AU 601: Theseus' Greek (duh) DAR 1

[Theseus]

1625 BC

This game has me... worried.

I've still only met the Persians, having evidently explored in all the wrong directions. So now I am sending 4 Hoplites to the NE to find out who is up there (and maybe get in a little pillaging). I'm considering sending another 4 to block the chokepoint to the Persian SE.

I completed Literature before anyone else... no luck on an SGL. I'm not trading it to Persia yet, in the hopes of meeting at least one more AI civ first. Could backfire on me, but I really need to do multiple trades for it, as Persia is ahead of me by Masonry, Pottery, WC, and CB.

I'm circling back for CB at a 4 turn pace, with an eye towards supersizing Athens.

The only GW under way currently is the Pyramids in Persepolis.

What's got me worried? I figure Rome HAS to have met more AI civs than I have, and Nathan is coming up with all sorts of evil Machiavellian plans!!

So, I dunno, I'm worried about tech, civ relations, not REXing enough, REXing to much, not building enough military, or too much, or the wrong kind...

I am determined to keep to a pretty strict 3-tile spacing for defense, though, and will probably be more likely to build on hills than I otherwise would. I feel OK about that at least.

Suggestions welcome!

[Theseus]

Well, that was fast... next turn the Persians started the GLib.

Prolly cost me a tech or two.

[Theseus]

OMG, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

I met the Babs, and they did not even have Alphabet!!! YAY!!

First move: Bring science back to 0% in F1, as I obviously want to grab as much as I can trading a combo of tech and gpt.

I traded with Babs for Pottery and WC, paying Alpha. Then, the Wheel, paying Writing and 2gpt.

Then, Masonry from Persia for the Wheel and 1 gpt.

Then, Mysticism and 6g from Babs for Lit.

Tech parity, and ahead of Persia by Mysticism!!

AAAAND, Persia has neither strategic or luxury resources!!

Oooh, I feel better now.

[Theseus]

G*ddamn it takes a long time to chop jungle... I'm working on the bananas at Athens99.

[Arrian]

24 base worker turns, IIRC. Sucks, doesn't it? That's why worker pumps are so damn useful.

I like doing it with teams of 3 workers. 8 turns to chop, 1 to road, 2 to mine.

-Arrian

[Theseus]

So... no one has any bright ideas for me?

[Tassadar500]

Place a city 8-3 of Delphi?

[Theseus]

Met Egypt... Cleo did not have Lit, so traded it plus 5 gpt for Poly. She and Hammy are now cautious, and Jerxes is annoyed (but still has no resources ). Sell Poly to Jerxes for 60g. Am at tech parity.

[Theseus]

So... Nathan got Philosophy, eh? It just dropped from 6 turns remaining to 2.

And I'm guessing he's got at least two Pumps.

We shall see, we shall see.

[Arrian]

Heh. Death, taxes, settler pumps from Nathan...

But who is to say a man can't change? Maybe he figured he needs to be a tad more military-minded early on since he's playing you?

-Arrian

[Theseus]

C'mon guys, I need help!!

I just realized today not getting to Philosophy first was... beyooond stupid. I could have EASILY had it.

/me has this idiotic persona that comes to the surface mor often than he'd like.

Here's my current thinking...

I wanted to get a militarily strong base of towns in place, fast. It is my expectation that Nathan and I will be bribing the AI civs into MAs against each other more quickly than is usually the case, so this was important to me, especially considering the proximity of the Persians.

I have now accomplished that. From a defensive military perspective, the next step will be to clear danger tiles around my towns.

To do this, I was willing to forego Granaries, and built Settlers at typically three pop rather than waiting longer. This, compared to Nathan's Settler Pump driven REXing accounts for the catch-up in score. I am OK with that, and anticipate Athens and the first ring of towns to now grow into powerhouses.

Additionally, I now that I want three outlier towns: 1) I've built one at the tip of the NE chain of hills... defense from Babs and Egypt; 2) to the SE, on a hill, for the gems; and 3) directly south, for the spices. Again, especially with the latter two, my core cities should be ready to explode... also, with 3 luxuries and a Temple, I can join Workers to Athens to get it to 12 pop (I think... might be only 10 or 11 until a Market is built, but that's still good).

Sound good?

And don;t let me make bonehead mistakes like I did on philosophy!!!

[Arrian]

I think you should try and set up a 2-turn worker pump if you can. Any spot you can do that, other than Athens?

You're gonna need lotsa workers, T. Given what you expect re: humans forging alliances with the AI against each other, it's only a matter of time before somebody hits your hoplites and triggers your GA. It will probably be despotic. That GA won't be wasted if you have enough population working developed tiles... which means you need a worker pump, bothto develop tiles and to add pop to cities. IMO, of course.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

Hmm, looking at the best screenie you posted...

Corinth can be a worker pump if it gets Athen's cow.
Sparta could be, but not in despotism. The 2 fp tiles would do it once you're not despotic anymore, though.

By the way, what government are you angling for? Republic or Monarchy?

-Arrian

[Catt]

Originally posted by Theseus
C'mon guys, I need help!!

I'm following everyone's DARs (including Nathan's), and don't want to provide any advice for fear that my privileged knowledge could (unconsciously) influence any advice I might give to someone.

I'll jump in with any "game mechanics corrections" if I think you're forgetting something about how the game operates and it bears upon your own tactical or strategic decision-making.

Catt

[vmxa1]

Yea, that is an issue for us lookyloos. Putting in anything that is not fair. Not just use of any knowledge of the map, but would it be fair for someone to point out a play that had not occurred to the turn player, I am not sure.

It seems fine to take a side on a posed question such as one is choosing bewteen A and B, but not for us to provide the idea of B.