[Spoiler] Team slowwalk of the Reservoir Cats (Suleiman/Korea, slowcheetah + Catwalk)

[Catwalk]

I'm going to hijack this post to be used for our macro plan (easy to find since it's #200). I will use the following 5 categories to break down our plan, let me know if you want any added. I will start filling these points out as we figure out what to do.

Tech
- Path
- Bulbing

Settling
- Order
- Time frame

Infrastructure
- Forecasting of worker improvement needs
- Building priorities and time frames
- Wonder plans
- GP generation

Diplo
- xenu
- dazed
- Sian

Military
- Quantity
- Quality

Scouting and C&D
- Rough plans for scouting movement
- C&D

[Catwalk]

Actually, reasons why women.... something else

t55 NAP agreed on with dazed, logs later.

[Catwalk]

I assume you played the turn a few hours ago? Remember to claim it, was about to play it myself. Did we go for AH? Do you want to compile a list of viable bulbs to pursue, for planning purposes?

[slowcheetah]

Well you asked me on chat and I said I could play it, then you left so I went ahead. We did indeed go for AH.

[slowcheetah]

Bulbs and Stuff

Value of Bulbs + a couple of mechanics questions

On Normal speed bulbs are worth:
GS- 1500 +3*pop beakers
Everyone else-1100+3*pop beakers

So on Quick speed bulbs will be worth:
GS- 1005 +3*pop beakers (is the 3* also scaled down to 67%?)
Everyone else-737+3*pop beakers

If the beakers produced by a bulb exceeds the beaker value of the technology, does the excess become overflow?

Great Scientists
Bulb order

Writing
Mathematics
Scientific Method
Physics
Education
Printing Press
Fiber Optics
Computers
Laser (BTS)
The Wheel
Alphabet (BTS)
Philosophy
Chemistry
Fission
Fusion
Optics
Paper
Astronomy

I have highlighted potential bulbing technologies in green.
It seems to me that there are two lines; a direct bulbing line to Astronomy and a direct bulbing line to Liberalism.

To Gaze at the Stars


Required Research- Sailing, Writing, Maths, Calendar, IW, Alphabet (to open up Philosophy) Compass, Machinery, Optics, Astronomy.

Bulbs needed- 1*GE (Machinery), 1*GS (Philosophy), 1* GS (Optics), 1/2*GS (Astronomy- Depends on the answer to the overflow question).
We probably also need an additional great person for a golden age to produce all of these great people.

Teachs off the beeline- AH, Polytheism, Monotheism, Masonry, Currency, Construction, COL (caste)

Must Avoid- Theology, Civil Service. (Pre requisites to paper).

Thoughts on this path

Pros:

• Due to the 'hub' like nature of this map, use of the ocean creates a much broader front over which you can attack an enemies core. Consequently, galleons wold be good to have early (particularly for circumnavigation)
  
• Observatories unlock an extra scientist slot which will help our research (we are unlikely to be in Caste outside of GA's)
  
• Calender and a MoM grab is on the beeline. Catwalk and I both want that wonder.
  

Cons

• Ignores our unique building and cheap Philosophical access to it.
  
• Going here first, probably lets someone else win the liberalism race
  
• Direct beeline leaves catapults as our main defence because we can't research CS.
  

To Speak Freely and Carelessly

Required Research- Poly, Mono, Masonry, Writing, COL, Theo (CS), Philo (Alphabet in order to bulb Philo), Paper ,Education, Liberalism

Bulbs needed- 4*GS, optional GP to bulb Theology.

Techs off Beeline-AH, Sailing, Maths, Calendar, Currency, IW, Machinery, Construction

Techs to avoid- Compass (Optics is bulbed ahead of paper by a GSci)

Pros

• Allows early set up of Seowon
  
• Can use the free tech from lib, probably to bulb Nationalism or maybe Astronomy
  
• Quicker access to maces due to research of civil service
  

Cons

• Less naval strength
  
• Seowons don't provide scientist slots
  

Overall View
I'm going to go for the easy way out and say it would potentially best to use both paths. First beelining to Lib, firing an early MoM powered golden age in order to get access to caste system and quickly generate great people. After taking nationalism build the Taj Mahal, have another golden age and produce some GSci's to bulb Astronomy, coupled to varied great people for further golden ages, while simultaneously using our 'turn by turn' tech power in order to get guilds. Attack people with the mysterious 'Knights of the Sea'

[Catwalk]

Sorry, must have forgotten or missed that.

GP generation
t50: 64 GPP in capital, another 70 required for next GP (134 total).
t56: Forge must be up in order to get an engineer before the prophet hits
t67: Birthdate for the engineer assuming constant engineer use since t56, 132 GPP in capital, 200 GPP required for next GP.

We discussed in chat what to do with a second engineer, we can either bulb Machinery or rush MoM. Don't think we need to figure that out yet, can keep our options open a while longer.

If we put a forge in the capital t50 and a library t56 (numbers picked mostly at random for sake of illustration) and run 3 specialists (doable with our food surplus), we will get the GP on turn 59 with a 50/25/25 split between prophet, scientist and engineer.

With a more optimistic estimate of t46 forge and t50 library, we will have a 40/33/27 split and GP generation on t56. How about producing the forge while growing pop to whip on the settler?

[slowcheetah]

Sorry, must have forgotten or missed that.

GP generation
t50: 64 GPP in capital, another 70 required for next GP (134 total).
t56: Forge must be up in order to get an engineer before the prophet hits
t67: Birthdate for the engineer assuming constant engineer use since t56, 132 GPP in capital, 200 GPP required for next GP.

We discussed in chat what to do with a second engineer, we can either bulb Machinery or rush MoM. Don't think we need to figure that out yet, can keep our options open a while longer.

If we put a forge in the capital t50 and a library t56 (numbers picked mostly at random for sake of illustration) and run 3 specialists (doable with our food surplus), we will get the GP on turn 59 with a 50/25/25 split between prophet, scientist and engineer.

With a more optimistic estimate of t46 forge and t50 library, we will have a 40/33/27 split and GP generation on t56. How about producing the forge while growing pop to whip on the settler?

Nice work.
Where is the turn 67 engineer being born, wherever we put the pyramids?
I'd prefer the turn 67 GE plan because I think that the capital will probably be needed to build settlers and workers, not great people. In addition we probably won't need another great person as early as 59. We won't have calender yet for the MoM, and we won't be in a position to bulb Philo yet.

Techpathwise- After AH, I think we should go Masonry ('mids), followed by Writing, then Sailing-Maths-Currency.

[Catwalk]

Engineer is born in the pyramids city, yes. Without specialists in the capital it won't produce a GP until t84, we can easily generate a scientist or engineer elsewhere before then. What's our optimal use of a great prophet? Also, why the early focus on Sailing? Trade routes, I guess? Just noticed your bulbing post, crossposted with it earlier. I'll comment on it tomorrow.

[slowcheetah]

Trade routes and galleys, it's a cheap tech and we've already mapped out the coastline to Xenu anyway.
I'm not really sure there is an optimal use of a great prophet, bulbing Theo would give us a religion (and holy city) which is nice. But Scientists and engineers seem more useful on the whole.

[Catwalk]

Turn update:
- Whipped the granary in Headache (capital), even though it was set to complete this turn. Will have 10 out of 17 food in box next turn, with food surplus of 10. Was this a good idea or not? Probably not, since now we have a lot of overflow that we either have to put into a forge or delay growth for a turn while putting it into a settler.
- Switched to mines in Dirty Dishes (second city, renamed for convenience) to complete granary next turn
- Not sure what the southern worker is heading SE for, please clarify.

We need to put some pictures in this thread, or lurkers will get bored. Our demos look absolutely horrible