[spoilers] Commodore's RNG Report

[Commodore]

Lincoln of the Celts? Definitely could have had a worse roll.

Password is "Die"

[Commodore]

Not a worse roll here, of course.

First Roll, the Combos:

Natural 1: Commodore (Rusty, Distracted) as Lincoln (Cha, Phi) of Celts (Hunting/Mysticism, Gaelic Swordsman, Dun)
Gross. Hunting is iffy on a random map, Mysticism is okay with Cha (because cheap monuments), the Dun and Gaels want hills but tectonics aren't massively hilly. Charisma does let that crucial Guerilla III promotion be in reach a little better, but Celts are equipped with a cheapish culture source anyway (if Stone). I'm not hating Philosophical if I can find a decent academy site early on, I certainly don't think weird Paper/Astronomy bulbs are particularly compelling on a dry world like this. It'll do, but I'm not impressed...

My own play is going to probably be a little distracted and busy until the SLS launches, I'm busy with work and it's a lot of tech writing. I certainly can win with this, but I cannot promise my A-game.


4 the die, still hits: Gavagai (Relentless, Effective) as Shaka (Agg, Exp) of Ethiopia (Hunting/Mining, Oromo, Stele)
I am not loving this combo, but I think Gavagai will enjoy this combo. Shaka's okay still, the Agg boosts are solid for economy and siege buffing, but frankly it just doesn't spark joy...just pluses. Barracks are up in the metagame which does help it. Ethiopia is okay techs with a fine but LATE unique unit and...two turns fast border pops? Again, nothing wrong with any of this, just kind of bland.

Gavagai has been out for a while, but I suspect he'll still be himself: Solid if unspectacular micromanagement, aggressive and unsympathetic foreign policy, grumpy outlook. Not a good neighbor because he is usually about ten seconds from despair, and Gav despairing isn't retreating into a ball, but turns it into a murderous mutual deathstorm. #1 threat after barbs.


A simple 10: Ginger (Fresh, Zesty) as Charlemagne (Imp, Pro) of Greece (Fishing/Hunting, Hoplite, Odeon)
An average roll, this combo has a slightly broken UU, an okayish UB, meh techs, and traits that will play well for a dusty natural map. I'm a fan of the Burger King's moar cities, moar monies trait but after that he's not got a ton going for him. Hoplites are excellent, somewhat less important in the barb-heavy world we're probably looking at. It'll do, pig.

I don't know Ginger, he's a newbie. "Newbie" in 2022 Realms Beyond of course means "diamond-hard veteran of decades in a different subcommunity". I predict he'll manage this well, and look forward to it.


Another 10: Amicalola (Hardworking, Enthusiastic) as Mao (Exp, Pro) of Persia (Hunting/Agriculture, Immortal, Bazar)
Not sure which of these two are better combos, to be honest. I'm betting this will be controversial, but I'm actually giving Amica the edge here; Exp is a little better than Imp on the health-troubled natural maps, and in the barbarian world with huts Immortals are fantastic units (we are getting SO MANY ARCHERS AND AXES). Even with the nullity of the UB I'll be a bigger fan of the Agriculture start techs here. Still peters out in the long game.

Amicalola I don't know well, but he's left me with a positive impression thus far. He knows how to run an economy, he can hold a grudge, and he's not rubbish at warring. Also seems to have about eight thousand dedlurkers so that's great?


Great Roll but Missed: Naufragger (Entertaining, Dramatic) as Darius (Org, Fin) of Sumer (Agriculture/Wheel, Vulture, Ziggurat)
This is a phenomenal economical combo that I suspect Naofrigar hates. Darius makes money hand over fist, pays a mere 45h for ziggs, and has the underrated vulture to defend himself; that lower +% against melee isn't a big deal with decent XP. The only trouble with the combo is speed, except that for a blind natural start AGRICULTURE AND WHEEL is kingly. This is a great setup...

...but dearly beloved Nhao Frohgor, best reporter and threader active today, loves early game traits, hates sitting back and banking cash, and believes himself to be aggressive. I'm not actually sure he's all that tilty, man's had a run of bad luck. I think this is his chance for his inner peacenik to flower.


NAT 20: Superdeath (Aggressive, Destructive) as Victoria (Fin, Imp) of Carthage (Mining/Fishing, Numidian, Cothon)
Snake pick combo snuck in here, guys. Great early game trait with the best natural map economy trait (because coasts are our economy, gang), best unique unit in the game (can even beat hoplites), and very useful later unique building. Fishing's usefulness will be random depending on the start but mining is a gimmie. Just very very impressed with this whole package.

Superdeath is aptly named.

[Commodore]

Naming theme: Gaelic or Celtic names, particularly the ones that look weird to English-speakers:
Conchobhar (Connor)
Caoimhín (Kevin)
Aonghas (Angus)
Seonaidh (Johnny)
Sadhbh (Sive)
Brìghde (Bridget)
Sinéad (Jean)
Aine (Enya)
Caoimhe (Kiva)
Aisling (Ashlin)
Deirdre (Dee-druh)
Colm (Collin)
Seán (Shawn)
Tadhg (Tygu)

[Charriu]

Too bad the character limit denies you that famous welsh town.

[Mjmd]

Not sure when Ramk will load and realized there hasn't been any screenshots to randomly discuss. I heard you like clams?

[Commodore]

Not sure when Ramk will load and realized there hasn't been any screenshots to randomly discuss. I heard you like clams?

That's not, uh, a very good start. Scout will go 1SW and see if there's more promising stuff, but I have my doubts. 

Natural map, so all this green and dyes means everything south (and thus probably mainland) will be jungle. Iron working going to be needed ASAP, which I guess means at least Gaels come online fast. If it's a jungle belt then the most promising pre-iron cities will be either reached in the island to the north via galley, or Fishing tech. Colossus goes way up as a value, fwiw, this is a capital, even if moved, that has to rely on coastal tiles for commerce.

[Mjmd]

I think one of the maps I rolled had a single plains cow for one of the starts (food wise). I could have chosen that map!

[Commodore]

I think one of the maps I rolled had a single plains cow for one of the starts (food wise). I could have chosen that map!

I'm not even remotely upset, this is what I asked for. That said...

SECOND ROLL: START

Not great, but we can work with this. I moved 1W, where I'll settle unless the scout shows that kills something incredible.

So my thinking is that I'm going to make lemonade here. With a single river tile, two silks, and two dyes in addition to a Moai coast this spot might actually be the best academy capital available. It's nothing good short term, but it's something that can be a good city eventually. As you see the trees didn't lie, that's an ugly little bit of jungle poking out of the fog already, so this might be the purest beeline possible:
Fishing->Sailing->Wheel->Mining->Bronze Working->Pottery->Metal Casing.
Philosophical adores having a forge, if I can get a nice mixed GE/GM pool going that's some extremely powerful potential before the bog standard library unto academy. Colossus is a big deal and there's nobody Ind, so I can definitely get the same line as everyone else. This is a coastal area, if I play well then I can use Fishing as my only food tech for a while.

[Krill]

Capital build queue with timings please.

[Commodore]

Capital build queue with timings please.

Haven't refined them purely yet but upon planning Sailing is silly, going to basically spam out work boats while researching Bronze Working, then slave out a worker at size 4. Forests on this land go to development while the island woods are forge/wonder.