[SPOILERS] B4ndit's thread (Darius of Ottomans)

[Catwalk]

Which pros and cons do you see? Make sure to explore west and south with your warrior in a few turns.

[B4ndit]

My proposal:

2nd city 1N from the oasis
3rd city hill 1SW from flood plains wheet

Compared to your 1SE from oasis:

pros:
+ 2nd city closer to the capital, still very good, with 4 flood plains (ONE ALREADY WITH VILLAGE) and with wheat and with oasis, with two hills for mines
+ 3rd city not that far away and also very good. Many river tiles, 4 flood plains (one with wheat), two hills in city range.
+ 3rd city is on the hill, so very nice border city (enemy capital 8 tiles to the south)
+ both costal cities
cons:
- your 2nd city is a little bit better (irrigated flood plains wheat instead of plains non irrigated) + plains gold + more river tiles
neutral:
? your proposal leave more space for another city between your 2nd city and the capital

I am also considering 3rd city 1S from Incense (on desert hill), with 7 flood plains (one with wheat), gold, incense, lot of rivers, and one hamlet. But this location is two tiles away further from the capital and probably two tiles closer to Eastway's capital (his scout is traveling from east to west).

Very much depends on the bronze working. Besides, planing 3rd city so early is a little bit risky. A lot can change (someone can settle there before me). Also as you have pointed out, I must explore west and south. Although southern east looks amazing IMO with all those rivers and flood plains.

I really can not understand those built in improvements. Is that normal on multiplayer maps being played at Realms Beyond? Is that normal practice? Does it have some logical balancing explanation?

[Catwalk]

I want to stress the point about cramming your cities really tightly together when you're FIN and have lands this rich in food around you. With a worse economic leader and drier lands in the vicinity, you want to pick the best cherries instead. Here is what the filler cities would look like with my preferred placement for city #2:

The black and white circles eliminate a large number of city locations, all of which are very productive filler cities. I advise against settling your third city that far away, already our second location is quite far away. Are you familiar with the advantages of tile sharing?

Pre-built tile improvements are a recent invention at RB, I believe Seven is a fan of them. Their purpose is to provide opportunities for a little bit of extra gold from exploring warriors, as well as spice up settlement decisions slightly. They shouldn't have any major impact on gameplay. What's more interesting is that resources can be put on unnatural locations, such as the FP wheat and the plains oasis. There's also a plains grass wheat tile, 2/2/1 without improvements.

I'm guessing purple player will settle on the desert hill by the oasis. That makes your proposed city on the desert hill S of the spices a good location, although I'd still settle at least one city south or west of your capital.

[B4ndit]

I see your point and I think you convinced me about 2nd city location (1SE from oasis).

Interestingly save got back to me in less then 2 hours and we now know where the bronze is:

We have bronze in the capital, apparently as any other player in the game. Second bronze is in the range of my proposed 3rd city (1SE from desert hill). I'm really tempted with rushing for this desert hill... In the mean time my scout will finish round trip around that inner sea exploring terrains to the south from the capital. Maybe it will reveal some other interesting map locations.

[Catwalk]

I don't think rushing for the desert hill is wise. Bronze is not important at all now that you have it on your capital tile, you are all but certain not to lose copper access now. If anything, I'd look into a plan to land an early religion for your expansion. With gold and gems online early, city #2 is an unrivaled powerhouse. I just checked in the world builder that you'll be getting crazy 8/1/1 from flood plains wheat! EDIT: Nope, it's still 7/0/1.

What is your current tech plan? Also, did you decide against building a warrior? Your last screenshot had one being built, this one shows a settler being produced with no food in the box. Don't waste times on roads now, speed up your settler with chops instead. I know we said chops weren't the best, but with a site this valuable hammers also become more valuable.

[B4ndit]

Bronze added more hammers for this desert hill city. With bronze, gold, incense, 6 flood plains (two shared with 2nd city) I really think that would be a killer city.

I was thinking maybe about pottery, but early religion might be better option. Would you go for mysticism and later what? I have completely no experience with multiplayer race towards religions.

I will have settler ready in 3 (or 2?) turns, so chopping won't speed it up. I could get warrior after next 4 turns or axeman in 8 turns (probably faster because capital would grow before). On this previous screenshot I was just checking production speed. Maybe after settler I will chop down warrior and overflow next worker and then axeman? Second city could start with settler for example. Or a little bit less settler aggressive optionL capital military unit (chop) -> workboat (chop) and second city starts with worker? By the way, with copper in the capital warriors are pretty useless units besides cheap scouting and garrisoning unit. I think I should get produce one axeman quickly.

[B4ndit]

So here is the big picture. Settler is on the way. 2nd city 1E from the oasis? 3rd city maybe south west from the capital, 1E from the Corn (2N from cows)? Nevertheless I'm still tempted for 4th city on the desert hill.

Other plans: I'll let capital grow with the warrior, then chop worker, then workboat.

[Catwalk]

Which tile improvements are down south?

[B4ndit]

What do you mean?

[Catwalk]

I see 4 little buildings to the south on different tiles. Which improvements are they?