AU 504 Glory of Culture DAR 5 - 50K Culture

[Arrian]

Hey, what the hell? I loaded 1 WE into my new army, and now I cannot load any more. The option doesn't even appear!

edit: ah, right, ok. Nevermind. Readme.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

DAR continued

Moving right along...

1325 AD - Arabs declare war on Iroquois (dummies!)

1330 AD - Persia destroyed.

1350 AD - I gift Chivalry to the Arabs

1355 AD - Heroic Epic completed

1375 AD - Iroquois & Spanish ally vs. the Arabs, because Hiawatha needed help.

1405 AD - Shakespeare complete.

I'm up to 1430 AD. ToE in 8. Sanitation in 4, to be followed by Nationalism, then the two free will be AT & Elec, and then I'll research Rep. Parts.

The culture war goes well. I'm up to 38k, the Iroquois have 20k. I have 42% of the land, 58% of the pop. The Iroquois have 29/29.

I'm currently kicking myself for not sending over a settler team to grab a spot in what used to be Germany to steal furs from Hiawatha. I might still be able to do it, but I've left it be for 10+ turns now. Not paying attention! Time for bed.

I hit F3 just to check out my army and I noticed two things. The Iroquois are in anarchy, finally switching out of Feudalism (the other AIs have used Republic). Check out what my advisor is telling me though. And then have a look at my armed forces.

-Arrian

[Modo44]

Your army sent against the Persians sure looks like overkill to do the job. It's Monarch level, remember?

The comparison to Iroquis will probably stay that way. They probably have many cities with only military to build in, and they have the AI production bonus...

[Arrian]

On Monarch, with this type of army, I'm typically strong to or at least even with the top AI armies. This is a bit of a shock. In a good way.

I think I'm going to put as much of my army as possible on boats, with a settler, and go get a foothold "over there." If and when Hiawatha comes for me, it should be fun.

I appear to have 7 galleons... hmm, thought I had more. Must build a few more, pronto. With 10, I can bring over 40 guys. Figure 12 rifles, 10 cannon, 15 WEs, my Army (counts as 2) and a settler. Sounds good. Saddle up!

-Arrian

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Arrian
On Monarch, with this type of army, I'm typically strong to or at least even with the top AI armies. This is a bit of a shock. In a good way.

But it's a one-time occurance, unfortunately. You need a KAI that almost conquered a whole continent and doesn't bother with artillery or culture. No big deal.

[cracky]

Firs the screenies, then the post.....

[cracky]

Monarch, AU mod, 1425 AD.

Tech: I reached 50K culture the same turn I entered the Industial Age. The Iroquois who are closest are 10 techs behind at the moment, with everyone else lagging farther behind to one degree or another. I don't really need to research quickly at this point, so I think I'll be doing some leisurely research and rushing cathedrals/courthouses/universities in my outlying Chinese and Persian holdings. I am a little wary of this idea though, if only because I've already done this for part of this game with the Great Library (which I'm sure everyone is tired of hearing about in my DARs). I had figured on turning off research, and catching up when the other continent found ME. After all, our continent only has three civs, their's has to have five, and thus be ahead in tech, right, right? Nope.

Land Use. All improved and the workers added to cities. What more is there to say? Well, whatever else happens in this game, at least I didn't put a single worker on automatic, and believe me, this is a huge improvement for me . However, with all workers added to cities (some time ago admittedly) and only 5 turns to go until steam power, I'm in a bit of a rush to build thousands, nay millions, of laborers for the coming of the iron horse.

Culture: What is there to say? I have about 15 turns left until Newton's, 11 until Magellan's, and 23 left on a palace/pre-build for some wonder or another. Apart from those two, I've built every wonder available except the three mentioned earlier. Only the itsy-bitsy tips of the former Chinese and Persian holdings are without cathedrals, universities and colloseums. I might actually take care of some of that this turn. Why have 6,700 in the bank when I can have ~100?
I don't think there's a chance the Iroquois will catch up in culture enough to threaten me. At the moment, my civ has thrice the culture, and my top city has double theirs.

Mid-Long term: Well, Arabia has only three cities left and they're still lacking Feudalism. They also have spices . More importantly, I think they'd be a good foothold against the Iroquois if I ever need to start a war on that continent (which I'll probably provoke later on just for fun.)

[Risa]

AU504, Emperor, AU Mod

Remember capitals of all four nations on the other continent stayed at the starting points in 1310ad? When we charted our first world map in 1410ad, much had been changed. Ottoman had been driven to former Germany's land, with two cities left. Mecca of Arabia was also fallen. Spain was even smaller, from 4 cities in 1310 to 3 in 1410.

*I had researched navigation in 1360ad, but forgot about the map trading thing until 1410.

Here's the world map of 1410:

[Risa]

AU504, Emperor, AU Mod

Our war against Persia was going on. In 1330ad, Persia's second most important city, Pasagadae, along with its Art of War, became part of India. By 1420ad, all northern part of the continent was united in the name of India. Peace was arranged. Too bad one city flipped back to Persia next turn...

We had mastered economics, navigation, and democracy by 1400ad. Iroquis showed their newly invented firearm. I decided not to trade, since I didn't need to defense, and I hope Iroquis to monoplay the tech for a time, to deny CHina, my next target, to get it. Unfortunely, China learned economics in 1415ad and sold it to Iroquis for gunpowder. I got gunpowder later in 1420 from Arabia.

The first world map was charted in 1410ad. The cost was merely an early tech to Spain and Ottoman. They're already harmless.

War of clearing south part of continent broke out in 1440ad. Chinese riders and musketmen did buy them some time, but China as a whole didn't stand a chance against overwhelming war elephants. By 1515ad Nanking is the only Chinese city on the mainland.

(*I left Nanking alone because it contains the Great Lighthouse, and I have completed Magellan's Voyage in 1460ad. I heard somewhere that there was a bug that if one controls both GL and Magellan's before GL is obsolete, once magnetism is researched, both lose their function. Does that bug still exist in current version?)

Free artistry was researched in 1430ad. I lowered the science funding to 10%, started rush build temples, libraries and cathedrals in former Persian and Chinese cities.

But the situation wasn't that good. By early half of 16th century, Ottoman and Arabia were destoyed one by one, Iroquis had united their continent (except 4 Spainish cities). I was the culture leader, but not reach twice of Iroquis'. No other choice left. I ordered all my productive onshore cities change their building queue to caravals, and rearrange my ground forces to the ports. In 1540ad our grand fleet of about 20 caravels raised anchor. Target: Antalya.

Antalya and Berlin were captured in 1570ad. A foothold was set up. A grand war was just beginning.


I don't have a save of exact 50k culture. Culture in the save of 1595ad is 52234.

[Aqualung71]

Man, this DAR takes forever to complete!!!

[Aqualung71]

I'm really enjoying this game. Still slogging through the Persian lands, and hope to get this DAR up to date soon . If it wasn't for the "win as fast as you can" clause, this game would end up being a rather boring cruise after home-continent domination

[Aqualung71]

A Great Hosannah – The Saga of the Guru Ravi Shankar, Chapter V/1
Emperor Level, AU Mod

The Guru Ravi Shankar awoke one morning in the dark winter of 70AD. Strange words started pouring from his throat, in a menacing tune…..

“Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year, stole many a man's soul and faith
Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game”

Ravi’s eyes glazed over. He wanted a war. He would soon get one.

Ravi convened a War Ministry, presided over by Monty. The Ministers were clearly concerned about the mood of darkness that seemed to be enveloping their King. Ravi strode around the room detailing his plans for taking over the continent. The Ministers were horrified!

“B-b-b-ut Lord,”, stuttered the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, “think of the human suffering of our own people, if not those innocent babes of the Chinese and Persians”. Ravi turned on his Minister of Religion “Silence! Save your bleating for your blind and foolish followers, you charlatan! India must reign supreme in this world. We must have more lands to build Wondrous buildings of culture, or we shall never show our superiority to the minions inhabiting other continents.”

Keith Richards, Minister of Music, lounging in a dark corner of the room and distinguishable only by the thin stream of cigarette smoke arising from his chair, softly continued Ravi’s ominous song….

“I stuck around at St. Petersburg, when I saw it was a-time for a change
Killed the czar and his ministers, Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank, held a general's rank
When the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank
I watched with glee, while your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades, for the gods they made
I shouted out "Who killed the Kennedys?"
When after all, it was you and me”

The meeting ended soon thereafter. The only minister who was unsure of his role was Nelson, the Admiral of the Non-Existent Fleet (no, he hadn’t managed to change his title yet). Nelson had argued in vain for increased funding (though both Monty and Harvard had received a substantial endowment directly from the Royal Treasury Reserve), and was feeling that his only job in life had been to establish contact with the other civs of the world. In fact, he was right. Ravi had no further use for a navy. (Footnote: Nelson later tried to take his own life out of shame, but in attempting to fall on his sword, he leaned slightly and only managed to slice off his arm, then poked his eye out with the sword while writhing on the ground. He ended his life on his sole remaining Galley when the crew got tired of his whining and turned the cannon on him!)


70AD: In a move consistent with a leader of strength with a vigorous new purpose, Ravi called for the attendance of his Scientists. Bill Gates, the Minister of Technology, was ordered to switch the nation’s research efforts from Monotheism to Feudalism. All available cities with reasonable production are switched to Barracks or units.

110AD: In a move to hurry research and make up for losing 3 turns on Monotheism, Ravi sold Currency to Spain for 93g + 10gpt, dragging them into the Middle Ages. This may be our last trade. Or maybe not

130AD: The final new town on the mainland (for the time being), is founded and aptly named Nowhere, in line with its Importance to the Empire. Immediately Terrence Hill rides into town and is elected Mayor.

190AD: 5 Swords, 4 Horses and an AC move into Chinese territory, outside Tsingtao and capture a Worker, precipitating war.

210AD: Tsingtao is captured with little resistance, linking up the western and eastern portions of the southern Indian empire. The capture of this first target was vital for troop morale, as the troops could now enjoy unlimited quantities of Chinese beer. Monty was horrified, and ordered a case of warm, dark ale.

230AD: The isolated Chinese city of Tientsin in the middle of Indian territory is also captured.

260AD: Uh-oh…..China has discovered Feudalism! Gates can only get it in 1 turn. Monty calls an emergency meeting of his Generals and decides that a small expeditionary force comprising an AC, Horseman, Spear and Sword would be sent deep into the eastern Chinese territories. The mission: Pillage China’s visible Iron resource to prevent Mao from developing adequate defences against our numerically superior but offensively weak Horses, and to guard against him producing strong counter-attack units.

270AD: Feudalism discovered, Monotheism next in 13. Ravi traded it to someone for Engineering, but quickly forgot whom (Clearly someone on the other continent, probably Ottomans, Spain or Iroquois).

300AD: The Chinese Iron resource is pillaged by our AC. This was a strategic error by Mao, who inexplicably left it unguarded.

310AD: One final trade on our continent. We sell our recently acquired Engineering to Persia for Monotheism + 123g + 38gpt and an all-important MA against the Chinese. Ravi just could not afford to have angry Persian Immortals on his northern doorstep, with his entire military strength in the south.

The next tech will be Theology for Sistine (we have a pre-build going) and then down to Invention for Leo’s….we will start a pre-build now. Gates was starting to show that the $80 billion Ravi paid him was justified

320AD: In a minor skirmish, an Elite Horseman creates an Army. Since we need to finish off China before they complete Sun Tzu and get their GA, we create a MI Army to lead the attack on Beijing.

350AD: Beijing falls, and another MGL is generated. This has effectively made up Ravi's mind about the Forbidden Palace, which had already begun in Marlboro Country. The build has been switched and once Beijing resistance subsides, the FP shall be rushed there. Beijing brings with it some nice presents….The Pyramids and Mausoleum.

380AD: Canton falls after a hard fought siege and battle.

400AD: Theology is researched and pre-build switched to Sistine.

460AD: Nanking falls.

490AD: Invention is researched. Sistine pre-build switched to Leo’s and Palace pre-build switched to Sistine. Education now being researched at 17-turn pace in order to collect cash to upgrade our Horses to War Elephants, once Leo’s is complete. This will hopefully be just in time for our assault on Persia.

500AD: Macao taken.

550AD: After some regrouping, Xinjian taken.

590AD: Hangchow taken.

620AD: Chengdu captured.

Education researched, Astronomy next. Researched dropped to zero for the next 3 turns, pending completion of Leonardo’s Workshop.

630AD: Tatung taken.

640AD: Shantung taken. As the fall of China approaches, all available Horsemen are ordered north for upgrading.

650AD: The Ottomans decide to join the peaceful Iroquois war against us. Neither have any means of reaching our lands, nor even know where we are, so we’re happy to continue to receive the War Happiness.

Leonardo’s Workshop is completed in Golden Bay, triggering the Indian GA. It would be triggered soon anyway with the upgrade of Horsemen. Gates trades Invention to the Spanish for Chivalry, and Monty’s first batch of Horsemen are upgraded to the magnificent War Elephants. All AC, who acquitted themselves rather poorly in the Chinese war, have been vanquished to the northern peninsular, to guard against the Persian landings that will surely come once Ravi declares war.

670BC: Chinan taken. The Chinese have been destroyed. No mercy was shown. The Persians should expect the same.

Ravi was heard ranting in his chambers:

“Let me please introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours, who get killed before they reached Bombay
Just as every cop is a criminal, and all the sinners saints
As heads is tails just call me Lucifer, 'Cause I'm in need of some restraint
So if you meet me have some courtesy, have some sympathy and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse, or I'll lay your soul to waste
Pleased to meet you, hope you guessed my name
But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game”

Evidently his blood-lust had yet to be sated.

Meanwhile, research is maintained at zero for the time being. A bunch of Temples have been rushed. The plan now is to upgrade the remaining Horses and invade Persia, then rush Universities. Eventually we will research to Astronomy and take Copernicus, with a pre-build already in place, then move towards Democracy, looking for JS Bach and Smiths after that. Of course, Shakespeare’s Theatre is vital in this game!

680AD: A stack of 12 War Elephant’s move into Persia, near Bactra. A Pikeman captures 2 Workers. It is war! Again!

[Aqualung71]

And the victory screen, with Culture histograph....

[Aqualung71]

A Great Hosannah – The Saga of the Guru Ravi Shankar, Chapter V/2
Emperor Level, AU Mod

690AD: Immortals appear out of the mountains. A Persian Galley returns to port, presumably to load troops to invade the northern peninsular where the Indian AC await them.

The Sistine Chapel is completed, meaning India shall never have happiness worries again in its size-12 limited cities. (edit: this later proved to be untrue as India emerged into Democracy with WW)

Bactra’s Pikemen are no match for Monty’s War Elephants. The city is taken without loss.

710AD: Tyre taken.

730AD: Arbela taken. Ravi’s loyal MI Army falls to 2 persistent Immortals on counter-attack. A service is held in their honour, for they were the catalyst to India’s glorious victories over China.

740AD: The Persians have pulled all their forces back for a counterattack at Abela…..but Monty moves WE’s forward to take them out before they can get there.

750AD: In his arrogance, Ravi is paying scant attention to diplomacy and it shows. Spain has now joined the Iroquois led alliance against India from the other continent….but with nobody near Astronomy, it’s rather pointless!

760AD: Ho-hum…..now it’s the Arabs who have joined the alliance. The only nation India is not at war with is the Germans!

790AD: The Persian jewel of Persepolis is captured, with its Hanging Gardens, GL and Sun Tzu’s wonders! After an ineffectual counter-attack, it is clear Monty’s WE’s have broken the back of the Persians. After some healing for the weary but battle-hardened troops, Monty resolves to mop them up.

Research is increased again after a boost of rushing Universities and Coliseums. It’s time to move on towards Democracy, as the Indian GA draws to a close.

840AD: Haiwatha offers peace. We give him Education in return for Printing Press (saving us 4 turns of research on our way to Democracy), and he also gives us 63g + 36gpt! While we’re at it, we also make peace with Spain, giving her Education and PP for Gunpowder….and with the Ottomans for a little bit of cash. Now researching Banking.

860AD: Captured Hamadan

890AD: Gordium captured.

900AD: Copernicus completed.

930AD: Parsagadae captured.

940AD: Samaria captured.

950AD: Sardis captured.

960AD: Antioch captured.

970AD: Democracy discovered and India immediately revolts. Music Theory is to be researched next, and Keith Richards was about to begin tendering for drawings for the JS Bach Cathedral. Inside whispers suggest the Cathedral will be constructed in the shape of a giant pair of lips and tongue!

1000AD: Finally, after many years of fierce resistance, the latest Persian capital of Sidon falls to our weary War Elephants and Persia is at last vanquished to the islands. Xerxes agrees to give us 5 of his 6 remaining towns plus 120g for peace. Ravi’s fledgling Democracy has known nothing but War Weariness since its inception with the luxury slider at 30% despite owning Sistine and plenty of Cathedrals, and the people now rejoice at this peace.

The Persian war came at a great cost to the Indian military. Some 60% of Monty’s War Elephants were lost to Xerxes’ brave Immortals, and with most of India’s population concentrating on constructing Temples, Cathedrals and Universities, fresh troops were few and far between. Monty did an outstanding job in the field with limited resources and has been honoured with the Order of the Guru.

It was now time to start rushing more culture, and filling AI gaps with more Settlers. India was soon to become very crowded! Research efforts have been wound back, and Music Theory will be discovered in 7 turns, with a cash surplus of some 450gpt being generated.

Current culture is 19,791 compared to the Iroquois 11,980. Importantly, the cpt (culture per turn) rate is now 436 compared to the Iroquois 200. Ravi instructed his Minister of Culture, George W Bush, to start building culture buildings irrespective of cost. The entire power of the military was put at Bush’s disposal.

[Aqualung71]

A Great Hosannah – The Saga of the Guru Ravi Shankar, Chapter V/3
Emperor Level, AU Mod

Ravi’s empire was now in serious culture-building mode. Research had been cut back to 10%, generating up to 500gpt. Economics was taking forever to learn. This annoyed the Minister of Technology, Bill Gates, no end. He had very little to do in these times, and was often seen doing nothing, just staring out the Windows(tm).

We pick up the saga a couple of hundred years later, and join our intrepid hero Ravi. Not surprisingly, he’s still obsessed with building those damn culture buildings!

1200AD: Ravi receives a rude awakening. The militarily strong Iroquois demanded 24g. Ravi has no choice but to accede to Hiawatha’s demands.

Now, a mere 20 turns after the statistics described above, Indian culture had increased to 31,034, at a rate of 665cpt. Ravi had lost count of the number of buildings that had been rushed, but it averaged 2 per turn, sometimes 3!

1250AD: The inevitable occurs, and Hiawatha declares war, capturing one of the island towns ceded to Ravi by Persia. Luckily, Muskets are already on their way to the rest.

1265AD: Economics completed, and Palace pre-build switched to Smiths – 8 turns to go. The Iroquois completed Economics and started Smiths 2 turns earlier. Economics sold to Spain for 115g + 47gpt.

We have now just doubled the Iroquois culture, and are pulling further ahead.

1270AD: JS Bach completed in Holy Grail.

1305AD: Smith’s completed in Beijing. Peace reached with Hiawatha, and we exchange world maps for the first time. Strangely, unlike other games, the Iroquois are not as dominant as I thought they would be.

1320AD: Chemistry completed, and Physics taken on at 5 turn pace to catch up to the Iroquois somewhat, who had pulled ahead by Navigation and Metallurgy. We have a pre-build going for Newton’s in Beijing.

1345AD: Traded 3 luxuries to Hiawatha in return for his world map and 55gpt. Physics completed and now ToG in 6 turns, with a 430gpt surplus for rushing.

With nothing else really to talk about in this boring period of history, we shall provide some stats:

Towns/cities: 86
Temples: 82
Libraries: 57
Cathedrals: 78
Universities: 30
Coliseums: 29
Culture-producing Wonders: 7
Non Culture-producing Wonders: 6
Mililitary units: 100 (including 25 Workers)
Culture per turn: 877
Nearest rival (Iroquois): 279

Bill Gates' prediction for Culture victory: 1600AD