RB Pitboss #1 SPOILERS - Mansa Musa of Spain

[sunrise089]

Ok, so let me quickly discuss my enemies in this game, and then my opening strategy (before seeing the map).



*shadyforce - Willem (Cre/Fin) / Persia
--> Willem is probably the best leader in BtS, and Persia is a great early rush civ (though not as good as Zulu or the not-present Egypt).
*Broker33 - Zara (Cre/Org) / Holy Roman Empire
--> I have fond feeling towards Zara because of the demogame, but Cre/Org isn't the strongest economic paring, though it isn't bad. HRE has great synergy though, and if ancient UUs keep the Imp teams from expanding too much early Broker could be well placed for mid-game expansion.
*regoarrarr + Danski - Hatty (Cre/Spi) / India
--> Hatty is my favorite leader to play, because it requires essentially no micro - every resource can be hooked up and civic swaps are free. India is also very strong, with the best UU overall in the game.
*Krill + memphus - Joao (Exp/Imp) / Inca
-->This is the top expansion tech paring. However against human opponents I think it's better to have stronger cities than more cities if you have weak power. Of course, if the SP crown won't declare on anyone then the Imp teams may be able to out-settle everyone else. On the civ front I don't think quechuas will offer a lot, but the UB provides the Creative trait pretty much for free...as if there wasn't enough early culture in this game
*dsplaisted + Fenton Denton Smith - Suryavarman II (Cre/Exp) / Mali
*Dreylin + kalin - Catherine (Cre/Imp) / Sumeria
-->This is the second best expansion pair...hopefully this team, Krill's, and Imhotep's will all spawn next to one another Sumeria is probably a poor choice, at least for the UU. Without Aggressive Vultures are worse than axemen.
*mostly_harmless + Kodii - Louis (Cre/Ind) / Byzantium
-->The only Industrious civ, which makes the trait much better. Indy's value is inversely correlated to the nunber of Indy civs. Byzantium has the most overpowered unit in the game, so any Guilds-era wars will be tough on M_H and Kodii's enemies.
*Imhotep - Genghis Khan Temujin (Agg/Imp) / Zulu
-->People better be on their guard here. Aggressive Zulu is not to be trifled with. On the other hand, Agg does nothing for the economy, and Imperialistic isn't too great if your neighbors will call you on a paper military.
*sunrise089 - Mansa Musa (Fin/Spi) / Spain
-->Nice pick! ()
*Ruff - Kublai Khan (Agg/Cre) / Rome
-->Aggressive Rome...scary! MP teaches us that there is no real counter to agg Rome, but at least I should have some warning since Praets are a few techs in.
*ZPVCSPLFUIFDPEF - Washington (Chm/Exp) / Carthage
-->This is a big rush combo as well. MP guys know Chm/Exp is the best rushing combo for mounted units. I'm glad ZPV didn't take Egypt or Persia, that's for sure. The big rush defense is horse archers, since Nunidian Cavalry units are only strength 5, so I may want to get HAs sooner rather than later is ZPV is a neighbor and has high power. After the early game Charismatic is a weak trait, and all else being equal my traits should allow me to keep ahead in tech.
________

Now as for my strategy - I only have two ideas at present.

First, I'm praying for a coast, lake, or Oasis tile at the start. You've probably noticed many of the other civs start with Mystacism. But I'm the only civ to have Mystacism and Fishing, plus I'm financial. So I'm 100% guaranteed a religion if I have a 2-commerce tile at my start. I think a religion will be extra valuable in this game, first because of its relative rarity, and second because as a spiritual civ I can leverage religion better.

In fact, my early strategy is to nullify the other teams' selection of Creative leaders by getting a religion and Stonehenge. I plan to start 'Henge right away and research Polytheism and then Organized Religion early, hopefully getting the 25% production bonus to try to keep up with the Industrious civ.

Second, in the late game I want to leverage my Spiritual trait a lot. I plan to switch between Nationhood+slavery+theocracy and Bureaucracy+serfdom+organized religion/pacifism. I think the lack of Spiritual traits will hurt many of the other teams in the late game - nothing makes it easier to adapt to the needs of the moment than does Spiritual.

[sooooo]

Mansa is probably my favourite leader, but what's the reason behind Spain? The starting techs?

Probably if I were playing I'd have done what Krill/Memphis did: Chose Inca because it's a free trait (creative), then chose any expansive leader on the way back. Not sure why they chose John II though, I would have been tempted by Pacal or Isabella.

[Sullla]

Spain is one of the most popular MP civs for Medieval/Renaissance starts. The Conquistador is better than most people believe, and the unique building isn't bad either. Plus, sunrise already explained about the opening strategy with "Spain on a Lake + Financial".

[sunrise089]

The known world:


My post got deleted, but the gist of it was that I'm happy with my cap and my happy resources, have a good potential coastal spot to the east, and think the best plan is to grow to size 2 and then build a worker.

Tech plan is poly, agriculture, and hunting/mining+bronze working.

Build order is henge, interrupt for a worker, and back to henge.

Operation: Polytheism is going well, though I will loose the race if someone else starts next to an oasis tile. Otherwise I win.

The following is from Sullla, after he hacked my post

The capital is good, though not amazing.

That's always my goal, so if that's the reaction I'm getting, I've probably done my job right.

I'm thoroughly spoilered on this one, so my only comment will be expressing amusement at the MP veteran picking an early tech path that doesn't include Bronze Working at all. Good luck.

[Sullla]

Whoops. Apparently I edited sunrise's post rather than replying to it, wiping it out in the process. That's not what I intended to do...

Err... sorry about that...

[sunrise089]

That's always my goal, so if that's the reaction I'm getting, I've probably done my job right.

I'm thoroughly spoilered on this one, so my only comment will be expressing amusement at the MP veteran picking an early tech path that doesn't include Bronze Working at all. Good luck.

I thought about going Bronze early, but not having mining makes it a tougher prospect than in a MP game. I may very well change my mind and grab Bronze after Ag, but if I go straight for it now I'll have no improved tiles for a long time.

[sunrise089]

More exploration and more jungle. I plan to move the warrior in a small arc towards the northwest and then back home. Still working the 2/1/1 elephant tile, Poly due in 11.

[haphazard1]

Thanks for posting your thoughts on the other teams' civ/leader choices, as well as your own reasoning and plans. Helps us readers/lurkers to understand your thought processes.

Good luck.

[sunrise089]

More jungle.



I did decide to send the scouting warrior east and then north rather than west and then north, mainly because I think I will scout the water tiles a bit more, and I'd like to find out a bit about the shape of the coastline.

[sunrise089]

Cool - the land to the S/SE hits the coast as well. Since I doubt Sullla screwed any one civ over in total land available, this suggests the land me my east is a peninsula that can be settled after I secure land towards my westward neighbor. Of course, with all those green tiles in a rice city and a clams city it will be tempting to settle east anyways.

Question for lurkers: what formula do you guys use to decide whether to settle a city on the coast or not if there are no seafood resources present? For example, I could settle the grassland hill 1N of the newly discovered dyes for a city with no overlap and no water tiles. I could also plant 1S of the new rice tile, picking up 6 water tiles, but gaining better trade routes and early 3-commerce tiles. I'm sure 2-3 water tiles are worthwhile, but how many is too many with a financial leader?