AU 505 The Power of Fascism DAR 1 - Through 2150BC

[Theseus]

This is the DAR ("During Action Report") thread for the first 40 turns of AU505 - The Power of Fascism.

Use this space to discuss early-game moves, and plans for the future. For instance, where did you found your capital, and why? Since this report only spans 40 turns, please provide as many details as you can remember.

[nbarclay]

Emperor Level, AU Mod

I went ahead and founded Washington on the starting position because any other option would have provided at best only a mixed blessing (at least as far as I could tell at the time). Under the circumstances, it made sense to go ahead and build my capital as quickly as possible. My initial scout headed more or less to the north (since that was the path of least resistance in terms of the types of terrain available to move over) but quickly encountered a dead end and turned around.

After giving the matter some thought, I decided to go ahead and build a second scout. That way, I could learn the lay of the land faster and perhaps grab more huts. After building that scout, I then started a granary.

In regard to research, I started off nominally researching Ceremonial Burial but with the science slider set to zero so I was not actually researching at all. The idea behind that move was that if I was researching Ceremonial Burial, I couldn't get it from a hut and would therefore get something more valuable instead if I got a tech from a hut. My hope was that I could acquire Alphabet from another civ (or conceivably from a hut) and then use the gold I built up while not researching to push research into Writing.

Very early in the game, I discovered a site with six-turn settler pump potential practically right next door to the capital. I thought briefly about building a settler before my granary, but quickly realized that Washington's food production is so limited that doing so would save me almost no time in building my second city. Building a granary before my settler was clearly the better move.

In 3600 BC, I got Warrior Code from a hut. I'd really hoped for a settler (which would be especially valuable in a game with no food bonus at the starting position), but at least it wasn't a map.

A century later, I scored a major diplomatic coup. The Romans had just moved two workers into their capital, and they were willing to deal. I ended up trading to Greece and Rome to get the techs they had, thereby tying Greece and gaining an advantage over Rome in technology. More importantly, by obtaining two (both?) of Rome's workers, I both enhanced my own tile-working capacity and crippled Rome's ability to improve its tiles. With how close Rome starts to us in this game, my hope is that that advantage will pay enormous dividends over time. With Alphabet obtained as part of my technological exchanges, I started researching Writing at the fastest pace I could while still maintaining the luxury slider settings I needed (not that I needed the luxury slider right away)..

[nbarclay]

With the help of a chop by my two slaves, I was able to complete Washington's granary and initial settler at a nice pace. I then had Washington build a temple while rebuilding its population. That delayed my next settler a little, but given the nature of the game, the idea of an early cultural advantage appealed to me.

Once my Roman slaves finished finished their chop to assist Washington's granary, I had them start chopping the two silk forests next to where New York would soon be founded. The city was founded in 2750, with my starting woriker already repositioned to start irrigating the cattle tile next to the city. Two forest chops added their assistance to the city's granary production shortly after.

As of 2150 BC, I had a settler three turns away from building my third city. New York had completed its granary and almost finished building a worker before starting a settler. I'm a city behind Greece and Carthage at present, but with two granaries in place, I feel like I'm probably in a fairly strong position to pull ahead REXing over time. I saw a Roman settler heading somewhere a very few turns back, but he hasn't built a city yet (and I can even dream of the possibility that he might have run into barbarians since his escort seemed to be lagging a turn behind last I saw).

My biggest concern at the moment is the possibility of getting hemmed in since Rome and Greece both start relatively close to us. I'll probably adapt my REXing strategy later on to focus more on claiming as much territory as possible and less on keeping up with worker production for tile improvements. But for the time being, it's still early enough for additional cities to build granaries and contribute to my REX.

I mgiht also mention that Greece is now ahead of me in tech by Mysticism, while Rome is behind by Ceremonial Burial and Carthage is even. But I'm just a few turns away from discovering Writing.

[Modo44]

[EDIT:
Since there was a serious bug in the first version of the scenario, I replayed it now. Otherwise it would hurt the Russians concerning their UU. I have the previous saves and a partial log stored (up to 1000BC), so if anyone wants them - PM me.

Here I'm putting in the log from my replay, in which I got different RNG results (huts, Curragh not sinking in Sea). It feels kind of awkward with the same map. Oh well, what can you do.
]

Emperor level, AU Mod, turn report
(more precise at the start, less precise later on)

4000 BC
Scout 4 onto the Hill.
Settler 7 onto the Hill.
Worker starts to Chop forest for Granary.

3950 BC
Found Washington, start Granary.
Start researching Alphabet (100%, 38 turns).
Scout heading south. A note: I didn't see the complete coastal line to the north at that moment, so It was just a lucky guess.

3850 BC
Worker finished Chop, starts Road.
Scout keeps exploring south, finds pass through Mountains.

3750 BC
Worker finished Road on Silks, heads to Washington 9 to start Mine.
Scout pops hut, gets Warrior and a red border...
Warrior goes west and meets Rome. Oh, great, just great.

3700 BC
Trade our Masonry and 2gpt for their Alphabet.
They still have Warrior Code.
Start research on Writing (20%, 50 turns).
Scout went south a bit, will head east now.

3650 BC
Worker starts Mine near Washington.
Scout finds green border on the horizon. Greeks or Persia?

3500 BC
Mine finished near Washington, Road started.
The green borders belongs to the Greeks. Trade Pottery and Masonry for their Bronze Working and 10gp.
Jackpot (this time around...)! Pottery and Bronze Working go to Rome for 2 Workers and 20gp.
This cripples Ceasar for a long time, I think. No such luck with the Greeks though.
Slaves sent to chop one of the Silk Forests near Washington, to further speed up the Granary.

3450 BC
Washington borders expand.
Granary in 7, Growth in 10 turns.
Worker finishes Mine near Washington, Road started.

3400 BC
Worker finished Road, goes 9 to start Mine.
Scout goes farther south.

3250 BC
Meet the Carthaginians. They have Ceremonial Burial. No trades possible.
Science to 100%, to get Writing a couple turns faster.
Forest Chopped near Washington, Slaves work on a Road now.
Granary in Washington in 1 turn.

3200 BC
Washington finishes Granary, starts Curragh.
Scout finds Gems south of the Greeks.

3000 BC
Washington builds Curragh, starts Barracks.
Curragh moves out west.

2950 BC
Washington grows to size 3, lux slider to 10%.
Scout currently south of the Greeks.
Scouting Warrior hit the coast, then followed it south. Now he's wandering south of the Romans.

2850 BC
Warrior wandering near the Romans pops hut, gets Settler.


2670 BC
Washington grows to size 4, lux slider to 20%.
Growth and Settler in exactly 5 turns.
Worker keeps improving, after Forest was Chopped.
Scout almost finished going around Athens.
Curragh finds a strait north of the Romans. Enters first Sea tile. Fingers crossed.

2630 BC
Iron Working has been researched by someone. Romans and Greeks have it now.

2590 BC
Curragh survived strait (2 tiles wide).
Scouting Warrior pops another Warrior from a hut. Last time it was Mysticism. Oh well.

2550 BC
Curragh keeps moving.

2510 BC
Washington builds Settler, starts Warrior. (for MP duty)
Settler moves south.
Found New York at Rome 666, with the Settler from the hut, start Worker (low "natural" food).

2470 BC
Curragh goes north, meets a Settler-Spearman pair of the Germans, sees orange borders.
Germans have: The Wheel (no AI has it at home), Warrior Code, Ceremonial Burial
Germans lack: Alphabet, Masonry.
Wait with trades, until meeting the other AI.

2430 BC
Find Rotterdam, a Dutch city.
They already have Alphabet... and so do the Germans. Looks almost like they traded because they met me. Now I am... a bit angry with myself.
Trade Masonry for 45gp to the Dutch, because otherwise the Germs would sell it to them. Did I mention I'm not happy about this?
Scout returned home. Will go explore the territory north of the Romans next.
Scouting Warriors don't have much left to explore, so one will be returning home for MP duty.

2310 BC
Washington finishes Curragh, starts Settler. It's the 10-turn cycle now (5 turns for things and grow 1 pop, 5 turns for Settler and grow 1 pop).
Curragh will go to meet the Greeks.
Found Boston south of Washington, start Granary.
Reduce science to 70%. Writing unchanged - in 3 turns.

2270 BC
Curragh finds Amsterdam.

2230 BC
We apologize about entering Dutch territory and promise to withdraw. Then we continue straight through.
Science to 50%, Writing in 1 turn.

2190 BC
We are first to to Writing. Because of this, we get:
Iron Working, Warrior code, 65gp for Writing from the Romans,
Ceremonial Burial for Writing from the Carthaginians,
Mysticism and The Wheel for Writing from the Germans.

This means that the AI civs are behind us:
Greeks: The Wheel, Mysticism, Writing
Romans: The Wheel, Mysticism
Carthage: The Wheel, Mysticism
Germans (other continent): Iron working
Dutch (other continent): Iron working, Writing, Mysticism

Start researching Philosophy (90%, 38 turns, -2gpt; 10% lux for Washington, for now).

2150 BC - last thoughts
Obviously the surviving Curragh made a big difference for my trade deals. It allowed me to get on top of things pretty easy, by holding trade monopoly between continents.

The additional Settler doesn't show yet, because there are no stellar city locations nearby. But it's no doubt important, given the low food at home.

The AI is slow to get new Settlers out, but unfortunately I didn't get the chance to buy some Greek Workers. So they are expanding now...

Looks like we're supposed to be rich, judging by all te Silks around. I can live with that.

Aerial view of AUmerica, 2150 BC:

[nbarclay]

Modo44, I'm curious about what you're trying to do with New York in your game. What's really needed from the only city near the capital with a food bonus is to have it function as a settler pump (maybe or maybe not shifting to worker pump operations once enough other cities have granaries). That's especially true in a game where attacking AIs is prohibited, and thus where focusing on a military for conquest instead of on REXing is not a viable option. But unless I missed something, your New York is going to have a very hard time setting up as a settler pump, at least for a rather long while.

[Modo44]

I don't like cities to keep the role of a pump for long. This means that after a while the city starts bulding improvements and/or units. So Workers, and often Settlers, are built in various cities. The exception is a clean 4-turn settler pump, which is not possible to achieve here. Basically, I don't want a city so close to my capital to stay out of the loop, concerning infrastructure. Both Washington and New York are planned as normal cities, only doing Settlers (and soon Workers) because the need dictates it.

There's also the thing about small maps (I usuall play on huge ones, which makes this map "small" to me.) - not much pumping to be done in the first place. This might not be the optimal strategy, but it seems good enough for Emperor difficulty.

And there's the tiny little thing left. I simply don't build camp-like cities, because of my rolaplaying bias.

[EDIT: I still plan a city at Boston 88.]

[Tarquinius]

I saw the game was up this morning and decided to play for a while. I chickened out and chose Monarch. Probably a bit too easy, but I thought the start would be tougher.

I founded Washington in the same place as Modo. It seemed like the best place to me, not wasting any silks and still on the river. I went for Ceremonial Burial at full speed. My scout went south and saw the cow. I decided to build 2 scouts and then a granary. I built New York 211 from my capital. I made my game plan here. As no offensive combat was allowed, NY would build another Granary and become a pump. I was toying with a wonder, because Washington was a good city for it. I decided it would be the Colossus. Coupled with an early run for Republic, it would make me research quickly, which I think is crucial in this game.

With these goals in mind, I traded as much as i could with the AI. I had no luch with goody huts (maps and 25 gold) but early on I could trade all my techs for all Caesar's techs. From Carthage I learned Bronze Working. After CB I went full blast for Writing. The AI's had nicely researched Myst, IW and the Wheel, which I traded all for Writing. I then started on CoL, planning to let Philosophy follow and pick republic as a free tech.

The above two are Emperor games, and even there the AI is faring poorly. In my game only the Romans were moderately competent. At first I feared only to get 6 or 7 cities, but here I thought I would be able to get at least 10.

In 2150 BC I had:
3 cities, 1 warrior, 1 curragh, two workers and one slave.
My core in 2150 BC:

[JimiD]

AU 505

Au Mod

Monarch


4000 BC Scout 81, ends on hill for good view
Washington founded on start spot - would have liked a hill start, but then too compromised
Warrior, Warrior, Granary
Worker 9 to BG

Alphabet at 50 turns - hope for some huts - no level two techs available

3950 BC
WOrker mine Scout 88, end of pennisula

3900 BC
Scout 22

3850 BC
Scout 2 on hill

3800 BC
Scout 1 onto hill for view - mountains in sight to the south, as well as cow

3750 BC
Warrior produced, heads south, worker roads
scout 12

3700 BC warrior 2
scout 12, onto hill over mountain range, spots long river to south east

3650 scout 22, spots village, warrior 2, spots long river and sugar
worker finishes road, 7 onto BG for another mine

3600 BC BW from Inuit tribe, spots red boundary to west

3650 BC, second warrior, fortified at home

3600 BC borders expand, scout 4 into boundary, no sign of anyone

3550 BC meet ROME!
exchange alphabet and warrior code and 10gp for bronze working pottery and masonry - and hopefully some goodwill.
onto researching writing at 50 turns

3400 BC, mine finished, road begins, more exploring
3300BC, road finished. Dilema (nice car), mine and road BG (expand in 6 turns), or chop forest. - mine and road first i think. - woker 9.

2950 BC meet the GREEKS!, 'gift' warrior code for their bank accound, 10gp (and hopefully some goodwill). Nice start. I think a granary was a bad idea for the capital, better on the second city with the cow.

2900BC second hut! a map, which is nice. I see the romans had a nice start

2710, after a settleR, a curragh (size 1 again). Third GH, CB!

2950 BC New York on the hill, with access the both river and cow - where I really should have put the granary. - No warrior here, straight onto a granary.

2910 curragh built, onto worker, then some serious building (Colossus?)

2270 BC buy worker from Rome for CB and 50 gp.

2150 BC Where we are at.

I wouldnt normally go for a wonder so early, but a usually miss the early Ancient eras ones, and I am at Monarch and feeling arogant / foolish. My capital usually ends up as some sort of settler pump for much of the meaningful part of the game, so I am trying something different this time. I may swap from Collosus to Pyramids, prolly ought too - just fancy lots of cash, AI wont start the Collosus for some time yet.

[Theseus]

DAR 1 - Through 2150 BC

AU Mod - Emperor

Even though I participated in setting up the game, I figured I could follow my own personal rule set for early play, and not be too far off from a 'fair' challenge.

Accordingly, on the start, I explored with the Scout, and decided to move the Settler 7 to access both fishes. I immediately started chopping the starting tile. On the second turn, after founding the capitol, I went through the F10 process of identifying all AI civs and analyzing their starting techs, and chose CB as my first research at 100%. I also, and this is *important*, started immediately on a granary... no units.

I explored further north first as there is the hill at 88 of my capitol... so much for the north!!

I then headed down the east coast to benefit from the Scout's two moves, then south and west with the range of mountains... I was being lazy, and actually using the mouse to point two-tile moves, and did so onto a hut!!! Well, thank the lord I hadn't built any units, and I got WC for free. I also, on the same move, saw the dreaded red culture outline of Rome.

With the silks mined and roaded into Washington, I still needed 34 shields for the granary, so I started on some more chopping.

Met Rome... damnit, just as I had picked up WC, they had somehow picked up CB!! Masonry and Pottery for Alphabet+10g. I only had 3 turns to go on CB, so I let that be.

After that, The Wheel at 100% and 15 turns.

The second chop completed with Washington at 2 pop, 5 turns to completion, and 8 turns to growth... that is muy efficient!!

Hmm... with all of the extra gold generated by the silks, methinks Washington will make a superb Colossus and then Super-Science-City.

Met Greece... WOW!! They have BW and 0g, while I have Pottery, WC, CB, and 24g. BW for Pottery. I immediately check with Rome, and they must have just completed BW (on the way to IW, no doubt).

Some turns later: MWAHAHAHA, the Greeks have 2 Workers in Athens, and I trade WC for them!!

By now, I have determined to commit to 3-tile CP, although ICS depending on my REX.

10% lux keeps the still empty W-ton happy enough at 3 pop.

I research the Wheel... Greece has nothing to trade, and Rome has Mysticism, which is too expensive, but I am able to snag another Worker. :chucklechuckle:

Greece gets to IW first; I am able to trade for it with CB, the Wheel, and 1gpt. I get Mysticism from Rome for IW and 1gpt. I am very happy to enter into these gpt deals, on the theory that it will help prevent the AI civs from attacking (defenderless) me. [EDIT: Even though, yes, trading IW to Rome feels like giving nuclear technology to Kim Il Jung. ]

Met Carthage... the laggard. Get 20g for CB.

Got Boston built just before the end of the DAR. I'm pretty sure I'll get to Writing first, or damn close to it, and then on to Philosophy.

[Modo44]

You know what? Somebody should hit me with something hard for not building Boston where you did. I mean, once you see it, it's so obsious it hurts. Or maybe I'll just punish myself.

[Tarquinius]

Well I think your placement was not so good, Modo, but you will survive it

I think actually that T's placement is not optimal either, because you cannot start to irrigate it at once. Not sure what you are using it for, will it get a Granary, Theseus?
I used New York as the pump city, so that Washington could build the Colossus, and profit from the high production and commerce it can generate.

But that is just my take on the opening, so far no one did exactly the same thing, that at least indicates you provided us with an interesting start

[Modo44]

If I'm not mistaken, Theseus' Boston can become a 6-turn Settler pump as well. And we're Industrious, so setting it up shouldn't be too much of a problem. The Forests need to go anyway.

[Theseus]

Originally posted by Tarquinius
I think actually that T's placement is not optimal either, because you cannot start to irrigate it at once. Not sure what you are using it for, will it get a Granary, Theseus?
I used New York as the pump city, so that Washington could build the Colossus, and profit from the high production and commerce it can generate.

I used Washington as my first pump, but then wanted to do the same thing as you, go for the Colossus, so built up Boston as the second pump.

[Arrian]

Tarquinius' placement seems the best to me. [/$.02]

-Arrian

[cracky]

Here we go again.

AU 505: The Power of…… MY IRON FIST!
Monarch….

We are a colorful, comfortable people. Clad in the lightest, the softest of clothing (for we have no need of anything further at this latitude, despite our leader’s odd choice in hats!). We idly spend our days fishing in the sea, or cavorting in the nearby meadows and woods. Our small village has need for naught, wants are but few and far between. It is a good time, a peaceful time. The young, when they are old enough to hunt for themselves, are left to wander as they will. All but an unlucky few return in time to settle down in our happy valley, raising families, attending….. Aww, enough of that, let’s get to the DAR!


4000:
Settled on the starting spot. Worker to 9 to road and mine, alphabet started at full throttle. Almost started research on Warrior Code, but with my faith in peace, writing treaties seems more important than enforcing my will.

3750: Warrior finished and off to explore as well, Looks like room for 2 cities to the north.

3600: Met the Greeks. They will give up Alphabet (I have 13 turns left) and Bronze Working for Masonry, Pottery, and 10 gold. Trade declined for 2 turns to see if the price gets better.

3500: Worker finished, Granary started, to be aided by chopping.

3350: Warrior from the Hut by the…

3300: Rome contacted. Masonry to Rome for 10 gold and Warrior Code. Warrior Code and Masonry to Greece for 10 gold, Alphabet, and Bronze Working. I’m ahead of both by Pottery.

2850: Carthage met. They’re even in techs.

2670: We have ***** luxuries on this continent? Caloo Calay!

2430: New York founded 1-1-4 of Washington, Washington builds Currah, then Second settler

2270: CB from Hut. Unfortunately, it seems everyone already has it, or is unwilling or unable to trade for it.

2110: 2nd Settler finished in Washington, 6 (probably 5 after it grows) turns for 1st settler from New York.

I have 2 workers, 4 warriors, 1 scout, 1 Curragh, 1 Settler. Nearly all of the home continent is explored. There are many, many luxuries on this continent, but it looks like we’ll only have direct access to one until the skull cracking begins. I have almost all of the home continent explored, except for the far south-west. After the initial two cities with the cow and silks, it looks like the second ring will be nearly all desert unfortunately. I’m considering an incredibly wide city spacing to be backfilled once the land grab is complete. This will likely depend on how fast the others are expanding. Rome has two cows, so this option might be out. What else… I have 4 turns until writing, which won’t be traded around for quite some time. Most likely I’ll research Philosophy straight away.

---After reading the rest of the DAR 1's, it looks like I'm in about average shape, maybe one less city built, but a heck of a lot more of the home continent explored (read ALL of the home continent).