Thank you to Arathorn for setting up this fun scenario. I apologize for the lack of screenshots, but I have to go to sleep, so Iâll take some screenshots tomorrow night.
Executive Summary: This was a typical builderâs game that ended with a launch in 1842. (The earliest Iâve ever launched.)
Pregame Thoughts.
Considering that Adventure 2 was supposedly "too easy" and Arathorn is one of the top players, I was very worried about things he might do to make this scenario harder. Would he put us on a continent with all aggressive civs, while all peaceful civs are happily researching on another continent? Would he surround our starting location by miles of empty desert?
On a more serious note, in addition to obvious disadvantage of later start of tech trading, lack of Alphabet would cause following problems:
1. Inability to build research.
2. Inability to build theaters.
3. Inability to use culture slider.
4. Inability to build Heroic Epic and West Point.
5. Inability to build National Epic, train Cavalry and do a couple other things I almost never do anyway.
6. Inability to build Great Library.
Problem 1 would mean that I have to be even more careful in the balance of research v. production, because I will not have the option of direct production -> research conversion. In all of my previous spaceship games, I found myself with too much production, having to wait a few turns in the end while last techs are being researched. So this game, I'll push research even more aggressively, perhaps even chopping down some forests in favor of cottages. (Building wealth is still an option, but that's a lot less flexible, because there is nothing to do with extra cash when you are at 100% research already.)
Problem 2 is neutralized by the fact that Egyptians are creative. (automatic culture in new cities) And lack of culture slider makes theaters far less useful for combatting WW.
Problem 3 is the biggest challenge to military expansion. I tend to rely exclusively on culture slider to combat WW. So lack of this slider will completely kill late-game offensive warfare. (WW tends to pile up much more quickly for me in modern wars. Is it a function of civics I am running at the time? Number of units involved? Bad luck?) This means that early expansion will be vital for this scenario. It takes a lot of cottages to launch the spaceship quickly and you can't build cottages in deserts, tundra, or plains.
Problem 4 just makes warfare even harder, but problem 3 already did that.
Problem 5 isn't really an issue. For example, I didn't even realize that I couldn't build cathedrals until looking at the tech tree late in the game.
Problem 6 is very annoying, because building Great Library as my first wonder often gives me Academies for 3-4 top science cities. (Those early great scientists come quickly when you get 10gpps per turn.)
Diplomacy.
I followed Atheist Appeasement policy, as I do in all builder games. The atheist part means not adopting (or even founding) any religions (going straight from paganism to free speech). This lets AIs get angry at each other due to religious differences, while you avoid that problem and become everybody's friend due to appeasement part of the strategy. The appeasement part starts by avoiding actions that can make your neighbors angry at you (no Open Borders or trades with your neighbors' enemies) and in the mid-game changes to trying to appease everybody relevant with Open Borders, resource for cash deals, etc. My report will not mention it explicitly, but I've tried to have a resource-for-cash deal going with each civ I had Open Borders with. ("Trade with enemies" penalty is neutralized by "fair trade" bonus, so "open borders" bonus and "years supplied with resources" bonus make universal resource for cash deals a good thing overall, if you can avoid too many demands for cancellation of trade with enemies.) Since Egyptians are spiritual, it's also easy to agree to demands for changing religion or civics, but I haven't had any such demands this game.
Early Game.
My pregame thoughts indicated that early war might be necessary, so that, combined with resources available at the start, determined my early research and builds.
I decide to settle in place, since map creation scripts supposedly heavily optimize starting location. I start Worker(15) to put pasture on those nice fat pigs. Research obviously goes into Animal Husbandry (12) for pastures and revelation of horses (for our UU). After that, research will go on to hunting, for camps on ivory. Then Archery (for early defense) and Pottery (cottages).
Warrior gets 56$ from eastern hut. I guess a tech was too much to hope for.
Buddhism was founded in 3680BC. So it's good that I didn't go chasing religions. (Not that I was planning to.)
Western hut gave our warrior experience. Better, but still not a tech I was hoping for.
In 3280BC I find horses to the north a couple turns after starting Archery research. I cancel research into Archery (wasting 16 beakers) and go on to Pottery. This luck is unbelievable and I keep waiting for something to go wrong.
I get Horseback Riding from a hut in 3120BC. Normally, I donât get techs from huts and the irony is that when I finally did get one (and an expensive one at that) it was a tech that was actively harmful to me, because it almost obsoleted our great UU. If I hadnât interrupted that Archery research Iâd have to train expensive horse archers, instead of cheap War Chariots. I canât even use it for trading material, because by the time AIs will get Alphabet, theyâll know it already.
Thebes finishes Warrior and goes on to build barracks, waiting to grow to about size 4 before training a settler. (The growth rate is amazingly fast, so waiting until size 4 is ok.)
In 2760BC we finally meet a Chinese warrior in jungles north-west of our capital. My fears of early conflict hadnât been realized so far. In fact, we are protected by tundra on the south and a vast expanse of jungles on the north.
After Mining, research goes Fishing -> Sailing to enable coastal trade. (Foreign trade routes are worth twice more than domestic ones, so an early port on this map will have same effect as researching Currency.) Meanwhile, warriors explored most of the northern jungle. The worker starts building cottages on floodplains and the city starts Settler at size 4, after finishing Barracks.
However, placing second city NW of gold, to get horses, cows, rice and gold would make it a production powerhouse, so I go for that city placement and interrupt fishing research to get Bronze Working. (Horses are good, but a metal will be needed in the long run.)
When we learn Bronzeworking we find several sources of copper nearby. I can't believe this luck. Research is started in Iron Working, but is switched to Writing -> Math -> Currency, because Copper is enough for most military needs, so we can get back to improving economy.
Memphis is founded in 2080BC on a spot 1 NW of Gold. This city will be my main production center, in addition to running several cottages. (Even my top production city will be working as many cottages as it can in this game.)
In 2000BC we see a Quecha coming from the south. Did HC start in that southern tundra I didn't even bother exploring?
In 1960BC we are the least advanced Civilization in the world. How did that happen? Our GNP is quite respectable. And soon we see a Barb archer in the Jungles. It's good that both our copper and horses are about to be hooked up.
Helipolis is founded in 1640BC, getting another copper source, rice, marble and some hills. It will also serve as a stepping stone for our expansion into jungles.
I signed open borders with both Quin and HC. This might open up trade routes and improve relations later.
In 1200BC I get my first punishment for running 0 military. A barbarian warrior approaches my only source of hoses. I order up a chariot in Memphis, which will have to be whipped next turn. I also notice Barbarian city Gaul, which is already protected by 3 archers. It's 1 tile north of where I wanted to found a city, so it'll probably have to be rased. My newly built chariot does kill the warrior, but loses to an archer a couple turns later. However, by that time I've returned my scouting chariot, so the pasture will be rebuilt in time.
I am getting a constant stream of barbarians now. A camp is pillaged, causing my cities to fall into unhappiness. I guess 2 chariots isn't enough even for my small 3-city empire. I eventually build up a sizable chariot army with a shock-promoted chariot (and later a second, medic-promoted, chariot) using a river to guard southern improvements near capital, while several chariots protect the northern border and prepare to take out the barbarian city.
Currency is learned in 775BC and I go back to learn Iron working (find iron and clear jungles) and Sailing (coastal trade), because my 4th city will be coastal jungle city; followed by Calendar (to connect Bananas and sugar that will be supplied by forth city).
Elephantine is founded in 550BC near bananas and sugar in the coastal jungles NE of capital. The settler had to wait a couple turns while barbarian archer suicided against Wood2 warrior on a jungle hill.
In 375BC we destroy the barbarian town of Gaul, losing 1 chariot to take out 2 archers. Next year, we are ranked 4th most powerful civilization in the world. It seems barbarians had their own dotmap.
Elephantine was founded 1 spot east of the blue circle and Gaul had to be razed, because it wasted a row of tiles, which would have fallen into radius of computer-suggested location for Elephantine. I later had to raze another barb city to the north, because it also didnât fit along with location of my city that replaced Gaul, but would have worked perfectly with Gaul.
Mid-game Expansion.
150AD - We have 6 cities and are almost 1st in GNP and Production, 1st in land area and population and 5th in army size. First, Thebes has tons of food and is at happiness limit, so I'll "build Great Library" by assigning a couple scientists. However, Thebes, as well as all other large cities, also need to train some workers and settlers. Settlers have to settle before Memphis finishes Hanging Gardens in 19 turns. (Although the Hanging Gardens will probably be delayed to settle more cities first.)
I seriously consider settling near silver, iron, wheat and cows in the southern tundra, but that city would be too far (land between it and capital is worthless) and too likely to provoke war with HC. Since fighting over tundra is pointless, I decide to buy silver from HC instead and focus on expanding into northern jungle.
For research, I decide to change my focus towards a beeline to Liberalism. (CoL -> Civil Service -> Paper -> Education; Mysticism -> Meditation -> Philosophy -> Liberalism) I might decide to learn Philosophy earlier to get a religion, but I might be better off leaving yet another religion for AIs to potentially switch to, breaking their alliances. (So far every religion went to a different AI, causing noticeable tension.)
The Khan has had Alphabet for some time, but he is offering only Mysticism and Archery for trade. I wish I had Alphabet myself. It's going to take forever for all these warmongers to get it themselves.
Over the following several hundred years, I went on a massive land utilization campaign. Cities trained 3 new settlers and about half a dozen workers, who constructed many cottages.
Civil Service was discovered in 580AD and a great scientist was timed to be born in Thebes the same year. The construction of Academy, together with the switch to Beurocracy greatly increased our research output.
These efforts led to the fact that by the time Paper was discovered in 700AD, expected research time for Education dropped from over 30 turns to just 13.
That year we note that HC also has Alphabet, so we can make our first trade: Meditation for Priesthood and 20$.
Soon after that, Roosevelt also got Alphabet. Unfortunately he is too backwards to get much benefit from trading with him. HC sells Monarchy for Construction + 40$.
In 800AD we finally construct the Hanging Gardens. I delayed its completion until after founding the 9th city to let as many cities as possible enjoy the population boost. Perhaps I could have waited even longer, but I decided not to risk it. We also buy Machinery from Kubai Khan for Civil Service, our map and 50$.
Quin gets Alphabet the next year, finally allowing me to trade with everybody on our continent. He also has Feudalism, which I get from him for Civil Service and CoL. Looks like nobody has Guilds yet, but Chinese already have compass, which they are unvilling to trade. This doesn't matter, because I can learn it in 3 turns anyway.
We enter Renaissance era in 940AD with discovery of Education and decide to make a brief detour into Compass and Optics before going on to Philosophy and Liberalism.(I want to try to take Astronomy as the free Liberalism tech. However, I go for Philosophy, instead of Optics after getting Compass, because a couple people already had Compass when I finished, so I am assuming they are going for Optics next. This plan worked and in 1050AD I sell my newly discovered Philosophy to the Khan for Optics, 100$ and his map.
In 1100AD our Caravel finds new continent, making contact with Frederick and Asoka.
We discover Liberalism in 1120AD, taking Astronomy as the free tech.
In 1140AD I decide to sell Asoka Paper for his map and 10$. This is a good investment, because it reveals the entire second continent, with a trace of Frederick's Caravel going towards our continent. This completes the map, giving me circumnavigation bonus. I also bought Guilds from HC for Philosophy and Paper. I am considering just gifting some AIs a bunch of techs to speed up the technology rate in the game, but decided against it.
Late Game.
At this point, I could just coast to an easy victory, simply continuing to build science and cash improving buildings and cottages. However, that would be a bit boring and I'd like to speed up the victory. There are two ways to do it: a war to increase my land (more land = more research and production) or selling all techs for small amounts of cash to speed up the world tech pace. The drawback of war is that it's expensive (loss of foreign trade and resources, need to build an army, possibility of pillagers) and since Chinese cities aren't very well developed and have few (if any) towns around them, it would take a very long time until the war payed for itself. Besides, all my workers are currently busy clearing the land around 2 newest cities and I can establish at least 3 more fishing villages on my current land. So I decide to go the peaceful road and sell Guilds for cash to everybody who needs them, hoping that they will develop Banking and/or Gunpoweder for me.
I finally get Monotheism from Quin and he is no longer willing to trade with me. A couple turns later, I get Engineering from HC for Printing Press and the Khan is no longer willing to trade with me either. This proves that what matters is total number of trades you make, rather than whom you are trading with. It also means that I will soon have to go to war to speed up my research rate.
I discover Nationalism in 1230, but nobody is willing to sell me Banking. So I give up on getting AIs to research stuff for me and go to research Banking myself.
In 1380AD we can finally buy Gunpowder from HC. He was waiting until 2 other AIs had it before selling. It looks like we will not be getting much more use from trades. So after researching Corporation (in just 3 turns!) we will go on to Rifling and start building up forces to capture China. They have second highest research rate, so their cities must be pretty good.
A few turns later, Quin became willing to trade with me again. However, if I have enough Riflemen to take a few of his cities, I'll do it.
In 1505 I lost Taj Mahal to the Khan. It was just 2 turns from completion, but I was delaying it until after discovery of Democracy (which I discovered this turn) to get extra hummers from towns. I guess I shouldn't have delayed it by so much. At least I got 601$, which might have been comparable to the amount I could have gotten from the golden age itself. (Not really, but it's better than nothing.) I also got a third great scientist recenty, so I now have 3 academies. I finally switch to Free Speech, along with Universal Suffrage. I finally have enough towns to get bigger benefit from Free Speech than from Beurocracy.
We enter Industrial Era in 1525 with the discovery of Steam Power and immediately begin work on Assembly Line due in 6 turns. I had enough time to train only 4 riflemen and they are about to become obsolete already. Around this time, I also revolt to Emancipation, after applying last couple of whips.
In 1610 AD I am far ahead of everybody in GNP, Production, Population, etc. I am researching Physics and all the techs are expected to take 4-9 turns. My workers will soon be done railroading my territory and will have nothing to do as well. So I decide to use all troops I've gathered over the last few turns to attack China. This might delay my victory due to loss of trade routes, maintanance for captured towns, etc, but I want to see at least 1 war in the game, so I'll start one now. Besides, China has tons of workers near the border, improving border town, so I will not even have to risk my own workers in the war zone.
This Infantry+Artillery v. Riflemen + Longbows war was so lopsided that I didnât even bother to take notes. About half a dozen infantrymen, supported by a few canons and artillery pieces, just walked from one city to another, leaving riflemen for protection and wounded troops for healing and joining in later battles. China made a couple of landings that forced me to upgrade a few riflemen to infantry, upgrade a galleon and rush-buy couple ships to protect fishing nets (that got pillaged anyway). However, overall the war was very uneventful. I stopped training troops shortly after war started, because the one or two dozen units Iâve had were enough.
In 1620, Indian fishing village Kolhapur revolted to join our empire. The same year, we discovered physics, getting a great scientist. War weariness is already kicking in and we have no way of combating it.
We constructed the Statue of Liberty in 1625.
By 1665 we've captured 4 Chinese cities, including the Christian Holy City.
In 1690 we capture Bejing. Next year we capture Makau (the fishing village near my coast that I was going to found myself) and see the real WW hit from capturing Bejing. Number of rebels went up from 2 in a couple cities and 4 in the capital to 4 in some core cities and 10 in the capital. So I have to make peace. Unforutnately, Quin refused to give the city that was applying preassure on Bejing, so Bejing will be a useless half-starved, perpetually rebelling, city.
Another thing that happened in 1690 is that we learned Industrialization and I realized that war against China would have been necessary anyway, because the closes Aluminum to our original borders is next to Guanzhou, the Christian holy city we've captured recently. This city will come out of resistance in 4 turns, just as we learn Rocketry, enabling us to start Apollo Program with access to Aluminum.
At my current research rate, it will take about 70 turns to research the rest of spaceship techs. However, I have Statue of Liberty, so switching to Representation increases my research rate by about 10%. I also spend over an hour doing extensive MM, giving shared town tiles to cities with bigger research modifiers, converting engineers to scientists, etc. However, all that work increases research rate by about 5%, so it only cuts about 3 turns from expected end date. This means that you don't really need to do MM unless you actually like it.
I also switch research to Radio -> Computers to let all cities build labs while one will be working on Apollo Program.
Setting all cities that have nothing useful to build on wealth lets me bump research up to 90%.
We enter Modern Era in 1715 with the discovery of Radio.
Broadway is constructed in 1725, while more and more cities are building wealth in preparation for availability of labs.
In 1735 we discover computers. Research is set to Rocketry, while all cities that have Factories and Observatories start building Labs. The current research rate is simply insane: 2222$. (Although we are running 91 gpt deficit with about 700$ in the bank.) At current rate, researching Future Tech would take only 6 turns!
In 1750 we discover Rocketry and go on to Plastics (in just 3 turns) (for the Dam) -> Robotics (for the Elevator). Usually I get Robotics before Rocketry, but in this game there is no danger of losing the Space Elevator, so I can start Apollo Program first. However, I will still start that program in my second most productive city (Thebes), leaving the top city (Memphis) for the Elevator. Also that year, a Chinese revolt takes place in Bejing and Chinese borders expand, making Bejing completely useless even when it comes out of revolt.
Next turn, Thebes starts the Apollo Program, due in 16 turns. (A windmill was "borrowed" from nearby city to speed up the project, putting that city into temporary food shortage.)
Three Gorges Dam is started in Memphis and is scheduled to complete just 1 year after the Apollo Program. This will force Space Elevator to be built in my 3rd production city, but I am planning to rush it with the Great Engineer I'll get from Fusion, so it should complete quickly too. Next turn, selling Physics to most AIs nets me about 700$, letting me run 100% research for 4 turns, bringing Robotics down to 4 (3 turns on it left).
In 1780 I get a Great Engineer in Elephantine. This means that I'll be able to hurry Space Elevator even before learning Fusion.
In 1785 I learn Robotics and realize that the city in former tropical jungles near the center of the map where I was planning to build the Space Elevator is ineligible. However, a city close to the edge of the southern turndra is. That is my 3rd highest production city, so I am not complaining. However, it's weird, because I thought Space Elevator could be built only near the equator.
In 1800 we complete The Pentagon, one of the wonders I started in a minor city, just out of boredom.
I use the Great Scientist I've been saving to speed up Fiber Optics, because all other great people insist on discovering Fascism and I'll get at least two more great people, so enough for a golden age.
In 1814 we finish the Apollo Program. We also learn Fusion and use the newly received Engineer, together with a previously saved Engineer, to hurry the space elevator, forcing its completion next turn, simultaneously with the 3 Gorges Dam.
In 1816, when both wonders are complete, I assign spaceship parts to cities. There is reserved space for 3 thrusters (will be available in 2 turns) and a couple casings will be started at that time, to make them complete simultaneously with most other parts. The last two parts will be enabled by Genetics and Ecology and will be scheduled in 1st and 2nd production cities respectively. The Genetics part is pretty big and will probably take 8 turns to complete. It will take 10 turns of research to get genetics at current rate. However, I am about to generate a great person in one of my cities. So the launch might happen before the 18 turn estimate.
In 1824 I realize that research into Genetics will complete 1 turn sooner than I'll be ready to build Stasis Chamber. This sounds like good time to switch from Representation back to Universal Suffrage. This does bring ETA on Docking Bay down by 1 turn.
The Eiffel Tower completes in Elephantine 1826. Main benefit of this is that we get 136$ in Alexandria, the city that was building it before switching to more urgent projects. I am currently running 100% research at -300gpt, selling everything to AIs for all their cash, so this cash is quite welcome. We also get a great scientist in Asyut, so we can finally trigger a Golden Age. (I used Sirianâs idea from Adventure 2 to hire an extra merchant to speed up the great person generation, making my last great person appear just in time to trigger the (first and) final Golden Age.)
First ship components complete in 1828 and many more complete in 1830 and 1832.
We learn Genetics in 1832 and start research on Ecology in 2. Stasis Chamber is started in Memphis and will be ready in 5 turns. All these cities building wealth in a Golden Age let us make money at 100% science. I wish I could build science, instead of wealth.
We learn Ecology in 1836 and start work on Life Support in Thebes, due in 3 turns, just as the golden age runs out. The last of older spaceship components have completed this turn.
Space Race Victory in 1842. The fastest I've ever launched!
The "race" wasn't even close, with none of the AIs finishing (or perhaps even starting?) Apollo program.
Executive Summary: This was a typical builderâs game that ended with a launch in 1842. (The earliest Iâve ever launched.)
Pregame Thoughts.
Considering that Adventure 2 was supposedly "too easy" and Arathorn is one of the top players, I was very worried about things he might do to make this scenario harder. Would he put us on a continent with all aggressive civs, while all peaceful civs are happily researching on another continent? Would he surround our starting location by miles of empty desert?
On a more serious note, in addition to obvious disadvantage of later start of tech trading, lack of Alphabet would cause following problems:
1. Inability to build research.
2. Inability to build theaters.
3. Inability to use culture slider.
4. Inability to build Heroic Epic and West Point.
5. Inability to build National Epic, train Cavalry and do a couple other things I almost never do anyway.
6. Inability to build Great Library.
Problem 1 would mean that I have to be even more careful in the balance of research v. production, because I will not have the option of direct production -> research conversion. In all of my previous spaceship games, I found myself with too much production, having to wait a few turns in the end while last techs are being researched. So this game, I'll push research even more aggressively, perhaps even chopping down some forests in favor of cottages. (Building wealth is still an option, but that's a lot less flexible, because there is nothing to do with extra cash when you are at 100% research already.)
Problem 2 is neutralized by the fact that Egyptians are creative. (automatic culture in new cities) And lack of culture slider makes theaters far less useful for combatting WW.
Problem 3 is the biggest challenge to military expansion. I tend to rely exclusively on culture slider to combat WW. So lack of this slider will completely kill late-game offensive warfare. (WW tends to pile up much more quickly for me in modern wars. Is it a function of civics I am running at the time? Number of units involved? Bad luck?) This means that early expansion will be vital for this scenario. It takes a lot of cottages to launch the spaceship quickly and you can't build cottages in deserts, tundra, or plains.
Problem 4 just makes warfare even harder, but problem 3 already did that.
Problem 5 isn't really an issue. For example, I didn't even realize that I couldn't build cathedrals until looking at the tech tree late in the game.
Problem 6 is very annoying, because building Great Library as my first wonder often gives me Academies for 3-4 top science cities. (Those early great scientists come quickly when you get 10gpps per turn.)
Diplomacy.
I followed Atheist Appeasement policy, as I do in all builder games. The atheist part means not adopting (or even founding) any religions (going straight from paganism to free speech). This lets AIs get angry at each other due to religious differences, while you avoid that problem and become everybody's friend due to appeasement part of the strategy. The appeasement part starts by avoiding actions that can make your neighbors angry at you (no Open Borders or trades with your neighbors' enemies) and in the mid-game changes to trying to appease everybody relevant with Open Borders, resource for cash deals, etc. My report will not mention it explicitly, but I've tried to have a resource-for-cash deal going with each civ I had Open Borders with. ("Trade with enemies" penalty is neutralized by "fair trade" bonus, so "open borders" bonus and "years supplied with resources" bonus make universal resource for cash deals a good thing overall, if you can avoid too many demands for cancellation of trade with enemies.) Since Egyptians are spiritual, it's also easy to agree to demands for changing religion or civics, but I haven't had any such demands this game.
Early Game.
My pregame thoughts indicated that early war might be necessary, so that, combined with resources available at the start, determined my early research and builds.
I decide to settle in place, since map creation scripts supposedly heavily optimize starting location. I start Worker(15) to put pasture on those nice fat pigs. Research obviously goes into Animal Husbandry (12) for pastures and revelation of horses (for our UU). After that, research will go on to hunting, for camps on ivory. Then Archery (for early defense) and Pottery (cottages).
Warrior gets 56$ from eastern hut. I guess a tech was too much to hope for.
Buddhism was founded in 3680BC. So it's good that I didn't go chasing religions. (Not that I was planning to.)
Western hut gave our warrior experience. Better, but still not a tech I was hoping for.
In 3280BC I find horses to the north a couple turns after starting Archery research. I cancel research into Archery (wasting 16 beakers) and go on to Pottery. This luck is unbelievable and I keep waiting for something to go wrong.
I get Horseback Riding from a hut in 3120BC. Normally, I donât get techs from huts and the irony is that when I finally did get one (and an expensive one at that) it was a tech that was actively harmful to me, because it almost obsoleted our great UU. If I hadnât interrupted that Archery research Iâd have to train expensive horse archers, instead of cheap War Chariots. I canât even use it for trading material, because by the time AIs will get Alphabet, theyâll know it already.
Thebes finishes Warrior and goes on to build barracks, waiting to grow to about size 4 before training a settler. (The growth rate is amazingly fast, so waiting until size 4 is ok.)
In 2760BC we finally meet a Chinese warrior in jungles north-west of our capital. My fears of early conflict hadnât been realized so far. In fact, we are protected by tundra on the south and a vast expanse of jungles on the north.
After Mining, research goes Fishing -> Sailing to enable coastal trade. (Foreign trade routes are worth twice more than domestic ones, so an early port on this map will have same effect as researching Currency.) Meanwhile, warriors explored most of the northern jungle. The worker starts building cottages on floodplains and the city starts Settler at size 4, after finishing Barracks.
However, placing second city NW of gold, to get horses, cows, rice and gold would make it a production powerhouse, so I go for that city placement and interrupt fishing research to get Bronze Working. (Horses are good, but a metal will be needed in the long run.)
When we learn Bronzeworking we find several sources of copper nearby. I can't believe this luck. Research is started in Iron Working, but is switched to Writing -> Math -> Currency, because Copper is enough for most military needs, so we can get back to improving economy.
Memphis is founded in 2080BC on a spot 1 NW of Gold. This city will be my main production center, in addition to running several cottages. (Even my top production city will be working as many cottages as it can in this game.)
In 2000BC we see a Quecha coming from the south. Did HC start in that southern tundra I didn't even bother exploring?
In 1960BC we are the least advanced Civilization in the world. How did that happen? Our GNP is quite respectable. And soon we see a Barb archer in the Jungles. It's good that both our copper and horses are about to be hooked up.
Helipolis is founded in 1640BC, getting another copper source, rice, marble and some hills. It will also serve as a stepping stone for our expansion into jungles.
I signed open borders with both Quin and HC. This might open up trade routes and improve relations later.
In 1200BC I get my first punishment for running 0 military. A barbarian warrior approaches my only source of hoses. I order up a chariot in Memphis, which will have to be whipped next turn. I also notice Barbarian city Gaul, which is already protected by 3 archers. It's 1 tile north of where I wanted to found a city, so it'll probably have to be rased. My newly built chariot does kill the warrior, but loses to an archer a couple turns later. However, by that time I've returned my scouting chariot, so the pasture will be rebuilt in time.
I am getting a constant stream of barbarians now. A camp is pillaged, causing my cities to fall into unhappiness. I guess 2 chariots isn't enough even for my small 3-city empire. I eventually build up a sizable chariot army with a shock-promoted chariot (and later a second, medic-promoted, chariot) using a river to guard southern improvements near capital, while several chariots protect the northern border and prepare to take out the barbarian city.
Currency is learned in 775BC and I go back to learn Iron working (find iron and clear jungles) and Sailing (coastal trade), because my 4th city will be coastal jungle city; followed by Calendar (to connect Bananas and sugar that will be supplied by forth city).
Elephantine is founded in 550BC near bananas and sugar in the coastal jungles NE of capital. The settler had to wait a couple turns while barbarian archer suicided against Wood2 warrior on a jungle hill.
In 375BC we destroy the barbarian town of Gaul, losing 1 chariot to take out 2 archers. Next year, we are ranked 4th most powerful civilization in the world. It seems barbarians had their own dotmap.
Elephantine was founded 1 spot east of the blue circle and Gaul had to be razed, because it wasted a row of tiles, which would have fallen into radius of computer-suggested location for Elephantine. I later had to raze another barb city to the north, because it also didnât fit along with location of my city that replaced Gaul, but would have worked perfectly with Gaul.Mid-game Expansion.
150AD - We have 6 cities and are almost 1st in GNP and Production, 1st in land area and population and 5th in army size. First, Thebes has tons of food and is at happiness limit, so I'll "build Great Library" by assigning a couple scientists. However, Thebes, as well as all other large cities, also need to train some workers and settlers. Settlers have to settle before Memphis finishes Hanging Gardens in 19 turns. (Although the Hanging Gardens will probably be delayed to settle more cities first.)
I seriously consider settling near silver, iron, wheat and cows in the southern tundra, but that city would be too far (land between it and capital is worthless) and too likely to provoke war with HC. Since fighting over tundra is pointless, I decide to buy silver from HC instead and focus on expanding into northern jungle.
For research, I decide to change my focus towards a beeline to Liberalism. (CoL -> Civil Service -> Paper -> Education; Mysticism -> Meditation -> Philosophy -> Liberalism) I might decide to learn Philosophy earlier to get a religion, but I might be better off leaving yet another religion for AIs to potentially switch to, breaking their alliances. (So far every religion went to a different AI, causing noticeable tension.)
The Khan has had Alphabet for some time, but he is offering only Mysticism and Archery for trade. I wish I had Alphabet myself. It's going to take forever for all these warmongers to get it themselves.
Over the following several hundred years, I went on a massive land utilization campaign. Cities trained 3 new settlers and about half a dozen workers, who constructed many cottages.
Civil Service was discovered in 580AD and a great scientist was timed to be born in Thebes the same year. The construction of Academy, together with the switch to Beurocracy greatly increased our research output.
These efforts led to the fact that by the time Paper was discovered in 700AD, expected research time for Education dropped from over 30 turns to just 13.
That year we note that HC also has Alphabet, so we can make our first trade: Meditation for Priesthood and 20$.
Soon after that, Roosevelt also got Alphabet. Unfortunately he is too backwards to get much benefit from trading with him. HC sells Monarchy for Construction + 40$.
In 800AD we finally construct the Hanging Gardens. I delayed its completion until after founding the 9th city to let as many cities as possible enjoy the population boost. Perhaps I could have waited even longer, but I decided not to risk it. We also buy Machinery from Kubai Khan for Civil Service, our map and 50$.
Quin gets Alphabet the next year, finally allowing me to trade with everybody on our continent. He also has Feudalism, which I get from him for Civil Service and CoL. Looks like nobody has Guilds yet, but Chinese already have compass, which they are unvilling to trade. This doesn't matter, because I can learn it in 3 turns anyway.
We enter Renaissance era in 940AD with discovery of Education and decide to make a brief detour into Compass and Optics before going on to Philosophy and Liberalism.(I want to try to take Astronomy as the free Liberalism tech. However, I go for Philosophy, instead of Optics after getting Compass, because a couple people already had Compass when I finished, so I am assuming they are going for Optics next. This plan worked and in 1050AD I sell my newly discovered Philosophy to the Khan for Optics, 100$ and his map.
In 1100AD our Caravel finds new continent, making contact with Frederick and Asoka.
We discover Liberalism in 1120AD, taking Astronomy as the free tech.
In 1140AD I decide to sell Asoka Paper for his map and 10$. This is a good investment, because it reveals the entire second continent, with a trace of Frederick's Caravel going towards our continent. This completes the map, giving me circumnavigation bonus. I also bought Guilds from HC for Philosophy and Paper. I am considering just gifting some AIs a bunch of techs to speed up the technology rate in the game, but decided against it.
Late Game.
At this point, I could just coast to an easy victory, simply continuing to build science and cash improving buildings and cottages. However, that would be a bit boring and I'd like to speed up the victory. There are two ways to do it: a war to increase my land (more land = more research and production) or selling all techs for small amounts of cash to speed up the world tech pace. The drawback of war is that it's expensive (loss of foreign trade and resources, need to build an army, possibility of pillagers) and since Chinese cities aren't very well developed and have few (if any) towns around them, it would take a very long time until the war payed for itself. Besides, all my workers are currently busy clearing the land around 2 newest cities and I can establish at least 3 more fishing villages on my current land. So I decide to go the peaceful road and sell Guilds for cash to everybody who needs them, hoping that they will develop Banking and/or Gunpoweder for me.
I finally get Monotheism from Quin and he is no longer willing to trade with me. A couple turns later, I get Engineering from HC for Printing Press and the Khan is no longer willing to trade with me either. This proves that what matters is total number of trades you make, rather than whom you are trading with. It also means that I will soon have to go to war to speed up my research rate.
I discover Nationalism in 1230, but nobody is willing to sell me Banking. So I give up on getting AIs to research stuff for me and go to research Banking myself.
In 1380AD we can finally buy Gunpowder from HC. He was waiting until 2 other AIs had it before selling. It looks like we will not be getting much more use from trades. So after researching Corporation (in just 3 turns!) we will go on to Rifling and start building up forces to capture China. They have second highest research rate, so their cities must be pretty good.
A few turns later, Quin became willing to trade with me again. However, if I have enough Riflemen to take a few of his cities, I'll do it.
In 1505 I lost Taj Mahal to the Khan. It was just 2 turns from completion, but I was delaying it until after discovery of Democracy (which I discovered this turn) to get extra hummers from towns. I guess I shouldn't have delayed it by so much. At least I got 601$, which might have been comparable to the amount I could have gotten from the golden age itself. (Not really, but it's better than nothing.) I also got a third great scientist recenty, so I now have 3 academies. I finally switch to Free Speech, along with Universal Suffrage. I finally have enough towns to get bigger benefit from Free Speech than from Beurocracy.
We enter Industrial Era in 1525 with the discovery of Steam Power and immediately begin work on Assembly Line due in 6 turns. I had enough time to train only 4 riflemen and they are about to become obsolete already. Around this time, I also revolt to Emancipation, after applying last couple of whips.
In 1610 AD I am far ahead of everybody in GNP, Production, Population, etc. I am researching Physics and all the techs are expected to take 4-9 turns. My workers will soon be done railroading my territory and will have nothing to do as well. So I decide to use all troops I've gathered over the last few turns to attack China. This might delay my victory due to loss of trade routes, maintanance for captured towns, etc, but I want to see at least 1 war in the game, so I'll start one now. Besides, China has tons of workers near the border, improving border town, so I will not even have to risk my own workers in the war zone.
This Infantry+Artillery v. Riflemen + Longbows war was so lopsided that I didnât even bother to take notes. About half a dozen infantrymen, supported by a few canons and artillery pieces, just walked from one city to another, leaving riflemen for protection and wounded troops for healing and joining in later battles. China made a couple of landings that forced me to upgrade a few riflemen to infantry, upgrade a galleon and rush-buy couple ships to protect fishing nets (that got pillaged anyway). However, overall the war was very uneventful. I stopped training troops shortly after war started, because the one or two dozen units Iâve had were enough.
In 1620, Indian fishing village Kolhapur revolted to join our empire. The same year, we discovered physics, getting a great scientist. War weariness is already kicking in and we have no way of combating it.
We constructed the Statue of Liberty in 1625.
By 1665 we've captured 4 Chinese cities, including the Christian Holy City.
In 1690 we capture Bejing. Next year we capture Makau (the fishing village near my coast that I was going to found myself) and see the real WW hit from capturing Bejing. Number of rebels went up from 2 in a couple cities and 4 in the capital to 4 in some core cities and 10 in the capital. So I have to make peace. Unforutnately, Quin refused to give the city that was applying preassure on Bejing, so Bejing will be a useless half-starved, perpetually rebelling, city.
Another thing that happened in 1690 is that we learned Industrialization and I realized that war against China would have been necessary anyway, because the closes Aluminum to our original borders is next to Guanzhou, the Christian holy city we've captured recently. This city will come out of resistance in 4 turns, just as we learn Rocketry, enabling us to start Apollo Program with access to Aluminum.
At my current research rate, it will take about 70 turns to research the rest of spaceship techs. However, I have Statue of Liberty, so switching to Representation increases my research rate by about 10%. I also spend over an hour doing extensive MM, giving shared town tiles to cities with bigger research modifiers, converting engineers to scientists, etc. However, all that work increases research rate by about 5%, so it only cuts about 3 turns from expected end date. This means that you don't really need to do MM unless you actually like it.
I also switch research to Radio -> Computers to let all cities build labs while one will be working on Apollo Program.
Setting all cities that have nothing useful to build on wealth lets me bump research up to 90%.
We enter Modern Era in 1715 with the discovery of Radio.
Broadway is constructed in 1725, while more and more cities are building wealth in preparation for availability of labs.
In 1735 we discover computers. Research is set to Rocketry, while all cities that have Factories and Observatories start building Labs. The current research rate is simply insane: 2222$. (Although we are running 91 gpt deficit with about 700$ in the bank.) At current rate, researching Future Tech would take only 6 turns!
In 1750 we discover Rocketry and go on to Plastics (in just 3 turns) (for the Dam) -> Robotics (for the Elevator). Usually I get Robotics before Rocketry, but in this game there is no danger of losing the Space Elevator, so I can start Apollo Program first. However, I will still start that program in my second most productive city (Thebes), leaving the top city (Memphis) for the Elevator. Also that year, a Chinese revolt takes place in Bejing and Chinese borders expand, making Bejing completely useless even when it comes out of revolt.
Next turn, Thebes starts the Apollo Program, due in 16 turns. (A windmill was "borrowed" from nearby city to speed up the project, putting that city into temporary food shortage.)
Three Gorges Dam is started in Memphis and is scheduled to complete just 1 year after the Apollo Program. This will force Space Elevator to be built in my 3rd production city, but I am planning to rush it with the Great Engineer I'll get from Fusion, so it should complete quickly too. Next turn, selling Physics to most AIs nets me about 700$, letting me run 100% research for 4 turns, bringing Robotics down to 4 (3 turns on it left).
In 1780 I get a Great Engineer in Elephantine. This means that I'll be able to hurry Space Elevator even before learning Fusion.
In 1785 I learn Robotics and realize that the city in former tropical jungles near the center of the map where I was planning to build the Space Elevator is ineligible. However, a city close to the edge of the southern turndra is. That is my 3rd highest production city, so I am not complaining. However, it's weird, because I thought Space Elevator could be built only near the equator.
In 1800 we complete The Pentagon, one of the wonders I started in a minor city, just out of boredom.
I use the Great Scientist I've been saving to speed up Fiber Optics, because all other great people insist on discovering Fascism and I'll get at least two more great people, so enough for a golden age.
In 1814 we finish the Apollo Program. We also learn Fusion and use the newly received Engineer, together with a previously saved Engineer, to hurry the space elevator, forcing its completion next turn, simultaneously with the 3 Gorges Dam.
In 1816, when both wonders are complete, I assign spaceship parts to cities. There is reserved space for 3 thrusters (will be available in 2 turns) and a couple casings will be started at that time, to make them complete simultaneously with most other parts. The last two parts will be enabled by Genetics and Ecology and will be scheduled in 1st and 2nd production cities respectively. The Genetics part is pretty big and will probably take 8 turns to complete. It will take 10 turns of research to get genetics at current rate. However, I am about to generate a great person in one of my cities. So the launch might happen before the 18 turn estimate.
In 1824 I realize that research into Genetics will complete 1 turn sooner than I'll be ready to build Stasis Chamber. This sounds like good time to switch from Representation back to Universal Suffrage. This does bring ETA on Docking Bay down by 1 turn.
The Eiffel Tower completes in Elephantine 1826. Main benefit of this is that we get 136$ in Alexandria, the city that was building it before switching to more urgent projects. I am currently running 100% research at -300gpt, selling everything to AIs for all their cash, so this cash is quite welcome. We also get a great scientist in Asyut, so we can finally trigger a Golden Age. (I used Sirianâs idea from Adventure 2 to hire an extra merchant to speed up the great person generation, making my last great person appear just in time to trigger the (first and) final Golden Age.)
First ship components complete in 1828 and many more complete in 1830 and 1832.
We learn Genetics in 1832 and start research on Ecology in 2. Stasis Chamber is started in Memphis and will be ready in 5 turns. All these cities building wealth in a Golden Age let us make money at 100% science. I wish I could build science, instead of wealth.
We learn Ecology in 1836 and start work on Life Support in Thebes, due in 3 turns, just as the golden age runs out. The last of older spaceship components have completed this turn.
Space Race Victory in 1842. The fastest I've ever launched!
The "race" wasn't even close, with none of the AIs finishing (or perhaps even starting?) Apollo program.
You combined all the good moves from other players (early academy, beelines, war agains Qin), added some astonishing care for micromanagement and details, and once again seem to come out on top! 1842AD? That's unbelievably fast! 
(But who knows, maybe somebody else posts an even faster launch date...)
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