VS SID AI's and tiny skyfish spoiler.
 

The start[coool]


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up..._start3950.JPG
36.47KB

DELETED SOME SPAM, NO OFFENCE MEANT, THIS IS A CLEAN SID THREAD!

Skyfish and me agreed some additional rules in this game. In general their goal is to protect this game from ending in a SID-AI rush nightmare while we are MA-ing eachother to oblivion.

Now, how to beat Sid? [hmm]

There's a question. Lets begin with the beginning. This is an archipelago map where the human start is good, the AI average and there is a very high possibility that I (and Sky) am alone with one AI on an island. The AI will off course NOT be on my doorstep...
Based on this information and some SP experience on SiD I chose the Aztecs. Knowing we could not choose seafaring, the Aztecs have several traits I deem highly favorable. First, Agricultural is very welcome, it offers some compensation for the mad AI growthrate and will allow larger cities to get specialsts and still grow. Second, there is only one military option to be able to fight the wicked number of units the AI has, and will inevetably start producing: I need armies. Many armies. For that, I chose militaristic.
Now the UU. Well, the Jag is the only unit actually downgraded from PTW, but still, it is IMO for this game a very good unit. As suspected and shown later, a very quick map of the area to place cities well and more importantly a way to block the AI early. Jags suite that purpose very well.
Lets talk future. there is no way I will outresearch the AI. the AI's will have more techs then me, but they will not get all techs the same time, more important then ever I will need to be a techbroker, as I know very well, sky will be as well.
Tacticly, at some point I will have to kick my neighbour off the island[aargh]. If that succeeds, well, lets just stick with buildup.

My opening consisted of founding two very close cities while a jag mapped the region. Next, I will start two/three setler facts whille the rest will build chariots/horses/spears/archers and later catapults. Again, militaristic will help on the rax!
The techpath is therefore maybe surprising as I first want the wheel![:o], there is a tiny chance my neighbour has not yet got that, while there are several commercial civs in the game so alpha might be tradable. If not, it will have to fit in somewhere.

Now, after reading: Maps:


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...slandstart.jpg
49.38KB

As can be seen in the SE lies the brave capitol. It has a lot of (semi)productive spots nearby. I will have to calculate very carefully what will be the best placement. I am very much leaning to tight building, as it has been succesfull in the past (on deity...)

To the west a mountainous Isthmus can be seen! As expected there is more land behind it and jags are now exploring!


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...57_isthmus.jpg
27.4KB

City 6 or 7 will be founded near this site. walls, temple, rax there asap...The mountains will provide a great slaughterbase when I go to war. Our people are already talking about the pass of leaders.[lol]

Techs. Every nation has its goals. Techs will be: The Wheel-Alpha-HBR-Bronze-Iron. By this time I hope to have traded for CB at least...

Although I understand you want to keep your thread clean I kindly ask you not to delete posts.
Forum moderator rules

Nice piece of land you have, if you manage to keep the AI out of it you'll have a good productive core. Maybe a palace jump/FP to the center later??

The story continues. [cool]
After again more scouting by ferocious jags, we have found our neighbours! Our third worse choice actualy as we have found the Iroquois.[sad]
Only Ghandi would be worse since one cannot pillage the resourceless elephants, and of course Egypt with 8-shieldchariots Hiawatha was forced to build his first city in 3900bc and has been growing mad ever since. Now roughly three times my score and up at least 4 techs, including the alphabet they start with. I switch my research to the only tech they lack and I can research. Horsebackriding.[cry]



http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...nd Isthmus.jpg
25.7KB

to the SW I met them. I need to keep them there!! I must hope that the horses in the "middle" island are the only ones (besides mine) so I can have some options.



http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...32025_IROS.jpg
10.95KB

As expected, Hiawatha has more cities then me.[wallbash]



http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...dealwindow.jpg
19.04KB

Sacrifice. This has become a game of just that. Stripping off the extra's is Deity. Stripping down to just those tiny basic needs is Sid. I will need to decide what to strip off first.
Off course, my sciencerun on HBR failed. The Iroquois got it 8 turns before me. No matter. It is just one tech less for me, AI won't trade two techs for HBR on SiD.
To strip down. Culture, Expansion will have to wait. Infra and Mili are just to important. I have no meaning to gamble on one very lucky boat to make to another island. It is just a waste of shields. My curraghs (if i had alpha...) go only two squares. As for Culture, to even catch up to the gigantic culture of Salamance alone, let alone the other 14 cities, would be a pain indeed. We pay 60 chields for a temple (if we had CB...) and though not so bad a thing to do as the boats, it will have to wait.
What remains? Infra. The capitol is the only 4 turn fac as of yet. A second city will be in about 10 turns. The city of Tlateloco, south of Tenochtitlan, is on a worker every 2 turns. The rest will produce a rax and horses as soon as they are connected and an occasional worker when happiness becomes a problem.[crazyeye]
Horses will be connected in 12 turns.

http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...tmapturn75.jpg
91.11*KB

The purple Dots are, you guessed it, planned cities. The Red dot indicates the spot for a possible FP, to be constructed with a leader.:D
The Yellow spot is a mountain that will see some battles. Probably.[cool]

Hehe....

But what is that green dot in the NE?

Isn't there an ishtmus to the NE of your homeland? It appears so on the maps, but it can just as well be sea.

@ Aggie, there appears to be no other passage to the NE.

1300BC. The Aztec Empire is growing. Our second 4-turn-setler factory at Texcoco is in operation, however, since it is too far from the capitol to get enough uncorrupted shields it can only produce 4 clean setlers using the four forrest tiles. That, by all means is sufficient. Tenochtitlan will do the rest. Tlateloco is a dedicated workerfac and will continue to be just that.
We are beginning to feel the strain of having just 1 luxury, and worse, no hope of getting more. It is something not all that uncommon on Archipelagomaps, but on SiD I hoped for two at least. It means that at size three most cities will need MP or enough commerce to keep the people happy. I have no idea yet how to get larger cities without having lux at 40%. [cry]
Also, my Iroquois Neighbour has not been spending time in the bushes. Hiawattha is pacing through the Ancient age like Schumacher in his ferrari. The worst off all being the discovery made from the F7-screen:


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...Lighthouse.jpg
11.62KB

This is truly terrible! I can no longer block them from the middle island and I expect galleys very very soon. To make matters worse, a few turns ago hiawattha turned up on the diploscreen with Zero cash. While still a despot, that can mean only one thing: he knows someone.[help] At least that is what the AIA thinks, I for one, have never seen the AI go broke without knowing anyone before. It always keeps at least 10 gold or not?[hmm][wallbash]
Now for good news;
[sleep]
well,


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...sconnected.jpg
13.48KB

Techwise, as can be seen, we have HBR! Next turn, we will also acquire Bronze Working. We run a decent Science rate as I already decided only to buy techs from Iro's when absolutely needed. I had 42 (or so) beakers invested in BW (total 72) with 2 truns to go, Hiawattha wanted 9gpt + 61 gold!!![aargh]
We will research Alpha ourselves (13 turns).

The Demographics also allowed for some nice details, the most astounding being that I was at one point 6th in MFG. 6th! One of the AI's is being hammered![estwing] (I checked and it is not on zero as in anarchy[rolleyes]) Me and Sky have been on and off on 7th/8th on most area's, though he seems to lead by Pop and area for some time now, which by the least does not concern me. He is Industrious and has probably build his first cities a bit further apart. I, on the other hand seem to be a bit better on the money/commerce.

Our lands in 1300BC:


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up..._1250BCmap.jpg
73.26KB

Nothing too fancy here, cities will be placed by the dotmap provided in an earlier post.
To conclude this update a short view upon the brave lads near the Iro lands:


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...0BCisthmus.jpg
36.82KB

The northern unit has already been ordered to proceed towards the Hut. As soon as an Iro setler/warrior (no no not a spear![rant]) land near it I will pop it and the barbs (what else??) will kill them. Period.

1100BC. As predicted, the Iroquois' foul galleys have evaded my blocking party on the Isthmus. Throwing many, many jaguarclubs at them from the cliffs whilst making very funny sounds did not scare them. They have landed on the middle island. The Spear ([rant]) with a setler even withstood the barbarians released upon them from the goody hut.


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...1100BCistm.jpg
24.76KB

To make matters worse:


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up..._Greatwall.jpg
10.88KB

It would be very very unfortunate if the Iro's, off all wonders, build the great wall. It would mean [wallbash] for may jags and horses.
In the meantime, we are racing to settle our lands as soon as possible. We cannot have any Iro presence on our peninsula at all, or all will be lost (sort off).


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...1100BCarea.jpg
85.54KB

As can be seen Tlalmanalco is situated on the west side of the "pass of leaders". It will be there that the battle will take place, Our spears will occupy the mountains with catapults and horses should do the rest. At least that is the plan.[mischief]

To conlude a short spoilerupdate the Demographics:


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up..._1100BCf11.jpg
78.31KB

750BC.

Well, more questions. More answers too.
Why is Sky so heavily outscoring me (by 100 points now) while in area I seem to stay close and I am even overtaking him there. In pop he leads but marginal, by far not enough for 100 points difference. What else determines score? [cry]Happiness
I have but a single lux which means very few happy faces all over. On MSN chitchat I estimate Sky has at least 3 luxuries!![aargh]
I do not know to what degree I have been "had" here but needless to say that it would mean a very serious problem.[wallbash]
I have thusfar played to the max of my abilities and put a shitload of time into a plan, and the fulfillment of this plan. I do not, in any way want to put an end to this game. yet.
There remains more to be investigated on this issue and as we have not met yet, I have not had the chance to see it with my own eyes. So for now. lets prepare.

The western outskirts:


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up..._750BCarea.jpg
37.35KB

No big things here. I have halfroaded towards the Irolands and left it to that. there are more galleys on their way to settle here. Good enws is that my part of the map is mine alone.:D So thank god for small favors.


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...bcareaeast.jpg
89.61KB

Every unit will be send to the west, apart from a contingent of warriors for Mili police in key cities. Also, some curraghs have been sent on suicidals besides earlier plans. Call it faith, call it the booze, call it Whateffah.
Any comments?