TSG 252 After Actions

vadalaz

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In this thread you can post the results of your game. Please state your victory/loss date (preferably in the post title) and describe your path to glory in this post! Players are encouraged to provide feedback on the game.

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- Were Ethiopian unique abilities useful to you?
- Which ideology did you pick?
- Who was the AI culture leader and how much culture did they generate?
- How many cities did you have in the end and where did you settle them?
 
Won CV at T195, I will post link to videos after the game closes.

The strategy I use in this game is Futurism + hotel rush. The idea of this strategy is to win CV with early tourism rush before AI are able to generate a lot of culture.
This strategy aims at winning the game around T190 with futurism + hotel + Interational game.
The timing of IG is very important for this strategy so that we need to reach Printing Press and Radio as fast as possible, so Tradition is the only viable option (except we are Brazil).
After Radio, our tech requirement becomes very low (only need to reach Refrigeration in time), so we don't need to build any public school, Rationalism policy is also not needed in this strategy,
The policy requirement in this Strategy is also very low, we only need to finish Tradition + Aesthetics, and pick Futurism from free tenet, so World Fair is also not needed in this strategy.
Not building public school and World Fair saves us a lot of hammer to produce tourism wonders, culture buildings and archaeologists, so our tourism can boost very early and win a fast CV.

Important timing: T98 Education, T116 Printing Press(bulb 1 GS), T145 Radio (bulb 2 GS + Oxford), T192 finish IG

- Were Ethiopian unique abilities useful to you?
I successfully found a religion with tithe + Pagodas with stele. UA and UU are irrelevant.
- Which ideology did you pick?
Autocracy for Futurism.
- Who was the AI culture leader and how much culture did they generate?
American with 11766 culture, I have 3 unused musician, each provide 3580 tourism, so evan if some AI managed to generate more than 20000 culture before T200, we can still easily win.
- How many cities did you have in the end and where did you settle them?
4 cities NC followed by 2 more self found cities and 2 conquered cities.

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I got a t297 tourism victory by playing as if I was going for a science victory and getting the internet, as well as the great firewall to deny it to the AI. My only real war was with Germany in the atomic era, when they and Sweden double teamed me. I thought I would have to kill America, but the 50% tourism bonus when fighting a common enemy, as well as winning the international games got me there in the end. This was my first tourism victory on Deity so I'm very happy with this game.

- Were Ethiopian unique abilities useful to you?
I used the stele to get a religion, the other stuff went unused.
- Which ideology did you pick?
Autocracy, though the more consistent tourism bonus from freedom might have been better for this longer game.
- Who was the AI culture leader and how much culture did they generate?
America, who generated 62935 culture.
- How many cities did you have in the end and where did you settle them?
I settled 4 cities before nc and got 2 cities from Germany through capturing and a peace deal.
 

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Turn 270 Culture Victory
Probably my first attempt at deity culture victory - certainly the first recent one (and I didn't really play deity until recently).

- Were Ethiopian unique abilities useful to you? UB=yes, good for 2 engineers and 2 musicians (not good enough for world religion). UA/UU=not really, extra promotion so started with Heal 2 to help planes but UA doesn't help against cities.
- Which ideology did you pick? Freedom - was first and the other two depend on AI actions (except, as noted by cocls above, Autocracy's Futurism)
- Who was the AI culture leader and how much culture did they generate? Wu with 35700. Brought 2 musicians to her land (formerly Bismarck's land) - one enough for her, but the second one needed for Washington who had 34522 culture.
- How many cities did you have in the end and where did you settle them? Four self-founded cities (including capital) settled for gems and Soloman's mines - Captured Helsinki from Gustavus and took Sigtuna in the peace deal.

Handling city states and the world congress was challenging (and not successfully accomplished). I only made two proposals and wasted the second one. Had no chance to pass the World Religion and was lucky that Gustavus proposed International Games which gave me the win. For city states, gold gifts didn't last long. I had a lot of military friends (and sometimes ally) early, but I had trouble with quests and keeping allies when it mattered. I ended up using gold for science in capital (uni, school, and lab) and eventually, production in expansions to prepare for International Games (solar plant and one or two factories).

Early Game Review
Spoiler :

Early game brought me the Oracle, National College, full Tradition, Aesthetics opener, and Metal Casting by Turn 96. The plan from there was to generate an engineer (so teched for Theology on my way to Education and Acoustics), get Sistine somehow, and hopefully still have enough time to get the Leaning Tower.

Researched Acoustics on Turn 125 - I was the only one there and felt okay (but not great) with an 11-turn Sistine Build. Gustavus was first to Printing Press on Turn 126 - same turn my engineer spawned. Someone hit Acoustics on Turn 128, but I decided to stick with the Sistine hard build. Success on Turn 136! I was still six turns away from Printing Press at that point, and Gustavus got Leaning in Sigtuna on Turn 138. Earlier, he completed the Globe Theater (Stockholm, I think). Plus, he had Machu Picchu (in Sigtuna). So, war is certainly in my plans, but I switch tech focus towards Radio for Eiffel (using the already spawned engineer).

Midgame Assessment
Spoiler :

Turn 150 Screenshot:
Spoiler :

TSG252-T150 Assessment.jpg


* Primary Obstacle: Washington's total culture
* War Target: Gustavus - at least for Sigtuna (leaning tower, machu picchu). If reasonable, continue for Stockholm (globe theater, forbidden palace)
* War Plans: Great War Bombers from Adwa to Helsinki to Sigtuna to Stockholm
* Future Target: Washington, but how? Maybe Gustavus can capture a German or Babylonian city which I could take and use as my base?
* Tech Plan: Scientific Theory -> Oxford Radio (Eiffel) -> Archaeology (museums/artifacts) and Biology (planes worthless without oil) -> Flight -> Plastics

Executing the plan ...
World's Fair (my first proposal) starts on Turn 157, so I put all I have into it and win on Turn 165. Hermitage next but then I decide against Oxford for Radio because RA with Washington finishing soon. Instead, I go for a temple and the Grand Temple (interrupted for 1 turn to engineer Eiffel). I'm first to ideology and, at this point, I still see Washington as the primary cultural obstacle. If I choose Autocracy now, I suspect there's a good chance he'll go Freedom. Certainly, he'd never follow me into Order, so I take Freedom. Overall, that's best for my small empire plus the tourism bonus only depends on me (rather than depending on AI ideology, AI happiness, and AI warring another AI). Plus, it looks like I'll be depending on the Foreign Legion policy for my war plan.

Barracks (waiting for Archaeology) and then archaeologists and museums followed by an armory, broadcast tower, and finally Oxford for Flight on Turn 205. Enough time for a triplane (Gustavus beat me to flight) from Adwa and two GWB from Addis Ababa before declaring on Turn 212 ...

Modern Warfare?
Spoiler :

Turn 212 Screenshot:
Spoiler :

TSG252-T212 Modern Warfare.jpg


I was hoping Gustavus would take Hamburg to provide me easier access to Washington (presuming I take Hamburg, of course), but every turn I wait, my advantage diminishes. Gustavus has Prora (and thus, flight) - each triplane he sets to intercept forces a triplane sweep from me. Plus, I only have 7 reliable oil! Will pick up 4 offshore oil, but with my almost nonexistent navy, I don't consider that to be reliable (Gustavus settled the small islands southwest of the main pangea). It doesn't look like Gustavus has access to oil, so I buy all of Washington's. Wu also has some though and of course, I can't buy all of the city states that have access. To combat the triplane threat, I go for Radar - maybe triplane intercepts won't be effective against bombers with air repair? Will want an airport in Addis Ababa anyway, so why not go for Radar before Internet?

So, the war starts on Turn 212 with a triplane, two great war bombers, and several infantry. The Mehal Sefari has double healing to help GWB when they need to rest. One of the infantry (being build as a sefari but didn't complete before the upgrade techs) has single heal. The others are my "capture units" for Helsinki and defending units north of Harar. Will try to get subs in Laubela when I can (only got one and it wasn't needed).

It takes some time, but I capture Helsinki (two great works!) By this time, Sigtuna is over 90 combat strength and Stockholm is well over 100 (looks like 115 in the screenshot below). I'm getting ready to start bulbing scientists - could have bulbed one "suboptimally" and would have already had Radar, but after Sigtuna takes minimal damage, Gustavus offers it for peace. I probably should have declined and tried to push for Stockholm, but I take the deal (I had already been offering it on my turn, so I guess I had already decided that would be enough). Gustavus had started sending out Great War Infantry, but for whatever reason, no planes - oil certainly available from other AIs. Maybe he never researched Biology?

Four great works plus Leaning Tower, Machu Picchu, and Terracotta Army from Sigtuna. (The capture screen indicated 6, but maybe buildings get destroyed in a pace deal? No amphitheater so that could explain one missing great work but still has opera house and broadcast tower.) Sigtuna is just as good, if not better, than my capital. Too bad it has 24 turns of resistance ...

Turn 229 Screenshot: Spoils of War
Spoiler :

TSG252-T229 Spoils of War.jpg


End Game
Spoiler :

(Sidenote: Gustavus offered me friendship again! Not as quickly as after the settler steal and once, he only offered 6 gpt for a lux, but certainly not much a grudge for taking those cities.)

During the war, Wu emerged as the total culture leader (she had Uffizi and Broadway - although Broadway might have been after my war). She went Order, so need a diplomat. Unfortunately, she also got embargoed so no trade routes. She sold me open borders, so war would cost me both the diplomat and open border bonuses. I was gearing up to DOW her, but she wouldn't DOW Washington (and he wouldn't DOW her on his own). She takes Berlin and Hamburg too (poor Bismarck - my one true friend that irrelevantly followed me into Freedom). Although bombers can't quite reach Beijing from the three cities on my border, they can reach the expansions north of Beijing. Unfortunately, two city states and Washington (via a captured French city) control the land between. I have open borders from Washington and could gift 1000 gold for friendship with the northern CS. That should give enough room for my infantry.

I was going to get ready for that (and maybe that would have been a superior strategy), but instead, I decide against the DOW and aim for the National Visitor Center and internet. Musician's Guild (maybe I should have built that earlier for base tourism but I was trying for multiple late musicians with max power). Hydro plant. Airport. Factory was tricky - thankfully, I noticed the (-2) coal due to losing a CS and realized I was still 1-turn short on the factory. Was hoping to buy enough CS allies from the correct AI to time with vote for United Nations leader. Gustavus was host, but Washington was also a threat - I didn't know what would happen if Washington and I tied. Didn't matter though - I started losing the allies I already had. Coup once. Lost to a different AI (plus another ally). No way for me to host.

Then, National Visitor Center on Turn 246 - same turn I researched the Internet. Influence rising over everyone, and only 96 turns for Wu! Well, that sucked, and don't really know what to do about it. I can faith buy two musicians and maybe a third. Plus whatever musicians are naturally generated. Plus, increase from an occasional writer. Plus, I have room for one more artist work, so the base will increase (but not quickly). I certainly can't afford Wu or Washington to get the Great Firewall, so that's my next priority (but the second faith engineer almost certainly eliminates the chance for a third musician). I could faith engineer for Sydney instead, but I don't know if the payoff would be worth it. I can't risk losing the firewall (can probably engineer Sydney if I lose the firewall on the way).

Not knowing what to do, try to get airports and broadcast towers everywhere. I build the CN Tower in my capital (and Neuschwanstein in Adwa - the happiness in my final screenshot is misleading, was negative for a turn late in the game after losing a city state ally). Then, I finally notice that Gustavus proposed the international games, so I work on production buildings (solar plant in capital, factories elsewhere, hydro plant and purchased solar plant in Laubela). Faith engineer the Great Firewall on Turn 262 and put all I have into the international games - won on Turn 267. Purchase two musicians. Move them on Turn 268. Double tour near Hamburg on Turn 269 (technically, influential over Wu before both Washington and William - the second musician left me with one more turn for Washington). Victory on Turn 270.

Turn 270 Screenshot: Culture Victory!
Spoiler :

TSG252-T270 Culture Victory.jpg

 
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I tried doing sacred sites with 3 piety policies, but as predicted in the announcement thread, it was not optimal. Aesthetics (and the Exploration opener for Louvre) took too long to complete and research took too long to pick up speed. I don’t think I could have done much more, besides maybe capture a capital like Black Vegetable. The t318 loss to the mighty Chinese was clear and geez, is it annoying to see the tourism impact even drop as low as to ”falling” at times?

Congratulations to all winners. An exciting game for the most part.
 
I quit around turn 200. Couldn't beat Germany even with Gatlings and Artillery. Their GW Infantry made short work of my units and I was still several techs away from those. And even if I somehow managed to capture Berlin, I'd still have had to fully eliminate France and America who were the cultural leaders.

Also, I had neither coal nor aluminium on my territory even with 5 or 6 cities (the 6th one I razed).

I was catching up in science, and doing okay in tourism. Wasn't even Exotic with any other Civ when I quit though. Also I was last in culture all game.
 
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T229 Culture victory. This game went as well as I could have hoped for, given my 'level of play'. I took two capitals early: Stockholm with composite bows, and Berlin with crossbows (with unprompted aid from America who was rushing in minutemen from the other side of Berlin). Of the remaining AI, salt-start America was by far the strongest, with Washington building Alhambra, Chichen Itza, Globe Theater, Great Library, Himeji Castle, Petra, Red Fort, Stonehenge and Uffizi.

My infantry push (upgraded freedom foreign legions - I love this policy, it allows you to do war with only needing to build a couple of cannons) with artillery was early enough to be unstoppable. Apart from stopping America as culture leader, it also gave me more great works than I had room for. Second-best in culture was France, though curiously they hardly had any great works. I did take them out to get rid of their culture. At this point in the game, warring the other civs to get rid of them would have been too slow, but fortunately my tourism was strong enough to overcome the remaining competitors. Two musician bulbs into a French city that I had gifted to the Chinese was just enough for the win, just before reaching the internet. Also failing was the national visitor center; as I had 9 cities in the end (plus two burning French cities, but I could have gifted those away), so getting all the hotels and then the national visitor center would have taken quite a few turns.

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Culture Victory turn 218

I captured Berlin with Chitzen Itza turn 91, and generally tried to be peaceful, but AI's kept DoW'ing me. I finished aesthetics and rationalism and went Autocracy for the Futurism policy, finished IG turn 197 then internet turn 202, bulbed a GE for Broadway and bought another GM for the win. America was the culture leader in my game too.

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Finally won at turn 259 after bulbing 3 musicians (2 faith bought) in chinese territory. She was the runaway civ because she conquered france, which had like 10 wonders. She had like 10 herself adding up to 20. In the world congress they voted for culture from wonders so she really got ahead.
I didn't start wars after opening actions until I got bombers and paratroopers. I had to fight through germany, france to finally get to china.

I did pay civs to war against each other to try to keep them down a bit but sadly this got china to pull ahead.
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T340 Loss to Babylonian SV. I knew a long time ago I wasn't going to win this one but kept playing to see which AI would win. And despite America going on an Autocracy rampage and beating up on France, Germany and Sweden, Babylon was able to stay out of Washington's sights and get the SV. Not sure how Bismark got torn up so badly - he was leading in tech at one point, he had Bombers and Fighters when Washington only had GWBombers and TriPlanes but Washy kept advancing. I think Bismark may have been too busy trying to convert the world to his religion with Prophets and Missionaries. I was allied with my Order friends Germany, Sweden, France and China so I tried to protect Bismark by positioning my troops in Washington's way but it didn't work. America just had too many units.

Was a fun and relaxing late game just watching the action without having to worry about victory.
 

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CV turn 208.

SS + futurism + 4 great musicians (2+2). In the end, I underestimated the musicians - I thought I would need 6, I was going to buy 5th for faith on turn 209, and the 6th was supposed to be born in the capital on 210. When I realized that 4 was enough, I could no longer accelerate the "closure" of aesthetics. Finally, I closed it on turn 205, immediately bought 2 musicians, blew up one in France on 206, and the second in America on 207. Both turned out to overflow in 5-7 turns.
Even earlier, I could finish up to 200 turn, maybe even up to 195), but around 180 turn my best friend Napoleon decided "to reconsider the principles of friendship." As a result of the war that ended on turn 196, I captured Hamburg and took Cologne for peace, on the border with America,but during the war, due to the closure of borders and the rupture of trade routes, I did not gain more influence on France than the musician gave me in the end.
I fought almost the entire game, the only one I didn't fight was Washington, plus the war with Holland was "virtual" at Washington's request. I started with Germany, which founded a city near the KSC, and had to demolish it in order to establish my own. Later, I started an additional war against Sweden to block their settler. Then the Germans, the Chinese, the Swedes and in the end the Babylonians attacked me. However, the last war with Germany and China, I started. As a result, the Swedes and Germans did not live to see the end of the game, and China was saved by Napoleon's attack on me. Was very It is unusual to capture Swedish cities with compbows, pikes and catapults against long swords, crossbows, trebuchets and musketeers and cities Germany with crossbows, pikes and trebuchets against machine guns and cannons :) At the same time, being in the Middle Ages, I was the leader in points, and Germany, the only one that switched to industrial, was the last in points.

In total, I had 19 cities at the end: 10 of my own (founded before the turn 75) + Nanjing, Sigtuna, Stockholm, Berlin, Munich, Wittenberg, Beijing, Hamburg, Cologne. In the end, a couple of units/a couple of moves were not enough to capture Budapest in time. Instead of units, I built archaeologists and museums.

Full Liberty - Full Piety - Aesthetics 4 - Autocracy (Futurism, double espionage, police state) - Aesthetics 5 (Gr.Artist, 205).

China was the first to take pantheon, found and strengthen religion. (DF, monasteries, cathedrals, cheap missionaries and something else). I was the 2nd (tears of the gods, pagodas, mosques, +100 gold, itinerant preachers) It was only after I strengthened the religion that someone founded the 3rd religion. On the 130th turn, China accepted the Reformation - Sacred Sites, on the t135 I chose religious education. For some reason I thought that universities bought for faith would also give tourism points. I doubted this almost immediately and was convinced that this was not the case, nevertheless, I still bought universities everywhere before,than to convert to the Chinese religion. In the end, I had 18 pagodas, 18 mosques, 19 monasteries and 19 cathedrals, and exactly 200 points of tourism. Nevertheless, I could no longer influence Washington (only 0.2% per turn), so thanks to the Musicians.
 
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