Adventure 9 - blid's report

[blid]

First action, all 5 pop cities got emphasize food. Seville is the best performer and will grow in 3 turns

On the diplomatic field, we don't use a state religion yet and we better stay this way

On the tech side, there is a joke. The former governor didn't research mining. Start on that already

The land is somewhat scarce of calendar resources. The only one I am seeing is a sugar. I take global view and see gold in the north. Great, zoom out and discover it is arabian. Grrrrrr. Seems like Sally had fun with barbs. Sakae is not an arabian city AFAIK

I also open city screen, scroll through them all and order granaries nrealy everywhere

We have horses, nice to build some conquistadors. And food, mucho food. There is an opportunity to make good production powerhouses

I pick three units and send them on exploring duty. Our maps are quite outdated and some tiles are still foggy

Check complete. Press enter

The worker prototype is ordered in Seville and Barcelona starts its worker next. There is great commotion in the empire. Our people have all heard rumors of inventions created in the neighbouring countries such as farms, pasture and mines.


On the religious field, the first noticeable event is Hatty who got an ally by converting Qin to Buddhism. Chritsianity falls to Saladin and he converts to theocraty. I am not feeling confident with such a nuts neighbour

JC comes asking for this.




Liz managed to get 3 cities and got hemmed in. So I obliged. JC is far but no need to make him an enemy for now

I meet the last civ, Mansa Musa and he is already complaining about us trading with his worst enemy : seems like Sally is the culprit

And now here is our first improvement : a cottage on the flood plain. a bit classic ? bah




Saladin is lending us a hand for building roads . Seems like he wants to connect his northern city. At least something positive about this gold robbery




Sally also manages to take yet another barb city. What is he doing far from his lands ?




I just got mining. I am loosing money at 0% science but I have a worker near the gold mine. This should get me to green land




I sure need to hire some scientists. I was hesitating to research alphabet or go bronzeworking first to get some serious defense waiting for other civs to research alphabet. But I thought that I would have nothing to deal with the advanced civs anyway so better try for alphabet and see if some backward civ has something to offer for it

Sally came asking me to convert to judaism. Of course, buddy. He was cautious and I already have some border tensions. If he decides to attack now, I am toast.




I thought that a workboat can help with the exploring. He had a very short life ...




Madrid and Cordoba have so many forests that I find myself cursing them for the first time. Madrid even managed to get a new forest grown. I need to build mines and some cottages along the river

I got back to no state religion once I could. With the buddhist Hatty and Qin around, I'd better stay neutral. Hatty was pleased and I asked her gently for Bronze Working and she gave me. Too bad I didn't ask on first chance. She is the only one with alphabet yet some turns later alphabet was spread all around. This is the tech screen one turn before I discover alphabet myself




Only 2 civs still lack it (JC and Qin). Phhhbt. If I can get maths and IW with this, I would call myself lucky. Well, in 820 AD I discover alphabet and I traded for maths and metal casting which is better than I hoped. JC didn't have monarchy which helped a lot

Next turn, I used metal casting to grab very useful techs








That was a very favourable situation for tech trading. With the new trade routes, economy is even at 50%. I am also expecting a great scientist on the next turn, gimme taoism

And now, some of the times when CIV can take you down from a very favourable situation into deep trouble. First thing, I hear news a of a guy named Plato born IAFAL. I pressed enter crossing my finger and hoping that this plato would go to a civ who don't know Code Of Laws

No way, I sure hear the damn sound : Taoism found by Liz and missed by 1 turn
Now you would say hold yourself, this is not the end of the world (euh game). But I hear another sound, this one is more creepy : H.O.R.N. B.L.O.W

[blid]

The most powerful AI at the time, my dear neighbour Saladin wants to chew some spanish. Must have been neglecting my military :




Isn't this how Sirian left us or a bit less. Hey weren't we supposed to build workers and copper was just hooked a few turns ago... Bah, stop arguing, you are ranked last in power, who do you think Sally would go after ?

It is true I didn't make army but I made a scientist. Philo, even if it didn't gave me taoism still served as trading material. I took feudalism from Mansa for philo and turned off the research to upgrade some archers. I'd better have some decent defenses up




Maybe a war ally can be useful too




Sally started the war timidly, like he was not really prepared and now that Hatty is involved in war, he may never bring serious stacks. I finish my forges first then start building some cats. I am researching civil service and intend to attack once I get the maces. No point to waste units against Sally longbows. I also switch to vassalage to get some experienced guys

Checking my empire, I see a few buddhist cities. Qin, JC and Hatty are buddhist. The only risk is loosing the trading possibilities with Liz. Oh well convert already. This pays immediately. I asked Hatty for HBR and she obliged. I need some HA to deal with sally pillagers

I am glad Hatty got involved in the war. Dealing with arabian maces pillaging my villages with no units to encounter them is not a pleasant situation I guess

I finally get civil service in 1100 AD. Switch to bureaucracy and dial Hatty. She is the only civ lacking civil service and willing to trade with me. Also giving her maces for her war against Sally seems a good option
Qin and JC are already in WFYABTA.




Now, with my maces and crossbows, I can fight Sally on equal ground. I go to paper after civil service financing it sporadicaly while upgrading some archers into longbowmen and crossbows.

War was going for a while and I only had to deal with some pillagers until now. And finally, some serious arabian stacks appear




All in all, there was about 15 units there. Honestly, I was surprised that he managed to show up with so many units. After all, he was in war with Hatty too. Guess their war consisted of pillaging with horse archers. Hatty did raze Sarmatian though, the former barb city in the east

I had decent defenses in Toledo and money to upgrade more archers. After some massive suiciding, Sally is willing to take some bakchich and stop the war. Don't have change to spare sir




Hatty signs peace with Sally. Seems like she was suffering war wariness. And it is my time to go on the offensive. I raze this city of Sally. Too bad a location and I have better plans.




We are definitely enemies now but I don't feel like taking the war to arabian lands. I am feeling peaceful somewhat so I sign peace getting literature in the transaction.




This transaction came up with an unexpected bonus too : circumavigation (if you didn't notice, there was a world map in the peace ransom above)




Settlers were waiting next to Sakae ruins to build 2 new shiny towns. The golden desert (Murcia) right where the selectionned settler is standing




and a whaling city, Valencia




Now that peace is signed, I send some spare units to the eastern front. There is Qin there and pleased or not, this nuts fellow is not to be trusted. Also, I delete some outdated units like warriors and axes to save money


During this peaceul time, I tried for the hanging gardens but Liz beat me to it by 3 turns. This is rude, after the taoism thingy. She wants a fight or what ?

On the tech field, Sally has gunpowder, guilds and engineering above me. Now do you think he is a warmonger ?
I keep my peaceful tech path, get education in 1330 AD, start some universities and head for liberalism. At this time, I realize I am still running paganism. Switch to OR already. Do you think univerisites get built up by themselves ?

Someone came and tells us we are ranked 5th in power. I guess I need to build some fresh troops

Liberalism is in




Only Hatty was competing potentially, that is if she didn't went economics way (she was chasing liberalism actually). AI seems to prefer the free merchant to the free tech sometimes. I chose astro for its trading value. I am also heading for scientific method after that
I traded with Liz for guilds to churn out some conquistadors. I am aching to go cut Sally head but if he leaves me alone, I'd rather tech peacefully.

Now you won't expect cities to be size 3 in 1400 AD. Let's chain irrigation and abandon the gold temporarily to let Santaigo grow a bit




A useless wonder I got since no AI bothered about it




Mansa Musa has classfied me as his worst enemy since I refused some insane demand (don't remember what). Loosing trade opportunities with Mansa is not something I am willing to. I got a plan

Qin don't want to trade because of WFYABTA. So, first action to take is gift Qin liberalism. Giving gifts to financial bast**** is somehow painful but whatever. He is now friendly

Time to make some trades out of astronomy.




I get replacable parts from Qin, nationalism from Hatty and economics from Liz.

Then some civic changes : I switch to free speech (yes, finally those late cottages have turned into towns) and free market. I am staying in Hereditary rule which is far better than representation for me. I am not running many specialists and some cities are using massive military police

Now that I run free market, Mansa is willing to trade again. Plan executed

[blid]

After I got scientific method, Hatty came asking for it, the only tech I am leading with. I was about to refuse but I misclicked and gave it to her. I was going to reload but then thought I'd rather keep it like this. I now have something like +22 with Hatty, I never managed to get that friendly with a civ before I think




I did ask for some money to balance it somewhat, this money is enough to complete research of physics at 100% science. JC also came asking for printing press and I gave him. He is so backward I feel sorry for him

Someone else made rather insulting demands




Sure man, I converted once but don't make it a habit. After physics, I made a detour to chemistry. Saladin is not to be trusted. If he makes a sneak attack with rifles, I'd like to have a counter attack. I kept aligning conquistadors for power graph show but they won't stand against rifles.

Just after I wrote those lines, Saladin adopts vassalge. I check the trade screen and he "has enough on his hands". My intuition was right. I am of course his worst enemy, but Mansa, Liz and JC are weaker than me on power graph. We'll see how this is going to turn out. I will hate going to war with this asshole when the other tech happy are running away. Even Hatty is doing very well, must be her shrine. Buddhism is popular. I will switch research off after chemistry though

I was waiting for a scientist thinking he would research electricity but it seems he prefers biology. I decide for building a late academy. I am going for space probably. Diplo is compromised since Hatty would probably be my opponent. JC is now cautious because I traded with Liz. I was forced to do so, you piece of shit head since you branded the WFYABTA slogan back in the 1000 ADs. He is paying for that BTW, he is so backward that he can't be a threat anymore

I adopt theocraty while churning grenadiers. The important infra is already built up and I need some experienced guys to wipe out Sally of this world if he dares to declare war

A few turns later, Sally comes asking for copper. I gave it to him since he already has iron. For 10 turns that is. If I can avoid the war then I'd rather do

Ehhmm, no can do. Sally is really pissed and declares 3 turns after the copper deal. I hate this as it would delay my space ship launch. Must live with it though. First thing, Hatty must get in the war. She won't go for the sake of our friendship so I bribe her with Physics and take Mil tradition in the transaction.




I trade for democracy with Liz to cope with emancipation penalty if it turns out really bad and trade for rifles with Mansa. I upgrade a bunch of units to cavalry and rifles. I also delaye electricity and go for steel. Saladin must pay

This time again, Sally starts the war by sending pillager cavs. I didn't have enough rifles to deal with them so I got some farms destroyed on the borders. Saladin must pay

In what it seems like the best mutual attack I managed with an ally civ ever, Hatty cats did the bombing, her units made some damage to Damascus guys and when my turn comes, Baghdad falls




Good to have a coastal city south for logistics. Thanks Hatty for doing all the job. Well, I had the exact number of units needed to take the city (7 or 8) and they all won since defenders were wounded

Check out this power graph. Saladin must pay




During this war, JC declares on Liz. She is more advanced than him, what is he thinking? Anyway, the next arabian city to fall is Damascus. From this picture, something is clear. Medina and Basra can't stay arabian. I am not wiling to take more cities, so they shall be razed




After electricity, I went for biology. I don't want to wait for some AI to get it and trade for it as this is a must have booster tech at this stage of the game

I underestimated Sally and left Damascus lightly defended so it got promptly taken back by arabian cavs. The destrcution of Basra shall wait and my stack got back to retake Damascus. Don't care about the rebuilt culture since cavs can't use defense bonuses

Electricity got me artillery from Mansa and steam power from Hatty. That is fair enough

Medina is the next city to fall. It got promptly razed. You can see that there are not many improvements left




WW is striking. I was up to 20% lux then back to 10% when I got biology to avoid starving my cities. After bio, I headed for rocketry

While going for Basra, massive pillaging of arabian lands is undergone

I asked JC to stop the war against Liz. She was a good trading partner and I was also hoping he'd go against Sally once he stops the war with Liz but I found he wouldn't at cautious because he don't like me enough




Basra falls next. I switch to free religion. The experience points are not needed anymore. MM came asking for biology for free. No can do my friend. This is not possible. A great merchant went to china for a 2100 gold super trade mission

Here is the tech situation 1 turn before I discover rocketry.




And the last act of the arabian campaign :




Mecca, the arabian capital got razed. Sally is kinda furious. I razed his capital, one holy city and a couple other cities... Now just another turn of pillaging and I should leave him live ... miserably. Don't hink he will think of attacking again

Now, this trade may look a little bit cocky




But I am feeling confident because of this graph




I and Hatty are both facing WW but I haven't built any railroads yet.

After rocketry, I go for radio, hoping that some AI would research assembly line. Appolo program was started in Cordoba, the heroic epic city. Hatty is still at war with Sally even though I signed peace. She is enjoying pillaging everything to the ground. I can get combustion from Hatty for biology, but I shall wait until other AIs discover it to pay cheaper price

I notice something playing in my favour. Qin is annoyed with Hatty and won't trade with her so they are mainly researching the same techs. Since he won't trade with me too for WFYABTA, this is actually playing to my advantage. Mansa is somewhat lagging behind. He has communism above me and this is not something I am willing to trade for right now

[blid]

Hatty managed to take the new arbaian capital, Najran, then took another city. Wouldn't have thought her to go that far. Sally is reduced to one city. Even if Hatty signs peace now, I am not sure about JC staying calm. He can't resist the sight of weakness

Who would have thought that. While I am teching up, Hatty is still in war with Sally. She sure must have a hell of a damn of WW figures but she won't stop. I was teching away and wondermongering too ...




Unlike angkor wat, this one has some uses. I am switching out of hereditary rule for universal suffrage to get more production and I need all available happiness for the end game. Once finished with Broadway, capital can start a factory. Dial Hatty and get assembly line.




You can see that I am 2 turns from completing computers, I head for industrialism after that. Gimme me aluminium

On an anecodtic side, Mansa declared on Saladin. He will land a hand to Hatty to destroy arabia. How brave of him

I sent another merchant to Nanjing. This time it earns us 2300 gold. With little luck, I may keep the 100% science until the end of game. I am helping too with selling resources and techs

After industrialism, I go for plastics. We have only one source of alu on a desert hill. Do resources still get exhausted like in civ 3? Can't remember it happening

Hatty came asking me to join the war with Saladin. I gladly accept and the same turn Mansa takes the last arabian city. Way to make positive attitudes for free. With the war finished, I sign a defensive pact with Hatty. Anybody sane of spirit would not dare attack the super power, right ?

Now let's get back to our main business. More enjoyment for the spanish people



Appolo is finished in 1866 AD




An intense cultural struggle for the dyes was in place here. Hermitage in Toledo and Broadway in Madrid made the difference. We were trading those dyes with Hatty anyway but now we shall get them for free




Now take a look at Thebes (yes, we got a spy)




The mahabodi sure is giving a good commerce base. Hatty don't know but those hammers invested in the eiffel tower would turn into money the next turn. We have rock n'roll so we need to broadcast our hit singles




Nothing much really is happening at this stage of the game. So I am playing with my spies a bit. Check Mansa doing some insane specialist economy experiences




2 scientists got burned on fiber optics and fission. I am heading for fusion right now. Heroic epic/west point city, Cordoba, is building some mech inf and tanks for show. Hatty power is sky rocketing, so with our DP, there is no real threat from the other AIs

I was playing the ecologist and built only a coal plant or 2. Qin is feeling kinda cheated with this :




You can say that I went wonder maniac, but if there was one wonder not to miss, it's this one :




Pressing enter randomly, a message woke me up saying defensive pact with Hatty is cancelled. What the heck ? I go check and DP is not available in the trading screen. A few seconds later, the horn blew and Hatty declares on ... Qin. That must be a bloody war. I am not messing with that. Qin is busy now. Liz and Mansa are friendly with me. JC is completely out of the tech race. Cordoba is still building military anyway.

Now that Mansa and Liz are friendly, and Qin is at war with Hatty, I thought I could get their votes. The engineer from fusion was burnt on the UN and I got it built in 2-3 turns

Now look what became of the former arabian lands. A mosaic of civs




Hatty didn't get any votes in the elections of the secretary general




Mind, I did this since I couldn't see any use for the engineer. I really thought Qin would abstain since he was only pleased and I pissed him with the trades I made with Mansa Musa. But when the first vote is up, I have this surprise




My opponent is no more Hatty, It is Qin. Again, the messages fall and I understand what's happening. Two egyptian cities fell to Qin in the north. What was Hatty thinking declaring war and leaving her cities unprotected? In fact she sent her SODs to attack new crappy chinese colonies in the former arabia. Those were weaker targets of course but she left her core vulnerable and Qin got the population points necessary to get second position. Not that I am complaining. I am against Qin with 3 friendly civs : Hatty, Mansa and Liz. It is in the pocket. So I take a screenshot of my cities before pressing enter. A fair amount of research was generated there




And sure enough, I get the necessary votes in 1924 AD




When viewing the replay, I saw this funny declaration on a lost civ




My cities were geared towards productions




The non-linearity in the end is due to Three Gorges Dam I think. I had no golden age. Scientists lightbulbed techs and merchants went on trade missions. I had another merchant who would have allowed me to finish the space race at 100% science. I reloaded a save and avoided diplo win just to see when I could get the space launch and I had it in 1937. No one bothered with flight so astronomers went to Mars without seeing a plane, ever ...

[sooooo]

Nice game. I thought you were dead as the dodo when Saladin declared on you and you showed the screenshot of the military advisor. But you dealt out some well-deserved retribution.

[regoarrarr]

Very nice. In my game it was Hatty (not Saladin) that captured that eastern barb city

[Iustus]

Nice game. Wow, what a difference 100 years make.

I chose just about the same tech path and trading alphabet plan that you did early on. But while you finished alphabet, did some trades and then war broke out in 860 AD, war was declared on me at 760 AD, 5 turns before I finished Alphabet.

This left me with a war that lasted nearly 1000 years where I was using chariots and archers to fight back much more advanced civs.

Looking at your game, if only I had made 5 more turns, I could have traded alphabet and monarchy for some nice techs and I would have been able to end the coming war so much sooner.

-Iustus