You argue that I'm twisting your arguments around, when in fact it is reversed since you are applying fractured logic. If you don't agree with the premise that 2S is a viable alternative to settling in place, none of the rest of the argument carries any weight because you have already decided that 1) your way is the only way, 2) anyone who differs is wrong, and 3) that anyone who lucked into what you believe is the only winning strategy, cheated. It is this mindset (and your desire to be clever in your biting rebuttals that will prevent you from improving, not any magical strategy that I might have.
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The original plan was to settle 2S and go for Hinduism. Working the corn and cow is reasonable, but you're researching techs for which you can trade and tech parity is difficult in Monarch on up. Researching deeper will often benefit you more. Also, the spices are going to be of little use value except the river spice and only if you get to it before it forests or jungles up. Even then, it's pretty ho-hum until you fully improve it.
Since I wasn't going to be able to settle Turn1, I took an extra move westward with my settler to scout that area in preparation to follow the plan.
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Turn 2:
You'll note the blue circles (whatever they truly mean) include the 2S settlement. Ironically, had I chosen the 3rd blue circle to the west, I would have gotten the iron in my fat cross and we wouldn't be having this debate
Assuming I had followed that settlement plan, my pre-game strategy was to work the spice for 2 commerce while I researched Poly and produce a slightly delayed worker (working 2 food during the latter portion of the worker build interval when I could have been working 3 on the corn. When the research difference between spice and corn become the same, I would have switched to the corn square (on the last couple of turns).
Poly->Ag->Mining. If I had failed to get Hinduism, I might have re-evaluated to go for Judaism. Probably not, though.
A more conventional tech approach, though, would have been Ag->Mining->BW->IW.
The improved corn makes working the 6 hills much more manageable. This along with the eventual banana makes 2S the best opening IMO. This town will be an early game production marvel and it will conveniently convert into a science capital when you finish cottaging up the river. Granted, river cottages probably aren't as strong with a non-financial civ, but that's pretty much all we've been playing in WOTM's and personally I like them.
All the jungle (which I supposed we could have anticipated, also), made me pause. Obviously, it slows quick growth and provides a health problem.
When the scout reveals a forested hill to the SE, that usually marks a jungle's border. I also like river hills for the extra commerce they offer over other hills. There was a good chance of getting workable tiles by moving on through. Also, the scout revealed the coast which provided a strong possibility of a sea resource (health). Lastly, fishing is the alternate critical path to pottery and it takes about 3-4 less turns to develop. So, if anything, the 'wasted' moves allow a faster tech progression.
So, the decision point was turn 2, not turn 3, since getting to the river was pretty much a foregone conclusion. I sat on this decision a day and a half and convinced myself that Plan B/C was ok when I've learned from experience that Plan A is nearly always correct. You'll also note that the blue circles include my chosen city site.
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For what it's worth, I think your comment about moving further might have some merit. Moving SE 1 more space and settling on the river plains square right next to the fish would probably have been better since the fish would have been in the initial city radius, could be improved the turn the wb came out, and gives more immediately workable tiles. I think I was too anxious about the probably flaws in my plan and the proximity to Cyrus to spot that possibility.
If I seem flippant about having screwed up the start, it's because I certainly didn't feel comfortable delaying my start 3 turns (1, absolutely) and when I posted my spolier, I certainly didn't feel comfortable with my progress I'm pretty convinced that 2S is the best start.
even he knew it was just a drag on my empire. It won't really be useful until after Biology.) and two cities were in bad spots to grab a single resource. At least Ramses put Memphis in a good spot and built some cottages for me.
I'm still not sure if I will win although I've carved out a reasonable section of the starting continent.
