[SPOILERS]The 3 Muscateers playing Ragnar of Rome!

[Catwalk]

I would pick Egypt out of those, if we're not going with Ragnar. War Chariots are nasty early on. France looks really interesting with FIN/PHI, getting an extra artist from Salon.

[slowcheetah]

To be honest the Salon comes too late to get much use out of PHI, the main thing about those civs is the starting techs. Although I'[m completely in the Ragnar of Rome camp so i'm hoping you get that.

[Catwalk]

Yeah, I think I'm comfortable with having that be our #1 choice. I think there's a reasonable chance of getting it, I imagine this is how the first 5 picks will go:

1) India
2) Inca
3) FIN/CRE
4) FIN/IND
5) EXP/CRE

Feel free to venture your own guess

[Catwalk]

Unsurprisingly, Willem is gone. I wonder if India and Inca will be unpopular, because of the leader limitations. You might have to try hard to talk me out of Gandhi of India if it's available when it comes around.

[Catwalk]

Hmm, I just had a worrying thought. In PBEM25g, the iron was buried on a jungle hill. If Sian should feel like doing the same, that's another 3 worker turns a praetorian rush will be delayed. Even if it's not under jungle, it might be in a bad location or a location we're not moving towards. So if we want to go this route, we will likely have to tech Iron Working early in order to know what we can expect. Or should we simply assume that it's reasonably available and not worry about it?

[Catwalk]

I'm guessing Xenon wanted Rome as well, given his explosive EXP/AGG combo. So our combos are similar in that we both have an early (EXP vs Praetorians) and a mid game (FIN vs Janissaries) advantage. Do you think France is better than Ottomans slowcheetah?

xenu, hope you're pleased with our choice

[Catwalk]

So, our starting techs are Fishing and Mining. I don't think that will harm our plans any, although I might start suggesting building a workboat first. If we tech AG => AH, I don't think AH will be done in time for our worker to pasture the cows after farming the corn. Losing The Wheel sucks a bit because of the resource distances, we might have been better off with the Ottomans instead.

PLAN A:
Get WB in 5t working a hill tile, then commence worker
t7 stats:
5 food
12 hammers towards worker +6/t => worker done t12
4 extra commerce +2/t

PLAN B:
Grow to size 2 in 5t working river corn (1t clams), then finishing WB in 2t.
t7 stats:
14 food (size 2 with 0 food)
2 hammers towards worker +7/t => worker done t13
6 commerce +3/t

[slowcheetah]

Yeah but Rome is fun .

The worker can always mine while AH comes in. I may have more suggestions later but this is just a quick in-out.

[Catwalk]

Mining could work, yeah. Which early build order are you thinking about? Growing on a workbat after the worker?

I am betting that waterbat will pick Louis (IND/CRE) and become a wonder farmer. Couples very nicely with India for extra chopping capability. Unless superjm picks a Mysticism civ, waterbat will be the only player starting with Mysticism. Gives him a strong lead on the Oracle. I will love him forever if he picks Gandhi of India

EDIT: Nope, TheArchDuke has Mysticism too with Byzantium.

[slowcheetah]

Hmm, I just had a worrying thought. In PBEM25g, the iron was buried on a jungle hill. If Sian should feel like doing the same, that's another 3 worker turns a praetorian rush will be delayed. Even if it's not under jungle, it might be in a bad location or a location we're not moving towards. So if we want to go this route, we will likely have to tech Iron Working early in order to know what we can expect. Or should we simply assume that it's reasonably available and not worry about it?

If we are rushing settling on the iron is always a viable strategy. Personally I'd like to go for an early kill, but I suppose you could just bully with the Praet's instead. If we do go for a rush we may want to OCC for a bit and then plant our second city on iron. Additionally if you still havent decided difficulty noble would be better for an all-in rush.

I'm guessing Xenon wanted Rome as well, given his explosive EXP/AGG combo. So our combos are similar in that we both have an early (EXP vs Praetorians) and a mid game (FIN vs Janissaries) advantage. Do you think France is better than Ottomans slowcheetah?

xenu, hope you're pleased with our choice

I think Musketeers are more fun, with their two movement points, and compatability with knight rushes.

Mining could work, yeah. Which early build order are you thinking about? Growing on a workbat after the worker?

I am betting that waterbat will pick Louis (IND/CRE) and become a wonder farmer. Couples very nicely with India for extra chopping capability. Unless superjm picks a Mysticism civ, waterbat will be the only player starting with Mysticism. Gives him a strong lead on the Oracle. I will love him forever if he picks Gandhi of India

EDIT: Nope, TheArchDuke has Mysticism too with Byzantium.

Wow, looks like you were right. Ideally one of these two would be a neighbour, Byz have terrible starting techs (Myst, The Wheel) so will have a very slow start and waterbat will be busy wondering it up.