[spoilers] Pax Commodorica: Pharaoh of Rome

[Commodore]

Lessons Learned: Rival Schools


I'm going to continue in this thread my tradition of writing essays and thoughts on the ever-evolving metagame of Civ4 here, keeping it generally personal with the series Lessons Learned. However, to start with, I am going to look at my rivals' most recent concluded games and take a whack at figuring out where each one is on their own path. This is a smart group of guys; I think they certainly aren't going to be treating their last game as the be-all end-all for Civ4 MP, but we're all influenced by how our most recent game(s) go. So, let's take a look:

1. Thoth (PB15, Fredrick of Persia).

PB15 was a weird little game; the map was a tight little bugger, it was using Rbmod with a very limited leader/civ set, and some of us (Pin, myself, Serdoa) were playing decidedly weedy games. Thoth, however, played just about as “normal” a game as could be played on the settings; he expanded at a reasonable clip, kept his borders safe, managed his economy very well, and...that's it. He didn't attack anyone, he didn't get attacked, he didn't make any super-crazy builder moves. He just kind of did well and set himself up for a good solid swing at third place.

This had to gall him, and I really think it did. He made no major mistakes, so I don't think Thoth will be changing any of his typical micro and pathing, nor did he have wild successes that he'll be retrying. Mostly, the story of Thoth's game was his lack of involvement in the game's story...so I expect he will be much more at his normal aggressive form this time around. He's motherlickin' Thoth, drunken lover of boobs, Youtube links, and winning Fall From Heaven games!

Prediction: A return to form, combining aggression with smart building. No More Mr. Neutral Guy!

2. Gaspar (PB16, Bismark of Mali)

I'm pretty sure PB16's first lesson was “don't bother trying to win when Seven Spirits is in the game” or something similar; Gaspar's start was heartbreaking even before that though, because he made a terrible mistake that I know only too well: He ignored dedlurker Ceiliazul's advice (“spear, not axe”). For all that, he and Noble made an impressive recovery after the bit of a dog's breakfast that was their early game, and the freshest and happiest memory is using mace/horse archer/catapult mixed forces to turn back a musketeer offensive. He had a militaristic blast in those last dozen turns.

The first obvious taken lesson of PB16 is that Zara is pretty much awesomesauce; that's reflected in his selection of leader here. But I think the other lessons Gaspar will be leaning on is that first of all, horse archers and friends are awesome and military skirmishing doesn't have to be a death knell to the empire's economy, as long as you do actually take care of the economy. He's also very aware from PB16 and several older games the power of wonders; make no mistake, he is a challenger for Colossus if the Metal Casing winner futzes around. Sadly, the one lesson that didn't register is “always listen to Ceil”.

Prediction: Basically, the Standard Gaspar Gameplan still is in effect, but now with more confidence in the war department for extra prickles.

3. Oxyphenobutazone (PBEM 57, Fredrick of Sumeria)

Ox breaks the lessons streak here by having very much a successful game at his back; in fact he's won his last two. The more recent, solo, and non-diplo example is PBEM 57. It was a tight tiny AW, so decidedly weird compared to “Standard Civ”, but there still are useful lessons for him to glean. For one thing, the power of Philosophical is in planning; while the settings of 57 meant setting up a super-capital was essential, in this much bigger map a super-capital is less of a big deal but Phi can still be used very effectively on bulbs. He's also leaned a bit about how often going in “now with what's available” can be much better than “later with the best”.

Ox is a planner; he's got the same painful start hobbling him that Pin and I suffer with but once the game opens up I expect many good things from the trait. The worrisome thing about Ox is that I do not expect for him to take home wrong lessons from his 57 win. He won't under-expand, he won't treat his economy with kid gloves, he won't overdevelop his capital to a truly ridiculous degree...those were the right moves there, but not here.

Prediction: Ox builds with elan and sticks with a good plan, and keeps the essentials from his successes without confusing the details.

...I'll continue this later with Pindicator, TBS, and Dtay.

[Commodore]

4. The Black Sword (PBEM 53, Zara Yaqob of Mali)

TBS, the super station, has been moving from strength to strength after a crippled debut show in PB13. His latest BtS triumph is in his first, and last, Greens Game of 53. He played an impressive tour de force in that game, skillfully conquering Azza while keeping his economy thundering along and always mindful of his real rival, Dtay. Really I have no substantial critiques of the game; he might not win as many races with this field strength, but he's going to be served well by his economy lessons there, if he draws the right ones.

The problem, of course, is that in PBEM 53 he was running both Pyramids and Colossus; we should all just shoot ourselves if he sweeps both wonders here. He was also playing one of the kinder REX leaders in the game with Zara; he will need to be very careful with Joao to not collapse himself. His lessons learned should be along the lines of military conflict including the paramountcy of navy and how best to play the metagame, not how to spam them cities. Of course, EitB XXXIII taught him that latter one...

Prediction: TBS will fight smart and emphasize navy right, and correctly play the players' situation for the game.

5. Dtay (PBEM 53, Victoria of China)

Dtay comes fresh from the fires of PBEM 53 as well; he's come up short against TBS there but nobody can claim he hasn't qualified himself out of the greens bracket as well. Dtay played an extremely good game based on the Old Blueprint, and came up short less because of a particular mistake, more because of a general passivity. TBS was the protagonist of the game, actively pushing things that made everyone else respond, while Dtay showed a hesitancy that I know all too well. Still, he learned a good deal about empire management, and like TBS I don't think he'll ever underrate the centrality of navy in MP warfare again.

Dtay's FDR of Mali choice does definitely show some reactivity even now, perhaps with an eye to copy his rival's Colossus/'mids success from the game before. That's good insofar as it goes, the hammer-heavy economy with one of the most mack-approved leaders is darned solid. What I wonder if he takes away wrong is the other aspects; how key it is to have some very strong cottage cities at the core, how important reading the metagame and acting is, and how the precise goals are less important than the pursuit of clear goals is. Well, that also describes all of us, to an extent.

Prediction: Dtay will be even tougher, a high-hammer economy guy and nasty competition for wonders, who is more cautious than before over water.

6. Pindicator (PB13, Darius of Vikings)

This is kind of a weird one, because Pindicator neither won nor lost here, but rather left due to creative differences. Be that as it may, he had a goodly chunk of a year invested in the game, so I am pretty sure it is the freshest school for him. He partnered in a commanding game, building arguably the top civilization in the world. It's an active game, and one I'm in, but the broad facts are fairly clear, the Vikings have been very strong. Plus, well, like two of us can read his PB18 thread...

I believe Pindicator learned, from the game and reflecting afterward, several key lessons; first the essential value of naval aggression and a solid REX. His leader is set up nicely for that here, and Carthage has a good toolkit but for the weird compass diversion required (says the guy who needs early IW, I know). PB13 was also his first experience dueling the force of nature that is Mackoti Ascendent; nobody who lives through the experience underrates the value of strategic and tactical initiative.

Prediction: Pin will be working hard to make the rest of us have to respond to him, and will focus on attacking rivals over edging out eating guppies.

In general, these are are smart guys; I think they're going to draw mostly correct lessons from their recent games. That's not to say they're going to implement the lessons perfectly; we're all flawed players who don't manage perfectly. Pindicator might have issues getting it up for the game, TBS might well crash, Gaspar might despair...that's fine. But this is where I think my rivals' heads are in the here and now.

[retep]

All these sims do have a goal, people:

Awwww yisssss.

I don't know exactly have you made this, because I made with the worst micro and it looks pretty similar

[Commodore]

That's cool, yeah, I was playing sloppy after my first city for the above date. I also had issues with Antium growing too fast; I think I'd like to get a fourth city from there around the Oracle timeframe.

[retep]

Because I have too much free time, I'll traveling so I should probably be packing, still subpar micro. I might have gone a little insane though.

[Commodore]

Because I have too much free time, I'll traveling so I should probably be packing, still subpar micro. I might have gone a little insane though.

What...whoa. Did you pen and paper this or have a save stack? Just...wow. Betcha I could shave a turn or two though, this is awesome.

One wrinkle will be copper. Let's play a game, folks: Guess the copper!


My bet, desert hill 5w of Legio.

[Dp101]

Under the city to make you hate your life

[Commodore]

Under the city to make you hate your life

I would actually be okay with this.

[Old Harry]

Plains hill by the cow.

[Hashoosh]

1E of southern corn