[GS] Your experiences with Mali?

[Hazmy]

How have you all been doing with Mali?

Good or bad, what are yout experiences playing it so far, planning to try it out tomorrow, would love to read some stories before I get home to try it myself, they look really interesting with a unqiue playstyle!

 

[Noble Zarkon]

Just started a game found Uluru before I had even settled my first city

Because the desert tiles provide food I have been able to work a couple of 2 faith, 2 culture desert tiles for very quick progression.

 

[MarigoldRan]

It depends on map. If you don't get hit early on, Mali is great. if you do get hit early on, you're dead or really really behind.

Mali is literally the worst civ at fighting off early rushes.

 

[kb27787]

Oh my goodness tried them out and they require an opening specifically for them... Your first build is going to be a penalized item whether scout builder or monument... Once they get earth goddess pantheon and their Suguba up they are awesome but until then you are a sitting duck... Even if all you have to fight are barbs... Any early routes will get pillaged until you get enough archers to cover their path.

Deity BTW... I imagine they would not be so bad on lower levels

 

[Berge20]

As mentioned, if you can get a good spawn and keep neighbors happy just long enough(big if), then it starts to steamroll quickly. I've been trying the aggressive desert settle(s), desert folklore pantheon, and holy site push. If you get a golden age out of the gate, monumentality then it basically then lets you faith buy traders, builders, settlers from turn ~45-90 (or however it plays out) en mass to make up for lack of production to expand and build up your cities and gold sources. Can then use production on Sugubas and then just buy your way from there. Risky, but I think you just have to go for it with this strategy.