[SPOILERS] - tales of Brennus, famous Chinese warlord

[yuris125]

What about 1S2E of the horses? I don't like settling on a hill when there are so few production tiles, also settling on the hill wastes a forest

[Zero_1627]

What about 1S2E of the horses? I don't like settling on a hill when there are so few production tiles, also settling on the hill wastes a forest

Additional production tiles from this location are already in Mayan culture.

[yuris125]

Yes you're right. Agree with the hill city then

[Zero_1627]

I'll look at possibility of settling 1S2E of Horses, but if i remember right this location simply loses 3 hills to W, gains 1 hill (SE of Horses) and nothing special to E, so it would be even poorer.

SE of Horses has, I think, excellent food, adequate to good hammers (for this map) and poor commerce. But it's well placed tactically - on a hill, with only other hill it can be attacked from behind a river, very close to capital yet stealing only 2 tiles (no resources, though 1 hill), protecting Horses.


Worker plan: N worker will road Cows and return to pre-cut Forest just in time to help produce Chariot immediately after Horses are online. It may be needed to produce it very fast if Mayan Archer feels like trying to block them. Then priority will be connecting Copper (with help of another Worker, planned after Chariot).


S Worker will put Horses online and then go develop 2nd city food sources.

I'll move in the morning as usual - also I'll put some screenshots here .

[Zero_1627]

Southern Jungle: a lot of resources there - decent food and some gold once all necessary techs are in place and Jungle is cut. Just a few hills. City could go 2W1S from current Settler position (1W from Corn), gaining 1 hill but losing half food. Not worth it in my opinion.


Settler location (and proposed city site):


It's unfair - Lion hit Ueshiba twice, while Scout (with much better chances!) hit Bear only once.

Also, I miscalculated time neeeded to put Horses online. They will be available next turn, after Worker makes his action. Which means I can cut forest now and overflow will go to Chariot, and Worker can head for Copper next turn.

Other Info: Mayans built Stonehenge!

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Construction plans:
I'd like to have 1-2 Chariots for defense and 2-3 for scouting, experiencing and making attacks of opportunity (maybe some pillaging). I don't know if that number is reachable any time soon, but maybe yes if city 2 contributes?... On the other hand, a Worker would be useful too...
Plan: Beijing will churn out a few Chariots (2, maybe 3), then start Settler (I'd like to have Settler just after Iron location is revealed, not start Settler at that time). First task of one new Chariot will be to provide security for city3, until Axeman/Sprearman can relieve him.
City2 (tomorrow we'll know name) will produce Worker and then pause to think what next (Chariot?).

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Tech plan: I'd like to think what to research after Iron Working.
Options I see, in no particular order:
1) Pottery (maybe Fishing->Pottery): Granary is very important for using whip! EDIT: also, for such commerce poor cities, cottages may be necessary.
2) Priesthood: we have decent hammers, but poor Commerce. Maybe Oracle is the way to go? I think it's a top contender if after Iron Working there are still no heathen religions . Metal Casting would be very nice to have, but is too costly to research any time soon.
3) Monotheism: Organized Religion! Gives us another religion, though, which would mean we'll have to build Missionaries. Maybe later, when all our cities have religion by natural spread?
4) Monarchy: Winery-> more Commerce. Requires Monotheism or Priesthood, costly.
5) Writing: Library (more beakers->Great Scientist->Academy->more beakers).

I'm inclined to go Priesthood->Fishing->Pottery->Writing and try Oracle - unless someone has Buddhism by the time we have Iron Working, in that case drop Priesthood. What are Your thoughts?

[yuris125]

Do we want Fishing before Pottery? The best long-term spot for the 3rd city is in the jungle; if we go that way, we need Fishing only for crabs in the capital. It's not a useless tile by any means, but with wheat and cows already available, I'd prefer to get Pottery earlier, and Writing before Fishing as well

I like trying the Oracle if there are no religions - may as well get the benefits of going down the religion branch

What are your thoughts on the 3rd city, assuming its location is not dictated by iron? Can we delay it until after Calendar? There are too many good resources in the jungle, but they're all Calendar resources, so this city would be useless before then

[Zero_1627]

Do we want Fishing before Pottery? The best long-term spot for the 3rd city is in the jungle; if we go that way, we need Fishing only for crabs in the capital. It's not a useless tile by any means, but with wheat and cows already available, I'd prefer to get Pottery earlier, and Writing before Fishing as well

Crabs are useful tile and getting Fishing first gives a few beakers back in Pottery research bonus. On the other hand none of that is essential, and it will delay Pottery/Writing by about 2 turns. So I'm not sure . I suppose that if city queues will be relatively empty I'd skip it, if they are full of important things - take the detour.

What are your thoughts on the 3rd city, assuming its location is not dictated by iron? Can we delay it until after Calendar? There are too many good resources in the jungle, but they're all Calendar resources, so this city would be useless before then

I think that if Iron is not a factor, then income source will be most important - and southern Jungle looks good here. I'd like not to delay, though - I'm sure there are a few useful tiles even before Calendar (like Gold or Gems). Also, I'd like to have more complete view of surroundings before making decision (scouting, especially S of Beijing, will be priority task for new Chariots).
Of course exposed or out-of-culture Iron forces city location.

[Zero_1627]

Shanghai is founded:


...and our research took a serious blow. -4 distance maintenance!!! I think I didn't really understand what a very small, toroidal map means... I'm not sure we _can_ afford non-financial 3rd city. At -5 gold per turn, we have to accumulate gold for 2 turns out of every 7... This means cottages are in . And soon. And if we can't really afford a city anyway - I'm considering Pottery before Iron Working.

Shanghai began Worker, Beijing began Chariot.

[yuris125]

Wow, that's crazy maintenance. Didn't expect that much either. Maybe we should've taken Sumeria...

Pottery before IW sounds good, if we're not founding the 3rd city any time soon, we don't need IW: we can build all units we need with copper, and there is no jungle to chop. I would suggest Pottery - Writing, only then IW (+ Priesthood before anything else if we're going Oracle)

[Zero_1627]

Pottery is the first to go, then - Writing or Priesthood second depending on whether or not Buddhism has fallen by time of decision. After that - Iron Working.
Fishing will have to wait for better times .
EDIT: clarify: current plan is Pottery->(Priesthood->)Writing->Iron Working

Also, I planned some Chariots from Beijing ASAP. In these circumstances, however, I think additional Worker after first Chariot will be wiser.