Wow... I just started my first "new game" in how long?

[Theseus]

After the first round of trait wars, I later got much happier with the benefits of MIL, and value it more highly than I once did. Cheap barracks (10 friggin' shields is basically FREE) and, yes, cheap harbors for archipelagos and IC invasions, are awesome.

Back OT:

This game, btw, is a blast. The successive choke points, and the location of resources and luxuries (as in the luxes I have, fur and incense, are NOT in patches, but most of the others are), and the lack of rivers in the core are REALLY interesting to play. The terrain, along with being forced to use slowmovers, adds to challenge. Good AI civs too... think about it: Zulus are closest, which is appropriate; Persia next, which is threatening; and Babylon furthest, which gives Hammy time to become a threat.

I didn't do a hundred Warriors... I did about 60. Upgraded to Swords at full price, and am hoping to snag Leo's after that.

Back to Arrian's last post, not being MIL in a game like this SUCKS!!

Anyway, it is loads'o fun. And I haven't gotten to Mil Trad yet... I anticipate that IC invasions with the Ottomans will be a strong contender compared with my recent fav, the Scandinavians.

[Dominae]

You're playing with AP on, Theseus? Barracks cost 20 Shields for Militaristic civs in the standard game...


Dominae

[Ecthy]

I start new games all the time. It just becomes too boring after a while. There are LOADS of started and never ended games in my directories. But as Ming would say: Every game will be continued, eventually

[Theseus]

Sorry, I mis-wrote... 20 shields for Barrracks... but that is STILL almost free.

[Ecthy]

Nothing compared to the boni for religious/scientific civs anyway

[Tall Stranger]

Originally posted by Theseus
Sorry, I mis-wrote... 20 shields for Barrracks... but that is STILL almost free.

Hmm. Aren't you the Ottomans? Unless my brain is completely malfunctioning, they're not militaristic. Ind and Sci, right? You're paying 40 for those barracks.

(Great game: You must be producing a heck of a lot of shields not to be noticing that!!)

[Solomwi]

Tall Stranger, that was an off-topic comment by Theseus. If you notice, a little farther down in the same post, he bemoans not being militaristic in the current game.

[Theseus]

Thanks for the clarification, Solomwi... I actually used a GL for Sun Tzu, which I very much dislike to do, to make up for not being MIL in this game.

[Solomwi]

Now, to actually add something useful to the thread: I finally got a game underway and into the Industrial Age, playing Monarch, Huge, Continents, 60% Water. I'd been wanting to branch out from the Industrious/Religious rut I'd been in, and having a taste of Militaristic in my last game (Celts), decided to go with Germany.

I now love Germany. This is the first game I've really been able to appreciate Scientific, especially with a couple of Sci neighbors for the new-era trade. The cheap barracks can be mind-blowing, and a real boon to an ultra-early military, but I'm liking the cheap harbors almost as much, especially for colonizing the tundra north of Berlin. Though it's tough to get 80 shields out of a new tundra city, a harbor and library in each (thank you, gold-rushing) for that price is a godsend. Add to that being able to get a settler out fairly quickly due to the harbor, and it gets even better. Start throwing up some 100-shield universities in the Medieval Age, and it's a recipe for vaulting into the tech lead.

I found myself in the northwest of one continent and quickly discovered the Ottomans to my south and Vikings to my east, both fairly tight. Not long afterward I discovered the Aztecs south of Scandinavia and the Chinese on the far south of the continent. Perfect, four neighbors, only one Exp and one other Sci. Obviously, four of the five of us were Mil, so this map had the makings of a VERY fun game. In 1100 BC, I attacked the Ottomans for a little pruning, and looking for a decent FP site. They pulled the Vikes and Aztecs into it in 1050, so I got the Chinese on my side. 300 years later, I'm at total peace, with Edrine, Istanbul and Literature and 171 gold from the three peace treaties.

Fast forward to 210 AD and I declare war on the Vikings (more pruning action), this time in Republic. I immediately take a couple of cities. Next turn, I'm back at war with the Ottomans, too. The turn after that, China joins the evil Vikings against me. The only actual fighting I'd do with them in the end was sinking one galley in the South China Sea. A couple of razed Ottoman towns later, Osman's giving me Iznik and all his gold for peace. With 8 captured Viking cities by 550 (including Trondheim and Oslo), I get Hareid and Stavanger for peace. The first Pax Germania lasts almost 500 years, right up to 1000 AD when I upgrade to Cavs.

Seeing the Ottomans stuck on Chemistry, I decide to go ahead and take them out, declaring war in 1020 and taking or razing 12 villages in the next 5o years (5 turns). In 1090, the Aztecs declare war out of the blue. I get the Vikings in on my side, just to avoid a two front war. China decides to sit this one out. In 1140, the last Ottoman town becomes German and in 1220 the same happens to the Aztecs. It's now 1440 and the Aztecs have had a settler in a boat this whole time. With no interest in pursuing them, I make peace once the alliance runs out. In a moment of stupidity, I just traded them Astronomy last turn.

Now I'm 5 turns away from tanks, and eyeing the Chinese. I'm tempted to wipe out the Vikings, and might do it any turn now, since they're no good as a customer, but no real threat either, but have enough Cavs to handle that within a couple of turns, especially since they're are still working on Chemistry.

Before doing the continental control thing, though, my mouth is really watering looking to the west. The Russians (brown) and Egyptians (yellow) share the main continent, but the Zulu (black) have a good sized island (14 loosely spaced cities) to themselves. This island also happens to have the entire world's supply of wines, a coal source, a rubber source and two oil sources. Oh, and the Zulu have just entered Industrial. I may break my Marine production record in anticipation of this invasion. I'm already gathering my transports in my closest port, which puts 5 Zulu cities within a 3-turn striking distance once I'm all loaded. This could be the amphibious invasion to end them all.

I've got to say four Mil civs, with me being one of them, on one land mass has been one of the more fun games I've ever had.

[Tall Stranger]

Originally posted by Solomwi
Tall Stranger, that was an off-topic comment by Theseus. If you notice, a little farther down in the same post, he bemoans not being militaristic in the current game.

DOH! My brain was malfunctioning after all, just in a way I hadn't expected!!!

Some days, it doesn't pay to get out of bed. Unfortunately, I'm having about a month of those days!

[Solomwi]

Wow, just wow. One more reason to love Mil. I am currently playing 1445 AD from the game described above, and did declare war on the Vikes. Already this turn I've gotten three leaders, two on back to back battles at the same town! Add that to the army my MA is going to spit out turn after next, and my future military adventures just got a huge boost.

[Mountain Sage]

Theseus,
I just finished your game. Wow, what a play! A real crazy game...
Well, if you want to 'hear' more about it, I will start posting it on my 'Emperor games' thread.

P.S. Theseus, sorry for this, but I think I'm good at marketing my threads.
BTW, by doing this, I also *bumped* your thread.

[Theseus]

Cool!!

I've been WAAAY distracted by RL, and need to catch up on the various DG and AU games... I'll then get back to this one, which I knew would be loads'o fun.

[PrinceBimz]

Solomwi, sounded like an awesome game! How did it eventually turn out? Did you do a large amphibious invasion?

[Theseus]

Solomwi, which game were you playing?