This is probably way too long, but would appreciate comments from the one or two of you that might read this. Trying to improve my game. Never tried an Emperor game before other than Duel map. Most comments were written at the time so might not make sense in light of later discoveries.
Start
Looking at the announcement. Map size is standard which normally means 7 Opponents and 16 CS's. But I they've taken 2 AI's away and added 4 CS's. Easy to get Religion? Perhaps I need to concentrate on spreading religion to the CS's. Mystery map time, so I don't know how important sea power is. Would be silly if I settle inland then discovered it was an Island map. Two fish aren't enough, so I plan to move my Warrior to the hill to see what's at sea. If nothing there, move my Settler to the south Ivory. What's the bonus for settling on top of Ivory? I'm just starting to learn how to do a Culture win, my last attempt was successful but in 1955, after building the Sidney Opera House. I understand that's way late, I should be happy with Radio
we'll see. With the lack of AI's I may have extra room, so hopefully 4 cities, if I conquer more, I'll keep them as puppets so I don't take the Policy penalty.
0 - Moving the warrior showed a wheat. Two fish, Wine, Ivory, some river tiles, mostly plains. I'm not used to standard speed, if I move to the Ivory, then decide to go back to the hill, that may be too long. Hill it is.
1 - Going to start with a Scout. If it doesn't look like an island map, I may decide on a two scout start. Getting the money by being first to the CS's may be important. Pottery to start.
6 - Moved my Warrior south, found Manila. My scout just started. It could be an island or a peninsula, don't know yet. Not sure if second scout is important, so I'll start on my Monument.
9 - Two good huts, bows for my scout, and the Archer tech. Funny they seem to go together. If it's an island, it's pretty big. Had enough money to buy the wheat tile to keep my growth going.
10 - Got a report of two barbarians for my third hut. Looking more and more like a larger land mass. May want that second scout. Met Belgrade.
12 - Got a population from my 4th hut. Don't have enough money to buy the cattle, so have to be satisfied with the Ivory. Going to slow my growth. Animal Husbandry was chosen as my second tech.
13 - Monument done, making a second scout. My Warrior will need to return soon.
16 - OMG. Got 70 gold from one hut and CALENDAR from another. Stupid barb could have attacked me in jungle, but waited until I was in jungle, on a hill and across the river! Culture border pop got the cows, nice! Now my pop is growing again.
17 - Another hut just gave me a map, but it showed two more ruins. Sorry I keep calling ruins huts
. Animal Husbandry is done, and NO horses anywhere. I don't need mining right away. Need sailing for the fish, Trapping for the Ivory and Writing for the libraries, and Philosophy. With calendar I could try for stonehenge, but best I could do is 26 turns and that slows my growth. Going to start a worker. Second scout is on his way. Warrior is going to clear the close barb camp before it causes problems. Don't need trapping right away, my worker will be busy with the wheat, cattle and wine. No, changed to the shrine, I need some faith. Not going to try for the Great Library, so going Sailing first, then Writing. Took tradition as my first policy pick.
19 - Got a 30 culture hut, started Liberty. My scout is heading for Belgrade hoping to grab a Worker, but don't see one yet.
21 - Met William. The barb camp just spawned a bow, going to have to retreat and heal. I'll head the warrior to Belgrade, perhaps they'll have a worker by then.
22 - OMG, just got Writing from a hut. Never been so lucky.
24 - Shrine's built. If I go all out production I can have the Great Library or Stonehenge in 23 turns, 26 with a bit more growth. Going to try, if I fail I can use the money to buy a worker/settler. Great Library it is for the slingshot to Philosophy. I'll keep my city growing and try 26. I need a worker, going to try and steal one, or if not, can get one in 5 turns from policy.
27 - Dang, silly me. Met Ramses, and thought I was selling him an embassy, instead I paid to place one of mine. Same thing with William. Doh! At least they don't have writing yet so my Great Library has a chance. Having trouble with barbs, my warrior is low in health. Sailing done, going optics.
28 - Picked up Citizenship to get a worker. My warrior has a sliver of health left, going to try and make it home. I keep trying to run away from other barbs with my scouts but keep running into others. I'll have to try and heal them if possible, even though it slows down my scouting. Barbs seem to be worse than I"m used to.
32 - William got writing and sold me back the embassy. At least I got my money back. 15 turns to GL, can I do it? Kill one barb with my city, my warrior is almost home but still with a sliver of health. My two scouts are still healing. My worker had to head to the cattle (not a bad choice anyway) to avoid the barb.
33 - Warrior made it home! One of my scouts had to move, but at 79 HP's is good enough to continue scouting. The other is still healing. Hopefully Ramses took care of the two barb bows that were causing him problems. I am the first to found a Pantheon, no religious AI's I guess. Agonizing over the choice. +1 hammer would shave 2 turns off the GL. But I think I'll head for the long term benefit of Fertility Rites. My citizens rejoice!
35 - Unknown civilization started a Pantheon and chose Goddess of Protection. Seems to be playing defensively.
40 - Got Optics, may need it to get around Egypt and continue exploring. Where are all the CS's? Six turns to GL.
41 - Was heading to Manila to hopefully snag a worker and fulfill a kill barb camp quest, but need to back track to kill a barb bow so my worker can head back to the wine. Started researching Trapping. Met Jakarta, first CS where I got only 15 g
43 - Hello Arabia. Met his scout by Jakarta. Took Republic Policy, 3 turns to GL. Hmm, my warrior has the Embarkation skill, but my two scouts don't. What's the rule on that?
46 - Finished the GL, chose Philosophy!
I need settlers, and workers and an army. Right now the Barbs are causing problems so started on an Archer. I thought I would have more money (I would have if I hadn't bought embassies, double doh!). But not nearly enough to buy a settler. I'll get one from Policy, but I'll need to start on that after the Archer. A Barb is causing problems and pillaged my wheat, left my cattle alone.
48 - Connected my Wine and sold it to William for 83 gold + 5gpt. Best deal I could get.
49 - Genghis wanted to trade embassies, I sold him one instead. Finally did it right.
50 - I'm friends with Gengis!
51 - Finally took that barb camp by Manila. Didn't notice a worker in there, it was Manila's but I kept it. Got to be his ally (for a few turns) with him anyway for fulfilling the barb quest. Now I need to head back and defend my capital with my new Archer. Still have two pillaged tiles there. Started on a Settler.
52 - Squeezed by Valetta and glad I did. Found a ruin, unfortunately just got barb info. But there seems to be more land to the south, and it's unexplored by anyone. Of course, gotta heal a bit because of barb bows
.
53 - Hooked up the Ivory and sold it to Genghis for 145 + 3 gpt.
54 - Genghis came back and asked for gold. Perhaps I put him in a bind
. I had to refuse. He also got a Pantheon and chose God of War.
58 - Another barb showed up, had to retreat a worker, at least he repaired the wheat. Moving my almost healed warrior up to help my archer take care of him. Just have enough money now to buy a Settler, but only want one until I get my National College built. Need more units to help protect cities anyway. Going to purchase a work boat instead. My second city will be right between the Spice and the Crabs, on a river and on a coast.
59 - Started Drama and Poetry. I already have Mining, Masonry and The Wheel. Got 20 more Culture from ruins south of Valletta. Killed the barb warrior, but not until he pillaged the wheat again.
61 - Egypt started an Open Sky Pantheon. My scout south of Valetta is stuck by a barb and a Dutch scout is running by. Dang it! My settler is heading for his spot. Started on Oracle. Plan to finish that, while my second city is getting founded and getting a library, then the National College.
62 - Picked Aristocracy for the extra production for the Oracle. Can't use another settler right now.
63 - Manila wanted to find Arabia, so I bought an Embassy to fulfill that. Will be ally for a while, I need the food. Founded Sigtuna, immediately bought a work boat. Will buy the crab tile next turn and start farming it. There goes all my money !
64 - Immediately sold my crabs to Arabia for 177 gold and 2 gpt. My scout seems to be at the end of a continent near Brussels. It looks Fractaly to me. Still missing one civ and lots of CS's
66 - Sold my second Ivory to Ramses, should have done this earlier, still positive happiness.
67 - Bought a couple of tiles to start working on the Wheat south of Sigtuna.
72 - Drama and Poetry done, starting Construction for the better bowmen and lumber camps which I'll need.
74 - Genghis is being his old self and conquering CS's
75 - Finally met Alex, he's south of Tyre. There is a large part of the continent between Alex and the Arabs I haven't explored. Hopefully Alex can keep Genghis in check.
76 - Stonehenge is completed by the Arabs. Sigtuna finishes Monument, starts on Shrine. Alex invited me into a war with Genghis. Had to pass.
77 - Another barb from the south. My warrior and Archer are out of position and healing. Going to be a bit of pillaging
.
78 - Construction done. Starting on Bronze Working so I can clear the Jungle on the Spices. Upgraded my bowman.
79 - Barb pillages an Ivory, but the Wine deal with William expires, so happiness is unchanged.
80 - Manilla lost access to furs it was giving me, just went -2 happiness.
General Comments:
I've never done so much selling of resources and buying before. But I guess that's what you have to do at the higher levels. Barbs were a big pain in the A**. Actually never lost a unit, but they slowed me down and did too much pillaging.
Plan now is to settle a city south on the Desert to pick up marble, then up north somewhere by a river. The fourth will be my last city. It will be attacked if any are, so I'll need more units. Sending a warrior up that way to check out the AI and barb activity. Civil Service is my next goal, I need the extra food. Oracle is just 2 turns away.
The only thing I did with all the extra room was to make two scouts, they still have lots of work to do.
