some units there. At least until I have some units for leader fishing in place.

T0113, 290BC:
Königsberg: barracks -> horseman
Köln: harbor -> galley

T0114, 270BC:
Heidelberg: worker -> worker

The Viking galley sails away to the east. Where do they want to land?! Or is it empty?

Bonn is founded and starts a worker.

Groningen has grown to 2! Let's go for it.

T0115, 250BC:
The Vikings sail out of sight to the continent visible in the east.

Attack on Groningen:
Horseman (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): horseman (2/4)
Horseman (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): spearman (2/3)
Archer (5/5) vs spearman (2/3): archer (5/5), capture Groningen and 5 slaves.

T0116, 230BC:
The Dutch move a spearman from Eindhoven next to Amsterdam. I move a horseman in for defense and Barbarossa back south.
The Viking galley returns from the east.
Königsberg: horseman -> horseman
Heidelberg: worker -> worker

T0117, 210BC:
Berlin: Mausoleum -> barracks
The Hague: slave -> slave

The Dutch spear retreats from Amsterdam?! I would at least have expected it to pillage the wine hill?!

Sea-battle at Köln:
Curragh (3/3) vs galley (3/3): curragh (3/4)

Eindhoven had its culture expansion! So we attack:
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): archer (5/5), now this is too easy...
Archer (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): spearman (2/3), shouldn't have said anything...
Archer (5/5) vs spearman (2/3): archer (1/5), capture Eindhoven and 11 gold and destroy a galley

The stray unit south of Amsterdam:
Barbarossa (12/12) vs spearman (3/3): Barbarossa (9/12)

Set up Berlin to 20spt, in order to finish barracks in1 turn. Afterwards the neighboring towns can get the hills back and Berlin will produce horsemen at 15spt.

T0118, 190BC:
Construction -> Polytheism
Go into München IBT to switch from courthouse to aqueduct, before the courthouse completes... Also switched are Nürnberg and Frankfurt.
Berlin: barracks -> horseman
Heidelberg: worker -> worker
Hannover: library -> aqueduct

Join a worker to Königsberg to get it to 8spt.

Increase science to 40%, Polytheism due in 4 turns at -6gpt.

T0119, 170BC:
Köln: galley -> aqueduct
Stuttgart: worker -> worker

Our scouts in the south discover spices, excellent!

Join two more workers into Königsberg.

Utrecht has grown to size 2, so time for the final attack. But Netherlands now also know Polytheism?! So I guess I delay it by two turns. I still need some time for getting units down there anyway.

T0120, 150BC:
A Dutch archer walks out of Utrecht.

Berlin: horseman -> horseman
Königsberg: horseman -> horseman
Heidelberg: worker -> worker

Horseman (4/4) vs archer (3/3): horseman (2/4)

A thought just crossed my mind: should I build the Temple of Artemis? It would help with happiness problems for the rest of the game (I don't expect to be researching Education here) and it would also help with the domination limit, and it is not to be expected that the AI will build it any time soon... Berlin could build it in 25 turns.

Spoiler :

 

[jiikoo]

Your "homearmy" is dangerously thin. And when does the vikings get the axeman?

 

[Kirejara]

What Axeman do you mean? If you mean the Berserk, that one comes with Invention (hopefully still a long time in the future ).

And hey, the Firaxis spelling of Den Haag is as ugly as Heidelburg.

I had once a Horsemen army too, as there was nothing better available at that time. It was surprising effective.

 

[Lanzelot]

Your "homearmy" is dangerously thin. And when does the vikings get the axeman?

Why do I need a home army, if no one ever attacks my home... Whenever a Dutch or Viking galley approaches my shores (and I am not able to sink it with my navy), I make sure to move 2-3 horsemen into reach of possible landing sites. That should be enough.

The Vikings still need Mathematics, Philosophy, Polytheism, Currency, Construction, Feudalism, Engineering and Invention, before they can build Berserkers... They will be dead, before they manage to research all that stuff....

 

[Rjpkool24]

Looks good so far, hoping to learn a thing or two!

 

[Lanzelot]

Looks good so far, hoping to learn a thing or two!

If you need a few more details/explanations here or there, just let me know. I'm rushing through the mechanics and micromanagement decisions (like the 4-turn settler factory I ran in Berlin for a while, or now the alternation between 4-turn settlers and 2-turn workers in Heidelberg) as they have been explained already elsewhere, e.g. the War Academy.

The main purpose of this story is to explore, how well Republic does under Always War conditions with "kind of isolated start position" and omission of scouting.

 

[Lanzelot]

T0121, 130BC:
München: aqueduct -> harbor

Utrecht has dropped to size 1. Darn, next turn I wanted to attack.

Our southern army discovered green borders:

And another Viking galley prepares for the big crossing.

We can reduce science spending to 10%.

T0122, 110BC:
Polytheism -> Currency. This is the first tech in quite some time that we need to research at full price. (Unless our soon to be met new neighbor already has it...)
Berlin: -> horseman -> horseman
Frankfurt: aqueduct -> harbor
Heidelberg: worker -> settler
Bonn: worker -> courthouse

Now we know, why Utrecht dropped in size: they pop-rushed yet another archer:

And the brave Viking galley sails directly within reach of my complete navy...

Curragh (3/3) vs galley (4/4): galley (2/4)
Curragh (4/4) vs galley (2/4): curragh (2/4)

Horseman (4/4) vs archer (3/3): horseman (2/4)

Science increased to 40%, Currency due in 5.

T0123, 90BC:
Königsberg: horseman -> horseman
Persepolis finishes the Great Wall.

Join another worker to Königsberg. The Colossus operates now at full speed...
Increasing science rate shortly to 50% at -21gpt. Hopefully that will be enough for finishing Currency in 4.

T0124, 70BC:
Berlin: horseman -> horseman
München: harbor -> horseman
Nürnberg: aqueduct -> harbor

Science can go back to 40%, Currency in 2 at 0gpt.

Join a worker to München, which was a bad mistake: can get it happy only by using all available coastal tiles, which of course cripples the production:

Well, it can only be 2-3 more turns until Utrecht gets its culture expansion, and then one source of WW will be gone.

T0125, 50BC:
Hamburg: Heroic Epic -> aqueduct

Our little task force has assembled at the Greek border. I guess now is the time to introduce ourselves...

Also, it is the last turn of Currency, so if they really have it, we can benefit from the discount. Therefore: Barbarossa moves forward and meets Alexander.

Interesting: they are down only Literature! How on earth did they get Republic that early? And unfortunately they don't have Currency. So we declare war.
Here the current power graph:

We have 30% of the world's population, the next competitor, Greece, has 11%.

Science can be reduced to 30%.

I switch Königsberg from Horseman to Galley. The plan is to stage an invasion in Scandinavia, while holding the Greek border in a passive defense until I have better weapons for their Hoplites.


T0126, 30BC:
Currency finishes, we enter a new era and get Engineering. Ok, I guess it is a clear sign that we should go for Cavalry... Next is Feudalism.
Berlin: horseman -> Temple of Artemis
Königsberg: galley -> galley
Frankfurt: harbor -> horseman
Heidelberg: settler -> worker

Darn, the Viking galley moved through our whales tile and Köln is now one food short of growth in 2 And the galley is even out of reach of most of my ships.
I move a couple of units closer in case they land.

I increase the lux rate to 40% and can now add a couple more workers to München, Frankfurt and Nürnberg and can use their land tiles again.
I can now set up Berlin for 20spt and Frankfurt for 10spt.

Research increased to 40%, Feudalism due in 8 turns at -7gpt.

BTW: the Netherlands are now also a Republic. (Didn't notice their anarchy period...)
The Greek are also constructing the Temple of Artemis in Sparta. Don't know, when they started. Well, if they finish theirs first, we can use ours as a prebuild for Leonardo...

T0127, 10BC:
The Vikings sail away. Oh well, we'll get them on their way back...

The Hague: slave -> settler

Strange: the war weariness has ended (100% "It's just way too crowded"), even though the Netherlands are still alive!? Great, I can reduce lux to 30% and raise science to 50%, Feudalism due in 6 turns at -9gpt.

T0128, 10AD:
A Dutch archer out of Utrecht attacks our horse/worker stack next to Utrecht:
Archer (3/3) vs horseman (4/4): horseman (2/4) - these guys are really completely out of luck this game...
Heidelberg: worker -> worker
Stuttgart: worker -> courthouse

Salzburg is founded and starts a courthouse.

After the attack of that archer, the WW is back:

Lux rate increased to 40% again. We also join a couple more workers.

We try an attack on Ephesus:
Barbarossa (12/12) vs Hoplite (3/3): Barbarossa (6/12)
And we retreat.

T0129, 30AD:
The Dutch want peace. Wow, they have a big treasury of 374g. Will I get that, when I take their last town? We'll see.
A Greek archer moves out of Ephesus towards our stack. How brave...

Königsberg: galley -> galley
Frankfurt: horseman -> horseman
Nürnberg: harbor -> library

At Ephesus:
Archer (5/5) vs archer (3/3): archer (4/5)

The WW has worn off again... So lux rate back to 30%, science to 60% and Feudalism now due in 3 turns at -25gpt. If Utrecht still hasn't culture expanded next turn, I will take it anyway to get their cash and simply build another settler in Heidelberg.

T0130, 50AD:
The Vikings finally unload a single warrior next to Amsterdam:

Another Dutch archer attacks my horseman stack at Utrecht:
Archer (3/3) vs horseman (4/4): horseman (1/4)

Amsterdam: courthouse -> library
München: horseman -> horseman
Heidelberg: worker -> settler

The war weariness is of course back... The Dutch only have 338g left in their treasury, so the must have cash-rushed that archer. I've had enough of that nonsense. The Dutch must have had a pretty long anarchy period that their capital still hasn't culture expanded?!
Here is a final picture of the glorious Dutch Empire:

First I take care of the Vikings:
Horseman (4/4) vs warrior (3/3): horseman (1/4)

Horseman (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): horseman (3/4)
Horseman (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): spearman (3/3), horseman retreats
Horseman (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): spearman (2/4)
Horseman (4/4) vs spearman (3/3): horseman (1/4), we have destroyed Utrecht and liberated 338 gold!

Why is the WW still not over?? Ah, I go into F1, increase the lux rate and decrease it again, and now the WW is gone...

Lux rate decreased to 30%, tech rate to 50%.

Here the German Empire in 50AD:

Spoiler :

Total losses in the Dutch War:
Germany: 2 warriors, 9 archers, 1 spearman, 2 horsemen for a total of 280 shields.
Netherlands: 7 warriors, 15 (+1) archers, 23 spearmen, 2 galleys for a total of 890 (+20) shields.

Losses so far in the Viking War:
Germany: 1 curragh for a total of 15 shields
Scandinavia: 1 galley, 1 warrior for a total of 40 shields

Losses so far in the Greek War:
Germany: None
Greece: 1 Hoplite, 1 archer for a total of 40 shields

Tech situation:
We are up Philosophy, Literature, Polytheism, Currency, Republic, Construction and Engineering on Scandinavia.
We are up Literature, Currency and Engineering on Greece.
(I guess it was the right decision not to go for the Great Library...)

 

[Lanzelot]

Quick comparison with the original SGFN-08 at 50 AD:

Spoiler :

We have 6 contacts already (mainly because we sent out galleys exploring). At that point we are still waiting for the AIs to come up with Currency... So while we are up Monarchy compared to my game, we are down Currency and Engineering.

Population
SGFN-08: 53 citizens, 10 workers, 5 slaves -- making 56spt
Republic game: 97 citizens, 12 workers, 9 slaves -- making 92spt

Military
SGFN-08: 2 warriors, 11 archers, 11 spearmen, 7 catapults, 2 galleys, 1 Army (empty)
Republic game: 1 warrior, 6 archers, 2 spearmen, 13 horsemen, 3 galleys, 1 Army (horsemen)

So the armies are somewhat of even strength, though I think that the horsemen are more powerful for offensive than those many spearmen... This is also reflected by the fact, that in SGFN-08 we are still fighting the Dutch, whereas in my game they are already gone. (And I could have eliminated them even much earlier, but kept them alive for some time in order to take advantage of the price reduction for Construction, and then when I was hoping to get another town instead of auto-razing it.)