War Monger Wheel o Fun 2021-05-11 (c) Copyright (c) Brett Paufler # # # It took me like 3-4 Hours (while doing other things, sure, but mostly 3-4 Hours) to Reinstall: CIV IV BTS Patch 3.19 BAT Mod v4.1 /r (for run) at the WIn 10 Prompt: appwiz.cpl removed old version entries C:\civ_iv\Beyond the Sword\Mods\BAT Mod 4.1\UserSettings Autolog.ini is where I have to go to get Autolog to work But all looks well now. # # # At the onset, I envision Playing a few War Monger type Games, perhaps on Different Maps and Different Difficulties. # # # 2021-05-11 4000BC T0 The start is unremarkable except for its unremarkableness. Normally, I'd Regenerate. But as I am Playing on Noble Difficulty, I will take it. Spices Oasis Flood Plain Desert Desert Hill It's nothing great. I will go Pure War and see what happens. No Wonders! No Religions! Though, I will nab The Oracle. I will beeline The Military Techs. Considering the crappy Start, I may bypass Civil Service unless I found something better. I should still be able to Win on Noble. But we shall see. # # # 2021-05-11 2190BC T131 I like my Mega Cities. Without Religions or Wonders, I don't really know what I am doing. I mean, I've Built Stonehenge and am planning on Building The Oracle. But still, I don't really know. I do not have Copper. Rather than Beeline Iron, I'll put that in line after Code of Laws, as my Economy will need the Boost. Oh, hey! I stole two Workers from Ram Guy. That was fun. But he has Archery, now. So, I should wait until after I get a Horse Archer or two. Thebes will be falling soon. Certainly, I am expanding in that direction. But I feel a bit lost. # # # I shall Settle The Gold and see how that goes. It's further away. # # # 2021-05-11 2010BC T149 All the Metals are in the center. Next Game, if I play This Map {or this Map Script} again, it will be Inward Bound. {Nope.} Also, I'm not really clear on optimum Religions Founding. Anyway, I think Settling Gold is a Winning Strategy, which can more than make up for a dismal Starting Location. But we shall see. # # # 2021-05-11 1930BC T157 I will likely Bail. I do not know how I feel about Worker Stealing. Sure, it was fun. But it does seem a little like an exploit. There is no corollary threat from The AI. Definitely, in This Type of World (Wheel Map Script), heading toward the center is the play, plenty of Metals: Copper, Gold, and Silver; and I presume, that's where The Iron will be. So, Settling anywhere else is a waste. Sure, Horses are nice. But I got a feeling Gold and Two Food (even Fish) beats all comers. Finally, I need to know what to Research. Chopping is/was nice. And if I can attend, Slavery is The Winning Strategy. But I am not in any danger and will not be so {i.e. in any danger} for a good 100 Turns. Did I need Bronze Working right out of the gate? I think I will sleep on it. On Noble, I might be able to have it all? # # # Yeah, I'm going to Bail. # # # # # # War Monger - 02 # # # # # # 2021-05-11 I took the first roll. So, it is what it is. And it wasn't so bad last time. Charlemagne, again. I still don't know how I feel about going for a Religion or two. One way or another, I will need Culture. And an Early Religion may be cheaper than Stonehenge. How else can I get Culture? Beeline Libraries? {Caste System would work, but that is more like an Early Mid-Game Strategy. Code of Laws is not what I would consider a Starting Tech or Early Tech.} # # # Food Techs? Bronze Working? Judaism? Writing? Code of Laws? REX! REX! REX! Settler! Missionary! Granary! Rathouse! Barracks? Troops! If I opt for The Religious Wonders: Jewish Monastery! Jewish Temple! We already know that an excessive amount of Troops will win. So really, the question is how to Build and Afford such an Army? I think I have a plan. Now, all I have to do is work it. # # # 2021-05-12 2800BC T90 Gold is far away. Copper is even further. This land is sparse. I do not know where to Settle next. # # # 2021-05-12 2755BC T83 The Building of a Settler was premature. Rather than the Warriors, I think I would have been better off with a Faster Moving Scout. Finally, The Copper & Gold situation is not as I'd like. This last is a weenie reason. But then, it is what it is. I desire to dial in the beginning a bit tighter. And if I were better, I'd probably delight in being able to tie up Copper. I only see the one, so far. Oh, finally, I do not have a Religion. So, I don't have the Culture Problem solved, making that next City rather worthless... if I do not place it in a second-rate spot. {At first glance, the sentence seems contradictory. But I imagine it was more like This Choice or That Choice with This Choice being better for This Reason and That Choice being better for That Reason.} # # # # # # War Monger - 03 # # # # # # I rolled a few times, choosing a start with a bit of Food and Gold in sight, if out of The Fat Cross. # # # A simple Restart. I am losing Hammers on my Unfinished Warrior. So, I should have put those hammers into a Wonder or finished The Warrior. # # # 2021-05-12 2410BC T109 I will Settle My Next City so as to Capture The Gold. It will come close to doubling my Research, alone. And even if I stay at the same level (due to increased Maintenance), it will allow more Early Expansion. I can Capture some Gems, after that... maybe. # # # Game Over! 2021-05-21 1600BC T190 Perhaps, I should ignore Slavery. It really is not my thing. I have founded too many Cities with not much plan. It does not help that the land is not the greatest. But I feel everyone is in the same boat. Anyhow, {I Built} close in Cities {Cities near the Capitol}, a mite too soon. And then, one further away to claim Marble. But I probably should just Chop The Oracle, instead. Either way, I am abandoning. {Chopping The Oracle does feel like a Viable Long Term Strategy.} {Going from memory, The Oracle costs 300 Hammers and often yields Code of Laws, Metal Casting, or better, making it a 3-5x Immediate Return on Hammers to Beakers. As such, I believe there's a very good argument that The Oracle is the most consistently important/powerful Wonder in The Game.} # # # # # # War Monger - 04 # # # # # # After a Roll or two (but just, a Roll or two), I landed Two Cows and a Gold, which just seems too good to pass up. {Cows are up there as one of my most favorite Resource Bonuses. I mean, it's hard to beat Gold. Grassland Gems are always workable. But Cows yield +3F/+3H, which is incredibly strong for such an Early Resource.} I, also, have enough Forest to Chop The Oracle, which has solidified in my thinking as a must have. I'll have to think seriously about Bailing on This Game. That Gold will double my Early Research. I guess I'm no longer a REX'er. None of my other Cities seem any good. Though, part of that is sending Missionaries after the fact. {Missionaries spreading Religion yielding +1 Culture per Turn, which isn't much, but much better than the default +0 Culture per Turn.} Perhaps, I should not REX until after The Oracle and Code of Laws. If I Build up an Army of Workers, I can swarm from New City to New City, which seems like a pretty good plan. {It is a good plan. But like everything, Workers come at a price.} Thus, I skip Slavery, this time. And Early Religions become more important. Though, not until after Mining and Animal Husbandry, which means I'll only get Judaism. It's still not a great site {for a Capitol}. The Fat Cross contains Two Desert and an Oasis. But Two Cows and One Gold does bring me to Population of Three, working solid tiles. # # # 2021-05-13 3955BC T3 I found a Second City Site: Fish & Gold. With the first Golden City (Asterion, The Minataur's name), I will have Research up to 30+Turn in no time... well, just as soon as I Found My Second City, which it looks like I should do sooner rather than later. # # # 2021-05-13 2755BC T83 I'm pretty happy with that start. The Tech Order is a bit tricky. But I think I have it lined up to Land both Judaism and The Oracle. I'll shoot for The Oracle by T300... maybe, a few Turns before, say T250, just to be safe. {It's a Stress Race. One must Build The Oracle before anyone else. So, it's a Winner Take All situation. But the longer one forestalls victory, the better the payoff in More Advanced Techs. On Noble, I figure T300 is early enough. Perhaps, T250 on Monarch.} I'm tempted to Build a Settler. But as I don't have Culture for The City, that would be premature. Soon, though. Soon. But instead, I shall Build a Monastery and Temple. They won't hurt. Wow! I wonder if Asterion (The Capitol) will ever run-up against The Happy Cap? In 100 Turns (or so), it will be at Population 5 (or so) and condemned to be there for awhile as it cranks out Settlers... right after, The Oracle. So, it might hit Pop 6. But a Conversion to Judaism will do the trick {and keep everyone Happy}, even without a Temple, Happiness-Wise. # # # 2021-05-15 1500BC T200 I had a bout of Food Poising a few days back and am still recovering. As such, my mind is not all there. And it would be easy to fall into a mindless hitting of End Turn. In preparation for my Rex, immediately following the use of The Oracle to get Code of Laws (and the maintenance reducing Rathaus), I have Built: 3 Warriors for Garrison Duty 3 Missionaries for immediate City Conversion yielding Culture to Pop Borders 5 Workers to Chop Rathauses I have Copper to the north, which I should Settle soon... probably, right after the Gold. I have tons of Pre-Chopped Forest. So, the delay will not be too dear. Though, if I lose both the Northern Copper (close in) and the Southern Copper (basically in Ottoman territory) I will have a hard time of it. # # # 2021-05-15 1000BC T250 Yippie! I have Iron in my Starting Fat Cross! My REX is going tolerably well. Blue Man (up north, Khmer) Settled in close, but not close enough to steal The Copper. I will Settle southward until I come up against The Silly Man. At which point, I will Settle the center. The Builds are: Rathouse Fish Boats (as appropriate) Barracks Units I may not bother to Build anything else. Since I don't like Whipping, Caste System may have been more useful to me. But it's not useful enough to warrant losing 2 Turns to a Revolution. That Iron in The Fat Cross was a real boon. I had assumed I was going to have to search for it in the center. Researching: Archery Machinery Engineering At which point, I will have Trebuchets with which to launch an offensive. But that is a fair bit off. # # # 2021-06-21 750BC T275 The REX is going nice and easy. I have Settled my Garrison Cities to the North and South. And after one more Infill City, I shall start down the Center Peninsula. I think I will do my Whipping on The 25 Turn Mark. It gets tiring to endlessly cycle through Cities. So, I'll just do it once every 25 Turns. Though, in truth, this means two back-to-back Turns, as it's often prudent to switch Production prior to a Whip. # # # 2021-05-21 500BC T300 No one has Attacked, so nothing has gone wrong. Power looks reasonable in comparison to the competition. I should, likely, Spam Missionaries to my neighbours. I'll be getting a Great Prophet in 56 Turns. And using that to make a Shrine will likely put me back at 100% Research. I suppose we will all Come Online (be ready to Attack) at more-or-less the same time. So, I should be slow in Declaring and let someone else be hated by all. {Once The Enemy, Always The Enemy.} # # # 2021-05-21 250BC T325 Folks are Preparing for War. So, I shall too. I'm doing OK Tech Wise. But it is not the runaway lead I would prefer. I Whipped in The Capitol, which was a mistake. Heavy Whipping (for me) is taking place elsewhere. Building: 3 Swordsmen 2 Rathaus Barracks Granary Work Boat I regret that Whip in The Capitol, so I am rolling it back and taking the last Two Turns over. # # # I will leave it for others to pull The Log File Straight. I cheated. Deal. # # # The Current Build: Completing Next Turn 2 Barracks 1 Work Boat Axeman (in 3 Turns) And down the pike: 3 Rathaus # # # 2021-05-21 230BC T337 I am not so pleased with the situation. I will have to mull over what I would do differently. Multiple Cities with Infrastructure (Rathaus, Barracks, Granary) has yielded me little benefit. {In the subsequent Game, I reduced infrastructure to Rathaus and Barracks, with many a conquered City never completing either before The Game was over.} I Bribed Silly Man not to Attack by giving him Code of Laws. But that's expensive Tribute... especially considering I was desirous of fielding a meaningful army. Chopping gave me Rathauses. But do I need them... or need that many? Anyway, it is a moment of indecision. If the intent is to turtle, I've done it better {in Past Games}. Yeah. I'm calling it. At best, I need Three Blocking Cities and any Gold. # # # # # # GAME-05 # # # # # # I have Floodplains. Let's see what I can do with Cottages, Workshops, and restraining myself to only Settle Gold, Silver, or War Monger Metals. # # # The goal is to Pop Civil Service with The Oracle; and thereby, profit. In the Fat Cross, I'll focus on Cottages and Workshops. # # # I'm restarting as a better City Site is only a few squares away. Yep, another cheat. # # # And I keep on restarting, in the end, deciding to Settle in place, letting The Gold go. # # # And now, I'm just bailing on The Game for the rest of the day. # # # The Floodplains comes with Negative Health right from the start. So, I believe I will be abandoning that Map and playing a Double Gold Start, instead. # # # {Thus, there are two GAME-05. The one above, for which no Save or Log File exists. And the one below, which I played to completion and has a Start & End Game Save, along with an Initial World Builder and Log File Save.} {A main take-away for me being that ALL Floodplains is not as awesome as it might at first appear, negative Health immediately nullifying the +1 Food from Floodplains.} # # # Once again, I shall restart (on the Double Gold Map), so as to maximize The Early Game. # # # Yep, restarting again. Research: Agriculture Mining Skip Polytheism Farm: Corn Floodplains Mine: Gold # # # 2021-05-22 1000BC T250 Now, that's a nice start. Of course, Double Gold may have had something to do with it. I just founded my Second City (Gemstone) next to Gems. I had been planning on Building Missionaries in preparation for Settling. But with Stonehenge (I had nothing better to Build) and Caste System (I can run an Artist for the first few Turns until Borders Pop), there is little need to lead with a Missionary. I am Building a Missionary to send South to Carthage. If he {Hannibal} Converts, I doubt he will Declare on me. If I had to guess, Hannibal will Declare on The Ram God (Ramesses). {And subsequently, he did.} Anyway, one Missionary down South. Then, I am Building Two Settlers to close off My Lands. I think I will Build them fast and worry about consolidating my holdings later. I Popped Civil Service with The Oracle and am cranking out an impressive (well, I think it is impressive) 70 Beakers a Turn. Actually, my mind is all over the place. I've stripped out The Build Queues: One Missionary One Rathaus I'll figure it out from there. I would say the most important thing is to Maximize Research. I'm at 70B/T. So, how to get that to 100B/T? DuGoldia: 3 Missionaries 2 Settlers Gemstone: Library War Machine Another Population in DuGoldia and bringing Gemstone online might give me the Research I desire. So, I switched up The Build Queue. I am in trouble if Hannibal (or anyone) Attacks. But hopefully, I can Bribe my way to safety. Let's find out who's Settled to The East, shall we? And make friends. But that will all have to wait on The 'Morrow. # # # 2021-05-23 830BC T267 Hannibal (among others) has Declared War on Rammy. He's in trouble. But I will light a candle in his memory, thankful he is The Enemy of All and not myself. I have Closed My Borders with Rammy. And if requested, I will Declare War. # # # 2021-05-23 200BC T330 If all stays static, I am 250 Turns from Steel, which should be early enough. At that point, I want as many Cannons and Land Units as I possibly can. That's my War Path Date. In 50-100 Turns, no one will want to Attack. So, is that clear? PrePare for War in 250 Turns! # # # 2021-05-23 120AD T362 Good on Rammy. He sent a Stack of Four Units to threaten Hubben Start, so I gave him Code of Laws for 10 Turns Peace. I still won't be able to Defend myself in 10 Turns. But I guess I know where some kind of Attack is eventually headed. # # # 2021-05-23 500AD T400 I am coming into my own Power-Wise. Somebody may still Declare War. But that window is coming to a close. +/-107 Turns until Cannons, which seems like it will be respectable. I've had to give away more Free Tech than I would like. But it is what it is. Except for perhaps Yara, whom I may wish to form a Permanent Alliance with (if I last that long), I doubt I will yield more Technologies. Building: Longbow Landsknecht Catapult Rathaus -> Barracks --> Troops I have Hubben Starten working Three Scientists, so as to Pop a Great Scientist and found an Academy at DuGoldia. I have The Tech Lead. But I lag in Power. It's pretty much Building Units for the next 100 Turns. I'll go for lowest Hammer Cost, banking on The Upgrade. {I did not have enough Gold for the Upgrades nor did I wish to put Research on hold while I collected the required Gold. Hence, a good third of the Troops, which I Built, were never Combat Ready.} DuGoldia will get a Marketplace so I can run 100% Research while still having all these idle Units. If they let me run free until I acquire a Stack of Cannons... well, my Tech isn't going to keep par without a few more Cities. So, At Cannons is the time. I do not know who or where? I'm sending some Units out to Explore. Not many. Just two. But let's see what's what. # # # 2021-05-23 650AD T430 It is very likely Ram God will be my first target. I should start composing My Stack and advance it to Hubban Starten. Rammy is pretty advanced. Perhaps, I should attack Surry of The Khmer. I'm sure I'll take a Diplomatic Hit if I Declare on Surry. But he is the target: Near, Backwards, and Not a Friend. # # # 2021-05-21 750AD T450 Another quick Turn Set. I'm Building an Army. The target launch is in 32 Turns, right after I upgrade a Dozen Odd Catapults into Cannons. It would be a shame if I did not have enough Gold to do it all at once. But if not, we'll push it all back a turn or so. # # # 2021-05-23 910AD T582 I have 10 Turns of Peace from Everyone Except Surry after Begging for Gold. Very Nice. Very Very Nice. I don't have nearly The Gold to upgrade all my Catapults to Cannons. I have twelve Cannon, which is what I will use in my offensive, paying to Upgrade Catapults as I get the money. As far as I can see, Surry has limited Troops and nothing that threatens a Cannon. Still, I have few Land Troops (outside of Catapults and Cannons), so I will be spread thin. But The War looks easy. If I am aware, I should do quite well. # # # 2021-05-24 910AD T582 I've had some anxiety (over the course of the night) concerning my Cannon Attack. But it was for naught. I destroyed Surry's Half Stack without any loss, which is as one might expect, the initial Cannon Attack coming in at 98%+ Odds. But that is enough (Game Playing) for the moment. I'm a busy man, things to do. # # # 2021-05-24 1000AD T500 Surry is getting wiped clean. He is a sitting duck in his Cities. And my Stack is waltzing through like a scalding hot branding iron through softened butter. According to the rules, he cannot Capitulate. But that is his best option. My Power tops The Charts. But I am not running away with it. Though, in truth, I am, as no one else has Cannons... nor is even close. Since I am already at War with Egypt and Ram has Built loads of Wonders, he shall be my next target. Of course, Hannibal may overrun Rammy by then. But I don't feel like giving him {Hannibal} Guilds to make Peace. I may just have to Attack Hannibal along with Goat Boy if that's what it comes down to. All those Wonders are looking tasty. # # # 2021-05-24 1125AD T525 Surry Capitulated a few Turns back. I'm basically ignoring him, neither helping nor hurting. I do not intend to feed him Technologies. Don't ask my why Hannibal is having such a hard time with Egypt. I've got a Stack of 30 Hardened Troops moving towards The Ram God. And I do not expect any trouble. In fact, I've already set my eyes on England after Egypt. I am concerned with Rammy Capitulating to Hammy or Silly. So, I will Bribe them to make Peace prior to a meaningful Attack by myself. And then, I will Beg Gold once the first Peace Treaty wears off. My lead in Techs is significant, but linear. I have been doing a bit of Trading. And if I have to Bribe for Peace (Hammy or Silly vrs Ram), I expect to backfill some worthless Techs. Not Building Wonders, there are whole Tech Branches that are meaningless. All my New Cities are Building Rathauses. While all the Old Core Cities are pumping out Troops. The only real stress is Rammy Capitulating to someone else; at which point, I Declare War against Elizabeth and make the most of it. # # # 2021-05-25 1130AD T526 Rammy Capitulated to Hammy after Silly Captured an Unimportant City. {I had decided against Bribing until I was in position. My Troops were 5-10 Turns away when Rammy Capitulated.} # # # 2021-05-25 1260AD T552 The Game is in the bag. It's just a matter of how long I wish to play. England and Khmer have Capitulated {to me}, which puts me at the top of the points. I have The Tech Lead. It is not decisive. And I am sure I will lose ground. But currently, I have Cannons on everyone and will have Rifles in 15 Turns... now 12 Turns. I will have to Build some Cash after I get Rifles, so as to Upgrade a few Units. Thus, in 25+ Odd Turns, I expect to descend upon The Ottoman Empire (Silly) from two directions. Neither Hannibal nor Yacky will Declare War on Silly. It would have been nice if I could Bribe them. I have the Power, so I don't think they will Counter Attack. But one never knows. It is their only chance at victory. For waking up in the middle of the night to play, this was a pretty good run. I doubt Silly has enough Troops to withstand my Cannon Assault. Either way, we shall find out soon enough. # # # 2021-05-25 1340AD T568 I have Rifles and my Southern Stack (which includes precious few Rifles) has been Upgraded. I begged Clam from Zara (aka Yara, Yacky, and so on) and 680 Gold from Hannibal, prior to Declaring War on Silly von Otto. I've, also, Revolted into my End Game Civics, including: Police State It's time to Rumble! Merchantillism It's just a better deal. Theocracy For The War is a Holy One! I have a nice Stack (though, not a big enough one) on the most likely Attack Route should Yacky or Hammy Attack. This is where all future Builds will go... at least, for the next 10-20 Turns. Given a little Gold, I'd have 9 Rifles {on the border}. I need more. I have both Zacky and Hammy on Power, twice Hannibal's. So, his Attacking is a long-shot. And even if he does, I will likely repulse The Attack. But I like having Troops (or near Troops, as the case may be) in position. Researching: Education Liberalism Economics The last is more tentative and it matters where everyone else is. I may want Military Tradition, instead, if I've Traded Lizzy for Nationalism by then. Silly does not have Muskets, but will have them soon enough. It likely doesn't matter. Cannons versus Macemen or Muskets is about the same. Still, the thrashing will not be nearly as one-sided as I've experienced as of late. As far as I can tell, I have not suffered a single Casualty. The Statistics Screen says I've lost 3 Jewish Missionaries. But I find that hard to believe. {Ah, upon Founding later Religions, I tend to Destroy their Missionaries as being non-essential. Not building a Shrine (nor wishing others to Convert to a Late Game Religion), the Missionaries are worthless.} In 5 Turns, I will have to cycle through my Cities, Post Revolution. Eh, we'll, also, see how devastating that Revolution is. But then, -50% War Weariness is worth a fair bit. There will be Casualties ahead. # # # 2021-05-25 1360AD T575 Otto van Silly sent a small Stack across the border, allowing me to destroy it in English Territory, yielding no War Weariness, my chief concern in This War. I lost a Cannon. Silly does not have The Type of Troops (and likely, not the quantity) to cause serious problems. It looks like a rout. --- I like destroying Stacks of Units. I find it enjoyable, soothing, and rewarding. I think I lost a single Cannon in the first few Turns of this Offensive. # # # Implied Victory! 2021-05-21 1376AD T583 I think I may call it. There seems to be little point in continuing. I don't believe either Hannibal or Yacky will Attack. And there is a very good chance I could repel the first wave {from either or both} as neither has Rifles nor Cannons. Yes. That will be all. # # # # # # War Monger - 05 IMPLIED VICTORY! # # # # # # Workshops are fairly awesome if one Researches: Guilds Gunpowder Chemistry Cannon Then, running Caste System, Workshops yield 1F/4H, which is better than Pre-Railroad Mines. # # # Well, I'm not starting another Game, today. But I question how much I want to play another Ring World. Separate Continents add another depth. Huayna Capac on a Fractured World sounds like the ticket. Of course, that means a Wonder Builder. I lost one Cannon {during the course of} the entire Game. That's a pretty good kill ratio. # # # # # # If This Game was Wheel o' Fun, the next will be Rocket Tech. I ended The Game outputting +/-250 Beakers/Turn. I'd like to double that. # # #