[PB58] Tarkeel and Amicalola's rule through fear

[Amicalola]

Since everyone have locked in their selections, it's time for the customary opponent overview:

Superdeath: Suryavarman (CRE/EXP) of Mongolia (Wheel/Hunting)
Superdeath has become infamous for his early wars, to the point that he's drawn into them even when he's trying to avoid them. i think most of this reputation stems from his chaotic nature where he doesn't always consider the consequences of an attack. I thought this was the game where he would finally be able to shed his reputation and build, taking the somewhat strange Suryavarman as first pick. Mongolia on the other hand is not a peaceful builder pick.

Prognosis: Will rush someone with Keshiks, ruining both player's games
Threat rating: High

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Serdoa: Victoria (FIN/IMP) of Ethiopia (Hunting/Mining)
The only game of Serdoa's I've read is PBEM76, where he comes back from several years of non-cIV gaming. I gather from the praise there that he used to be one of the stronger players around, and my initial impression is that he's extremely competent but also on the cautios side. Victoria is often regarded as the best CtH leader and is more what I'd expect from an early leader pick, while I suspect that Ethiopia was more because we'd already taken Khmer. Oromo Warriors can be a real bother when the time comes though.

Prognosis: Will spread out early, establishing a dominant economy for late game warfare
Threat rating: High

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Jowy: Julius Caesar (IMP/ORG) of Azteca (Huntic/Mysticism)
My impression of Jowy is that he prefers to build in peace, and only go to war when he's comfortable. Julius Caesar should be a very good leader for this map (and one I wanted to take myself), while Azteca was also one of the civs we discussed early on. If his start is as tech-constrained as ours then starting with mysticism could be a real liability.

Prognosis: Will spread out early, building away in peace if left to his own devices
Threat rating: Medium

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Us: Roosevelt (IND/ORG) of Khmer
While I have some theoretical experience from lurking (and ded-lurking Amicalola in PB56), this will be my first actual multiplayer experience in civ, and as such I originally didn't rate our chances too high. We've somehow attracted the attention of Lewwyn (which we're grateful for), which I think have boosted our chances considerably.

Prognosis: Should be able to build and sustain a large empire for later game warfare
Threat rating: Medium

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AutomatedTeller: Willem (CRE/FIN) of Rome (Fishing/Mining)
Coming from a series of setbacks in his latter Pitboss games, AT probably feels he has something to prove in this one. Willem is a leader that screams of expansion and building, while Roman Praetorians can be used both for acquiring an empire and keeping it safe.

Prognosis: Build, build, build
Threat rating: Medium

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Ruff_Hi: Catherine (CRE/IMP) of India (Mining/Mysticism)
India is always good for building and Catherine is great at settling a vast empire, but there's a real risk of over-expanding with her.

Prognosis: Over-expands, grinding the economy to a messy halt
Threat rating: Low

Agree with all of the above. Would even rank the 6 of us the same way. Though you are considerably more concise than me.  

I suspect this game is going to come to a late showdown between the 4 builder civs. Or more likely, 3 of the builders civs (minus the one who's game Superdeath ruins). Superdeath needs to do a lot of conquering to stay relevant, and Ruff I agree is going to over-expand and ruin himself. Of those 4 builder civs, I have no idea who is going to win.  We are the slowest of the bunch, but should be able to land most key wonders. The priorities to me seem to be Stonehenge (though you are right Lewwyn, there isn't much competition), Great Lighthouse, Colossus and Mausoleum. That's pre-Nationalism. Are there any that I forgot? 

Here is a CIV theory question. Is Colossus better if you are, or if you aren't, financial? My gut is financial makes it better, since you want to work coast more anyway. But it makes ocean tiles have 50% more commerce for non-FIN, vs 33% for FIN.

[El Grillo]

All else equal, I think FIN Colossus is better because from the perspective of the value of each point of population, getting to work 2/0/4 tiles is a lot better than getting to work 2/0/3 tiles.

Good luck gentlemen and have fun!

[Amicalola]

Also I missed it earlier but I like W-NW for scout. Alternatively W-SW could be good. West for sure though; too many yucky tiles east.

[Lewwyn]

I just hope we don't start next to SD. Serdoa is the most dangerous of the players and now that he's got 78 and 56 to help him get back into civ 4 he won't be so rusty, but he's not suicidal the way SD is.

[Tarkeel]

I think Colossus is a better wonder for FIN leaders, as you would be working coasts already. Also ElGrillo's point of getting more out of each pop stands.

I just hope we don't start next to SD. Serdoa is the most dangerous of the players and now that he's got 78 and 56 to help him get back into civ 4 he won't be so rusty, but he's not suicidal the way SD is.

Yeah, I rank those two as the highest threat for opposite reasons. I really don't understand Superdeath's pick, either leader or civ, in this game. I think it's likely that we'll have to contend with SD in some way (there are only so many ways to place 6 players on a map), but hopefully he targets someone else.

[Tarkeel]

I've logged in and claimed the civ, password is 'force' (also in post #2). The area outside BFC is slightly changed, so I'm posting the start:




Think I'll move the scout SW-NW to see if something good pops up (unlikely) before moving the settler WE. (Edit: East and west is hard)

Oh, and Serdoa has played and not settled, so it's not just us it seems.
Update: AT settled in place though, and pretty promptly as well.

[pindicator]

I'm excited and anxious! Hope you all like the map and have a fun game!

[Tarkeel]

Turn 0 (4000 BC) And so it begins...

After a long discussion about our options it's almost anti-climatic to log in and execute our plans. We were pretty set on move east to found our capital, but I wanted to explore the western coast to see if there was any reason to move that way instead...




Nope! Nada! Nothing to see here. Well, that land on the other side of the (salty) strait is intriguing... Map seems pretty watery already, so feeling good about being ORG. Less enthused about the peak we've just picked up in our BFC, but you can't win it all.

In world-wide news, AT has settled in place, Serdoa has moved, and Jowy has claimed but not ended turn.

Demographics (with AT founded)

He's working a FPH for 5 hammers, and 18 GNP should translate to 10 beakers, so either his capital or the FPH is riverside. He has 4 water tiles in his initial square, so he's likely coastal just like us.

[Amicalola]

Wooo! Thanks to ramk, charriu, pindi and anyone else involved.

Interesting if AT is working a riverside tile, that means the capitals are not mirrored. I had wondered if they were after Serdoa moved.

Next turn scout, NW-Nsomething? Depends on first tile reveals.

[Tarkeel]

He's working a FPH for 5 hammers, and 18 GNP should translate to 10 beakers, so either his capital or the FPH is riverside. He has 4 water tiles in his initial square, so he's likely coastal just like us.

Amicalola reminded me that forests don't get river commerce, so that's a riverside capital confirmed for AT, with a nice extra commerce for the rest of the game.

Next turn scout, NW-Nsomething? Depends on first tile reveals.

Most likely NW-NW I think.