[PB78] Dreylin boldly goes

[Dreylin]

I once tried to lobby for Masonry, but Charriu was against it because close to home

I know I wasn't here for CtH development, but any solutions to shift Slavery around are waaaaay closer than the Lumbermill move.

[scooter]

You know, another good idea would be to simply start everyone with an additional starting tech to dull the variance of starting techs and simply accept that Bronze Working is a very important early tech that will frequently be highly prioritized no different than a bunch of other techs on the tree that represent power spikes.

[Dreylin]

And then there's Spain which Pindicator is playing in PB76 with PRO/SPI, though a different game setup to be sure. Good synergy with the Citadel, but again no certainty of getting as far as the UU.

Just pointing out that Spain is also being played in PB77, alongside Churchill of Native America. It's a very different setup though, so I'm not too ashamed to shill once again for taking Spain out for a spin in PB66.

Oh wow, I'd completely forgotten those! Slow start / limited reporting has really failed to lodge that game in my mind.

[Dreylin]

So we have:

CHA/PRO Native America + Agriculture, for a max fast-start, max fighty combo.

SPI/PRO Inca + Fishing, for an early religion (and then maybe into Oracle for the Prophet and to accelerate access to useful civics?)

???/PRO Persia as a backup?

All these options look good to me. I still have slight preference for CHA/PRO Native America, but a fast religion could work as well. If ???/PRO Persia is backup choice, I like either EXP or ORG or maybe FIN. CHA should be ok too for Persia, so lock in Churchill or Saladin on first snake pick?

I've been thinking about this and I feel like the SPI/Religion plan is something that I want to do in a game and have then adapted to the start that has been presented, whereas the more military option is what we put together as a response to the scenario as it was wholly presented. So I'm happy to table SPI for a future game.

Pick preference would therefore be:

Did Thrawn take Churchill:
No = pick Churchill
Yes = pick Saladin

On the rebound:

If Churchill, is Native America available:
Yes = pick Native America
No = pick Persia

If Saladin, is Inca available:
Yes = pick Inca
No = pick Spain

(although that doesn't cover if we want to reconsider in the event that Thrawn takes Native America. Blah!)

[Dreylin]

You know, another good idea would be to simply start everyone with an additional starting tech to dull the variance of starting techs and simply accept that Bronze Working is a very important early tech that will frequently be highly prioritized no different than a bunch of other techs on the tree that represent power spikes. 

Aw man, scooter coming in and solving everyone's problems again!

[Krill]

Seven fixed that problem with tech cost scaling, and he fixed it for map size as well. And he did it 10 years ago. Shows just how slow the rest of us are

[Dreylin]

(although that doesn't cover if we want to reconsider in the event that Thrawn takes Native America. Blah!)

Damnit!

So thoughts on picking Churchill intending Persia and looking for a backup, or going the other route with Saladin?

[coldrain]

Unfortunate indeed. So which backup plan is the best? My thoughts:

• If not going for early religion: I guess taking Churchill is still fine. On second pick take Persia, Greece (CHA production bonus of UB) or maybe Egypt (non-obsoleting monument synergy with CHA).
  
• If religion path is chosen: Saladin and take Inca or Spain on second pick.
  

I have no strong preferences for the remaining options.

[Dreylin]

I don't think Egypt is right; the tech difference undercuts the fast-AH plan, and UB then pushes back towards religion. I could get onboard with Greece, but not excited by it. Maybe the play for the non-Religion route is to take Persia and see if Churchill comes back. Persia is PRO synergy rather than CHA, so there would be other options.

OTOH, the Religion plan is untouched and I kinda feel like I talked myself out of it once and maybe I shouldn't talk myself out of it a second time.

I'll think on it a bit.

[Dreylin]

So after a bunch of procrastination I went with Religion Salad.

Myst/Ag from Inca, Fishing as extra tech.

Gavagai - Bismark (EXP/IND) of India (Fast Worker/Mausoleum) - Mysticism, Mining & ????
Superdeath - Kublai Khan (AGG/CRE) of Sumeria (Vulture/Ziggurat) - Wheel, Agriculture & ????
Thrawn - Boudica (CHA/AGG) of Native America (Dog Soldier/Totem Pole) - Fishing, Agriculture & ????
Magic Science - Louis XIV (IND/CRE) of Persia (Immortal/Bazaar) - Agriculture, Hunting & ????

Couple of thoughts. 1) Thrawn is going a notch further than we had planned on the "fighty" spectrum. 2) Gavagai is a definite competitor for religion. We should spend the next few days second-guessing ourselves about whether to go for Buddhism or Hinduism and then toss a coin. 3) 2x IND is good because there will be some competition. 3a) Gav will probably get the AP & Monk if he wants it.

Maybe more thoughts tomorrow when I am less inebriated.