Epic 12 - mostly_harmless Mongols race to space

[mostly_harmless]

Hi,
a very fun game. My report.

Summary: Space victory in 1908AD.
EDIT: After reading 4 other reports, I want to point out: I did not rush Asoka!

[Kylearan]

Hi,

Hüngenümpft, that was a very nice game! Your first real try at Emperor, and already winning this difficult scenario? Well done!

I found it very interesting how long you expanded peacefully in these barren lands before taking military action. I wouldn't have believed for this to be possible. And you managed to do what T-hawk and I failed at: You got Liberalism first!

Congrats on a well-played game!

-Kylearan

[mostly_harmless]

Thanks.
The Great Library provided lots of Great Scientists for lightbulbing. I think going for the marble with the second city and therefore getting a chance on Great Library and early Taj Mahal was the key event in my game.
Also I could not have handled a religious situation like in T-Hawk's game.
mh

[uberfish]

Nice strategy going for the marble to build wonders, you avoided the early axe/sword rush most of us considered to be the standard play (overestimating the Emperor AI maybe?), kept your economy afloat and got a bunch of useful trades out of Asoka instead, and won convincingly anyway.

[darrelljs]

Congrats on your new daugther ...first child? That game certainly wasn't what I expected. It really is impressive you were able to keep up with just those three cities utnil 515 A.D. I think one distinction between you and Swiss Pauli (who also tried a peaceful start) was your ability to declare on one AI and not have to worry too much about the other dogpiling you (and even having the option to bring them in if needed).



Darrell

[sunrise089]

Very good play Mostly_Harmless. You managed the Great Library that several others passed on, which was a good play. I was also impressed of your win following such a peaceful early game.

You and I occasionally have pretty similar results, so actually I wish I had played the game as well. Honestly, considering the AIs and their land, this game might have been a bit easier than normal Emperor, not harder.

PS - Best reason to have to start cutting your report short ever.

[T-hawk]

I agree - very impressive to pull that off by starting as a builder instead of rushing! Of course, that was made possible by Huayna and Asoka going to war. Your Turfan border location wouldn't have been available as late as 215 BC if those two had stayed peaceful. You also had a good break later with Mansa losing to Alex; in most other games Mansa became the tech leader. (Good break for your victory chances; not so good for finish date as it costs you a trading partner, but this game is unscored.)

BTW, you mention that the Kashi was captured intact; shrines are world wonders and are never destroyed upon conquest.

[mostly_harmless]

I only have time to play the odd RB event, so I never did a chop rush as it is a bit frowned upon here. I don't have the experience to judge Asoka as the pushover AI with normally weak military. So I treated both AIs with respect, playing on emperor which is at least one level above my abilities. After reading Sullas initial comments about running 30 tests, I thought that HP and Asoka going into a religious conflict was "designed" and the only way for the human to get a chance with this starting point.
I stand corrected of course seeing so many reports starting with "Of course rushing Asoka is the only viable strategy ...".
mh

[mostly_harmless]

I have to take the report offline for a while, since the webspace host is bitching about traffic. I will look into alternatives soon.
mh