AU 100-A DAR 5: The Renaissance Era

[Arrian]

First screenie - the core of my empire, 1400 AD:

[Arrian]

Next, the northwest. Vandal, btw, is one of the two barb cities I took over. I totally poached it from the Mongols - they knocked it down to 1 archer defender and while their Keshik was healing, I took it down. Got a worker too.

[Arrian]

And finally, the south:



The southwest tip w/whale access gets settled shortly after this, IIRC.

Hazappan is the other barb city I took in the game. I nailed it with 3 chariots vs. 2 archer defenders. I lost one chariot in the attack, but gained a city & access to furs. Works for me.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
In 1615 I get a missionary into the last English city that 'needed' it. Next turn Bismark completes the Taj Mahal and starts a GA. Question here - is the Taj Mahal worth it? I'll look at that later.

Cort - I think it is. It's not a particularly large build, and grants you a Golden Age w/o the need to use GP for it. Given that Golden Ages are weaker in CIV than CivIII (8 turns only, and I think the boost to tile yields is less of a boost, considering what individual tiles can now yield), I think that GA is worth it via:

Taj
2x GP

...

3x GP is a maybe. I've done it, in this game even, but I'm not sure that was the right play. Anything more is a waste of GP.

-Arrian

[Cort Haus]

The GA is doubly weaker than in Civ 3, because not only is it short, but there is a substantial opportunity cost to starting it, rather than getting it piggybacked on another benefit as in Civ 3. This cost is so high that there's probably no such thing as an early GA in Civ 4, where it was feasible (if not optimal) in Civ 3.

As our games had similarities to this point, Arrian, and we had a GA at a similar time, it would be interesting to know what yours yielded in hammers and beakers. Had I got mine from the Taj I would have made ~140 hammers profit plus ~800 beakers. That's less than two musketmen plus half a contemporary tech from a reasonably developed, 10+ city civ. Peanuts, in Civ 3 terms.

I got a Prophet in my capital and decided to make a Great Artist in my pure (wonderless) specialist city for a GA, but I'm not convinced that it was the best use of the GPs. At mid game, making super-specialists may have been better long-term.

Perhaps there is an optimum tile improvement balance for a good GA - like the mined non-bonus grassland in Civ 3.

[Arrian]

Cort - I didn't bother to try and calculate the value of my GA's in this game. I triggered 3 total:

One shortly before the Taj (1210 AD), using 2 GP (prophet/scientist?), the Taj one (1460 AD), and then a later one (I dunno the date... early industrial?) via 3 GPs (Prophet who was by that point largely useless* otherwise, Artist, Scientist). I had lots of GS's, 3 of which I used on academies and 3-4 of which I used for research boosts on techs. I had, IIRC, one GM who I sent off and got 1700 gold for some needed unit upgrades. I used one great artist as a culture bomb (which basically just meant I was able to maintain a border - the one between Atlanta and the Spanish ivory city [barcelona, I think]). I got 1 GE who I used to help rush the Statue of Liberty (no Bronze at the time, and that thing is BIG w/o Bronze).

The thing about GAs, and we've both said but not fully explained, is that since they only add +1 (hammer or commerce) to tiles they're worth much less than in CivIII, because in CivIII it was common to get that +1 on tiles that only produced 1 or 2 (maybe 3) in the first place... so it was a big % boost. In CIV, however, tiles generally produce more so the % boost isn't all that large.

I have yet to settle GP in cities. Seems to me you must do this early to get enough out of it, but I always feel like there are better uses... GS's for Academies, Merchants for the insta-cash, Engineers for wonder-rushing, prophets for my religious shrine and then as GA trigger...

-Arrian

[Arrian]

Cort - given that I have my 1400 AD save, I can measure the effects if I bother. My GA (second of the game) started 6 turns later. I could replay those 6 turns, noting my production and commerce prior to the GA and then during it...

I think the Taj is clearly worthwhile b/c you don't need to use up any GP, it's really not that big a wonder, and finally you deny a GA to another civ (whereas with GP-fueled GA's, there is no denial value).

-Arrian

[Arrian]

One more thought...

It may be that the relative value of a GA varies based on Civ traits as well. The boost to commerce might be more significant to a non-financial civ.

As for which tile is the best... grassland forest, Cort. 2f, 1h base. You and I both went out of our way to preserve nearly all our forests, so I suspect we did pretty well production-wise in our GA...

-Arrian

[Cort Haus]

Re: Emperor: 760 - 1320 AD (astronomy)

Originally posted by Fireb
Note to the readers It would be nice to have some feedback. Is the DAR too long? Too dry? Is more pics better? What would make it better? What do you think of the strategies employed? Did you find anything particularly interesting? Anything else?

Your DARs rock, Fireb!

Keep 'em coming - and a great game btw, you really turned it around.

Maybe add links to the other segments, and perhaps the build and research order for the game start in the first segment. It's always good to quickly see these opening queues.

[Arrian]

You guys blow my DARs away. I really wish there was an in-game notepad. Alt-tabbing to record my thoughts really breaks up the flow for me. So does writing them down by hand. Thus the gaps in my notes.

-Arrian

[Soren Johnson]

Originally posted by Arrian
You guys blow my DARs away. I really wish there was an in-game notepad. Alt-tabbing to record my thoughts really breaks up the flow for me. So does writing them down by hand. Thus the gaps in my notes.

-Arrian

isn't the chat log saved? what happens if you just chat to yourself in sp...

[Arrian]

That never would have occurred to me, Soren. Worth a shot!

Good to see you in the AU forum, btw.

-Arrian

[Fosse]

RENAISANCE
1260
Astronomy puts me ahead. The war with MOngolia is going well. I razed their smallest city, and the one north of Atlanta is under seige and will fall in a turn or two. Saladin took Beshbik, so that's good to know.

I saw Isabella sneaking a galley through my waters to the SW penninsula... you know, the crappiest piece of land on the continent. I don't KNOW she was heading there... and Open Borders were giving us +2... but I cancelled it. I'll drop a city by the whales or crabs, then reopen when the terrain is claimed. It would have cost her a fortune in distance maintenance anyhow. It pushes us back to cautious, but I'm not too concerned about it. I'm giving her two resources, and we've been pals for a while.

New Sarai falls and I trade my remaining fur to England for Fish.
A=

Session III
1260 AD

Peace with MOngolia. War would gain me nothing at this point without spending more than I want to. It's back to mostly peace building, with New York still cranking out the units.

1300 AD
The discovery of Philosophy prompts me to switch to Beuracracy and Pacifism. I'm loading up the new ship Philadelphia with 1 spear, 1 worker, 1 settler to make the first American colony overseas in the resource rich islands to the SE.

1330 AD
With the discovery of Paper I can trade maps to Egypt. The new trade routes I see bring me from -8 GPT to -3. That's pretty substantial, but not as much as I hpoed for . I'm only running 60% science at the moment.

1400 AD

Heron born in New York. I decide to use this engineer to rush the Forbidden Palace in the Island I've dubbed New America. It seems like a neat idea.

1450
Discover Banking. Time to bring the other part of Financial into play. banks are queued across America.

1505
My first Banks shoot profits up. With building over the last 55 years I've increased income to 22 per turn... i don't increase science yet though. Foudning another city in New America brings that down to +12! If I hadn't founded the three New American cities my profits would surely be up there. They won't be paying for themselves any time soon... we'll see what happens when the FP is rushed there in a few turns.

1545
I discover Economics, and it's time to switch to Free Market and Universal Suffrage. I'm now bringing in 53 GPT, and will get my next tech in four turns. I am a few turns away from finishing the Courthouse in New America that will allow my rushed FP. I get the free Great Merchant... i wonder if it will actually get me more Gold to send him to England? Egypt seems to have all of my good trade routes. I usually send Great merchants to the best trade route of my highest commerce city. I don't know that that will always be the best result, but it seems reasonable.

1550 AD

Anarchy over. I'm now making 74 GPT at 60%! Time to kick up that science rate again! My merchant begins the hike to northern Egypt, where all the best trade cities seem to be, judging from Washington's city screen. I'll move him around and find the best deal.

[joncnunn]

Wow, 12.5% of your GA forfieted.

Not to mention that Democracy is right around the corner.

Originally posted by Arrian
1500 – Liberalism discovered, take Constitution for free, switch over to Representation (anarchy) – DOH! During my GA!! Idiot!

[joncnunn]

Jon's Dar AU 101 : Noble. Version 1.09

Dar V The Renance Era

Part 1 Prelude to war: 1130 AD to 1525 AD

1140 AD Gold near Los Angeles connected. Unhappiness problem in Washington eliminated.

1150 AD Colosus completes in New York. The boundaries of Chicago expand. The Egyptains establish a very questionable town at the extreme southwest corner of the landmass. (Why not establish the town two tiles north to take in the pigs and whales?)

1160 AD Borders of Seatle have expanded. Wheat farm near Philadelphia irrigated; ends the slow starvation of the town with 5 food remaining.

1190 AD The Great Libary built in a far away land. Egypt makes peace with the Mongols

1210 AD Beat the world to Liberalism and choose Nationalism as the free tech [most expensive one adviable] Start reseraching the Guilds.
Start a revolution for Free Speach + Free Religion.

1230 AD The Arabs call me up asking for Philosphacy in exchange for Theology + 20 gold. I counter with the much cheaper Paper tech, they accept.
Start construction of a Jewish missonary in Philadelphia to take advantage of Free Religion civic. Plus I'm really wanting to build Knights instead of the current choices.

1240 AD The American empire now contains 5 million souls. Isabella completes the Kasi Vishwana

1250 AD Complete the Globe in Washington.

1260 AD Resell Theology to the Egyptans for the Compass, 20 gold, and an update of their world map. Harbors added to the queues of most coastal cities. An explorer ordered constructed.

1270 AD A Great Scientist is born in Seattle. A free tech of the Printing Press is to good to pass up. Wow, 9 gold produced in the flood plain towns

Iron near San Franciso hooked up to the trade network

1280 AD Use Jewish Missionary to spread Judism to Chicago. Success

1300 AD Start reseraching Economics for the free Great Merchant and Free Trade civic.

1310 AD The borders of Philadephia have expanded

1330 AD Islam founded in a distant land. Wine near Los Angles connected

1340 AD Beat the world to Economics and receive a Great Merchant. A Great Scientist is also born in Washington.
Send the Great Merchant to Berlin. Send the Great Scientist to New York and build an academy. Start a revolution to implement Free Market.
Reseraching Constitution next.

1370 AD Explorer traveling thru Germany discover the Islamic holy city.

1390 AD Trade mission established in Berlin, yielding 1300 gold. This money is spent massively upgrading my army. (Archers to Longbows, Swords to Maces, Horse Archers to Knights)

1410 AD Theolos releases his greatest work. We're #1 in culture! The Mongols declare war on Egypt.

1420 AD Trade Paper to Egypt for Optics + World Map. Add Carvels to the queues of two coastal cities [on opposite coasts]

1430 AD Egyptian Caravel off the coast and they make contact. Agree to peace and open borders. Discover they don't have Monothism, and feel compelled to give someone that far behind it.
Mongols capture Servile.
Start researching Democracy
Iron near Los Angeles connected

1440 AD Chicago starts construction of the Forbiden Palace. Science increased to 90%

1450 AD Chicago's borders expand. Arabs complete construction of the Notre Dame

1460 AD Spainish cancel open borders agreement.

1490 AD Buy Enginnering from the Arabs for Philosphacy & 60 gold

1500 AD Discover Democracy and declare a revolution for Universal Sufferage + Emmancipation. Start reseraching Corporation
Use a Jewish Missonary to spread Judism to Boston

1510 AD San Francisco's borders expand

1515 AD Start construciton of the Hermitage in New York. The Arabs declare war on the Mongols.
Trade Guilds for Divine Right with Egypt

1525 AD Start reseraching Replacable Parts