[Spoiler] First rodeo: Jalepeno takes the bull by the horns.

[jalepeno]

Turn 64

Drama splashscreen greeted me on opening the save.

Then it was time to use this guy.

Which had a very satisfying effect on the demographics

Don't mind the low GNP too much, after finishing animal husbandry EOT, I didn't have another tech queued up. Still, TBS' GNP is a bit intimidating (well, all of his numbers are). Anyways, I'll probably save gold for a turn before going onto hunting (then masonry -> construction).

I'm making use of my shiny new techs already.

It's a shame I had to waste my 5th city on this spot, but it was necessary for a defensible border. Cheap culture, more food, and the addition of horse are all very welcome. I'll probably finish the monument anyways, but doing things this way around gets the all important GM up much quicker.

[jalepeno]

Hey Q, do you think you could cover a few saves for me this weekend? I'll be gone Friday-Sunday again.

[Qgqqqqq]

I'll try, a bit busy this weekend. I should be able to get Friday/Sunday saves, not sure about Saturday. Just post in thread when you want me to start/stop getting them, and a link to the micro plan, and I'll do my best
Since I somehow missed the last:have you considered waiting to build culture until post GM? I don't think there's anything second ring of that city, and building culture is a delay getting a passive source up, which I think is more important then a non-culture-per-turn border pop.
Is that TBS leading in the demos (except food )?
He's certainly doing well, though might just be kuriotate early advantage...how would you rate the opponents at this point? Obviously difficult for those we haven't met (edit: gosh, I didn't realise there were 6 players in this game...) but I'm interested how you think they've done.

[jalepeno]

I'll try, a bit busy this weekend. I should be able to get Friday/Sunday saves, not sure about Saturday. Just post in thread when you want me to start/stop getting them, and a link to the micro plan, and I'll do my best

Thanks so much! I'll post in the tech thread about getting you onto the tracker.

Since I somehow missed the last:have you considered waiting to build culture until post GM? I don't think there's anything second ring of that city, and building culture is a delay getting a passive source up, which I think is more important then a non-culture-per-turn border pop.

i must have forgotten to put resource bubbles on in that screenshot (can't see it now - at work), because there's actually a banana 2nd ring. Worker will be a turn delayed getting there b/c of chopping for Yell0w, but popping borders now still gets our only real food improved faster.

Is that TBS leading in the demos (except food )?
He's certainly doing well, though might just be kuriotate early advantage...how would you rate the opponents at this point? Obviously difficult for those we haven't met (edit: gosh, I didn't realise there were 6 players in this game...) but I'm interested how you think they've done.

Yeah, he's been really strong: tops in GNP, MFG, power, and total number of citizens (i.e. tiles worked), and near enough tied with me for 1st in food. Hopefully I'll have time to do a full comparison after I get home, but for now I'd say I'm in a solid 2nd place with strong prospects for the future.

[Qgqqqqq]

No I see the banana now

[jalepeno]

Looks like no save again tonight ("Sian has the save. 21 hours 40 minutes passed since the save has been handed on." ) so guess I've got time to do a quick (edit* not at all!) ranking of how the field is shaping up so far.

Demos and graphs dump (i.e. source material)

1. The Black Sword of Kuriotates - he's doing awesome. Tops (or near enough) in score, GNP, MFG, food, population, land, and power. Founded FoL which is certainly helping him in MFG & food (as is GodKing with a size 17 capital). Still just the three megacities sized 17, 12, 12 for a staggering 41 total citizens. The difference between him and #2 (me) in total citizens is the same difference (8 tiles worked per turn) as between #2 and Sian in dead last. Has shown evidence of canny C&D, checking prereq bonuses to see if what people have just researched. Yes, the Kurios start fast, but he's still the favorite right now. Very good relations so far.
   
   
2. Jalepeno of Calabim - Just got 600+ free beakers from the bard bulb. 2nd (or close to it) in all the major demos. I've got five cities sized 9, 8, 8, 5, 3 for 33 total citizens. Cities 6 & 7 are in the works and will be founded T67 & T70. I feel confident I can catch TBS in demos given enough time...so must be careful about a centaur strike from TBS to prevent me from getting there. I've got the scary mid-late game units too, so he might be able to convince others to join him.
   
   
3. HidingKneel of the Khazad - just lost out on the drama bard (or our positions would probably be switched). GNP and food are good, but lagging behind in MFG (only other person in aristocracy). Also at 5 cities, sized 9, 8, 7, 6, 2; total 32 citizens. Founded RoK. Definitely the most successful FFH player in the field with lots of MP experience, so definitely a threat for the top stop, even if not looking his best (which would be dominant) right now.
   
   
4. Yell0w of Elohim - just completed the Bone Palace, which will boost him nicely. GNP and MFG are high right now as a result, but he's a bit behind in food and pop. Cities 10, 8, 4, 4 = 26 citizens. philosophy + bone palace has slowed his expansion, so we'll see if he can use the golden age to catch up. I'd love to raze his border city and force a worldspell pop, but I think I should focus on TBS instead.
   
   
5. WarriorKnight of Grigori - He's doing ok and would seem to be on par with Yell0w if it weren't for the bone palace. Cities 11, 8, 5, 4 for total 28 citizens. Haven't had much contact with him, although he has complained about struggling with barbs. I should really be trying to partner up with him right now about a potential dogpile on TBS as he seems to be the closest on the other side.
   
   
6. Sian of Ljosalfar - He's not looking so good. Haven't met him yet, but it looks like he's last or near to it in every category. He's got cities sized 10, 5, 5, 5 for only 25 pop. Waaay behind in points, which reveals a nasty tech disadvantage. I don't know what's gone wrong for him, but it's not real pretty. His worldspell could still really mess someone up though, and with how close people seem to be here, I'm super glad it's not me. I should get a good deal from him for forcing Yell0w to use up his worldspell so he can run him over with trees. That is if we could ever make contact!
   

Sorry for the wall of text! TL;DR - I'm a civ that needs to fight and be bigger than everyone else to win and I'm stuck between the guy doing AMAZING and the one with the impenetrable defensive shield. Still, feel pretty good about my immediate expansion prospects and current demos, and definitely have a shot at winning this.

[Ichabod]

What's your opinion on the map so far?

[Qgqqqqq]

Very interesting.
Do you have any religious plans? Or is it just eventual AV run?

[jalepeno]

What's your opinion on the map so far?

Oh, I'm loving it! Impossible (well, for me at least) to complain about how lush it is. I also like the snaky waterways breaking things up and the uneven spacing of civilizations. It does a nice job of combining the advantages of a smaller map with a larger one. IMO, large maps are really boring early on because of the lack of meaningful contact, while small maps are a pain for balance because all it takes is one or two people moving towards you a bit and you get squeezed for space. so thanks again for making it for us.

[jalepeno]

Very interesting.
Do you have any religious plans? Or is it just eventual AV run?

Not really. just AV (or maybe OO) someday. That could change really quick if I managed to pop a GE from the dungeon this turn (); then I'd probably ditch all plans, tech RoK + Arete and use him to build the mines. +1 strength on all my units (and never having to research smelting + IW) would be amazing. current plan is to grab some more economic techs then get command posts up right before vampires. While building vampires I get my spectre buff and hawks to scout. Then its time

Tech path:
agriculture, calendar, crafting, mining, AC, BW, Edu, CoL, writing, festivals, drama (bulb sanitation), AH, hunting, masonry, construction, cartography, HBR, trade, warfare, [mysticism] philosophy, mil strategy, feudalism, KOTE, necromancy, animal handling

An alternative plan would be to do what I talked about in my early opponent analysis, namely a chariot raiding party on Kuriotates. TBS is looking super strong, but unit wise he's just on hunters (maybe fawns) and no XP civics. I'm 3 techs from bronze chariots starting with 2 XP. I've got 4 cities that'll be able to 4-turn chariots, so easy to get 10+ chariots 10 turns after HBR comes in (build siege workshops after construction while waiting for HBR). I can upgrade a top BP or two as stack defenders and go on a merry pillaging spree. While they wreak as much havoc as possible, I tech feudalism and build moroi, then mass upgrade to vampires using pillage gold and go finish TBS off. Upside is that even if things don't go too well, I should get a fair amount of pillage gold and slow TBS down. Downside is that TBS gets early warning of my intentions and likely has time to tech some good defense and a long war favors HK pulling into the lead.

Tech path: hunting, masonry, construction, HBR, trade, feudalism, KOTE, necromancy, animal handling (command posts don't do any good if you're upgrading)