AU 202: Analysis, Solutions, and Stories (spoiler)

[badams52]

Originally posted by jshelr

Meantime, I was curious about the thread(s) you mentioned that dealt with the choice between building infrastructure and an all-out cavalry charge. Being basically lazy or overly cautious, I usually turn builder and hardly ever finish off a domination win with cavs.

Hmmm, interesting you would consider the builder coarse the more lazy choice. Being a builder at heart, I usually consider the domination choice the more lazy. If I already have enough cavs to finish off the other civs, then I'll might just do it. To me it takes a lot more effort to build the banks, universities, and get to the space race than just letting my cities pump out unit after unit. Not to mention the long wait to research all the techs myself.

Why wait for the victory (milking the score and space race victories now bore me) when you can finish the game earlier and go onto more important tasks, like starting a new round of civ

[jshelr]

Just wanted to report that after only 39 hours and 32 minutes the Arabs have achieved an SS victory.

Not only did this require a rediculous amount of time, but my wife made me turn down the SS musical interlude.

Strange thing was I enjoyed playing it out. Thanks again for the work on the new mod.

BTW, badams52, when I'm in builder mode, puttering away on my laptop in the TV room with the wife and "kids" (who average about 35) she says it looks like I'm knitting. That's what people used to do with their hands when they wanted to do something else with their minds.

[jshelr]

sorry

[Dominae]

Catt, if you're going to get horribly bad luck in some games, you're going to get horribly good luck in others. Too bad they had to be back to back! I guess your game just proves that the Expansionist trait is the most "random", as you'll never know if you're in for a UP or an early defeat (yes, I know it has nothing to do with the trait, I'm just making jokes...).

If you check my screens you can see where I jumped my Palace to early on. For lack of a better position, I placed the FP about 15 tiles South of that (which I think was the right decision, in retrospect).

If I'm way ahead I like to try and win the game as quickly as possible. This creates for another challenge of sorts. I really do prefer when there's a competition in the Industrial age, because that when you really have to think.


Dominae

[Mazarin]

part II -Germany

just finished the game...the start was pretty difficult to predict, but it went quite well for the rest of the game.

Having built up enough infrastructure during the ancient era, I started building horsemen and researching slowly towards chivalry....just didn't want to miss these cheap upgrades. I planned to rush the iroquois as soon as ansar warriors would become available. But the germans declared war on me though we had a RoP and several trade agreements -just a couple of turns too early. I didn't really mind, as they didn't have iron and I could kill their attacking forces with my horsemen...still researching chivalry -a little bit faster now

I soon stroke back..and I just love this cheap three movement knight...in Combination whith my GA, I was able to finish the germans war pretty quickly...

[Mazarin]

part III -Iroquois

After the Germans were gone...I had about 50 Ansar Warriors that needed some occupation. After some time to recover...I attacked the Iroquois who were much better protected due to their GA that they received through some mounted warriors that had also been involved in the German war. The big cities were protected with 5-7 pikemen and hordes of MWs were running around and killing my AWs...I almost thought the one defense point could be worth the 10 shields. Nevertheless, Hiawatha was soon reduced to a OCC.

[Mazarin]

partIV -greece

greece was the next one to conquer...they were weak...but I didn't want too many of my AWs to be killed by these hoplites fortified on hills...thats why I researched Mil.Trad. before attacking...Alex had to face the same end as Hiawatha...I don't think these both would support me at a UN-vote.

[Mazarin]

part V- babylon/france

I didn't want to continue playing this game for weeks, so I decided to do a domination victory. I had about 60 Cavs after the Grek war, bought 10 Caravels, and conquered Babylon and France before nationalism came up...1325 AD the game was over.

I played the original rules...so I can't really say which impact on AI-behaviour the AU-mod has...due to starting position and expansionist trait I was able to trade for most of the ancient techs without investing much money...the settler from the goody hut made it easier...but I'm not sure if industrious -my favourite trait wouldn't have made up for these advantages. I think that Americans and English would be best for this map: religious trait couldn't show its power -for reasons that I mentioned above.

[Dominae]

Well done Mazarin! Seems most people picked the Arabs...So, are the Ansars really worth it? On par with, say, Samurai?


Dominae

[Mazarin]

they are better than samurais...they are now one of my three favorite uu's -besides the immortals and chinese riders...you can upgrade your horsemen for 60 gold, you have three movement points, you produce them much faster (in combination with my GA, my good cities produced one AW in 2-4 turns). The only problem is that they cannot defend themselves very well -but this is no problem, as the AI is just too stupid to use attacking units as defenders.

[Jawa Jocky]

I got rid of the Iroquois and Germany. I was peacefully making some banks when Greece commited an ROP violation and took two cities. I'm a few techs behind now too. Well its time to go back and fight Greece.

Catt - I justed loaded Irfanview and it is way better than what we were doing with paint/photoshop.

[jshelr]

I agree with Mazarin on the Arabs. Cheap, 3-move knights with religion. Trouble with China is that you get stuck in anarchy or hesitate to attack due to being in republic. I'd probably still take china on a large map but might regret it, particularly in a deity game.

[Jawa Jocky]

I got rid of Greece. Right afterwards Babylon broke our MMP and declared war on me. I was also giving them 2 luxuries for a tech at the time. I signed a MMP with Egypt and now the whole world is a war. Hopefully this will let me get caught up in tech.

I also build the Iron Works. I'm using US as a prebuild to ToE. My workers suck. Hopefully replaceable parts will help a little. Every 12 city makes a worker when finished with whatever and I still barely have a rail network. Here is a shot from a few turns ago.

[badams52]

Originally posted by Jawa Jocky
My workers suck.

Maybe you just don't have enough of them.

[nbarclay]

I finally got around to finishing the game. I decided to go for domination rather than take the time for a space race victory, and that meant attacking someone with cavalry. France and Babylon seemed to be the logical choices - if I could hit Babylon before they entered the industrial era and got Nationalism for free.

I landed a force of cavalry and musketmen on the French coast. After taking a few losses in the initial counterattack, I was able to press home the attack and eventually capture France's four cities. I then started ferrying additional cavalry over in preparation to strike at Babylon.

But Japan had other plans. They landed next to one of my captured French cities and declared war when I told them to leave. Suddenly, all thought of keeping Babylon out of the industrial era disappeared. I traded Magnetism to Babylon and Egypt for alliances against the dastardly Japanese and sold additional technology for luxuries, gold, Democracy, and Free Artistry.

Egypt razed one Japanese city just before I could take it and eventually captured two others. But the four Japanese cities I was able to take proved sufficient. I got my domination victory in 1220 AD.

Nathan