Gavagai is the last to open his thread

[Gavagai]

Screenshot goes here.

[RefSteel]

If only you really were lat to open your thread, we wouldn't have to wonder about Aretas!

Here are the choices we rolled for you - when you've decided whether to keep the civ or reroll it, and which (if either) of the leaders you want to keep, post the inforrmation here to let us know.

Options:
Mehmed (Exp/Org)
Augustus (Imp/Ind)
France

Your start:

The essential form of the BFC may be relied upon, though we might still make superficial changes e.g. to whether the trees are deciduous, conifers, or snowy, and we might imaginably even rotate the whole thing 90 degrees or something since the surrounding terrain is still being finalized. The corner tiles may yet change, and the fog is a fabric of lies, but at least you've got your start!

Also, in case it's not obvious due to the resource icon partly blocking the yield icons, note that your elephants live in a forest.

[Gavagai]

A question: can I keep keep leaders but reroll civ or vice versa? Or I need to keep both or reject both?

[Gavagai]

Also, is it a given that we will use rtr 2.0.8.3, the same which was used in PB37?

[RefSteel]

A question: can I keep keep leaders but reroll civ or vice versa? Or I need to keep both or reject both?

You have four choices:

1) Reroll your civ AND reroll both leaders. OR

2) Keep your civ but reroll both leaders. OR

3) Reroll your civ but keep ONE of your leaders, which makes the other leader potentially available to be rolled by others in the second round; you will not get a new leader choice for the second round in this case. OR

4) Keep your civ AND one of your leaders; in this case, you've finalized your leader and civ, and don't participate in the next round.

[EDIT: On the mod, you can ask again in the organizing thread, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say yes.]

[Gavagai]

My immediate impression is that I should keep Mehmed and reroll France.

Why keep Mehmed? Because of Org trait, basically. In a large game like this we should expect several strong contenders to survive until the endgame and in a struggle between them Org trait will be a huge deal. I would value it even higher than early game traits, because initial distribution of land will be mostly decided by geopolitical luck than by starting pick. Whoever starts next to weak neighbors will be among late game top dogs irrespective of what he picks at this stage.
Previous big event (PB33?) is illustrative in that regard. A big factor in taotao's late game domination was the fact that he was Org (and, well, Dutch).
France, on the other hand, is pretty much an empty civ for me. Its UB is of low impact in a game like this (in a very small game it could have some relevance). Its UU is awesome on paper (a mobile protector for Knights, yay!) but pretty meh in practice. The only unit against which it can effectively protect Knights are Pikes and you do not see those in large numbers. It does have subtle strategic advantages, like, you can organize mobile defense more efficiently, but nothing I am really scared of losing.
The biggest minus for France, however, are starting techs. With this start I need BW ASAP and before BW I need Mining and Hunting. France, though, has neither of those. This is why I very much inclined to reroll this and to look for something with better techs.

[Gavagai]

(Those were preliminary reflections, not a final decision.)

[Gavagai]

Well, I still was the last to something! Mehmed - KEEP, France - REROLL.

[RefSteel]

Still not quite last! Thanks for posting the detailed preliminary thoughts on your picks as well; as a lurker, I love reading about that kind of strategic planning.

[RefSteel]

Second round is in, and the roll is:

Egypt

To keep up your record, I guess mull that one over until 8 other players have posted their picks, then decide just before whoever would have been ninth.