[SPOILERS] Cornflakes brings the popcorn (because creativity is overrated)

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

If it's a handmade map, then the start bias doesn't matter so much, right?

[Cornflakes]

Been kinda quite since there's not much more theory crafting to do until I see the actual start. But bottom of the forum won't do

If it's a handmade map, then the start bias doesn't matter so much, right?

May the odds be ever in my favor! There's about a 1/3 chance I think of being near the equator (northern, southern, or equatorial). If not in jungle, then choices are (1) wander until I find jungle, or (2) settle in place. If I'm in the southern hemisphere then jungle should be close to the north, so in reality the odds may be closer to 50%. Really I only need jungle in the 3rd ring to the capital because I can make 2nd ring tile purchases cheaply. And since I can't clear jungle until Bronze Working it would actually be better to be slightly outside the jungle belt.

[Thrantar]

The relevancy of the start bonus depends on the methodology of the mapmaker. If the map is entirely custom built, the start bias is irrelevant. If, however, maps were rolled till one looked like a good starting point, and then was edited for strategics, CS, etc, there is a decent chance that the start bias had an effect on the starting terrain.

[Emperor K]

Starting screenshot

[Emperor K]

Please check general thread for map info.

[Cornflakes]

Tough start at first look. Only one resource to improve (rice). No pasture, mine, or quarry resources in sight so it’s going to be difficult to earn the eureka. Those deer will be nice for harvesting much later but camps are terrible improvements early at only +1. Warrior probably moves 1NW since that reveals the most tiles. Unless something very lucrative appears to the northwest In going to move the settler 1E for the 2 city center. It does eat a jungle tile, but according to my spreadsheet it is 2 turns faster to everything including first unit, subsequent builder and settler, etc. (even accounting for the turn lost to the move). Long term I think I can nurse the capital into a decent city but in the short term it’s going to be tough.

[Thrantar]

I don't think eating the jungle matters much. Forests are better chops, and you probably won't be using that jungle for adjacency, based on what's visible on the map.

[Cornflakes]

I’ll do some opponent analysis as I meet them. My main hope is that (1) Aztec is on the other continent so I don’t have to worry about sub-T60 rush. Ideally Aztec would be on the same continent as Russia to provide some break to Russia’s explosive start. TheArchduke are the obvious vets and it would also be nice for them to be neighbors and farther away from me.

[Cornflakes]

Depending on what I see when I move the settler 1E, I may consider an additional move 1SE onto the plains forest hill. This does burn a forest, but it would allow another city on fresh water on the jungle hill to the NW of the warrior. That is by no means a slam dunk of a location, but it can share the rice with the capital and has decent intermediate term production through hills and deer. Definitely need the intelligence from the T1 scouting to make the final decision.

[Thrantar]

There definitely would be space to settle down the river if you just move 1E.