WOTM28 - First Spoiler

[adrianj]

I have no idea what you are showing us Dhoomstriker .
Is it the sort of 'sand banks' underneath the water that suggest there is a coastal link south? Therefore a city settled on the one tile island there could create a culture bridge?
What do those parts of the map show with the tile yields turned on?

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Is it the sort of 'sand banks' underneath the water that suggest there is a coastal link south? Therefore a city settled on the one tile island there could create a culture bridge?

Precisely. Coast squares "extend" their sandbanks partially into the next square, even though the next square is Ocean. The same effect of Coast squares partially "extending" their visible sandbanks happens on the north side of an island, as well.

I have taken screenshots of two different islands. One has no apparent sandbanks from an island to the south, while the other does indicate that there is an island to the south.

However, for all we can tell, it is just another 1-square island located to the south.

So, settling on the second island pictured will give you a connection southward once your borders expand to encompass the city's "fat cross." This situation is possible because boats which are not normally allowed in Ocean squares (such as Galleys and Triremes) ARE allowed into Ocean squares that are under control of your cultural borders or under control of any AI's cultural borders with whom you have Open Borders (at least in Warlords--the rules for entering Ocean squares under cultural control change across Civ versions).

What is not clear is whether you will be able to access anything beyond a 1-square island.

 

[Dhoomstriker]

What do those parts of the map show with the tile yields turned on?

It will be easier just to describe the answer in text than to try and take those screenshots again with yields on. I usually play with the yields for squares turned on, but I specifically turned them off for these screenshots so that you could focus on trying to spot the sandbanks.

Map Legend:
D = Desert Hills square
C = Coast square
O = Ocean square
? = Either Coast or Ocean: there is not enough info from the screenshot to be able to tell

Image 1:
D C O
C C O
O O O
O O O

Image 2:
D C O
C C O
O O O
? C ?

It is that Coast square to the SE + S + S of the Desert Hills square in the second screenshot which is so intriguing. That Coast square is only 16 turns away from being reached by a Galley that drops off a Settler and a Missionary of your State Religion (1 turn to land on the island and 15 turns for your borders to expand under Epic Game Speed).

 

[killerloop]

at 500 AD I have 6 cities (39 pop) Am in war with England, the're close to fall. Made the mistake to go over with my chariots and declare war, forgot these are the normal ones and not the Egyptian ones we just had in previous game. Had to send some swords! This now is dragging too long, will cost me in score.

Have 4 cities on mainland, 2 on "english" island. 5 out of 6 relegions belong to me, Islam is a couple of turns away.

Am almost double in score (~680) vs. the opponents I'v sofar disovered at this side of the globe. Research runs at ~150 pt at 70% slider. Will see what happens next.

Have StoneH, Oracle (CoL), Pyrs and GLH. a couple of turns to finsh Parth, started on GLib.

Next steps, research optics and discover the rest. As am leading by far in score I'm intending to go for tech lead, and then see if cultural or space race will work out.