Turn 2, 3960BC

[Arrian]

Oops, my bad, I managed to mis-remember our starting techs. It's been a while since I've played the Mali, which is a poor excuse, I know...

Anyway, returning to my point re: second research choice, it's Archery, AH, Bronze or Mysticism then, all of which are reasonable choices.

-Arrian

[DeepO]

Whatever we do, Archery can't be too far behind. It's not needed as second tech, though, as we'll be building scouts or warriors, not archers. AH is of not much use either.

So, mysticism looks best to me, unless we'd go pop-rushing

DeepO

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by DeepO
AH is of not much use either.

:scratches head:

+1 health and a 3/2/1 tile is 'not much use'?

[Blake]

the +1 health requires a road (so the wheel and a bunch of worker turns), and for us to already be at the health cap. The +2 hammers can be more easily had from a mine.

It is a useful tile, but only in the long run. In the short run the worker techs we already have are just as good, given that we will be improving river tiles and that we have more workers than improved tiles.

[notyoueither]

We start with the wheel, and if we settle on the plains hill we have exactly 3 pop before losing food to health.

Without the sheep we are 10 hpt max (with farmed fp's that take forever) with it we are 12 with a cottaged fp that is far more profitable and quicker to build.

We pasture and road those ewes in the time it takes to build a single farm (sans road). Because we started sheering them, we now have +1 food (actually +3, 2 from the tile and 1 from health) for growth/settler-worker production (and an extra cottage).

Not to mention it is the single best yield tile in the cap radius.

I don't see that as 'not much use'.

Incidently, we can do the religion before AH, and still be in good time.

[notyoueither]

In short, a farmed fp over health is 3/0/1.

Sheep Hill with pasture is 3/2/1 and another tile gains a food (net 4/2/1).

This is a no brainer, isn't it?

[Blake]

Hmmm ceded.
And yes, testing suggests we can grow to size 4 easily before starting a worker so the health is useful...

Okay so I'm all over those ewes like a stereotypical kiwi. But it does delay pottery and there are the skirmishers to consider... hopefully exploration will make it a clear cut issue. If we get like another pasture resource along the river, that'd be awesome.

[nbarclay]

I definitely think it makes sense to prioritize Animal Husbandry over Pottery. 4X games are really, when it comes down to it, all about investment. And in the early game, extra production provides a higher rate of return on investment than extra commerce because extra production is what makes it possible to build the next settler and worker faster (other priorities remaining reasonably equal) - which in turn adds still more production and provides an opportunity to make up for lost time in commerce.

Also note that we won't know where horses are until we research Animal Husbandry. So having that tech might help us in identifying a good site for a later city.

At least that's my read on the situation. I won't claim to have the economics of Civ IV mastered yet, so I'm happy to listen to other points of view.

[Arrian]

I agree

-Arrian

[nbarclay]

As I recall, in the PTWDG, we had a "The Turn is Here" (or something to that effect) thread, which was bumped with a new post when a new turn arrived. I think it would be a good idea to start such a thread when the next turn arrives and follow a similar procedure.

[Arrian]

Agreed. Make is so!

-Arrian

[notyoueither]

dejon will most likely be away for this turn (see the absense thread).

We need to tally opinion on the city site, so assuming we receive the save soon ('nana has the save) please let's sit on it for 24 from now so that as many people can speak up as possible (see the Tale of Two Cities thread). If 'nana takes long enough, we get another 24.

If no one else wants to do it tomorrow (or Fri) evening in NA, I can make sure the turn is played in good time.

[notyoueither]

Still just 3 civs have settled.

The extremely good news is that we have a blue circle way to the South in the tundra. That must mean there are some good bonuses there.


We could wait til tomorrow to play the turn and allow the settling discussion continue.

What to do with the warrior?

Settle on the hill, then pop the hut?
Settle on the fp, then move off up one of the river systems?

Anyone aware of a pattern for hut distribution? It would be nice to have several lined up for the first scout.

[Theseus]

Take your time, and see who else chimes in.

I vote settle on the hill, then report back before moving the Warrior.

(Blue Circle? BLUE CIRCLE!!! Be still, my beating heart )

[Blake]

Well this is interesting. Note that the other civs with a good chance to get Buddhism (sara and AC) havn't founded? It's doubtful that they have their hearts set on religion. It is also more than likely they've moved onto a hill.