Total Domination Challenge G&K

[Tabarnak]

I didn't get much success with my last game. Sweeden got some swordmen and hit too hard. With 1 trader left, it's more painful than anything else.

So i worked on getting a start with 3-4 AIs instead and with good land around. This time, i got what i wanted.

I started with 3 cities instead. I managed to get Askia's capital after his initial DoW. Then i burned a lucky barb camp making 2 cs allied to me(merc + maritime)...i got 8 iron...and i got a religion...best natural wonder( i dont remember the name) i can get for this(+2 food and +6 faith). I settled a 4th city after NC for a total of 5.

I decided to build a huge army(12 CKNs, 8 swordmen and 1 spearman). I want to double DoW Polynesia and Sweeden before they get stronger units and i will sign a DoF with America to prevent backstabbing. Then i will engulf America before going for the other continent.

 

[Slvynn]

I didn't get much success with my last game. Sweeden got some swordmen and hit too hard. With 1 trader left, it's more painful than anything else.

So i worked on getting a start with 3-4 AIs instead and with good land around. This time, i got what i wanted.

I started with 3 cities instead. I managed to get Askia's capital after his initial DoW. Then i burned a lucky barb camp making 2 cs allied to me(merc + maritime)...i got 8 iron...and i got a religion...best natural wonder( i dont remember the name) i can get for this(+2 food and +6 faith). I settled a 4th city after NC for a total of 5.

I decided to build a huge army(12 CKNs, 8 swordmen and 1 spearman). I want to double DoW Polynesia and Sweeden before they get stronger units and i will sign a DoF with America to prevent backstabbing. Then i will engulf America before going for the other continent.

nice, turn 107, at my 95 i still didnt started NC and just researched iron.
I have mega-capital though. Petra (with 4+ desert hills) and HG, and being attacked by Enland and Songhai by sea. My army is only 6 CB, and 1 warrior and 1 scout lol. But i defended and builded up. I started isolated so went some building, now i getting up my science to chase up, and then i'll go on Norse Viking Sea-landing rampage with Berserkers, Privateers/Frigs and land-and-shoot Trebs and CBs

 

[TandooriChicken]

Is there a deadline for this or is it ongoing? I want to try it but need to finish TSG40 first.

 

[Grendeldef]

Is there a deadline for this or is it ongoing? I want to try it but need to finish TSG40 first.

We haven't officially even started yet so you'll have plenty of time At this point it seems we'll start with std continents map with Attila & Genghis banned & at least two weeks to complete a game. Though, nothing is stopping for the late entries to provide their game even after that.

G

 

[Slvynn]

Ok here is my game:

As i said before i Playing as Danes on Standard small continents map (which seems to be much bigger than Standard Pangea), vs Naval Civs and some other funny civs like America And Babylon.

I had marble in capital, so i went HG/Petra slingshot, then i found that i have 0 iron to go for berserkers, so i went tech-whoring and carebearing, and wonder building.
My cap rocks. I was attacked by England and Askia. England ceased bc lost too much by attacking me, but askia is n1 and we are still warring, he losing much. I have sparse units because i deicided to prolongate Mass spam of units till i get my 2nd UU - Norvegian Ski infantry which together with cannons, and later bit arties will be able land-move thru hill - attack, and arties land-prepare-attack at same turn. I have 1 +1 range CB, and amphibious pikes. I was back in tech first, but now i have very hi science output.

From moment i get Ski infantries i start to spam them + Cannons + Ironclads.
I plan Blitzkrieg in best Viking traditions by land-and hit tactics, using spare moves from sea movement to bounce around, ignoring hill movement cost.
I hope to finish around 310 + ish because map is really big, mabby later, but i will win this.

I just finished Scientific Theory, but trying to get another GP by making Pisa first before building Public School, I spying, Washington, England, Polynesia and Ottomans are friends, Nabby is hostile (i spying) , Askia is enemy.

Ps Those mines in capital before +1 hammer tech, it will tick in 5 turns or less + 1 hammer on those petra hills

 

[Slvynn]

Well, i advanced into game further. I went at some point into Autocrathy... Washington backstabbed me. I took his city, and took reparation of 20000 gold lol.
I bought serious Culture boost, and lots of WW bombers and some navy.

I am leading in tech, comepletely. 3rd in score. I have Battleships, they have frigates, best - ironclads.

Polynesia and Englad DoWed.
Now i am in war with all world except my 2 ally CS, washingtong who payed me 20000 gold, and layed back and lowtech Suleiman, who is actually doing good - he buys my Salt, which dnt have its customers anymore.

Fascism in few turns, and more Oil!!!!
More battleships then, I have Bradenburg and huge ton loads of wonders in capital, i build battleships (or buy) with +1 range promotion

Some bombers have Repair. Next will be +1 attack.

The problem that this is sea - small continents map, and its very big for standard. I am winning, as i see, but it will take more than 320 turns for sure.

 

[Tabarnak]

I checked my diplo screen before taking any decisions and i forgot that i had a DoF with Poly. I decided to go for Sweeden and his GW first then go for 1 civ at a time to not screw anything. My units suffered a bit against this guy because of that. He also had the most advanced AI units on the continent. Washington was fighting Sweeden and Poly, making things a bit easier.

I lost some CKNs but i replaced them eventually. At some point the tide changed for my side. I stopped units production and focused on happiness in prevision of a lot of cities added. Poly built the ND around turn 115. That was good news to have this wonder very close of me

After Sweeden, it was much more easier against Poly and his huge cities. He was #1 civ in score by 200 pts when i fought him. I took his capital plenty of nice wonders with pleasure

Washington, pissed by the situation, DoWed me. I lost a few units with all these wars but highly promoted guys have survived and they begin to be very powerful

Dido and Ghandi found me some turns ago. I have sent 2 units to explore the seas. Minor problem here, i don't have any workable cities to build ships. Honolulu is by chance a (huge)coastal city that i ewill ventually annex when revolt will end.

Now, it's not a question of survivalism anymore but how much time i can cut to finish the earliest possible. I'm a bit upset about what happiness route to take. I also changed my mind and decided to go with artillery units for the intercontinental invasion. Theatre are among the way so i'm gonna build a ton of them. I built all happiness buildings(with Circus Maximus) so far and i picked all religion bonuses for happiness. I desperately need happiness

I'm taking the Honor route for my second tree(after Tradition). Only picked the opener yet.

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

 

[Slvynn]

Invading different continents takes time, esp. versus navy-building factions. Also AI sagnificaly improved. Ai did hid his frigs behind privateers, and did move-and-shot maneuver. Some ais buld huge ton of naval units and cleaning them takes time. Especially in game where each civ have own continent (my game). Its best nacal game i played so far, but i am sure i'll finish not so quickly, there is much to clean-up..assuming all world fighting versus me and my cs - autocracy side effect... perhaps i'll use nukes.
I dont think.my game will compete with "continents" maps by vic time due fact that each civ on own continent and i wadnt able to conqur/cb rush early and had not iron for berserks, but its sure win and avesome naval game me vs world on deity
Also drill+amphibious promoted Ski infantries upgraded into infantry = insane

 

[Tabarnak]

Turn 161 now, annexed Gao and Honolulu. I rush bought some theatres to gain enough happiness and then conquered Washington and New York. I liberated Lhasa for a 5th ally. I will ally Zanzibar soon(a gm is coming). First RA signed with Dido, the only friendly AI.

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

In 10 turns a lot of things will happen. I will get +16 happiness from Honor(garrison with scouts) and artillery will be online. It will be the time to attack Ghandi. I will probably cross to Dido's land and blast him with industrial units.

Spoiler :

Cape Town helped me and conquered a city during last war

Spoiler :

 

[Tabarnak]

The modern army adanced near Ghandi's land. I decided to pick him by the south. Artillery, frigates and some muskets and highly promoted CKNs ready to be upgraded when they will land. I made a DoF with Ghandi and signed a RA but i don't care anymore about diplomacy I took the Order opener for extra happiness.

Spoiler :

He couldn't resist. I lost quite a few units but the idea was to charge fast with artillery and get these cities as fast as possible to not let him counter attack too hard. And again, i need more happiness

Spoiler :

 

[oPlaiD]

Does anyone else get annoyed and bored trying to do this challenge?

It's just extremely tedious moving units to surround cities with one unit per tile, and you really need lots of units surrounding a city to have a chance at taking one when you're on relatively equal footing with the AI like you might be for parts of Deity.

Maybe part of my issue is that I'm not spending enough time getting upgraded units, but when I have Babylon surrounded and its Trebuchet and city can bombard and kill off my own upgraded trebuchet sitting in a Citadel in one turn, it doesn't seem like something you can rely on too much.

It gets especially annoying on maps with lots of forests and hills, since you can't even get your catapults and trebs in range unless you move them right up to the city. Ugh.

Does anyone have any tricks to make it a bit easier? Not that there could really even be any...

 

[Tabarnak]

Last update until the end. Turn 216 i slowed down everyone excepted Dido. I pushed really hard and went into serious unhappiness. Now that artillery are online and stornger units than the AI like the great war infantry there is nothing that can stop me now. I finished everyone and only Dido is left on the other continent. Another army is coming from east. I hope to finish under 230 turns.

Spoiler :

 

[Tabarnak]

Does anyone else get annoyed and bored trying to do this challenge?

I begin to be bored. Been a week i play this game with an average of 2-3 hours per day. Long game for me. Not only a challenge, it's also a marathon.

Pick civs with strong UUs that come online into medieval era or sooner. Beeline artillery and you are golden.

 

[oPlaiD]

I begin to be bored. Been a week i play this game with an average of 2-3 hours per day. Long game for me. Not only a challenge, it's also a marathon.

Pick civs with strong UUs that come online into medieval era or sooner. Beeline artillery and you are golden.

Yea that seems to be the best way I guess. I've been messing around with some religious based strategies with Ethiopia using ceremonial burial and pagodas to stop happiness issues, but the UA and UU are mostly useless for this type of game so I'll probably try with something more relevant soon.

My problem is it's just not fun, sometimes. I had to attack Washington in one game and he happened to built the Great Wall as I was getting ready, which made things worse, but it was already awful. He had two mountains near the city with hills in the two slots directly below the city in between the mountains, with jungle below that. To the west of the west mountain was another city with hills and a lot of jungle, so it'd be hard to advance through there, and to the east of the eastern mountain there was a one slot pathway between another long mountain range with like five hills which I had to funnel most of my army through to have a chance to reach Washington.

Things like that make it almost impossible to mount military assault, especially if the AI had defended correctly and used the two hills at the exit of that chokepoint to prevent me funneling troops to the north side of Washington.

The AI doesn't do that, but it's still just a chore needing like five-ten turns just to move units before you're ready to attack. You can try to brute force and attack sooner but with how strong cities are these days it's a huge waste of resources and on Deity that's killer.

 

[Slvynn]

I've killed huge ton of units and it was quite long story till i got Bombers to invade different continents of other civs... each one had it, and it became bit boring.... CS were easy to pick so i got em down 1st made own military bases on it, i wont post because its turn 300 and i still have things to do. I think i will try next with iroquois arborea continents.

 

[Tabarnak]

Turn 240 Total domination challenge completed

With huge unhappiness!

 

[Grendeldef]

Gz, Tabarnak.

That's an impressive time and sets a nice target for the rest us. I was away for a few days, hd in my laptop broke down & I decided to build a new gaming pc to compensate the lack of time so I haven't been playing for ages but I think we can officially start the challenge since we have an excellent time to aim for. I'll edit the opening post a bit later.

G

 

[The Pilgrim]

Does anyone have any tricks to make it a bit easier? Not that there could really even be any...

No tricks, unfortunately. The only tip I can give based on personal experience, is to play in short sessions. Not to the point you get so tired you stop playing just because you can't go on anymore. I have tons of games which are pretty much done and never get into HoF. I simply couldn't bring myself to finish them. When I thought I'd need to move 20 frigates/arties/inf/keshiks or whatever around, I had got a migraine. Starting a fresh game is easier.
That's why personally starting from medieval I prefer attacking with rather small but advanced army than with carpet of doom. But play style can help only so much. On higher difficulties dealing with AI's unit spam is tedious indeed.

Tabarnak, have you gone Tradition?

 

[smallfish]

Tabarnak, just wondering; how did you manage fighting Dido with -61 Happiness?

Were those Gatling guns and artilleries highly promoted enough to chew through the -33% penalty?

 

[Tabarnak]

Tabarnak, have you gone Tradition?

Of course! What else? I'm sold to Tradition

Tabarnak, just wondering; how did you manage fighting Dido with -61 Happiness?

Honor tree helps. With the GW and some GGs i could kill 1 or 2 riflemen per turn with 7-8 artilllery units. All i had to do is buy great war infantry units and push them in front. At some point i made close of 800gpt and bought 1 almost every turn(cost is 920 piece). I annexed every cities close of Dido(who cares when you have over 90 unhappiness ) and bought units in them. Had some problems with anarchists into my capital that pillaged some roads, dropping down my gpt for some turns but nothing alarmist.

My goal was to grantly reduce every civs strength but 1 before i could go deep into unhappiness. Then it was all-in against the last civ.

Were those Gatling guns and artilleries highly promoted enough to chew through the -33% penalty?

Units were resisting pretty good against them, especially units with over 50 strength like machine guns. Fortunately they were only in small number near the end. I killed them with infantry units(70 strength). But cities with 80-90 couldn't resist against 3-4 artillery even with the penalty. 2 rounds were enough to take down a city to 0 hp.

The penalty is irrelevant when you are 10x larger than any other civs. I fought a 6vs1 war for some turns to clear my own continent and 2 small indian cities. And i wanted some personnal challenge