Silent PBEM - Youth in Asia

Beta · February 12, 2004, 19:50

The Game

This is a silent PBEM. Which means, no out of game contact or discussion at all. Everything has to be done through the F4 diplo screen. There will be no chats, or out of game messages, or map trading outside of the game. Deal with each of the other players as if they were an AI. This of course will mean fewer alliances and co-ordinated attacks - or any tech trading in advance. It should raise the uncertainty level greatly - and play a bit like very challenging SP game - and less like a demo game.

This PBEM thread will only allow "sent to ABC". No smileys or comments or the like which could be a form of communication. And no code on the trade table either. Given the bright and creative bunch we are, I can envision we would soon have a barter language similar to contract bridge. (An opening of 7 gold means I want an alliance ...

) Let's play this straight up to see how it works.

And I want to maintain this method right throughout the game, to see how it plays out.

Standard pangaea map - no island starts. Restless or raging barbs is the only question. Sir Ralph has agreed to start the game and check the map for us.

Thanks SR!!! He will only be checking that no one has an island start, and that no one has a start which is a complete loss.

Normal terrain and climate and age. All normal victory conditions in effect.

No customization of the civs other than putting in your name for the leader.

The Players

I am suggesting the following play order:

asleepathewheel (ex CerberusIV)
donegeal
Beta
GhengisFarb
Wittlich
Rhothaerill
Hot_Enamel

This is based on your time zone and expected play time and the tried and true east to west method. donegeal has been moved up because of his shift work. If we need changes, let me know.

We probably know each other's e-mails by now, if not, PM the person ahead of you, or me, and I can provide it.

The Civilizations

Seven asian civs, hence the name. (amongst other things.

) None of the civs has an ancient age UU, which should make it interesting. And none are seafaring or agricultural. They are:

Japan
China
Korea
India
Mongols
Russians
Arabs

I have numbered the players from 1-6, excluded myself (I will take the seventh and remaining civ), and rolled out my trusty and well-used (albeit old) war-gaming six-sided die. The order of civ choices is as follows:

1. Rhothaerill
2. donegeal
3. CerberusIV
4. Wittlich
5. Hot_Enamel
6. GhengisFarb

(Ghengis - I did not 'fix' the dice roll given AoD.

)

So - please indicate your civ choice, and whether you want restless or raging barbs. Rhoth goes first.

Rhothaerill · February 12, 2004, 20:12

Wow, first choice. I'll be the Kor...err, no!

I'll take the Arabs. I haven't played that civ in quite a while.

As to barb level, restless is fine with me, but raging is fine too if that is what the majority decision winds up as.

Beta · February 12, 2004, 20:20

I will be away starting tomorrow until late Sunday evening. I have PM'd Sir Ralph, so he should be following this thread. If everyone gets their choice in, I say crank it up and get it going.

btw - I assume we will start on Monarch level, but am amenable to other suggestions. And, I vote for restless barbs. Although raging is Ok too. The way I look at it is that we have GF in the game, so we sort of have raging barbarians by default.

don - your choice.

Rhothaerill · February 12, 2004, 20:26

I just realized something. This is the exact opposite concept of the Balderdash PBEM.

I'll shut up now.

Beta · February 12, 2004, 21:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Rhothaerill
I just realized something. This is the exact opposite concept of the Balderdash PBEM.

I'll shut up now.

Actually - there will be a side wager. We all get to bet how long Ghengis can go before he cracks.

Hot_Enamel · February 12, 2004, 21:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Beta
The Game

This PBEM thread will only allow "sent to ABC". No smileys or comments or the like which could be a form of communication. And no code on the trade table either. Given the bright and creative bunch we are, I can envision we would soon have a barter language similar to contract bridge. (An opening of 7 gold means I want an alliance ...

) Let's play this straight up to see how it works.

So if I rename a city "Alliance against Civ A ?" and offer it to Civ B unaccepted, then that would be against the rules

My choice of civ is going to be random (except Korea - because I have that civ already in another PBEM, and I am going oh so well with it

)

Barbs = restless.

Monarch level is fine

I already have cerbs email...and that is all I need.
I sent Roth my email address.

Good Luck everyone.

Donegeal · February 12, 2004, 22:03

Nippon (Japan)

Raging Barbs

And I would perfer Regent level.

I have Beta's E-mail already also.

Donegeal · February 12, 2004, 22:07

Oh... Cerb, my email in my name at yahoo dot com.

Hot_Enamel · February 12, 2004, 23:24

Rule Question :

If my civ lacks iron, how do I encourage another player to offer it up. In fact, if I dont have his map and cant actually see that he has two sources, then I wont know which player has iron to trade to me.

How do I encourage someone to cough up his iron except offering say 5gpt to every player, and hoping that someone figures out what I am after.

I've got no problem with doing this, but I can see frustrating times ahead.

Beta · February 12, 2004, 23:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Hot_Enamel
Rule Question :

If my civ lacks iron, how do I encourage another player to offer it up. In fact, if I dont have his map and cant actually see that he has two sources, then I wont know which player has iron to trade to me.

How do I encourage someone to cough up his iron except offering say 5gpt to every player, and hoping that someone figures out what I am after.

I've got no problem with doing this, but I can see frustrating times ahead.

Indeed! But on the other hand - they will know you don't have it and may offer it to you. So yes - on one hand frustrating - and on another - well - just a different approach to strategy and trading

Sort of reminds me of a game we use to play at poker night. You would pull a card off the deck - and without looking at it, put it on your forehead face up. In other words you could not see it but the other players could. You then had to bet on what you could see the others had - but not you. It was usually played later in the night after considerable beer consumption.

Not a perfect analogy - I agree - but you get the idea.

And H_E - no creative city naming. Maybe we should insist on default city names. Yes - that may be the best way to go.

Beta · February 12, 2004, 23:39

And btw - Cerb - you are up. The Arabs and Japanese have been taken.

GhengisFarb™ · February 12, 2004, 23:45

Updated for those trying to follow:

1. Rhothaerill - Arabs
2. donegeal - Japan
3. CerberusIV
4. Wittlich
5. Hot_Enamel
6. GhengisFarb

Civs left:

China
Korea
India
Mongols
Russians

I already have everyone's email, and they all have mine.

My cities later in the Game:

Ghengistown
Ghengis Needs Iron
Ghengis Has Dye To Trade
Ghengis Wants Allies Against Beta
Screw You City

Beta · February 13, 2004, 00:02

Oh yes - I forgot one critical guideline. Everyone archer rush Ghengis as soon as possible.

GhengisFarb™ · February 13, 2004, 00:16

You know this whole "preemptive strike" business hasn't worked out so well for you in the AoD game..........

Harovan · February 13, 2004, 02:27

Email me as soon as you have sorted out the civ distribution and eventual map conditions (% ocean, temperature, humidity, age, barbarian level). PM works too, but not as fast, because I hang out on Apolyton far less now than I did earlier. At least donegeal, CerberusIV and GhengisFarb have my address. I will get your game going at the first opportunity. Do you want me to set your passwords and skip the first turns (while setting back the clock)? In this case, I would need them. Otherwise I'd have to play the first turn for the first player.

Wittlich · February 13, 2004, 02:58

Well, while I'm waiting for Cerberus to make his civ choice, I went ahead and PMed Sir Ralph my password for the game.

I think it would work out easier if Sir Ralph sets the passwords for the game before hand...and if the event should occur that someone needs to/has to drop out, Sir Ralph can dig up the password for the replacement player. Thanks for taking the time to get this unique game setup Sir Ralph!

Donegeal · February 13, 2004, 04:26

I'll give Sir Ralph my password once I get home. In the mean time, we should just let SR set an Admin password that he would remember easily. Then if we need to replace someone/change a password or what not, he could still do it.

CerberusIV · February 13, 2004, 06:10

Given we will be starting with the Conquests resource scarcity (crosses fingers for an above average number of volcanos

) and because I'm not playing them in any of my other games -

India for me please.

Monarch is fine but I have no problem with Regent level.

Restless barbs.

CerberusIVciv3 AT aol DOT com for those who don't already have it.

Harovan · February 13, 2004, 06:12

Quote:

Originally posted by CerberusIV
Given we will be starting with the Conquests resource scarcity

If you want I can raise resource appearance levels by 1/3 as proposed by kring. This would roughly bring it back to PtW levels. It's up to you.

Beta · February 13, 2004, 08:22

Hi SR. Again - thanks!

I agree with Witt in that we should all send our passwords to SR.

I am OK with the Conquests resource levels - but if folks want PTW levels, that is OK too.

As to age and temp - I think I included that in my PM to you SR.

I would suggest normal age and climate. And probably 70% water - unless jamming 7 civs on a standard map is going to be too tight - in which case we could go to 60%.

Hot_Enamel · February 13, 2004, 08:34

GF loves wet climate ... so I always vote dry just to annoy him.

I dont care what settings is used

CerberusIV · February 13, 2004, 09:21

"normal" settings for climate please.

As it is a pangaea map without any seafaring civs I would suggest 60% water to give us all a bit more elbow room.

I am happy with C3C resources allocation - that isn't really the reason I chose India, just a possible additional benefit.

GhengisFarb™ · February 13, 2004, 10:07

1. Rhothaerill - Arabs
2. donegeal - Japan
3. CerberusIV - India
4. Wittlich - Russians
5. Hot_Enamel
6. GhengisFarb

Civs left:

China
Korea
Mongols

Donegeal · February 13, 2004, 11:24

I am for all random setting.

7 civs on a standard size map is fine also. The default for standard is 8 anyway...

Donegeal · February 13, 2004, 11:41

Oh yeah... Resources...

I like Conquests resource levels...

Donegeal can see himself eating those words already.

Shogun Gunner · February 13, 2004, 12:26

Sorry to jump in on this thread, but I wanted to mention that the game concept for this PBEM sounds very cool. Too bad I won't be able to follow the action as there will be nothing of interest in the thread.

Perhaps an after-action report of some kind when it's all done.... or another round of this style game if it turns out good....

Wittlich · February 13, 2004, 12:59

Ok put me down as the Russians.

Monarch and Restless Barbs is fine by me.

Rhothaerill · February 13, 2004, 13:21

It doesn't matter to me what settings we use. I'm up for anything...unless my start is surrounded completely by jungle.

C3C resource allocation is fine with me too.

I'll think of a password soon and send it to SR.

Harovan · February 13, 2004, 18:03

Received all passwords except Ghengis'.

GhengisFarb™ · February 13, 2004, 18:19

1. Rhothaerill - Arabs
2. donegeal - Japan
3. CerberusIV - India
4. Wittlich - Russians
5. Hot_Enamel - Not Korea
6. GhengisFarb - Would like to be the Mongols

Civs left:
China
Korea
Mongols

Hot_Enamel said he didn't care what civ but not Korea. I haven't played as the Mongols yet so I would be willing to take them, leaving Hot_Enamel with China and Beta with Korea.

Does that sound okay? Emailed by password to Sir Ralph.