[SPOILERS] Banzailizard and Woden go hunting!

[Banzailizard]

Added my token to my first post.

England Turn 5

Found a possibly good location for a third city, I would need to scout the coasts around there to be sure.  I will head over that way over the next 2 turns. Either way, I added some more pins.  I think city 2 will build the government plaza, though that will be a second or third district after the RND.

   

[Woden]

Turn 6-Gaul
Continue exploring and found a possible 3rd city site...
   

Also, if everybody has land similar to mine, this is going to be a fast science game.

[Banzailizard]

England Turn 6

It looks indeed to be a fast science map.  I found some turtles and fish off the west coast of my island, and that seems like a good enough spot for me to throw down another RND.  I will head north quickly though to see how much room I have up there.  I may need to put the city center on the south of the river to fit a 4th city on this landmass.  The new continent islands to the north of Gaul might make a good place to throw down a 5th city, as the first city on each new continent gets a unit and free trade route capacity thanks to Victoria.

   

Since switching my titles, London is going to grow in 4 turns.  In 3 turns the tile picker should take the turtles (I don't see another tile it would try to switch to) which is 2 food, 1 production, 1 gold, and 1 science.  That science represents a 40% increase against my current science, though it will be more like a 33% increase once London grows.  Either way, fairly helpful.  The one gold won't be bad either.  The biggest issue right now is that city 2 has all its best tiles in the second ring.  I can't even settle anywhere different to resolve that either.  Settling north is not allow, and settling east prevents city 3 from going down.  That means I either need culture to expand my boarders faster (so buying a monument) or I need to buy titles.  I think saving for the monument is best. Still that is 240 gold. That will take 41 turns with 5 gold per turn or 34 turns with 6.

   

Woden, what do you think about my skipping a builder and going right for a settler after the monument? Downside is craftsmanship is harder to boost for me (unless you research it first) up side is I get that second city out sooner. I am also tempted to make city 3 my actual second city, the tiles in the first ring are simply better than city 2's.  I can start out by working that 3/1 sheep tile for example.

[Woden]

Woden, what do you think about my skipping a builder and going right for a settler after the monument? Downside is craftsmanship is harder to boost for me (unless you research it first) up side is I get that second city out sooner. I am also tempted to make city 3 my actual second city, the tiles in the first ring are simply better than city 2's.  I can start out by working that 3/1 sheep tile for example.

Yes, I think settler next is the right play and I think city 3 will be a better 2nd city location than city 2. The 3/1 sheep and 2/1/1 turtles will let the city get to size 3 in no time. 

For the boost to Craftsmanship, don't worry about it. My plan is to go warrior->settler->builder->builder (1 chop)->galleys and can get the the boost for Craftsmanship by the time we need it. Once I start pushing out galleys, I should jump ahead in culture, even though I don't have a monument. Galleys are worth 13 culture each, so if I kick out 4-6 and get the boosts, that alone is enough to finish State Workforce and Early Empire. So, I suggest just following my culture path and you should get all the boosts. I am going CoL->Foreign Trade->Early Empire/Craftsmanship (depending on boosts timing)->State Workforce->PP. I should finish CoL when my warrior completes (3 or 4 turns before anybody else, even if they started with a monument) but then anybody that went monument first should beat me to FT. But after that, I will start building ships and be ripping through the civics until Writing completes and I start building non-combat stuff.

[Banzailizard]

Ok sounds like a plan. I have a builder next in the multi-que so I will go back and change that to a settler next save. My warrior can circle north then back east to London in time to pick up the settler. I don't think barbs will be a problem, but better safe than sorry.

[Woden]

Turn 7-Gaul
Screenshots didn't take, not much to report...just exploring. Thinking I might place the city on the north side that I pinned last turn off the coast and make use of the 3 seafood resources for a harbor (can't have harbors next to city center) but will have to wait to see what the rest of my island looks like. City grows in 2 turns and warrior done in 4 (which will finish CoL, 6 turns earlier than anybody who didn't start with monument, probably 3 turns for those that did).

[Woden]

Banzailizard, are you planning on sending your warrior north or south to see if anything is off the coast? If it were me, I would go south to finish exploring off the coast. We are still looking for a natural wonder or city states and I would hate to later find out something was good down there that we ignored.

[Banzailizard]

I was going to go north but I can explore south if you prefer. Was just about to take the turn.

[Banzailizard]

England Turn 6
   

Good call on going south, I can just see the edge of what looks like a scientific city state.  That would be a big boost for me this early.  Not sure I will be able to actually meet them though. No natural wonders down here unless they are just off the southern coast.

[Woden]

I have played enough of these games to know you want to be thorough with your scouting of coastline in the early game and I am pretty sure the city states are just off the coasts. There will probably be another one on your northside and it is probably mirror on my island.