[SPOILERS] - TT really should be better than this after all these games...

[oledavy]

Just wanted to pop in to say that out of the leaders you're considering, Bismarck looks like the strongest by far. With expansive and cheap forges you can REX like a pro. 2nd best non-financial leader in the game imho (Sury gets the #1 spot).

Have just read this thread so far, so there are no spoilers in advising this leader pick.

[Catwalk]

The first 3 sound good, I'd stay away from Spiritual. Washington would be my top pick, solves early culture and happiness problems effectively.

[Gaspar]

I rate Bismarck right after Sury and even with Isabella of the non-Fin leaders. I know you've played as him before but that was an eternity ago. Cheap Granaries & cheap Forges are amazing. Forget abot the wonder doubling and focus on the forges.

[Twinkletoes89]

Curses! Should've picked Bizzle first in hindsight - especially as I just won my first ever SP Monarch game with the Bismarck of Maya combo!

Ah well Washington of Maya it is.

Time to strategise vaguely until the start is found!

[mackoti]

Ah well Washington of Maya it is.

If this map has alot of happines this is a very bad choise, if not its a strong one.
About bismark , yes indeed its very strong,i some games could be stronger then Darius for example.

[Commodore]

About bismark , yes indeed its very strong,i some games could be stronger then Darius for example.

[Commodore]

Here's your start, barring last-minute changes:

[Twinkletoes89]

Right... thoughts.

My first initial thought is to settle in place. There's nothing that really screams out at me to suggest moving will make things significantly better. There's plenty of forests and hills, but it is a little food weak and that worries me slightly.

The only other option is to move 1E and settle on the plains for a second food resource whilst staying on the river for health.

However, it has the downsides of losing quite a few forests from the BFC, the plains hill city hammer along with adding another peak to the BFC. The peaks would give some nice extra visibility for finding early strat resources but that's not exactly a huge bonus.

Thoughts, my cherished ded-lurkers?

[Catwalk]

I like plains hills a whole bunch Good thing we didn't gamble on Fishing

Plains hill start is a little bit more important since you're expansive, gives you that extra 25% hammer right away more easily. Settling elsewhere seems like a crazy gamble, I agree. Still, should probably move the warrior S first just to see what's down there. Is that coast or lake E of the sheep?

[Gaspar]

Pretty mediocre start, truth be told. SIP is pretty obvious, though there is no 2H tile to work to get us to 4H/turn to get the expansive bonus until we pop 2nd ring, which is a bit unfortunate. 1E is a bit stronger of a capital overall, but the PH plant is pretty important in a fast start.

Pretty clearly need Agriculture first (one of the things I don't love about Maya) while building a worker. Question after that is pretty simply whether to go towards Pottery to start getting cottages down/granaries in play or BW 2nd. With all those forests, I'd say BW pretty well has to be second.

Probably go Worker -> Warrior to grow -> Worker -> Settler (chopped) though obviously location of Bronze et al is important.

I'd completely ignore religion for now and don't let Chm + Myst start tempt you into thinking about Henge. Worry about getting the first 2 cities out and then reassess.

Some sandboxing would be helpful, but I'm too lazy to make them for my own games most of the time, so I'm surely too lazy to make one for yours. If you make one I'll play around with it.

I'm only half-arsedly paying attention - what's the difficulty level/map wrap? Monarch/mapmakers-discretion?