This is not going to be as good or as exhaustive as Oledavy´s report, but I will try to fill in the gaps of my reporting and how I saw and experienced the game.
First off I want to thank all other players for providing a hell of a ride of a game.
Initial Phase. Turn 1-50
So I drew a rather picturesque and nice start, nothing at all like the mediocre PBEM #2 situation.
My capital was decent, placed rather securely in the northwest of my continent.
I had a nice CS next to me, Carthage, but it turned out a waste as I was way more likely to build harbours instead of encampments as England.
My plan pretty much worked out as I wanted it to do, I wanted to expand quickly over my continent, explore with 2 galleys and avoid an early war if possible.
# What went right
Going builder first and relying on the warrior for exploration of my continent was the right way to go about things.
I think my Dotmap was good, although the settler cost increased caught me on the wrong foot, I should have spread out more.
Breakthru turned out to be an excellent second city, having the decent production to allow me to expand quickly
# What went wrong
Barbarians blocking my expansion
The Settler scouting the CS turned out to be a useless waste of turns
Not using a worker to explore for CS and easy envoys.
Catchup Phase. Turn 50-100
Very low amount of reporting during this time. Basically I slogged through turn after turn trying to make my cities more productive.
# What went right
My rapid and quick deployment of numerous harbours carried me through most of the game militarily and economically.
# What went wrong
Whilst the Show must go on turned out to be a rather decent city, I was worried there, We will rock you was always a stepchild imo not proving to be worth it in terms of investment.
My focus on expansion prevented early building of districts thereby denying myself a decent early culture and science rate, from which I never really recovered especially in comparison to Oledavy (though his super powered districts certainly did not help.
Expansion phase Phase. Turn 100-125
Norway´s demise dominated the game and lead myself to an ill advised alliance with Oledavy.
I would have been MUCH better off sticking with Singaboy, attacking Woden and afterwards Oledavy together with Singaboy. But the conquest of Norway blinded me to Oledavy´s strength like it would do later to Singaboy himself and nearly Woden.
I am happy and proud about Operation Sudden Strike. I had exactly the right amount of army and navy to quickly conquer both CS and that coupled with having a suzerain bonus which provided fresh water to my waterless cities and population expansion saw me rise from the last spot to the second spot.
# What went right
Operation Sudden Strike, both Carthage and Stockholm which proved to be awesome cities and denying others their envoy bonuses. I never got any decent quests by them so they were useless to me.
# What went wrong
Building way less quadriremes and galleys then I could. Those babies took 3-4 turns a mere shadow of what frigates would prove to cost down the line, and whilst I was lacking in production I was literally swimming in money.
Conquest, Pride and Stagnation Phase. Turn 125-145
Except for my mistake in not building cheaper and older ships before going for Square Rigging, my fleet, tactics and planning of the Conquest of Germany went a lot better then I expected. Singaboy was overstretched, unprepared, had 2 coasts to defend and was poised to attack Oledavy with his army.
But Pride comes before the fall, agreeing to the norwegian peace was a HUGE mistake imo. I should have kept going for the german core and let Oledavy go for Norway, I would have gotten the only 2 good cities, the norwegian capital and old Midgard very easily.
2 Reasons persuaded me, being nice to Singaboy and keep him in the game (well that did not work out as you can see from the diplomacy thread. And the damn, damn, stupid occupation mechanics of CIV VI.
I perfectly knew that the VA would be a monster on such a map, but my poor science rate meant I was always chasing behind the pack, barely snatching key techs in time like Navigation, Square Rigging and Steam Power.
If not for my timely recruitment of Darwin Oledavy´s fleet would have massacred me. So it only hurt me, and whilst Oledavy could throw away ships with abandon (like 4 subs after the battle) I could not.
# What went right
The conquest of Germany by fleet
# What went wrong
Tactically nothing, my strategic mistakes came back to haunt me.
Attacking Singaboy the second time, his scouting for Oledavy persuaded me that I had to strike first, I should have taken his DOF the minute he gave me Norway. Alas...
Downfall Phase. Turn 145 to the end
Oh boy, after the dust had settled on the Battle in the Northern Sea, I never truly recovered my strength or my intiative. I knew my only chance was a quick conquest of Germany, but Singaboy´s stubborn GG fueled defense proved to my undoing, I could not make headway quick enough against his inland settled cities. This game was over after my pyrrhic victory as whilst Oledavy could easily replace his losses, I could not.
# What went right
Nothing.
# What went wrong
ELECTRICITY, scared by Oledavy´s actually useless subs, I never did build enough Sea Dogs which were an awesome unit and could have swung some battles even harder for me. Point of notice, they are able to take over Frigates not subs, it seems.
ELECTRICITY, because yes, twice.
The alliance with Woden. I think Woden is a great economical player, but he always builds too much infrastructure, too little military and is not one for decisive battles.
Both his ill advised invasion of Germany and his blunder with his MG fleet handed Oledavy the game.
