[PB72] Xist10 plays far to home

[xist10]

My first MP game here at RB is the PB72.

"Exclusive" for newer/green players, I fear, I have to much experience for this.
I played a few games over at civforum.de.
4 Games completed (and survived in 2).
2 more games are still active. The first game is in turn 11, but I don't expect to survive long in the other game. You can defend win fights with (PRO) longbows against rifles, but...

So, this shouldn't be a "Plemo" scenario.


To the game:
Close to Home

NoHuts
NoEvents
NoVassals
NoTechTrading
NoCityTrading 1 city per deal
NoUnitGifting
No Spies

simultaneous Turns
Monarch difficult
Score on
Citycount is visible
No barbs
War warriness on

Coinflip to decide settler races
Random block to decide leader and civ.

Supderdeath has offered himself as dedlurker for me. Thanks you for that.

[superdeath]

Easiest way to reach me is discord if you want, otherwise i can check in here. Lemme know what you are looking for in a dedlurker and ill try and compensate. I will say im not all that great at the game as i find it extremely boring to micro the first 100t of a game.

[xist10]

Discord will probably work, although I'd probably prefer the story.
I'll be honest, I feel confident enough to think I can play without a dedlurker.
But I don't necessarily know what a dedlurker is exactly. I've played 2 games in the team now, so that both players go in. Once it worked quite well, the game with Ginger had various problems. Among other things, I had bad communication. But dedlurker is more exclusive reads a stroy and is allowed to give tips ?

What would make me happy would be the possibility to just get feedback for one or two ideas. My neighbour planted this city right next to my borders. Should I attack to raze it ? Are we still early enough that I should exspect a retaliation right now ?
micro is something i do a bit, but not something like 10 turn in advance. Instead more or less: Can I work the foodtile not to grow in X turns ? When can I work the hut nstead of the food tile to grow in X turns ?
To be honest, I'm not quite sure whether you're the right one. I feel like I'm a bit too aggressive (in the initial phase). And you're sig implies similiar problems.

[xist10]

Civs and Leaders are online.



I can choose between these civs
Russian
Roman
Celtic
Persian
Portuguese
Arabian
Chinese

and the following leaders:

Huayna Capac
Qin
Joao
Augustus
Pacal
Shaka
Alexander
Cyrus
Roosevelt
Boudica

Time to open the game to get the changes towards BtS.

[xist10]

To the civs:
Russia: Cossack and Research Institute, Hunting/Mining
Both relativ late, even if the Research Institute replace the university. Cossack are way weaker then there vanilla version, 50% against mounted units is nice ? The Research Institute could be good. A free scientist is nice, even more with representation or emancipation.

Best option in the moment, but only because Russia is the first civ.

Romans: Preatorian and Forum, Fishing/Mining
Praetorians are strong. Strongest unit till macemen, even if they are relativ expensiv with 50 prod. Forum is okay, 25% towards GP is nice in one, two cities, but in more ?

Better option than Russia.

Celts: Gallic Warrior and Dun, Mysticism/Hunting
They exist ? I still haven't played the celts.
Gallic Warriors replace the swordsmen. This makes them a bad UU, because swordmens are bad. They are better in CtH, but still, I expected a clear advange towards axemen.
Dun give a free promotion, this is nice. But Guerilla isn't very good.

The Celts lose against the romans. Praetorians are better swordmen, even if Ican use copper or iron to built the Gallic Warriors.

Persia: Immortal and Bazaar, Agriculture/Hunting
The Civilopedia entry of the Immortals is confusing. The Immortals replace the chariot, but the Civilopedia writes about a replacement for the spearmen ?
The Immortals are very good against KI. Humans don't built many archers, so one advange is not very good. Defensive boni are nice to have, but if I need them, I think, I did something wrong. I don't like chariots either.
Bazaar is new in CtH ? 50% trade route yield isn't very good, but better than the 2 health from the BtS UB. traderoutes have the problem, they get so many boni, that the 50% of the Bazaar is more a boni of 12,5%.

The romans are still the best.

Portuguese: Carrack and Feitoria, Fishing/Mining
Portuguese is a water civ. Carracks open a few interesting options. In this view, they could be one of the best UU, because the allow the transport over ocean a few important rounds earlier. Feitoria have a nice effect too. But the replace the custom house, something I never built ? Even the harbor isn't the best building, because 50(100)% trade route yield isn't very good.

I don't expect very much water, so a huge disadvange for Portuguese.

Arabs: Camel Archer and Madrassa, Mysticism/Wheel
Camel Archers are nice. I think, the RB meta overstated knights a bit, but Camel Archers doesn't need ressources, the get a free (semigood) promotion and a retreat chance. The Praetorians are a better UU, Cataphracts a better knight UU, but you can alway built Camel Archers. Maybe not so strong on a custom made MP map, but something to remember.
Madrassa is nice ? 2 Culture points makes them better than monuments on culture/prod base. 2 more specialist slots for priest are nice, but nothing I really like ?

Camel Archers are better than I thought, but I don't expected the biggest advange (no ressourcen) to trigger. Madrassa too, but in the end, I would hope for Iron and use praetorians.

And last: The Chinese: Cho-Ko-Nu and Pavilion, Agriculture/Mining
Cho-Ko-Nu are very strong and relativ weak. You can replace a good number of my catapults with Cho-Ko-Nus. The ability to cause collateral damage is unique. But in the same point, they replace a archer unit. They are better than a few other units here, but I don't know.
The Pavillion is a good UB, I think ? Not the best bonus, +25% culture, but the theater has only one purpose, culture, and the UB give a good advange.

If I only look at the UU, the Romans are the best. Second Cho-Ko-Nu or Camel Archers.
If I look at the UB, this isn't nearly so clear. Most UB have a small bonus, nothing big or flashy. the best bonus has the Research Institute. But its maybe a bit to late. Here I think the best UB is the Madrassa or the Bazaar, because the replace a often built building.
Startechs are something I don't consider often. UB and UU are more important. Maybe something like Fishing/Mysticism could be a disadvange, but the rest ?

TL,DR: I think, I would play with the Romans. The praetorians are one of the strongest UU.

[xist10]

Towards the Leaders:
Alexander (PHI/AGG) AGG is a thought worth, but I don't like PHI. Shaka or Boudica are better
Augustus (IND/IMP) Both are nice traits, but I would like a leader with a commerce bonus
Boudica (AGG/CHA) I like CHA better than PHI, but I'm not sure here. AGG has a (good) commerce bonus.
Cyrus (CHA/IMP) One of the best traits for good units trained from scratch. But no significant bonus.
Huayna Capac (IND/FIN) I think a (very) good leader. FIN got a nerf, but is still good. IND is a nice advange to get a wonder.
Joao (EXP/IMP) I tried that once ?
Pacal (EXP/FIN) Second FIN leader. EXP has the nice granary bonus, but this is it. I like Huayna better.
Qin (IND/PRO) PRO got a signifikant buff. Its actual viable. Still, i like FIN more.
Roosevelt (IND/ORG) My second favorit. Very nice production boni, forge, courthouse (factory) and a indirect commerce bonus. Which is better ? FIN or ORG ?
Shaka (AGG/EXP) I think, I like EXP better than CHA, but I think, ORG/FIN is better ?

To sum this up, I'm undecided between Roosevelt(IND/ORG) and Huayna (IND/FIN).

[Miguelito]

Just in case you missed it, the Celtic Dun gives +1 culture in CtH, which can be quite nice with Pro and stone.
The discussion wether Org is OP is an evergreen around here.

[superdeath]

Towards the Leaders:
Alexander (PHI/AGG) AGG is a thought worth, but I don't like PHI. Shaka or Boudica are better
Augustus (IND/IMP) Both are nice traits, but I would like a leader with a commerce bonus
Boudica (AGG/CHA) I like CHA better than PHI, but I'm not sure here. AGG has a (good) commerce bonus.
Cyrus (CHA/IMP) One of the best traits for good units trained from scratch. But no significant bonus.
Huayna Capac (IND/FIN) I think a (very) good leader. FIN got a nerf, but is still good. IND is a nice advange to get a wonder.
Joao (EXP/IMP) I tried that once ?
Pacal (EXP/FIN) Second FIN leader. EXP has the nice granary bonus, but this is it. I like Huayna better.
Qin (IND/PRO) PRO got a signifikant buff. Its actual viable. Still, i like FIN more.
Roosevelt (IND/ORG) My second favorit. Very nice production boni, forge, courthouse (factory) and a indirect commerce bonus. Which is better ? FIN or ORG ?
Shaka (AGG/EXP) I think, I like EXP better than CHA, but I think, ORG/FIN is better ?

To sum this up, I'm undecided between Roosevelt(IND/ORG) and Huayna (IND/FIN).

If going for Rome, having AGG for the cheaper unit expenses + the big boost in having access to shock praets ect make it a much more enticing choice imo. Id go Boudica, and dont rush anyone with praets, but keep them as a "dont screw with me" and just out expand others.

[xist10]

I missed the +1 culture. This makes the Dun to one of the better UB in this group, even more with PRO/stone.

AGG for praets is a good point too.
Do I want to spread my traits or du I want to get a good combo ?
I agree, AGG/CHA is a bit better than AGG/EXP, even if I think EXP>CHA.
But I think both, IND/ORG and IND/FIN are better than AGG/CHA.

[xist10]

I think, I will take the war combination.
Rome with Boudicca (AGG/CHA)