[spoiler] Which Color for my Theme?

[AutomatedTeller]

hey ruff - just checking in. I'm currently spoiled on the other threads, but I'll try spending most of my time perusing this thread so you don't get lonely

[Ruff_Hi]

hey ruff - just checking in.

Excellent. Thanks for letting me know that there is someone out there. Nothing zaps the reporting motivation than silence. Sure, sure - I understand that you can't discuss anything (outside game mechanics) but I think it is pretty safe to suggest city names (look at my trend and extrapolate) ... or unit names (which I hardly ever do anyway).

I haven't seen the game since this morning - I will provide an update when it gets back to me.

[Ruff_Hi]

Firstly, my latest city. I was first to 2 cities and I think I am last to 3. I've been doing other things.



What other things? Well ... failing at landing a religion because of researching the wrong tech (see above), finishing Writing so that I can get OBs with the others ... increased trade (yum)

I know!!!

I just swapped to slavery (miles behind when the others did it) and triple whipped a library. That helped me finish Monotheism (+1 Religion for me ... in 'A Little Sad'). I am now saving money and running two scientists in my capital. They will generate a Great Scientist in 6 turns ... which, coincidentally, is the number of turns it will take me to tech Priesthood at 0% tech rate. Where to after that ... well - 6 turns of gold will fund about 12 turns of tech ... with an Academy to boot. Monarchy, Maths and Currency sound good to me.

Another observation about this map ... there is tons of food and my cities grow too quickly. I can stop the growth by building settlers and workers ... but the map is cramped and I don't want that many cities initially. I haven't researched Hunting (locks out spears so that I can still build warriors, also locks out archers) which is a risk but if I can gather 15-20 cheap warriors and grow my cities ... it will more than pay for itself.

Here is what I know of the map (from F5) ...



If my empire looks like it reveals a quarter of the map, then so must the other three guys. So ... raging barbarians isn't going to be as bad as it might have been ... no fog. The downside of no fog ... other people's borders.

Speaking of that ... I am having some fun with Commodore ...



Finally, it isn't as if we haven't seen any barbarians ...



Good to see that I am not the only one putting cities on flat ground.

[Ruff_Hi]

Speaking of that ... I am having some fun with Commodore ...

This action might be a little silly. It isn't as if I can hurt him ... but it will only really cost me if he has a chariot handy (which he probably does ... as I do). My Chariot is C1 and on a hill so he will have to fight an uphill battle. That said - his chariot is probably C2.

I know the hill doesn't help me with defensive bonus ... but I got to use the 'up hill battle' phrase.

[Ruff_Hi]

This action might be a little silly.

Yep. Silly. Actually ... STUPID is a better word.



Even if I won, he cleans up with the archer.

[Ruff_Hi]

... and triple whipped a library.

I am now saving money and running two scientists in my capital. They will generate a Great Scientist in 6 turns ... which, coincidentally, is the number of turns it will take me to tech Priesthood at 0% tech rate. Where to after that ... well - 6 turns of gold will fund about 12 turns of tech ... with an Academy to boot. Monarchy, Maths and Currency sound good to me.

So ... 6 boring turns later ... 6 turns where my score slowly falls behind the others ... I have my first Great Scientist. I fire the two in the capital and work to complete the settler. I am pretty sure that the others already have 4 cities (maybe 5) ... so my city count is falling a little behind.

That is fine by me as I am playing the slow game. As long as I grab the cities I need, I should be fine.



Capital working to complete the slow build settler, 3rd city on a worker and 2nd on (more) warriors. Tech is Monarchy (5 turns).

I said above that I should have enough cash for 12 turns of tech ... not even 7 . Running two specialists also cut the gold income.

Oxy had a chariot hanging around ... so he was taken out.



Took me two battles, but both Chariots survived and both get experience.

What happened to my tech rate once I turned it back on and created an academy in my capital?

GNP at 0% with no tech selected = 33
GNP at 0% with Monarchy selected = 33
GNP at 100% with no tech selected = 39
GNP at 100% with Monarchy selected = 55
GNP at 100% with Monarchy selected & Academy = 79

Best rival in GNP is currently at 44. My aim to keep my GNP (tech) rate high seems to be working.