AU502 DAR 2: First Gallic Swordsman

[ducki]

This is the second "During Action Report" thread for AU502: Celtic Power, dedicated to the time period between 2150BC and the construction/upgrade of your first Gallic Swordsman (the Celtic unique).

So, what are you planning to do with your powerful, half-dressed, fast-moving UU?

[Makahlua]

Emperor - stock C3C

What will I be doing? Extracting payment out of Hiawatha's hide for being a royal PITA Thank goodness I decided on the spear-making city, or I'd have been toast! Or at least setback badly - as it was he threw my 1st Gallic Sword off by 10 or more turns. I was just about to send a work group to hook it up when boom! Hockey puck.

Anyhoo, here's the next bit of play-by-play:

1990 BC - Incense connetced! Less slider mangaing for me! ^^ Lugdunum founded (and yes I -meant- to go there and -not- by the lake. Keeps a lid on the pop growth, these Celt lads get rowdy! ) q: worker, settler, granary. mp being provided by Alesia shortly ;b: oh dear. i just saw a light blue culture border
nearby. America? lets go find out...

1950 - Nope, sumeria.

1930 - Got hit up by H for 20 g or my head. I give him the 20g

1910 - .....and Germany nearby too, eep. I have a feeling we're going to be a bit crowded in here.....

some wheeling & dealing: saved myself 2t research and made 30g by CB for IW and 30g from Germany. Now dare I trade IW? Hell Germany will if I won't so IW for Masonry from Sumeria, IW for Myst + 34g from Iroq. Muahaha, I get my 20g back Myst for WC+ 4g from Germany. OK, on the bright sifde I wouldn't have jumped in tech so quick without neighbours ^^

1790 - Ooopsie. Took an AFK break and forgot to move sliders and such around. Eecon to 20.80.0. Alpha in 23

1675 - Camulodunum founded, Q: walls (just cause i can) worker temple

1500 - Richborough founded Q:see Camlo. (there'a reason for this actually. Can't get a worker any faster so it's a fill-in, and useful ta that. Especially when it's crowded like this...... )

1450 - *eyes Mauch Chunk* get way from my spices, Hia you punk ....

1400 - Alphabet! Writing in 19 t

1300 - Verulanium founded on west coast. q: worker, temple. Gergovia founded on east coast. Q: see Veru. Lugh. changed to barracks considering I don't have a helluva lot of space to expand into

1150 Alpha for Wheel from Sumeria

1100 August founded q: see Veru

950 - I knew it! Hia, you bastard The Iroquois had been moving units around in my area and now they finally 'officialy' declare war Oh heck...did I mention they have HBR?

900 - Oh I see! It's mostly about the city by the spices (Veru), isn't it?

775 - Agedincum founded on the ruins of Veru Q: walls temple
/me makes rude gestures in Hia's direction

750 - Writng for HBR+55g from Germany, Writing to Sumeria for 32g

650 - Muahaha! All your philosophy is belong to me! I took Poly, now resaerching Monarchy @ 50t (I could use some $$) *looks off to the south* Eeeeeeee! I see a Mounted Warrior!

630 - Peace with Iroquois (gee would that be from breaking themselves on my spears and walls?? ) for math and 181 g for philosophy and poly from me. I have to say that was very interesting since they did what a human would do - burn a lux city, and come in and pillage conenctions to other lux. Too bad warriors are crap against spears in dribs and drabs.... ^^ if only the AI would learn to make SoD's better Not to mention if it was smart it would have thrown that MW against me to trigger it's GA and then poured over me with MW's :P. Oh you silly, silly AI

And it was fairly uneventful till 470 BC when the first GS was produced in Camulodunum

Now with most of my cities producing GS's and the rest coming online soon, it is time to play the Stack of Death game, and my first target? I pick you, Hiawathachu! My only decison: burn and pillage or swallow up all his cities??

[Rhothaerill]

Rhoth's AU502 DAR 2

Demigod level - AU mod

This is a relatively short DAR. At the end of last turn I had finished research of iron working so all that remained was to hook up a source.

2030bc - Settle Camulodunum on the silks. It was a good thing I did since an Iroquois settler/spearman stack appeared right next to that space this turn.

1990bc - Sumerians complete Oracle. Naturally it wasn't me.

1790bc - Settle Richborough near iron, but I don't try to connect it yet. I want to build a few warriors for upgrade first.

1600bc - Settle Verulamium so that my empire stretches from sea almost to other sea.

1525bc - Byzantines complete the Colossus.

1475bc - Settle Gergovia

1450bc - My only curragh is lost at sea during a one-tile crossing.

1425bc - The demands begin. The Germans demand 28 gold and the Iroquois 27. I give in both times as I'm not ready for war.

1350bc - Finish polytheism. No one has researched it yet, but they all have three techs I don't have. I trade to the Germans for map making and 100 gold; to the Iroquois for literature and 5 gold; and to Sumeria for 115 gold. I couldn't get Code of Laws out of anyone. I begin research of monarchy at 10% to start stacking up gold. I don't want to do a scientist because I want to have the option to ratchet the research up later if I need to do so. In AU501 I went for republic because I could. It looks like there is going to be more battles early on in this game since much of the continent is already settled.

1200bc - Augustodurum founded near the cattle and iron after playing with a Sumerian settler stack to keep it from settling there before my settler was built. The AI is predictable at times.

1175bc - The Sumerians complete the Great Library. A repeat of their performance in AU501. At least they know what wonders they need to be building now. Also, though you can't see it from the screenshot I settled Agedincum near the southern iron mountain to deny it from the Iroquois. Right now only the Germans have a source connected.

1150bc - After building several warriors I complete the road on the iron and upgrade my first Gallic Swordsman. After I get several warriors upgraded I'll probably cut it again. Even with the higher cost of upgrading shields are still more precious than gold.

to be continued...

[jshelr]

On hearing the Sumerians were building the GL, Brennus did the typical Irish go for broke thing and sent four GWs up to capture the ivory. He even started a palace build.

The risk was the Sumerians would be able to bribe an alliance. But Brennus got away with his ploy.

[jshelr]

The Sumerians were not able to put up much resistance this early. We ended up destroying a city directly north of us and getting a city on the German border, along with all their visible tech. Hopefully they soon get the GL.

Note the block set up on the Iroquois. Brennus always likes to do this, getting childish pleasure from the simple blockage.

[jim_steer]

Makahlua please, oh please build some curragh or galley naval scouts, it's a beautiful world out there, go explore it

[ZargonX]

More quick notes. Playing this one on Emperor, by the by. My first AU at that level

2030 - IW discovered.
-IW to Germany for Alpha, Wheel, and 20g
-IW to Iro for Masonry, 13g
-Masonry to Sumeria for Warrior Code, 1g
-IW and Wheel to Sumeria for Writing, 7g
-Research set to Math
1575 - Both sources of Iron seized
1375 - Math discovered
-Math to Iro. for Lit, 20g
-Math to Sumeria for 130g
-Math and Lit to Germany for MM
1100 - Iron hooked up
975 - Sumerians build Pyr
900 - First Gallic Swordsman

Still not much of excitement... stay tuned

[Makahlua]

jim - it's on the list, really!! I blame Hiawatha ^^

[Risa]

After repelling German invasion group and training some defense troop, Celtic people return to normal. The war has considerably slowed the expansion, the fourth city hasn't built until 1725BC. By that time, German and Iroquois has long researched and traded Iron working and Writing, while Sumeria has learned Polytheism a few years ago. Fortunately Sumeria people think their knowledge is far more valuable than German's or Iroquois', so that they keep it alone. "That is my chance." said Brennus. A small tribe near new-found Camulodunum hands out their secret of Writing, and Celtic thinkers work out their explanation of Polytheism. Brennus signs peace with Bismark, asking Horseback Riding by giving up Polytheism. Iroquois pays Iron working and 50 golds for Polytheism. "Pool Sumeria." commented the foreign advisor.

Following years are uneventful. Sumerial finishes oracle in 1450BC. Six celtic cities are built between 1650BC and 1100BC. German and Iroquois discover Literature and Map making during these time. Sumeria falls backward and haven't researched a new tech for a long time. "What are they doing?" all wondered.

History will remember this year: 1075BC. Being the first nation developed a comprehensive philosophy, the Celts gains the knowledge of Monarchy! German offers Literature, Map making and 30 golds for our philosophy. Shortly after that, a storm of revolution strike the whole country. "We want a better government!"

By the year of 1025BC, Brennus is crowned by his people. He calls up foreign minister, checking what had happen abroad during the revolution. To his surprise, everyone knows monarchy now. "Who leaks it out?" Brennus feels angry, then he realize it must be Sumeria. They spend years researching it and thus lags behind. German and Iroquois receive more benefit by that. They now catch up without paying for meaningful price.

By the year of 975BC, much of the mainland have been settled, Brennus start building up his military. Meanwhile, as core cities grow up, happiness problem becomes more and more serious. So first a few units will be defender/police spearman.

In 825BC the first galley of Celts is launched! It's sent to sail north. In 730BC another galley is also in action, scouting south. "All of you brave sailors, good luck!" Good luck indeed, they find a large no-man island just in the west of the mainland. In 510BC Lapurdum is found there, gaining control of horse.

Masonry is learned in 950BC and Maths in 670BC. Brennus intentionally hold them alone, to slowing down the overall tech pace.

Iroquois finishes Temple of Artemis in 800BC, Sumeria gets Hanging Gardens and Colossus at the following round. The culture minister tells Brennus that Incan builds Pyramids in 670BC. "Incan, who are they?"

Everything goes well. By 470BC, the first gallic swordman enters service. Brennus knows the time for revenge comes near.

=========
right half of Celts territory:

[Risa]

and left half:

[jshelr]

Flavors?

I don't recall this position before. We just completed construction and currency while other civs have the set of techs shown. So, we will shut down research and wait a bit. We are two turns from Zeus and don't want to trade math until one turn.

[jshelr]

By the way, on ocean exploration question I don't know that I agree that it is a high priority here. We will probably float a galley or two, but pure, focused unit building for war might be priority one, two, and three.

What do you think of the idea of delaying Feudalism to keep building our UU?

[Fosse]

WAR

it'll be nice when I can post screens, but I just wiped my harddrive and at the moment I'd rater play Civ than reinstall my graphics software....

I researched the lower branch of the ancient tree with no problem, trading polytheism for tons of gold, Iron Working, Writing, Math, masonry, and horseback. Then, I'm all ready to research monarchy (could have had it in 36 turns) when I realize that I'm all set for Philosophy... no AI has started the Maoseleaum yet.... so I go for it! 25 turns until Philosophy.

I try along the way to trade for Code of Laws, but cannot. So when, in 1150, I discover Philos I make my free tech choice Monarchy.

I whore Phillosophy and hoard monarchy. I have a wonder city that is about to lose a cascade, and hanging gardens wouldn't be so bad.

The next TURN (just after I give them PHilosophy) the Iroquouis demand monarchy... and I refuse. They declare war and it is the bloodiest one I've seen in a while....

I send workers to plant a colony in the northwest iron (which is one new city away from being in my land), because bulding a road on the mountains and jungle to connect the one in my core will take too long. I have spears and warriors defend my southern cities (which my newly crowned monarchy rushes walls in), to early success against warriors and archers....

Then, two major setbacks... in 1025 Gregovia and Burdigala fall to mounted warriors. I am a turn from planting my iron colony and upgrading nearly ten warriors... and a Sumerian culture growth takes my Iron!

The workers start rushing to build that road to "my" iron, which now that those cities gone is on the front line. Some of my vet warriors who are waiting to upgrade have to stand on hills and mountains with workers to prevent their capture, and I lose a few that way...

But, in 875 I finish the road and upgrade 5 warriors, with about four more vets to go next turn... Hiawatha is about to regret his aggressive nature...

Oh yeah... I'm STILL the only player with monarchy.

[jshelr]

In 190 BC, Brennus decided he didn't like the look of the fully-resource- supplied Iroquois and thier MWs.

So, to make the other leaders as confused as the average Irishman, he first declared war on Sumeria, seeking the Pyramids, really, and used tech trades to get Germany and the Iroquois involved.

Math, construction & Currency were traded for

Phil, code, republic, monarchy and a little gold.
Also, right of passage and alliance against Sumeria from both Germany and Iroquois.

The idea is to beat maps out of sumeria and then to turn on the Iroquois.

We will see if the Irish trive in the resulting chaos.

[jshelr]

Well, Germany lasted about 9 turns before stabbing Brennus in the back with an early peace with Sumeria. The Iroquois were about four turns more "honorable" but they did use up about 10 MWs and took down enough Sumerian archers that our attack had a clear shot. The Irish earned a couple of cities, some workers and Maps. Peace with Sumeria sent the baggie pants crowd in a large herd down south to attack the Iroquois and get Salamanca + the GL.

No sooner did we set up for the attack than old Bismarck stabbed us in the back again with a sneak attack during a RoP.

Our units are amazing, as they race back north in plenty of time to take out two German cities and get a quick peace, including mono at a deep discount price.

So, it's back south again to hit the Iroquois, finally. The trip was equally speedy, but we arrived one turn too late as the Iroquois got gunpowder. Ouch.



Blood. Lots of Blood. But the combination of Ancient Cavs, one army, now deceased, and our UU eventually overcame.

We have now damaged everyone, with Germany least. We also apparently have the only horses. The GL will bring us back up on tech and we can build out markets as we set up for cavs. (If we have saltpeter.)

Could be worse.