Adventure 4 - Sina's Report

[Sina]

I only took short notes during play intending to write the report right after. Of course I didn't and found my notes to be insufficient when I finally got round to writing it. I also wanted to keep it short as I have no webspace to post it.

This was my 2nd Monarch win only and I was just happy with that. I could have got an earlier launch date with less

Space Victory in 1935

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Initial thoughts:

No Alphabet so no Literature, Music, Drama or Military Tradition is the first thing that occures to me. That will be hard on the GP and military side.
The starting location is good though and settling in place should be ok.
Shall I try for an early religion? No, that is too risky. It will be worker techs first and with marble around a try for the Oracle.

So I settle in place and go for worker first. Research plan is AH - Archery - Mining. I'm a bit paranoid about barbs on Monarch.
Fishing from a hut, that's not the best tech to get, but any free tech is a good tech.
Buddhism is FIDAL in 3640BC.
AH comes in and it's good to see horses close by.
Oh wow, I get Writing from a hut. That's what I call a useful hut!
My scouting will soon end I guess as there are lots of animals around now.
Hinduism is FIDAL in 2960BC. I could have got that had I made a try.
Mining is in now, so what's next? Pottery, BW, Mysticism or Masonry are the candidates. I decide on BW first for Copper and chops, then Pottery.

In 2640BC I meet Qin. He wants open borders, but I decline for now as I'd like to meet more civs before engaging in diplomacy.
And there comes Huayna Capac next turn. He hasn't met Qin yet. BW comes in and Copper is right there at the capital. Always a great relief! Pottery next.

Finally get my first settler in 2280BC. A bit late, I know! The surprisingly long living scout ends next to a barb archer. Bye bye, Scout.

Memphis is founded and under siege right from the start. Good that I was a bit paranoid and got archery early.



All my exploring units are dead now. Looks like the others will have to find me.

Pottery comes in and it's time to research towards Priesthood for the Oracle. I already have Writing from that hut.

Judaism FIDAL in 1920BC.

Heliopolis founded in 1520BC.



The Oracle is finished in 1160BC. I take Code of Law for my free tech and found Confucianism. Time to get open borders now, I think.

IW researched in 825BC. Now I urgently need Currency. I still have only 2 cities and should do something about that as well.

Huayna converts to Confucianism and Qin got the Pyramids.

I want that barb city!



City 4 is founded in 450 BC.

I have a lack of screenshots from now on until the end. I'm sure I took them, but apparently lost them.

Finally get Currency in 175BC. My research is somewhat bad.
Metal Casting or Construction? Huayna traded me silver for fish, so forges would be nice. But I might need cats as well and go for Construction first.

Hindu Khan comes knocking on the door in 1AD. He is the score leader, has Alphabet and a whole lot of techs I don't have. He likes Huayna and hates Qin. Ah, he's at war with Qin and wants my help. That simply won't be possible! He's annoyed with me now. This could get ugly. Qin also asks, same answer.
I'll do everything possible to stay out of war in this game!

Finally get a Prophet in 125AD. He'll build my shrine.

Hello Roosevelt! Found your way over here as well? He's Hindu and naturally likes Kublai. He's last in score.

The Shrine is built and finances seem to be under control at +3 at 80%. I really need to expand now. Urgently!

Taoism FIDAL in 300AD.
Khan has Feudalism and Huayna converts to Taoism. Not good. I messed this up. Should have built missionaries long ago.

Phoenician is finally mine.

Ouch, Qin is Hindu now as well.

Christianity FIDAL in 475AD.

Kublai demands CoL and I'm not in a position to deny him that.

I got the Hanging Gardens (no date mentioned though).

I'm largest. Interesting. Usually, I never am. I was very slow expanding at the start. I guess others were as well. The Colossus is mine in 800AD. I didn't expect to get it at all.

1030AD now and still only Kublai has Alphabet. I think I'm now catching up researchwise, but hard to tell. He's still up a lot though. I wish the others would get Alphabet asap.

Traded Philosophy to Kublai for some backwards techs. He's still up a lot! I'll try to be first to Liberalism. I'm up Paper on him so far. Still no Alphabet for anybody else and I'd really like to meet the other civs now.
Got a great Engineer. He'll be saved for the Taj Mahal.
I traded some resources for gpt to get research up to 80% at -2gpt.

Very nice Kublai! That stone was mine!




I really don't want to fight in this game. It is starting to look unavoidable now though.
Huayna finally got Alphabet and is up a lot. He even has Paper. Just great! I have really no idea how to win this one.

Asoka meets me, annoyed from the beginning. He's only up Theology and Optics and does not have Philosophy and Paper. Too bad that he doesn't want to trade.

Education comes in and Liberalism is due in 8, crossing my fingers! Huayna seems to have Education.

Yay! I am first to discover Liberalism. Take Nationalism as free tech and set research to Guilds.
Free Religion or not? I decide to switch to it. Nobody has my religion anyway and it'll remove a lot of tension. Guilds is down by 1 turn, but I need to lower science to 70%.

Trading time! Alphabet is widely known now. I didn't get much though and can't trade with Asoka at all (worst enemy of one of my friends). I acquired Guilds, Optics, Theology and change for Paper and Education.
Economics is already discovered, so I go for Printing Press and hope to get trade value out of that.



I got my first Scientist. Academy in Thebes or Golden Age? I won't get many more GP unless I switch to Caste System. Hmmm...go for the Academy.

Roosevelt asks for Nationalism. I don't like to get the relation hit, but I won't give Nationalism away.

I built the Forbidden Palace in 1420AD in Pi-Ramesses and the budget is even at 80% science. Things are starting to look up.

Taj Mahal finishes in 1430AD without Engineer intervention. Now to get some Universities and Banks done.

Asoka demands Printing Press and he's already annoyed. I give in.

Isabella found me as well, or I her (got a Caravel on GOTO somewhere) and she is annoyed. No surprise there. Wow, she demands 170 gold right away. I better give it to her.

Rifling is in and it's about time I get something you could call a military.

And last but not least Freddy enters the stage, annoyed and quite advanced.

Democracy is researched in 1600AD.
I should get a plan up now how to research without the Internet. Asoka is on his way to Physics, so no free Scientist for me there. Might be wise to go to Electricity though as I am short on happiness now. I also might have to built the UN (have to check pop ranking).
I'd also quite need factories. I doubt I'll be first to every spaceship component, so I will have to outbuild them. Spies would be handy for intel later, but logistics are bad. I think I go towards Assembly Line first. My military is still no military so Infantry is a good thing to get. Maybe I can trade for Scientific Method after that.
I switch civics to Universial Suffrage and Emancipation. I have lots of towns and wannabee towns. I think I can take the gold hit.
I'm 2nd in population and only 4th in GNP. That is a bit surprising as I have built lots of cottages, but explains why I am struggling in the tech race.

18 turns for the Statue of Liberty. I'll risk that. Nobody else has Democracy yet.

Kublai is still spreading Hinduism around. That's nice of you buddy, I need the happiness.

Huayna demands Democracy. No way!

Got an Artist in Thebes. Now I have a pair for a GA later on.

I have coal, but the tile is heavily under pressure. Not feeling too good about that.



I get the Statue of Liberty in 1695AD.

I'm only the 6th most advanced. Ugh! I hope that's due to the missing Alphabet line.

Physics is in. Railroad or Electricity? I'm sure I'm doing this wrong. Railroad it is. I have 2 Engineers stored, so I can rush a wonder later.
Looks like I was wrong about Asoka on his way to Physics. I got the free Schientist.

I get yet another Great Engineer in 1750AD. Store him as well.

Asoka is well on his way to Rocketry. I am researching Radio now and am still up Electricity and Assembly Line to all. I hope to trade for Biology and Combustion but no luck yet. Either the wrong ones have it or too few have it.

Ouch! Just one turn later and everybody has Electricity.

Broadway in Thebes in 1804AD.

Eiffel Tower done in 1820AD.

Computers are researched in 1822AD. Time to build Labs all over the place.
I'm unsure again. Shall I go towards the Space Elevator or the Apollo Program? Apollo Program is faster, but I will most likely be able to trade for Artillery. Yep, I can. I'll do that then and research towards Space Elevator. Kulai gets Electricity + some gold for Artillery. Only Asoka has Rocketry yet.
I'm pretty sure there is a bug in the tech trade screen. Earlier Electricity first showed up as tradeable and was gone from the screen a few turns later. So I assumed the other civs had acquired it. But now it showed up again. Very strange!

Freddy demands Biology. Guess I have to give in.

Kublai and Roosevelt have Rocketry now and Qin has Industrialism. No trades possible. I'm still the only one with Radio.
I continue towards Robotics. No use starting to produce parts before the Space Elevator and the Labs are up.

Ugh! No Aluminium. That's a bummer!!

Rock'n Roll in 1840AD.

Plastics in and I lose my nerves. Rocketry next!

Rocketry is in. Apollo Program in 14 and Robotics in 8. I'm getting tanks and infatry out fast now. I'm up Plastics on Asoka and Radio on all others. This looks possible. I'm 7th most advanced, hopeless they say.

Kublai is first to built his Apollo Program (1870AD I think). Asoka is more dangerous than he is though. I could even declare on Kublai should the need arise.

Great Merchant in Heliopolis. Now I have for 2 GA.

Roosevelt completes Apollo in 1874AD.

Robotics are in. I go for Fusion, the longest, first. It doesn't matter when you finish the first part of your ship. Just be first to built the last one.
I can build the Space Elevator in Memphis. Send my Engineers over and use 2 of them so the Space Elevator will complete in 2 turns. Apollo in 6.

Get the Space Elevator in 1880AD.

Asoka completes his Apollo Program in 1886AD.
Mine will be finished next turn.
Asoka has Mass Media and also Fision. He's close on my trail and I will not divert to get Mass Media.

Qin completes Apollo in 1896AD.
I go for a GA now. I'm sweating and my nerves are not the best...

Fiber Optics in -> Fusion in 6. All Casings complete this turn.
Kublai declares on Freddy (after asking me and getting a no as answer) and then Asoka declares on Kublai! Very nice for me. Suddenly Qin is the most dangerous opponent in the Space Race. I'm up Fission though and not down any Space Ship tech.

Huayna also gets his Apollo Program done.

Docking Bay completed.

Fusion in 1910AD, Satellites next. I take another GA (got the free Engineer). 10 turns of GA now.

Cockpit completed.

Satellites in 1918, Ecology next.

No, Qin, I am not giving YOU Fiber Optics for free. Hate me as much as you want.
No, Kublai, no free Computers for you. See above. Oh, now you want to trade Computers for Communism? Forget it!
Yes, Isabella, enjoy those free Bananas.

Ecology in 1922, 7 turns for Genetics.
Engine completes.
My Golden Age ends next turn and I'm one GP short for another one.

Qin declares war on Freddy in 1925AD.

Genetics in 1928AD. 7 turns to complete the Stasis Chamber which is my last part.

VICTORY! I'm off this rat hole in 1935AD!






Score: 15996, Augustus Caesar. Ingame score: 3345.

Empire overview:






Closing thoughts:

- I expanded too late and thus got the jungle cities up and running too late
- I had sentries out, but still got a lot of trouble with barbs. They didn't threaten my cities much, but prevented expansion by settling crappy cities. I have problems with warefare, especially early on.
- I should have taken some cities by force
- I'm happy that I won this whatever score.

[Sullla]

Hey, nice hut luck in this game. Some good early research choices as well. I'm not sure I quite understand the Memphis location though, as it seems it would have been better to get horses in range. You also narrowly missed a cow resource with that spot too. Anyway, something to think about.

An empty Heliopolis (unescorted settler)? Someone likes to live dangerously!

You did the same move I did with the Oracle, using it to found Confucianism. That worked well for me, and I hope it did in your game as well. Qin getting the Pyramids though - ouch! Not what you want to see. 800AD Colossus was certainly a lot later than my game! I hope you were able to get some good use out of it.

I don't know what you were planning on using those Engineers for, but having three of them on hand surely was a plus. Multiple golden ages at the end of the game certainly was a good move to make sure that you launched first.

Congratulations on a solid Monarch win! The start was a strong one, but it still wasn't an easy game. You are right to be happy regardless of the score.