[Spoiler] Fintourist loses his multiplayer virginity

[Fintourist]

So here we go.. First game ever, but the plan is clear. I’ll start by building several warriors and hope to kill someone without proper defense. I try also to get all the early religions and build a religious super-hydra-nation! This will be neat.

[Fintourist]

So here we go, part 2. The first post is created just in the hope that in near future we get the functionality of the old forum back and it becomes visible to my opponents and they:
a) Have fun while reading it
b) Really think that I am that green (However, it would not be far from the truth)

So I guess I try to organize first posts in somewhat logical order so that I remember to say everything and all my questions have a better chance to get responded.

Introduction

So as my uncreative name suggests I am from Finland and have nil multiplayer experience. I have read RB forums for quite a while and now finally gathered both the time and courage to try competing here.

In real-life I am an industrial engineering and management student and I will graduate in ~1.5 years and most likely enter management consulting. Working in finance or building an own start-up are other less probable but somewhat realistic options.

During this game I expect to be busy as always, but my situation regarding time resources is definitely better than usually. Until May 2013 I will not be working, only studying (though pretty much) and my girlfriend is pretty (busy) so I believe that I can devote reasonable amount of time for this experiment. Probably not enough when it comes to succeeding but still.. I try to report somewhat regularly. The report quality will correlate with the amount of my free time

[Fintourist]

Civ Strengths

This list will be short. I simply lack experience and information on game mechanics, but I believe that I can compensate these shortages with a solid analytical approach and calculated risks. At least I hope that this will be my strength..

Civ Weaknesses

- I have never done this before
- Since I have only played with AI, I have never bothered creating a sandbox, making a detailed micro-plan, analyzing demographics etc.
- Extremely little experience with water based maps. Since they require more work on unit logistics and I won’t get motivated by the AI, I have only played couple of them.
- Extremely little late-game experience (corporations, workshop economies, planes etc.). As soon as I have victory guaranteed, I typically just hit enter until the end and won’t milk points, optimize anything or engage wars, which would speed up the victory in game terms, but not in played hours. I normally automate workers somewhere in the mid-game.
- Multiplayer warfare
- And many more..

I guess all these things have to change during the game. I need to learn and I have to do it quickly.

[Fintourist]

Technical preparations

I guess I need to make sure that I have the latest version of BTS (from the official Civ4 site I guess). Is there anything else that I have to take care of before the game starts?

Anything that I need to know so that I won’t screw up sending the save etc?

[Fintourist]

Civ/Leader choice

Since the settings and bans are still undecided, I will not speculate this too much. I guess it’s clear that I wan’t a Financial leader + something. Regarding Civs the preference order is probably India, Inca, Good starting techs.

If Viking (and Dutch) are not banned I guess I have to think how I value them. I also have to think if lots of water and seafood makes Fast Workers less desirable.

Opponents

Sareln is I guess the most experienced player in the game and thus is the favorite. Azza has not been successful in the past RB games, but I am sure that he has learned a lot from them. It is completely possible that these two guys will dominate the game.

TheHumanHydra and Viqsi are just as wild cards as I am. No idea of their skills. It is also an important factor whether they receive active support from Sian and BRickAstley

I have no idea of my skills compared to these guys. I expect to be burned to the ground, but I try to make it as difficult as possible. I hope at least to be able to provide some positive WTF-moments during the game.

[Fintourist]

C&D questions:

Demographic screens.
I assume it shows the most current state in the game. Assuming I am the No. 3 in the turn order the demos will already show the situation after the first two have played their turns and not the situation at the end of the last full circle. Am I correct?

Things affecting score formula:
Techs. 4 points each in the ancient era?
Population. X points each? Was it 2 or 3?
Land area. Tiles counted after 20 turns of ownership. What is the formula here?

Power rating:
Could someone provide me the link with information on how different buildings and techs boost soldier points. I assume military units bring base strength * 1000.
Population:
1 pop = 1000 population
2 pop = …
Has somebody a link for this or do I have to try manually

Espionage Screen:
If someone has a good guide how to utilize information there I would be interested. Otherwise I guess I start searching myself if I just have enough time..

Tech costs & formula:
If someone can provide me the beaker costs of ancient techs (normal speed) and the formula that takes prereqs and known-tech bonuses into account it would awesome.

So there are lot of things. And I am grateful to anyone who can give me at least some hints where I can get this information. I do not know if I have the capacity to search forums for this information, but I would like to try doing C&D to some extent.

[Fintourist]

General questions (Game Mechanics & Strategy)

I expect that we have some sort of sea-food start. Could someone point me into threads where players have done good job with openings in sea-food environment? It would be great to see some reference material so that I won’t do anything terribly stupid right in the beginning.

I guess I’ll add here more questions as soon as we’ll get the game going and use this post as a storage to good tips and answers I receive.

[Fintourist]

So I guess that's all for now. Needless to say, I will have many more questions coming during the game and I truly appreciate any comments, tips and help from possible lurkers.

I am already excited to get this thing going. I truly hope that I can find time to do proper preparation of my opening so that I won't lose the game already during the first 20 turns..

[Commodore]

For your consideration.


Fog-gazing is of the devil and should not be trusted.

[Fintourist]

For your consideration.

Thank you Commodore!

Damn, I was kind of hoping that settling would be a no-brainer, but now I have to start thinking. Very nice!

I believe for the vets this would be a simple 2-sec-decision.

SIP is definitely ok. Plains hill, riverside and double food. Fish needs to be considered later. Expansive leaders get their extra hammer after the first border pop, if I read this correctly.

Ok, in the end I guess this is a simple decision. Both other plains hill tiles lose riverside rice, and now when I think it would be still impossible to build a working boat if I would settle on the northern plains hill tile.

What kind of capital do I get if I settle on the sheep? 2/2/1? 3/1/1? If it would be 3/2/1 then I could theoretically consider that if something amazing reveals itself. But I believe there is no tile that provides 3/2/1.

This being a water heavy map, one option would be to wander with my settler and settle on the coast. That would make it easier to build TGL or Colossus. Most likely not worth it.

Well I guess SIP it is.

The next fragmented post will consider scout movements..