AU402 DAR1: 4000BC-2150BC

[Rhothaerill]

Nice job Taian. I liked the way you did your DAR on a turn by turn basis with all your thoughts on how it was going. Keep up the good work.

Two settlers? Ugh! Maybe I should have been English.

[vmxa1]

I am and I did not get any settlers.

[AJ Corp. The FAIR]

Emperor, Carthage

1 tile to the East Carthage is found and I start researching writing, as I want to aim for the Great Library. Although maybe not decisive, this was my first mistake. I should have aimed for pottery first. Secondly, building the Great Library would mean not having the Great Lighthouse and as I recalled too late, the Great Library only gives advances known by two other civs known to you. I'll get back on this later.

My worker starts mining the shielded grassland and my capitol starts building 3 warriors, which are finished around 3350 BC. I send them to explore but at 3205 BC the eastern village seems deserted. Meanwhile my worker starts building roads through forest and grassland in southern direction, preparing a settling spot and irrigating the wheat food plain.

Around 2850 BC Carthage finishes its first settler, at 2750 BC it gives birth to Utica. Thereafter Carthage, which at that point hasn't got real better things to build, finishes a barracks and strats producung a couple vet warriors for city defense and barb purposes. Second hut gives me angry Patzinal warriors, which I defeat easily, third gives me nothing, as it was deserted.

AJ

[MrWhereItsAt]

I started as the Spanish - never played as them before. Tempted by English but for their Expansionistic trait, and I despise Carthage and Greece's Early AGe UUs. Regent was my diff as I have not played many huge 24civ maps (only one actually), and I wanted to test some of my experience from my current Monarch game (my first at that diff!)

My first move (worker) was SE, where I found at least SOME non-jungle. The Settler went E, and luckily found those oh-so pleasant whales and fish. And well, at least I won't have to worry about happiness for a time with Dyes right underneath.
This will not be good, and won't last long either - that turn took 30s! Damn my P3 800! I start working the forest for a faster warrior. As I already have the uber-expensive Alphabet, I go for Bronze to start with. Initial build is (IIRC) Warrior/Warrior/Settler/Warrior

The warrior headed NW onto the hills, where he quickly found the end of that landmass and a hut - three Barbs. Typical. I can't remember the last game I played where the first hut WASN'T barbs. One attacks and dies against my warrior. The others head towards Madrid (undefended). The worker who has now done the mine on the shielded grass runs south. I lose the 10g...

Wow! That's some interesting land - jungle + gems and now floodplains with buttloads of wheat to the south - this game is going to hurt I just KNOW.

3250BC a new warrior finally kills the last barb from that hut. Phew! Oh will the southern desert never end? I am so glad that units don't die in the desert as they sometimes do in the jungle.

3100BC a warrior spots an island to the NW... God I hope that place is better than where I started...
3050BC FINALLY I get BW and start on Pottery (want Galleys!)
2950BC 8th most advanced in the world? Whatever... WC from a southern hut.

Fish and whales everywhere eh? I guess that's what this island needs to have to allow you to surVIVE!

2710BC The settler is finally built (that word may be used a few times here, methinks ), and I head for the south 2 1 1 of Madrid to get the river, the second bonus grass, two wheat floodplains (yowza! Settler/worker factory!) and still allow a city to be placed in the East to get the two fish and whales. Still on zero cash so there's no hope of fiddling with science to get things done faster at a cash loss. Pottery in 4.
2670BC and Masonry comes from another hut. Not bad luck with them after that horrible first one.
2590BC Barcelona founded and I can put the science back to get some cash in the last turn of Pottery (no longer such an attractive tech with that city placement allowing fast worker rushing).
I have decided to build until I have one more settler in Madrid then go for the Colossus. Hopefully Barcelona and the third city can do a lot of the settling from now and the Colossus there would be great - river+ some productive coast tiles + all those Gems! Have never got the Colossus before so this might be a good thing for me.
2430BC Have explored the whole landmass and I stand back flabberghasted. Well, have to press on...
2350BC Barcelona builds a worker, partly because I forgot to check the city (doh! But it IS late here ), but I partly don't mind. Southern warriors start to return north to allow barb camps to hopefully spawn

2270BC I am realising that perhaps building only Warriors in Madrid until I have the pop for a settler is not such a great idea, even if they can stake out a city site and be defenders for new precious settlers straight away. Never mind - too late to test out Granaries and things now. Not like a Barracks, Temple or Walls would help anyway.

2150BC That's it - Only two cities founded, and the next settler is 5 or so turns away.

From huts I got Barbs, Warrior Code, Masonry and Ceremonial Burial. I have 2 workers and 7 Warriors. Far too many Warriors perhaps, but getting them done now means that Madrid can focus on Colossus soon and there won't be undefended cities (not that that's an issue right now ). I guess the extra Warriors will help with unhappiness too - they can make 3 cities happy to size 5 with Gems connected ATM, which should help my Colossus chances. I have Barcelona working the second bonus mined grass and the irrigated wheat floodplain, so it will grow to three before a settler is built. I couldn't see how to time the settler to coincide with the pop increase so I may as well have the extra pop working the radius for another turn or two to get the most out of it before they ship off to the East to start whaling.

That's all ATM - carry on tomorrow night!


Damn - just read all the others before posting this. I see that almost everyone has WAY more cities than I, and I have too many workers. I haven't chopped for building a Granary, but then I don't believe I will need to with those floodplains. Interesting to see that our capitals are almost all in the same place, and interesting too to see what the Colossus path will do for me as opposed to the paths you guys are taking.... hopefully it will push me along reasonably well - and I can't think of a better city I have ever seen for the Colossus than where Madrid is!

[Harovan]

Emperor, Spain (first time with this civ)

I found my city like everyone (?) one to the east from the start. Set research to Pottery at 100%. After I discovered it, I set it at Writing at 10%. My explorers popped the northwestern hut, when I had 2 warriors. Of course, Barbarians. Got lucky and ended with both warriors beaten down to 1hp, but at least they won. One even got promoted.

The gems can be a source of lots of money. We therefor plan Madrid to go for full size after hospitals, to concentrate all in one city. May be we even can get Cope's or Newton's in the city (or even both). Not to waste space, while Madrid is at size 12, we plan one 6-tile camp nearby. The other surrounding cities are planned size 12.

The picture below shows the situation 3000BC.

[Harovan]

To get advantage from the wheat, we plan a temporary 2nd camp (blue). It will be disbanded as soon as the continent (island?) is settled. It gets a granary and will build settlers, floating between size 4 and 5. The capital will produce workers at size 3, to clear jungle from the gems (the earlier, the better), and for other improvements too. We could it do at size 2, but this way we get more gold. But first, we build a second city at the west coast (green). We'll need lots of warriors, to fight barbarians.

[vmxa1]

"Wow! That's some interesting land - jungle + gems and now floodplains with buttloads of wheat to the south - this game is going to hurt I just KNOW."

I burst out with a huge laugh when I read that like. Upon reflection it is not so much funny as prophetic.

[vmxa1]

I see many brave souls coming on board, I will have many reports to read down the road. Should be great.

Where are our two Huge map players to lead the way? YS and MS this is your game.

[Jawa Jocky]

Isabella stood on the hill and looked outward as she thought about the future of Spain. The gems by the river and coast were an inviting area. A great place for a monument she had dreamt of building; The Colossus.

The capital of Madrid began organizing groups of warriors. They began to search the surroundings finding deserted villages and sites for new towns. Our worker decided to give jungle clearing a whack after mining the grasslands. By 3400bc our home island was beginning to reveal itself. It had lots of food and commerce potential but not a lot of shields.

On 3050bc the first settlers left Madrid to form a new city. A vast desert was discovered, and 90% of the island was explored. On 2950bc pottery was discovered in the Southern Desert. This was a bit of good luck since the new city would be Settler Farm.

By 2510bc our continent was fully explored. Madrid had finished the Spanish’s first temple and began organizing a 2nd worker force. Barcelona began construction of a granary. Spanish warriors spread out to defend the new country from Barbarian attacks, and preserve the large stockpile of gold Isabella collected. By 2150ad the Spanish were 1 turn away from discovery writing.

[Theseus]

I'm surprised more people didn't pick Vikings... aside from the obvious, I just naturally expected that cheap Harbors would be of great benefit. Seems I was right!!

I too moved 6. Starting on gems on a river, in Monarch, and as expansionist... so that means no barbs from huts, and happiness shouldn't be a problem. Granary it is then, right off the bat!! And a beeline for Mapmaking.

3950BC: Theseusheim is founded, and BAM, a Settler from the hut to the NW. HUZZAH!! I build Bergen where he stands. With two towns, I can research Alphabet in 25 turns at 100%.

3600BC: Hmmm, this start ain't so bad. Damn glad I'm a seafaring civ!!

3500BC: Changed the barracks in Bergen to a Worker. I guess Bergen will be a 10-turn Worker pump for a bit.

3200BC: Damn, that's a lotta desert. Harbors and desert mining? Cleared the forest 2 of T-heim, and switched to the forest at 23 for one turn to get the granary done ahead of growth to 3 pop.

3050BC: Finished mine at T-heim2. No need for a road, moving to T-heim3 for another mine.

2950BC: Have to back off to 90% research to pay for the granary and 3rd worker. No slowdown on turns to complete Alphabet though.

2800BC: Finished Alphabet. Soooo, we are alone, are we? Then a-building we we will go. Don't know what I think about city placement yet. Writing at 90% in 33 turns, or in 40 turns at 10% with 10gpt income... I'll take the latter, until some more cities are in place. F*ck, how does this new RCP stuff work? If Bergen is 477, then it's a 3.5 distance first ring? So I should forego 78, and build at 411 and 211, then at 223 or 2223. Friggin' complex... not sure if it's worth it. Ahhh, screw it, map features take precedence. I'm gonna pack'em in tight while I REX, and then maybe dispose of some camps; I'll try to keep RCP in mind at that time. This'll be good for jungle clearing, too.

2590BC: Copenhagen 11 from T-heim. Now Writing in 24 turns at 100%, losing 1gpt but I have 56 gold.

2510BC: The Seljuks teach us Ceremonial Burial!!

2190BC: Mysticism from the third hut! Not bad... thank you very much, Mr. EXP. I've squeezed a Warrior and an Archer into the queue for barb hunting.

1750BC: Ooops, got caught up in the game. Here's a screenshot.

[nbarclay]

I've gotten as caught up in this game as I have any Civ 3 game in eons, maybe ever. I'm way behind in DARs, so it's about time to catch up some.

I know Dominae tried to discourage us from playing industrious civs, but part of my original vision when I proposed this scenario was using a commercial/industrious civ. Even aside from my hatred of micromanaging hoardes of non-industrious workers (especially trying to put a rail network in), I wasn't inclined to give up my original vision for the game I wanted to play.

It seems that the "settle on a river on the coast" rule is essentially universal around here. I built a warrior to do some scouting and then started on a granary. Unfortunately, my warrior ran into trouble on his first hut (the southeastern one). He killed two of the three barbarian warriors who were mysteriously offended by his presence, but was killed by the third a few turns later.

My second and third cities were both "temporary" camps, but not of the usual variety. Flood plains with wheat are one of the most powerful tiles in the game - a single tile that (with a granary) provides enough food surplus for a settler/worker pump under Despotism - and we had two of them. The problem is that the permanent city sites I wanted couldn't reach those marvelous tiles without temples or libraries to expand their borders, and I couldn't afford that kind of delay even if I had the necessary tech. So I picked out sites where I could build two settler/worker pumps without interfering with my long-term city placement plans.

(Of course "temporary" is something of a relative concept. It's after 1500 AD and those "temporary" camps are still going strong. During my GA, I was getting a worker a turn out of each of them, but that's a tale for a later DAR.)

In 2150 BC, I'd only just founded my third city. (The shot below is 1990 BC, but the cities are the same.) That seems to be a bit on the slow side (especially compared with those who got free settlers), but those two pumps would produce massive floods of workers and settlers once they got going.

Regarding research, the gems were a great blessing. With my capital built on them for extra gold and less need for the luxury slider, I was able to research Pottery a lot more quickly than is normally possible on with huge-map tech costs. I also pushed the pace on Writing, which ended up saving seven turns compared with a 40-turn pace.

My luck with the other two huts on the homeland was a bit better, but still not outstanding. I got maps from one and Ceremonial Burial from the other.

One last point of interest: I almost had a truly enormous setback when I mispositioned a warrior and gave a barb a chance to hit Utica. That could have spelled major disaster if the barb destroyed the granary I'd been working on for centuries. (I think that was the same barb that killed my first warrior.) Fortunately, the barb decided he'd rather go for a worker by Leptis Magna, and that put him in range for one of my warriors to kill him in a close-fought fight. That's probably the single scariest moment in the game so far.

Nathan

[Konquest02]

AU 402 - Gargantua... Playing on Monarch, with the Spinachs...

3600BC: Got a settler from a goody hut... Found Barcelona on the spot, near the fish

3550BC: Longer wait time... Probably AIs building their second city!

3350BC: Wow, great system of flood plains...

3250BC: Wow, great desert!

3150BC: Pottery discovered. Going for Masonry and Pyramids. Then BLine for MM. Madrid went Warrior, Warrior, Temple, Granary (forest chop), settler or pyramids next...Barbs from second hut, south of the desert. Warrior killed without any casualty on their side...

2950BC: I'm the whealtiest, 54g. Barbs from a second hut, in the desert peninsula.

2510BC: Discovered Masonry. Will start the Pyramids in Madrid after a settler. Will go for writing at 40 turns

2230BC: Gosh I'm hesitating on city placement here... I want to maximize my coast area and use a lot of the rivers too.

Seville was a guess here... What I will do is do almost 2 tile spacing (C-T-C) along the coast in the desert, getting the most out of the fishes and whales. I'll go for a more relaxed pattern in the center, maybe plop a city there to fill in the blanks...

Here is a screenshot at 2230BC and my anticipated city placement...

I founded Seville, but when I edited my screenshot with my future city placement, I figured out that I was wrong. I will use this game to experiment with camps and temporary cities. And with that much flood plains, growth (even with tight city placement) won't be a problem.

So I reloaded and founded Seville 2 on the red spot... More on this later.

--Kon--

[alva]

In 2150 BC, I'd only just founded my third city. (The shot below is 1990 BC, but the cities are the same.) That seems to be a bit on the slow side (especially compared with those who got free settlers), but those two pumps would produce massive floods of workers and settlers once they got going.

I don't think many (without the free settlers) will have more then 3 at 2000bc.

What level are you playing Nathan?

[Mountain Sage]

Originally posted by vmxa1

Where are our two Huge map players to lead the way? YS and MS this is your game.

I know, I know....
I am strill struggling with AU208, but I will give it up for the summer, and re-start it later on (I was on the verge of conquering England), just for the pleasure of being the second one winning it.

I'll start Gargantua this evening, I need some break of all my previous slaughter but with 7 GL so far

[nbarclay]

Originally posted by alva

I don't think many (without the free settlers) will have more then 3 at 2000bc.

What level are you playing Nathan?

I'm playing on Emperor, as almost always. Actually, my second city could easily have produced another settler in time if I'd wanted to do that instead of building a granary for a settler/worker pump, but under most conditioins, good settler/worker pumps are well worth the investment in the long run.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Mountain Sage


I know, I know....
I am strill struggling with AU208, but I will give it up for the summer, and re-start it later on (I was on the verge of conquering England), just for the pleasure of being the second one winning it.

I'll start Gargantua this evening, I need some break of all my previous slaughter but with 7 GL so far

Did not mean to distrub your fun. BTW the way AU208 was beat by two players as Nbarclay finished recently.
I should say he slaughtered it and is well on his way to bashing this one as well.

[Mountain Sage]

Originally posted by vmxa1

Did no mean to distrub your fun. BTW the way AU208 was beat by two players as Nbarclay finished recently.
I should say he slaughtered it and is well on his way to bashing this one as well.

I know, you were the second, but a cultural victory?
Next time we'll play a 'max your culture' game, I'll win by being the only civ standing, afte having erased all others, with 250 cultural points

The above stated, you were the smart one, not having tried to slaughter your way across...

[Mountain Sage]

Now, let's be serious:
Before the game started, I thought about some basic concepts:

Civ traits:

1. Your empire will be spread across lots of water, even if you don't plan to go often to war. Therefore, anything which lowers corruption is a big advantage. Commercial is in.
2. The expansionist trait is useful only in the beginning, on your 'home' island. By the time you have Galleys, all the 'homeland' of others civs will be at least scouted. Therefore, this trait is not so interesting, after all.
3. Industrious? Less workers = more pop points at the beginning = more shields = more galleys and more settlers. Then, ywith 24 civs, you'll win the game on the diplomatic board, and for that you'll need every penny.
4. Militaristic: if you plan to win by conquest or domination on a huge map, you're in for a loong summer. I'm not, so this trait is out.
5. Religious? you could go for a cultural victory, but you'll compete against a bunch of other civs. And frankly, it's not my cup of tea.
6. Scientific: cheap libraries and universities = fast research = early techs = trading possibilities + 1 tech/free every era. Interesting if you manage to stay on top of the pack.

My choices: industrious and commercial = France
Ah, no France? Then Carthage (Monarch), but a GA with a Numidian Mercenary in the Ancient Era?
Ah well, I'll build just 1 NM and keep it to kill a 1 hp tank....

City placement:

On a huge archipelago map, some civs will have more land than others. You absolutely have to compete, in numbers of cities (meaning in terms of output), with these juggernauts. Therefore, a C-T-T-C with exceptions makes sense. Let's go for it.

Wonders:

With 24 civs, you need to start your wonders very early on, meaning warrior-warrior-(worker)-settler-wonder.
If you try to build 2 of them (via a Palace pre-build), you lose your first 2 cities' productivity, which will hamper your rexxing. Therefore, let's go for just 1 wonder in the AT, REX an d explore. The obvious choice? the GLighthouse (even over the Pyramids).

Now, let's see if the above stands the test of game...

PS. I hit 10 AD. The screenshots and AAR are for tomorrow. You know what? No GL so far

[vulture]

I decided to go with Carthage (Commercial, Industrious) on Emperor (which may be a little optimistic). Like almost everyone, I looked at the opening screen, moved one tile east, and decided to settle there on the coast.


3950 BC The Carthiginian city of Gloucester (?) was founded and started building a warrior, whilst researching writing. The worker ambled over to the bonus grassland

3900 BC The worker starts on a mine.

3750 BC Mine finished, worker starts on road.

3700 BC Warrior finished. Moves E into hills to go and explore north. Another warrior is started. Plan is to build two warriors and then start something bigger.

3650 BC Road finished, so the worker moves SW into the forest. Want to chop down forest for shields, so can finish the current warrior build and then start something bigger (currently only settlers or barracks available). Warrior moves onto next hill and sees a hut.

3600 BC Worker starts to chop down forest. The warrior pops the hut, and gets... another warrior - who wanders off north.

3550 BC Our northern coast is discovered, and another coastline can be seen in the distance.

3500 BC Another warrior is built. Decide to start work on a barracks since a settler would be finished before we hit size 3.

3450 BC Gloucester reaches size 2 (hurrah!). The extra citizen is put on the forest for one turn, and then sent to work the whales. The one turn of forest delays city growth to size 3 by one turn, but shaves one turn off the barracks build time (that one extra shield makes a difference sometimes), which means we get to build a settler one turn earlier. The conscript warrior stays in the north to keep the fog of war at bay so no Barbarian camps appear up there, so we only have to worry about barbs from the south.

3350 BC Forest is cleared. Worker moves to the next bit of forest. Two regular warriors are exploring south of the rivers.

3300 BC One of the warriors is sent back to near Gloucester to guard against barb incursions, and particularly to guard the worker who is vital to timing the builds at the moment.

3150 BC Barracks is finished. Settler started.

3050 BC Second forest chopped down. 10 shield added to settler. Worker decided to road this tile before moving off, since it forms part of a road south from the capital, which will be useful.

2950 BC Worker moves to the diamonds SW of the city (on the river). Might as well make a start on that pesky jungle.

2900 BC First settler is produced. City site chosen for my next city is on the west coast, 1114 from Gloucester. Gloucester starts to produce veteran warriors.

2850 BC the exploring warrior discovers a hut in the south. Decides to delay popping it until the settler has founded a city, to give us a chance of a free settler.

2710 BC Leeds founded. Set to build warrior then worker (I think lots of workers are going to be needed here). The hut is popped, and gives us barbarians. Oh well.

2670 BC The barbarians scatter rather than fight my brave warrior.

2630 BC One of the barbarians is hunted down and killed - the first ever military victory of the Carthaginian empire.

2550 BC Two warriors are now defending the river crossings south of my towns on the borders of the desert. Any barbarians will be faced with a fortified veteran warrior on the other side of a river (unless they decide to walk past).

2510 BC Another hut is seen in the west!

2430 BC We have quite a few warriors now, so Gloucester produces a worker and starts building walls, just for something to do until it can start on another settler.

2390 BC The first jungle tile is cleared. There are two workers there now, so they road the tile in one turn.

2350 BC One worker starts a mine, while the other moves SW to the next jungle tile to build a road.

2270 BC Leeds builds worker, which starts to road the bonus grassland to complete the road to Gloucester.

2230 BC Last hut is popped, giving us pottery Gloucester switches its walls project to a granary, which will delay the next settler a little longer, but give us faster settlers after that, and allow us to always stay above size 2 so that we can use the diamond tile to give lots of shields and gold.

2190 BC Continent is fully explored now. Warriors pull back to cover as much as they can to keep away barbarian camps. Two turns from writing (so I'll add two more turns in).

2110 BC (one turn too many - I hope you can forgive me). Writing finished. Since we have pottery from a hut we can now research map making. Since research at 100% doesn't help any (when Gloucester is pretty big and producing 12 gpt or more on its own), decide to go for it at 40 turn pace. Road from Leeds to Gloucester is finished.

At the end of the first section, I only have two cities, which is probably the worst of anyone. But Gloucester isn't far from becoming a reasonable settler pump, and as we all know, the wheat on floodplains sites can be good pumps too. I have three industrious workers which have let me stay ahead of the game in terms of developing tiles as well as make a start on clearing jungle (and those gems tiles on grassland are great for finance).

[Mountain Sage]

Carthage, Monarch.

4000BC – 2150 BC

4000BC: our settler moves E. Our worker goes W and starts a mine. Goal: max production of shields.
3950BC: Erin, our capitol, is founded on gems and starts a warrior. The first tech researched is Writing at 40 turns (as prerequisite for Map Making). Gold: +5/turn.
3750BC: our 1st warrior is operational, we start on a second. The mine is roaded.
3550BC: the road is completed, our worker goes SE.
3500BC: our worker starts irrigating a grassland+tile square. The first warrior pops POTTERY from the NW hut. Ah! And heads south along the W coast. The second warriors scouts E along the coast.
3400BC: irrigation completed, the worker starts to road it.
3250BC: 3rd warrior operational; that one stays in Erin for protection and police purposes. Erin is now size 3, time to build a settler. Our worker clears the forest S to speed up the settler.
3050BC: forest cleared, let’s build a mine.
2950BC: 1st settler heading W. Erin is building another ‘home warrior’.
2850BC: CERIMONIAL BURIAL from the SW hut. Ahhh! And BRONZE WORKING from the SE hut. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! The gods are with me (for the time being).
1750BC: our 2nd city, Roxane is build on the W river. Goes for warrior, worker, warrior, settler.
2670BC: our 2 warriors start scouting the unsettled S, Barbarians hunting.
2550BC: Erin builds its last warrior S as a back-up for the B-hunting teams.
2350BC: 1st warrior in Roxane.
2320BC: worker in Roxane, starts irrigation.
2270BC: our worker in Erin starts a long-term endeavour: clearing jungle (12 turns!).
2230BC: 2nd warrior in Roxane, time to start a settler.
2150BC: Erin finishes its settler, let’s go for the Pyramids (to be switched to the Glighthouse).

Some comments about the First Age of the DAR/AAR:
From the very beginning of the game, I wanted to get the Glighthouse (for obvious reasons) and the Glibrary. Why the Glibrary and not the Pyramids or another wonder? Mainly for 2 reasons: first of all, to deny it to another civ (I don’t want another tech-juggernaut right away) and then my plans were to beeline for republic at max speed, then set science at 0 at cash in the gold. This gold would buy me some medieval techs, but more important, allow me to set my research to 4-6 turn/tech.
But building two wonders this early means setting aside the two most productive cities, without hampering your rexing too much. Therefore, I decided that each of my first two cities would build a settler and a worker, and then start on the wonders. The next two cities would be founded near rivers and would become my settlers’ factories. I counted that with 2 warriors in each and gems, +10% happiness, they would stay moderately happy.

[sozopol]

Hello all, I introduced myself in the main set-up thread . I'm playing the Greeks, mainly because no one else seems to be, on Monarch level. First time trying out an AU game.

3950 BC Greek nomads push east and south, and settle on the sea coast, founding Athens. Greek priests are in the early stages of developing sophisticated Ceremonial Burial rituals which will unify the clans. Our workers are mining and roading the productive land to the SE of the city.

Reasearching CB at 90%, it may be stupid to sacrifice an early route to Map Making, but I want an early temple, and it is the road to Monarchy. Anyway, without CB, what are you but a bunch of savages dumping your dead wherever they happen to fall?

3500 BC There is an expanse of fertile lands stretching south from Athens, between the coast and the Great River to the west. Another Greek warrior ventures out from Athens, this time heading west.

3400 BC Our intrepid Greek warrior encountered the exotic Ligurian peoples to the NW of Athens, on the coast of what appears to be the Western Sea... the Ligurian crafts of Pottery and granary construction were quickly mastered by Greek artisans... Meanwhile, our worker is building a road into the jungle to the immediate NW of Athens, to take command of the gem resources there...

3200 BC Our first warrior is on an epic voyage down the eastern coast of our land, travelling across an endless desert... And our priests have made a breakthrough, endowing our civilization with elaborate and unifying CB rites... single-minded, they now pursue mystical sciences in their quest for meaning of life (and the further unification of the tribe).

Still on 90% science.

2750 BC Our second city, Sparta, has been founded on the desert floodplain river delta SSE of Athens (no tile overlap). This coastal city immediately begins to build a temple. Athens, meanwhile, is now working on a granary, helped a bit by our intrepid lumberjack to the south. We also now have our second gem resource connected (the first is under Athens). Most of our little landmass has been illuminated by our exploring warriors; one has sighted a strange village on a peninsula forming the extreme SW coast of our homeland, beyond the Great Desert.

2710 BC Wow, the strange villagers in the far SW turned out to be Thracian nomads, and, get this, they yearn to settle down and build a city and are just looking for a little despotic guidance... What luck for the glory of Greece! They immediately do so where they stand, and build the city of Thermopylae, and waste no time beginning construction on a temple to their adopted Greek gods!

2270 BC Mysticism done; working on Polytheism next (I want to get to Monarchy). The last village on the island gave us gold and dispersed. The worker is almost finished connect Sparta to Athens, having harvested and roaded the forest tile in between.

[vmxa1]

Welcome to the AU sozopol, nice start and well told.

[Panzer32]

DAR#1: 4000BC-2150BC

Panzer32

My first decision is what civilization to pick. I go for spain... mainly because I like their colour...

I'm going for monarch difficulty; toning down a bit from Emperor. I do not win consistenly on Emperor anyways.

Gah! That starting location!! OK, lets not judge it right yet. Move my worker 3 to see what lies across the river. Very nice! Flood plain and shielded grassland. Move settler 3 also. Build city there next turn. Go for early production my mining first; need to get a grainery up soon. Research writing at 10% since it is the most costly tech, and still making 5gpt because of river. As I read the DARs, I note that most people place their capital 9 of where mine is. This was basically an early game mistake on my part; I didn't see that there was the fish and the whale on the coast that I could have gotten. I should have moved my worker 9 instead of 3.

First warrior begins to explore to the south, as it looks like we're on a peninsula. Hugs the east coast. Madrid produces 3 warriors before starting on the granary, helped by a forest chop. Second warrior produced; will hug the west coast. 3450bc, Madrid grows and goody hut spoted to N; second warrior diverted to the north to pop hut and see how far land goes. Hut popped, pottery given. Handy for the granary production I'd say . Third warrior fortifies in Madrid. Northern warrior only sees a straight; will go back south hugging the west coast. Southern warrior pops another hut; maps = alot less exploring needs to be done here .

Worker done chopping in 2900bc; mines grassland right there. By this time I am almost sure I am on an island... good think I went for writing! 2710bc: done grainery; start on settler. Will go 2-3-3 from Madrid for a balence between growth and production. 3rd hut popped; deserted. Island totally explored now; warriors go back N in hopes that barb camps will spring up in the south for some upgrades. Worker roads now mined tile, then goes S and mines another grassland then roads - new city soon connected.

In 2390bc, I worked out my city placement strategy for the island. Black cities are core cities and have tile priority over all other cities. Red cities are simply placed to take advantage of water tiles and will only have trade improvements in them. The top blue city is probably where I'll put my FP if I decide to have it on this island, and the bottom blue city is my lowest priority city; only placed there to work tiles unreachable by black cities. Note that the picture itself is from 2390bc; only starting my second city because of granary build.