Hi, this is my report. My general game plan was to not die to barbs, get redcoats, rule britannia my way across the world, and have at least one city on every continent.
Settled in place, moving away from 3 resources to get closer to the fish & sheep seemed like a poor choice, and there didn't seem to be an alternative location. Build order was warrior - scout - builder for maximum protection and exploration before economic development. First research AH, plan was then to go mining / sailing / whatever I got a Eureka for. Initially the warrior I started with went south into the rainforest, but that was probably the wrong move. Explored a hut on turn 6, gave me a Eureka for bronze working, which would be needed to clear the jungle. Found the desert and my first barb t7, but it was a scout so I couldn't chase it. Found rome to the south t9, along with a spearmen encampment. Weirdly enough I didn't get the rome contact immediately. Warrior finished t11, on to scout next with the warrior moving east.
Rome was clearing the encampment, and I joined in. Got to enact policies t15, took urban planning and survey. Craftsmanship next. t16 rome cleared the encampment, I had stopped attacking because apparently I couldn't kill the spear in one hit, guess I should have taken the other military policy. That turn I got another inspiration for state workforce. Also that turn the city grew to size 3 and finished the scout, worked the sheep/gems/stone to complete the worker in 7 turns. Food gain cut in half by being close to the housing cap, absolutely brutal. Rome finally contacted me turn 18 despite me first seeing his unit 9 turns ago. Maybe its because his scout met my scout? t20 the awfulness of my terrain finally hits me:
Massive jungle, a desert cut in half by multiple mountains. Where do I even put a city? I could get one in the jungle just south of the city, but past that all I could really get would be fishing villages on the costal desert.
T22, and this is just insane.
I have a tiny peninsula, half of it desert, and Rome is sitting at the base of it. Guess I need to use those naval units. t23 I get sailing, and the second spear encampment found by my east warrior attacks with both a spear and horse, both take huge damage. Research bronze in 10 turns to clear the jungle. Builder also finishes, settler next. Another horse spawns, first one suicides. t25 barb in encampment SUICIDES, SO I CLEAR IT. WHAT. Also due to my own poor planning I'm going to tick past the 50% mark on craftsmanship just before my builder uses his third charge, so some of the eureka is wasted.
Thank you Rome:
They have obviously been killing all the barbs for me. You can see my only way out is on the left of the mountains. T27 a scout closes in to my capital without a unit on defence, but I realise I can rushbuy with all the gold the gems gave me, so I buy a slinger. I was close to being able to afford something actually useful, but I don't know if scouts can pillage or not and I'm not taking chances. At this point I also realise how many barbarians Rome has been holding off, a slinger has now turned up and their gems are pillaged. Rome yells at me for not expanding. T30 they grab the forge pantheon. Rome builds a road for me using a trader, so thats nice. Ok, look at this.
Look at how fertile this land is. Floodplains, multiple farming resources. Why can't I have land like this? Meet Zanzibar t32, they want a great writer which is not happening. Settler completes t33, I send them south to the river. Bronze also finishes, and apparently my scout finds a new continent. I wish there was an easier way to see the borders between them. Capital makes a builder, probably will make 2. T35 warrior pops a south hut for a scout and I found the city:
You can see Rome's road from here. New city starts making a monument for culture. Meet America on turn 37, they are pretty far away. New city works the wheat because its a 4 food tile because of the floodplains. Southern warrior is completely surrounded by barbs. T40 I get mil trad, switch to disciplined to deal with the barbs. Builder completes, and holy crap clearing the rainforest on the gems has a great yield. Of course, then I realise the rainforest was actually producing a huge amount of food, so I regret my decision. Also meet Kongo that turn, send him a delegation. Tech is going at an insane rate, research writing turn 43 and go on to archery. T47 finish both my civic and tech, research Wheel and civic Early Empire. T50 I buy a settler, planning on sending them to the eastern half of the peninsular. Wheel on t53, onto irrigation next. Third city, stupid placement because I was chasing the freshwater bonus. Rome is annoyed.
Astrology comes in t59, on to Masonary. State workforce on 61, took the wonder boosting econ policy and went for mysticism. T63 masonary, went for celestial nav for the UB. All the AIs are fighting the only CS around.
Found out why you do one move at a time.
Mysticism t67, grabbed political philo which I should have done earlier. Rome killed the citystate, they now have two cities. Kongo the only AI to expand so far. Buy builder in new crap city. Cel nav in 69, tech pace continues to be insane, go back for horseback riding because no other Eureka. T72 Rome enjoys the fact that I am completely beating him. Horseback riding in 74, go for ironworking since I don't want to tech anything that I could get a Eureka for after half the time it will take to research. T75 Rome founds a city in the southeast, cutting me off but giving me more land than I expected. I didn't try and settle past them because I thought they would get annoyed and attacked, but I probably could have. Political philosophy turn 77, divided on autocracy vs classical republic given that my second city is experiencing a lack of amenities. I go for Autocracy in the end, I want to build some wonders soon. Take the double envoys and reduced maintenance civics, research games and rec. In the north on t80 my UB finishes in my capital, and I go for stonehenge, due in 13 turns with all the bonuses. Setup 3 food / 3 production route to London, since the one to the new city is only 1/1. Ironworking t82 and go on to currency. Rome declares on Kongo in 83.
No interesting units involved, just warriors and chariots. Get second envoy in 83 and send it to the only city state I have found (since my scout died), getting 2 culture/turn in the capital, 1/6th of my total culture production. The envoy boosting civic I'm using does not apply retroactively it seems. Looks like America wants to fight as well.
Both civic and tech finish t86, go on to mathematics and drama. Realised that I forgot to mention something, I build a scientific and religious district in my second and first cities, but realised that they barely do anything without making buildings in them afterwards. Lesson learned. Also realised how trash autocracy is, when it said +1 to all yields I thought it meant yields on the tiles like a golden age, not a base +1 to everything. Start on hanging gardens in Sheffield T87, due in 12 turns. Turn 91 I get stonehenge:
The very same turn Kongo gets angry at me for not being religious. Also get drama/poetry, on to Theology. Discover I can't found a religion because I need a pantheon first. Will have one soon, but I will change civic research to make use of the Eureka for having a religion, so I research recorded history instead. Math comes in turn 92, Apprenticeship next. Next turn America declares on Kongo, look at all the units.
T94 Kongo wants my gems for a tiny amount of money and OB, I say no. Rosevelt turns up the same turn and will give much more, I accept.
Pantheon t95, I take religious idols for +1 faith on mines. Immediately grab religion, take Zen meditation for +1 amenities for all cities with 2 districts and scripture to spread it faster (probably should have picked something else, but had no idea if it would be easy or hard to spread.) Notice that the floodplains wheat at second city makes 6 food with water wheel and an improvement, feels good.
T96 I almost lose a warrior and Rome loses a worker to barbs. All this can't take a city.
Turn 98 I finish the hanging gardens
Also Rome likes me having religion but Kongo is annoyed I won't share. T100 overview:
I'm about to buy a settler for 4th city. Game is fun so far, and the barbs have felt fair. I also like how if you try you can get up to civ 4 yields. AI is still bad at war. I will end the first part of the report here, I would appreciate feedback in terms of what I can cut down to reduce the length of this. Also please tell me if the pictures are too big.
(October 22nd, 2016, 16:38)Dp101 Wrote: Hi, this is my report. My general game plan was to not die to barbs, get redcoats, rule britannia my way across the world, and have at least one city on every continent.
I got England too. It does seem a rather terrible start site. I played it rather differently (worker first), although Rome acted the same clearing that western encampent at the start and I also had one suicide on me out of an encampment. I plonked my second city 1W of where you did which seems vastly inferior now really... I could not work the sugar for quite a while, and the extra diamonds you got are way better. Plus access to the copper eventually. Much better. Rome also built that same road. Stonehenge had gone to someone else by t50 where I got to though so it isn't exactly the same. Agree the AI just cannot fight at all.
I think here worker first worked when normally you would get your arse handed too you as Rome takes all the barb heat off you.
Yeah, I just had heard horror stories and wanted the extra security of an additional unit. I'm not sure what I will do next, probably build a city for petra on the west coast, another just south of that, and then two in the north.
Ok, so I thought I had lost the draft of my report, but it turned out Chrome saved it. So, here is the original report I wrote from the screenshots, spoiled because it is not relevant and does not need to be read
So my civ crashed so hard I couldn't tab out to hit save draft, so I have to recount everything that happened based off of my memory and the screenshots. What I can reconstruct from screenshots is the following. Turn 101 I finished apprenticeship, went on to Engineering which would finish on 110. Had this opportunity to steal a settler, but didn't take it.
Turn 113 I discovered the joy of the lenses feature, kind of like the mapmodes from Paradox games. Here is the religious one:
T 114 I founded my western city, designed entirely to build Petra. That build time will decrease, but I will still lose the wonder to Rome by about 10 turns in the end. You can also see my capital building archers in order to get the eureka for machinery before the halfway point.
T 116 Plymouth is founded, City 5 solidifying my southern border. Wasn't expecting to get this location, but Rome expanded south. I also finish military training and go on to defensive tactics, the only option.
Pyramids finished T122:
Pretty sure my machinery research finished the turn before, I went on to Shipbuilding afterwards T124 was when I saw this:
I was both annoyed and freaked out, but figured that it was the AI so there was no way I could lose it. City 6 on t125, a nice backfill fishing village:
Defensive tactics then finished t126, onto something afterwards, I didn't take any screenshots for a while. Next one is Rome expanding into the tundra.
I think at this time I was mostly just building lumbermills. Also, here is my most awesome city at the time:
Huge amount of food, jungles giving both food and production, along with more OP mines to switch onto if I needed to build something, plus I had the science district. An amazing city. Finished Civil Service t140, I think I replaced a settler production booster with a culture granter at that time. You can also see London about to finish Colossus in 8 turns which I did get on T147:
I lost Petra to Rome the turn before, but whatever. I had also started attempting to fill out my TR cap by this point, but I was always running just below it. Using trade routes to boost Petra was a good attempt, I just needed to do it 30 turns earlier. T 150 overview:
Looks like I just finished a civic tech, but I was not done converting over my civics yet because I know that medieval farms gave me something I wanted.
T167, America expands.
Some context for that expansion:
Yeah... not sure what they were thinking. During this period by the way China kept trying to convert me, Kongo fought Rome a bunch and hated me because I wasn't converting him, and Rome was friends with me. T 173 I make my 7th city, pathetically late.
Next screenshot is from t181, so I will explain what I remember occurring during this period since I don't have screenshots to show most of it. I met Japan and China, traded with AIs by selling luxuries, kept making trade routes, and at this point was about to upgrade my government. I also improved my religion twice, once adding a +1 to gold/science from commercial/science districts, and the other giving a building that produced 3faith/2food that I could buy with faith. The main point of this screenshot was that I had just researched gunpowder and discovered that I did in fact possess gunpowder. I also got a bunch of great scientists in this period, most of which gave eurekas, one gave 3 eurekas, another gave 2 and an inspiration, and I forget the third. Also got 2 great admirals, but didn't build a fleet for them to lead. You can also see me working on Chichen Itza, which was started t179.
Goodbye ally:
I had found a faith citystate by this point to put envoys in, so it wasn't too much of a loss. Turn 182 I switched governments into the religious one (forget its name) and started researching mercenaries -> exploration for my preferred government of merchant republic. You can see my pretty trade routes on t184:
Also visible is a bunch of workshops under construction so that they would be done by the halfway mark of industrialisation for the Eureka. Kongo has declared on America at this point and is actually being effective:
3 turns later, the unthinkable happened:
THE AI TOOK A CITY. SURE THE PLACEMENT WAS HORRIBLE, BUT IT HAPPENED. Turn 184 I start appreciating how good Plymouth is. That is an industrial district with 5 adjacency bonuses by the end of it all. Too bad I can't build the Ruhr wonder here because of the river requirement.
End of session wrapup shot:
You can see the Venetian Arsenal under construction in London. Most of the other cities have been spamming districts so I can swap to the civics that boost cities with a lot of districts as soon as possible. Really sorry for the disjointed report, the original was much better but it is sadly lost, I would have loved to post it. I will post a screenshot of my tech and civic trees, as well as my government, at the start of next session so its clear what I researched.
SO YOU KNOW HOW I THOUGHT I HAD LOST THIS BECAUSE OF A CRASH? CHROME SAVED IT FOR ME! Here is the original report, in spoilers. It is way better than the last one, which I shall go back and put into spoilers after this is posted.
Ok, second session. I'm going to try and build more builders and settlers this time, as well as go for moar wonders while I have all these bonuses. Apprenticeship completes T101, boosting all my mines. I continue on to construction. Capital finishes trader and goes on to settler. The next turn I buy OB with Rome so I can recapture their worker from the barbs. Trader starts from Manchester and goes to London to get 3food/3 production for itself to try and get something out of its crappy location. The next turn I get a notification that someone I haven't met has been eliminated. Does this mean a civ or a CS? Buy settler in London. Recorded history in 103, although I'm pretty sure that isn't actually a new development. Change government to classical republic, keep the wonder discount and doubled first envoy, take +50% settler production and great scientist points. Research set to Theology. T106 get construction, research set to Engineering. Kongo expands, they signed peace a couple turns back:
Get theology T108, go for military training. Found City 4
This city exists because I'm pretty sure Petra is still broken op, and it has enough hills to make use of it. Put third envoy into the cultural CS, but Kongo has one more than me so it doesn't do much. I don't even think the bonus is any good, I just have no options. Could have stolen Rome's settler, but chose not to.
Forgot to mention this earlier, but Manchester is building Pyramids due in 14 from t110, not expecting to get it but might as well try. Have the ability to get a great admiral, but not sure what happens if I say no. I do it just because. I use them to explore to the north. Apparently this also completes a CS quest. Meet China on t111, also apparently London is really happy. Now if only I could see the breakdown of how I'm getting the entertainment amenity point there this might actually be useful, although a +20% growth bonus and +10% to everything else is pretty good stacked on top of the +15% growth from hanging gardens. My great admiral can't enter ocean, I'm beginning to wonder how he got his title. Kongo continues to be annoyed that I haven't converted him, and denounces me. I don't even know how to convert my own cities (since trade routes don't work anymore), let alone yours. T113 get engineering, research set to Machinery. Planning to buy/build all the archers I need for the Eureka bonus really fast before I get to halfway along. Find the lenses button which appears to be similar to mapmodes in Paradox games, here is what religion looks like:
No information I didn't already know, but still fun to look at. And there is a continent lens, yay! Finally buy the sugar tile next to Sheffield because I've given up on culture spreading there. Through continued exploration of the interface, I figure out how to annotate the map.
You can see my proposed city locations now. T116 finish military training and realise the 1% wonder construction legacy bonus I got from autocracy stays with me through government changes. Neat. Only one option for civics research, defensive tactics. Found city 5:
Southern border now secured, time to fill in the backline. Buy a missionary with faith because I realised I could. Meet Japan T118 using my exploring admiral. Machinery complete T120, on to shipbuilding for Colossus. The next turn Rome founds Confucianism, and China gets annoyed at me for building wonders. Finish Pyramids T122:
The builder efficiency is greatly appreciated, I feel I constantly need more of them. Interestingly enough, the extra charge gets added to preexisting builders. T124:
Oh this is not good, Rome has started on MY wonder in their capital! My tiny coastal city is still 60 turns out, so I need to figure out how to get production in there really fast. Also get a great scientist, but he adds to faith more than science so I pass. City 6 T125:
Kongo gets annoyed, oh well. Japan declares war on America, T126. I also unlock defensive tactics, and go on to Civil Service. My units are clearing up an encampment that spawned near my 7th city location, but the AI has no idea how to play so everything is fine. If I hadn't gotten those two archers out of the capital to complete construction faster things might have been much worse. America gives me money and OB for a luxury, I take it. Cut time till Petra down to 39 turns using a transferred trader to London, but probably still not enough. Shipbuilding also finishes that turn, T129. I start on Education and start the Colossus in capital, 18 turns to go. Scientist spawns allowing me to Eureka a random tech in the Med or Renaissance, I use him immediately since its getting hard to earn the Eurekas naturally. Activates on Cartography. Now that I think about it, he could probably only discount things I could research. Probably a mistake using him early. Buy an apostle on T136, as well as a trader to replace the one the barb scout killed. Discover that apostles can do many things, such as act as a medic, remove opposing religions, or improve the religion, which is what I will do with him. Grab stewardship, +1 gold/science for commercial/science districts. T138 Rome expands south, they don't really have anywhere else to go.
Petra down to 20 turns with another mine on the way once the builder gets over there. Mines are really OP in this game, only improvement at civ 4 levels. This city is disgusting.
So much food, with production on most of the food tiles. Plus if I really want to build something I have additional mines. Really really good. T140 get civil service, switch to the +1 culture for each unique district civic instead of the settler production one, since I haven't built any settlers in a while. China is happy that my people are happy, guess that's his hidden agenda. Housing is really becoming an issue in Sheffield, the city grows faster than I can research new places to put people. T144 the final mine is built at Petra-city, Petra 12 turns out. I doubt that will beat Rome, but who knows, it's the AI. T146 Rome finishes Petra and I finish Assembly line, starting on Astronomy. All this really means is that my western city won't be that great, but that's ok. Also hit Renaissance era. T147 London finishes Colossus:
Relocate the trader it gives me to Leeds, it needs a boost. Rome is trying to convert me, it's annoying. T 150 get feudalism, adopt serfdom in place of wonder construction boost and go on to Medieval fairs. Overview shot:
Immediately afterwards, I bought a trader in Plymouth to help with development. T152 I get the option to take a scientist that provides two Eurekas and one inspiration for techs/civics in the med/ren eras, I take him immediately. Inspiration for guilds and Eureka for Castles and Banking. Again, probably should have saved him, but it's a learning game anyway. T154 Kongo declares on Rome, doubt anything will happen though. Sheffield finally gets around to starting on an aqueduct to deal with the housing problem. The next turn Rome finishes the Oracle and I get Astronomy, and then realise it does basically nothing. Stirrups next in case I get horses at some point. T156 I get Medieval Faires, don't replace anything yet because I don't have enough cities with enough districts for the amenities granting one to be useful. Guilds next. Fill the science district at Sheffield for a boost of 4 science, doesn't feel great. AIs offer me tonnes of money for luxuries I don't need, I sell them. That turn, t158, I get stirrups and start on Banking. China keeps trying to convert me, and I realise that my builders have 6 builds in them and are unstoppable. I also make an apostle, and on the next turn take Gurdwaras as the only options left are religious buildings and they seem the least bad. CS I just met declares war on Rome. At this stage I don't really have a clear gameplan, I'm just waiting to get to guns. Get guilds t161, but don't switch anything because, again, none of my cities are big enough to benefit from the new stuff. Research set to divine right. Get banking on T164, on to Castles since I might as well. I realise I have 7 max trade routes and only 4 in use, so I start buying traders and builders. Send a route to Rome to discover that their "hidden" agenda was pious, nothing unexpected there. Get another admiral, take them because I want to know what this armada thing they mention is. Chichen Itza 32 turns out in t166, and I'm not really sure how to reduce that given my best city is working on it. America settled a city:
Perhaps this picture will give a clearer picture of what just happened.
Also I finished castles, on to Military Engineering. t 171 I get Monarchy, but don't switch governments because while monarchy has more slots I will have fewer economic slots. Research set to Reformed Church. Next turn I get mill Engineering, and start on Gunpowder because I'm tired of sitting around. Found my 7th city on turn 173, pathetically late.
Not sure why I never got around to making the settler earlier. The AI is actually not doing as bad as I thought they would at settling, Rome has 5 cities including the one that started as a CS. Kongo declares on America in t178, they seem to hate everyone for not spreading their religion to them (except China who keep trying to convert me). T179 I finally meet Egypt, they seem to start directly opposite of me. Wish there were map trades so I could see everything. T 181 I get ANOTHER great scientist, this one 3 Eurekas for Ren or Industrial techs. I take him, he discounts gunpowerder, sanitation, and siege tactics, finishing gunpowder. I HAVE NITER!
Seems like the start didn't screw me on everything. Mmm, wonder what China's doing:
Well, goodbye my valued ally. Also unlock reformed church in 182, switch governments but plan to go into merchant republic as soon as I can. Start researching towards that, have to go through mercenaries. New military policies are maintenance reduction and a unit discount. I love the look of trade routes:
Also holy crap the AI knows how to fight now:
T186 get another admiral, still haven't got a navy for them to command. T 187 I get cartography, on to industrialisation since the workshops will complete before the halfway mark, and WHAT IS THIS
THE AI TOOK A CITY! THEY'VE DONE IT! LETS IGNORE THE PLACEMENT FOR A SECOND In other news, Plymouth is shaping up to be my primary unit pump:
Near-perfect industrial zone placement that will eventually be surrounded by 2 quarries and 3 mines. Also the city state dies on turn 188. T190 get mercenaries, on to exploration next for the new government. Start Venetian Arsenal in London, due in 30. Overview shot to end the session:
Hopefully next time I build an actual fleet and some units with guns.
Ok, session 3. I start by hooking up the Niter in the south, then hit end turn. Cleopatra is annoyed I haven't built an army with my nonexistent strategic resources, whatever. Buy a Gudwara in my capital t191 because I don't have good things to spend faith on (other than an army, but the army is about to be obsolete anyway). Birmingham starts on GL, due in 12 turns. Turn 194 I get industrialisation due to the eureka a couple of turns back, so my mines become even more overpowered, and then I read the description of factories and become terrified as to their power. Enter industrial era, tech set to Printing. Music changed, is even better now. Get a great merchant on 196, he will give me +.5 gpt for every speciality district at the end of an internal trade route, I take it. T197 I finish Chichen Itza:
Finished ahead of time due to the industrialisation bonus. Love the industrial era sawmills in the background contrasting with the wonder. T199 I get printing, on to Siege Tactics next to try and get closer to Redcoats. T200 I get Exploration, change to Merchant Republic government. I take the Native Conquest military policy because everyone else is horrifically outdated, and also the Great General attracting Civic. Go on to Naval Tradition next. America and Kongo sign peace the next turn. Meet Saladin t201, I think that's everyone. Next turn Rome declares on America (I'm still allied with Rome, but don't get called in). Great lighthouse finishes T203:
Didn't have a clear plan as to why I needed the wonder, but the city had excess production and I might need it eventually. China declares on Kongo the next turn, both empires are kind of unpopular. China denounces me for wonderwhoring T205, and I research Siege Tactics and Naval Tradition, heading onwards to Military Science (which are resourceless) and Diplomatic service. Plan is to have my production base setup by the time military science is unlocked, and then build a pile of redcoats. Saladin gives me money for luxuries, I take it. T207 I get a great Engineer, they add 215 to a wonder production, after checking the civlopedia I decide that since they are only a Medieval GE I will pass in hopes of getting a better one. Buy a caravel to explore west in the hopes of finding a continent I don't have to travel overland to get to. Turns out my caravels are insanely fast:
I bought that last turn, look at how much terrain it explored. Won't take long to map the entire ocean. The Ais haven't done the worst job ever at expanding:
The amount of unclaimed land is at least shrinking, even if it does still exist. T211 I get diplomatic service, go on to the only option, humanism. Set up embassies with everyone willing, namely Rome and Japan. Everyone hates me except Rome and America, but America keeps isolating themselves. T213 I get tired of Kongo denouncing me constantly and purchase a missionary and an apostle to convert him. I figure out how military engineers work the next turn and start making them to build roads where there are gaps. On turn T216, it looks like Washington might fall:
And T217, goodbye Freedom:
Surprised the AI managed it, they look almost competent. Turn 218 get Venetian Armoury:
Capital will now make its own factory because the bonus is too good, and will then either crank boats or build a campus and then oxford. I also complete military science, I can now start making redcoats to kill Saladin, who is directly west across the sea from me. Go on to research Square Rigging for some decent boats to build. The next turn I experience religious combat for the first time, my missionary dies to a pair of apostles. Feels odd. Japan declares on Arabia T221, I hope they don't take all the cities I want. Also get Humanism, on to Enlightenment for the Eureka. I realise at this time that military engineers are actually really meh, and resolve to not make any more. T225 Kongo declares war!
This is the front at the start. I have 6 turns until the first Redcoat comes out of Plymouth, and ~11 turns until all the encampment buildings are done in Sheffield (although I might skip the last one since it takes 7 turns). I discover I can't buy walls, so instead I buy a caravel to deal with their main way to get to me. I also ask Rome to join, but apparently they will never do so. So much for allies. This is the front on T226. Notice something I forgot?
There is no unit in Leeds. I attack the Kongo UU outside Manchester with the Caravel, then bombard it with the crossbow in the city, then purchase a scout in Leeds so the city won't fall instantly. I'm pretty sure I will lose at least one city temporary, but they have nothing that can stand up to Redcoats. I hit end turn, and... they do not attack. One unit lands on the entertainment district, but that's it. Get enlightenment, enact Liberalism for the amenities, as well as swapping out the great scientist spawner for a bonus to city defences, which will probably be removed next civics change but is good for now. Research set to Merchantilism for my second UU. Caravel sinks one Kongo unit, another is bombarded by the Crossbowman. Various CS peaces happen. Crossbowman makes it to Leeds, and the north is safe for now. On the next turn, I get square rigging for a half decent boat, and no additional Kongo units land, the only one on land moves to the fort I built. Research to metal casting for cannons. T229 they retreat, and what's this?
I sincerely hope that is an interface glitch and not my own ally about to stab me in the back. Bombardment from the city and assorted ranged units clears up the Kongo units, they appear to be running away. Could this be an actual good move from the AI? Well, it would have been if they had gone full on at the start and only pulled back once things were going badly, but baby steps. The next turn the AI is back, and Rome wants in on it too:
Bombard units, everything is ok. Kongo with the brilliant build:
Yes, a settler in the middle of the war seems like a good idea. First redcoat comes out, but I think he goes west, the Kongo situation is under control. I can't find a way to sign peace though, so it looks like he is headed east first. I found the best hidden hut in the game using autoexplore:
I'm sending a spear down to collect it. T233 I get metal casting and mercantilism for Bombards and Sea Dogs, switch policies away from the city defence one back to the GS attracting one. Research set to Military Tactics and Civil Engineering. T234 I get a great scientist that will Eureka Chemistry and one other tech, but I can't do that this turn because of this:
He needs to sit on top of a campus to do his thing, but Rome is on top of all of mine. I don't know why they want to screw up my logistics so badly. Frigates are good:
He survived somehow, but it still felt good. The great campus blockade has been going for 2 turns so far, I wonder how long it will last. Rome keeps moving more and more legions north. That same turn the spear collects the hut and eurekas military tactics, on to Scientific Theory next. And the blockade ends! Rome's giant army moves south again, and uncovers a campus. Ballistics is the random Eureka. Land troops next to Kongo's furthest forward city and start attacking with them and bombarding with frigates. Also get great engineer, who will make a workshop and a factory in a district and then give +2 production to factories. I take it. I will have a fresh industrial zone to put him in in 12 turns. Kongo offers 3 works of art 2 books, and some change for peace:
I take it. Before I get my next turn:
Yeah, maybe its because I haven't even had a chance to move them yet? I'm tempted to immediately go back to war, but that would probably be an exploit. Look at Plymouth:
Even 60 production, and that's without the +2 per factory kicking in. This city is amazing. I will probably do a city by city screenshot series at 250. Crossing the ocean is going to be painful, it will take 17 turns for my units on the Kongo front. My boats can do 8 moves a turn, why can't they hold the troops? T240 get civil engineering, but none of the bonuses are good so I don't switch. Colonialism next for full RP. I realise at this point that Venetian Arsenal applies to all my cities, so no one can ever beat me on the ocean now. Look what we have here:
Another lovely village, and probably a city site. Its even on a different continent so I will get a free unit. Get a Great General t241, he adds movement to troops so should help them cross the ocean faster. Japan actually likes me now that I have an army and culture and faith all together. T243 I get scientific theory, as well as this:
My ally wants to fight my war target? Perfect! Next research steam power to speed up the embarked troops by 2 movement. My mighty army leaves my shores:
Plymouth makes a 3 turn settler to claim some of that land that Saladin isn't using, and soon won't ever get to use. Get Colonialism T246, fitting. Next civic Nationalism, I'm about to declare on Saladin for the Eureka. My production cities make settlers and workers at a ludicrous speed, settlers in 3-5 and builders in 1-2. Turn 249 Saladin asks me if my boats are there for war, I tell him yes and declare. Just realised that this means there was no CB so I don't get the nationalism discount. Take another great admiral, doesn't matter what I do with them because Venetian Arsenal is completely broken and nothing can touch my fleet ever. Trigger the GE on the newly built industrial zone for the factory bonus, as well as a free factory/workshop at a city that really needed it. T250 China and Kongo get annoyed with me about warring as the former declares war on a CS and the latter had declared war on me earlier. Discover steam power, research set to Sanitation. City overview time! London:
The bare grassland you see there is being saved for Oxford in the future. Sheffield:
Manchester:
Birmingham:
Plymouth, slightly diminished because it's regrowing from a setter being produced:
Leeds:
Unfortunately I can't find my shot of Bristol, but it didn't have much, it popped coal underneath it that turn though. The only cities I really like are Sheffield, Plymouth, and Birmingham, the others have too many junk tiles. Coast continues to be worthless in the new post-civ V world. At this stage I almost declare war on China for the Eureka, but decide against it. Also, here is City 8, as my troops make landfall in the west:
I see unclaimed strategic resource I lack, I take unclaimed strategic resource I lack. Also has great harbour placement. Japan denounces me for warmongering, then Cleopatra the next turn. My troops are fighting:
One shot kill:
Situation at t254:
EOT situation:
Redcoats are pretty good. Hong Kong is getting ready to help out:
Too bad its all outdated garbage. Goodbye horse:
Goodbye Cairo:
Turns out you can bombard with a city the same turn you captured it. Also this city is equal in size to my largest. I call this a successful war, as long as Rome doesn't stab me in the back. T256 China declares on me, and I get sanitation for the much-needed sewers, +2 housing capacity. Every decent city I have is at the cap, so this is very useful. Ballistics next. Also Arabia offers up a free settler:
I take it of course. Simultaneous horse death looks really funny in this game. The horses proceeded to ride off by themselves in perfect harmony.
I buy a builder and water mill in Cairo, it needs to have its improvements fixed and has 2 rice that will benefit from the mill. I start bringing my navy back to fight China, since all of Saladin's cities are on a weird inland sea thing cut off by ice that I can't get to. Nationalism finished t258, I try to figure out how Corps work. Next tech Urbanisation. Get GE worth 480 for a wonder. I make a corps out of two of my Redcoats, but then realise that its a bad move because my units can easily kill the enemy, I just need more of them. City 9, with the free Redcoat displayed:
He was sent west. England vs the Barbarians:
Oneshotting swordsmen all day. On the interturn two more die 100-0 attacking the unit. This is actually making me tonnes of money due to my policy that gives me cash for killing outdated units. One of my enemies also allies with Hong Kong, so their previously neutral unit right next to my unprotected builder stole it. The Redcoat nearby corrected them, but still annoying. I start and rush Oxford in the capital, and then realise my engineer has two charges, so the current time to completion of 23 turns will drop.
Well, fight me. I got ballistics the same turn, T260. It comes fresh with an Adam Savage quote of all things. Lets see how my forts and encampments on the border do. Next tech Rifling, 10 turns to Oxford. The war front:
I don't buy any units, but Plymouth does switch to making a field cannon corps and I bombard with everything I can. Also switch to a Redcoat Corps in Sheffield and a regular one in Birmingham. On the interturn Rome shuffles units but does not attack. I'm beginning to sense a pattern in how the AI behaves. Mecca falls:
Arabia has no military, they are probably just going to die. I keep the city, I can just buy all the good tiles out of reach. Speaking of buying, I notice that all my navybuilding and lack of trade partners has caused me to start losing money. This may be an issue. Despite saying it was a bad idea, I use the free Redcoat for a fresh Corps. On the next turn I discover two exciting things. One, Crossbows upgrade to Field Cannons. Two, I can make more money by killing outdated units than I lose a turn. Total casualties on my end: 2 mines. Rome hasn't lost much yet, but my newly upgraded cannons haven't fired yet. I'm bombarding down Chinese coastal cities with my huge navy:
IBT Saladin will give me Cairo for peace, I turn him down. I won't go at war with half the world for anything less than everything. I love how there is a historical conflict between Britain and every other civ in the game, so I can pretend that my wars are the sequel to those wars. If America was still alive, I could have done the Revolutionary War mk2, the Saladin war is the 5th crusades, China is the second opium war, Egypt is England taking back the Suez, Rome is England kicking the Romans back out of their country. Japan and Kongo don't really have good analogues, but the rest are pretty good. My field cannons are oneshotting legions, life is good. T264 I get Urbanisation, and a bunch of messages telling me to build housing and a policy that gives me money for replacing farms with neighbourhoods. How am I meant to grow the population to fill the houses without the farms? I do not enact the civic, and go on to Opera. Only one turn has passed since my last picture of this city:
Boats are pretty good. I keep the city, even though it doesn't get the free redcoat. All Roman Legions are gone from my lands, and the AI appears to be in full retreat. At some point Rome and Kongo went back to war, but other than Kongo's city bombarding Roman units nothing is happening. Saladin offers me 2 cities for peace now, I almost have the last one so I say no. T266 (same turn) I get rifling, on to Stock Exchange to fix my economy. Goodbye Arabia:
Hello random rebels out of nowhere that massively outclass my forces in the area.
This will be interesting, I actually have to fight a proper war for once. Get a great admiral, burn him for +50% flanking forever. Another Chinese city down:
Hopefully they peace out soon so I can trade with them. Not this turn however. Cannons close in on Rome:
On the interturn the Rebels do not attack, although they do capture a worker. Founded a new city for the unit:
Also remember to use my admiral to turn one of my frigates into an armada(equivalent of 3 units merged). Not that I needed to, but its fun anyway. T268 get Opera, no AIs want peace. Mobilisation next. Founded another city for a unit in the west:
My economy right now is entirely fuelled by killing outdated crap. I get 20-40 gold each time, and that's enough to keep me afloat, the blood of my enemies oiling the cogs of commerce.
At this point I hit the image cap for one post, so the remainder of the report is split out into a second one.
Flight is also acquired via Oxford. If I had known that it would just finish whatever I happened to be teching, I would have waited. Research set to Chemistry. My finances improve by +50 gold per turn because China signed peace, they wanted to give me the cities I took, but instead I took all their resources and their economy. I will conquer them later if I go domination. However, I keep the cities? I don't know why, but the game didn't take the cities back. Guess I will wait a turn. Spy sabotaged the industrial zone in Plymouth, everything will be fixed in a couple of turns. IBT Rome gives me the kitchen sink for peace, I am unsure whether or not to accept. I feel I shouldn't take it and instead finish him off, but I don't like war that much. In the end, I resolve to take back Petra, and keep on fighting. I cross some invisible threshold t270 and enter the Modern era, so my roads are better. Rebels finally die at cairo after pillaging everything and taking a worker, but I have retaken the worker. In the new era I get quests from all the CSs. China's cities are still mine, this is a weird bug. T271 I get a great scientist that will Eureka 2 industrial or modern techs, and reveal oil. I take him and use him, he discounts Radio and Combustion. A CS is happy I made him. Rome falls t272:
It had a settler inside, which I acquired as well. I then peace out Rome for 700g + the city, it's all I need if I want to go domination. Well, Washington as well, but I would probably get there by going west not east. Buy some builders and traders with the money. Last turn I noticed that Cairo had a -6 amenities from WW, and this turn it ticked down by one, so I guess I know why it revolted. T274 I get Chemistry, on to Electricity. Birmingham starts on Bolshoi theatre, due in 27. I get mobilisation t275, switch to the maintenance reducing civic. Next civic Scorched Earth. I get scorched earth and electricity on t279, on to Radio and Mass Media. Take a GE, they will eureka Computers and let me make one more district in a city. Right now the most interesting part of the game is leapfrogging trading posts around the world so I can support my new colonies. Get denounced by Kongo and China, Rome pays me for luxuries. T 283 Rome denounces me and Japan tries to take my luxuries for pennies. I also get a GG, who I can consume to turn a land unit into an army. I use him on a 3-promo field cannon. T284 get Radio and Mass Media, go on to Steel and Ideology. End of session screenshots; the old world:
The new world:
After looking at the rest of the tech tree and how from here on out it is mostly just military, I think I will go for a domination victory as the fastest way to end this. I just wish that there was one less era so there were fewer random military units / techs and also that the AI was better at fighting.
Ok, session 4. First thing I want to do is step back from the game a little and actually think about what I'm doing, or rather look at my cities and what I should have done differently. London:
I made too many districts here. The scientific and industrial ones were for wonders, and the holy site was for a pantheon, but the commercial one was a complete waste, and is unnecessary and adds nothing to the city. A farm there would have been far better. Sheffield:
I think I made too many wonders here, I could have really used the land they took up, and Chichen Itza especially in retrospect is a terrible wonder. The Aqueduct to the south was my worst mistake, I really didn't need the +2 housing enough to give up a riverside tile. I probably should have planned ahead to Ruhr Valley as well, instead there was no room by the river and the industrial zone is way south. I again overbuilt districts here, the commercial one in the west is not needed at all, although the campus was defendable in that I just wanted some early science. Manchester:
This city is terrible, I founded it where it was to get the freshwater bonus, but past that it has very little potential, and was squeezed by other better cities. This start in general I packed way too many cities into, I didn't think I actually needed all those tiles, and I was just trying to get everything out of each city that I could. I might give all its desert tiles that are in range of Rome to Rome so that they can get the Petra boost. Leeds:
The poster child of cramping. I keep forgetting that Civ V killed the fishing village, and this has certainly proved to be correct here. The industrial zone is needed so that this city can do anything at all. Birmingham:
I was expecting this city to be trash after I lost Petra, but it actually turned into a great production city with all those mines. I just wish I had put the industrial zone 2SE of the city for better adjacency boosts. The culture district you see is just for the wonder. Plymouth:
One of my best cities, this one has huge production, great industrial zone placement, and also a good encampment position. Not sure what I would do differently next time. Bristol:
Another fishing village, but this one has a mine so everything is great. Still loses too many tiles to other cities, and wasted one on an aqueduct however. I think they (aqueducts) aren't worth it in general. Overall, I think the biggest change I will make next time will be industrial zone placement, most of mine are clustered in the SE and it would be better for them to be closer. I note that my culture production has far outstripped my science despite lagging ~10 behind most of the game, I think Meritocracy is to blame. I will probably revolt out of it once I get my final government. I hit end turn.
T285-6 I start moving my troops up to the border in the east and the west. Planning to declare on Rome first because I have a good CB (holy war, halved warmonger penalties).
t287 I get steel and ideology, go on to Combustion and Class struggle, as I want Communism. Also:
Will pop it next turn.
T288: Egypt asks about my army, I ignore her because I want to use a CB. Pop the hut for a free builder in my nearest city. Get a great admiral, burn him for a promotion and 75% exp on my armada.
T289 my powerplants start completing, I start on a Ranger army in Plymouth because I want to try something different. I also realise that keeping redcoats embarked on lakes makes them more effective, since it costs them nothing to disembark they keep their 6 moves. A bug, but a fun one.
T290 I burn 2 GA on upgrading my armada, which I will soon upgrade to a battleship. All my Roman troops are ready and half my Egyptian, but I'm waiting a turn for the government change.
T291 I get Class struggle and Combustion, change governments to Communism. Replace Meritocracy with 5 year plan (Doubled adjacency bonuses for science/production districts) and collectivisation, +4 food on internal trade routes (which will be most of them from this point forward). Grab Patriotic war for doubled support unit production and Native Conquest for the war economy. Research to Plastics and Nuclear Program. Upgrade my boats to more modern varients and declare Holy War on Rome. First war I actually declared deliberately. Starting theatre:
Move up Redcoats, fire with one cannon. Nothing major happens, only a scout goes down. IBT get denounced by Japan, but surprisingly only them.
T292, start moving my navy over to deal with Rome because it looks like Kongo won't do anything. Everyone is unhappy because Rome isn't giving me all their luxuries anymore. EOT:
Looks like I won't need the navy after all.
T293 I notice my culture has massively dropped back to where my science is after I dropped meritocracy, guess I know where it was coming from. Ostia falls:
I keep it, the land is decent. Declare territorial expansion war on Kongo, plan on flattening his coast with my navy. I figure I might as well take the CB now since they were about to jump in anyway.
T294 the Kongo front:
I anticipate Philadelphia falling in 2 turns. A sub fires a torpedo at a city:
It did huge damage. City doesn't fall this turn, but its close. An example of what I mean with embarking with Redcoats:
I should not be able to go those places. This is an insane exploit, imagine double moving with this. Embark right at the end of a turn, then move 8 tiles back over the land you just left from. Clobber a random UU, but not sure if they will live.
T295 Philidelphia falls:
Keep the city, move the navy south. Kill a catapult with the lone Redcoat, then declare Territorial War on Egypt. War Front:
Gonna blitz them real fast. Eot:
That's a lot of cities to kill, but at least many of the crossbows are dead.
T296 get Nuclear Program, on to Capitalism. Also swap GE policy for GS policy. Get a GM giving me 1 oil, as well as 2 gold for each strat resource at destination. Killing spears with torpedoes:
I also realised that cannons don't count as bombardment units, but ranged units, so my observation balloon has been doing nothing.
T297 my lack of understanding of new movement mechanics causes me to lose a unit. I thought he could run to a forest and live by getting out of range of a city, but I forgot how forests work now and Japan blocked me to the south. It's only a musket though. Kwango falls:
And I get this message instantly:
I guess I got a new amenity when I took the city? I keep it.
T298. Japan declares. China is the only one I'm not currently fighting. I have some northern units I forgot that I can use to clear up the outdated units up here:
IBT 3 Egyptian warriors sucided in one turn:
T299 I get plastics, on to Replaceable Parts. Mediolanum falls:
It's basically oxford for civics, gives me totalitarianism and capitalism. Switch the doubled support production for doubled tank production. Next civic Natural History. Jakarta falls:
I keep it. City bombardment has machine guns now, so I check and I am indeed in the atomic era. The free redcoat from Jakarta goes east. Egypt's capital is beating my redcoats 3-1, need to send reinforcements. China declares on Kongo for some reason.
T301 I gun down some pirates:
Perfectly historically accurate. Plymouth can make a tank army in 8 turns. Rangers are insane, ranged attackers with the strength of redcoats and 3 moves. Only drawback is a range of 1 and a penalty against cities. Found Kongo's army:
Right now these are my only forces dealing with Kongo, I have 2 cannons and a redcoat fighting Rome and a swarm fighting Egypt and Japan. IBT I actually take significant damage from a Roman knight:
Also Rome shows up wanting peace, willing to give 2 cities and all his luxuries, but expects me to pay for it. I say no of course.
T302 I get a GS, he will eureka 1 tech and discount all future GP by 20, I take him. He finished replaceable parts for me. Next tech computers.
T303 I get natural history, on to Suffrage because new deal sounds interesting. Egypt's capital fell this turn:
It was really the only thing they had left, although their supply of infinite crossbows isn't letting up. Also I sniped the alliance with a city state out from under Kongo, so I have another ally. Also, the free melee unit bonus gave me an Infantry now! Replaceable parts + AI farm spam = insane food:
IBT Kongo wants peace, also wants me to pay for some books + artwork. I say no, I want his capital. My CS ally is tanking Japan for me:
T304. It turns out that infantry combat animations look really chaotic, way less disciplined than redcoats. Zanzibar falls:
I think Japan is the only one with an army, and they are looking increasingly alone. I liberate the city, as it was my first friend. It gets glitched:
Also does not want my units in there, so this was a mistake. The AI hit me with a battleship IBT on the inland sea where I can't fight, almost killed my infantry.
T305 Swenett falls:
Egypt still have one city, so the battleship still exists. I keep the city, it has good production. I become allied with Zanzibar this turn, so last turn must have been a glitch. All the AIs want peace, I want them dead.
T306 I get computers. Next tech Advanced Flight. I can't find any oil on the map.
End of session screenshots, the homeland:
(October 24th, 2016, 22:14)BRickAstley Wrote: England ain't so bad now is it?
Oh no, I now think they are brokenly OP. While their UA is pointless trash and their naval UU isn't really needed against the computer, the leader ability is unstoppable. Redcoats are a decent UU that becomes amazing on a different continent, and if you are conquering on a separate continent you can pull massive amounts of hammers out of free air, even more than Rome (although it is harder to trigger than Rome's bonus). They get too much free stuff, maybe they should make the free unit be one tech level below your best to show that they are basically militia.
