Tokugawa Civil Service Challenge

[Gunboat Diplomat]

This was a very interesting challenge. Thanks Simple Machine!

It took me 7 attempts to get T100 CS. After failing so many times, I started to get creative. In the end, I saved the GS while I teched Maths, then bulbed Alpha, and built research in my cities until I limped over the line. Not pretty, but I got there, so I'm pretending that's a win.

When my head is clearer, I'll read through the discussion more carefully - with any luck, I'll learn something.

Thanks also to Izuul for finding that micro challenge thread. I'll definitely be checking that out at some point!

 

[notslin]

I gave the cow settle a whirl just to see if it was comparable. Came up a few beakers short of T85 so i assume T85 is possible, but probably not T84.

Close to T85 is better than I expected! Cow settle is no good because it kills a good tile (3F 1C base yield) that can't be replaced. (Even though +1F sounds better than +1H.)

In my best solution, I work the cow every turn (except two turns after improving the rice and before growing to size 2). (In order to get T84 with some overflow, I actually have the capital at size 6, starving to size 5, and working 3 riverside cottages, all of which yield 3+ commerce.)

 

[Fippy]

I actually have the capital at size 6, starving to size 5, and working 3 riverside cottages, all of which yield 3+ commerce.)

Without a granary?
I never completed it in my try.

 

[notslin]

Without a granary?
I never completed it in my try.

With a granary (completed with food bar at 15/30 at size 5). (I built settler at size 4 and built about half the granary before I could start on Buddhist monastery, then built granary, then built the other monastery.)

I may have a bias towards growing cities but I think probably one can't do better without growing.

Screenshot below (not my most optimized attempt I think, but not too far from it, my most optimized attempt works the same tiles with same yield)

Spoiler :

 

[Izuul]

Close to T85 is better than I expected! Cow settle is no good because it kills a good tile (3F 1C base yield) that can't be replaced. (Even though +1F sounds better than +1H.)

In my best solution, I work the cow every turn (except two turns after improving the rice and before growing to size 2). (In order to get T84 with some overflow, I actually have the capital at size 6, starving to size 5, and working 3 riverside cottages, all of which yield 3+ commerce.)

Yeah I was expecting it to be worse than that too. I guess the accelerated growth has a bit of a snowball effect. Permanently losing that 3f cottage definitely hurts though.