Epic 1: Rowain's Game

[Rowain]

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Won by Spaceship in 2031 AD

PS: The saves from 1480AD, 1666AD, 1968AD and the Replay are available.
(yes I needed 4 sessions to play it)

[Kylearan]

Hi,

Won by Spaceship in 2031 AD

What happened to your AIs? 2031 AD?!?

Now I'm really curious...

-Kylearan

[Maniac Marshall]

@ Kylearan - I doubit any of my AI could have launched before 2050. None of them had Rocketry in 1944.

That being said, I'm curious to see this one too.

[Kylearan]

Hi,

I doubit any of my AI could have launched before 2050. None of them had Rocketry in 1944.

That being said, I'm curious to see this one too.

Well, I had said this before reading Smegged's report...

-Kylearan

[Rowain]

Pre game thoughts:
Pangea maps can be sometimes very tightly packed so depending how early I meet my first neighbour I'll either make an early first settler or let my capital grow.
Additionally I plan to build the Oracle and use its free tech to get CoL for the Courthouses and perhaps I can found Konfuzianism.
Settling at the starting spot I send the Warrior to the west to explore order another Warrior build in Paris and set the Scientists to research Fishing. I want to use the lake with it's delicious commerce as soon as possible.
Since I have not met anyone when my Warrior get completed(and fortified) in Paris (3560 BC) I think I have enough space to let Paris grow abit more so another Warrior is ordered. On the research front I start researching Animal Husbandry after fishing.
My Warrior poped 2 Huts earning 107g + 74g = 181g.
Buddhism gets founded in a far away land in 3520 BC.
My Warrior has made a half circle around Paris and starts now to explore the eastern side. The new build Warrior is sent west to explore all the leftover dark places and Paris starts to train a worker.
The next little village teaches me the secrets of Sailing.My own Scientists are set to learn some defences andstart to study the art of Hunting folowed with secrets of Archery.

2560 BC the first AI-leader met it is Washington and we both agree that peace should reign our time.
As time goes by my little exploring warrior defeats 5 Animals and get the Woody II promotion thus speeding his Exploration quite nicely.
After Archery Research starts the way to the Oracle with Mysticism and Paris trains a Bow for defencepurposes after the Worker. Said worker is sent to improve the Cows.
In 2160 BC I meet good old Monty the loco and we agree at peace. Additional the lay of the land becomes more and more revealed.
http://www.realmsbeyond.net/userfiles/files/rowain_row2.jpg
Hm haven't I seen this shape before?

Over the next few years I meet my next door neighbour Genghis Khan and father down the road a scout of Alex. This Scout has bad luck as I enter a village with unfriendly inhabitants. One of those kills the Scout and is afterwards slain by my warrior. Paris trains the first Archer-unit and starts to buld my first Settler. In 1600BC my warrior finds the last missing AI Gandhi of India founder of Buddhism, Hinduism(in 1975 BC).
http://www.realmsbeyond.net/userfiles/files/rowain_row4.jpg

Great Jubilations arise in Paris as the City of Orleans is founded in 1325 BC 3 squares NE of Paris at the coast close to Wheat, Pig and Silk.

The first free roaming Barbs are sighted in 1275 BC so Paris builds some more Archers for defense before the great work on the Oracle is started in 1025BC.
One of those Barb-Bowman kills my Woody II - Warrior in a wood.
This death also means the end of my explorations.

Research after Priesthood runs toward Mining, Masonry and Writing. After Writing is learned Bronze Working is ordered next since all AI's exept Genghis have adopted Slavery (=they know BW). Open Border Agreement are signed with Gandhi and Washington.
620 BC Paris completes the Oracle CoL is chosen and Kunfuzianism is founded. Now a plan emerges: Neither Genghis nor Monty have adopted a Religion till now so I'll try to get them as close buddies and hope that they turn their Aggressions against Washington and Gandhi. So I send the free Missionary not to my capital but towards Karakorum (after signing OB with Genghis).
Since nobody has completed the Pyramids till now and Paris has access to stone Paris starts them.
560 BC my Missionary reaches Karakorum and spreads Kunfuzianism which leads to Genghis Konvertion during the next turn.
Lyon my 3rd City gets founded southeast of Paris in 500BC and starts Walls. Although Genghis is my religious Buddy I don't trust him completely . Meanwhile Konfuzianism spreads to Paris on its own.
300BC OB with Ales and the first Demand. Washington wants to stop my trading with Genghis which I decline. Finally (160 BC) I can sign an OB with Monty and order a Missionary to be send towards Tenochtitlan.
Science: Iron Working after Bronze and then Pottery
Pyramids are completed in Paris (60BC)

http://www.realmsbeyond.net/userfiles/files/rowain_row6.jpg
As you see on 1AD I'm save from the other AI behind my Buddy Genghis
Gandhi doesn't like my trading with Mongolia but to further his Anger I accept Montys demand to cancel all trades with India (which is only the OB-agreement anyway).
1AD is also the year of the first war-declaration: Alex declares vs Gandhi

[Majromax]

The tentative reasoning: in games where Monty, Khan, and to a lesser extent Alex end up strong (and worse, allied), they're often able to take on or do serious damage to Washington, and to a lesser extent Ghandi.

From the other reports, especially Sullla's, when Washington gets a clean start his cottage-heavy lands guarantee him a gigantic tech lead. Ghandi, without financial, is a lesser threat, oddly enough.

Ironically, the fastest possible victory might be Domination -- if a player can be fast out of the gate militarilly, befriending Khan (hah?) or Monty could put the player in a position to take on Ghandi and/or Washington, stopping a huge tech lead. Getting said builders' lands could be a fast-track to domination, or backdoor diplomacy.

(says the player who lost his own attempt {okay, gave up one turn before a stupid move would result in Paris falling, but the result was inevitable} through inability to deal with Monty's then-huge armies.)

[Rowain]

1-500AD: France introduces Representation and Caste System (20 AD);
My Missionary is very convincing as Monty converts to Konfuzianism in 60AD. Washington(260 AD) and Alex(400 AD) both became Jews.
The great Prophet Moses builds the Kong Miou in Orleans(310 AD) thus allowing me to run with 100 % Sciencerate again.
Science: after Mathematics Currency is started. Reims is founded at the westcoast in 260AD

500 - 800AD
Tours gets founded and Paris builds an Aquäduct and the Hanging Gardens.
Washington switches to Hinduism(710AD) and founds Christianity in New York (790AD)
After Calendar I set research to Philosophie ( I want to avoid that one of my 2 friends found Taoism).
Monty captures the Barbarian City Tartare which is on my southcoast 2 tiles east of the Rice, 1 tile west of the Horses.

Now after this peacefull and easy starting-phase the game became abit more agressive.

820AD Genghis declares against Ghandi and asks for military help. I decline because I just don't want to fight a war. To avoid bad feelings I sell Genghis Pig for mere 2g/turn.

840AD The next war starts as Monty declares vs Washington.
Genghis captures and destroys the Indian city of Karachis

850AD Washington wants help against the Azteks. Sorry George they do exactly what I hoped they would do so no help for you. He is so annoyed about that that he cancels our Open Border deal.

870AD Georges fear is fully justified as Monty captures and destroys Atlanta.

When Alex declares vs Ghandi(920AD) peacefull honorable France is the only country not plagued by the terrors of War.

The great Engineer Imhotep is used to discover the skill of Metall Casting so we have our cheep Forges. Additional we can build the Colossus which I order in Reims. Marseille is founded on the southcoast 1 tile east of the cattle starting to culturepress the former Barbarian city of Tartare.

With the starting of the new Millenium I have learned Philosophy (and founded Taoism) and Alphabeth. I immediately revolt to Pazifism.
Genghis and Ghandi have signed Peace and Ghandi offered monarchy +240g for Currency which I accepted.
Further trades:Alphabeth to Monty for Horseback Riding , to Genghis for Polytheism+290g(both at 1030AD) and Ales pays Monotheism + 280 gold for it(1060AD).
CoL to Monty for Constuction + 20g(1065AD). Research first Drama(compl in 1065) and Music afterwards.
At 1100AD the world is in complete peace again and I decline an OB-agreement with Ghandi.
A great artist is born and sent to Tours to create a great work and increase the pressure on Tartare which I hope to get peacefully. The free Artist I get for discovering Music is settling in Paris(1130AD). Literature(1150AD) and after that Civil Services are the next techs to be researched
1155AD is a great year as both the Angkor Wat and the Colossus are completed. Paris starts to build the Great Lib.
Shortly after that I give monty Philosophy for Feudalism.

1215AD the year of the : The great Engineer Archimedes is born and not used to rush the GL but researches Machinery instead. I thought it useless to rush the GL as Paris will finish it in a few turns anyway.
Alas someone is faster and completes the GL in 1225AD .
The money I get does only little to comfort me. Washington has changed his believes again and now Christianity is his Statereligion. France is now a Bureaucracy and the secrets of Papermaking are researched.
All is peacefull busy to research, build etc when all of a sudden in 1255AD the Game gets aggressive again:

Genghis declares War against India again. And then I see a Wardeclaration of Monty and just as I start to smile about my plan working I realise that Monty declared not on Washington or India but on me : Hey Monty I'm your Buddy why do you do this??
At this moment I have one -2 modifier for close Borders but several + for same Believe fair trading Open Borders etc etc

And as usual in Civ4 the starting force is quite strong. Now my great religious plan backfires as Genghis has absolutly no interest in fighting against Konfuzians. On the up side this prevents Monty enlisting him against me on the down side it prevents me to enlist him too. Additional Genghis still has OB with Monty so the Aztec troops can use his roads to attack me.

I nearly empty Paris (just 1 Warrior remains) as I sent what ever Unit I can to reinforce Orleans. When Montys troops are finished with pillaging and move close to the City I use the 1 Cat I have in there to weaken his Units before they attack. This plan works and in the IT Monty loses several forcesas they impale themselves on the defenses of Orleans.

In 1290AD I have removed all enemy Units from my land and Peace is signed in 1305AD. Monty pays 5g/turn and 40g straight. Genghis signs peace with Ghandi too.

The next 150 years are peacefull again. Notre Dame and the Dai Tao get completed in France. The Greek build Chichen Itza ,Washington founds Islam(but it never get spread) and is the first to circumnavigate the world.
Theolgie for Compass+70g and CivilService for Optics + Worldmap+100g are sold to Ghandi. Research is Guilds (for Knights and money), Divine Right (versaille) and Education


1450AD:
I: 'Hello Monty How are you?'
M:'Fine thanks RbCiv and you?'
I: 'Fine too thanks. What can I do for you?'
M: 'Ahh you remember the little war we had just 150 years ago?'
I: 'Yes and?'
M: 'I just thought a small party to celebrate the peacetreaty would be in order.'
I: 'That sounds great.'
M: 'But you know any celebration needs to have some sacrificing of Warriors. So I decided to send some Units to you to get slaughtered. You know I Have to declare war but that's just a small joke really.'

And with this I'm at war with Monty again and again Orleans is the target of his attention.
But this time I'm better prepared so I easily defeat his first wave.

1495AD A greek catapult enters my land thus declaring war against me!

Now Alex does not belong to Konfuzianism and so it's easy to convince Genghis to declare against him (it only costs Phil+ Music+Theology ) The 1 Cat is easily destroyed and for the rest of the Game no greek Unit enters my land again.

1520 Monty pays 100gold (celebration-money) and peace rules again between us.

The following turns see the completion of Versaille (in Tours 1535AD) and the Spiral Minaret (in Rheims 1565AD). With the later I can run Science at 100% and still make Money.
Techtrade with Monty DivRight for Eng.
Research: Liberalism started after Education.
1590AD Peace between Alex and Genghis. I remain at war with Alex.
1605AD Liberalism learned Nationalism chosen as freebe and Banking started.

1630AD No not El Loco *pimp* again but what ever 'yes Monty I know you want to celebrate your last lost wars with another one, yes Ok by me. '

To get future wars less likely I decide to capture Tartare to get rid of the Close-Borders modifier. But first to be on the save-side I dial up Alex and give him Music for Peace.
I guess Ghandi has similar feelings towards Genghis as the later declares War on him again

Tartare is captured 1656AD and peace signed shortly after (Monty pays 7g/turn).
Genghis does his job quite well as he destroys Hyderabad in 1658

1668AD Great Joy throughout France as a new Silver-deposit is discovered near Paris.

Research runs Banking -> Economy(Revolt to Free Market)->Printing->Rep.Parts->Constitution->Democracy.
Trade: Nationalism to Genghis for Gunpowder+Worldmap+940gold. Genghis is still at war with Ghandi and destroys Begal

[Rowain]

1706AD Monty, now completely insane, declares War against me and Washington at the same time .

I have planned to take him out if he declares again but as he is fighting Washiington too I refrain from that plan and kill his lonely 4 Units he sent into my land and signed peace with him as soon he talked again (1724 AD). On the American front he fares quite well as he takes and destroys Chicago .
1740AD Democracy learned and France revolts to Emancipation and Universal Suffrage

Research set to Corporation->Astronomy->Chemistry->Scientific Method->Biology

1814 AD Paris is a lucky town as a new source of Copper pops up there.
1832AD Genghis offers a defense-pact which I accept.

1848 AD Monty is warhappy again this time Alex is his victim.
1850AD Pharsalos is captured by Monty's troops.
Rice for Crab, OB and Astro+Lib for Rifling+30g trade with Monty.

1864 AD Genghis declares vs Alex which cancels our Defense-alliance.
1882 AD Assembly Line to Ghandi for Railroad.

1885 AD Great I rush Eifeltower without realizing that it has been finished just this turn by India. I get some money(1875g) back but still .

1911 AD Musicals to Monty for Coal.
After the completion of the UN I hope I have to run against Washington or Ghandi (In this case I would have tried to get a Diplo-victory). Alas it is Genghis against whom I stand and not only that, he even wins the vote for U-General Secretary.
So I know I can bury all hopes to get a Diplo-win.

1915AD Rocketry learned
1933 AD first trade with Washington since ages. Fish for Sheep(I simple need the health).
1940 AD Washington declares War against Monty ! I gift Monty with the Knowledge of Artillery so that he has a chance against Americas power( Wash has already Modern Amor ).
Washington takes Pharsalos.

1945 AD Monty asks for help vs Washington I decline but gift him a tank every few turns.
1947AD Washington demands Musicals but I decline.
1951 AD 3rd Resource pops! This time it is Gold near Tours.
America takes Calixtl...
This time it is me vs Washington and I get elected
Monty wishes me to stop trading with George and I comply.

1958 AD Space-elevator completed
1961 AD Washington has enough of my gifting Monty Units and declares War . Not that he has an easytime to reach me

1962 AD Paris reaches Legendary Culture and America makes the big -move.

He leaves his Units on his two unguarded Transports. I have enough Ships in the Area to send them to the fishes

1968 AD Ghandi completes Apollo-project.

1979 AD Washington makes peace with Monty after destroying Tlaxcala. Since he has only an OB with Ghandi he has no chance to reach me overland. His ships are easily spotted with Bombers and destroyed.
I plan to slow Washingtons research and rebase some Bombers into the Azteccity Texcoco

1986 AD Washington loses his Oil

1995 A fregatte is nearly to strong for my U-Boat

1996 AD Composites learned . Democracy+Mass Media to Genghis for Fission. Upgrade all Bombers
2003 AD Al Gore born in Paris Kommunism and Fusion learned.

2010 AD I now have 11 Stealth Bombers in Texcoco and bomb slowly but steadily America back to stone age.

2011 AD Genghis declares once again vs Ghandi those deminishing any fear that India may launch before me.
2017 AD Even better Genghis captures Bombay !! That is Indias 2nd City!!

2018 AD Arrgh It would have been so nice to end this game without another Remember our War-celebration. Monty declares again vs me:mad: . Now that is not something to fear (he is to far backwards) but as a sideeffect my 11 Stealth-Bombers in his City get destroyed . Additional I can no longer bomb Washingtons Oil so I can expect Destroyers and BBs again.
The Invasionforce consisting of tanks and Artillery is bombed down and killed by Modern Amor. To avoid a lot of Tanks I plan to take out Montys Oil and conquer his City next to it(Xochicalco).

2021 AD Alex who is bored declares vs Ghandi which leads to this Situation:

2025 AD blubblub down go American Ships to play with the fishies
2028 AD Xochi is ripe and conquered by 4 MA. Peace with Monty is signed afterwards. Only Washington is stubborn.

2029 AD and the next fishfodder arives. But also some last minute . A U-Boat has destroyed the fishing boat near Rheims. So I had tor rush a new one to avoid starvation.
I first wondered why it would take 4 turns to build it but rushed it anyway . On the next turn I realised that it was not a fisherboat but a Transport. Since it was already late and the Launch was just 2 turns away I didn't reload and rushed a real Fisherboat now. This move did cost 2 Pops .

and a last view of earth:


2031 AD WE HAVE A LIFT OFF
Resumee: 11h55min played. A great and fun game with a very nice set of Enemies . Two high Aggressive AI's close to the peacefull player and 2 nice fast researching AI's well hidden and secure.

AI-war declarations: Monty: 5*France; 2*Washington;1*Alex;
Alex: 2* Ghandi;1*France;
Genghis: 4*Ghandi; 1*Alex;
Washington: 1* Monty; 1*France;
During the Replay I also learned that Monty has lost a City early to Barbarians He need several turns untill he could get it back.

Other things learned :
Don't bother to be friend with Monty He will attack you whenever he thinks you are weaker then him. No matter what you do you can't prevent him from attacking. But if you kick him hard enough he will talk about peace very fast and he also returns very soon to trading and OpenBorder status. I't s just every now and then he gets Mad and attacks someone.

Genghis on the other hand can be a very good and valuable friend especially against such peaceloving Builders like Ghandi.

[Rowain]

Just to add the Stats-screenshots. They are from 2028 but nothing much changed in those last turns:








As you see Ghandi came close to launch himself and Paris had more then 100k culture at the end

[Maniac Marshall]

Heh. Quite an interesting read. Your world was *almost* as warlike as mine. I had 20 AI vs AI declarations.

I agree with your assessment of Genghis. He's hard to befriend, but well worth it if you are looking for a warlike buddy.

- Maniac