Posts: 5,060
Threads: 112
Joined: Nov 2007
Winner: Elizabeth! I know, I know, this map hates her, but there are a couple of leaders it hates even more, and I'm standing by her regardless just because she's my favorite monarch and I picked her (for the same reason) to win the whole thing. She does have a chance here, as the desert could help shield her from Zheng, who has the lowest aggression rating of the "evil leaders" in this game to begin with, while the other "evil" pair is far away. I'm just going to try to ignore the fact that all of this points even more toward the guy who is really going to win:
"Runner Up": Mansa Musa has enormous tracts of land into which he can peacefully expand, great economic traits, no rivals anywhere nearby and no natural enemies within lightyears. He can still find a way to lose, but only through the sort of massive AI stupidity we've come to expect from nearly every leader in these games. It's possble someone will defeat him, but the chances are remote; I'm sticking with Bess as my winner strictly from a sense of loyalty.
First to Die: Lincoln starts his game practically on the Chairman's doorstep; in addition to peaceweight problems, they'll have border tensions pretty much from turn one. There won't be any help coming either; the next-nearest players to poor Abe's position are Zheng and the Man from Macedon. He won't go down without a fight - pacifist though he may be, the winner of the United States Civil War at least knows he needs to build the occasional military unit - but go down he shall.
Survivors: 2. Yeah, it's probably crazy, but I'm having trouble seeing any of the "bad guys" remaining at peace with the monster(s! Not just Musa! I hope...) of the West long enough for the game to be decided. Realistically, the Lion of Mali will probably hit domination with two other civs still holding on, but in my dream scenario, Kankou Musa and Elizabeth Tudor will fight their way across the continent together, sharing the spoils to the extent that neither achieves domination and they wind up in a race - a race that I hope the Last of the Tudors will win - to...
Victory: Space, circa Turn 330.
