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Hut - Barb - Location
Since doing the research on Starting Techs I have been convinced there is much to learn about the nature of hut popping! The interest began with an effort to see if there was any correlation between the description of a civ and the sciences gained from villages. For example: were the militaristic nations more likely to find different scrolls from their more civilised cousins. After several hundred tests no pattern emerged. (All tests were conducted in actual game play and not in cheat mode.)
When time allows I still run some tests - as the subject is crucial to good or poor game starts during the BC years. As this matter is now topical (see samson's threads on Nomads) I can shed some light on the barb aspect of village visiting.
Before the game matures, the early barb outcome is a single guy - not the maximum of eight. It is possible to predict the location of this nuisance. I'm afraid it's another list of years!
There are eight squares surrounding a hut in open country. The red menace will appear as follows:
4000BC - Square to the East
3950BC - South East
3900BC - South
3850BC - South West
3800BC - West
3750BC - North West
3700BC - North
3650BC - North East
3600BC East etc …
The pattern continues in a clockwise manner around the eight compass points, until the game progresses to a point when multiple barbs surround the Hut Square.
Testing has shown that there is a transition period when the barb outcome can be either one or a full hit! Don't attempt to be clever and place a unit on the predicted square, as usually the barb will move one tile around in a clockwise direction. On rare occasions no barb will appear as he is "lost at sea" - usually on isthmus locations.
There are obvious advantages in knowing the location of trouble. However, the more interesting aspect is the discovery of another table of years. Is this pattern used for other parts of the game like Advanced Tribes with Temples and Laundries - or more important things!?
The whole business of hut testing is both maddening and intriguing. I have further hunches that I need to examine in more depth.
Test were conducted in real game situations in 2.42/MP at Deity/Raging Hordes.
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SG(2)
When time allows I still run some tests - as the subject is crucial to good or poor game starts during the BC years. As this matter is now topical (see samson's threads on Nomads) I can shed some light on the barb aspect of village visiting.
Before the game matures, the early barb outcome is a single guy - not the maximum of eight. It is possible to predict the location of this nuisance. I'm afraid it's another list of years!
There are eight squares surrounding a hut in open country. The red menace will appear as follows:
4000BC - Square to the East
3950BC - South East
3900BC - South
3850BC - South West
3800BC - West
3750BC - North West
3700BC - North
3650BC - North East
3600BC East etc …
The pattern continues in a clockwise manner around the eight compass points, until the game progresses to a point when multiple barbs surround the Hut Square.
Testing has shown that there is a transition period when the barb outcome can be either one or a full hit! Don't attempt to be clever and place a unit on the predicted square, as usually the barb will move one tile around in a clockwise direction. On rare occasions no barb will appear as he is "lost at sea" - usually on isthmus locations.
There are obvious advantages in knowing the location of trouble. However, the more interesting aspect is the discovery of another table of years. Is this pattern used for other parts of the game like Advanced Tribes with Temples and Laundries - or more important things!?
The whole business of hut testing is both maddening and intriguing. I have further hunches that I need to examine in more depth.
Test were conducted in real game situations in 2.42/MP at Deity/Raging Hordes.
------------------
SG(2)
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