Early Landing Comparison Game #3

[solo]

Yes, Marco Polo's is quite a bargain!

If we're willing to invest twice as much later in the game to get less than half as much by building Darwin's, MPE seems like an obvious choice now in EL games.

[Elephant]

The beginning of the game is the most crucial phase: every decision has major impact on the later stages. When Railroad rolls around (little pun there) we are usually sitting pretty (if not: RESTART) and have caravans or gold to spare. Darwins is a useful way to try to bridge the Railroad-Corporation gap, but I would say it is not a definite-build. There are far more benefits to MPE than just four or five techs: early maps for deciding/improving on trade routes, instant embassies for intel and KeyCiv gifting (ELCG1 was so weird, running into the Mongols before 3000BC!), and "tech slave" manipulations of AI research. I usually get it built around 1000BC, but I am often "reaping the benefit" well into AD years, for such techs as Chivalry and Railroad. To me it is the first must-build.

[Zenon]

Solo, SG (2),

thank´s for the comments on my large map game. Solo, it seems indeed, that your early tech experiments gave us a nice advance. I have seen that you lost the Greeks to the Barbarians, too, so there was only one direction to go for trade. The trade routes you build up in the end are quite impressive and must have given huge returns.
Building the Lighthouse could have given a better result if I had not - quite unintended - delayed city growth. In fact, it seems I was behind your game, SG (2), until automobile. As usual you beat be on the way to Monarchy (on both maps). BTW, in between my projection for the landing date was 1455 (launched 1440) versus your 1456. May be you should add just a few gallons of fuel?

Cliff,

a very impressive game on the medium map. I am convinced this approach would have won the large map.

Zenon

[solo]

Zenon,

If I only could have got those long range trade routes in place a little sooner...

I had more gold than I knew what to do with at the end.

I was also quite impressed by what Cliff managed to do, since many have tried this before (with huts too), and have not managed to do as well on a medium map.

SG(2) has already shown how well many cities work in large map games. If a few try this in ELG #4, I will go the minimal approach so we can see how the two methods compare.

In #4 I'm giving early Monarchy a try, to compare how it works vs. Republic first.

[Bloody Monk]

Dear Friends,

This is painful for me. I have been struggling with poor health for some time but the bottom fell out around the 9th of April. I have been in and, mostly, out of consciousness since and failing vision makes game play too difficult for the forseeable future.

I want to take this opportunity to say goodbye--hopefully, only temporarily--to all my Poly friends. It has been a very great pleasure for me to share thoughts and challenges and time with this extraordinary group. I am pleased that many new folk have taken up the ELG style of play and will miss sharing these experiences with youse guys.

May you all be blessed with many new discoveries and great, heroic deeds with this great and unique game...and, thanks for the memories.

Monk

[La Fayette]

Goodbye, Monk
You have shown us so much energy and dedication in dealing with problems that I am convinced you are going to win that fight against poor health very soon.

[rjmatsleepers]

Originally posted by La Fayette
Goodbye, Monk
You have shown us so much energy and dedication in dealing with problems that I am convinced you are going to win that fight against poor health very soon.

Not goodbye but au revoir.

All of us wish you the best and hope you'll be back here soon.

RJM at Sleepers

[Scouse Gits]

Monk - very sorry to learn about your problems. If you can ... stick around Poly ... even if you can't play.

-----------------------

SG(2)

[Zenon]

Monk,

so sorry to hear about this. My best wishes for a soon recovery - and stay around if you can.

Zenon

[DrSpike]

Good luck Monk.

[solo]

My worst fears have been confirmed by this sad news. It's been a privilege to have associated with a player with so much skill and class. In the meantime let's hope that things change for the better sometime soon and that you'll be able to return. Best of luck, Monk.

[Grigor]

Sad news, Monk. Your speedy ascent of the EL learning curve has been beautiful to watch. Best of luck.

[Ben Kenobi]

Au revoir, Bloody Monk. I hope that you will get better soon. I've greatly appreciated your play on our Succession games.

God bless.

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Monk,

I'm very sorry to hear about your condition. I share the feeling that this is a temporary setback for you - and that we'll have the benefit of your insights again, when you're well enough to return.

All the best - and whatever it is, you'll beat it.

[-Jrabbit]

Hang in there, Bloody Monk.

It's with a heavy heart that I read your post. It's been a pleasure and a privilege to share the Poly experience with you.

My thoughts are with you, friend.