So here's a sort of final, collated pregame thoughts...
Bobchillingworth - Hannibal (Charismatic, Financial) of Maya (Mysticism, Mining, Holkan, Ball Court)
superdeath & GeneralKilCavalry - Mao Zedong (Expansive, Protective) of China (Agriculture, Mining, Cho-Ko-Nu, Pavilion)
Lewwyn - Charlemagne (Imperialistic, Protective) of Spain (Mysticism, Fishing, Conquistador, Citadel)
Serdoa - Wang Kon (Financial, Protective) of Russia (Hunting, Mining, Cossack, Research Institute)
Rusten & Hitru - Justinian (Imperialistic, Spiritual) of Aztec (Mysticism, Hunting, Jaguar, Sacrificial Altar)
Gaspar & NobleHelium - Augustus Caesar (Imperialistic, Industrious) of Byzantium (Mysticism, Wheel, Cataphract, Hippodrome)
Based on player skill level, I'd place us in basically in three bands - there's the Us, Lewwyn, Serdoa band, the Rusten and Bob band and then the SD band. Obviously both SD and Rusten have some strong dedlurkers which can impact things, but if you take a look at say, PBEM24, where I got great input from dedlurkers but I still didn't quite have the MP game down and made some terrible decisions which ruined my game. I guess to paraphrase Commodore, if your moral instruments aren't quite up to snuff, even the best leading hands can only take it so far. I say that not to disparage SD or Rusten, but rather to say I want to base my evaluation primarily on the primary turnplayer. Anyway, while those bands exist, first off, the top band has three exceptionally rusty teams and second off, the gaps between those bands isn't especially large. I say with total sincerity that I think at a minimum, 5 of the 6 players could win this game.
So if you can't answer the question by player skill, let's look at some other factors. You would expect SD and Serdoa to be the fastest starters given their combos. We have 3 IMP civs, 2 PRO civs, 2 FIN civs and then 1 each of SPI, IND, CHM and EXP. I think the teams that have a unique trait will have some advantages - us in the production and wonder game, Rusten in the religion game in particular. Phracts are the only game changing UU and there isn't really a game changing UB.
A lot will depend on the map (as always.) If, as I suspect, the map is food heavy then Bob and Rusten's advantages with the whip might give them a leg up. If there are lots of wonder doublers on the map, then our IND trait takes a slight hit. If there's not much water beyond the capital, then the FIN guys take a hit. Lots of luxes, then Bob takes a hit. Etc, etc.
I guess what I'm saying here is a lot is up in the air, even with discounting a lot of the meta issues I described in the preview posts. I hope we win in a laugher, but I'm expecting a competitive game. I really hope we don't get murdered before I get to mess around with Cataphracts, because I've never had the pleasure in a game here.
I'll do one last pregame post tomorrow-ish where I discuss in greater detail what I'd like to see our game look like.
Bobchillingworth - Hannibal (Charismatic, Financial) of Maya (Mysticism, Mining, Holkan, Ball Court)
superdeath & GeneralKilCavalry - Mao Zedong (Expansive, Protective) of China (Agriculture, Mining, Cho-Ko-Nu, Pavilion)
Lewwyn - Charlemagne (Imperialistic, Protective) of Spain (Mysticism, Fishing, Conquistador, Citadel)
Serdoa - Wang Kon (Financial, Protective) of Russia (Hunting, Mining, Cossack, Research Institute)
Rusten & Hitru - Justinian (Imperialistic, Spiritual) of Aztec (Mysticism, Hunting, Jaguar, Sacrificial Altar)
Gaspar & NobleHelium - Augustus Caesar (Imperialistic, Industrious) of Byzantium (Mysticism, Wheel, Cataphract, Hippodrome)
Based on player skill level, I'd place us in basically in three bands - there's the Us, Lewwyn, Serdoa band, the Rusten and Bob band and then the SD band. Obviously both SD and Rusten have some strong dedlurkers which can impact things, but if you take a look at say, PBEM24, where I got great input from dedlurkers but I still didn't quite have the MP game down and made some terrible decisions which ruined my game. I guess to paraphrase Commodore, if your moral instruments aren't quite up to snuff, even the best leading hands can only take it so far. I say that not to disparage SD or Rusten, but rather to say I want to base my evaluation primarily on the primary turnplayer. Anyway, while those bands exist, first off, the top band has three exceptionally rusty teams and second off, the gaps between those bands isn't especially large. I say with total sincerity that I think at a minimum, 5 of the 6 players could win this game.
So if you can't answer the question by player skill, let's look at some other factors. You would expect SD and Serdoa to be the fastest starters given their combos. We have 3 IMP civs, 2 PRO civs, 2 FIN civs and then 1 each of SPI, IND, CHM and EXP. I think the teams that have a unique trait will have some advantages - us in the production and wonder game, Rusten in the religion game in particular. Phracts are the only game changing UU and there isn't really a game changing UB.
A lot will depend on the map (as always.) If, as I suspect, the map is food heavy then Bob and Rusten's advantages with the whip might give them a leg up. If there are lots of wonder doublers on the map, then our IND trait takes a slight hit. If there's not much water beyond the capital, then the FIN guys take a hit. Lots of luxes, then Bob takes a hit. Etc, etc.
I guess what I'm saying here is a lot is up in the air, even with discounting a lot of the meta issues I described in the preview posts. I hope we win in a laugher, but I'm expecting a competitive game. I really hope we don't get murdered before I get to mess around with Cataphracts, because I've never had the pleasure in a game here.
I'll do one last pregame post tomorrow-ish where I discuss in greater detail what I'd like to see our game look like.
I've got some dirt on my shoulder, can you brush it off for me?
![[Image: RrGmz.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/RrGmz.jpg)