Writeup: 100k-150AD-America-C-L

[Lord Emsworth]

Presumably this was inspired by the "how much cash can you get in a single game" challenge I saw in the strategy forum a while back. I suppose it was tough to have 10m burning a hole in your pocket and culture seemed a sensible thing to spend it on.

Plausible, but not quite true. I had known about ways to conjure up lots of cash before. It wasn't until some HoF-gauntlet (Chieftain-Large-Score) that I realized just how well this can be done on the lower levels. The immediate result was a 690AD 100K win.

(As far as I remember the "How much cash" thread (it was Bartleby who had to point me to it) the challenge was rather to do it without exploitive means anyway.)

 

[EMan]

Very ingenious strategy, Lord Emsworth!

I doubt vmxa would agree though!

However, I am reluctant to use this strategy as the "HOF Gods" may rule this a "Code Red" Exploit...............And, if they do, presumably your 2 Fast Finishes would go down the toilet!?

Thanks for going "public" and the extensive write-up.

 

[jafink]

Great job! I am amazed.

If only I had played civ III within the last year an a half, maybe I would appreciate your accomplishment even more.

 

[Rathgar2]

Does this exploit work in Civ4?
WTTW Ken

 

[Tone]

Does this exploit work in Civ4?

From my limited knowledge of I would say no. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong but you cannot get trades that link 'per turn' items with 'one-off' items. eg you cannot buy a tech with gpt or sell a resource for a lump sum of cash so this would limit the gpt you can take from any AI. There may be a mechanism in the game that even stops any free money being handed over but as I don't know that one I'll leave it for someone else to comment on.

 

[mr_lewington]

However, I am reluctant to use this strategy as the "HOF Gods" may rule this a "Code Red" Exploit...............And, if they do, presumably your 2 Fast Finishes would go down the toilet!?

lol im watching 28 weeks later and stone just said "Execute code red" as im reading this post.

Bsides that, awesome achievement, good luck on shooting 4 150 BC

 

[killercane]

Does this exploit work in Civ4?
WTTW Ken

Nope, as Tone explained very well.

 

[allhailcaesar]

Unbelievable! Thanks for the write up, wish we could see more of that from the "game winners." Great learning tool for us civ slackers! Great job!

 

[jafink]

Wow! I two amazing things in one thread! I just saw that allhailcaesar has 30 posts in the last 5 years! Thats 5 6 posts a year, or 1 post every 2 months!

 

[AutomatedTeller]

Would write-ups of HOF games be helpful for people? I usually don't bother all that much, but I can try to write up my games. Not that most of mine would be that useful!!

 

[sercer88]

Would write-ups of HOF games be helpful for people? I usually don't bother all that much, but I can try to write up my games. Not that most of mine would be that useful!!

oh, YES!!! These type of stories are AWESOME to read! Eventually I'll do more than read them, and actually try to DO one!!

 

[Donny Brook]

"As is", this game would rank 3rd as a conquest victory (large, Chieftain) without any effort to achieve such a result. As a domination victory, it would also rank third, again without any effort to achieve it. As a milk run, it would rank near the top as a histographic victory as well, I suspect.

Clearly, one could easily achieve a #1 ranking on these other victory conditions if that were the focus. For example, I'm out to achieve a #1 conquest ranking. I use this tactic and fight very few battles with a handful of troops to "conquer" the world.

I'm in the exploit camp and would like further confirmation before embarking on a 100+ hour milk run.

 

[Chamnix]

The HoF staff has already spoken:

No more free cash games will be accepted as it violates the spirit of the HoF rules, speaking of which will be updated to reflect this new "technique" So please do not repeat it. It will not be accepted.

We have to wait to see exactly how they formulate a definition of this exploit, but I think you can safely play and knowing that this will not be allowed.

 

[Globex]

(although many of them were better junglecamps).

What is a junglecamp? I have never heard this term used before in these forums.

 

[Rathgar2]

I think a junglecamp is a small city in the middle of a jungle you settle just to nab up a resource. It is a city you do not at all plan to do anything with other than a placeholder.

 

[mr_lewington]

what about eliminating the jungle after u camp it?

 

[Lord Emsworth]

Very ingenious strategy, Lord Emsworth!

I doubt vmxa would agree though!

However, I am reluctant to use this strategy as the "HOF Gods" may rule this a "Code Red" Exploit...............And, if they do, presumably your 2 Fast Finishes would go down the toilet!?

Thanks for going "public" and the extensive write-up.

I am waiting with baited breath for rule updates.

Bsides that, awesome achievement, good luck on shooting 4 150 BC

I don't actually think that it would be *that* hard to beat.

What is a junglecamp? I have never heard this term used before in these forums.

I was just referring to a city founded somewhere in the middle of the jungle with no real hope to grow. Junglecamp is not 'official' civver lingo.

what about eliminating the jungle after u camp it?

It wouldn't really have paid. It takes an incredible amount of workforce to clear large stretches of Jungle, and I simply didn't have that workforce as most of my food went into settlers.

 

[rysmiel]

It wouldn't really have paid. It takes an incredible amount of workforce to clear large stretches of Jungle, and I simply didn't have that workforce as most of my food went into settlers.

I'm intrigued by the logistics of getting that many cities built at optimal speed, in a situation where food's the limiting factor and cash seems pretty close to unlimited (never thought I'd see a Civ3 strategy that looked quite so Civ2ish). before you get to the point of being able to ship chain, what sort of balance are you using between settler production and worker production ? Going by the healthy-looking road network in the earlier screenshots, and on the assumption that if you're using settler pumps in the centre of that empire, some investment has gone into speeding up their routes to unoccupied land - that victory screenshot's just a little crowded to really look closely at the roads.

 

[Marsden]

This will be added to the offical HoF rules page as soon as possible, but until then:

Players should not create situations that deliberately put “free” money into the world economy, or any deal where the AI is making payments it can no longer afford, for example by setting up deals that are then cancelled by breaking a trade route i.e. the Emsworth Agreement, explained here .


Any situations that a player has doubts about should be referred to the HOF Staff by email or pm.

No games using this method are acceptable, and any previously accepted using this will be excluded. We are sorry if this causes any disappointment or bad feeling, but it is an obvious loophole in the program.


Therefore, these games will be excluded, but Lord Emsworth will have a new rule named after him, as a very small consolation, but also recognizing his achievment. Even with a game that's going on 6 or 7 years old there's new things to be found.


We also would like to take this time to thank Lord Emsworth for his open honesty. While there was some discussion as to how it was done, it did not become clear until he kindly explained it all. The HoF will now be updated and improved by his innovation, and he has our thanks for that as well.

 

[jafink]

Aww... that sucks that it won't be accepted, but it is awesome to have a new rule named after yourself. Congratulations!