Adventure 2 - Demented Avenger's Shadow Game

[Demented Avenger]

Unfortunately, I misunderstood what the closing day meant, and didn’t finish this game until 8 am on the 17th, so I guess I’ll report it as a shadow game. I ended up with a diplomatic victory in 1968.


4000 BC: My Aztec followers inform me that they crave venison, and who am I to deny them this simple luxury? I start immediately on a worker to fulfill their wishes.

Because of that juicy marble and my knowledge of mysticism, I decide to shoot for an early oracle. I start on meditation, with masonry and then priesthood in the research queue. Hopefully I’m first to Buddhism.

I start exploring with my scouts. I find three huts, and all three give me more scouts! A technology would be nice, but with a big map I don’t mind the extra scouting.

In 3660 BC, my people are forced to kick their venison habit as I found Buddhism in the capital. My venison stocks continue to dwindle, though, and I have a sneaking suspicion that a lot of my people will be coming back as worms and insects in their next life.

In 3400 BC, I finally find a passable city site (with 2 bonus food) in this barren icescape:



This should be a production powerhouse down the road, assuming I can get a settler down here.

After discovering priesthood, I start on the oracle, and research the wheel next to hook up the marble.

After the wheel, I decide I’ll have to fight my way back to par because of this bad start, so I start on mining and head for bronze working, with the hopes of picking up iron working as my free tech. I’d prefer metal casting, but don’t have enough time to get all the prereqs before the oracle finishes.

My scouts reveal some prime real estate south of the lake:

[img] http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/5750/25...00004h.jpg[/img]

This will be my settling priority. My next city will be on the lake to get some galleys out ASAP.


2040 BC: Learn bronze working, complete oracle, and learn iron working. Start on a settler in the capital. I start on fishing next, and will go for sailing after that. I must colonize that lake if I want to have any decent land at all.

I’m the least powerful civ (although first in score, strangely!)

[img] http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/3965/19...inscor.jpg[/img]

By 1600 BC, all my scouts have been killed by barbarians. I found my second city in 1560 BC, and will start it on a galley when sailing completes next turn.

[img] http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/904/1...0003cy.jpg[/img]


At this point, I’ve met Vicky, Saladin, Caesar, and Mao, and have signed open borders with Vicky and Mao.

After sailing, start on pottery.


Tenochlitan finishes its first jaguar, and starts on a settler to expand across the lake, which will be escorted by this jaguar.

In 1000 BC, the capital finishes the settler, so I whip the galley in my second city.

Because my lands are so commerce-poor, I decide to shoot for the great library (seeing as I already have marble).

I learn writing in 950 BC, and start on a library in the capital.

Much to my dismay, I find in 850 BC that the great delta site to the south has already been settled by Mao.

[img] http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/3185/...0008ks.jpg[/img]

In 800 BC, I whip a library in my capital, and in 750 BC, I found Tlateloco on the northeastern part of the southern lake shore, the only place Mao hasn’t already taken. This will be my science city, as there is a lot of grass, a gold on a hill, and a food resource (as well as fresh water). My great scientist from the GL will build his academy here.

In 675 BC, Mao converts to Buddhism! This makes me feel a lot better about my isolated science city, as I will have a powerful ally to help me protect it.

In 450 BC, I discover the alphabet and start trading techs. I trade Mao Meditation for Agriculture, and Vicky gets alphabet for math. (I wouldn’t trade away alphabet normally, but Mansa had beat me to it already, so I didn’t have a trading monopoly).

Moses is born in the capital from the oracle’s GPP, and builds the Mahabodhi.

As of 350 BC, I am the most cultured civilization.

Mansa Musa wants iron working for monotheism. He’s enemies with Mao, so I decline. Victoria (who’s way in the lead) demands I stop trading with Mao. I decline. I’m putting a lot of my diplomatic eggs in Mao’s basket, I hope he’s a good ally later on.

I discover literature in 200 BC and start work on the great library in the capital. I also found another city (Texcoco) south of the lake, just southeast of my science city. The purpose of this city is to give me access to iron.

In 125 BC, Mao requests alphabet and I oblige him – our relations shoot from 6 to 8. Rome is my neighbor to the southwest and is the worst of my rivals, so he will be my first military target. I will have to wait until I get maces, though, if I want any chance against Caesar’s praetorians.

[Demented Avenger]

In 150 AD, I am shocked to see Alexander declare war on me just in time to capture my iron city. My defending jaguars were off chasing barbs near a hut to the north, and won’t be able to reach the city in time. I see no other sources of iron, and I will need some if I want to fight Rome. Hopefully I can gain the city back soon.

[img] http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/2816/15...co0000.jpg[/img]

I finish the great library in my capital in 175 AD, and start on a settler. Alexander razed my iron city, and I want to replace it ASAP. With the library safely built, I trade Mao literature for monotheism and 180 gold.

In 350 AD, a great scientist is born in the capital, and I build my first academy there, to synergize with the scientist specialists.

The Greek war has been going well, my jaguars are holding out well against his archers. In 400 AD, however, I see the first war elephant come lumbering towards my science city. Uhoh... I fortify a Jag on a forested hill and hope for the best.

425 AD – the jaguar defeats the elephant flawlessly! I wonder what the chances of that were? Probably something like 1 in 32. Alex is sending so many troops that I’m afriad I won’t be able to get that iron back. I spot some more iron west of my capital, however, and decide to try to settle there instead.

I’ve researched currency and metal casting, and am now working on construction. After construction, I start on machinery.

In 600 AD, Vicky cancels open borders, upset that I won’t betray Mao. In 700 AD, machinery completes, but I can’t build any crossbows because I have no iron. Crossbows would allow me to start the war on Caesar sooner, but I’ll have to wait for my iron. I decide on civil service next (for maces), so I start work on code of laws.

As of 800 AD, I’m the most cultured civilization, which comes as a shock considering I’m so far behind in score.

Unfortunately, I find the barbs already have a city at my next source of iron. Losing that iron city to Alex has ended up costing me dozens of turns! I need iron! I want to kill Caesar!

[img] http://img400.imageshack.us/img400/3873/...0009yv.jpg[/img]

As you can see, my score is really hurting, and the clock is ticking if I ever want to catch up. Military might is the only way to dig myself out of this hole. I start building up jaguars to take the city.

In 900 AD, Alex still wants over 300 gold for peace. I’ve been holding off his advances of elephants, catapults, and archers with jaguars on forests and hills to the southeast of my science city. After reaching level 4 with one of them, I start on heroic epic in the capital.

In 1000 AD, I learn civil service. I am also treated to this lovely view in the southeast:

[img] http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/4131/1020...0009pw.jpg[/img]

I can’t stop that without spears or pikes (which I’d have if it wasn’t for Alex stealing my iron...) , so I give Alex the 300 gold he wanted for peace... what a jerk. Ruined my chance at a moderately early war with Caesar, and took 300 gold in the process. At least he allowed me to build the heroic epic, which completes next turn in 1010 AD.

I start on philosophy next to try to found Taoism.

I complete philosophy in 1100 AD, only to learn that taoism was founded a long time ago, but went un-noticed by me. Darn. Start work on paper next, with the hopes of heading for education. I need more commerce if I want to continue to stay afloat in the tech race.

1140 AD: The battle for the barb iron city:

[img] http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/3540/1140...0000qh.jpg[/img]

Luckily, the barbs moved some other units out a few turns ago. Taking the city should be no problem now with all my cover-promoted jaguars. I love the aggressive trait.


After hooking up the iron, Tenochlitan starts pumping out maces and longbows just about every single turn. I start on engineering to allow my reinforcements to reach the roman border 50% faster (pikes won’t hurt either).

In 1400 AD, I culture bomb Calixtalua, which was built on that 2-food city site I said would become a production powerhouse. Unfortunately, it’s too close to Roman borders to get the 2nd food source. This city will also be my base of operations for the upcoming war against Rome.

Before culture bomb: [img] http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/2261/...0002rz.jpg[/img]

After culture bomb: [img] http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/4818/...0007vc.jpg[/img]

Not a huge difference, but it helps.

In 1430 AD, I decide I have enough crossbows, maces, and pikemen built up, and declare on Rome. After a hard-fought battle, I capture Antium in 1525 AD, and in 1600 AD I am knocking on the doorstep of Rome itself.



After capturing Rome next turn, I am able to convince him to convert to Buddhism and give me his world map in exchange for peace. I’m running low on reinforcements, Caesar has finally started building maces, and I want to consolidate my gains by building up some infrastructure. My GNP is only 28, while my rivals’ average is over 100. I’m going to need a lot more land to catch up...

Here are the remaining Roman lands:

[Demented Avenger]

For the next hundred years, I build up as much as I can, starting on the forbidden palace in calixtaluha (2-food city site). I’m building forges, libraries, markets, theaters, and granaries everywhere I can. By 1700 AD, I’ve learned banking and printing press, and traded for nationalism. I start on economics next.

In 1715 AD, Vicky declares on Rome. I’d better declare soon too if I want any rome Roman land before Vicky takes it.

1720 AD: Two huge Roman stacks heading west to the English front.

[img] http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6110/17...westto.jpg[/img]




By 1750 AD, I’ve learned Chemisty. My GNP is now just 10 behind the rival average, and I’m ahead of both Saladin (being whomped on by Greece) and Rome in score. Things are looking up for the Aztecs! The English capture liverpool back. I’m waiting for rifling to declare again on Caesar.

I pass Alexander in score, and am now 4th out of 7. Rifling comes in 1790 AD, and I immediately send my more outdated stack of maces, catapults, crossbows, and jaguars (saving the medics) along with a couple grenadiers towards Satricium, the city west of Rome. I capture it in 1800 AD, as he only had a musket and a pike on defense. All his forces must be on the western front. I’m very lucky that Vicky declared when she did, I’d much rather face just 2 defenders in a city than those 2 huge stacks I saw earlier.

[img] http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/6224/...0007ib.jpg[/img]


Start on Scientific Method next.

After I have a few rifleman, I send my stack westward into the heart of Rome’s remaining territory. Unfortunately, it is bombarded like crazy by catapults, and I am forced to retreat with moderate losses. I decide to focus on the eastern and southern fronts first (just 1 city in each spot) to allow me to later concentrate my forces on the western front. Ravenna and Libyan will be my first 2 targets:



Finally, in 1834 AD, after many hard-fought battles, I am able to capture these 2 cities. It was hard to make much forward progress as it was so difficult to defend my western front cities from Knight attacks. I put a couple pikeman in each for a while, but then he started sending massive catapult and macemen stacks. I was able to capture Ravenna pretty quickly, but it took another 10 turns before I could get to Libyan.

Now, it’s a 1-front war:



In 1842 AD, Saladin is almost dead, and I decide to declare on him to get another city or two in the east, where I’ve built up 3 cities. His nearest is defended by just a single catapult! Alexander is one turn away, though, it looks like he’ll reach it first. What a jerk.



But his rifle stupidly waits for reinforcements, and I am able to take Aden next turn!



Now that I’m fighting 2 wars, war weariness reaches 12 in some cities, so I’m forced to turn up culture to 40%. Science research has been effectively halted. Not good. I’m close enough to democracy that I’ll get it soon, but there might not be any more techs coming in for a while. I need to finish Caesar quickly. Failing to take his cities spells disaster, as well as taking long to do so.

In 1846, I discover democracy and adopt emancipation and universal suffrage. I’m in a huge tech hole, though, with Mansa Musa many techs ahead. Fortunately, the diplomatic situation is such that I may be able to get the Eastern Power (Mao and Alexander) to ally with me against him sometime in the future.




By 1860, I’ve taken most of Rome’s holdings. He has 2 decent city sites left, but I’ll take 2 more junk cities to make a smoother, more easily defensible border against England. When I’m finished, I should have just 3 cities on the border with Vicky, and 1 city on the border with Mansa Musa. Should be easy enough to defend, even against superior units, as long as I pack enough suicide artillery.

The demographic situation in 1860 is looking up, as well:

[Demented Avenger]

I decide to make a tech beeline for rocketry to attempt to get the space elevator. Culture is out, and diplomacy will be impossible as my population is just about last (above Caesar, but that hardly counts). I will have to build the UN if I want to win a diplomatic victory, but I’m so far behind in tech that I don’t see that happening. My best chance lies in getting the AI to declare war on each other (and stop building space ships) long enough for me to rush the space elevator and build double-speed spaceship parts in what used to be the Roman Empire.

When Rome is down to 3 cities, I accept peace for one of his remaining cities (the first time I’ve seen an AI actually offer cities for peace – must be a 1.52 change). I am now able to bring my research up to 60% from 10%, and I adopt free religion for the extra 10% boost. This negates the +3 I was getting from Mao for being of the faith, but greatly improves my relations with Alexander, who I will want on my side. He’ll be a beast when he develops what used to be Arabia. Also, if I have both Mao and Alex on my side, I will only have to worry about 4 cities for defense, and won’t have to focus as hard on military, concentrating on the spaceship.

Here are my new holdings:



I decide to take a short detour from Rocketry and go for Mass Media first – I want to try to get the UN. It’s still many techs away, though.

I set very long, 10-building queues in all my Roman gains to avoid having to set production every turn. I love how you can set a queue to a certain number (e.g. ctrl-shift-=2), and then just shift select cities from the main map and press 2. It takes about 15 seconds, instead of the 15 minutes it would have to set building queues for 15 cities in civ3. There are still a lot of shortcuts I’m figuring out.


1906 AD: Mansa Musa completes Apollo Program! And I’m still working on assembly line! There is no way I can afford to let Mansa Musa build his spaceship in peace – I will have to declare war sometime soon. But If I declare war, I can’t get back to tech pairty. This will be tough...

1912 AD: Victoria completes Apollo Progarm. Great... now I’ll have to fight the two score-leaders. If only I could get them to declare war on each other... unfortunately they are friendly towards one another.


Victoria declares war on Caesar – he’ll be gone soon. I overtake Mao for 3rd place - I'm now just 39 points behind Victoria and 367 points behind Mansa Musa. Woohoo! 2 turns later, I pass Victoria and am only 291 points behind Mansa Musa. What once was Rome is developing very rapidly – I built many cottages and they’re growing quickly thanks to my civics.

Steel in 1916, Electricity in 1922. By 1922, Vicky and Mansa have each built 5 casings. Radio is due in 7 turns for me, and then on to mass media and hopefully I can rush-build the UN.

1926: Mao completes Apollo... I don’t see how I can win this thing. The AI won’t trade with me much anymore (my friends say I’m getting too advanced, and my enemies are my enemies). Where’s a world war when you need one? I decide to assassinate the next arch-duke that happens across my path, as I am unable to find Poland.

1929 – Discover Radio. Trade with Alexander for railroad and communism (need spies to sabotage spaceships and aluminum).

1935 – A glorious year. I discover mass media, and start work on computers. But more importantly, I’m first in score!



[img] http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/9668/...re26zp.jpg[/img]


Somehow, though, I don’t think the Malinese settlers on Alpha Centauri will care very much...

I’ve set up a GP factory in Pisae, on the border with Vicky. It has a ton of grassland and a couple of food resources. I have a prophet built in the 800s ready for a golden age when the next person gets spat out in a couple years.

In 1938, I rush-buy the iron works in Antium to start on the UN.

1942: Complete Scotland Yard in Calixtalhua, and rush-buy the UN in Anitum. Now the option of a diplo victory is open to me!

1943: Another glorious year! Great merchant is born in my GP factory, and I start a golden age. My GNP shoots from 275 to 443, and my MFG Goods shoot from 683 to 1007.



Elections for secretary-general:



1944:

And the results:
[img] http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/7458/19...neral6.jpg[/img]

Excellent

With the UN already built, I gift Mao Mass Media in exchange for declaring war on Mansa Musa. I’m still at even relations with Mansa, and only have one border city, so I should be safe. This should halt most production on the Chinese and Malinese spaceships for a while. I’m very lucky this option wasn’t redded out. I guess refusing Victoria’s demands to stop trading with Mao finally paid off!

China captures a city from Mali in 1946. A spy reveals that Mansa is still building the SS Thrusters.

I decide to put up single-currency for a vote – I have the most cities, so I’ll benefit the most. Mao, Alex, and I probably don’t have enough votes between us yet to win a diplo victory, even if they both vote for me.



It passes unanimously.

Mansa is now working on Fiber Optics (as revealed by the spy). I’m going to need that space elevator...

Mao asks me to convert to state property – this provides a valuable opportunity for relations points, so I accept. I get +2 for this (with no anarchy, thanks to spiritual) – one for agreeing to switch, and one for actually having the civic Mao likes.

1950 AD: Mao captures another Malinese city. The more population Mao gains (and Mali loses), the more diplomatic votes I will have. I guess my concerns about population were unfounded, though, as I am now the world leader. I finally discover industrialism, and see that Mansa has 2 aluminum sources, Mao has 1, Alexander has 2, I have 2, and Vicky has none – she must be getting hers from mansa. I sabotage a malinese aluminum source with my spy, and Mao sabotages another militarily.


1951: Mao takes the lead in the space race, which is surprising considering he started s much later than Vicky. Maybe her buddy Mansa wasn’t giving her aluminum after all? I send a spy to sabotage Mao’s aluminum. I hope I don’t get caught... I can’t afford the relations hit.


I figure that I am going to need some more relations points from Alexander, so I give him Mass Media and Computers to join the Mansa-bashing party. I’ll declare on Mansa in a few turns, when I’m sure his extra units are spent, to reap the benefits of the “mutual military struggle” relations points with both Mao and Alexander.


I try for a diplo-win:

[img] http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/1179/...ory3zd.jpg[/img]

And fail miserably:
[img] http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/8937/...ote1fs.jpg[/img]

I’m shocked that Mao abstained – he’s at +9 with me – just one point away from friendly!

1953: Alexander asks me to declare on Mansa – excellent! This provides the opportunity for another relations point, so I accept, although it’s a little earlier than I would have liked.

By 1957, I’m first in population, GNP, and Mfg. Goods. If I had had iron earlier, I would have been in this position earlier, and a space race victory would have been a lot easier. You better make up for razing my iron city, Alexander... a vote for the Aztecs is a vote for redemption!

1959 – Uhoh... Mansa’s population has been so reduced by the 3-way onslaught (more like 2-way, I’m not attacking at all) that Vicky is my new opponent. Thankfully, she’s not well-liked by either Mao or Alex, so I should keep my post as secretary-general.

I send a stack of about 8 tanks, 4 marines, and some artillery into Malinese territory to try to gain a city.

1963 AD – I’m pretty sure that me and my two buddies have enough votes to win me the diplo victory now – I’m at +10 with Mao and +9 with Alexander – I hope they both vote for me. I think I need +10 from Alexander to win.

[img] http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/1593/...ory5qx.jpg[/img]


Alexander also completes the Apollo Program this turn. My spies have been denying aluminum to both Mansa and Mao, but both appear to still be working (although much more slowly) on their spaceships.

1964 AD – One darned relations point away! Why couldn’t I have given him that tech he demanded 1500 years ago? It really goes to show how important moves you make early in the game can be later on...

[img] http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/1249/...way3yo.jpg[/img]



How to improve relations with Alexander? We’re already max for “fair and forthright trading”, so gifts won’t work. I notice that Mao has +1 with me for a “you have wisely chosen your civics” (from state property), and after digging through the civilopedia, I discover his favorite civic is hereditary rule. I adopt it, and our relatoins shoot from +9 to +10!

I finally complete robotics, only to discover that my ironworks city is just a couple tiles north of the 30 degrees latitude line! I can only build the space elevator in Libyan, whose production is woeful. Looks like a diplo victory is the only way out (score would work, but I can’t stop 4 rivals from building the spaceship indefinitely). Hopefully the Hereditary Rule gambit works out.

My stack invading Mali gets utterly crushed by jet fighters, artillery, and mech infantry.


But in 1967, I am able to put up another diplomatic vote, and in 1968, I am treated to this fine sight:

[img] http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/8590/...ry26ap.jpg[/img]


Here’s the final score chart and demographics:

[img] http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/9241/...mog5ps.jpg[/img]

[img] http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5538/19...mog3iq.jpg[/img]


This was the most satisfying game of civ4 yet – it felt great to be behind for the vast majority of the game, only to pull out a win at the end.

[Sirian]

Barely squeaked that one out, eh? Nice job!

You lacked some of the fortunate turns that Jester got, but your Mansa stayed alive long enough to set up that climactic China-Mali war, on which your result turned. You certainly made the most of that situation! Especially considering that you almost surely turned a Space loss into a Diplo win!




- Sirian

[Demented Avenger]

I'd actually say that I was VERY fortunate. First, I was fortunate that Vicky declared on Caesar when she did, killing his army and allowing me to occupy his juicy city sites. I was also very lucky that I won the vote when I did, as you can see that Vicky had 206 votes to Alexander's 204 - a swing of just 2 votes would have meant my competition would be Alexander, and the game would have been lost.

[Bezhukov]

Wow - using favored civic. Brilliant move. That may even top Sirian's pulling of the GA out of his posterior!

Thanks for clearing up the diplo win mystery as well - very useful knowledge.