Scandanavia - For the glory of Odin!

[Goethe80]

Yeah, I'm pretty much able to maintain parity up to around this point in the game (ie. before GL runs out). I have a question, are you still in despotism, or have you shifted to monarchy/republic yet? If you've shifted, when did you shift over?

[UnOrthOdOx]

I haven't yet as no one has any of the advanced gov't yet.

I'll consider my options when they do...

Just keep in mind I wasn't given this name for following convnetional wisdom.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Well, I got the chance to play a very little bit more...

And am heavily considering quitting since victory is already all but assured, and I haven't even got the zerks yet.

Why?

I didn't notice it at first, but those 2 islands I was so intent on settling?

Well, they contain damn near the world supply of Iron as well. I now own 5! sources, and am aware of only one other one so far, and it's owner won't have access to it till...astronomy allows sea trading?

I've mapped everyone, Russia has been destroyed and now Germany/England are at war. Whoever wins that will be NASTY! So, I might play through just for that.

As for govt...

well,

um...

Feudalism.

Currently have 5 boats, 20 archers, and 2K in the bank. 30 turns to invention lest the AI actually research something.

Made mistake of building too many warriors, though. Have 18 warriors...

That's what I get for trying to play through quickly.

[Arrian]

Made mistake of building too many warriors, though. Have 18 warriors...

Meh, homeland defense/mp

-Arrian

[Krill]

18? Is that all?

I usuly have upwards of 25, sometimes 40. And I rarely (read never) do warrior->sword gambit.

[Goethe80]

Ok, so it's official then, there's nothing wrong with playing Scandi's on Emp, it's just that I suck

So, in the spirit of asking for help on the strategy forum, here's a start that I'm about to begin playing.

v1.22
Standard, random map, normal age etc etc.
Everything else is on normal, barbs, AI aggression.

Looking at the start, I see dyes nearby (going to waste lots of time roading it though), and seem to have a decent starting position (coastal, on river, 2 forests nearby to help rush a few early builds, 1 cow and bunch of bonus grassland as well.

A few questions. What would be an 'ideal' initial build order for this starting position (I'm inclined towards warrior, curragh, settler, granary, but I'm not sure about not including a worker before going for the granery). What's the 1st tech you would research (As per my initial build inclination, I'm looking at pottery 1st, but the alternative would be either masonry (for a quick pre-build on GL, or ceremonial burial).

Thanks!

[Goethe80]

Oh, didn't consider the hassle of opening a save just to see a start position, so here's a screen capture.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Yeah, I'm more complaining about 10 of them could have easily been more archers.

There's also a few spears in there I shoulda changed, I SHOULD have roughly 35 archers by now if I'ld been paying attention. As for defense, I typically don't concern myself overly much when isolated on an island until cavs arrive. Even then, I prefer offensive units to strike landing parties, or more boats to sink navies.

[UnOrthOdOx]

As for tech, I would most definately go for writing then philosophy and hope you can trade for pottery before finishing philosophy, then grab mapmaking with the free tech. If you don't get pottery by then, grab the most expensive. (Code of Laws, maybe?)

Build que, well, there are those better than I at such things.

[vmxa1]

I don't see the need to build a curragh so soon. What if that is not open sea, but just a small body of water?

Get some scouting in before going to the curragh. I do not like to make one in my first city at all. I like to get a second or third city to do that job.

I want to find out more about what is near me on the land. waiting a bit before going to sea will not hurt you. I want to prioritize getting camps up.

[Krill]

These are my first 21 turns, but the are not typical. I might have made some mistakes as well.

1) Settler 1, worker road
2) Settler Apolyton, build warrior (5), Growth in 7, research pottery (12)
3)
4) Road complete, worker-> cattle
5) Worker irrigate
6)
7) Warrior built, moves 3. Build worker
8)
9) Irrigation complete, road. Pop 2, cow + forest worked 20% lux
10) worker complete, build settler. Worker -> dyes
11) W(orker) 2 road
12) W1 road complete, mine BG
13)
14)
15) pop 2, BG and Cow worked. +4fpt, +3spt, +7bpt.
16)
17)
18) mine complete, W1 -> BG
19) Settler complete, moves 22. Dyes roaded. Build worker
20) Off Topic founded, build warrior WF forest for 3 turns, then Grass. W2 deforest
21) English contacted.

After Pottery, I researched Writing, aiming for Philo.

And I hope this is dissected, so the regulars can help me.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Why settler 1 first? I haven't opened it, just asking.

I would think that as a seafaring civ being on the coast would be desirable.

[Solomwi]

That was my first thought, too, UnO. I'd lay money that the water we see is open ocean, since the civ is Seafaring, but even if not, it's easy to verify whether or not it's a large enough body to possibly have other civs using it eventually.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Well, even if I were planning a move, it would be settler 2. I have a caveat about having cities with tiles on ocean they'll never be able to utilize.

By moving 2, you would have all land tiles around the capitol, thus non 'wasted' by ocean without the possibility of harbor.

Moving WOULD advantage a slightly better distance corruption to more city sites, so I can see logic in moving, somewhat. In this instance I personally wouldn't, though, unless that is a bonus grass under the city.

Second, now looking at it, why road the first tile too, if it's not going to be used. Would it not be better to get that cow irrigated quicker?

[Goethe80]

Wow, thanks for the speedy response

I've done some preliminary play on this game, but I'm not particularly happy with the way it's turned out, so I'm going to reload the 4000BC file.

Incidentally, that bit of coast does lead out, the continent is U-shaped, and there's nobody north on both sides of the U, so the curragh was pretty much a waste of time (plus it got sunk by some barbarian galley before I could even go on a suicide run across the sea).

I'm not sure about moving my city at all. The seafaring bonus is quite useful for the 1st couple of techs. As for moving the settler 2 to avoid ocean square, my logic against that is that ocean squares in this particular start location won't come into play until after I'm able to grow the city past 12. There are enough squares around it, even with the 2 mountains to the NW.

I'm also not sure about making a beeline for writing - philo straightaway. I figure I can afford to get 1 basic tech 1st (probably pottery) and still make the philo freebie tech.

Also, with the cow and forests around, it's quite possible for the start queue to go warrior, settler without having to wait for growth. I'm undecided over whether or not it's a good idea. The good thing is that I'd double my number of cities faster, the bad thing is that the 30 shields for the settler might be better used elsewhere.