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My replay on the map samson used for his epic 76 AD landing had an arrival of 336 AD, and since I have a log typed and ready, I will post it here for those interested in more details of pre-500 AD landing games. For the most part, my style and strategy mimics that of samson, though he will claim I was “overbuilding” with Shakespeare’s Theater. However, I did manage five turns where I got two advances, without having to rehome caravans or freights. Even if rehoming had been used in this game, I do not think it would have saved me more than about 5 to 7 turns. A detailed log of the game follows:
Deity, 2.42, raging hordes, 7 civs, small map with Alphabet, Code of Laws and Ceremonial Burial as starting techs. This was a replay using this start, with an arrival of 336 AD.
BC years
4000 hut: archer
3900 Washington, hut: advanced tribe, New York
Washington had a wheat, a buffalo and a wine as specials, and New York had a pheasant and silk. Without specials, both locations did not have much to offer. My other starting settler made a beeline for the SSC site.
3750 hut: chariot
3700 hut: horseman
3650 Monarchy, W: warrior
3600 Boston, hut: nomads, hut: 50g
Boston was the SSC, and the site is the best I’ve seen on a random map! I preferred it to the alternative site, because it was on the coast and had fewer hills. Eventually it reached size 20, without requiring too much in the way of development.
3500 hut: barbarians
3450 Writing, W: warrior
3400 Philadelphia, hut: horseman
Philadelphia was located on a coastline and had a wheat, fish and silk as specials.
3350 hut: advanced tribe, Atlanta
Atlanta was on rivered grassland in the middle of the desert with two oil specials. Normally, not too desirable a site, but it had enough grass to grow quickly to size 3 and the oil made it a great caravans producer.
3300 Zulus: peace, give tech; NY: settlers; Literacy; hut: nomads
3250 Russians: peace, give tech
3200 BOS: temple; P: warrior; hut: Mysticism
3100 Chicago, A: warrior, hut: barbarians
Chicago was founded with the settler from New York and had one silk and was near rivered grassland and had a few forests, too. A very good helper location. A Zulu settler from nearby Zimbabwe was kind enough to irrigate one of its squares later on!
3050 Republic, San Francisco,
Vikings: peace, trade for Map Making and Bronze Working, share maps
Mongols(key civ): peace, give tech, Z: give tech
San Francisco was on a hill, and had wheat, buffalo and gold specials, along with nearby rivered grassland.
3000 W: settlers, hut: 50g, hut: chariot
A settler was needed to develop Boston, the SSC, but producing it left Washington at size 2 with no food to grow to size 3. SSC development took precedence over irrigation for Washington. Washington could have been better placed, but this would have delayed Monarchy.
2900 Currency, W: temple, SF: warrior, R: trade for Masonry
2850 Spanish: peace, alliance, give tech, share maps; hut: math
2700 Trade, hut: 50
2600 BOS: S3, we love begins
2550 BOS: S4
2500 NY: food, BOS: S5, hut: elephant
2450 C: food, A: food, BOS: S6
2400 S: at war with Russians, we love ends, Astronomy
2350 P: trireme, hut: barbarians
Philadelphia is the only coastal city besides Boston, so I use it to build a trireme for early exploration by sea, while the SSC, Boston, builds a library for science. When Democracy came later on, the trireme shifted support to Boston when Shakespeare’s Theater could be used to keep the rowers happy.
2200 Construction, barbarian leader, 150g, M: give tech
2150 A: temple, P: temple, BOS: library, hut: 25g
2050 hut: barbarians, hut: chariot
2000 SF: food, C: temple, Philosophy, Medicine, NY: temple
1950 hut: 50g
1900 W: food, Carthaginians: peace, give tech, share maps
The Carthaginians were on a separate island and became the best trading partner during the game.
1850 V: brag about Banking, P: phalanx
Philadelphia was close to the Russians, who are nastier than the average AI, so I defend it a little better. For some reason, the AI enjoyed bragging about techs they found first during this game, which was very useful information.
1800 hut: University, V: trade for (as you might have guessed!) Banking
C: trade for Wheel, S: give tech, 50g gift
1750 BOS: dye, M: give tech, SF: temple, A: food, Theory of Gravity
1700 hut: 100g
1650 dye(d) to Zimbabwe, 68g, hut: 50g
The first of 3 trade routes to Zimbabwe, which is only 3 squares away from Boston, the SSC, and a perfect candidate for a connecting road and railroad for that added continuing trade bonus. Once two more routes are established, Boston can trade freely with other cities for bigger payoffs.
1600 BOS: food, barbarian leader, 150g
1550 Copernicus’s Observatory, NY: food, R: tech
Now with Copernicus in place I decide to speed to Democracy and Shakespeare’s Theater, with the plan of growing the SSC as quickly as possible. More scientific improvements are deferred a bit, but they are easier to add on when the city is bigger and producing more income and trade.
1450 C: food, hut: advanced tribe, Buffalo
Buffalo was the 8th and last city and was located on the small island just east of Carthage. It had mostly grassland, a forest, and only one whale as a special. As so often happens with advanced tribes, it just missed having a game special and another whale, too! There was not enough time to move it to take advantage of the other specials, but it is just fine the way it was. Buffalo was very well located. The cargos it produced got good payoffs when traded to the SSC and it was a good place to store caravans and freights shipped towards Carthage. Many undemanded cargos were left in Buffalo and used to make spaceship parts later in the game. In retrospect, it might have been an excellent idea to add one or two more cities to this island, but perhaps there was not enough time to take full advantage of such a plan.
1400 Engineering
1350 W: food
1300 hut: 50g
1250 BOS: gold
1200 A: food, Invention, NY: food
1150 gold to Zimbabwe, 18g, hut: nomads
1100 SF: food, C: food
1000 P: food, barbarian leader, 150g
975 BUF: temple, BOS: hides
950 Zulus: trade for Pottery
925 Democracy, revolution, Monarchy,
R: 75g, V: 150g, M: tech, 200g, S: tech, 25g,
hides to Zimbabwe, 17g, revolution, Democracy
900 BOS: Shakespeare’s Theater, we love begins
Now the SSC can really grow. A lot of money came in from tribute, which will help to finance improvements, and that third trade route to Zimbabwe has been established. Things really take off from here.
875 A: food, P: disorder, NY: food, BOS: S7
That trireme caused the turn of disorder in Philadelphia. It dawdled just one turn too long getting to Boston, where I wanted to change its support.
850 BOS: aqueduct, supports trireme, P: happier, W: food, Z: trade for Seafaring
825 BOS: S9
800 C: food, BOS: harbor, S10, Chemistry
The harbor brought in a lot of extra trade arrows and made further growth of the SSC effortless. I believe a much better game would have resulted if I had built it even earlier. Each ocean worker is equivalent to a roaded grass or plains worker with superhighways, long before that improvement is available.
775 SF: food, BOS: S11
750 BOS: S12
725 Z: war with Russians? No thanks!, BOS: hides
700 A: food, BOS: Colossus, Navigation, M: tech,
road between Boston and Zimbabwe completed,
S: trade for Warrior Code, 50g, Z: give tech
With the Colossus and that completed road, trade has just jumped from 67 to 96 arrows and advances are coming every 2 turns at only 80% science. The Spanish are so relieved, too! After trying all game to trade Warrior Code, I finally relent!
675 BUF: silk, NY: food
650 P: food, Sanitation
625 S: war with Russians? No thanks!, alliance cancelled!
Z: brag about having Iron Working, hides(d) to Carthage, 367g
All the AI hate those Russians, it seems. Vigorous trade begins early and that timely delivery makes that needed sewer quite affordable.
600 Physics, C: food, BOS: sewer system, we love resumes, W: food, barbarian leader, 150g
Barbarians invaded this game quite frequently at the alternative (and unoccupied) SSC site, which netted 150g needed now to help build a university.
575 BOS: S13, M: give tech
550 A: wine, BOS: university, Economics, Z: trade for Iron Working, BOS: S14
525 SF: copper, BOS: S15
500 Steam Engine, BOS: S16, C: give tech
475 NY: hides, BOS: S17, V: give tech
450 BOS: hides, Bridge Building
425 BUFF: dye, BOS: Sir Isaac Newton’s University, we love ends at size 18
With a university and Sir Isaac’s, an advance per turn is now guaranteed at only 80% science. This is still without a railroad connection or superhighways, which attests to how desirable the available SSC sites were in this game and to how much easier it is to learn quickly on small maps. Now it’s just a matter of how many turns of 2 advances each can be achieved with the help of trade.
400 C: wine, A: salt, Magnetism
375 P: silver, BOS: hides, Railroad, silk(d) to Boston, 284g
The silk came from the island city of Buffalo, and the payoff was quite good. A few more cities on that island might have helped produce one or two more chances for two advances per turn and would have added more gold to the rocket savings account. Trade starts in earnest, as all cities are now making commodities instead of food and more ships are being built to speed them to Carthage. Meanwhile, while waiting for Railroad, settlers developing Boston had been “mining” the hill and mountain along the Boston-Zimbabwe road, so as to be “charged up” for building the railroad, which can commence next turn.
350 Industrialization, BOS: galleon, M: give tech
325 SF: gems, Gunpowder
300 Explosives, NY: coal
275 BUFF: engineers, BOS: transport, C: engineers, Corporation
Chicago’s engineer will help speed up that railroad and Buffalo’s will be brought to Boston, to develop the island section of the SSC. Corporation now means freights for bigger trade payoffs.
250 P: gems, Metallurgy, W: wine
225 Refining
200 A: cloth, Electricity, railroad completed, M: tech, 2 x hides(d) to Utica, 1020g,
S: trade for Horseback Riding
The first two of several occurrences of 2 advances per turn comes in 175 and 150 BC. Several more followed in this game, happening whenever a group of freights was able to reach Carthaginian cities.
175 Combustion, BOS: wine, Steel, Z: give tech, hides(d) to Utica, 510g,
hides(d) to Utica, 147g, wine(d) to Utica, 180g, wine(d) to Utica, 107g
150 Automobile, Mass Production, copper(d) to Carthage, 104g
125 BUF: spice, SF: coal, C: dye, A: oil, P: cloth, BOS: superhighways, Conscription,
NY: hides, W: copper, V,M: give tech, C: give tech, share maps
S: trade for Feudalism, new alliance
This time I give my trading partner, the Carthaginians, all of my technology, since I want them demanding the goods such as oil and coal that I am starting to produce. I also share maps again to see if they have added any more cities. Nope.
With superhighways, trade reached 188 arrows and beakers at 100% science were 1128, a bit more than the 950 needed for the next advance. In a medium map game, beakers needed now would be very close to 1128.
100 Electronics, R: give tech, barbarians appear next to Washington
75 BOS: oil, Chivalry, W: diplomat
Now barbarians attacked Washington knocking it down to one citizen. I need a diplomat to bribe a barbarian crusader or it’s curtains for my capital city.
50 Leadership, dye to Boston, 172g
Even goods not in demand delivered from island Buffalo to Boston are paying well! Next time, it’s more offshore cities for better internal overseas (seems a contradiction, but this is what it is!) trade.
25 BOS: marketplace, Tactics, barbarian leader, 150g, spice to Boston, 258g
At least a barb leader falls for almost knocking off my capital! Boston can only make food, so I decide to rush the economic improvements to improve tax revenues, beyond the current 30 gold per turn.
AD years
1 BUFF: transport, SF: cloth, C: copper, P: coal, Atomic Theory, M: give tech
20 BOS: bank, Machine Tools, NY: hides
40 A: food, Miniaturization, W: coal, Z,R,S: give tech
60 BOS: stock exchange, Nuclear Fission,
wine(d) to Carthage, 773g, coal(d) to Utica, 270g, gems(d) to Utica, 300g
Now Boston is making 100 gold per turn. Trade to Carthage has also boosted Boston’s arrows to 234 and each route is now earning 40 arrows each per turn. One turn advances still come easily at 80% science, but it’s time for another set of 2 per turn.
80 BUFF: beads, Nuclear Power, SF: food, C: hides, P: food, Computers, NY: copper, W: food,
oil(d) to Carthage, 760g, coal(d) to Carthage, 147g, coal(d) to Utica, 270g
100 Laser, BOS: research lab, Flight
I deliberately researched the nuclear path first to delay the discovery of Flight. Otherwise payoffs would have been reduced enough to prevent 2 advances per turn.
120 BOS: we love resumes, Radio, C: trade for Polytheism,
Other AI: give tech, 50g gift from Spanish
The Polytheism trade clears the tech tree, to make Advanced available after Radio. Now that Boston’s island forest is a roaded plain, Boston to grow a little more, for more income.
140 BOS: wine, S19, Advanced Flight, S: give tech
160 V: begin Darwin’s Voyage, BUFF: food, SF: food, C: hides, A: food, P: food, Rocketry, NY: gold, W: food
180 BOS: diplomat, S20, Space Flight, M: give tech,
wine(d) to Carthage, 848g, wine(d) to Carthage, 117g,
copper(d) to Utica, 160g, copper(d) to Utica, 174g
The last trading turn with the Carthaginians nets the fifth and final turn with 2 advances. At size 20, Boston’s science peaked at over 1500 beakers. Trade arrows had dipped a bit due to the loss of Colossus.
200 S: at war vs. the Russians (who else?), BUFF: food, Plastics, SF: cloth, C: hides, P: cloth,
BOS: Apollo Program, Refrigeration, NY: copper, W: food
In spite of excellent trade and a fully developed SSC, it was still a struggle to launch a minimum ship by 300 AD. When science moves so fast, there’s hardly any time for profitable trade. Maybe a more effective way can be found to boost the economy in early landing games, because Space Flight was achievable in this game several turns ago, by deferring research along the nuclear path. At this time the treasury has 503 gold and 22 freights are available for spacecraft parts. When Fusion Power is discovered, taxes will be able to net 500 gold per turn, but that is a few turns away. I wanted to launch in 3 turns, but it took 5.
220 BUF: S#1, SF: food, C: S#2, A: food, P: S#3, BOS: food, Superconductor, NY: food, W: S#4
240 BUF: M#1, SF: C#1, C: food, A: S#5, P: S#6, BOS: food, W: S#7
260 BUF: S#8, C: food, BOS: food, NY: C#2, W: S#9
280 R: Wants peace! Ok, but I didn’t know we were at war!,
BUF: S#10, C: food, A: S#11, BOS: M#2, Fusion Power
300 BUF: S#12, SF: S#13, P: S#14, BOS: M#3, NY: S#15, 15-1-1-1-1-1 launch
Nothing left except a diplomat in Boston and another in Washington. Even most helper temples had to be auctioned off to get the ship ready.
336 Arrival on Alpha Centauri
Deity, 2.42, raging hordes, 7 civs, small map with Alphabet, Code of Laws and Ceremonial Burial as starting techs. This was a replay using this start, with an arrival of 336 AD.
BC years
4000 hut: archer
3900 Washington, hut: advanced tribe, New York
Washington had a wheat, a buffalo and a wine as specials, and New York had a pheasant and silk. Without specials, both locations did not have much to offer. My other starting settler made a beeline for the SSC site.
3750 hut: chariot
3700 hut: horseman
3650 Monarchy, W: warrior
3600 Boston, hut: nomads, hut: 50g
Boston was the SSC, and the site is the best I’ve seen on a random map! I preferred it to the alternative site, because it was on the coast and had fewer hills. Eventually it reached size 20, without requiring too much in the way of development.
3500 hut: barbarians
3450 Writing, W: warrior
3400 Philadelphia, hut: horseman
Philadelphia was located on a coastline and had a wheat, fish and silk as specials.
3350 hut: advanced tribe, Atlanta
Atlanta was on rivered grassland in the middle of the desert with two oil specials. Normally, not too desirable a site, but it had enough grass to grow quickly to size 3 and the oil made it a great caravans producer.
3300 Zulus: peace, give tech; NY: settlers; Literacy; hut: nomads
3250 Russians: peace, give tech
3200 BOS: temple; P: warrior; hut: Mysticism
3100 Chicago, A: warrior, hut: barbarians
Chicago was founded with the settler from New York and had one silk and was near rivered grassland and had a few forests, too. A very good helper location. A Zulu settler from nearby Zimbabwe was kind enough to irrigate one of its squares later on!
3050 Republic, San Francisco,
Vikings: peace, trade for Map Making and Bronze Working, share maps
Mongols(key civ): peace, give tech, Z: give tech
San Francisco was on a hill, and had wheat, buffalo and gold specials, along with nearby rivered grassland.
3000 W: settlers, hut: 50g, hut: chariot
A settler was needed to develop Boston, the SSC, but producing it left Washington at size 2 with no food to grow to size 3. SSC development took precedence over irrigation for Washington. Washington could have been better placed, but this would have delayed Monarchy.
2900 Currency, W: temple, SF: warrior, R: trade for Masonry
2850 Spanish: peace, alliance, give tech, share maps; hut: math
2700 Trade, hut: 50
2600 BOS: S3, we love begins
2550 BOS: S4
2500 NY: food, BOS: S5, hut: elephant
2450 C: food, A: food, BOS: S6
2400 S: at war with Russians, we love ends, Astronomy
2350 P: trireme, hut: barbarians
Philadelphia is the only coastal city besides Boston, so I use it to build a trireme for early exploration by sea, while the SSC, Boston, builds a library for science. When Democracy came later on, the trireme shifted support to Boston when Shakespeare’s Theater could be used to keep the rowers happy.
2200 Construction, barbarian leader, 150g, M: give tech
2150 A: temple, P: temple, BOS: library, hut: 25g
2050 hut: barbarians, hut: chariot
2000 SF: food, C: temple, Philosophy, Medicine, NY: temple
1950 hut: 50g
1900 W: food, Carthaginians: peace, give tech, share maps
The Carthaginians were on a separate island and became the best trading partner during the game.
1850 V: brag about Banking, P: phalanx
Philadelphia was close to the Russians, who are nastier than the average AI, so I defend it a little better. For some reason, the AI enjoyed bragging about techs they found first during this game, which was very useful information.
1800 hut: University, V: trade for (as you might have guessed!) Banking
C: trade for Wheel, S: give tech, 50g gift
1750 BOS: dye, M: give tech, SF: temple, A: food, Theory of Gravity
1700 hut: 100g
1650 dye(d) to Zimbabwe, 68g, hut: 50g
The first of 3 trade routes to Zimbabwe, which is only 3 squares away from Boston, the SSC, and a perfect candidate for a connecting road and railroad for that added continuing trade bonus. Once two more routes are established, Boston can trade freely with other cities for bigger payoffs.
1600 BOS: food, barbarian leader, 150g
1550 Copernicus’s Observatory, NY: food, R: tech
Now with Copernicus in place I decide to speed to Democracy and Shakespeare’s Theater, with the plan of growing the SSC as quickly as possible. More scientific improvements are deferred a bit, but they are easier to add on when the city is bigger and producing more income and trade.
1450 C: food, hut: advanced tribe, Buffalo
Buffalo was the 8th and last city and was located on the small island just east of Carthage. It had mostly grassland, a forest, and only one whale as a special. As so often happens with advanced tribes, it just missed having a game special and another whale, too! There was not enough time to move it to take advantage of the other specials, but it is just fine the way it was. Buffalo was very well located. The cargos it produced got good payoffs when traded to the SSC and it was a good place to store caravans and freights shipped towards Carthage. Many undemanded cargos were left in Buffalo and used to make spaceship parts later in the game. In retrospect, it might have been an excellent idea to add one or two more cities to this island, but perhaps there was not enough time to take full advantage of such a plan.
1400 Engineering
1350 W: food
1300 hut: 50g
1250 BOS: gold
1200 A: food, Invention, NY: food
1150 gold to Zimbabwe, 18g, hut: nomads
1100 SF: food, C: food
1000 P: food, barbarian leader, 150g
975 BUF: temple, BOS: hides
950 Zulus: trade for Pottery
925 Democracy, revolution, Monarchy,
R: 75g, V: 150g, M: tech, 200g, S: tech, 25g,
hides to Zimbabwe, 17g, revolution, Democracy
900 BOS: Shakespeare’s Theater, we love begins
Now the SSC can really grow. A lot of money came in from tribute, which will help to finance improvements, and that third trade route to Zimbabwe has been established. Things really take off from here.
875 A: food, P: disorder, NY: food, BOS: S7
That trireme caused the turn of disorder in Philadelphia. It dawdled just one turn too long getting to Boston, where I wanted to change its support.
850 BOS: aqueduct, supports trireme, P: happier, W: food, Z: trade for Seafaring
825 BOS: S9
800 C: food, BOS: harbor, S10, Chemistry
The harbor brought in a lot of extra trade arrows and made further growth of the SSC effortless. I believe a much better game would have resulted if I had built it even earlier. Each ocean worker is equivalent to a roaded grass or plains worker with superhighways, long before that improvement is available.
775 SF: food, BOS: S11
750 BOS: S12
725 Z: war with Russians? No thanks!, BOS: hides
700 A: food, BOS: Colossus, Navigation, M: tech,
road between Boston and Zimbabwe completed,
S: trade for Warrior Code, 50g, Z: give tech
With the Colossus and that completed road, trade has just jumped from 67 to 96 arrows and advances are coming every 2 turns at only 80% science. The Spanish are so relieved, too! After trying all game to trade Warrior Code, I finally relent!
675 BUF: silk, NY: food
650 P: food, Sanitation
625 S: war with Russians? No thanks!, alliance cancelled!
Z: brag about having Iron Working, hides(d) to Carthage, 367g
All the AI hate those Russians, it seems. Vigorous trade begins early and that timely delivery makes that needed sewer quite affordable.
600 Physics, C: food, BOS: sewer system, we love resumes, W: food, barbarian leader, 150g
Barbarians invaded this game quite frequently at the alternative (and unoccupied) SSC site, which netted 150g needed now to help build a university.
575 BOS: S13, M: give tech
550 A: wine, BOS: university, Economics, Z: trade for Iron Working, BOS: S14
525 SF: copper, BOS: S15
500 Steam Engine, BOS: S16, C: give tech
475 NY: hides, BOS: S17, V: give tech
450 BOS: hides, Bridge Building
425 BUFF: dye, BOS: Sir Isaac Newton’s University, we love ends at size 18
With a university and Sir Isaac’s, an advance per turn is now guaranteed at only 80% science. This is still without a railroad connection or superhighways, which attests to how desirable the available SSC sites were in this game and to how much easier it is to learn quickly on small maps. Now it’s just a matter of how many turns of 2 advances each can be achieved with the help of trade.
400 C: wine, A: salt, Magnetism
375 P: silver, BOS: hides, Railroad, silk(d) to Boston, 284g
The silk came from the island city of Buffalo, and the payoff was quite good. A few more cities on that island might have helped produce one or two more chances for two advances per turn and would have added more gold to the rocket savings account. Trade starts in earnest, as all cities are now making commodities instead of food and more ships are being built to speed them to Carthage. Meanwhile, while waiting for Railroad, settlers developing Boston had been “mining” the hill and mountain along the Boston-Zimbabwe road, so as to be “charged up” for building the railroad, which can commence next turn.
350 Industrialization, BOS: galleon, M: give tech
325 SF: gems, Gunpowder
300 Explosives, NY: coal
275 BUFF: engineers, BOS: transport, C: engineers, Corporation
Chicago’s engineer will help speed up that railroad and Buffalo’s will be brought to Boston, to develop the island section of the SSC. Corporation now means freights for bigger trade payoffs.
250 P: gems, Metallurgy, W: wine
225 Refining
200 A: cloth, Electricity, railroad completed, M: tech, 2 x hides(d) to Utica, 1020g,
S: trade for Horseback Riding
The first two of several occurrences of 2 advances per turn comes in 175 and 150 BC. Several more followed in this game, happening whenever a group of freights was able to reach Carthaginian cities.
175 Combustion, BOS: wine, Steel, Z: give tech, hides(d) to Utica, 510g,
hides(d) to Utica, 147g, wine(d) to Utica, 180g, wine(d) to Utica, 107g
150 Automobile, Mass Production, copper(d) to Carthage, 104g
125 BUF: spice, SF: coal, C: dye, A: oil, P: cloth, BOS: superhighways, Conscription,
NY: hides, W: copper, V,M: give tech, C: give tech, share maps
S: trade for Feudalism, new alliance
This time I give my trading partner, the Carthaginians, all of my technology, since I want them demanding the goods such as oil and coal that I am starting to produce. I also share maps again to see if they have added any more cities. Nope.
With superhighways, trade reached 188 arrows and beakers at 100% science were 1128, a bit more than the 950 needed for the next advance. In a medium map game, beakers needed now would be very close to 1128.
100 Electronics, R: give tech, barbarians appear next to Washington
75 BOS: oil, Chivalry, W: diplomat
Now barbarians attacked Washington knocking it down to one citizen. I need a diplomat to bribe a barbarian crusader or it’s curtains for my capital city.
50 Leadership, dye to Boston, 172g
Even goods not in demand delivered from island Buffalo to Boston are paying well! Next time, it’s more offshore cities for better internal overseas (seems a contradiction, but this is what it is!) trade.
25 BOS: marketplace, Tactics, barbarian leader, 150g, spice to Boston, 258g
At least a barb leader falls for almost knocking off my capital! Boston can only make food, so I decide to rush the economic improvements to improve tax revenues, beyond the current 30 gold per turn.
AD years
1 BUFF: transport, SF: cloth, C: copper, P: coal, Atomic Theory, M: give tech
20 BOS: bank, Machine Tools, NY: hides
40 A: food, Miniaturization, W: coal, Z,R,S: give tech
60 BOS: stock exchange, Nuclear Fission,
wine(d) to Carthage, 773g, coal(d) to Utica, 270g, gems(d) to Utica, 300g
Now Boston is making 100 gold per turn. Trade to Carthage has also boosted Boston’s arrows to 234 and each route is now earning 40 arrows each per turn. One turn advances still come easily at 80% science, but it’s time for another set of 2 per turn.
80 BUFF: beads, Nuclear Power, SF: food, C: hides, P: food, Computers, NY: copper, W: food,
oil(d) to Carthage, 760g, coal(d) to Carthage, 147g, coal(d) to Utica, 270g
100 Laser, BOS: research lab, Flight
I deliberately researched the nuclear path first to delay the discovery of Flight. Otherwise payoffs would have been reduced enough to prevent 2 advances per turn.
120 BOS: we love resumes, Radio, C: trade for Polytheism,
Other AI: give tech, 50g gift from Spanish
The Polytheism trade clears the tech tree, to make Advanced available after Radio. Now that Boston’s island forest is a roaded plain, Boston to grow a little more, for more income.
140 BOS: wine, S19, Advanced Flight, S: give tech
160 V: begin Darwin’s Voyage, BUFF: food, SF: food, C: hides, A: food, P: food, Rocketry, NY: gold, W: food
180 BOS: diplomat, S20, Space Flight, M: give tech,
wine(d) to Carthage, 848g, wine(d) to Carthage, 117g,
copper(d) to Utica, 160g, copper(d) to Utica, 174g
The last trading turn with the Carthaginians nets the fifth and final turn with 2 advances. At size 20, Boston’s science peaked at over 1500 beakers. Trade arrows had dipped a bit due to the loss of Colossus.
200 S: at war vs. the Russians (who else?), BUFF: food, Plastics, SF: cloth, C: hides, P: cloth,
BOS: Apollo Program, Refrigeration, NY: copper, W: food
In spite of excellent trade and a fully developed SSC, it was still a struggle to launch a minimum ship by 300 AD. When science moves so fast, there’s hardly any time for profitable trade. Maybe a more effective way can be found to boost the economy in early landing games, because Space Flight was achievable in this game several turns ago, by deferring research along the nuclear path. At this time the treasury has 503 gold and 22 freights are available for spacecraft parts. When Fusion Power is discovered, taxes will be able to net 500 gold per turn, but that is a few turns away. I wanted to launch in 3 turns, but it took 5.
220 BUF: S#1, SF: food, C: S#2, A: food, P: S#3, BOS: food, Superconductor, NY: food, W: S#4
240 BUF: M#1, SF: C#1, C: food, A: S#5, P: S#6, BOS: food, W: S#7
260 BUF: S#8, C: food, BOS: food, NY: C#2, W: S#9
280 R: Wants peace! Ok, but I didn’t know we were at war!,
BUF: S#10, C: food, A: S#11, BOS: M#2, Fusion Power
300 BUF: S#12, SF: S#13, P: S#14, BOS: M#3, NY: S#15, 15-1-1-1-1-1 launch
Nothing left except a diplomat in Boston and another in Washington. Even most helper temples had to be auctioned off to get the ship ready.
336 Arrival on Alpha Centauri
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