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

[B4ndit]

I had very limited access to the internet for the last couple of days, that's why there wasn't any update.

Those improvements I think are windmills (sorry I forgot to check exactly). I was first to discover Hinduism Luckily it appeared in my second city instantly popping the borders! In demographics I'm first in GNP, 3rd in production first in food, 2nd in population, 3rd in soldiers. Overview:

Explored west. Amazing locations as in the south east but those jungles

My tech plans are discovering pottery -> monotheism, then revolt to organized religion, slavery and change state religion. Good question, If I will be lucky to get second religion, which one should be my state one? Later hunting for spearman.

In 5/6 turns I will have second settler ready in the capital, I was planning to send him south west (marked as "city 3") and third worker from the second city. After the settler I'm considering between axeman (at the moment I have two warriors) and granary. Second city will definitely go for granary.

[Catwalk]

Didn't you send a worker with your second city? That was a huge oversight, you're losing out on 3 food per turn from unimproved wheat! You will soon have 2 workers for 3 underdeveloped cities, that's a very bad balance. Or do you have 2 workers hanging out at your capital still? If so, much better balance and you're fine but it was a mistake to not send one to your new city. Hope you're fine with robust criticism

Very good job on landing a religion though, that's a great location for it I don't think the eastern desert hill is a good early plant now. You have a lot of cultural control in the area, giving you a great defensive border. He has little incentive to settling up close on you, having to battle a strong early cultural presence.

I'm thinking SW of your city 3 location for your next expansion. You get both cows and corn first ring, that's really important as it delays your need for a border pop significantly. You also pick up a 3/0/3 windmill tile, that's a great way to start a new city until you get your first tile improvement. Can you give me a new overview shot, zoomed out and centered on your capital with resource bubbles on? Also provide a demographics shot.

Lastly, you can't convert to a new religion and revolt to a new civic on the same turn. You will need an extra turn for that. Given that you already have two early luxuries, conversion is not that much of a priority IMO. I also wouldn't go to Monotheism next for that reason, I'd probably prioritize Writing => Mathematics. What are your tech options over the next 20 turns or so?

[B4ndit]

I didn't predict that religion will pop up in the second city, that's why I didn't direct there second worker (it had nothing to do there because I don't have pottery for cottages). Sending worker there is now pointless, because I will produce new worker in 2nd city only 1 turn slower, then travel time between capital.

I think I can agree with your assesment of the dessert hill.

I wanted state religion and organized civic for +25% production. I was thinking pottery -> monotheism -> hunting (spearmans) -> writing, but I'm open for suggestions

requested shots:

[Catwalk]

Actually you are correct about the worker situation, but specifically because you did get the religion there. Because of the pop, you got access to the free FP cottage, giving you two good tiles to work. Moreover, you could count on the religion landing there as the RNG favours non-palace cities over your palace city. I think the chance was at least 80%. So good job on that one too Very productive city, and great location for it. You will indeed get a worker there soon enough, so all is well.

I urge you to get Animal Husbandry next, knowledge of horses is useful for planning out your dotmap and you'll need it to pasture cows for your next city. Demos look great, but as expected there also other players with super city sites. Don't get careless, but this is a good start so far. You will want to pillage any tile improvements you come upon that you don't need btw, it gives you extra money to fuel your research.

[NobleHelium]

Religion will basically never spawn in your capital in a real game situation.

[B4ndit]

That's a very good tip Next turn I will have second settler ready, and my capital will start builidng axeman (granary after that). I will settle second city SW from "city 3" marker as Catwalk suggested. Where to put next cities? West looks promising, but there are a lot of jungles...

[B4ndit]

I think I might have a problem.

I don't know what should I do? The good thing is that we have signed open borders treaty and it can not be canceled in 5 turns (so he can not attack me sooner, rigth? that's crucial). Additionally I will have border expanding in 3 turns, so he can attack my second city after my 7th or 6th turn (depends when exactly he is able to declare war). I can build second warrior there in 2 turns and/or axeman in the capital in 3 turns (+ travel time, i think axeman can reach 2nd city on my 7th turn). So if he can declare war after my 5th turn and go straight for my city, he will reach my second city 1 turn before my axeman. That would mean, that I need second warrior in this city, but in the end, everything should be under control?

Hopefully this axeman will just pass by and nothing will happen. Nevertheless I will better start producing charriots

[SevenSpirits]

I don't know what should I do? The good thing is that we have signed open borders treaty and it can not be canceled in 5 turns (so he can not attack me sooner, rigth? that's crucial).

Having deals (even recent ones) doesn't stop one from declaring war. The only time you can't declare war is when you have a "Peace Treaty (10 Turns)" from signing peace. Sounds like this is bad news for you, sorry if so.

[B4ndit]

Good game if so

In that case, my best hope is trying to whip two warriors, but I doubt it will be possible. If I convert immediately to slavery he will be 2SE next turn. With right population amount maybe I could whip two warriors? Not sure if that's possible. How much hummers will give me one whip? Probably after first whip my city will grow back to 2 population once he reaches 1SE? That would means, that theoretically I could whip 2 pop before his attack?

[Catwalk]

I'm afraid we're screwed I don't think we played badly either, sending an axe out this fast is unusual. That said, we did settle far from our capital (for good reason) and maybe we should have seen this coming. All we can hope for is that he decides against invading, and I can't imagine he won't take advantage of the situation. We will want to get ready to take the city back immediately, both because it's so valuable and because we can't afford AT having a strong city right on our border. Given how valuable it is, he may try to keep it rather than raze it (which would be the typical thing to do). So I suggest that we produce two axes to march on the city ASAP, hoping we can take it back before he manages to reinforce it. This is very bad for us, but don't give up!

This is the kind of situation where I'd prefer full diplo on. We might be able to make concessions to him, which is potentially more valuable to both of us than either seeing the city razed or getting into an early war over it. Let's cross our fingers that AT decides to take mercy on us, but don't have high hopes that he will. I guess the right play was to build an axe instead of the second settler, we did play a bit of a farmer's gambit here. But I think that's mostly hindsight, in most cases you would have gotten away with it.