Your SID level experiences - Page 6

vmxa1 · February 5, 2004, 04:46

Drachen I have been sweating an invasion for a long time. I am worried about knights right now. I am going for Monarchy. I was hoping to beat it out of the Koreans, but I am not sure they will even talk to me. I will try tomorrow and see.

I want to get to monarchy and stay there. I am counting on my large land holding to let me get in the tech race. I have one lux from India for Iron and got markets in many cities now and Cath going up now.

Here is a shot of my armies dropping the hammer.

vmxa1 · February 5, 2004, 04:52

The cats actually have an army sitting on them as well as the other 4 armies you can see.
I used my 11th MGl on a temple.
I now have 24% of the land in the game and that is #1. My FP is near the middle of the land as I now see it. I am thinking of a palace relocation via an MGL if I get another foothold somewhere.
India is my likely target. It all hinges on saltpetter. I got to figure with this many hills and mountins and some desert, I will have it.

You can see it, but a large mass of jungle was just above my start location, so I am counting on that to give me rubber if I am still alive.

The big issue will be money when I get Chiv.

vmxa1 · February 5, 2004, 04:57

I am hoping my larger number of units will deter any of the others from coming after me for a long time. I probably have around 50 horses by now. I have upgraded a few swords to MI.

My next army, should I get one, will be held for Knights. I only had one city depose me and it was my fault. I got careless and the gov put some pop back to work and I failed to catch it. Not a problem as it was a small town. None of the large cities have been a problem as I will have a couple armies and some other units garrisoned for a time.

vmxa1 · February 5, 2004, 04:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Paddy the Scot
but that is a great hook that you have and that would be so good in the story forum

my apologies, I do not mean to preach

No problem. I remember you were pushing the forum a few months back. I read some of those stories at the time and will need to visit it some more.

Drachen · February 5, 2004, 10:53

Quote:

Originally posted by vmxa1
Drachen I have been sweating an invasion for a long time. I am worried about knights right now. I am going for Monarchy. I was hoping to beat it out of the Koreans, but I am not sure they will even talk to me. I will try tomorrow and see.

I want to get to monarchy and stay there. I am counting on my large land holding to let me get in the tech race. I have one lux from India for Iron and got markets in many cities now and Cath going up now.

Here is a shot of my armies dropping the hammer.

Congratulations on securing most of your continent Vmxa1. You’ve got a great chance to get strategic resources and defend your turf. A couple of questions come to mind. Have you considered letting Korea stick around to be source of MGLs which could be used for Cathedral builds and such? About how far advanced are the other AIs and how do you plan to disrupt progress on the other continents and prevent a Diplomatic/Space victory?

vmxa1 · February 5, 2004, 13:06

Well that is the rub and I have been trying to figure out how to approach it. I am not very good at inter continental invasions.
I want to start getting more harbors and start galley production.
I only have one ship left as they have sunk my others, no wait I have two now.

I was consiering thie issue of Korea, but I have not decided yet.
It is normally not my style to leave any vassals to exploit. Also I think I will have plenty of fights elsewhere soon.

vmxa1 · February 5, 2004, 13:14

Quote:

Originally posted by Drachen

About how far advanced are the other AIs and how do you plan to disrupt progress on the other continents and prevent a Diplomatic/Space victory?

Plan, you mean I should have a plan?

As near as I can tell they are mostly about 2 middle age techs ahead and have Mon/Rep from the ancient age.
I was going to do Monarchy and fall farther behind today, but I changed my mind. I will attempt to stay close in tech and try to beat Monarch out of someone.

I am not sure I have to worry about the space race. If the AI does not hit me hard, and I can prevent a consolidation by the Celts, I should be able to out research them eventually. I have the most land and it is largely well built up. I am working hard to get the marsh and jungle cleared. There was a lot of it, but I have gotten lots of slaves.

I did not try to offset the city placement of the AI and just took their cities.

The problem I am working on is who to hit next and when and how. It depends on if I can get Monarchy soon.

vmxa1 · February 5, 2004, 13:26

So India is only on par with me and they have Mon/Rep. I was 1 turn form Mono and they did not have it. I know because the tech rate shows only 2 others had it at that turn before. Then the price dropped so much I was able to reduce my research and still learn it the next turn. This told me that everyone had it that turn.

Not sure how they got it, but the point is they are not ahead in tech, if you do not count the gov techs.

So they are close and will be a good choice. The other thing is that if I leave them and hit someone else, my overall position is better. I am hoping the Celts and the Arabians go to war soon.
I would like to jump in on one side and then be in good position.

The Celts are in first, but they probably have had their GA and their UU is now obsolete (me too). The Arabians may still have a GA and are jus now getting their UU.

Right now I have no transportation, so it does not matter. I would like to go in as an alliance so I could land safely. I need caravels and lots of them. I can't ship my armies either.

So in short my good work to date could go into the dumper if things break poorly and I am enering my weakest part of the game.

The best thing is my size and the likely hood that I will not be without the next key resources. If I am, then it could get ugly.

vmxa1 · February 5, 2004, 13:28

Paddy if you want a good story take a look at Alexmans report in the AU game. That is a story, mine is just a relating of events.

DrSpike · February 6, 2004, 09:07

Nice 'story'.

Now that the patch situation has settled a bit I'm planning a few Sid games soon.

vmxa1 · February 6, 2004, 14:03

I tried to post this last night, but the serve was being maint.

1140ad Korea is of the contient finally. All civs are still at war with me. Universities are being built, while Invention being researched slowly 30%. It takes most of my cash to pay maint and luxs.

Need to fiure out when I can switch to Monarchy. I actually have so many cities that I do not have my max number of units right now. I disbanded all my native workers as I have scores of slaves and nothing for them to do until steam.

All tiles are roaded, all jungles and marsh cleared. Most of my horses are knights. I have had 15 MGl plus the lost one.
Two empty armies waiting. I have 6 in the field,

Need to get shipping going for an invasion someplace.
I captured Great Wall, so any town got a wall. I also captured Colossus.

Moved into second place past Korea. Celts look like they are pushing the Inca off their land, I wish I could get some troops over there.

vmxa1 · February 6, 2004, 14:07

I will look forward to your post DrSpike.

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 02:45

Here is a current screenie:

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 02:50

That little island was ICA. I had intended to hit it as it was an Inca city. They had three total and I was hoping to beat some tech out of them, but nooooo.
As I sit outside waiting my turn, the Celts took it over.
I was at war with them so I hit it, but I knew I was not going to get any tech from them. I did get peace and 100 gold.

I sold of the barracks, harbor and some other structure and abandoned it. No one want it.

You can see Arabia has only two cities and I hope I can take them. Mecca has 2 or 3 wonders. I can't hold them, but I hope to get something out of it, if I can even take them.

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 02:57

It is looking both better and worse. Better I am actually closing in on the leaders score. Worse they are just too many scary techs ahead.
I hit calvs and rifles in that little town. I see they have rails up on one of their islands.
They are in fascism. So they have many techs in the industrial age and I am not able to research fast enough to even get out of the middle ages for some time.

This means they will get all the wonders in that age including the ToE. I have no shot at an SGL.

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 03:04

The game should have ended very early for me and I still do not know ow come the Koreans did not over run me.

If you look at the contient and note the early post, they had 80-90% of it colonized and had about 20 units near me as I settled
by the ivory. If they threw all the stuff they could at me, I would have been dead. Instead they laid around until I kicked them off the land.

The game is getting both exciting and scary at the same time now.
Exciting as I try to get to the two bottom civs before they are eliminated by the Celts. Scary because of all I mentioned about the Celts.

The Celts have only bombarded me a few times to date and I have seen many many frigates, but they were being used mostly as escorts.

Drachen · February 7, 2004, 03:30

I'm making my move. The Ottoman's and Chinese have fallen to the Modern Era 42% Sumerian Fascists leaving the advanced Industrial Maya at #2. The Celts are backwards with no resources I need and the Inca are without gunpowder and have furs, horses, and Saltpeter which I desperately need. My invasion force consisted of 15 cannon, 47 cavalry, 5 Med Inf, 22 rifles, and 10 Swiss infantry. The town I have taken, Andhuahas, contains 1 Med Inf, 1 rifle, and 10 Swiss infantry. The Inca counter with 3 archers, 4 horse, 24 Knights, 11 med Inf, 10 pikes, 2 spears, and 3 swords in their main stack to the right of the city. After my attack, they have 1 hit point Med Inf left in the main stack. On the next turn they have moved in 9 archers, 2 chasqui scouts, 1 knight, 60 Med Inf, 64 Pikes, 1 spear, and 6 swords. I'm facing these with 15 cannon, 41 Cavalry, 4 Med Inf, 25 rifles, 10 Swiss Inf, and 22 workers. The town has 1 rifle and 12 Swiss Inf. My offensive troops probably average 2.5 hit points and my defensive troops are a bit better. My reinforcements will trickle in from hereon. I'm leaning towards building a fortress and barricade to make my stand while letting the city fall because I'm so close to the Incan capital that a flip is going to come sooner or later and I don't feel like losing my entire expedition. I hope to take down the Inca and Celts leaving me with the Maya and Sumerians and thus no chance of a Diplomatic Victory. The Space race problem is a ways off. It’s crunch time in Sidlandia!

Drachen · February 7, 2004, 03:39

Quote:

Originally posted by vmxa1

The game is getting both exciting and scary at the same time now.
Exciting as I try to get to the two bottom civs before they are eliminated by the Celts. Scary because of all I mentioned about the Celts.

I know exactly what you mean.

Vmxa1...I think you've worked yourself into a position where you just might just win this game. Eliminate rivals = no Diplo Victory. Rails and artillery probably = safe base. Add espionage and you may be able to sabotage Celtic Spaceship until you're ready to invade and that'll be a CNN moment. Good luck!

Drachen · February 7, 2004, 04:04

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike
Nice 'story'.

Now that the patch situation has settled a bit I'm planning a few Sid games soon.

I second Vmxa1 DrSpike. I'm looking forward to your posts.

DrSpike · February 7, 2004, 05:00

Surely aggression is the best chance to close Vmxa? How big are the other armies now?

Are the weaker civs ahead of you also? And how many techs is the leader ahead of you? Any chance of inciting the Arabians against the Celts?

Drachen · February 7, 2004, 05:09

Quote:

Originally posted by vmxa1

You can see Arabia has only two cities and I hope I can take them. Mecca has 2 or 3 wonders. I can't hold them, but I hope to get something out of it, if I can even take them.

If the Wonders are worth having then I'd go with Vmxa1 that taking Mecca's the way to go. If the Celts are about to take Mecca after Vmxa1 has grabbed it then abandon Mecca to deny the Celts the Wonders.

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 15:51

Quote:

Originally posted by DrSpike
Surely aggression is the best chance to close Vmxa? How big are the other armies now?

Are the weaker civs ahead of you also? And how many techs is the leader ahead of you? Any chance of inciting the Arabians against the Celts?

Well can't say how far they are ahead. I can say that India was at par with me as I traded them Metal for Printing.
Inca and Arbia are down to the nubs. Two cities each I think.
They have both got all of the Middle ages stuff. I don't get to see what they have in the industrial age (no prereq techs).

I know the Celts have National and Steam and Fascism and all the things leading to them from looking at the map and F3.

I would think they have a few more so I am behind several techs in the middle ages, plus those in the industrial. It should be doom, but I have a small hope of them being stupid.

It is for sure the Celts and India have massive troop counts by now. Even Arabia had almost 10K in the bank, while I cannnot afford to even upgrade by javs.

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 16:03

My hope is that I can get away with an assault on Arabia and get a tech. I will try this: land next turn. Attack if not thrown off the land. If I can get the city, I will threathen Mecca and try an extortion. If that works or not I will try to take down Mecca.
Hold Mecca long enough to heal and sell all I can.

Try to sell or trade it, but that won't fly, so I will abandon it.
Retreat to the other city. Sell and abandon. Move on to Inca's and try the same tactics.

Hope the Celts do not jump in before this happens and that the borders do not cause a problem from the capture.

Need to get to Steam so I can rail with my massive slaves. I am going on the basis that I will have coal. I had scores of jungle tiles
and lots of hills and mountains, but you never know.

About that time, I hope to have all my forces back to get upgraded to calvs. I will head for the island that is shared by Celts and India. I am counting on India to hold that position till then.

I want to try to get that land and then take those Celt cities for some tech.
Then move to India's main island. This will be a bugger as I am sure they will hit me with very large numbers. I want to land at least 10 cannons and be on a hill.

Lots of pie in the sky.

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 16:05

Drachen this is what I worry about, the numbers that can be tossed at you. In my case I will be using older units and face better ones for the most part.

Drachen · February 7, 2004, 20:01

Quote:

Originally posted by vmxa1
Drachen this is what I worry about, the numbers that can be tossed at you. In my case I will be using older units and face better ones for the most part.

Why not make peace with the celts until you get better units and rails?

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 21:43

That is what I am attempting to do, but they are just about out of targets. I would have hoped to have them send in a hand full of units to die, but I am afaid they will send in more than I can handle. I also figure I could not kill enough in any given turn to hurt them. Since they basiclally have all units free of support the cost of having massive troops does not hurt them.

The killer for me is the cost factor of 4 for reseach at Sid. It is 50% more expensive than Deity and twice as much as Emperor.

I have been in an dout today and play a a few turns so far.

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 23:00

Celts beat me to Mecca. I was able to cut them off from Baghdad with a flanking move.
The have it nearly surrounded by ships. I sllipped my flotila in and unload on the hill in front of the city. They could not get at it. I let them bombard the units in the city and then I took it.

I realized after the fight that I got about 5k form their treasure. This was huge. I had forgotten that I was attempt to prevent the Celts form getting that as well.

It means I can upgrade all my units now. MT in 2 turns. I will sit in Baghdad until they heal (ships too) and get MT to upgrade all knigts to calvs and light out for Inca land.

Just a glimmer of hope now. I was afraid I would get MT and have to take for ever to upgrade all my troops. Now I have upgrades to cannons as well.

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 23:01

The Baghdad affair or how I snatched Baghdad from the Celts:

vmxa1 · February 7, 2004, 23:05

The scumming Celts have hit me many times with privateers. They hit me stacked over Celt friagtes. Subtle, not.

I just noticed I am in danger of getting a culture loss. I have about 39K and they have 83K with nearly all the wonders.

asleepathewheel · February 7, 2004, 23:12

Quote:

Originally posted by vmxa1
The scumming Celts have hit me many times with privateers. They hit me stacked over Celt friagtes. Subtle, not.

I just noticed I am in danger of getting a culture loss. I have about 39K and they have 83K with nearly all the wonders.

Uh oh. Is this standard large or huge?

Have you considered going all out tax and stealing techs from the Celts? You have to be at peace for that, granted, but not sure might be more cost effective than sid research.