TSG51 Opening Actions thread

[Grockman]

As expected for my first Diety game I am far, far behind. The only reason I am still on the map is that the AI's like me but hate each other.

Bad:
Popped an archery ruin right off the bat, then forgot to switch off of Construction before it completed so was stuck with CB way to early.

Tried to build the GL with too few hammers in the Cap. Should have gone straight for Lib. Darius beat me by two turns.

I will probably abandon this effort soon.

Good:
Discovered DLC and plan on gettting more

I find Babylon very interesting and will certainly play it in a more normal setting.

I may try this one again just for grins. Diety is scary!

 

[Gamewizard]

Made it to turn 100. I have 5 cities, a religion, and some bowmen. Not much else to brag about though. My second city is almost done with Petra, but I would be surprised to be able to finish it. Hagia Sophia is almost done in my capital and would be used to enhance my religion. I was able to grab pagodas but my fpt is so low that I don't know when I'll actually get to build one. I'm almost done with education.

I have had friendly relations with everyone so far, but I decided to poke the bear and denounce Mongolia, hoping others would join in. I know he has longswords and keshiks already, so if he decided to attack now I would be in trouble (still haven't researched construction!). It would be a Christmas miracle if I survive to see a spaceship launch.

 

[Pizzaspy]

How did your Deity start go?

Not sure, I don't ever play diety. I am happy with my progress, but I am utterly intimidated by the AIs and how huge they are.

Technologically I am in 2nd, was 9 turns behind the first to reach renaissance. So not bad for my level of play.

I managed to snag the oracle which was a shock. Combined with my university, I will start popping out frequent GS's and hopefully allow me to get ahead. Saving my great engineer from liberty for porcelain tower.

Ended up getting a pantheon with a faith ruin so I took god of the sea which has definitely helped.

What were your initial priorities?

Plan is to go all out science with no religion, and try to hold off invasions with walls, pikemen and many archers. I'm trying to avoid conflict as much as possible and settle 5 or 6 cities in the north.

What tech path did you follow?

Pottery > Writing ( got archery from a ruins) > Fishing > Mining > Masonry > Calendar > Philosophy > worked my way to civil service and then education.

Were there any early wars and who started them?

None yet. Arabs were about to attack but Spain ( who I have a DoF with ) attacked them and they called it off. I was kind of annoyed because I felt I could withstand it, although there is always the risk of a dogpile. Ghengis is right on my southern front now.

What Social Policies did you choose and why?

Liberty, for the free Settler, Worker and GE. Didn't quite get to renaissance in time for rationalism opener so I opened Patronage.

Did you do find your UU and UB useful?

UUs no because I didn't war. UB definitely yes, it's one of the best.

 

[curser86]

I keep trying to build a temple of artemis by turn 34 but I can't do it. I've tried going full production.
I'm playing as Babylon and I go to writing>mining>archery>math>Philo. Build goes scout, monument, I try to build a Library but then archery gets done a few turns in and I start building the Temple of artemis. Still can't get it down to turn 34. Oh and I'm trying to do OCC science victory on deity. Also what does OCC mean. I read through most of the OCC deity thread so I thought I'd get more willing help here. If you have a video of someone doing OCC science victory on deity that would be awesome.

 

[Wargizmo]

I keep trying to build a temple of artemis by turn 34 but I can't do it. I've tried going full production.
I'm playing as Babylon and I go to writing>mining>archery>math>Philo. Build goes scout, monument, I try to build a Library but then archery gets done a few turns in and I start building the Temple of artemis. Still can't get it down to turn 34. Oh and I'm trying to do OCC science victory on deity. Also what does OCC mean. I read through most of the OCC deity thread so I thought I'd get more willing help here. If you have a video of someone doing OCC science victory on deity that would be awesome.

Artemis is definitely not worth it... Building a fast granary and water mill give you so much more growth; by delaying these two buildings to get the wonder you're actually hurting your growth more than benefiting it.

OCC stands for one city challenge. It's generally accepted that it's a much harder way to play than multiple cities, especially for non-culture victory types.

 

[Browd]

This thread may be useful.

 

[curser86]

Artemis is definitely not worth it... Building a fast granary and water mill give you so much more growth; by delaying these two buildings to get the wonder you're actually hurting your growth more than benefiting it.

OCC stands for one city challenge. It's generally accepted that it's a much harder way to play than multiple cities, especially for non-culture victory types.

I'm trying to recreate Sadoto's turn 227 science victory on page 9 of his thread he posted alot of info on how he did it but there weren't too many small details for a newb like me to figure out the rest.

 

[Hammer Rabbi]

I keep trying to build a temple of artemis by turn 34 but I can't do it. I've tried going full production.
I'm playing as Babylon and I go to writing>mining>archery>math>Philo. Build goes scout, monument, I try to build a Library but then archery gets done a few turns in and I start building the Temple of artemis. Still can't get it down to turn 34. Oh and I'm trying to do OCC science victory on deity. Also what does OCC mean. I read through most of the OCC deity thread so I thought I'd get more willing help here. If you have a video of someone doing OCC science victory on deity that would be awesome.

is this for this gotm or a practice deity game with babs? if it's practice you could try starting with archery>pottery>writing. its unconventional with babylon but even with the delayed free GS you'll catch up in tech. since their UU is in archery and production bonus is for ranged units all game long you can still have several bows and construction in time. I dont think upgrades are any cheaper but actually making Comp bows will be quicker.

Wargizmo certainly has a point with the growth issues (and ToA generally not being necessary) but you can experiment with it before trying this GotM save file.

 

[Arilian]

Settled in place.
I started with 2 scout, and when I realised there is a big space, I build 1 more scout and 1 Bowman, before anything else. Focused on CS quests, allied several on the first wave. Also found 10+ ruins.
Tech was pottery (archery from ruin), Writeing (settled GS), Sailing, Optics (rushbuy lighthouse)

1 CC tradition until around turn 60 when NC finished, then expanded to 4C.
Turn 87 edu, I could research Acoustic in 12 turn for Renesanse, but because of the Cult CS allies, it is too late for Rat, so I will detour to patronage.

Mongolia and Isabella are both BIG, and concuered some CS-s. I paid the mongols to attack spain for 120g...

Everyone is quite friendly so far, In the beginning I have rescued a mongol worker, I gave them back.

I will rush buy 2 uni now, and build one in cap, and they to stay on 4city.
I might need to go on an offensive war later to liberate some CS as I play to do diplo VC.

Spoiler :

 

[Arilian]

Getting intense. Darius captured Stockholm and killed my spy (who did not steal, anything at all, in this game yet)
Isabella is a monster.
Turn 150, I have 500+SCI but I have settled all gs so far (will start to stokpile now)
got 3 RA matured, and have a slight tech lead.

no wars so far (I have built GW, about the first time in my file in deity, and around turn 110, but it was not needed)

going to sleep now, do not know when can I finish

 

[Wargizmo]

I'm trying to recreate Sadoto's turn 227 science victory on page 9 of his thread he posted alot of info on how he did it but there weren't too many small details for a newb like me to figure out the rest.

By the sound of it he had a lot of forests around the capital and also an isolated start. Chopping down forest is a huge bonus to production and is probably the only way to guarantee an early wonder on deity ; also if you're close to AIs like in this game you'll need some troops early or you'll get invaded, which is very hard to build if your cap is building wonders.

By all means go for it, I'll be interested to see if anyone can pull out an occ on this map. I just think it would be incredibly hard.

 

[Wargizmo]

The other thing about the OCC science games in that it thread is they all have a mountain nearby so they can get an observatory and are all on standard size so there are more AIs to sign research agreements with

 

[Arilian]

Stupid Harun used his GProphet on my CAP, but only once.
So now I do not have nor mine nor his religion bonus.
I was standing in his way with 2 archer for around 20 turn but I go bored and let him, because the +2 prod from spec would have been only -1 prod. But he did not fully convert - now I did not get any bonus, loosing 3 prod...

 

[Hammer Rabbi]

haha, this was for tsg52. edited and moved. too many so quickly that i lost track of where i am.

 

[Arilian]

settled in place
t5 scout. the warrior found an upgrade ruin
t8 free pop ruin
t9 scout
t10 free tech ruin (writing)

wrong thread? but it would have been a super awsome Babylon start, turn 10 writeing, and finishing GL in deity

 

[Hammer Rabbi]

settled in place
t5 scout. the warrior found an upgrade ruin
t8 free pop ruin
t9 scout
t10 free tech ruin (writing)

wrong thread? but it would have been a super awsome Babylon start, turn 10 writeing, and finishing GL in deity

thanks Arilian. i'll blame this on the confusion of a new year. (yeah, that's it. confusion on the new year...)

 

[Half Nelson]

Turn 120. Settled in place. I have four good cities, NC + university in capital and others building. No wars to date, but have made several bribes to keep the AI at each other’s throats. I am friendly with all 5 Civs and have DoF with Spain, Arabia and Sweden:- just about to establish first round of RA now I have sufficient cash after upgrading my CBs to crossbows. I have a healthy religion (stone circles; 1 happy per city; pagodas; +15% production and Itinerant Preachers) which has spread to surrounding CS and nearby Mongolian cities. Used a combination of Tradition and Liberty policies, plus the Honor opener (this was possibly an error as there were less barbs than I anticipated). Overall, I would look in reasonably good shape if this was not Deity level. I didn't build any World Wonders (GW would have been handy!) and I don't see myself capable of pulling off a victory, but I might last the course. I am last in score but middling in tech:- Spain and Mongolia are the two major players and both have now pushed their way to my borders. I have thus reached the critical point, where I either try to turtle up (4 cities would seem too few for sub-250 finish) or attempt to shake a few trees. Mongolia seems the obvious target (generally unpopular, thinly-spread and in permawar with CS), but they have the largest army. My force is small (4 crossbows, I pike, 1 HA, 2 swords) but contemporary to the AI and I am fairly sure I could take the 2 closest Mongolian cities before their widespead horde could be fully mustered, but not sure I have the skill to hold them. Spain look dangerous and, although they have a DoF with me at present, I sense religious tensions will increase between us.

War or peace? Any advice from Forum members?

 

[Arilian]

Peace

 

[glory7]

Settled in place.
I started with 2 scout, and when I realised there is a big space, I build 1 more scout and 1 Bowman, before anything else. Focused on CS quests, allied several on the first wave. Also found 10+ ruins.
Tech was pottery (archery from ruin), Writeing (settled GS), Sailing, Optics (rushbuy lighthouse)

1 CC tradition until around turn 60 when NC finished, then expanded to 4C.
Turn 87 edu, I could research Acoustic in 12 turn for Renesanse, but because of the

I had 4 cities at the very similar spots - in fact, except that I built the 2nd city on top of the marble instead of one SE, we have exactly same city positions.

I checked my screenshots and I got t84 edu (it must be due to the earlier writing ruin around t15, as I did 1 city NC to 4 city tradition too), but at t150 when you had 500+ spt I had like 350 spt as I went beeline for dynamite. And I also see that your cities are not building armies and have slighly higher pop. I think that's why I had slower finish time in the end. I got higher spt later but that was too late...

 

[godotnut]

So I went with a four city opening. At turn 100 I have my capital a bit south of the starting position, second city on desert hill to the west for silk and Petra (which I put every thing into and did manage to build ), third city on top of marble, fourth to the north for truffles and crabs. My city sizes are not impressive: 9, 6, 5, 4, if I recall correctly. Petra is my only wonder. I have lots of fishing boats (plus the god of sea pantheon for the hammer bonus). All cities have libraries, and my capital is building the National College. I have some other basic buildings and walls in my southern cities. My army consists of four composite bowman and a couple warriors, which I can soon upgrade to swordsmen.

Policy-wise, I started tradition but decided to grab a couple liberty policies early after the opener. I had popped a couple culture bonuses from ruins, and it seemed like I was racing through the tree and could afford a little detour into tradition. I had not managed to steal a worker, so the free worker seemed like a good idea. Then I was worried about not getting Petra, so I took the hammer bonus in cities. This means I still haven't finished tradition yet. This might be OK, since I have been struggling with happiness anyway. But my city growth is weak compared to a conventional four-city tradition opener.

I bribed Isabella to attack Harun to keep him off me when I saw an army advancing. They have been at war ever since. It's been a bloody mess the whole game, and everyone is at war with someone, except for Sweden, who is far away. So I have been lucky to keep peace so far.

I have never won a deity game without replaying turns with knowledge of the map. I would like this to be my first, but I am quite behind. On the positive side, there are two or three more space left for decent cities; everyone likes me; and I have some decent infrastructure in terms of buildings. I also have what will be a monster Petra city before too long.

On the negative side, I am currently last in all categories in demographics. I am disappointed that my science has been so bad. That was my initial hope for a victory condition, but I no longer think it is possible, unless I got incredible lucky, and no one finished until at least turn 300.

Culture seems impossible too. Not enough of a start for it, and only Petra for a wonder.

The only possibility I can see is maybe diplo, but Mongolia tends to grab them from my experience, and I don't know if I can keep enough CS alive, even if I can manage to research the UN fast enough.

I have no experience with domination wins at Deity, and I doubt I can pull it off. But maybe that is a better possibility than diplo if I focus on one major military tech like flight and get the others to kill each other in the meanwhile. I don't know.

Any advice would be most welcome. I would love to eek out my first victory on Deity without cheating, but I am not confident at the moment.