[SPOILERS] yuris125: make the choice

[yuris125]

...and accept the consequences

[yuris125]

Here's the copy of the start image and the rules, to make it clear what I'm talking about

Okay, like 32 the map is a 40x40 mirror, but level is Prince. You have a pre-placed city with 5 culture; a scout; and a worker. Note the railroad at A, the Forest Preserve on the tile west of A, the netted whales at B, and the town at D.

[img] http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28594063/Maps/PB...llRube.JPG[/img]

Fishing: City has 0 culture
Mining: Tile A becomes flatland
Agriculture: Tile B loses whale boats
Hunting: Tile C loses forest
The Wheel: Tile D, town becomes hamlet
Mysticism: Tile E becomes plains

Additionally there are some civilizations with effects should you choose them:
If you are India, you start without a worker.
If you are Inca, you start without a scout.
If you are Aggressive France, you start without rice.
If you are Charismatic Russia, you start without rice or pigs.

Aggressive: Observatory
Charismatic: Laboratory
Creative: Barracks
Expansive: Harbor
Financial: Customs House
Imperialistic: Lighthouse
Industrious: Stables
Organized: Supermarket
Philosophical: Colosseum
Protective: Levee
Spiritual: Islamic Temple

Choosing starting techs, I think it's obvious that Fishing is the least harmful choice. The only consequence is that the city will have to work the 2/1/1 plains farm for the first 5 turns. Which would be the best tile anyway if you open Worker first, best alternatives from the 2nd ring are 3/0/0 (whales is the best tile, but it can't be worked without Fishing)

Of the other choices, I'm definitely not taking Mining, and don't want to take Mysticism either (wet plains rice is 4/1/0 improved, almost worse than a plains cow). Civs which start with Fishing and one of the remaining 3 techs are

Fishing/Agriculture
America
Netherlands
Native America

Fishing/The Wheel
Japan

Fishing/Hunting
Greece
Vikings

Hmm... not much to choose from. Picking Organised America just for the fun of having a Mall from the start - that would be a hell of a choice Greece is the only remotely appealing choice, especially pairing it with Philosophical for an immediate Odeon - unfortunately Odeon has artist slots, and there isn't much I could do with an early great artist

So what are other options without Mining or Mysticism?

Agriculture/The Wheel
Babylon
Egypt
France
Ottomans
Sumeria

Agriculture/Hunting
Persia
Zulu

Hunting/The Wheel
Mongolia

The Wheel makes the town tile 1/1/2 instead of 1/1/4. In any case, this is a tile I wouldn't want to work early on, and there's always a risk of losing the town to pillaging before I'm able to work and defend it. So I think if I'm not going with Fishing, Wheel is the best tech. Agriculture makes the whales tile 2/1/2 (I believe) instead of 3/1/4, I think it's ok to lose it, but not great. Losing the forest on the ivory tile is probably better

So it's either Greece or Mongolia, or one of the Agri/Wheel civs if I decide to accept the loss of the whaling boat. Admittedly, I have a soft spot for France... On the other hand, Ind/Cha Mongolia (Ind for a Ger in the capital from the start) would be scary. Or just take something standard like Exp/Cha Mongolia.... need to think more

[yuris125]

I think my preference at the moment is Imp/Phi Greece. Imp gives the Lighthouse, making whales 4/1/4. Phi gives the Odeon - that's another extra happy in the capital, 5 culture per turn so that I can work whales from T1, and 2 artist slots. I said a Great Artist is almost useless early, forget about it: Monarchy is very high in GA's bulbing list, and I think I will get the first GA more or less by the time I need it

And of course both traits are very useful. Especially Imp, if this game plays out similarly to PBEM32

Now go ahead and tell me it's a horrible choice

[yuris125]

Uh oh, I didn't understand what the fuss is about Charismatic Russia... until I re-read Research Institute specs. 2 free scientists without any investment is crazy, even if you have to work grassland farms in the capital for the whole game

[yuris125]

I spent a good part of the day trying to find a reason not to take Greece, and couldn't. Keeping the whaling boat and being able to work it early will provide a big boost in the early game

Still want to take Phi, but not sure about Imp. On one hand, 4 food is much better than 3 On the other, I don't know how important Imp will be in this game, and I can hand-build Lighthouse relatively early if I want

At the moment I'm thinking about taking Elizabeth, if she's still available. If not, I will probably come back to the Suleiman plan

[Commodore]

Just a comment, the tile yields do not lie, that is a lake.

[yuris125]

Yeah The screenshot with tile yields shows that the whales tile is 3/1/4. Or 4/1/4 with a Lighthouse

[Commodore]

Yeah The screenshot with tile yields shows that the whales tile is 3/1/4. Or 4/1/4 with a Lighthouse

I just meant that you had a mechanics issue: Imp is the only way to get a lighthouse in that city, you can't build it later. Now as to whether that's stronger than some other option...that's up to you.

[yuris125]

Ah! Well, Seven did say about my sloppy play in his Civ5 PBEM thread. He's right, and this is a prime example

[yuris125]

Interesting. Both Dazed and Seven picked an Org leader. Is that just for the +1f from the free Supermarket? Or am I missing why Org is going to be good on this map?