CTP PBEM Challenge Ladder June 2006

[thehappies]

Some updates:

Chlg 150 thehappies def Milamber; Dec 05 to Apr 07 turn 200

I think I can declare this one a victory on turn 200. We were each playing two civs and I've pretty much killed one of his. I'm kind of tired of bugging him for turns, so I'm declaring it a win and if Milamber wants to protest he can post here or send me the next turn!

It was a great game though. The best was this 100 mile road that brought the hordes of roman troops right to my doorstep. I couldn't figure out how they were getting to me so quickly and then I found this little road and began following it. It must have taken him 50 turns to build that thing.

Chlg 168 TheBirdman def thehappies Jan 07-Apr 07 turn 191

A very good but VERY dissappointing game. I was sure I would have my vengeance this time, but, alas, it was not meant to be. I made some pretty good invasions and held many of his cities for quite a while. But it started going sour when he got airplanes, and then he got nukes . . . and you can guess the rest. I did manage to launch one nuke against him. But it couldn't match the 10 or so that landed on my cities. One day I will rise again and be victorious. But for now I think I'll study the old turns and figure out how he pulled this off!

[Addled Platypus]

op and ladcer updated on the same day and posted.....woot

[TheBirdMan]

Originally posted by thehappies
Chlg 168 TheBirdman def thehappies Jan 07-Apr 07 turn 191

A very good but VERY disappointing game. I was sure I would have my vengeance this time, but, alas, it was not meant to be. I made some pretty good invasions and held many of his cities for quite a while. But it started going sour when he got airplanes, and then he got nukes . . . and you can guess the rest. I did manage to launch one nuke against him. But it couldn't match the 10 or so that landed on my cities. One day I will rise again and be victorious.

I say – I have never lost that many units in a game before. It started with a long sea-battle to get control over a strait. I HAD to win, else many of my trade routes would be open for piracy. I’m not sure how many SOTLs, I lost and how many thehappies lost. But the number was very-very high. I got that victory ONLY with help from my Russian enemy (I took 4 of their largest cities) giving my shorter supply- and repair lines and production capacity of more SOTLs. But even with that, thehappies could have turned the whole game into his favor if he had had only ONE or TWO land-unit with one of his stacks when he in late “days” of that great sea battle wiped out my fleets and emptied the “Russian” cities for my troops. I had to keep my last few troops away from the coastline, as the climate was unhealthy for me…….

Finally I managed to get a sufficient number of fighters – that was where the game turned over. And I thought that now the rest of the game would a “easy-walk”. But no! Thehappies stole both massproduction and tankwarfare from me. Now he bombarded most of my coastal cities, killing every single landunit in them. My fighters couldn’t help me much as they were as butter in the hands of his destroyer-captains if they attacked his fleets. I had to use fighters as passive defenders in the those cities – that was my only choice.

I had to find something more “heavy”. And that was the combination of interceptors/paratroopers and the nuke. Fortunately thehappies couldn’t follow my science – else he would have won that game. I’m certain of that. Though I had many more cities, he outproduced me.

But for now I think I'll study the old turns and figure out how he pulled this off!

The keyword is science. Science-science and more science. I even starved my population in the highest money-making cities for several turns to get the highest output from these (not as much as I did it in my game with Quinn’s, but....enough ).

Second: Maximum trade routes for as many cities as possible - don't take "the game-engines" first suggestion as the best advice - the trade route might be pirated.

Third: Don't be afraid of the AIs. Kick them out of your territory if they annoy you. And wage war against them without hesitation if necessary. Even if you are at war with your human enemy too. Don't attack those AIs "face-to-face", but go just behind their frontline and take their "second-third row cities". They are usually not defended with more than one or two units. Don't bang your head against their frontline you will only get a bad headache.

[Keygen]

Originally posted by TheBirdMan

The keyword is science. Science-science and more science.

I second that

[thehappies]

Yes, I think one error of mine was not dealing with the English early on. They kept sending clerics and later lawyers and corporate branches. It was a small but steady drain on my resources to deal with them. And it prevented me from opening the western front in the war because they were between me and Birdman on that side.

And I'll agree that another was definitely not having the land troops available when your coastal cities were sitting there empty for the taking. In the last game Birdman taught me a lesson in how effective stacks of naval units were for taking coastal cities. So this game I was determined to return the favor. Consequently, however, I was lacking in the land units when I needed them.

Anyway, well done all around.

[Addled Platypus]

doing an incredible amount of OT

will be playing

just not alot of posting

[Keygen]

Originally posted by Addled Platypus

doing an incredible amount of OT

What are you doing to that crazy place?

[iDestroy]

The keyword is science. Science-science and more science.

Gold is the best thing, because for every ten gold u get 6 of that goes to science (in theocracy). Plus u get 4 more gold to keep your nation above losing money. If u take people off of land work you may lose science. Scientist earn 10 science unless they have the Galileo's Telescope. But if that scientist was on a river with a good or on a mountain with an advanced mine, it may be possible to lose science. Plus u are losing food that could make more villagers to make gold. Gold is what makes the world go round in Civ.

[PrinceBolkonsky]

Gold Makes the World Go Around

I agree entirely, that is, until the beginning of the modern period. Generally, by this time I have a number of cities at size 10 and above. Generally, there will be a few large cities that are not in good positions to be used for high production and that are not being used as major trade hubs and or don't have a lot of gold deriving terrain. When you build the Academy, Pub House, University and eventually Computer Center each science specialist gives far more scice than you would think. By the time you develop 7 or 8 specialists you are getting between 3 and 400 Science out of that city. 3 or 4 such cities can give you the science edge. You lose 48 gold per city to do this. That 48 gold would bring anywhere from 20 to 40 science if left in the system. So you net far more science.

By the same token, especially early on you want to build your trade multiplying improvements only in cities that will become trade hubs. In the first half of the game this is the source of a good science rate. But if you build some of these gold improvements where they don't pay they are a wash.

[TheBirdMan]

Originally posted by iDestroy


If u take people off of land work you may lose science.

Correct.

But if you by starving your largest cities gets a new modern military advance (up to and including aerodynamics) every 4-6 turns instead of 12-15, you might be able to get the military victory.

Starving IS worth to consider - specially if you are "outproduced" by your (human) enemy and wonders not allowed (as it is in many challenge games).

[MILAMBER]

game 161 Birdman vs Milamber
Birdie wins turn 116.
I turn around and challenge you birdy

[TheBirdMan]

Originally posted by MILAMBER
I turn around and challenge you birdy

Accept!

As long as the game has an advanced start.

Do you want to set up a game Milamber, or should we ask "a third party"? Maybe we could persuade Keygen?!

[Keygen]

Sure, no problem

[Addled Platypus]

Milamber vs TheBirdMan can not happen

not within three of each other, check post #2 for the ladder


BTW
should have said OT at work

not OT - off topic

[Keygen]

OverTime then?