From Ararat!

Rufus T. Firefly · February 14, 2001, 11:54

I figured if paiktis22 can write from Olympus, I can write from the highest peak in my country (and while it's my adopted country, it sounds so much better that "From Mount McKinley!").

Anyway, just won my second game at Deity (7 civs/raging hordes), proving the first game wasn't a fluke. And while my late-20th-century AC landing would hardly impress the experts here, I thought I'd share a couple of observations with other newbies (some info: I played as the Chinese (as Chow-Yun Fat; my first game was won as Sinead O'Connor of the Celts. Maybe pop culture is the secret?), and stuck to my self-imposed rules: never play as a fundy or Commie government, never switch out of Democracy once I switch into it, and have a spotless rep without the ET). Given that, here are some obvious observations:

1) Chokepoints are a good thing. I know, because I didn't have them. I start in the middle of an enourmous, grassy continent, with Civs to my east, west, and south. While I was eventually able to subdue my southern and eastern neighbors, the English to the west were an ongoing problem, and the border we shared war about as defensible as the one between the US and Canada. What I would have given for an isthmus and some mountains!

2) The UN is the perfectionist's friend. I always make it a priority, but would have been in really bad shape if I didn't have it this game. It not only allowed me to have some brief spells of peace during the final stages of the game, but also (I'm convinced) helped provoke my enemies into giving me a break by attacking each other (because they're AI, dammit, and they have to attack somebody).

3) OCC is a really useful training ground. I won this game after taking a break and playing many games of OCC, without success. And while parts of OCC involve unlearning what you know about conventional civ, I found that my many attemps at OCC, even though failed, nevertheless led to my thinking more clearly about my priorities and strategies in a regular game.

Not one of my top-5 games, but very cool. I can't wait to try again! Thanks, everyone, for the tips posted here that made this possible!

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Dig trenches, with our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made. Here, run out and get some trenches.
-- Rufus T. Firefly, the original rush-builder

Bereta_Eder · February 14, 2001, 12:37

I love learning new things! I've heard of Ararat. But where exactly is it in Turkey?

P.S. Reference to Olympus as you have already guessed is not about height but about the funny, «excitED», libertin little characters that used to be loved as Deities. No association with me of course except for the level of the game!

Rufus T. Firefly · February 15, 2001, 02:31

quote:

Originally posted by paiktis22 on 02-14-2001 11:37 AM
I love learning new things! I've heard of Ararat. But where exactly is it in Turkey?

Ararat is in Southeastern Turkey, near its borders with Armenia and Iran. Like Olympus, it was thought to be the home of gods (and, incidently, I knew this is what you meant); I think the Hittites believed this, and probably some other tribes in the area as well. It is also, according to the Bible, the place where Noah's Ark finally comes to rest after the flood waters recede. Which, now that I think about it, it not a bad metaphor for my games at Deity.

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Dig trenches, with our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made. Here, run out and get some trenches.
-- Rufus T. Firefly, the original rush-builder

East Street Trader · February 15, 2001, 07:31

Rufus T

I washed up in a town called Iskenderun once, in the long ago when I was young. So, I suppose I must have been near(ish) to Ararat.

I remember a seafront promenade with cafes and lots of men smoking water pipes. And really good food.

Bereta_Eder · February 15, 2001, 15:00

quote:

<font size=1>Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly on 02-15-2001 01:31 AM</font>
Like Olympus, it was thought to be the home of gods

Which gods?

P.S. EST,the water pipes are called nargiledes (at least in Greece) and was a favorite method of the Ottoman turks for smoking marijuana. The custom passed to the Balkans too when they were occupied and lasted for decades after the liberation.

Edit: EST you have stumbled upon one of my passions! I WANT like crazy to go someday to Alexandretta (as Iskenderoun is known here).
Rufus, is it safe? (kurds-turks?)
[This message has been edited by paiktis22 (edited February 15, 2001).]

Gastrifitis · February 16, 2001, 00:59

Forget Mt. McKinley. Call it what the natives do--Denali. That is one really cool mountain.

Theben · February 16, 2001, 03:40

Lotta mountains out there in Iowa, huh?

Rufus T. Firefly · February 16, 2001, 03:48

paiktis22: Not sure which gods; my knowledge of ancient mythologies is woefully lacking. As for safety, it's pretty dicey but I've heard you are safe if you go with an organized tour or group of some sort. And I'm not sure, alas, whether there are any extra precautions you would need to take when travelling on a Greek passport.

Rufus T. Firefly · February 16, 2001, 03:55

quote:

Originally posted by Theben on 02-16-2001 02:40 AM
Lotta mountains out there in Iowa, huh?

As a former Iowan, one of my favorite X-Files moments ever is a shot of Mulder and Scully standing in a field with a huge mountain in the distance -- and then, scolling down at the bottom of the screen, the location is given as "just outside Cedar Rapids, Iowa."

Still, this is now way off topic. Let's get back to congratulating me for winning at Diety! Or not.

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Dig trenches, with our men being killed off like flies? There isn't time to dig trenches. We'll have to buy them ready made. Here, run out and get some trenches.
-- Rufus T. Firefly, the original rush-builder

Gastrifitis · February 16, 2001, 18:52

Congratulations at winning in Deity!

I was born in Alaska. You know how big the state is. Denali is so big that you can see it from almost anywhere in the state. I think you can see it from parts of Canada. Now that's a mountain.

Bereta_Eder · February 16, 2001, 21:34

I thought that after the earthquakes the turks loved us??? (am I naive?! - *voices from the forests*: "YES"

)

Anyway, congratulations on winning! Ah, the feeling of winning Deity..! (especially without any chokepoints

jcarkey · February 16, 2001, 21:45

Congratulations! What strategy were you using?

Gastrifitis, aren't you glad you aern't living in the mountians? I sure am!

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If someone doesn't agree with you, you haven't explained yourself well enough-Luther Ely Smith

She turned me into a newt...well I got better- Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail

How many boards could the Mongols horde, if the Mongol hordes got bored?- jcarkey