[PC] On War Without Swords - Civ 4 Succession Game 2

She always told the best of stories. Stories of the lost hardships of landown, of the brilliant lands beneath the waves, of the clever adventures of Two-Head Crow, and Silver Sky who molded our land. She could be a tilt toward crazy, but her stories always had a purpose. They showed us the follies of our past and gave us guidance in life. She was the lore keeper of our people, and that task has now fallen to me - to carry on our tale.

Civ 4 Succession Game 2

Due to the success of its first iteration, and our victories over the peoples of Earth that was, I'm putting forward the idea of a second game of Civ 4.

Game Configuration

Game: Civ 4 + Warlords + Beyond the Sword

NOTE: Non dual-booting Mac folks, Aspyr literally just released BtS for MAC OS X.

Patch Version: 3.19 Firaxis Download

Difficulty: Noble
Scenario: Not Yet Chosen
Size: Standard (normal enemy slots)
Victory Conditions: All Except Timeout
Turn Times: 1 day to post "Got It" and 2 days to submit turn report and post game file for download.

From the prior thread for orientation:

Basic Concept
For those who haven't tried succession games:

Originally Posted by wikipedia

Succession games are games played by a team of several players, often with some variant. Each player plays about 10 turns at a time, with discussion between sets.

Basically, we rotate doing 10 turns a piece, then posting pictures and descriptions of what happened during our turns. Roleplay as the leader, bare bones info, stream of consciousness. Whatever you like, as long as the game progresses.

Turn Progression
From a lower post, the general turn order is:

Quote:

- Get save game file from prior player (emailed or uploaded to a website)
- Play your 10 turns (remembering to make images of important / funny stuff)
- Mail / Upload save file from completed turn.
- Create a post on GFF describing what happened during your turn.

Current Players
Shin
Hawkeye
Araes
Pang
Turbo

Anybody who's interested just post as such. I'm open to suggestions on race, leader, and scenario selection. I was personally thinking one of the new race / leader combos from BtS, since I haven't tried them much, and a normal start so we could experience all the new stuff.

To avoid sadness all around, I'm proposing every victory condition except Timeouts so we can have even more chaos and disarray in our strategy.

As shown by our game last time, it was pretty free-form about posts per turn, and no requirements on length or craftsmanship if its a concern. Appreciate notices if you're going to be absent, although we'll likely skip after a few days if nothing is forthcoming.

How ya doing, buddy?

As an interim, it is already running loose in the wilds of the internet, which might do until you happen upon it by other means.

How ya doing, buddy?

Turbo: Figured something of the kind had come up. Don't worry too much about the end game skill, as we were discussing plans quite a bit near the end, particularly when it was looking dicey as to whether we'd be able to pull out a win.

Pang: Random seems like a reasonable suggestion. I'll turn on the odd combinations so we can have Ghandi running the Holy Roman Empire.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Since we've got a good number of people interested, I'll plan on starting the game Thursday, barring any unforseen events. People can feel free to join in as interested throughout and we'll just have reserves after five for if we get drops.

Current turn order is reflected in first post.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

On a long forgotten world, orbiting through the mazed, turbulent bath of multiple stars, a lone figure raises his head from the nets of piker fish he works, and glimpses the future of his people - Elephants. And boats. Great mammoths of lumber and grey skin, ravaging the coasts of the world over.



Whether sun-dazed or truly prophetic, his idea seems to strike a chord with his people, as he spreads his message of mutant, naval terror, and within a few years his people have gifted him with the guidance of their small hamlet by the waves. Perhaps they're all sun addled.

Ensconced within the new hut of his position, and finally freed from his toil by the water, he has time to think upon his vision, and comes to a harsh realization - while his imagery, and power, draws upon the natural beautry and grace of the elephant, his people don't actually own a single one.

Needing to rectify this immediately, he gathers up the local boys from the tribe and instructs them that whatever fate guides their people has demanded grey titans to further their good works. They must search the land far and wide to gather as many of these fine beasts as possible.

Not more than a year out from the village they sight their first earth shaker, and the faithful of the village work themselves into a frenzy at the news.



Drawn ever onward by the dark tendrils of his mind, the next step upon the quest towards fleshen behemoths of the waves is the ability to actually sail. Fortunately, the ways of the world smile yet again our fresh people, and as they crest a hill within the curve of a vast plain to the North, they see a small group of workers attempting to erect a wooden skeleton amidst the grass.

Fortunately, the boys which were sent abroad are a slight bit brighter than these folks, and with a deft bit of trading, give them some colored pebbles and a promise of future aid for access to look at their interesting construction.



Now, it is but a matter of time until the whole world shares the vision.



OOC: Strategy wise, since we ended up with yet another Financial character, and are fairly near the ocean, I've once again been trying to get some religions. Seems probable we'll get to be the first one, as I haven't seen any messages yet.



Build-wise, Sailing gave us access to the Maoi Heads Wonder (+1 Hammer in all water squares. Awesome) and we've also got Stonehenge. However, I was thinking we could be somewhat more expansionistic this game, as not having enough cities ended up biting us last game. Maybe a couple warriors and then a settler?

The save game can be found at: GFF_Game2%20BC-3560.CivBeyondSwordSave

I was speaking idiomatically.

I assume we'll probably use it at the very least. Whether we focus on it is a different matter. While its useful to have intel and be able to do secret ops on our foes, it also does tend to screw your relations over time and make people go to war with you. If we're going pretty aggressive, then it would be good, but if we're tanking, then it would be less so.

My personal preference is to get some as it comes naturally, but not devote lots of resources to specializing in it unless a need presents itself.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Got the save, I'll see about taking my turns a little bit later today. Be surprised if we actually win the race to Polytheism this late, but maybe it'll happen. Going to need to survey a Settler location soon too.

Additional Spam:
Turbo, I'm thinking you screwed up on the save file linkage, as this is a Gods of Old savegame, and the people are currently tooling around with Scientific Method. Not quite what I was expecting.

FELIPE NO

Actually not quite as far along on the Settler as I thought, so it will end up being Pang's turn when that finally comes around.



Starting off, we've got a roadblock of warriors hanging our around our town, so I work to spread them out and get them exploring back where our first one died, and down to the South. Thankfully, find a sneaky passage through the hills, and we're quickly off to the villages and Panther infested woods of the Southwest.

Also, Stop with the bears! I see no less than three bears within a five square area, not to mention a number of lions and panthers. The wilds of the Northwest are a scary place...

While all this is going on, we have a burst of research (which unfortunately doesn't lead to a new religion), and the villages we liberate from Panthers are also happy to kick in and help us learn how to throw spears. Everyone feels so much safer with this knowledge that their discovery of Masonry and wall building near the end is almost an afterthought.







At the end, I've got our warriors out pretty far to the West, heading in multiple directions, we'll be putting out a Settler in Pang's turn, and we're on the road to Monotheism.



Your go Pang. Save file can be found at: GFF_Civ4_Game2/GFF_Game2%20BC-2360.CivBeyondSwordSave

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Since Big & Gay is still having computer gremlin issues, it's your turn Turbo.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Damn. Looks like we're in for another tough game.

No issue on taking a turn, since you've missed several, and it would be mine next. Checked the save though, and have some thoughts, since things just got rough.

If we max food (rice, wheat, whatever), we'll grow in 4 turns, and still finish a warrior. After four, I'd think full trees and another Settler, w/ existing warrior as escort, which would only take like 12-15 turns.

I'll shift the first post to reflect the new order of play. Glad you got it working.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Far too quiet on the home front. However, almost immediately I get a message from the winds that a huge wall has been built somewhere. Good for them.



The next few years scream by, with constant commands of 'work harder' and shortly we find that weapons using actual metal are now within our grasp.



"Oh hey, what's this odd, orange rock next to our city..."



The only other source is on the far Western wilds of our continent guarded by hordes of rampaging elephants, horses, and bears.

Without much to-do, my leadership comes to a close, and several hundred years have passed in a blink.



Save for Pang, who's turn it is, can be found at: GFF_Game2_BC-0850.CivBeyondSwordSave

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Unfortunately, I was looking at that, and I'm really not liking our possible locations. We've got:

Up to the left, Cow + Rice + Water, but we'd lose a lot to mountains.
Up to the right, Rice + Elephant + Forests, but no water.
Down to the right, Copper + Gems + Water, but jungle & hills.
Way the fuck off West, tons of resources, but really far away.

Think my first preference would be up-right. After that, maybe spread West, with a stopover to grab the Copper down South.

Build lots of Settlers so we can have enough diversity of cities to start building some wonders and get some Great People. Getting our first Great Person at like 1500 AD last game was pretty tough.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Turbo, I swear you attract Settler assassins. Are there any barbs even farther North? ie, is the new city threatened yet? Either way, Shin, you're up.

How ya doing, buddy?

Things start off relatively well, as we're only one turn from an archer at our main city with some fiddling, and fairly close on the granary with more dickering.



Unfortunately, right after that good vibe, I find out that someone else has founded Hinduism, which means the current tech will only get us some Courthouses.



And right after that...more barbs from the NW. Must be spawning with the bears up there. Or maybe these are the bears' decedents. About as civil.



Thankfully, the archer at our main city is now well ensconsed, and I've swapped them over to building the Moai Statues, as I think that the +1 Hammer per water tile will pay off big over time.

I've set the city to have max hammers without starvation, because they're perilously close to being "Angry" due to crowding.



As I kind of expected, the archer makes quick work of the flimsy bear child, although it does make me decide to take the Worker North and have him work on improving the second city. My thought had been to improve a food square after the Cows.



Finally, as my leadership comes to a close, we're fairly close to having some nice lawn ornaments in our main city, and a pasture is nearly done to help us eat tasty Cows near Powa.



Your turn Pang, save can be found at: AD-0125.CivBeyondSwordSave

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Not sure which resource you're referring to. If its the Rice, or the Cow, you don't need the road to see the production bonus, only to get their nationwide benefits like improved health, happiness, ect... On the Cow, Powa needs something to help it grow badly, so I was going to focus my efforts there.

On the worker / wonder, I dont think another would hurt, it would just be a balance between other available items, like the Settlers you mention. The Moai will actually build pretty fast. With all those trees, we've got tons of hammers. I would like to clear the jungle though. Slash and burn.

Agree on the expansion thoughts, and part of my reason for deciding to spring for the Moai and crank them out fast. We need a production boost, and once they're up, every water square our pot-loving capital has will put out 3 settler/worker production + 3 coins. A lighthouse would make that even more, and a Workboat even more so. Plus, the Dutch special structure is a special Levee that gives even more.

We also haven't 'proven' we're an island yet, so that Southern section might link to something.

FELIPE NO

Good luck (on the interview and the turn) and if they nuke our cities with their bear technology, just blame it all on Shin.

Most amazing jew boots

Since I haven't heard anything from Shin for a couple days on this, I'll take the turn after getting some food so we can keep this moving.

Additional Spam:
Overall, pretty quiet set of turns for me as well.

Starting out, we've finished up the Lighthouse, and are working on a Granary (?). I finish this out, build a Monument so we can grow without anger, then a Workboat to get Fishing Boats, and then start cranking out a Settler.

Start


Someone else founds Taoism


End


Personally, I think we need to keep cranking out Settlers until we start getting diminishing returns, or we have something big to work on. We're just too small to be competetive at this point, and as Shin mentioned, we need to grab the West.

Save can be found at: GFF_Game2%20AD-0820.CivBeyondSwordSave

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Looking at it, my thought was either on the hill, or in the fields, so that we're near an ocean square, and also have both the Cow and Iron. Honestly, I don't think we're in a position where we're going to be building a lot of boats very soon, and right now we just need good cities with lots of production so we can spread quick. I admit the strategic value of the canal down the road would be pretty valuable though, it would just be a crap shoot for what resources are available to the North.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Well, I thought Turbo was going to take the turn. Lets give him his day, and if he doesn't take the turn and found the city, then we can just start the cycle back at the beginning and you can pick whether we end up with a canal city or a more traditional one.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

You sure Turbo? We're just taking a stab in the dark ourselves if we take the turn, and from the talk above, neither of us is sold on which option would work out better for the future. Wouldn't want you to feel like you can't make critical decisions or affect strategy. Half the fun's just dealing with what other people have chosen.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Got the save, and running a bit late. Currently sitting in an airport on the road, but I'll take this as soon as I'm able. May be able to finish it off before I get to my destination.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Still working, but here's the turn so things can progress.

Founded another city down to the SW, and have another Settler / Archer combo heading out West. Otherwise, built a temple to have some more happiness at our Capital, which is raging mad, and built a work boat to get some fish.

They have built the Hagia Sophia, we definitely need to speed it up.

Start


Compass


End


Save
GFF_Game2%20AD-1310.CivBeyondSwordSave

Most amazing jew boots

Sounds fine with me Hawkeye, and glad to have you back. Until Shin takes his vacation, you can slide in after him, and that should segue well into what he suggested. I'll add you into the rotation on the initial page.

Most amazing jew boots

Haven't heard anything from Turbo for several days, and he's been on as recently as today. If nothing's coming soon, then Shin, feel free to take the turn so we can keep moving.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Excellent, thanks for the update, and got the save. I'll take it before our Labor Day celebrations are done with.

Additional Spam:
Unfortunately, I forgot that you had rejoined us Hawkeye, so feel free to take your turn after me.

Our scene opens on a nation which is somewhat behind the times and surrounded on all sides by barbarian ships, yet for some reason has none on its land at all.



I quickly get to work founding Rotterdam, as everything is in place for this fine new village.



And shortly thereafter, one of our wisemen realizes, that while its been quite handy to be able to mine and process all of these wonderful minerals, its all rather useless unless you can make them into interesting shapes.



And everybody gets to work making Forges.

Of note, we lose trade with Elizabeth because she has developed Mercantilism... oy, and we also meet up with Hammurabi of the Mongolians, who gets to have an olive branch of love.



Micro has moved us up a few more points, yet we're still being tripled by our competitors, and many of our settlements are having growth issues. At Powa, I was considering building a Hamlet / Village at the two food square, as they need something besides one food with shields.

The save can be found at : GFF_Game2%20AD-1555.CivBeyondSwordSave

Jam it back in, in the dark.