Japan - Feedback

[Barinthus]

Ok folks. Thought I'd see if u guys are willing to help me improve my gameplay.

IIRC it's standard to post opening screenie along with 50 and 100 years correct?

I'm playing Japan on a large map. I like to be surprised so all settings are random.

Warlord's the difficulty level.

Also it has been a while since I played this game so I've forgotten some tips and tricks so bear with me :P

Ok mock away...

[Barinthus]

50 years

[Barinthus]

100 years

[Barinthus]

I plan to settle those islands to south once I get map making.

I figure I can place two maybe three cities on the larger island on the west side.

Any recommendations for placements and your reasons?

[Harovan]

I don't have time for a full analysis (at work), but what strikes in my eye first, is the horrible place you chose for your capital. Here are some tips:

First, if ocean is within the city radius, make the city coastal. You waste food. Ocean gives only one food without a harbor, but you can build harbors only in coastal cities. You have six ocean tiles within the city radius, all of which will produce only one food till end of the game.

And second, never -ever- plonk a city on a cattle resource. That hurts, and bigtime. Even more, it's a crime and the Civ police should throw you in jail for it. ONE cattle is great. TWO cattles are a godsent, one of the best starting constellations you can get. But building the city on the cow you destroy it, it won't give you any benefits anymore.

I would have moved the settler north on the forest (not on the shielded grassland either) and built my city there.

Another remark I have from the first view, you haven't enough cities. Having that little space you have, you are enforced to build more dense. Squeeze as much out of the land you have as you can. If you are not a friend of building with overlap, consider to build camps, i.e. temporary cities without much improvements, which will be disbanded in the industrial age.

Oh, and building the pyramids with only 4 cities on the landmass is somewhat a wastage, too. All you get from is is 4 free granaries, which cost 4x60=240 shields. The pyramids cost way more. Granted, they'd be without upkeep, but still...

[vmxa1]

Yes you want to have that whale in your border and be able to make a harbor. You could then be in a position to get Collossus and Lighouse.

Those would be big for this map. I would have to check to see that I did not make wonders that would trip a GA. I can live with a despotic GA, but not with just a few cities.

I like CxxC, but that tiny space requires a very careful layout to use as many tile as you can and get an extra city up. I would have to think hard about an ICS layout.

You will have you hands full on this map, good luck.

[Modo44]

Settling on the Cow is bad play. Making an expensive wonder with little use is bad play. Placing cities too wide using the small space is bad play. You have way too few Workers. Other than that, you seem ok.

I think 6 cities would fit easily, perhaps more depending on the pattern. Can you post the 4000 BC save, so we can toy around with it?

[Mace]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
I would have moved the settler north on the forest (not on the shielded grassland either) and built my city there.

Why not settle on the shielded coastal grassland?

Settling on the forest on the tip of the landmass, I would do that if I was seafaring but less likely if I was Japan.

I would want my capital to have some land tiles so it has some production.

Just curious why not settle on the shielded coastal grassland.

[Mace]

Originally posted by Barinthus
I plan to settle those islands to south once I get map making.

I figure I can place two maybe three cities on the larger island on the west side.

Any recommendations for placements and your reasons?

Since you already have Iron, you can go ahead and settle around the horses first. Otherwise, I would want to settle the Iron island first, Iron is so very important--I may do that anyway just to secure a 2nd source.

At Warlord though, you probably don't have to worry about the AI getting those nearby islands before you, so it doesn't matter which one you settle first.

I would avoid settling within 1 tile of the volcano, just 'cause I'm paranoid.

As was said by others, don't found a city on the cows.

The big island there is nice, horses, two cows, sugar. mmm. You're also lucky to have two Irons nearby.

On this map, I'd go for Philosophy first and get Map Making as my free tech.

[Kloreep]

Originally posted by Mace
Why not settle on the shielded coastal grassland?

If you settle on a bonus grass, you don't get the extra shield until A) the city is at size 7+ and B) you are out of despotism. That's quite a long while to effectively not have that bonus shield available.

[vmxa1]

I think it may matter about which one you settle first as rank corruption will be impacted. True I tend to not think about that all that much, but......

[joncnunn]

founding shot

Founding your capital directly on a cow tile
I've have moved it 8 and founded there.

50 year screen shot:
Yet more bad news about the chosen starting location.

My city spots on the starting island would have been:
Capital: 8 starting location on forest
First settler: 3-6-6 from capital on Tobaco next to fish
Second settler: 2-2-1 from capital on Jungle that takes in the moutains.
Third settler: 2-2-2 That tobaco city on hills and coastal

[justjake73]

I personally would not play on a map setting like this...there's no fresh water!

[Mace]

Originally posted by Kloreep

If you settle on a bonus grass, you don't get the extra shield until A) the city is at size 7+ and B) you are out of despotism. That's quite a long while to effectively not have that bonus shield available.

This is true, but I don't know...that kind of start always bothers me. I know the value of an early extra shield but it's hard for me to justify it given Japan...
Seafaring civ, I would start up there without a doubt...

Well I edited this post, because the more I look at it the more I agree with you and jocunn. With such a small land area you would really have to take in a lot of sea tiles on your cities anyway, in order to make max use of the land tiles.

Founding 3-3 from the bananas would take in all the mountains too. If you settled on the shielded grass that would make that spacing a problem.

[Barinthus]

thanks guys for your advice and even scoldings

Normally I don't believe in restarting on a map but for my learning benefit I will replay this map.

joncnunn - I'm not sure if I understood you - 3-6-6? 2... ohh numpad got it.

You suggested first settler to settle on a tobacco tile - wouldn't that cause me to lose its benefits like others scolded me re: founding my first city on cattle? I'll need to go back to the game and review terrain value of tobacco and cattle to see what's the difference there.