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Wow! AU is schooling me.
Okay, so I'm well into my first game with 1.29 and with the AU mod v1.05. It's amazing! The gameplay is at another level completely compared to vanilla 1.21. It has reminded me of the first game when you move up to a new difficulty level--except that the difference is in the better competition, not in free units, happiness issues, etc.
My starting position slowed me down in the beginning; jungle, flood plains and mountains are difficult to work with when you're stuck in despotism. Double-speed workers from being industrious made it bearable.
But while I was dealing with my terrain and desperately trading techs to keep up, the real story was the AIs. Those with the room to do so grew into sprawling empires with strong infrastructures. They looked like my empire usually does. And not just one or two. At least seven (out of twelve) could qualify as killer; one died, and the other three stayed competitive as well. By the late industrial age the smaller three have died, and the eight of us left are about equal in size, power, influence, etc. I think I've managed to claw my way to 4th on the scoreboard.
Some things to report:
I've heard lots of complaints about the AI not maintaining its treasuries. I noticed at one point in the early industrial age that Germany had over 15,000 saved up! Very impressive.
I wanted to try out the new commercial trait, and the 2-move musketeers. Unfortunately my empire hasn't been big enough to make use of being commercial, but I very much like the musketeers. They're much more interesting than the standard-issue musketeers, but certainly not overpowering either.
Also, I think theseus clamored on my post about loading artillery in armies the other day. Well, I tried the change I mentioned there, and unfortunately it still can't be done.
Anyway, it's possible I just got lucky with this game; going into the modern age against more killer AIs than there are fingers on my hand is certainly unusual. But unless things are back to normal next game, I'll give credit to the persistence and ingenuity of the team that made the mod. Well done!
I'll attach a save from right before I started my run for supremacy (a race as yet unfinished), so you can check out what the AIs look like.
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