TSG 153 opening action thread

[Knowtalent]

Welcome to the TSG153 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?

 

[zxcvbob]

I'm on turn 90-something. I've captured Brazil (left him one city) and Celts (wiped them totally out) and now planning my next victim. England is the obvious choice because Forbidden Palace and just the location, but I'm a little afraid of her SOTL's and longbows. Would like to have ironclads when I face her. OTOH, capturing a SOTL would be awesome.

I settled in place with the slightly-northern settler. Scouted around with my pikes until I found the spot to the north with the iron and mountain and all the sheep, then sent my other settler there. Eventually send a settler west to settle the gems. It's probably about time to annex Rio and Edinburgh.

I screwed up with my tech path. Astronomy first (of course), then gunpowder, chemistry, navigation, and fertilizer. I didn't realize entering the industrial era would prevent me from founding a religion. (that's the surprise). I don't think I've built any wonders; considering doing Porcelain Tower, and I have a GE ready to pop Brandenburg as soon as it unlocks.
Edit: I built Machu Picchu.

Social policies were Exploration(3), Rationalism opener, Honor opener (hoping to capture some barb caravels), another point in Exploration, and then Autocracy. My pantheon was the culture from pastures thing. Hammers from fishing boats was also tempting, but my production is really good already from Exploration and from all those pastures and mines.

 

[Kendon]

On turn 100 I've just take the capitol of Siam, my only friend. Three down, four to go and the remaining civs are all close. With small islands it's all navy, mainly frigates right now.

I intended to get military units for faith when my second great prophet upgraded my religion but it looks like a Renaissance start means no religion upgrade, so that was the main surprise.

My navy is capturing most enemy ships and they're about to turn into ironclads so that looks encouraging. If I had realized janissaries keep their unique abilities when upgraded I would have made more of them. I've been using land units to secure conquered capitols.