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Sign up to stress test the Automated Tounament System.

Well... if you're interested that is.

And have loads of time to dedicate.

Interesting scenario. First, I checked the list of world wonders, since only those tending to produce
artists and engineers would be available to me. This put an interesting spin on things:

Artistic wonders:
- The Parthenon
- Notre Dame
- Broadway
- Hollywood

Engineering wonders include:
- The Pyramids
- The Hanging Gardens

And of the national wonders, I could build
- Heroic Epic
- National Epic

My overall strategy can be summed up as follows. Just win, baby. I’ll be lucky if I can win. I’ve only won at Monarch
once before, so this challenge for me has nothing to do with the scoring system. I’ll keep my score, but my strategy
here is simple: Win, on Monarch, with these scenario restrictions.

Seeing no reason to consider anywhere else, I settled in place.
Went with a worker first since it would
only take 12 turns. Needed agriculture right away (13 turns) to farm the rice fields to my capital’s east. With
Elizabeth being Philosophical, the Parthenon would really be the wonder of all wonders for her special traits.
But the Pyramids would be great, too, since it was one of the few wonders available to me to build
(because of its potential to produce a Great Engineer). Also discovered stone to the southwest of my capital,
so hooking that up would speed up the Pyramids. Could I build both the Parthenon and the Pyramids?
Must prioritize.

Wow. Those lovely villagers just to the south of my capital gave me Masonry. Perfect, since The Pyramids
were one of the few early world wonders that I would be able to build. What a stroke of good luck.
Now, if I can only get that stone hooked up just to the southwest, I’d really be in bidness.

In 3040 BC a lion takes out one of my two warriors. This was the sentry for my planned second city,
so that set me back quite a bit. In 2830 BC I lost my other warrior. Wow, I think this is going
quite well.

Research: I went agriculture, masonry (from the villagers, for the Pyramids), animal husbandry (the cows),
the wheel (to hook up the stone to the south), bronze working (to chop the Pyramids). As it turns out,
I ended up connecting the stone before getting BW, so the Pyramids finished (1030 BC) before I could really
chop any of the forests around town.

In 2640 BC some of my citizens discover Hinduism, but it’s just a superstition. Our civilization would
not consider any of these silly superstitions, at least not as state religions.

Here are my two cities in 640 BC:



In 385 BC:



If I wanted the Parthenon, I would need Mysticism and then Polytheism, and I was able to build it in 385 BC. Cool.

Next I tried beelining to Literature, getting writing and alphabet on the way. Would Napoleon trade techs with me?

I gained a great engineer, but saved him for more important things. Once I reached Literature, I queued up the
National Epic in my capital, and my Great Engineer helped me build it in one turn. Cool. My capital could now
produce Great people by the bushel (100% for philosophical leader, 100% due to the National Epic, and
50% because of the Parthenon). Now, whether I can actually DO anything with those Great Persons
is another question.

I discover Drama in 845 AD. That’s not going to win me any awards.

And speaking of winning. This sceanario cried out for a cultural victory. The farther into the game I got the
more I thought about trying for that. Could I win a cultural victory without the assistance of any of the
religions or religious buildings? On Monarch? Needless to say, I had my doubts.

It wasn’t until the 1200’s that I met any other civs. Huayna Capac sailed by in his shiny new caravel,
and we celebrated his discovery of my continent by trading a few technologies.

The Sistine Chapel was a key wonder for me, because not only would it help create Great Artists,
but it gave me 2 culture for each specialist. Since Elizabeth was a philosophical civ, I had
lots of those. Thank goodness my capital produced another Great Engineer in 1490. I quickly ordered
him to rush the production of the Sistine Chapel.



I love that wonder movie. I sometimes build the Sistine Chapel just to watch it.

My building phase continued peacefully into the 1600’s, when Napoleon finally got fed up with me,
decided that this island was not big enough for the both of us, and declared war. My strategy the entire game
was to stay friendly with him, being that he was my only neighbor, to keep him from invading, and allow
me to build peacefully. I gave him technologies as gifts. I responded positively to every demand he made.
I kissed his little Assembly Line, if-you-know-what-I-mean-and-I-think-that-you-do. But my good relations
efforts had finally run their course.

He pillaged my western border, but by using the draft to get 3 macemen each turn, I managed to survive.
Eventually I had to give him Nationalism just to get him to go home. I admit it, I have the negotiating
prowess of Dan Quayle.

Here’s why he declared on me:



”We WILL take your city, Napoleon. Grenoble is the future victim of our world class culture.”

This is interesting:



I don’t think I’ve seen a Barbarian city with three riflemen before. Usually these cities are taken
out before they get this far advanced.

Wait a minute. … What’s this?

“Mansa Musa wins a Time Victory”

Huh? In 1850?

Why isn’t it 2050? Even looking at the Victory screen, it says “Time Victory:1850.”
Guess I should have noticed that sooner. All along I figured I had until 2050, thinking I mainly had to
obtain my cultural victory before any of the AI’s launched their ships.

Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.


“All the World’s a Stage: And, do you need me to sweep up before closing down the theater tonight?”


Scoring:

o --- For winning the game
12 --- 3 pts - Per great artist you acquire (Hey? I just noticed my Statistics screen lists “0” Great
Artists, but I know I produced at least 4? Hmm.)
12 --- 3 pts - Per (legal!) world wonder (not project) built
0 --- 1 pt - Per broadcast tower your civilization contains at the end of the game
14 --- 2 pts - Per city you control of size 10 or greater at the end of the game
0 --- 5 pts - For building The Internet …
845 AD --- 5 pts - First to Drama
NA --- 5 pts - First to Mass Media (never made it there)
0 --- 5 pts - First to build the Globe Theatre (I built it, but did not document when it was)
0 --- 5 pts - First to make contact with all 5 AI civs (Did not document when this occurred)
9917 --- 5 pts - Highest culture in 1500 AD in a single city. Great works do not count, so subtract the
culture each city gained from any great works. (Wasn't sure how to subtract, but it shouldn't matter, its not like I'm going to win anything. )

Hey guys,

Wasn't sure if I should put this here or in the general discussion, but it impacts GW people more than anyone else in RB, so this seems like the logical place. Anyways... as a lot of you probably remember, I've been saying lately how my comp's been on its last legs and slowly dying. Well, in the continuation of Murphy's Law being the most active universal force in my life, my comp went splat. Saturday. In the middle of a HA run with alliance people. Windows had some fatal errors and BSODs galore, so I ran the HD diag & repair and got it running again. Only to notice that the network card wasn't working anymore. As if that wasn't enough, I decided to see if I could move the card to a different slot. Now the computer won't turn on at all.

In case you hadn't guessed, that's the long version of me saying I'm not going to be around for a while. I'm going to be getting an entirely new system sometime in the next month, but unfortunately it's still a week or two until the price cuts from AMD and Intel and I really can't afford the computer parts those happen.

I'm sorry for the 11th hour notice about this, since LoL is scheduled to meet soon, but until now I've been trying different ideas to see if I can get the comp to work again, to no avail. And, really, LoL and GvG are the main reasons I'm typing this whole thing up. Obviously, I'm not going to be available for those until all the new stuff arrives (whenever that may be) but I'm hoping you guys will still manage without me, especially since I really don't do much with either anymore.

LoL is on cruise control and has been for a while. The only thing I ask is that you not complete NF until I get back, just because I'd like to be there for that.

We have a GvG build you guys can use and there should be enough people still around to make critical mass, and with the HRK contacts we've built over the past few weeks, Fox's AB contacts, and the new guild in the alliance, HaX (iirc their leader was in a top 200 guild for a while), there should be enough people to fill out the team. Not sure about SOR (I think that's the other guild) since I haven't played with any of them. I wouldn't mind seeing a few more wins on the status page, but even if you can't get people for GvG maybe you can get some TA or AB in, or maybe even some HA since getting 8 for that seems a bit easier than getting 8 for GvG.

I'm hoping I'll be able to return sooner rather than later, but until then, see you guys... whenever.

P.S. I might be lurking around the forums every now and then, although that's probably not going to happen too often.

I do plan on finishing this game up eventually, but just didnt have time to finish it before reporting day. Argh.. I read some other reporst already, and my game went really different in terms of early wonders. Anyways, not to waste any more time...

--------------------------------------------------

I founded capital on Spot as it was a plains hill for 2 production, and my initial warrior revealed nothing nearby. What I did find was Stone nearby, for early pyramids and hanging gardens.



Sent my starting warrior to explore the west, while I started another warrior in capital while waiting to grow to size 2. My initial research was agriculture and I was planning to go Animal Husbandry right after it while starting my worker once the capital was size 2.

3640 Buddhism is founded in a distant land, and in 3610 my warrior Pops a hut...



So far my luck not looking good, hopefully this game doesnt continue on this path. My warrior kills 2 units before succumbing to the third one.. My second warrior finds marble in the north. So marble and stone nearby, we are officially a Industrious/Philosophical/Financial leader. This will get interesting without doubt.. I had basically considered the game won at this point.

Met napoleon in 3160 and Animal Husbandry researched in 3040 BC. There were horses all over the place . With horses nearby, whats the point of going Bronze working early right? Wrong. I was planning to chop the pyramids and whip out my first settler, so I set research to BW right after Animal husbandry. Set my worker to improve rice in capital and started building another warrior.. Here is the setup I was using in the capital



This is because I wanted BW as soon as possible, and the 2 production from my city tile was building the warrior at a decent enough pace. My prime concern at this point was Beakers and Food, not hammers. By 2680 BC, my capital was size 5 and ready to build a settler. Bronze working came in 2470 BC, I automatically switched to slavery and whipped my settler for 2 pop. I also found a copper IN the capital... That shall help in building the pyramids. Once again I was being reinforced this game would be a walk in the park.. I also built my preliminary Dotmap at this point, since my first settler was ready



City B would actually be the first city for stone, while A would be the second. I would close off the land towards my east with cities C and D, which were also priorities in the early game. After Bronze working, I set research to Wheel. The overflow from my settler went into a worker. I have learned this to be a strong early game strategy, whipping a settler for 2 population and putting overflow into a worker.. Founded York in 2290 BC



I had a worker in place to quickly improve the wheat. I noticed I did not have mysticism at this point That mistake would delay my pyramids, but I would still expect to get it.. Since I couldnt start an obilesk, I started a warrior in York instead. Wheel was researched in 2110, I put research to mysticism right after.. which was researched by 1870 BC. Now guess what I set research to next.. Masonry for pyramids? Writing en-route to Alphabet? Priesthood en-route to Code of laws? Pottery for financial cottages? No, No, No and No. Sailing! I was going to rely on 2f3c tiles for the bulk of my early research, and sailing early would be essential.. I would not need masonry anyways until I had the stone hooked up...

Barbarians started invaded my land by 1570, but I had axeman ready by that time. In 1570 BC, here is the situation:



I had my third settler starting, sailing done in 1 more turn, and workers pre-routing to my third city. The advantages of numerous early workers are well... numerous. They can pre-chop, pre-road, or even pre-improve tiles that will be in future cities.

Like my initial settler, I whipped this one for 2 pop and put overflow into my third worker..



and Nottingham was founded in 1360 BC. I hooked up stone a turn later and started pyramids... but saw this message



Napoleon with Stone? Sheesh, that puts all my early plans to waste. Maybe this wont be a walk in the park after all.. lets see what happens...

---Part 1 Ends---

---Part 2 Begins---

New plan time . Instead of founding cities C and D, I would go for a marble city soon for parthenon.. I just could not get over losing the pyramids so early, so decided that I would atleast guarantee myself the parthenon.. I set research to writing en-route to math and hanging gardens at this point.. Napoleon adops representation in 1270 which obviously means he got hte pyramids. A barb city is founded 1 spot away from what I would have considered the optimal location.. meh



Anyways, I had a lighthouse completed in York by 1060 BC, which would start working 2f3c tiles and help my research situation. I find another barb city in the east near furs.. I ask myself... Feeling lucky today?



1 axeman against 3 warriors, can he do it? And sure enough, he can... I capture Alemanni by 955 BC.



Seeing no reason to raze this city (It would support and provide to my research once I have a workboat out of it, which would be like 12 turns), I kept it. I immedietely sent a worker towards it also to hook up the furs and help my dire happiness situation.. I swithc away temporarily from pottery to hunting to take care of those furs, and then switch to pottery again. A few turns go by quietely, while I research polytheism for the Parthenon.. I also find out that Napoleon is quickly encrouching, he has stolen my city C spot..



Anyhow, I found Hastings in 685 BC and automatically start working on the marble... I set research to math after polytheism for the hanging gardens as well.. Math puts me into the classical era in 550 BC, after which I go alphabet towards Drama and the globe theatre, which will hopefully net me some points for this tournament I capture the second barb city, Zhou, in 505 BC. 3 axes against 2 archers..



I also quickly cleared my forests in London to speed up Parthenon.. which was built in 430 BC.



I also forgot to mention this, but I had built a library in London a while ago. We only had 1 library available and I decided to get it as fast as possible to make use of its research bonus.. I was kind of expecting to put national epic in the capital anyways.. I started Aqueduct in London right after Parthenon for the hanging gardens... A few turns go by quietely and I get Alphabet in 310 BC..



I set research to Drama right afterwards, I also check the trade situation but notice Napoleon wont trade with me... because im the only civ he has met.. Well this could get ugly in terms of research.. Anohter few turns go by quietely while I build/chop the Hanging Gardens, which are finished by 145 BC. I wanted to get this out ASAP because I was hoping for a engineer as the first GP.. I get Drama in 85 BC.. I dont expect to get points for this, but im crossing my fingers in terms of Globe Theatre...



I put research to literature next, and unfortunately pop a great artist in London . I had a backup plan in place for this though, I was going to use this artist to lightbulb music for another artist... Also I founded canterbury in 55 BC



By the BC-AD transition point, I had 42 beakers per turn and 7 cities.. which is more than I usually have at this point.



I lose my second axeman at this point to a barbarian at 9% battle odds, which was starting to annoy me. I was trying to concentrate on my economy and these barb's were annoying the hell out of me.. At 50AD, I use my artist to lightbulb music for another artist.. if only there were points for the first person to discover music, I would have a good shot at that



I also started national epic in London at this point.. with research set on Monotheism. My whole empire was relying on research from coast tiles, and with no libraries, I had to delete some old warriors to help my upkeep situation. My happiness was lacking, but I planned to improve that with monarchy. Anyhow, I found coventry in 95 AD, my eight city..



Monothiesm comes in 140 AD, and then I use my second great artist to Lightbulb monarchy. I found it really important to lightbulb as many important tech's with artists as possible, since we couldnt build libraries and couldnt get great scientists..



I automatically switched to heriditary rule and started building alot of units, which would provide my happiness for the time being. I also started Heroic Epic in my marble city.. National Epic completes in 230 AD in london, I automatically start Notre Dame. My first great engineer is born in 290 AD at around 45% odds (Whew). I was hoping for this, and had a plan ready... I quickly chop theatres all over the place, and rush globe theatre in london in 335 AD.. 8)



Currency was researched in 395 AD, which automaticlaly boosts my GNP way above napoleon.. but Napoleon was relying on representation scientists for his research.. By 500 AD, here is what my three primary research cities looked like



I was working all the coast tiles, with 4-5 units in each of the cities for happiness.. I was really getting annoyed of not being able to trade(especially really old ancient tech's like iron working), so in desperation I gift napoleon Literature and Drama hoping this would bring him to pleased and he would start trading with me... but those 2 tech's dont even budge his relations with me :mad: My second great engineer was born in London in 620 AD, this time at 30% odds A turn later, I found Warwick



And a turn after that, Notre Dame is build in London...



Napoleon FINALLY demands a tech from me, which I happily give to him. (I was still thinking he would trade with me at pleased)... the tech gift gets him to pleased, but he still ISNT willing to trade... :mad:

At this point, I had my plan ready for how I would proceed. I decided to go after maceman and attack napoleon ASAP to get his city locations, especially since he wasnt trading with me. My next 500 or so years were spend researching tech's enroute to Maceman... By 950 AD, I was top in GNP but still not at top of the land category



I had all the tech's necesarry for maceman by 1106 AD, I immedietely started whipping out maces and catupults from my cities... I also set research to engineering so my idle Engineer could rush Hagia Sofia.. I had to stop due to time constraints in 1154 AD, 5 turns from engineering and a few turns away from declaring on Napoleon. My beakers per turn were 204 at this point, I had 9 cities and a tech lead on the rest of the world (According to most advanced civilizations list). Heres my empire on my last turn

Full report this week if I have time, but for now the stats

Conquest 1843 (7 turns remaining I could have used the save editor to fix the end date and farmed another 100+ victory points, but decided it was a boring waste of time just to exploit the scoring system. So I'd take the challenge of trying to conquest before the bugged time limit instead.)

Won game - 20 points
7 great artists - 21 points
20 cities @ size 10 - 40 points
Broadcast towers - All the world's a stage, not a stupid TV set - 0 points
Wonders: Gardens, Notre Dame, Taj, Sophia, Kremlin - 15 points
Internet - What, and let everyone violate copyright on our plays? - 0 points

score = 96 + speed bonuses


Dates:

Drama, 110 BC
Globe Theatre, 635 AD
Contact with all civs, 1244 AD
Highest culture at 1500 AD - 2442

http://realmsbeyond.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1958

http://realmsbeyond.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1958

http://realmsbeyond.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1958

http://realmsbeyond.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1958

April Fool's Event 2007 - Toons are changed to their opposite sex in the three major towns.

Shame that AN is holding out on probably one of the most requested feature, the ability to change features of toons.

I like male Para toons better than the female versions. Something just isn't right about the female para, maybe because they all seem to look like air heads ;p