February 18th, 2018, 05:30
(This post was last modified: February 18th, 2018, 05:36 by Alhambram.)
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Japper:
Most of abilities are based around growing through trade routes and Mekewap. I am interested how they holds out in multiplayer environment.
UU is a stronger en expensive version of scout. Start with 1 free promotion, gain double experience while exploring when using Survey policy card.
Starting strength is 20 and it can be scary if it picks up Ambush (3rd tier promotion) for 20 additional strength combined with Guerrilla (2nd tier promotion which can picked up as promotion fast since Okihtcitaw gain free 1st promotion) which allows scout move after attacking. Its main weakness is lack of 50% production policy card, so Japper has slowbuild all of them, but at least he shouldn't get barb trouble that much.
Barbs seems to even more aggressive in expansion compared with Vanilla in my test-games till now, so it is a boon for Japper to have scout that can deal with them properly. Rowain also shouldn't have troubles with barbs due War-carts, all others including me are going struggle with barbs. 
Overall Japper has yet impress in PBEM's till now, maybe he can suprise everyone in this PBEM.
Speaking of Rowain, Sumeria got bonuses for alliance, Japper also get it. Alliance system got a remake in Expansion and again copy paste from civilopedia:
Okay, Alliances are unlocked at Civil Service which is a Medieval era, and unlike Vanilla it also means automatically defensive pact! (which comes at late game civic mobilization in Vanilla).
Also unlike Vanilla no shared view except level 2 military alliance, here Japper can enjoy bonus of able always get shared view regardless alliance type.
Most of alliances involves trade routes which boosts Cree. Some bonuses from level 3 alliance can be powerful, the problem here is whether players do trust each other to create alliances.
Alternatively I can attempt to ally with all players and then I can't be attacked. If one of my opponents and me run of 30 turns of alliance and that opponent DoW at me soon alliance run out, he trigger my defensive pact with remaining 4 players.
Beware that backstabbing a player who you did have level 3 alliance before does trigger emergency. Huh? what is emergency? It is in my opinion a silly concept that got introduced in expansion. Another copy and paste.
Betrayal emergency is the one I did mentioned above. Why I think that it is silly concept. Because in my opinion this way the game attempt dictate which route we go and how we play instead players thinking for themselves. Also it sort of adds RPG here, I rather leave that out for real RPG games and not at civilization games. Thankfully there is option to accept or reject emergency.
February 18th, 2018, 06:08
(This post was last modified: February 18th, 2018, 06:08 by Alhambram.)
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Chevalier Mal Fet:
Leader and civ abilities are straightforward. The gem of Korea is Unique campus district: Seowon. Half cost and free 4 science from start (in promotional video 6 science, but it got nerfed when expansion was released), overpowered?
Here is the catch: no mountain bonus, no rain forest bonus and even penalty when placing next other district with exception of Government plaza which gives +1 bonus due Government Plaza itself gives 1 additional adjacency bonus while district penalty and bonus from placing it next Government Plaza negates each other.
This however mean that to avoid further penalty, 2 tiles next adjacent Seowon-Government Plaza can't be built with districts (including Seowon itself) which mean that 1+ adjacency bonus from Government Plaza can't be used fully for other possible districts.
So it is best to place Seowon middle in nowhere between farms and mines to make good use of them instead placing them in suburban zones.
I assume that 4 science that Seowon get counts as adjacency bonus which can still be used with Natural Philosophy and Rationalsim policy cards. Half cost for Seowon mean that Chevalier can mass build them and claim first Great Scientist easily.
Hwacha is a renaissance ranged unit with same ranged strength of Industrial field cannon. It can be upgraded from crossbowman and later upgrade itself into field cannon.
Its biggest shortcoming is not attacking after moving, which make it not useful when attacking, but powerful when defending. It comes with gunpowder, same as musketman.
Chevalier as player, currently only playing at PBEM 7, to avoid spoilers I just say that he did decently till now at PBEM 7. In PBEM 4 he is dedlurking oledavy and in PBEM 5 me. He can analyze situation very well and that often results in good advice for oledavy and me. If he do same with himself, I expects him to do well in this PBEM too, granted that he don't become victim of War-cart rush or Keshigs rush.
February 18th, 2018, 08:19
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Emperor K:
Emperor K made a interesting choice with Georgia, ignoring more powerful vanilla civilizations.
100% faith for declaring protectorate war, well need to denounce first before declaring war, so opponent can screw over by declaring war at Emperor K before 5 turns after denouncing expires. Every envoy counts as 2 when placing envoy in city with your majority religion, this means that Emperor K is only player of all players that got valid reason to go for religion to make use of his chosen civilization.
When making dedication in golden age, gain normal age generating towards golden age bonus, confusing for players that sees it for first time.
Allow me attempt to explain it, starting with era's. Players advances through era's by unlocking tech/civics, for example Political Philosophy or Horseback Riding which causes players advance to Classical age for themselves for example..
It was normal mechanic in Vanilla, in Expansion a world era's got introduced. After 40-60 turns the world advances from ancient age to classical age, when it advances depends upon average era of players (if over half of players advances to classical age faster, the world advances also faster). And then it takes another 40-60 turns to advance to medieval age, again depending upon player's achievements.
Then when entering new world age, everyone can reach dark/normal/golden age depending upon gaining era score within era period, era score can be earned through various ways.
When entering normal age, you get normal dedication for example 1 extra era score per finished district or 1 extra era score per tech eureka or civic inspiration. This makes easier for anyone to trigger golden age next era. In golden age everyone can choose golden age dedications that are more powerful than normal dedications, but they don't give extra era scores at all, making it more difficult to pile up enough era points to trigger a another golden age in row.
Here is where Georgia's power kicks in, when choosing golden age dedication, they do earn extra era points similar as normal age dedications, making for them easier to get another golden age next era. It is possible to stay in golden age endlessly. Mapuche is mortal enemy for Georgia with its +10 combat bonus against civilization in golden age, lucky for Emperor K that Japper didn't pick Mapuche.
Tsikhe, a Renaissance wall replacement is underwhelming, just cheaper version and extra source of faith, nice if Georgia did found religion. In PBEM's till now renaissance walls hasn't appeared yet I think, it always ended with medieval walls or automatic 200 defenses in PBEM 2 from Civil Engineering before it got moved further in tree to Steel after PBEM 2. Maybe this PBEM shall show us debut of renaissance walls, 100% limes and Magnus is a strong combination which may causes us to see more walls here.
Khevsur is a medieval swordsman with same strength as Legion and combat/movement bonus upon hills. Fairly underwhelming, but with double Oligarchy bonus it can be quite nasty, or with medieval GG. It is located at Military Tactics, a dead end at tech tree. Normally everyone ignores that, but with TheArchduke's Mongolia roaming around ignoring Pikeman is not a option, I too shall go for Military Tactics, so its placement at Military Tactics don't hurt Emperor K this PBEM too much. The biggest disadvantage is that it isn't upgrade-able from ancient/classical units, so Emperor K need build them from scratch, at other hand it is cheaper to upgrade them into musketman compared with swordsman-->musketman.
Emperor K as player, I did fought him at PBEM 6. He got surprised by my warrior/archer rush which knocked him off as possible winner of PBEM 6. But afterwards he did put a decent defense (there was also mistakes on my part though), I think that he shall do better this PBEM. Although it would be bit cruel if he starts next Rowain with his War-carts.
February 18th, 2018, 09:03
(This post was last modified: February 18th, 2018, 09:15 by Alhambram.)
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Alhambram:
Trade routes between my cities get extra loyalty, till now I don't really see any use for them, except starting trade route from front line cities which prevent too much loyalty loss, though appointing governors at frontline cities are more effective.
Culture gained from trade routes are more to my liking, not only my trade routes to city states but also city states's traders to my cities do give me culture, nice!
Grote Riveren is the reason why Netherlands can be strong civilization. It gives Campuses, Theater and Industrial districts +2 adjacency bonus when placed next river similar as commercial hubs.
When tossed down, they mostly gives 2/3 adjacency bonus, but how more adjacent districts I toss down, stronger they becomes, in end mostly 5 or 6 adjacency bonus for campuses for example which is stronger than Korean Seowon. So in beginning Chevalier shall be dominant at science, but late game I should overtake him unless Chevalier manages to land both Hypatia (high chance with half cost campuses) and Newton.
Theater district bonus shall to be my biggest boon this PBEM for several reasons: firstly only other player with culture bonus is Rowain when he toss down Ziggurat next river. I do gain instantly decent adjacency bonus for culture and that only becomes more in future similar as campuses, only Greece's Acropolises can rival Dutch riverside theater districts. Other players can compensate that by building wonders next their theater districts since wonders do give +2 culture adjacency bonus compared with Vanilla version which just gave 1 culture adjacency bonus. With Magnus it is much easier for other players and myself to build wonders. In vanilla version culture often skyrockets when Civil Service is finished due meritocracy policy card which gives +1  per district, but in expansion it got removed, so others can't catch up with culture by building a lot districts combined with meritocracy policy card!
So with other words I got basically free reign if you look to culture generating and if I do play my cards rightly and don't mess up, I should dominate culture charts this PBEM.
Finally bonus for industrial zones mean that I can rival German Hansa's somewhat in terms of production if I toss down at right places. Culture bomb with Harbors is just nice bonus in terms that I don't need purchase tiles for polders or resources.
Polders do look awesome at paper, but in reality there is one big problem: the restriction to build it only when there is three adjacency flat tiles is harsh, I rarely manages to build them in test games, let down able to create adjacency polders! Hopefully Cornflakes is being nice and a lot flat lands along coast.
De Zeven Provinciën is awesome at water maps, no idea how it shall do in this map. A frigate replacement, 5 more melee and ranged strength, +7 bonus against encampments and cities. Is upgrade-able from Quadririme, same costs as normal Frigate. It destroys basically everything in renaissance era in normal situations. Opponents can come with GA or double Oligarchy powered melee naval units to counter de Zeven Provinciën.
And me as player? Winner of PBEM 2 in period that everyone was still exploring aspects of civilization 6, underestimated religious aspect and Russia civilization, I was able to take advantage of these things.
In PBEM 6 I lost after Suboptimal collapsed against TheArchduke and I couldn't make any gains against Emperor K before TheArchduke invaded me. I like building more than war-faring, also I am less versed in warfare than building empire (with exception when fielding near invincible GG powered Cossack army). One of my biggest problem is that I tend to open weak, in SP no problem because AI is unable to take advantage of it. But in multiplayer it causes me to chase behind other players. With Rowain's War-carts roaming around, I actually can't afford that in this PBEM! Also other problem of mine is that I tend to make weedy mistakes. 
In generally I don't micromanage much, mostly following macro flow, however with Magnus micromanaging becomes more important in beginning, so I need to learn and overcome it.
If you asks me to predict the outcome I should say this:
1. Rowain (especially if he manages to eliminate one of neighbors with War-carts)
2. TheArchduke (depending whether he can conquer neighbor with Keshigs)
3. Alhambram (if I survive initial onslaught, I got strongest late game civilization)
4. Chevalier Mal Fet (strongest science in beginning, but how shall Korea fare in later era's?)
5. Emperor K (may surprise us with successive golden ages)
6. Japper (strongest starting civilization, but after that it is less impressive)
February 18th, 2018, 16:05
(This post was last modified: February 18th, 2018, 16:16 by Alhambram.)
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Alright, turn 1!
When opening save I saw this:
Not bad start compared with my starts of PBEM 5 and 6. An 4  tile to grow city relative fast and then two 1 3  to get units out quickly when my capital hit size 2.
Also plenty forest to chop while using Magnus, this is why I didn't consider moving settler, saving up so many forest as possible for future chops. Also in 3rd ring stone for harvesting.
I did consider moving settler NW a bit, at place where settler stand can be used for instant 3 science campus due river plus mountain bonus. But spot NW miss out watermill and more forests.
Also settling upon hill gives me 3 defense bonus, a little one but it might make difference, you never know. So I settled upon same place, hasn't changed city name yet, need more inspiration for that yet.
And I decided to move my warrior 2 tiles NW which would reveal most new tiles and a surprise!
There was another continent next door, instant inspiration for Foreign Trade which isn't unimportant. Because I want get Magnus asap and I need to reach Early Empire for it to unlock first Governor and Foreign Trade is prerequisite civic for Early Empire.
Overview of known area of my starting empire:
There is sea at north. My second city might placed downstream of river so I can toss down districts of my capital and second city together for adjacency bonus. The lake west of capital is eligible for polder, I need to weigh whether harbor or polder is better option over there. Also other thing to mull over long term, that two plain forested hills are going be chopped. After that what? Mines or districts with adjacency bonus, need to weigh those options too.
I think over it and decided to go with animal husbandry since there are two cow tiles, together with marsh rice they completes craftsmanship. I shall go with mining after it for chopping forests and mining copper if builder still has one charge left.
Start with slinger, barbs are even more annoying in expansion than vanilla. After slinger builder, then settler or warrior depending situation: barb more trouble than expected or Rowain starting within 15 tiles of me.
My plan to get Magnus asap: first code of laws then craftsmanship (for 50% agoge card and Ilkum for builders to able chop forests). After that foreign trade (already inspiration!) and Early Empire to claim Magnus.
With Magnus chop out district fast and complete State Workforce this way which unlocks Government Plaza and its first building and one more governor's title (Magnus for 20% food or someone else depending upon situation).
Tech route goes this: animal husbandry, mining then depending upon situation bronze working for spearman against War-carts or pottery/writing for campuses.
Great People:
No Hypatia, that is positive news since Chevalier can't rush for her now and I might attempt nab her if Chevalier get very early GS due Seowon.
Big prizes here are GE and GM, GE for building powerful wonders of player's choice and GM is good now since traders from commercial hubs and harbors need market and lighthouse first.
Well, it has started! 
February 19th, 2018, 15:24
(This post was last modified: February 19th, 2018, 15:26 by Alhambram.)
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Turn 2: Scouting further NW, but no news.
Only notable news is that Emperor K didn't found his city at first turn, only one of all players.
February 20th, 2018, 15:03
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Turn 3:
Nothing special, just a guess.
There is rain forest NW while sea is N from my capital. Do this suggest that I am playing a another inland sea map similar as PBEM 6? In that case I likely am at southwest corner again.
One thing to mention about scoreboard. Aside usual scores as empire, tech or civic, in expansion they added era score which likely mean that total scores are going be inflated very much.
Need to stick with empire, tech and civic scores and don't look at other scores. Religious score also give 2 points per converted city in expansion, with other words it is going cause inflated score too.
But early era scores might be useful for example I might find out which players did find natural wonders since their era score would increase from it (+3 points for first to discover it), or meeting with other players (+1 point) or clearing barb camp (+3 point if close city and domination score lower due injured unit). However in later periods era points are so many earned that you can't really keep up with it anymore unless extensive excel write up which I aren't willing to do.
February 21st, 2018, 18:34
(This post was last modified: February 21st, 2018, 18:35 by Alhambram.)
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Turn 4:
My warrior explored west further and found a natural wonder! Tsingy de Bemarha is the natural wonder that I found, same as in PBEM 6. And I get 3 era score, 9 more to avoid dark age and that is going to be reflected at score:
Total score hasn't updated yet, but I got 10 points now, 7 from empire and 3 from era. Everyone shall know next turn that I found a natural wonder, there almost isn't other way to gain 3 era score at turn 4.
I did mention PBEM 6 again, more I look at this map, more it reminded me of PBEM 6. I think that it is a inland sea map after all, TheArchduke did request for that map in organization thread didn't he?
Settler map show similar things as inland sea maps of PBEM 6 and some test games that I did play with inland sea map. Rainforest at middle, curved sea shore, but most importantly fewer rivers than other maps.
Inland sea is actually one of worst maps to play with as Dutch civilization, that I did found out in test games due lack of rivers compared with other maps, this way I am ramping up science and culture with less effectiveness than normal.
With that in mind, I should make most use of river around my capital.
I did play test games mostly on continent , fractal or Pangaea maps which got plenty rivers. What I am seeing now, points in direction of inland sea map.
I did mull over whole day about possible map design, if it is correct that this map is a inland sea, then I roughly know where other players and city states are based upon my guesses. Need to explore more to confirm my guess.
February 22nd, 2018, 14:34
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(February 21st, 2018, 21:19)Cornflakes Wrote: (February 6th, 2018, 04:19)TheArchduke Wrote: ...
Inland Sea
Barbarians on
Huts off
All settings normal
...
Just so everyone is on the same understanding, there has been some speculation in one or two threads about the map script that was used, while others picked up on this ...
Per the consensus as summarized by TheArchduke, inland sea was the map script, massaged a bit as in PBEM 6. I shall say no more 
Ah, I somehow did missed that, this map is inland sea map after all. Which makes me think about possible locations of players and city states.
At first I thought that there are 3 players at north and 3 players at south, each side two players in corner and one in middle. But it didn't fit my starting position, also it would prove problem for middle player due lack of expansion if corner players settle forwards in direction of middle player, moreover middle player would lack access of rainforest at equator of map which make corner players more powerful long term.
Instead I theorized that around the sea middle in map, to make it most fair as possible, players are likely distributed over a hexagon with each corner representing starting location and I am at southwestern starting position of hexagon. This mean that two of 6 players start at middle of rain forest, this mean less expansion since distance to player east is farther than distance to player NW for me in this map. Similar as Suboptimal in PBEM 6 was further away than Emperor K in PBEM 6. That mean I need to expand in NW direction first before settling in east, although I rather settle downstream first to able plan a river megalopolis similar as oledavy's Jovian megalopolis in PBEM 4. I don't have other choice here due lack of rivers in inland sea map. For the player at rain forest location it mean less expansion, but they got compensated by having plenty choppable forests/rain forests, maybe even overcompensation with Magnus present.
Regarding city states, in map with 5-6 players there are 10 city states. To make it most fair for everyone, it is most likely that 6 city states are located at middle of hexagon lines between players starting positions. The remaining four city states are likely hidden in far corners of map, giving each player equal chance to compete for corner city state, in my case I compete with NW player for far SW city state.
Then turn 5, according my theory I should hit city state soon at west with my warrior and...
That would seem a jackpot for my theory! Which mean after meeting this still unknown city state (it is way too close for a human player capital), I should search SW of that city state for far away corner city state in SW corner. And then N/NW of first city state for contact with human player for writing eureka (although I hope that it isn't Rowain).
When slinger is finished, he shall beeline direct east if there isn't serious barb trouble around my capital, there should be city state over there according southern hexagon lines.
Only TheArchduke hasn't hit size 2 yet, Chevalier and Emperor K play after me, so I shall know next turn whether they also hit size 2. This mean that Rowain and Japper were working with 4 food tile similar as me while TheArchduke did work with 3 or less food tile. Then it hit me: TheArchduke might be one of two players that started middle in rain forest since starting in such location often get 3 2 or 3 1 banana tile as best starting tile. In that case TheArchduke might be that player lurking in NW or all way other side of map at eastern starting spot. However I might be mistaken and TheArchduke simply started with heavy production start similar what I did in PBEM 5. Interesting things to think about it early in turns.
February 23rd, 2018, 14:51
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Turn 6:
Contacted the city state Antioch and I am first to meet with them so extra 4 gold per turn.
They request trade route which I might do since dutch trader gives me 1 culture per turn when trading at foreign city.
TheArchduke did reach size 2 this turn and Emperor K has yet do it due settling his capital at turn 2. I still am only one who discovered natural wonder.
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