{Spoilers}Brian will write something interesting for Dave and lurkers to read

[Brian Shanahan]

So onto turn 4 our fifth turn. Not much to do bar explore. Here's what I found:


And the demographics to cap it off:


There hasn't been any change here since the rivers were sprung, bar the teams getting marks for their borders expanding. From the actual land scores (we've all got 16 tiles) I'm guessing everybody had identical starts and decided to plop down on the hill tile by the gold.

[DaveV]

Oh and one final think, I've updated the world builder save to start of the turn just played (with this turn's movements added in). Dave, if at all possible could you give a run over the world builder just to see that it's accurate to what we can see (for example the world builder has us starting right on top of Auric, which I know isn't going to happen in game). I'll sim out a good number of turns, probably tomorrow. My week is fairly hectic between being PRO, training and helping out the bingo for the GAA club and a course I'm doing for my local credit union. I've no problem with the game, but the ancilliaries are kind of on the back burner slightly.

I checked out the worldbuilder and noticed that the tech costs were a little off, which was due to the world size being Small instead of Standard. I fixed that, but haven't done a detailed terrain check yet. I'll try to get to that tonight.

[Brian Shanahan]

I checked out the worldbuilder and noticed that the tech costs were a little off, which was due to the world size being Small instead of Standard. I fixed that, but haven't done a detailed terrain check yet. I'll try to get to that tonight.

Thanks, this is my first try at building a proper worldbuilder save.

[DaveV]

Try this on for size. I kicked the Illians off the continent and onto a 2-tile island.

[Brian Shanahan]

Ok I played turn five last night but it was late so I didn't post. First thing happened was that my lightbringer got a case of dead, unfortunately it was incurable:

So no more eastward scouting for a while

My warrior continued south west for a while:


If I'm reading my promos right both barbs are held. Wonder what's behind door number 1?

And finally the demographics:


Turn six popped up this afternoon when I was in Limerick doing a bit of shopping so I only got to it a few minutes ago.

Not much to report:

Warrior went NW. Next turn he goes NE, and circles back to the inner light.

And demogs again:


I probably won't do any testing tonight, I had a two hour training session (long way from two years ago, when I definitely wouldn't have lasted) and have yet to have my tea (pronounced taaaaay). So I'm as hungry as the Cookie Monster on Easter Saturday after giving up cookies for lent.

[Brian Shanahan]

After a brief hiatus because Sian was ill. Hopefully I didn't push him while he was still ill this morning.

But anyway the save. My warrior moved NW>W this turn, because of desert abilities and found:


If you look at the name in the link that pretty much describes my feelings. Mucho, mucho 3/0/2 tiles before cottaging. BtS Fin here we come!
Edit: the tiles poking out of the fog in the west are also FPs, you can see that from the tile bleed if I took the screenshot closer in. So at least 11 flood plains to work with.

From the demogaphics we also learn something:


Sian learned a tech from his extra pop. I'm guessing it's agri, there's no point going anything else this early, especially if you've just popped rivers of blood. And of course no improvement in soldier score.

Also, you can see I learned agri too, calender next, get the worker out, get those farms up, get to settling.

[Brian Shanahan]

Ok I simmed thirty turns by Dave's test file. Given that the game essentially starts at turn 3 it's about 3 turns behind what we are playing.

My tech path was Agri (t10)>Calendar(t21)>Crafting(t30)>mining (1/3 done at t33). I think that's probably the best path early on, especially with the double wheat at the second city. Get the gold online quickly to power up our economy.

In that time I got two warriors and a settler (turn 31) built (settled on the double wheat site I picked out) and was more than half way to a second worker.

Here are some comparative shots:


As you can see with this set up I can get a massive food surplus going, before even doing anything about the cows, enough that I can rex fairly well at 3 to 4 pop.

And here's my first settlement:


Site was settled on turn 33. The farm was done on the turn I settled, allowing me to work a big surplus out the gate. This was due to getting a 12 turn settler at size three.

I think the path I chose is the best, followed up by AH and Exploration first for the cows and sheep that are within my city radii allowing me to do even more pop growth. I think capital for settler pump, with the second city for worker pump in the early game is the best plan.

There are two things I'm not sure on, should I reach west with my second settler for the juicy flood-plains by settling at the sheep/wheat/jumbo/cotton site, or should I settle more conservatively first and build up radially. Have to update the save and test that. And the other issue is; would growing to size four and farming the grass be a better gambit before going for the settler? I don't think so from guesstimation (for example the settler was 12 turns even before the second fp was farmed), but a sim would do no harm.

[DaveV]

There are two things I'm not sure on, should I reach west with my second settler for the juicy flood-plains by settling at the sheep/wheat/jumbo/cotton site, or should I settle more conservatively first and build up radially. Have to update the save and test that. And the other issue is; would growing to size four and farming the grass be a better gambit before going for the settler? I don't think so from guesstimation (for example the settler was 12 turns even before the second fp was farmed), but a sim would do no harm.

I think west looks good, because I don't see any amazing first ring cities elsewhere.

I don't like a monument as the first build in Timberling. Even at Monarch difficulty, three warriors for two cities is not enough (especially with the second city being on flat ground). My biggest mistake is usually putting hammers into buildings instead of units and settlers, so I see a big part of my job as preventing you from making that mistake.

Those floodplains may well be a border zone, though, so you might have to fight for them if you decide to settle there.

[darrelljs]

My biggest mistake is usually putting hammers into buildings instead of units and settlers, so I see a big part of my job as preventing you from making that mistake.

Me too . Except the part about helping Brian avoid that mistake...I'm just here for the fun.

Darrell

[Brian Shanahan]

I think west looks good, because I don't see any amazing first ring cities elsewhere.

I don't like a monument as the first build in Timberling. Even at Monarch difficulty, three warriors for two cities is not enough (especially with the second city being on flat ground). My biggest mistake is usually putting hammers into buildings instead of units and settlers, so I see a big part of my job as preventing you from making that mistake.

Those floodplains may well be a border zone, though, so you might have to fight for them if you decide to settle there.

Yeah I go monument first in too many of my SP games, where I can get away with it. Warriors and workers from the second city in the real game will be my early choices, get the tiles improved quick to bootstrap tech and production, after that we'll have interesting builds available.

Edit: I played the save last night, I'll put up the report tonight with today's turn. Didn't really do much (didn't know that the desert movement bonus of the Malakim doesn't count if there's an oasis on the tile).