2018-04-18 (c) Copyright Brett Paufler {Bracket notes added after the fact, the remaining (for the most) only editied for clarity (you know, for the most)}. Inland Team Preliminary Research I want a Wonder Builder, so Huayna Capac is looking good: Industrious: +50% Wonder Production Double Production Speed Forge Financial +1c on plots with 2c Starting Techs Mysticism Agriculture Depending upon start, it might make sense to Quecha rush someone. I can't say that I care about the Terrace special building (a granary with +2 culture). In looking for a partner, I don't want to double up on the starting techs, I want a good researcher, and Hannibal trounced me last game, so he's looking real good. Hannibal Financial +1c on plots with 2commerce Charismatic +1 happy per city -25% experience for promotions +1 happy from monument and broadcast tower Starting Techs Fishing Mining So, no double ups His Cothon (an improved dock) might not be the best on the Inland Sea map. But his special unit (Numidian Calvary) will keep him cranking out Calvary, which can't hurt. I think I have a partner. # # # And as for the opposition? I think I want the exact Leaders/Civilizations to be random, as that is more fun... and easier. But as to the mix of teams versus individual players, I don't know. I will be playing on Noble. So maybe: 2 - Me and Hannibal 1 at 3 - one, Three Civ Opponent 2 at 2 - two, Two Civ Opponents 3 at 1 - three, One Civ Opponents Makes for 12 total, which can get difficult diplomatically, but I'm expecting one or two to fall out early? Also, it will be a standard size map, so it could get a bit crowded. {Note: the above split is as I played. But I would recommend any future player lay the groups out ordered how they want them to appear on the map (group 0 starts next to group 1 starts next to group 2). Or in other words, grouping all the single players together was a mistake. I should have interspersed every multiple player team with a single.} No Goodie Huts. But I think I will allow Tech Trading. Let's see if Hannibal can make good trades on my behalf... or if just by virtue of being an ally to a human, will his trading ability be nerfed? # # # 2018-04-24 Generating the Map Noble Difficulty Hayan, Hannibal 2 at 2 1 at 3 3 at 1 For Twelve Total Players Standard Size Map Inland Sea High Sea Level Temperate Balanced Resources No Events No Goodie Huts No Tech Brokering (can only trade techs that one has researched themselves {which meant, it became imporant who discovered a tech, me or Hannibal}) No Barbarians Choose Religions (because, I want Buddhism, but don't want to research that path) All Victories Rolling until I get stone or marble in the start or something good. Took the second map generated, which included stone. Good enough. # # # Preliminary Notes, I made on iPhone while thinking about this game. Wonder Quest Must build a wonder in every city, first thing... or one city per wonder {did not do}. Team: Wonder/Warmonger Prince Stone in Start Pangea or Highlands {did Inland Sea} No barbs No huts No tech trading ?? {Opted for No Tech Brokering} No Vassal States {Allowed Vassals, next game will not} # # # Obviously, I did not incorporate all of these. But I am thinking of maybe saying I can only attack another Civilization's Capitol {I did not do this}. I wonder how that would work {It would significantly curtail my ability to wage war; and so, was rejected during my first invasion}. So, how about? Can only attack cities that: Are Capitols Are Religious Origination Sites Or have a Wonder So, special cities, not regular cities... but maybe raze regular cities, since not being able to attack them doesn't really work out for me and razing is a bit of a wash {no prize}, so it might work. We'll see. {Nope, none of the above.} A week or so to go until I play. 2018-04-25 # # # 2018-04-28 It would have been nice if the first play through was a success. But it was not. It was a failure. 1) I lost one of the two religions. This is itself was not a major blow. But it did not help. 2) I forgot to connect my stone, so I was building my first few Wonders without stone. 3) But most importantly, I brought five Quechas to a rush against Catherine, and her lone archer defended against all of them. I had 0.34% odds. It was too much of an early strategy gone wrong (coupled with declaring war; and therefore, making an enemy for life) to continue on. 4) Hannibal wanted to research Hunting, so he could connect his Elephants. I probably should have let him. # # # Much Better second time. I am not a rush attack type guy. # # # 2018-04-28 Starting again in the evening. In Cuzco (the capitol) I have: Founded Buddhism Stonehenge The Great Wall The Pyramids One Settled Great Spy I am building the Temple of Artemis, because... why not? Tiwanaku (my second city) is going to specialize in troops. I need troops. I don't have a plan, yet, for the third city... maybe a few more workers and an additional settler or two... then, why not troops. Yeah, I should go with troops. Six total cities, now. Cuzco cranking out the wonders. The rest doing nothing but units, which just isn't that many at this point. The main problem is that the three man team is pulling away. They started with three and picked off two of the individual teams (something I was hoping to do, I must say). So, now it's five of them. It's getting worrisome. On the other hand, I'm silly with wonders. # # # 2018-04-29 Since I had a three man team, that team was overweighted from the start. Half again as strong as my team. But more importantly, three times as strong as the singletons. So when attacked, the singletons likely capitulated after loosing a single city. We'll see how it goes. But rather than struggling through this map. Upon reload, I'm planning on rolling a new map. {I never reloaded. It seemed worse than it was.} # # # 1090AD It looks promising. One of The Big Three's vassals has broken away, so it's just The Big Three plus one. They are currently keeping Cathy occupied, so that is good for me, the Big Wonder Builder. {Cathy was a thorn in my side. I switched to her religion, so we'd be friends, which means, maybe founding a religion isn't that important... even if that's still what I want to do, as I very much want to start with Buddhism. And (some of) my advantages in the next map 'Snake River' were implemented simply to insure that I found Buddhism.} My army is weak, but I am going for a slingshot at this point... late game dominance. Three religions and a load of early wonders should do the trick. Also, my real enemies are on the other side of the board. Optimistic. The trick to being able to build a Wonder (in Team play) is to be the discoverer of the Tech... that gives me one free turn to assign a builder (before Hannibal does). # # # 1450AD Victoria of England Capitulates (to me). The Big Three: Portuguese Greek Zulu Have as Vassals: Mongolia Malinese I am headed for Steel and Cannons. The Big Three is researching Military Tradition for Calvary. Pretty soon, we shall all be at war... well, maybe not. But war looks to be the way this game is headed. I anticipate The Big Three declaring war on one of the other Two Man Teams. Or then, maybe me, as I am their worst enemy. Anyway, every city but Cuzco to be in War Mode. # # # Prepare for war! Cannons to the field! # # # 1550AD I have Steel and a stack of cannons. I think I am too powerful (for The Big Three) to attack, at this point. After Democracy (and the Wonders it enables), I shall research Railroad (for Machine Gunners). And if Russia is still in the Middle Ages, I shall attack. I believe my one lone Civilization out-researches The Big Three put together. We are winning the Tech Race. 1610AD France beat me out for the Statue of Liberty. That was unexpected. I thought I was safe. I have very little intel on the Germany/France coalition. 1665AD But now, I'm in the middle of taking over Mongolia... and/or decimating Kublia Khan with my Cannons. 1685AD Kublia Khan Capitulates! I probably should declare war on somebody else, right away. But who? If I could trust Russia, I'd declare war on The Big Three. They are attacking France/Germany; and if they win, that's will be bad. # # # Day Off! # # # 2018-05-04 I will be declaring war on France and Germany. I would prefer to declare war on The Big Three, but I have no easy access {France and Germany have closed their borders to me and will not sign Open Borders, the fools}. I believe whatever Russia does, I will be able to hold her at bay with Machine Gunners. I think Calvary is all Cathy has. I will be hoping for a French/German Capitulation. But I don't know how that works when teams are involved. {I basically destroyed France. Yeah, not a single French city standing. And then (and only then) Germany Capitulated. Heck, I might have had to take over a few German cities, as well. I can't remember anymore.} Also, I have no images saved for a write up at this point... # # # 1690AD I declared war on France/Germany and they immediately became Vassals of The Big Three {which caused us to be at Peace}. Fuck them! I declared war on France/Germany and The Big Three a few turns later. One French city has fallen. I believe I have them outgunned... or that is to say, out teched them. 1765AD War with France (mostly) and The Big Three is going smoothly. I will be surprised if a stack arrives anywhere. But then again, the turns are moving slow and it's a big board. Maybe something is on the way. Still, it's my Infantry (strength 20) vs their Riflemen (strength 14). Ah, well. There are the stacks. Two of them. I'm sort of relieved, as it means the computer has some notion as to how to play. Also, explains why they wanted a city to declare peace. Either way, I can weather the storm. I am fighting on foreign soil over foreign cities. # # # 1780AD Redoing Attack, I thought I was attacking with a cannon, but Infantry was selected as well and died attacking. But the whole point was to use the Infantry on defence. I am calling it a Mulligan. I did not do much better on the reload. I scrolled through my various opponents, and one wanted a city for peace, but two would accept Divine Right. I did not accept. I should have. Because, with three stacks in the vicinity, I am now out-gunned. So, I reloaded. I should have taken peace the first time around, when the stacks showed up. Mongolia lost one city in the war, I gained two French cities. There will be war again, shortly. Eh, I have mixed feelings about cheating... or the reload. But it is really what I should have done (taken the peace)... rather than take the risk. And next time, likely, I will be more cautious. 1822AD This is getting to be an interesting game. I am going to have a hard time taking over the world in just 200 turns. I'm nowhere close to a Cultural Victory. And someone, say Russia, is sure to start building a Space Ship before long. Anyway, the war is going reasonably well, as I have a tech lead. I need more troops, though. So, it's a tough decision between building up the newly conquered cities and building troops. I think troops should win out {but culture was what I concentrated on in almost all of my conquered cities... except Mongolia's old capitol, that became a real military powerhouse, with a Military Academy and one or two settled Great Generals}. # # # Build Troops! War is the Way! Build Troops! {At the end, maybe half the cities were building troops, as the newly conquered cities needed to establish Cultural Dominance.} # # # 1850AD I am the strongest. The Power Graph shows a nice lead. But The Big Three is big enough and France/Germany have enough military techs that I am better off attacking Russia/Byzantine. I have Infantry and Artillery (Tanks just a turn and an oil resource away), whereas Russia doesn't even have Cannons. I captured two Russian cities and accepted peace, as I believe the Apostolic Palace resolution for peace was going to be successful. This way, I got 250 gold. Well, the Apostolic Palace Resolution. But it's only ten turns... until I get two more cities next time around. The good news is I know that I have veto control over the Religious votes, now. Taking a break, quitting for a while. When I start up, I will declare war on Russia... and I expect to take Moscow. We'll see about the Capitulation mechanics for Team Player then. Moscow is the Holy City and has both Hollywood and Broadway Wonders. So, it is a good catch. Russia is catching up tech wise. I actually have no idea how the AI keeps pace... well, maybe by not building a military. The one thing I want to do after this game is make a custom map... call it a scenario. So, that is the next project {which I did, called Snake River}. I still could lose, because I am not so powerful that I will walk over the map. It is a slow crawl. Maybe I should spend some time cranking out the Missionaries and get that culture up. Anyhow, war with Cathy next. Then, Justina. As The Big Three, no doubt, start building a Space Ship. But that's a bit down the line, yet. 2018-05-05 # # # 2018-05-05 Killing Russia. In team play, it is important to claim those Wonders right away. I did not start building Three Gorges Dam... and so, Hannibal did. On the other hand, he could have taken over Moscow last turn, but he did not. So, it is mine. 1900AD Russia Falls! Bringing Byzantine down with it! Well, I'm not going to do my resaving (I save a bunch of copies when I am quitting for the day), so this is an act of supreme confidence in my future self {that I will remembe to do this, rather than doing now and resaving}: 1) Internet in Cuzco 2) Apollo Project somewhere else, maybe Karakorum 3) Since a Cultural Victory may be faster than either Conquest or Space Race, spread Religions. And of course, by shooting for all three, Cultural may well be the winner. So, three things: Start Internet Start Apollo Spread Religions for Culture War with the Infidels Revolt to Free Speech for +100% Culture OK. So, five things! Who knows which I will do, as that Cultural Revolution is at odds with Building Apollo or the Internet in one of my Big Cities... as is producing war units. Choices! Choices! 2018-05-05 # # # 2018-05-11 I'm tired. So, I'm playing as a sort of mental place keeper. Also, I'm thinking one game per month might be the right pace. And with that in mind, I'm anxious to get working on a custom map for next month, but I don't know if starting on that little project will mess up the auto-logger. # # # 1900AD 1) Revolt into Free Speech for +100% culture, for border pops and Cultural Victory 2) Internet in Cuzco 3) Apollo Program in Karakorum It just might be a Cultural Victory. In the meantime, we are at war: everyone with everyone. There are two sides. In the early phases, lots of troops are dying. Their troops mostly, but a wayward stack of mine got wiped out. I like Vassals, but there are downsides. Byzantians just built the United Nations. I might have traded them that Tech. Oh, well. I accepted a peace deal from the Portuguese. They (as in the members of a Team) really do not coordinate with one another. Portuguese gave me a city for peace. Shaka would not talk to me. And I timed the peace to start right after I decimated Greece's stack. I am definitely not focused enough. Any war likely does me little good, as I'm thinking a Cultural Victory is looking to be the way to go. But one never knows. Sooner or later, someone is going to start building a Space Ship (probably a Vassal); and then, the clock starts ticking. Well, it looks like war is the way. A Cultural Victory will take too long. So, I'm cranking out the Mechanized Infantry. And it's a full frontal attack. 1918AD We'll see how long this war lasts. But first, since the day goes by much slower (I get other things done when I don't play), I shall stop for a while. After all, Moby Dick awaits. And I'm sure I can come up with another project or two. 2018-05-11 Yeah, I'm not very disciplined writing the date (yet), so it makes sense putting it at the beginning and end of an entry. # # # 2018-05-11 1924AD Elizabeth is building a Space Ship {she never got further than the Apollo Project}. So, rather than The Big Three, I am racing against my Vassal for the win. Hannibal is, also, looking pretty good for a Cultural Victory. I guess I'll have to wipe everyone else out before that happens. I programmed a little script to determine Plot Tile Culture. It's amazing how high those values get. And, perhaps I will end here on the day, in the middle of the war. As stated, I think victory will be achieved through conquest. So, I'm trying to figure out my tactics. I don't really have much of any. Eh, one more turn... Ah, good thing I saved... the game froze. It's actually amazing how often Civ 4 freezes. It's frozen more than any other program that I've run... or close to it. Who really knows? AD1929 And it's a night, well on my way to victory. Wow! What a time suck! Seems like one more turn turned into an extra hour or two. Odd thing is, the cleaning up, the transforming a sure thing victory, a certain victory, into a win, will likely take three to four hours more of play. Well, I could go faster, but I won't. # # # 2018-05-12 I want to make notes on what I've noticed about team play. 1) The Big Three (the three player team) got an early start, which had they capitalized upon, would have handed them the game. In my next game, I am planning on achieving the same outcome by starting with more settlers or cities (don't know which) and offset this by playing at a higher level (the one beyond Monarch). 2) Hannibal helped me stay alive early on. There is no doubt about it, allowing me to concentrate on Wonders, while he did that REX, military build up thing. He, actually, has made for a good fighting companion all in all (and all along), so maybe I'll play a game with a permanent alliance, instead of teams. 3) To control who discovers a Technology (and therefore, who has the opportunity to start on the Wonders first), it is easy enough to tell a team mate to start researching something else. 4) When trading or negotiating peace, different enemy team members will have different agendas. Often, Shaka would not want to talk, while others were offering terms for peace. An Inland Sea map made Sea Techs and Naval Power meaningless, a land mass in the center of that sea would have changed things somewhat, so maybe a middle Archipelago area would have been better. No Tech Brokering was a nice middle ground between regular Tech Trading and No Tech Trading, one could trade that which they discovered, but not else wise. I did not attend to who was discovering Techs, so Hannibal got maybe half of our team's discoveries. {I don't think he traded anything all game long.} 5) Teams Vassalled as a group. So, I decimated Russia and Byzantian was annexed more or less intact. In fact, Russia only had a single city left. Also, by the same token, after France and Germany Vassalled to The Big Three, they preferred getting wiped out completely instead of switching sides {so, whatever I said before was wrong, I reloaded a save to re-examine, and both France and Germany got wiped out}. That seems a bit silly. Anyhow, likely, next game, I will play with no Vassals. Finally, it was difficult to spread Religion in the late game, because I could no longer build Monasteries. So, essentially, any new religion was unspreadable... only the old time religions could be spread. And now, it's time to play a few turns. # # # 1933AD Not much to report. Just mopping up. Mansu Mansu was willing to negotiate peace after breaking free of his Vassalship. But he would not Vassal to me. So, now he must die. I predict the game will be over today (2018-05-12) and by 1950AD. I probably need to take over just need a few more cities (say, three) and for the cities I have already taken over to re-exert control over the countryside {i.e. come out of Revolt and pop their cultural borders a time or two}. # # # 1937AD/1938AD Conquest Victory Everyone Vassalled Score 28,736 1938AD # # # It took 2-3 hours for the final mop up... or for today's play, anyhow. For my next trick, I wish to design a map... and have it sort of snake around, call it a linear quest. We'll see. # # # 2018-05-12 (c) Copyright Brett Paufler {Wow! Will you look at that. It's just a day later (2018-05-13) and I'm already done editing this after having completed my Snake River Scenario map!}