Epic 5- Atlas- No Jags/Axes

[Atlas]

Eliminated in 1340

Epic 5- Emperor, tiny Pangea with 3 instead of the default 2 opponents, Monty can never attain fishing tech or steam power and must delcare war on any civ displaying knowledge of steam power. This game also has no tech trading.

I am going to place an additional restriction on myself- I will not build axemen or Jags. I want to try this game without the cookie cutter strat (by cookie cutter I mean that it works well in any game with any civ) of an axe rush. This could mean that I will lose, but who cares?

Okay how am I going to tech with Monty and no trading? Basically there are 3 choices-cottages, religion, and great people. Not being Philosophical or Financial, but being Spiritual indicates that religion may be the best to fund my empire. I will shoot for some of the early religions, lets see how it works. I don't know who my opponents are, hopefully some that don't start with Mysticisim and hopefully some that are not too aggressive . Probably too much to ask, but lets see.

4000BC-The city is already founded. I move the scout to the south and see the silk. At least I don't have to exlpore the coast . I start working the grassland near the river, trading the one hammer for the one commerce and set research to Polytheism (due in 16). Work set to warrior.

3820BC- Poped my first hut and got a map.

3790BC- Meet Gandhi. This is good. He and I can be peacful in the early game. I doubt it but the map shows Gandhi's capital, I hope he is not working that two commerce wine tile.

3730BC- Meet Lizzy-I hope we can also be peaceful. She is close I hope that I can get some land.



3520BC- I get Hinduism. I set reserch to archery, since I won't build axemen I don't need to know where copper is, but I will need some deterrence. The only reason to go for bronze working is to chop settlers/workers. I decided to delay this, I will chop some later, but I want to, for a bit, travel the road less traveled and not rush to chop them out.

3340BC-Gandhi gets Buddhism.

2530BC-Meet Alex.

1990BC-Found Teotihuacan



1870BC-Bravo to who ever made this map (Sirian?), no copper near the capital, a Jag rush will still be possible, but it is certainly not as easy as an axe rush. I start another settler, I will build workers when I have lands to improve, right now I really only have one tile (the corn) that I can improve.

1030BC-Third city founded. Reserach now at 40%. That is it. I get three cites for a bit, now to pump out workers and archers and possibly missionaries.



370BC Gandhi founded Buddhism and Judaism. Lizzy founded Conf., me Hinduism and Alex nothing. I currently have Lizzy and Alex in Hinduism, but I am afraind that Lizzy will be switching soon. We will see.

250BC-Lizzy converts to Conf.

470AD- Alex converts to Judaism. I am making a serious effort to convert him back. In this year I get a Great Priest and build the Kashi Viswanath. A few turns ago Alex demanded that I cancel my open borders with Lizzy, I comply.

590AD-Alex converst back to Hinduism. Great!

740AD-Alex declares war on me. Hmmmm this reminds me of what Sirian said about Epic 4. I had my best relations with Alex, he should have declared on Lizzy or Gandhi instead. Well I am going to stick with my no ax/jag, lets whip some archers and spearmen. Since Alex declared on me I see no reason to stay in Hinduism and swithch instead to Lizzy's Conf.

935AD-Lizzy declares war on me, figures!!

1256-Lizzy gets Liberalism, still at war with both, gonna lose, oh well.

1316-This looks like the turn.

1334-Down to one warrior, next turn they should get me.

1340-Ha my warrior beat a knight, it was worth it just to see that. You can see that I have whipped Tenochitaln a little bit (I needed lots of spears and archers). Alex and Lizzy attacked with almost exclusively mounted units , no metal maybe.



I lost. From watching the replay, I was only one city behind and could have kept the settling pace if the starting position had not hedged me in so badly, I just could not get around cultural borders to settle past a thrid city, I could not afford to do so either. An axe rush might have been useful as would have coastal tiles for the added commerce and whipping from the sea resources, but per the variant and my private variant made it a bit more difficult. It was fun and quick so I am pleased .

[Compromise]

Oh man, I wish this would have worked; great additional variant!

[Sullla]

A noble attempt, to be sure, but the variant rules definitely made peaceful approaches very difficult. I wonder, perhaps, if you might have been able to beeline for Construction and go attacking with catapults (?) Several of the later conquests did very well against more advanced units by relying on collateral damage. I think that may have been the best way to go with your additional handicap.

If you're going to play a "variant within the variant" (as our friend Cyrene from Diablo often does), you have to be prepared to spend a lot of time recovering bodies!