TSG 147 Opening actions

[Knowtalent]

Welcome to the TSG147 Opening Actions thread.
STOP - Please do not continue reading this thread until you have completed at least 80 to 100 turns in your game.
This thread is used to discuss the game once you've started playing through your first 100 turns. Apart from normal decency, the only posting restrictions are to please not post videos until the deadline is finished and to use the spoiler tags for screenshots. Here you can post questions related to the game and share your achievements/anger/frustration/victories while you play. Please remember that we are running a family friendly site, so express anger or frustration with this in mind.
Please use this thread to discuss your goals for the game and your opening moves through the first 100 turns. Anything after that should be posted in the After Action thread once you have completed your game.
- What did you think about before starting the game, what was your approach to this game?
- Where did you settle and what did you build first?
- How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
- What were your initial priorities?
- What tech path did you follow and why?
- What Social Policies did you choose?
- What Wonders did you try to get and did you get them?
- Did you go for early Faith? How did you use faith
- Any surprises?

 

[vadalaz]

Played 100 turns. I've had games on Standard speed where my empire was more developed on turn 100 than this one on Quick.

- What did you think about before starting the game, what was your approach to this game?
I thought it'd be slow, but not that slow. Figured I'd take jungle culture pantheon here and then build Hagia Sophia and/or Borobudur to get my religion and faith generation rolling. AIs got both wonders before I could even start building them, so that's a bit unfortunate. I think AIs perform a bit better on Quick speed.

- Where did you settle and what did you build first?
Settled in place, Monument first, then worker, shrine, two triremes and a warrior - don't remember the exact order

- How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
Had to make some minor adjustments like early Optics, Monument-Worker opening etc.

- What were your initial priorities?
Exploring, expanding. Planted 5 cities, and I'll probably take 2-3 capitals with frigates.

- What tech path did you follow and why?
Lux techs - Optics - Construction - Theology - Education

- What Social Policies did you choose?
Full Tradition and Commerce opener so far

- What Wonders did you try to get and did you get them?
I was too late to even start building any relevant ones.

- Any surprises?
No shallow water connection to other AIs. I suppose the upside here is that it'll be easy to keep track of barbs... until they have Caravels. But for now my cargo ships are safe.

 

[Kendon]

In my practice games I had an island to myself but for this designed game I expected something bigger with a couple of AIs. It didn't happen. I was surprised.

My opening plan was to get the jungle pantheon. The warrior went north. I sent the scout south through the dense terrain. Once I got my first policy, Honor, they both started attacking barb camps.

My tech path was an old-fashioned one: Pottery, Writing for the Great Library, Sailing, Mining and Bronze Working to start cutting down the jungle, Calendar for the Cocoa and to get started on the National College with my free technology from GLib.

After Honor I shifted to Liberty because with no city-states there are no workers to steal. I went left to speed building the Great Library and also cut down a forest for 20 hammers plus a mine. Once ahead on Science I built the Oracle.

When I finished Liberty I took a Great Admiral to get started on deep water exploration. So far I've met Egypt and Portugal. Germany was the only shallow water contact. Egypt had enough gold to trade for Cocoa so that helped money-wise.

Faith was slow and I worried about missing the jungle pantheon but when I finally got to 20 faith it was still available. I went straight to Theology and am halfway through the Hagia Sophia which is the only way I expect to get a Great Prophet in time.

Happiness is a problem. Apart from the Marble everything I have is Cocoa and no one else has a lux to trade. All my populations are frozen. I have one city building a Colosseum and the other a Circus. Once I have 4 happiness I'll build a fourth city. That should limit AI intrusion onto my island.