2018-08-28 (c) Copyright Brett Paufler # # # I decided to start a new game of Spanish Conquest. First, I removed all the deadwood Mods that I have loaded, but have never bothered to use. So, hopefully some of the glitches I've seen here and there during play will disappear. Second in Running Spain, I intend to: 1) Found Buddhism and prioritize religion. If I don't found Buddhism (after going for first) that is justification to reload. 2) Specialize in mounted units. The Cathedral gives me +5 exp for seige, but most otherwise, I shall be building units that move more than one. So, tanks and helicopter gunships are OK. Maces... not so much. # # # 2018-08-28 All Defaults Isabella of Spain Noble Difficulty Standard Size Map with Seven Players Fractal Map (default) No Options (default) All Victories (default) # # # I had difficulties getting the auto-logger to work. So, I reloaded game. And it's working. I replayed the first turn... with the same bad moves I made before. I probably should have settled in place. But it's a fairly great start (2 cows, 4 elephants), so I'm not going to stress it too much. I reloaded three or four times to get this map... which is OK by me. I mean, come on. Two resources in the fat cross versus six, not all starts are the same. # # # 2018-08-28 T9 3640BC Buddhism is in. So, that's my State Religion for the game. The Spanish Empire is a Buddhist Empire. # # # I really don't like those events. At one time I did, but after a thousand and one slave revolts, I'm pretty sick of it. I'm going to have to remember to turn them off next time. # # # 2018-08-28 T115 1AD America started on my Continent (or is it an island), to their detriment. I've already taken over New York. Another city shall fall in a few turns, I would imagine. Bismark is next, as he's the only other Leader I've met, just a hop across a galley passable pond. So far, I've kept reasonable close to my 'Restrictions.' Two more missionaries will put Buddhism in all of my cities. And I've got a stack of a few horse archers (and more than a few axes) and growing. # # # And, I'm calling it a game. It would be nice to continue, but I'm just not being successful on the war front: too many false starts against Washington. # # # The second game did not last long. Boo! Hoo! If it's any consolation (and/or time to make excuses), I am feeling a bit sick. Anyhow, things are not going well for me. Maybe I want too much. # # # On rolling a new map, I opted for a flood plains bonanza. # # # Yep, reloaded again. But I like this map. Just need to get it right. # # # 2018-08-29 T0 4000BC Starting again, but it feels good, so maybe for the last time. Yeah, I'm not that good. Too bad. Also, I'm tired. This is like the third time tonight I've hit End Turn instead of Found City. And at least two of those times was on the first turn, so maybe upwards of five or six times. I am tired. I'm also not very good at this game. # # # Yeah, that's it on the night. One more failure. Whatever the excuse, I am not doing a good job, so it's more like reasons for the failure rather than an excuse: Head down, going for the next turn, means I'm not thinking enough about each turn. And little mistakes add up. It's a nice start. But if I am going to Cottage Spam, maybe I should pick a different leader. # # # 2018-08-29 One more failure on a lush floodplains map (I'm considering it a failure, since I have a Barbarian Spearman on my frontier and no defenders to speak of), so I'm going to call it a game... perhaps floodplains are not all that... or not as good as I would like... or maybe I'm doing it wrong. Eh, one more try. The map really is a good roll. But I should chop as soon as I have Iron Working and get those hills into production. # # # 2018-08-29 I'm up to seven restarts at this point. Some on different maps. Most on this last floodplains map, which is a good map... but I'm done playing it. At this point, it will seem too much like cheating. I should, also, likely, pick a different leader or change my strategy. But then, we know Isabella can win... everyone can win. And I'm not playing on that hard of a difficulty level (Noble). So, another go. # # # The start I selected after numerous rolls is a water start, two fish, a cow, and corn, mostly grasslands, with at least three hills. It is my start. I lost the Hinduism race by 1 turn, which is annoying, especially since that maybe really hinders me in other ways. Yeah, after losing two races by one turn (Hinduism and the plant for the Second City), I am reloading, yet again. It is true, I want to cream the competition, not just win. Of course, I question whether I am playing a winning game at the moment. I probably am not. I would rather play a Starting Three Religion Game. Or as some folks say, I would rather build Shiny Things. So, whoch leader is a good Wonder Monger, who's also good with Religions. And that would be the Incan's. So, time to play the Holy Incan Empire. I will be going for the first three religions... maybe all religions, spam Wonders, and put up the good fight. So, nothing Spanish Specific, at all. Of course, the first three religions is very hobbling, puts a player behind in other important discoveries for dozens of turns. Eh, I am done with Spain... for now. # # # 2018-08-29 T0 4000BC Incan - Gods of War Water Start Yeah, I'll try for the Three Religions. But you know what? I am not that good. So, I really should not be doing alternative strategies like this. But then, Founding Religions and Building Wonders will be fun. Also, I think I'll be building my cities close in. So, a work boat or two. And then, a settler or two, to found new cities close by. # # # And then, I realize that Incan's although wonderful in the traits, do not have Fishing, so a water start is less than ideal. I'm debating playing over, not going for a religion # # # 2018-08-29 T9 3640BC Rather than reload (since that would feel like cheating... or less than ideal), I decided to suck up the loss on Meditation and switch to Fishing. I like this start. Well, I've liked many of the starts I've played. This one is reminiscent of Quad Cities: a lush green peninsula. I should be able to make a builder stand here. T14: Hannibal is my neighbour (and fairly close), so not much chance of a lasting peace. Maybe he discovered a religion and will pass it to me. And I just don't feel like playing. It's hard to explain. I am tired: sick or hayfever. I really don't feel like thinking, but I want the turns to go. Not really sure what type of game I want to play... or which type of game would be the best course... or even if playing another round seems like the best course. Though reading and (productive writing, not this bit) seems like a drag. So, I have low energy. Thus, I might not have enough energy to play well. # # # Eh, maybe I just don't feel like playing... but can't think of anything better to do. # # # 2018-08-29 T0 4000BC Back to the original concept of Spanish Conquest. We'll see if that lasts. I have a nice upside down U-shaped peninsula with clams. I can make a home here. So, let's go slow. This is likely all I will do today, so make it count. Rather than Buddhism, which I have a personal preference for and like the icon better, I will do the Hinduism/Judaism route, while Clam Digger (my capital) grows on work boats. Hot Dog! I might have an island to myself! # # # 2018-08-29 T32 2720BC So, this is a nice start. I share a continent of unknown size with (at least) the Mongols. But my capital was placed in such a way that it slices off a large portion (enough for 2-5 more cities) without any extra effort from me. All I had to do was settle in place and let my borders grow. I founded both Hinduism and Monotheism. Since getting the starting three is not likely, this is definitely the better path, even if I personally like Buddhism better in real life. Judaism shall be my State Religion. Currently, I have prioritized warriors to fog bust MY Northern Territories (they are mine) and keep the barbarians away. A warrior in play keeps the barbarians away. Fog Busting! Yeah, I've learned or thing or two about this game over the past year. # # # 2018-08-29 T145 700AD I'm getting crushed. I over extended myself. Expanded too far. The dual beginning religions were nice. And I like the peninsula. But I founded too many cities too far away. The maintenance has me researching at 0-20%. Somebody just founded Taoism. Well, it's not as bad as I thought, but 42 turns behind is too much. Game Over! # # # I thought about taking the first map on the roll... but then, I reminded myself that I'm not that good. Luckily, I have time to play. What a life! # # # 2018-08-29 I took the three corn start. Isabella is a farmer this time around. Hopefully, I don't fall into my usual bad habits. And saying that, yes, I am going for the Two Religion Gambit. # # # I hit end turn instead of founding my city... yet again. Loading from scratch, but keeping the same map. I'm going to be King Corn. # # # I literally, do not know where my second city would land... so, goodbye. Also, I mistook Marble for Stone. I think, maybe, I'll go back to the Incans for awhile. I'm really getting no benefit from Spain. # # # 2018-08-29 T0 4000BC Two cows, two clams, playing Incan. I think it will be best if I forgo the Religions... or is it? Yeah, I already forgot that I didn't have Marble. I was thinking maybe to go for the Oracle. But no. Let's see what happens. # # # And that did not last long, so why not try Huayna of the Dutch. I really like the Dutch Unique Building. I think it is the most powerful Unique Building in the game. # # # Well, that did not last long, either. I think I'll just go back to Orange. It was a nice... well, it wasn't nice at all, and I plopped my second city down in the wrong spot. But more importantly, I really do rely on the +2 culture. It's a big part of my game play. Likely more important than Wonders. Or if wonders are important, I need a better starting site than what I rolled. Also, it's confusing having the adversaries being mixed {between leaders and civilizations}. # # # Let's shut this down and quit on the day. Six or eight hours later... and I would have thought I'd be further into the game. Well, I suppose I was... and I lost. # # # # # # # # # Incan War God # # # # # # # # # 2018-09-05 I want to play, so I shall. I have done enough else, today. Three or four hours ago, I left the library with thoughts of playing, but I postponed that until after I proofread two other articles. Anyway, I am not good enough to do the Spanish Conquest... or I don't want to. But it really is a matter of skill. The strategy was not optimal. And I am not so good that I can play a sub-optimal strategy and get the score I want. I will play the Incans and do a Quechua rush if I can. # # # But maybe I will not play today. After a hundred rolls, I still haven't found The One, so time to move on to something else. After all, I still got those graphs to make from the last game. # # # 2018-09-05 After maybe another hundred maps, I may have settled on one. It's not that great, but has a bunch of flood plains. More importantly, I'm getting sick of rolling starts. But, hey! Too late to play today. So, maybe I'll roll some more, tomorrow. # # # {Guess what? I played that last map. And I crushed it!} 2018-08-28 (c) Copyright Brett Paufler