WOTM-01 Pre-Game Discussion

[godotnut]

The Charismatic trait does have a lot of synergy with building Stonehenge, though.

 

[Vynd]

Given that this is an arid map and high water levels, space may be at something of a premium. So I think my opening game strategy will focus on getting BW or Animal Husbandry quickly so I can find some military resources, and producing a settler fast enough that I can be sure to get access to it.

The recent GOTM games have spoiled us a bit in that the starting locations had all sorts of goodies close at hand. And in the last two games all of the rival civilizations started a good distance away. I doubt that will be the case in this game. If anything, it might be the other way around. It wouldn't surprise me at all to discover we're on a continent with very limited metal, or lacking some other crucial resources.

 

[RobertTheBruce]

Copper is less plentiful in warlords than vanilla so I may research agriculture and animal husbandry first. I think I will skip macemen this month and try Obermot's fast path to Astronomy from GOTM09. The capital screams bureaucracy but with a financial civ, I can probably research fast enough without the bonus. Finding a good, high food site for a GP farm and horses will be my primary concerns. High water means low barbs and arid means little chopping so I think I can delay BW.

Charismatic and stables work very well together so I may try to win conquest or domination with Numidian Cav/Axes for the starting continent and Knights for the others. I'll see if I can finish the game before researching engineering and producing trebuchets.

I don't see happiness being a big issue since cities will be food limited. I will probably build monuments in the capital and GP farm but avoid stonehenge since I don't want great prophets.

 

[Redbad]

The Charismatic trait does have a lot of synergy with building Stonehenge, though.

But will we not loose all our monuments (and their inherent happiness) at the arrival of calendar? We can't build real monuments when having Stonehenge and likewise after getting calendar when the Stonehenge expires.

 

[RobertTheBruce]

But will we not loose all our monuments (and their inherent happiness) at the arrival of calendar? We can't build real monuments when having Stonehenge and likewise after getting calendar when the Stonehenge expires.

it doesn't matter if you build a monument or get one from Stonehenge. The bonus happiness disappears when calendar is researched.

 

[Déja]

After getting most of the way through my second practice game, I've come to the conclusion that Hannibal is great for an early Numidian rush to conquer the continent. Financial with some flood plains cottages makes it easy to support very early expansion and charismatic helps counteract war weariness (as well as make for fast promoting troops). The financial also makes it pretty easy to stay competitive technologically. Forget about the early religions, but getting CoL or Philosophy first shouldn't be too difficult. I was squarely in the lead by the time I met the remaining civilizations, and I expect to have little difficulty winning this game.

 

[Tauro]

I made the third test (on the same map, of course).
I think that we can grow early (seven cities at 250 BC), go for alphabet first, then switch to slingshot, conquer the continent with macemen while researching astronomy, and finally conquer the world with knights.
I'm only a bit in trouble with the CS timing. Probably it's still possible at 400BC.

 

[Déja]

On noble, the AI seems to launch post-2015 (no one has been even close to launching before then in either of my test games)

 

[Thrallia]

I expect to attempt to take over the starting continent with Numidians, perhaps with Cats as well, then rush to Astronomy and assault the other continent.

If the Oracle falls as late as people are thinking it might, perhaps it'd be possible to try for an Astronomy slingshot?

 

[ewokimpi]

On a randomly generated map fitting the specs of this GOTM, I tried a library strategy.

Tech Path:

Hunting
AH
BW
Writing

Then built a relatively early library, and eventually assigned two science specialists. The combination dutifully produced a great scientist, and he built the academy in 550BC.

When I finally made it to the powers on other continents(s), Carthage averaged about six techs ahead, including the heavies like the Metal Casting sequence, and Civil Service. Oh, and compass.

On this test map, Carthage did not start close to either of the other powers it shared the continent with, and was in between them. It took forever for them to meet each other, so neither would trade techs to Carthage.

I'm not scoring particularly well in this game, so the strategy can doubtless be executed better. I just wanted to share an idea I've seen outlined before in these forums (e.g. hendrikszoon, GOTM2).

Resoures notes: the only horse was at the far end of the starting continent behind one of the other powers, but there were four coppers and three irons. There were two coppers within six tiles of the capital city.

 

[Shillen]

On a randomly generated map fitting the specs of this GOTM, I tried a library strategy.

Tech Path:

Hunting
AH
BW
Writing

This is what I was getting at with the tech order in my post. But I don't see why you'd do Hunting->AH instead of Wheel->Pottery.

 

[Vynd]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned vassal states yet. If I understand correctly, you can win a Conquest victory now if all of your opponents are eliminated OR vassalized. That ought to speed up Conquest victories significantly.

 

[ewokimpi]

Posted by Shillen

But I don't see why you'd do Hunting->AH instead of Wheel->Pottery.

I didn't use your map or the world builder to clone the posted starting image. I used a random start that had a cow nearby.

I was just playing around with getting to writing fast.

 

[Shillen]

it doesn't matter if you build a monument or get one from Stonehenge. The bonus happiness disappears when calendar is researched.

On most maps you pick up at least one happy resource with calendar as well so it doesn't matter much.

I'm probably going to go for a spaceship or diplo victory. I'm just not a big warmonger (turns are too tedious) and I'm sure everyone and their brother will be doing domination or conquest on noble with the warlords expansion.

 

[Shillen]

I didn't use your map or the world builder to clone the posted starting image. I used a random start that had a cow nearby.

I was just playing around with getting to writing fast.

But I think cottages are vital to the early scientist approach as well. You'd get to writing faster with instant 3 commerce cottages on those flood plains and of course when you got the academy you'd be much better off also. Cows are nice but I'd probably do AH after writing as there are plenty of nice tiles to work at the start without the cows.

 

[Redbad]

it doesn't matter if you build a monument or get one from Stonehenge. The bonus happiness disappears when calendar is researched.

Pity
And not really in line with the culture one gets from the monuments or at least from the obelisks. It didn't disappear when you had build real ones.

 

[Redbad]

question: that strange delta of the river 1 E of the settler:
is that where the river ends, or starts or can it be somewhere in between?
And in case it's where the river ends: does there then has to be a lake or sea or can a river end like a wadi in the desert?

 

[ionimplant]

hmmm, finally we can use warlord to play gotm! i have missed civ4gotm for several months by now. i hope i still remember how to play civ4.


(edit: deleted our unique building-Cothon- seems to be quite useles...

 

[Déja]

I don't find the Cothon to be useless... I'll grant you that it's not as impressive as some of the other buildings, but it's a harbor with an extra trade route attached... it all adds up.

Also, I have to wonder if the mods don't just scope this thread out and tweek the save to mess with us just before they put it up

 

[drkodos]

Also, I have to wonder if the mods don't just scope this thread out and tweek the save to mess with us just before they put it up

I know I would.

It's not paranoia if they really are after you.