[PB62] Tarkeel and civac feel the need for speed

[Tarkeel]

The theme for this game will be grand prix racing.

[Tarkeel]

Pre-game

• Trait thoughts
  
• Starting screenshot
  
• Starting sims
  
• Opponent overview
  

Notable turns

• T0 (4000 BC): Gentlemen, start your engines!
  
• T5 (3800 BC): It's a small world
  
• T28 (2880 BC): Changing gears
  
• T37 (2520 BC): Blitzkrieg
  
• T43 (2280 BC): The Fall of Fabled
  
• T45 (2200 BC): A Greedy Proposition
  
• T78 (925 BC): Roman Iron
  
• T86 (725 BC): Enlightenment
  
• T89 (650 BC): Fin
  

Cities Circuits

• Silverstone (T0)
  
• Sakhir (T30)
  
• Tar Valon Monaco (T39)
  
• Caemlyn Spa (T41)
  
• Zandvoort (T47)
  
• Indianapolis (T59)
  
• Kyalami (T60)
  
• Nürburgring (T67)
  
• Sochi (T68)
  
• Jérez (T74)
  
• Île Notre-Dame (T81)
  
• Paul Ricard (T86)
  

[civac2]

Reserved for game summary

Ah, optimism. I like that.

[Tarkeel]

Planning map now lads, get your requests in.

I'll start by stating the obvious, designing a perfectly balanced map for 7 players is no easy feat. I'll be happy with anything that's fun and fair. I think that donuts can be an interesting map-shape (See PB54+60), but I hate the donut map-script (See PB56). Personally, I prefer maps that tend to be on the less-lush side, while still not being a barren wasteland (like PB58).

[civac2]

This was supposed to go into the open thread?

Still waiting for the trait analysis.

[Tarkeel]

As promised, here's a trait analysis, I tried to structure it somewhat different to what I did in PB58. Right now we're leaning mostly toward some combination of PRO/ORG/EXP; Lieu-Ye is probably the best economic leader available.

AGGressive

• Early: Slightly better axe rushing
  
• Mid: Easier access to counter-promotions
  
• Late: Improved army upkeep; Better promoted army
  

I think the free promotion does more to deter others from attacking you than it enhances your own attacks. I would consider combining AGG with Zulu, for cheaper Ikhandas.

CHArismatic

• Early: Higher whipping capacity; cheaper border expansion (monuments)
  
• Mid: Better promoted army; improved happy cap
  
• Late: Better promoted army; improved happy cap
  

The lushness of the map really determines how much value you can extract from CHA, although cheaper monuments are always nice. Playing without WarWeariness considerably lessens the impact of this trait.

CREative

• Early: Free border expansion allows slacker dotmaps
  
• Mid/Late: Culture war advantage; Cheaper libraries
  

The main benefit is allowing better placed cities that don't need their primary resources in the first ring.

EXPansive

• Early: Cheaper granaries, for improved growth into whipping
  
• Mid: Improved growth, cheaper harbor and aqueduct as needed
  
• Late: Not much
  

Main benefit is more whipping (and saved hammers) in the critical early phase. Secondary benefit in cheaper harbor and aqueducts as needed, especially for Carthage. We are considering pairing this with America.

FINancial

• Early: Not much, unless you get cheap lighthouses.
  
• Mid/Late: More commerce, mainly from cottages and coast
  

Strong but boring.

IMPerialistic

• Early/Mid: Cheaper settlers, leading to more cities
  
• Late: Cheaper combat settlers
  

The power of IMP is heavily linked to the lushness of the map; for it to perform at it's best the cities you found need to be able to support themselves.

INDustrious

• Early: Nothing of importance
  
• Mid/Late: Cheaper forges leading to higher production and happy
  

The wonder bonus isn't really that important, as wonders usually fall to whomever invests most in getting them regardless. The forge bonus on the other hand is magnificient; main difference being able to whip directly at size 4 instead of 8.

ORGanized

• Early: Cheaper lighthouses; slightly lower costs
  
• Mid: Cheaper courthouses, leading to better economy and espionage advantage; moderatly lower costs
  
• Late: Cheaper factores, leading to production advantage
  

Perhaps one of the best traits in CtH, especially on a watery map.

PHIlosophical

• Early: Nothing
  
• Mid/Late: Earlier Great People and cheaper universities, leading to tech advantage
  

This is one of the traits I've never been able to take proper advantage of. It would be interesting to pair it with EXP and America.


PROtective

• Early: Improved traderoutes
  
• Mid: Improved city defenders and castles
  
• Late: Improved traderoutes (with Mercantilism/war); better promoted army
  

The trade route bonus is most pronounced before foreign trade kicks in, and after the world starts erupting in wars or swapping into Mercantilism. The free promotions are good for passive city defense, but DrillI opens up easy access to counter-promotions like pinch. The production bonus on castles shouldn't be discounted either.

SPIritual

• Early: Saving anarchy on slavery; possible to take advantage of religion earlier
  
• Mid/Late: "Always" in the right civic, with possibility to dance between "civic stances"
  

Another trait I've never been able to get the most out of, but I think it's possible to do some very neat dances between infrastructure and unit builds.

[civac2]

AGG:
Next to the counter promotions AGG also gets you Amphibious and Commando much easier than otherwise. Better catapults and Cannons are nice too. The maintenance discount seems to act on Pacifism costs too.

CHA:
RB maps tend to be too lush for this to be good. Can also make Commando units.

CRE:
Don't see the point of this if not on a Tarkeel map.

EXP:
Seemed pretty strong in PB59.

FIN:
Probably requires rivers or lots of water to be good now.

IMP:
Still good.

IND:
Disagree about the wonder bonus. Can build early wonders which are not gated by research. Less opportuniy cost for wonders too.

ORG:
Strong. Low maintenance trait.

PHI:
Dunno. Probably requires a specific game plan. I doubt it's very good.

PRO:
Good in this game due to only 7 teams. Would take.

SPI:
See PHI.

[Amicalola]

IND:
Disagree about the wonder bonus. Can build early wonders which are not gated by research. Less opportuniy cost for wonders too.

I agree. With a little dedication, IND basically guarantees you 'x early wonder' of your choice. Maybe even multiple, especially in a small game. One could almost think of the trait as becoming whichever wonder(s) you pick, plus the forge bonus (e.g. if Stonehenge, IND becomes 'shitty creative' plus forge boost). Then you get the utility of saved hammers later on too, if it comes up. Obviously that's not a perfect comparison, because you still have to put some hammers into the wonder(s), but my main point is I agree that the wonder bonus is useful early.

[Tarkeel]

IND:
Disagree about the wonder bonus. Can build early wonders which are not gated by research. Less opportuniy cost for wonders too.

I agree. With a little dedication, IND basically guarantees you 'x early wonder' of your choice. Maybe even multiple, especially in a small game. One could almost think of the trait as becoming whichever wonder(s) you pick, plus the forge bonus (e.g. if Stonehenge, IND becomes 'shitty creative' plus forge boost). Then you get the utility of saved hammers later on too, if it comes up. Obviously that's not a perfect comparison, because you still have to put some hammers into the wonder(s), but my main point is I agree that the wonder bonus is useful early.

I still disagree; the early wonders are likely to fall to whomever is most dedicated. See Stonehenge in PB58+60, GLH in 60. You are likely to hoover up most of the uncontested wonders though, due to the lowered opportunity cost. I still rate IND pretty high, just not for the wonders. I did forget to mention the benefit on national wonders.

[civac2]

.. the early wonders are likely to fall to whomever is most dedicated. See Stonehenge in PB58+60, GLH in 60.

Yeah, that makes sense. Opportunity cost is still lower. Mainly, for GLH and SH.