TSG82 Opening Actions

[Hammer Rabbi]

Welcome to the TSG82 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. We are going to try something new and limit your game description in this thread to the first 100 turns. Anything after that should be posted in the After Action thread once you have completed your game.

- 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 and why?
- Did Raging Barbarians help or hinder you strategy?

 

[budweiser]

Turn 106 Edu. Its going extremely well, but I need to take a break.

I settled in place and did writing>mining>masonry>calendar>currency Great Library. NC was up really early. Then I did city 2 to west on lake coast and Oracle. My first GS popped at 105 and then EDU was finished and I have enough cash for a Uni.

I lurked around the Celts for a steal but no dice. Was able to steal from the maritime CS but took a hit with Dido. Found enough gold to buy a shrine. I took Fertility rites for max growth. I am settling in a ring around the mountains. Plenty of observatory spots are given. I have 3 cities now and will make one more coastal, Then I will go make trouble with Celts and get more mountain spots, I think.

Finished trad in the 70s then debated what to open, chose Aestetics for easier Hermitage.

Barbarians are a non-factor. The Americans can buy tiles for cheap, so I bought one down south that was dark and now I can see all tile to the coast so I am safe. Sent an archer to watch the eastern mnts, safe there also. Great Library, Oracle, NC, HG in Washington.

 

[notyourtypical]

T120 education, a bit slow. But I picked up Stonehenge, GL and NC before I expanded. Capital in place, city 2 on non jungle hill between Dido and Mt. Kalish. City 3 is north of Washington, on the river mountain hill. Dido dropped her 3rd where I wanted, just south of the gems. So I took it in a peace treaty for little hate (haha Prince AI). Built a courthouse in it, it's mine now. It's now T132 and I have an observatory in my capital, and science is picking up.

For my religion I went 10% growth pantheon, Tithe, 15% growth follower, 15% production follower, and religious texts. I figure I'll be getting no help from the AI's pitiful science in RAs, so it's up to me to grow as big as possible. To this effect, I'm running nearly all my trade routes internally for food. The faster I can get population, the faster I can get science.

 

[krc]

I'm up to turn 102. Built the Great Library in Washington (turn 53) and used it to get philosophy and build the National College (turn 69) before settling any other cities. I then settled three more cities, each one adjacent to a mountain tile. New York is on the coast of the lake near Edinburgh; Boston on the sea coast near Bratislava, and Philadelphia on a riverside wine tile north of the mountains (and between New York and Boston).

Filled out tradition, completing it on turn 96. (Got no culture from ruins, so this is slower than usual.) Just finished the Oracle in Washington, and used it to open Patronage.

Just started researching Theology, which will be followed by Education. I detoured earlier to take sailing (thinking I wanted the trade route, but haven't yet set it up) and to get mathematics (built Hanging Gardens in Washington on turn 89) and construction (for composite bows and for colosseums).

I just started a golden age. I have DoFs with Morocco, Carthage, and Brazil, which means I can sell them wine for straight gold as needed. I got the Goddess of Festivals pantheon, but do not yet have a religion.

Hard built one worker, and got a second from a barb camp whose capture also brought Hong Kong and Bratislava as allies.

Spoiler :

 

[bjelar]

It was clearly a mistake to not settle in place, but sometimes I just have to take a gamble

At turn 100 I`ve built 4 cities surrounding the Celts completely. All of them next to a mountain, but with so little food that science output from them will not be great.

China beat me to the hanging gardens by two turns, but other than that wonder building has been good.

I grudgingly waited for my other three cities before building the National College. Probably another mistake.

It will be a fun game anyway, I`ve gone crazy with culture again, and that is always fun

 

[krc]

It was clearly a mistake to not settle in place, but sometimes I just have to take a gamble

With a starting position on a riverside hill next to an isolated mountain, with clear access to wheat, marble, and wine, what did you think you had to gain by moving? In other words, if you won your gamble, what was the expected prize? (I'm not trying to give you a hard time, just honestly trying to understand --- mainly since I rarely move my settler from its initial position in much worse starts than this one.)

 

[krc]

I picked up Stonehenge....

For my religion I went 10% growth pantheon, Tithe, 15% growth follower, 15% production follower, and religious texts.

I probably should have ignored the fact that I could see that the Celts had already started on Stonehenge, which is why I didn't even try for it....and why I haven't even founded a religion yet.

 

[bjelar]

With a starting position on a riverside hill next to an isolated mountain, with clear access to wheat, marble, and wine, what did you think you had to gain by moving? In other words, if you won your gamble, what was the expected prize? (I'm not trying to give you a hard time, just honestly trying to understand --- mainly since I rarely move my settler from its initial position in much worse starts than this one.)

There is not very much food at the starting position, and I was dreaming of a huge capital with Petra, close to a massive desert, with flood plains and salt just north of the mountains

I will get some more grassland, but losing the river access wasn`t worth it.

EDIT: Actually, I will get more plains and mountains, not grassland At least I don`t have the tundra there anymore...

 

[vivalamexico]

T 111 Education...
Not the greatest time, especially on Prince, but Washington has Great Lib, NC, Nat.Epic, Oracle, and Hanging Gardens.
1st GS born on T 109, academized him immediately on nearby tundra.
Washington has nice production. I constructed all post-GL wonders in 10 turns or less. Will start on Unis as soon as Hagia Sophia is finished for religion.
Got Fertility Rites as Pantheon.
Full tradi, commerce opener
Currently teching toward Observatories, then full steam ahead toward schools
Oh lord, I'd forgotten how easy Prince is.
Barbs stole 2 Celtic settlers...only had to build one worker as a result


Awesome start location for GOTM...

 

[Swissy]

I settled in place, with New York and Boston almost inline to the north, All three cities are on hills and have mountains. Have built GL, Stonehenge and HG. Had NC up before settling any new cities. Will have Education in a few turns.

The terrain made exploration very tedious, with the mountain ranges sectioning off the map. You rarely found any one hex pass-through the map generator usually gives you. Still haven't seen any land past China.

My initial plan was to find good city spots, while getting NC built. Also, to find all the CS so I could see what type of CS help I could get.

I went full Tradition, and have opened Patronage. I figure I'll get up to the policy that gives me science from CS allies and then should be ready to open Rationalism.

Raging barbs is helping with my plan to work the CS. Plenty of barbs to slay on CS borders. Unfortunately, it hasn't help my build queue, no captured worker/settler to poach.

 

[bjelar]

Turn 175, and I`ve finally got observatories up

A very slow start, but from here on it should be quick

 

[Alphons Rodulfo]

Here is my empire at turn 100:

Spoiler :

A new city will be built soon on approximately the spot where the Celtic settler is heading. It won't reach it, because fortunately I noticed its movements and now it is blocked

I am contemplating building a fifth city on the coast.

This is my capital now:

Spoiler :

I managed to build six wonders up till now. More are coming!

Religion: I picked the Goddess of Festivals pantheon, my religion has Tithe and Monasteries. So I am really exploiting the all the wine.


- How did the terrain and map settings affect your early decisions?
Because of of the map and settings I prioritized scouts. I think my build order was something like scout - scout - worker - scout - scout

- What were your initial priorities?
Scouting, for getting gold and faith from meeting city states, for getting to know the map, and for finding ruins. I was especially keen on a culture ruin, because I started with honor

- What tech path did you follow and why?
First the technologies for the luxuries, then straight to National College and Education

- What Social Policies did you choose and why?
I tried something new: mixed different trees. Started with Honor, then unlocked Tradition and from there on picked some Liberty and Patronage policies too. I did not want to pick policies that are not useful. of course I will miss the powerful finishers.
Here is my tree at turn 100, with 8 policies:

Spoiler :

- Did Raging Barbarians help or hinder you strategy?

I unlocked honor, so it helped me. I did lose one scout to barbarians though. It got completely surrounded.

 

[Aaronk24]

Turn 106. I don't have civil service yet, so I am behind.

I captured Edinburgh. I didn't want them to box me in. I founded New York on the flood plains river to the nw. I finished tradition. Washington has the Great Library and Stonehenge. I founded Protestantism. Celts have founded Catholicism.

Raging barbarians seemed to hinder the AI more than me. I'm not sure why the AI has so much trouble protecting their civilians from barbarians. Maybe they don't know Murphy's law for barbarians: if a barbarian can capture your settler, they will.

 

[Tabarnak]

This map is crazy.

Turn 100 update : Settled in place, BO was scout-scout-settler at 2 (popped a free citizen from a ruin later)-granary. 2nd city started with granary. Stole a couple of workers from camps and 1 from Bouticca. I let back the cs ones and kept the regular civ ones. 5-6 archers were scouting the whole map to chase barbs.

Built the GL around the turn 55-60. Finished NC turn 69. Immediately settled 2 more cities. Rabat has been found far away and too close for my taste. But at least he settled on the right spot. Got that city later into a short war. I blocked Dido near Kailash with 3 units and settled there before her.

HG and Chichen Itza in capital, Petra in 2nd city. Cities are growing fast. I picked Sun of God pantheon and managed to ally a couple of maritime cs.

One of my best start in BNW, all levels included.

Spoiler :

 

[spontaneous1]

Right I started up the save. I headed straight for the ruins and ended meeting the Celts on the same turn, before heading south and meeting Ragusa. Met China, Cartage and morocco soon later. Finished up my scouting for civs expedition by finding ottomans Rome and brazil all before turn 40.Picked up the third pantheon and picked messenger of the gods for early science, finished up great library on turn 42.Finished NC on turn 69 and founded my second city to the north in between the 3 mountains and the river. Picked up oracle on turn 81 for the GS point to get one as early as possible, also used it to finish tradition. Popped a third settler and sent it north past New York, despite danger or receiving dip penalty’s. Not sure if I will settle a 4th city, if I do it will probably be coastal. Tech wise I have been keeping to the top of the tree to get education ASAP.

I would say raging barbs was more of a help than hindrance, it allowed me to capture /free workers for free city state influence or my own needs.Currently on turn 96 edu will be along soon to really kick start things.

 

[smitsk00]

Turn 100.

Celts built second city immediately to the west. Had to DOW. Celts gone, puppeted 3 cities (other city, Cardiff, west part Edinburgh by a Mountain. Built SH, HG, NC, Oracle. Unfortunately behind on tech. Took Festivals, founded Protestantism, Tithe and Monasteries. I plan on taking Swords into Plowshares. Several new/duplicate luxuries will be hooked up shortly. I plan on settling 2-3 more cities.

 

[Teproc]

Turn 100, I'm 13 turns to Education which is decent, have GL and HG in my capital, three cities, onf of them next to Mount Kailash. Founded Protestantism around turn 85, took Monasteries and Tithe to get with Godess of Festivals. Might have to take Edinburgh at some point, Celts are too close and they're religious nuts, although I don't know how much of a problem tey can be in that regard on Prince.

I'm kind of fumbling my way into things, not quite knowing which wonders are safe to go for and when. Completely forgot GL => Philo was a thing, so I built it AFTER researching Philo (got Drama and Poetry with it)... which lead to a later NC that I would have liked (91). I'm trying to see if I have a shot of getting Petra in Boston but it's proably a little late for that, another oversight there. I do have the Writer's Guild up an running though, and Washington is a pretty great city.

I guess I'm the only one who went for Mount Kailash here ? I got a DoF with Carthage one turn before settling it, and immediately sent them a Caravan so they should be fine with it. I'm also considering conquering Carthage at some point to get a coastal city and sweet trade routes with Morocco, but that's probably less appealing on Prince since Trade Routes won't give you science.

I didn't worker steal because I would honestly have felt bad about it on Prince, also I wasn't sure which turn CSes started having workers.

 

[Sempronius]

I started with Archery and opened Honor due to the raging barbarians. After that I completed the Tradition tree and the opened Commerce and took the cheap roads policy. After that Rationalism unlocked and I'm making my way through that tree now.

I have almost a full era lead on everyone else now, 2 civs just got to the renaissance and I am 4 turns away from the industrial era. I have 8 wonders so far in Washington and I'm building the porcelain tower now too.

I settled in place and made a 2nd city north of the mountains along the river and eventually made a third on the coast next to the mountains on the east.

Spoiler :

I made a trireme and sent a horse over to the island I found (I love late-game ruins, my horse became a knight from one).

I decided to go tall instead of wide for this one, and my first two GS I decided to plant and I have two others killing time until I get to some later techs and need a boost. I also just started building up a military again and added walls and castles since Boudicca seems to be going for a domination win.

 

[JeffreyLXV]

Turn 100, I'm 13 turns to Education which is decent, have GL and HG in my capital, three cities, onf of them next to Mount Kailash. Founded Protestantism around turn 85, took Monasteries and Tithe to get with Godess of Festivals. Might have to take Edinburgh at some point, Celts are too close and they're religious nuts, although I don't know how much of a problem tey can be in that regard on Prince.

I'm kind of fumbling my way into things, not quite knowing which wonders are safe to go for and when. Completely forgot GL => Philo was a thing, so I built it AFTER researching Philo (got Drama and Poetry with it)... which lead to a later NC that I would have liked (91). I'm trying to see if I have a shot of getting Petra in Boston but it's proably a little late for that, another oversight there. I do have the Writer's Guild up an running though, and Washington is a pretty great city.

I guess I'm the only one who went for Mount Kailash here ? I got a DoF with Carthage one turn before settling it, and immediately sent them a Caravan so they should be fine with it. I'm also considering conquering Carthage at some point to get a coastal city and sweet trade routes with Morocco, but that's probably less appealing on Prince since Trade Routes won't give you science.

I didn't worker steal because I would honestly have felt bad about it on Prince, also I wasn't sure which turn CSes started having workers.

I also went for Mount Kailash. Founded and enhanced a religion but Boudicaa has since converted my capital. Doesn't really matter though because I can faith-purchase industrial units and cathedrals with her religion along with some GP possibly later.

I'm not use to standard speed so my play is far from optimal. City placement has been a bit awkward for me but I've been enjoying wonder spamming with the very productive Washington capitol and lower difficulty.

I hope I don't trigger the research overflow bug because I haven't researched any boat technologies yet.

Meanwhile I'm just staying friendly with the AI's but they seem to not have much gold for trades.

I'll check back later and thanks for the game.

 

[Memoryjar]

T106, I took Edinburgh and looking for Hippo Regus later.
Education in 20 turns, I think.
I have Stonehenge and GL. CH in 10 turns (I hope).