The "UNREAL Walkthrough" Based on My Understanding of The Game

[ABigCivFan]

This is a shadow game to Obsolete's "UNREAL WALKTHROUGH".

I will use common strategies to play this game out and compare the results.

Game Report Index:


*1. 4000BC-525BC (3 Cities settled; Mighty War Chariots; Toku the Worker Furnisher; Built Henge/Oracle/GW/Pyramid; Large Empire in the Making) Updated 7/19/07


*2. 500BC-660AD (7 Cities settled on Great Land; Peaceful Expansion; GL/NE/HE built; Tech Trades; Great People Strategies/Usages Analysis; Liberalism/Astronomy Combo) Updated 7/21/07


*3. 800BC-1635AD (Tech Plan and Priorities; Empire Building; Production Powerhous; Toku War; Persian War; King of the Continent; Preparing for the Space Race) Updated 8/13/07


*4. 1650AD-1820AD (High Research; Space Race; Space Victory) Updated 8/13/07

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Settings:

WL2.08/Emperor/Standard/Conti/Normal/Ramasis


I thought a "walkthrough" should show readers how to leverage the strength of the game and overall strategy given your CIV, UU, UB, starting locations/techs, Neighbors; and how to make good decisions based on what is given both short-term and long-term.

So I took Obsolete's game and played it out according to my understanding of the game. The starting location is pretty "unreal", but I will try to make it a "real" walkthrough.

Ramasis is industrious, give this nice capital location, I could imagine a wonder heavy approach.

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4000BC: Picture taken from Obsolete's OP.



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We have plain cow which gives 3f+3h, so I researched AH first to use it and to reveal horse.

Tech order: AH-Hunting(camp elephant+train scout)-Mining-BW(chop, show copper)-Myst(oberlisk,Henge)-Meditaion-Mason(quarry stone)-Priesthood(Oracle)-Pottery(open MC as the free tech from Oracle)

Build order: Worker-worrior-scout(size 2)-worker-worrior-settler-Oberlisk-worrior(size 4)-settler



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3120BC: Scout poped Horseback Riding, so i can get early stables, nice.



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2960BC: Given the large # of floods and trees and expansion, need 2nd worker ASAP. See riverside Ivory is a very good tile to work when building workers/settlers.



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2280BC: Worrior revealed horse NE of capital. War Chariot is a great early UU for ALL purpose, It is IMMUNE to First strike, should be very good against Toku's Drill archers and barbs. So settled horse/cow/silk city as the 2nd city.

1 turn to Myst so can chop Oberlisk in 2nd city to quickly pop to claim Horse

Note my woodsman worrior stole a worker from Toku earlier. @ war with him. I have axeman, so np. He accepted peace the next turn.



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1960BC: Settled 3rd city to claim Rice/Stone/copper. This will help immediately for wonder buiding and +2 health.

Both 2nd and 3rd city have huge production capability. They can relieve the capital from any military builds early so it can focus on wonders.

I also timed 2 workers with discovery of Masonary so they can build quarry right way.

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1640BC: 2 workers Chopping Oracle. Timed completion of Oracle on the same turn of researching Pottery so I could take MC as the free tech. The cheap Forges are super.



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1440BC: Mighty War Chariots on line. Note barbs pillaged my cow at Menphis, they will pay dealy now haha...



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1360BC: Built Oracle, taking MC.



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1120BC: My scout was hanging around Toku's cities looking for workers to steal, he spotted 2! So I sent 2 WC there and timed them to capture both workers in the same turn. My 3 cities could really use these workers.



1120BC: Thebes at happy cap, starving it to build wonders. Did you see how fast Pyramid could be built give the high prod + Forge?



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1000BC: Toku sent some archers, i let them enter my great wall, and killed for GG pt. Look at the combat odds.



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900BC: 4 WC+1 CR2 Axe raiding Japan city defended by 2 archers. Lost 1 WC. I found that Combat2 WC are MORE effective than CR1 axe when attacking cities since they ignor 1st strike and CAN RETREAT. So a large # of very mobil combat2 WC can take out many early cities if you can afford the Maint. This is a nice city with cow, many trees and river tiles. Keep it.



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825BC: Pyramid built. Researching COL hoping to found Conf and Courthouses. Switched to Representation.



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775BC: 1st GP born, Nothing to bulb, so settled him in Thebes to get 2H+5G+3beakers. He speed up research and allow higher research slider.



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725BC: CR3 axe. I stationed him near a barb city to snipe passing archers, he gained that nice promotion to open HE. I will capture that barb city after COL.



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625BC: Thebes at happy Cap, running 2 scientsts+1 Engineer. My scout spoted MARBLE north, building settler to settle it. Will need it for GL/HE/NE very soon.



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535BC: Just researched COL, someone beat me to it to take Conf. But I could use the courthouses.

The enpire is growing very nicely, all at happy cap soon, 2 core cities MMenphis and Helipilis are great military prod cities. The empire is perfectly safe now and will focus on growing it bigger with Calendar/Gems/Wine and etc. Several turns from Alphabet. Not bad scorewise.

 

[madscientist]

So far I see you are expanded faster earlier which is fine in my book. You are also going strictly food and production, no cottages whcih i believe was one of OBSOLETES central points. Settled first GP but did consider bulbing if there was something you wanted, did you consider holding him to bulb theology? Sticking it to Tokugawa. Nicely done so far.

 

[ABigCivFan]

So far I see you are expanded faster earlier which is fine in my book. You are also going strictly food and production, no cottages whcih i believe was one of OBSOLETES central points. Settled first GP but did consider bulbing if there was something you wanted, did you consider holding him to bulb theology? Sticking it to Tokugawa. Nicely done so far.

This game will have nothing to do with Obsolete's game(except they are identical @4000BC). I will lay out the thought process in making each key decision; and empoying the "best" strategy derived from the game mechanics that I could think of given all the circumstances at different stages.

I will approach this game as I would play any game on my level, and see where it will lead to. I probably will have a better idea how the Emoperor AIs behave after 1AD.

 

[madscientist]

BigCivFan, I realized that after the post, I misread what you said. On that nore, it is interesting the game is playing out similar to OBSOLETE's so far. Food/Production, settle GP. I understand you are playing as you best seam fit. I think the land and leader is leading to this direction of play. Thank's for posting this, it is helping (as well as your battle of the war maniac gamein another thread).

 

[ABigCivFan]

BigCivFan, I realized that after the post, I misread what you said. On that nore, it is interesting the game is playing out similar to OBSOLETE's so far. Food/Production, settle GP. I understand you are playing as you best seam fit. I think the land and leader is leading to this direction of play. Thank's for posting this, it is helping (as well as your battle of the war maniac gamein another thread).

I agree that the wonder count is similar, but if you look carefully, I have a much bigger economy+production/Science/Military capacity at 525BC compare to his at 620AD.

 

[madscientist]

I agree that the wonder count is similar, but if you look carefully, I have a much bigger economy+production/Science/Military capacity at 525BC compare to his at 620AD.

Without looking at his games I would agree, your empire is amazing early on. My biggest question is the farmed flood plains, why not cottages from the beginning? OBSOLETE farmed and so did you. I would have cottaged them right away, they provide 3 food and the cows provide 3 food and 3 hammers. Just a question to help me move on to higher levels.

 

[frob2900]

Great that you're doing this ABigCivFan

It will be interesting to see the game replayed with a different viewpoint.

 

[ABigCivFan]

Without looking at his games I would agree, your empire is amazing early on. My biggest question is the farmed flood plains, why not cottages from the beginning? OBSOLETE farmed and so did you. I would have cottaged them right away, they provide 3 food and the cows provide 3 food and 3 hammers. Just a question to help me move on to higher levels.

1. Early on Thebes focuses on building wonders. It needs every extra food to support 3 mines+Ivory.

2. It was also the primary worker/settler building city, farms get them built much faster.

3. Pyramid/Representation gives +3 , farms let it grow to cap 8 very fast and then support those 3 specialists. This combo is much more efficient than early cottages in terms getting cities big fast and giving more Beakers by running representation specialists.

4. You could always convert farms to cottages when waiting for lifting happy cap.

 

[madscientist]

1. Early on Thebes focuses on building wonders. It needs every extra food to support 3 mines+Ivory.

2. It was also the primary worker/settler building city, farms get them built much faster.

3. Pyramid/Representation gives +3 , farms let it grow to cap 8 very fast and then support those 3 specialists. This combo is much more efficient than early cottages in terms getting cities big fast and giving more Beakers by running representation specialists.

4. You could always convert farms to cottages when waiting for lifting happy cap.

Obsolete neglected many basic concepts of the game, he wasn't even growing his cities after building the Pyramid.

OK, I got it. I always cottages floodpalins and while generally a good idea, farms can be a appropriate. I guess if the city had a corn or wheat resource it may have been different. I'll wait for updates and stop asking pesky questions. Thanks.

 

[Sjaramei]

Without looking at his games I would agree, your empire is amazing early on. My biggest question is the farmed flood plains, why not cottages from the beginning? OBSOLETE farmed and so did you. I would have cottaged them right away, they provide 3 food and the cows provide 3 food and 3 hammers. Just a question to help me move on to higher levels.

You want to farm them to make the city grow back up quicker. With representation it's really not needed cottaging them anyway. And you can sustain more mined hills with production if you farm them, so it's a food/production thing.

Edit: I'm slow... got answered fast Well anyways i love reading these games so keep it up

 

[Indibil]

Solid opening would most certainly be an understatement for what you've pulled here

That's exactly how my dream opening of such a starting spot would be. I can't open the save right now as I'm at the bookshop, but shouldn't Memphis be placed 1E net you a higher production? Perhaps Barbtown was already there when you settled it on a second indepth look at the screenies.

 

[ABigCivFan]

Solid opening would most certainly be an understatement for what you've pulled here

That's exactly how my dream opening of such a starting spot would be. I can't open the save right now as I'm at the bookshop, but shouldn't Memphis be placed 1E net you a higher production? Perhaps Barbtown was already there when you settled it on a second indepth look at the screenies.

Thanks.

The current loc of Memphis claims Silk in its BFC(2N1W).

It could work cow right away.

It has 1 more riverside hill 2N1E.

 

[Indibil]

Thanks for the prompt answer. I didn't see this in the screenies so I thought it was weird to get 1 desert and one coastal (without coast access). I should have known better.

 

[AZSportsFan]

Thanks, ABigCivFan - I will certainly follow along and glean what I can from your knowledge/experience.

Obsolete neglected many basic concepts of the game, he wasn't even growing his cities after building the Pyramid. And I am just not happy that many new players being misled by these staged but sloppily played "Expert Strategies".

Probably don't get too many diplo wins, do you?

 

[ABigCivFan]

Thanks, ABigCivFan - I will certainly follow along and glean what I can from your knowledge/experience.

No problem. I thought many players come to these forums to learn about the game and looking for good strategies. Given the amount of info on this forum, it is very overwhelming and confusing to find really useful infomation. I don't like people getting misled about something that might work 1% of the time and was touted as the next "Impossible/Unreal expert strategy".

Probably don't get too many diplo wins, do you?

Yeah, "diplo wins" in RL are extremely important. I am working on that.

 

[obsolete]

ABCF, I know your an experienced player so I have no doubts you should not run into too many problems. I'll be looking forward to your version, though I never did get lucky to pop an early critical tech like horse-riding, which would have totally changed my play from the early phase. But no one is to blame there, that's just the lucky-draw factor and is part of the game.

I should perhaps re-shadow my own game too though, as knowing the terrain, AI's, and other factors ahead of time would be a very large advantage to me now, however, if I am going to put more time into playing, I think it would be more satisfactory to go through another map. Though I have no problems watching multiple people re-shadow maps, it's just a personal choice/time issue for me. I just don't have the time I used to anymore.

I also was racing through that map in order to get another PROOF laid ASAP which also caused me to not tweak everything as well as could be. But those are my faults, and my main goal was to prove some issues, which I'm sure I got across.

That being said, I'll keep an eye on your thread and good luck. I'm sure you can/will do much better, unless something crazy happens.

 

[ABigCivFan]

ABCF, I know your an experienced player so I have no doubts you should not run into too many problems. I'll be looking forward to your version, though I never did get lucky to pop an early critical tech like horse-riding, which would have totally changed my play from the early phase. But no one is to blame there, that's just the lucky-draw factor and is part of the game.

I should perhaps re-shadow my own game too though, as knowing the terrain, AI's, and other factors ahead of time would be a very large advantage to me now, however, if I am going to put more time into playing, I think it would be more satisfactory to go through another map. Though I have no problems watching multiple people re-shadow maps, it's just a personal choice/time issue for me. I just don't have the time I used to anymore.

I also was racing through that map in order to get another PROOF laid ASAP which also caused me to not tweak everything as well as could be. But those are my faults, and my main goal was to prove some issues, which I'm sure I got across.

That being said, I'll keep an eye on your thread and good luck. I'm sure you can/will do much better, unless something crazy happens.

Fair enough. Sorry about my harshness in my approaches. I am very blunt and not very "dioplomatic" sometimes. As I said, I am still working on the all important RL "diplo wins".

 

[EEE_BOY]

ABigCivFan didn't go straight to BW to quick axerush his neighbour by knowing copper is in capital's Fat Cross, instead he went AH which I consider the most excellent move at the first place. HBR is another factor;but without HBR, WC is mega-super enough early, HBR just makes it perfect. and ABigCivFan's 3rd city placement matches my initial thought when i read obsolete's game. anyway, both games are great, i appreciate your(2) effects posting.

 

[Morgrad]

A couple things:

1. I thought Obsolete's first post was probably BS or world-buildered until I tried it. It's certainly a viable strategy and a fun way to play, given very specific circumstances.

2. I'm really, really looking forward to a comparison game played that also uses an uber-wonder city but moves in different directions. (I think Obsolete intentionally hampered himself by not REXing at all, not making many gambles, and completely eschewing cottages).

I do think that Obsolete's strat is viable (mostly 'cause I did it, and it worked), but can be that much more powerful when combined with other strats.

I'm looking forward to following this one!

 

[ABigCivFan]

375BC: GE born, I used him to rush Parthenon. I should have rushed it in another city so it 2 GA pts wont pollute capital GP pool. Well..



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350BC: Razed Tokyo for cash. I was ready to pluck down 2 more cities to claim Marble and Gem, so raise some cash from Toku. Same year, I traded Alphabet to Cyrus for IW. It revealed 3 irons!



350BC: Extorted MATH from Toku.



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125BC: 7 city network. Each claims 2-3 resources and has decent production. Note I do not normally expand this much but when i find i could afford the maint, i do. It takes 6 universities to build Oxford, so this is a good number to ensure the Oxford could get built in Thebes super early.



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100BC: Cyrus trade. Need sailing for Literature, Monachy for wine.



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50BC: GS born I waited to bulb Philo. Philo helps in many areas. Religion gives happiness, enables civics and Pasifism, also unlocks a very powerful wonder Ank Wat for a spiritual civ. Also it has very very high trading value. I almost ALWAYS bulb it if someone had not beaten me to it.

I want the shrine city to go to Memphis since it has good river tiles (later cottages) and silk, so I waited a few turns(until 125AD) until it grew larger than Helipilis so Taoism went to Memphis.

Switched to Pacifism right away to grow more GS.





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200AD: Marble on line, Just built GLib in Thebes, now building NE and HE in 2 cities. 1 turn till Civil Service.



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250AD: Civics.



250AD: Growing Priests in Thebes hoping to build the Tao Shrine.



250AD: Nice trade with Cyrus to up my happy cap and the extra trade route.



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300AD: GE Born, nothing for him to rush, its bulb values (Machinary) also not high, so I settled him for 3 hammers and 6 beakers. This should greatly speed up future wonder builds.

Here is a view of capital at 375AD, growing GS under Caste System. Going after Education.



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450AD: GS Born! very good timing for bulbing Education. This is when you need all the GS you can luckily get!



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520AD: During this whole peach/expansion time, i kept an eye on Cyrus, here is his capital view, he has mostly defensive units, so i did not need to built too much military myself. If I do, my high production cities(including the HE city) can quickly swith gear and deal with the threat.



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620AD: Capital growing GS.



620AD: Empire summary, 7 cities all have good/great production capacity. Should be able to get 6 universities and Oxford on line very quickly. Thebes is carrying the research, but the goal here is to get other cities big fast since my happy cap is rising so fast, so all farms and specialists so far. Once they reach cap, i should be pretty close to Enmancipation (fast growing cottages), then i will convert farms to cottages and turn some city into reach commerce powerhouse. I am leading in the tech with bulbing and super capital, so nothing to worry about.



620AD: Leading scores as well. Made contact with Asoka. Note I am researching all the prerequisite techs to get ASTRONOMY from Liberalism. It will allow res trade/OB with the other continent, also will outfit Observotory to all cities. This is the best plan since out goal is improve our research/trade capacity to reach a fast space/diplo win.



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640AD: Asoka was annoyed and refused to trade when we first met, so I gifted him Calendar, turned him Caucious. This allows him to trade the next turn and hence trimmed many turn to reach Lib/Astro combo.



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660AD: Qin trade, got all prerequisite for Astro, now I can focus on research Liberalism, i am sure i will get there first.



The empire is in great shape now, although i got 1 unwanted GA(settled), and 2 GEs(settled) when i was growing GS. I still need one for the all important Academy in Thebes, hope U of Sankore would help a little.