Ultimate Power: a more pragmatic approach

[Arrian]

I have dropped down to 3 tiles between cities in most cases (city-x-x-x-city or something similar), but terrain of course plays a part.

I practically ignored the desert. I built a city "1" of the 2-tile lake (which a looooong time later became my capitol) and I built a couple of cities along the northern/northeastern fringe (south of Carthage). The AI chipped in with a couple of cities on the coast which I later captured and just left there.

My early expansion went something like this:

Built a city west of Carthage on the sea (eventually got the Colossus, GL, Copernicus, and Newton there). Built aggressively Eastward, to make sure I got the juicy terrain between Persia and I. Then I built a couple of cities on the northern fringe of the desert that could use some extra grassland tiles (size 6 barracks towns for a long, long time). Then I built 3 cities up in the jungle N/NE of Carthage and started chopping it down. Then, and only then, I went West. I still ended up grabbing most of the land out there.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

City Spacing/Layout

Konquest,

Here is a screenshot of the Carthiginian core near the end of my game:

[Mountain Sage]

Originally posted by Konquest02
What kind of city spacing do you use to achieve (P)UP?

It all depends on the game. In AU207 I went for C-T-T-C (with few exceptions) with excellents results.

In this game I went for a more standard C-T-T-T-C with a few exceptions again (captured cities and avoiding other civs city ruins ).

As the first P stands for Pragmatic, feel free to adapt.

In my archipelago games, I also go for C-T-T-C, since I want to pack more cities together than other civs. This is even more important when you play with (or better, against) 16 civs. Most will have roughly the same number of cities, so your +4-5 cities difference can win you the game.

BTW: I almost finished Arrian's game. Some postings tomorrow!

[Arrian]

I'm looking forward to that, MS. I'll have to gather some replay screenshots.

-Arrian

[Mountain Sage]

2900BC: first contact
Ok, so I have the Germans and the Persians as neighbours. Fine. My strategy will be to build 3-5 cities, then go for an archer rush to get some lebensraum. if needed. As usual, my well-thought strategy would only last the time to think it…

[Mountain Sage]

1910BC counterattack!
As soon as I made contact, my nice German friends sent an archer to my capitol and declared war! I was supposed to make an archer rush, not them!!!

[Mountain Sage]

1790BC: success!
Their capitol is conquered. Now I have 2 cities, but the Germans are not down.

[Mountain Sage]

1600BC: another war
My other nice neighbour, Persia, had the brilliant idea to also declare war on me. I strongly suspect Arrian bugged this game to embarrass me.

[Mountain Sage]

1350BC: and then there were three
Fine, my great civ has three cities now, plus some (ancient) ruins.

[Mountain Sage]

1000BC: the good, the bad and the ugly
The good: 1st GL! (this is Arrian’s game, after all). He will build the Pyramids, since I have a bit of rexing to catch up.
The bad: my attack on Persepolis was called off after I lost 5 attackers. I needed the last one to protect my GL. I managed to make peace with Xerxes.
The ugly: the Japs are not far off.
Techs: +2 techs vs. the Germans and Persians, -2 vs. the Japs (but different ones). After 3000 years of war, could have been worse.

[Mountain Sage]

730BC: mixed REX
1 settler, 1 military unit, 1 settler, 1 military unit...
I had the ‘feeling’ I would need those military units (soon).

[Mountain Sage]

510BC: more mixed REX
More of the same, + my UU (only 1!).
Persia is at war with the Japs. I am at peace with the 3 (first time, I feel like being on holiday!).

[Mountain Sage]

310BC: military strenght
Japan declared war on me. Well, one more or one less....

[Mountain Sage]

310BC: military strenght
Japan declared war on me. Well, one more or one less....
*correct screenshot*

[Mountain Sage]

310BC: GL2!
The bright side of war. Another GL (this is Arrian’s game, remember?)
I had now to make a tough decision, where to put my FP. I decided to put it in Leipzig, SW of the screenshot (as to have a N-S axis palace/FP). Why? I wanted maximum efficiency now. the West was not settled yet and the cities there were only size 1 anyway. Was I right or wrong?