AU207: Big Planet - Strategy, Spoilers and Comments

[BigDork]

Hi everybody...

Well I haven't had a chance to play too much but what little I have played hasn't been to good. I'm now at war with almost the whole continent. The only people not at war with me is the Zulu. Dang Monguls. Luckily there's not a lot most of them can do. Japan landed a single swordsman in the mountains NE of my capitol but I'm sending several horsemen to deal with them. I'm sending a small force to put a little pressure on the Germans so that they'll accept peace.

My second war with Babylon went okay. I managed to auto-raze 2 cities and kill off several units. But with my war with everyone else I had to go for peace quickly. I got two cities from Babylon and now they are left with their capitol only. They keep trying to march settlers through my territory and I'm hoping they'll declare war on me soon instead of removing their troops from my territory.

Maybe I'll get to play more soon. I'll let you all know.

BigD

[aaglo]

Here's a poor screenshot of my game. I just happen to love the numidian mercenary due to it's versatility - a supporting attacker.

The wonders I have: great library, the hanging gardens 1 turn away and art of war 2 turns away.

I'm the biggest in this continent (as far as I know), and the stupid japanese declared a war against me - thus I got my golden age.

I'll see what'll come up with this..

[aaglo]

I keep getting notifications of mountain sage's posts, but nothing is showing...?

[Mountain Sage]

One small problem:

When I try to attach a screenshot through the Upload service, it tells me it's not a valid .JPG file, even when I created it as .JPG and I can view it in the Upload service.
Any quick fix? Thanks

[aaglo]

It can be too big. And is it jpg or jpeg?

[Mountain Sage]

It's jpg. It's a normal screenshot (but not downsized).

[Konquest02]

Your image must be at most 800x600, or the system will tell you it's too large. You need to downsize it either in Photoshop or Paint or any other non-microsoft software...

I'll post screenshots tonight, as my stretch of exams is over...!!

--Kon--

[Mountain Sage]

Once upon a time there was a young lady called Joan, but since her womanhood rites her father Franciscus, the chieftain of a nomadic tribe, and all her kin used to call her Joan of the Arc because of hers skills with the bow (*). Over the years, Joan became a no-nonsense, energetic and ambitious woman, driven to perfection and hard work, full of projects and ideas.

Joan was not very happy with the way of living of her tribe. Moving constantly from a place to another once the game became scarce meant long treks fraught with perils and discomfort, and the price other tribes extracted for passage and hunting rights kept her tribe poor and on the verge of starvation. Often, during the long watches at night by a campsite, she dreamt about a different, better future.

Therefore, the day when her father sadly passed away, she gathered all her tribe around her and said to them: ‘Listen I have a vision. I am fed up with travelling and hardship. This is a lush country, with rivers and wild grain and tame beasts. Let’s stop here and make a permanent encampment. This encampment will become a village, and when this village will become too big we will build another one, not far away, and then another one still. We will grow and prosper. We will build things, learn and research and we will become the marvel of this world. From this day on, we will call ourselves the French, after my father (**), and this village will be called Erin, after her late wife. Are you with me (***)?’

And so it all began.

Excerpts from: ‘An Illustrated History of the Rise of the French Empire’ by Mountain Sage, AC 935.


(*) It should not surprise you if the English language uses two different words (archer and bowman) to designate the same military functionality. This is a classical example of the French superior culture, already achieved during the ancient times. (MS, ditto).

(**) One could wonder how Joan would have called her tribe if her grandfather, the venerable Firaxis, had called his son Helveticus instead of Franciscus. (MS, ditto).

(***) The legend says that the roar of approval was so deafening that a flight of crows passing overhead fell down to earth, stone dead. (MS, ditto).

The following ancient engraving shows you our valorous troops preparing to ambush an unwary Babylonian settlers caravan, in order to stunt their expansion. Our international grading went unfortunately a bit downhill afterwards. (MS, ditto)

[Mountain Sage]

Konquest02,

Your 800x600 just saved the day for the French.
Joan is in your debt.
Want to share a milk bath with her? She's just over 4500 years old, but nowadays plastic surgery makes miracles (or so it is said )

[Mountain Sage]

The archers' rush it's on its way. The French assembled in Roxane all the wisest men they could gather...

[Konquest02]

Below is my tactics map for my invasion of Germany.

I'm using mostly Cavalry as speed will be my greatest ally. If I can take 3-4 cities on the first turn of the war, then I'll be in buisness. My force is split up in two groups, the main one going to the Iron city circled in red and the going straight to the jugular to Berlin. I want to establish my capital there so I need to be in control of the city. Once the iron is cut out, I should be OK. I have a second group ef 17 cavs waiting at the eastern border for the troops to rush west before to take their cities easily...

What do you think of this plan? Any changes? I've played a little bit so I'll post other screenies in about 1/2 hour...

--Kon--

[badams52]

MS: great AAR so far. Love your story telling style.

Kon: Hmmm, you're in cavs and you have a long way to go till you conquer your continent. But I'm sure soon you will rule the roost. BUt how did you get contact with the other nations? I don't see a path across the ocean that made it to the other continent. Did they find you first? You're farther behind than I thought.

[BigDork]

Hi everybody...

Well, I've decided to bow outta this AU game. With the war and all I'm really busy and really stressed right now. Also I think I've been playing a little much and need a breather. But I'm still gonna be lurking around here. There's a lot of dull moments at work where I can follow what's going on here. But hopefully I'll be recharged and ready to go for the next AU course. Good luck on this one...

BigD

[BigDork]

Oh yeah...

And my wife is demanding what little freetime I have I spend with her. And well, she can beat me up so it wasn't that hard of a choice.

BigD

[vulture]

French, Emperor level, PTW 1.14

The Dawn of the French Nation

4000 BC Paris is founded, and the curious little people living in huts next door decide to move in with us as well. Don't know why, since they have maps of the area and we can't even write yet. To rectify this, Joan embarks on researching writing ("oh, so that's what you're meant to do with all those letters in the alphabet..."). The workers build roads and mines on the bonus grassland, and then go an irrigate the cow, which complains. The maps we have been given show ivory to the east, coastline to the west, and another goody hut to the north.

Warrior production begins. Upon completion he heads north to go and visit the small tribe. Unfortunately he learns the wrong lessons from the first hut, and wanders in demanding to see their map. Three warriors appear and try to kill him (the last one succeeds).

Meanwhile a second warrior is built to guard the capitol. Our worker, building a road eastwards towards the ivory, sees another hut just in time to see a Babylonian spearman go in and come out with a friendly warrior in tow. Contact is thus made with the Babylonians, and we give them masonry and alphabet in return for bronze working, ceremonial burial and 10 gold.

After churning out a stream of warriors, we eventually get around to producing our first settler, just as the road to the ivory is finished. For reasons never adequately explained, the settler shuns the ivory and heads off to the west coast. Meanwhile we have failed to learn out lessons and produced more barbarians from huts.

Finally, in 2190 BC, the glorius day arrives, and the wise men unveil the secret of writing, to great acclaim. An embassy is estabilshed with the Babylonians (who have accumulated all the shield for a settler in Babylon, which is size 1, and doing nothing until it reaches size 3...). We start to research literature at 40 turn pace, although in retrospect, it might have been wiser to up the rate a bit here. Although the choice appears to be between getting a tech in 40 turns with good cash flow or 37 turns with no excess cash, the AI will always do the latter, so you often find yourself beaten to the tech by a few turns. You can't afford to buy the last bit because you are nowhere near the number of beakers required, and when you do finally get it, it has already been traded to everyone else, so you are stuck behind in the tech race.

Luckily, it didn't turn out quite that bad. The turn I got literature, two other civs also finished researching it, so there were still trading opportunities. But I'm getting ahead of the story.

2150 BC saw Frances third city appear on the east coast, and the nation celebrated the acquisition of ivory, not to mention the completion of the coast-to-coast highway, and the blocking-off-of-the-perfidious-Babylonians-with-our-culture. And also we persuaded a tribe of savages to teach us pottery (and we call then savages?).

Shortly therearfter, the Babylonians got hold of warrior code, so we traded that (and all their 25 gold) in return for writing. Not long after that they got mysticism, which we traded for pottery, but had to give up 174 gold.

The question now for us was whether to attack Babylon or not. We had three cities, two of which had barracks, so building a strike force for an early crushing blow was a possiblity. In the end we decided on peaceful aggression, settling right up against their borders, whilst expanding more loosely towards the chokepoins we had found to the northwest and northeast.

[vulture]

1790 BC proved to be another good year for the French nation, as we discovere the Zulu hanging around by the NE chokepoint. A quick flurry of trading gave us contact with everyone, all techs and lots of gold. The order of trading was (for those who care):

Zulu: Contact with America ** France: Alphabet, 30 gold
America: Iron working, contact with Germans ** France: Writing, 8 gold
Germany: Contact with Japan, Mongols ** France: Alphabet
Mongols: 26 gold ** France: Contact with Zulu
Zulu: The wheel, 33 gold ** France: Iron working
Germans: 28 gold ** France: Masonry
Mongols: Horseback riding ** France: Writing, 10 gold
Japan: 16 gold ** France: Alphabet
Zulu: 20 gold ** France: Mysticism
Mongols: 87 gold ** France: Contact with Babylonians
America: 45 gold ** France: Contact with Babylonians
Babylon: 198 gold ** France: The wheel, contact with Zulu, Germans, Japan

Net result: France gains 372 gold, Iron working, The wheel and Horseback riding, while most other countries are broke (Babylon has 1 gold, America 11, Mongols 62 - the rest are all broke and lacking a few techs). The joys of succesful trading...

France promptly built embassies with all the other nations, and still had about 300 gold left over.

Next task was to find out where our local strategic resources were hiding. Horses to the west and iron to the north were immediately visible and nearby, and we also discovered the furs between us and Babylon. The next three cities, planted shortly after this, were all located next to one of these resources, and jammed us hard up against Babylonian borders. There was a single tile between my fur town and the northern-most Babylonian town.

The first of the new towns, next to the horses and lots of bonus grassland, was immediately set to work on the colossus, in anticipation of a switch to the great library once literature was researched (and that's only town number 4 overall - if you can get a wonder with a town starting that early, then when can you get one?).

Since we were getting close to literature, I knew this was the first danger area of the tech race. I kept contacting everyone each turn to make sure that I knew what the situation was and so as not to miss out on the trading windows of opportunity. Philosophy appeared two turns before literature, but only for one civ, so it was too expensive to buy. Then three of us got literature the same turn. Since I couldn't get the monopoly bonus from being the only civ with the tech, I couldn't trade it for philosophy (without giving away a huge amount of gold), so I waited. One turn later all the literature civs had philosophy, but the philosophy civ didn't have literature. Easy trade for me, saving a lot of cash.

I decided to use my cash reserves to research maths at 100% science, knowing that the time of 40 turn techs was past. I upgraded all my warriors to swordsmen first. Somewhere along the line, map making and code of laws appeared and were traded for. Map making as usual provided a cash cow with judicious trading of world maps. I ended up with more cash and a complete map of the continent. Maths was completed, although one civ beat me to it by a turn. Fortunately I was still ablle to trade it profitably.

[vulture]

The first Babylonian anti-climax^H war

With my new pile of swordsmen and horsemen, thanks to our new resources, I decided to go for a quick pruning of Babylon, especially since they had had the cheek to sneak one settler through my land and towards Zulu territory. They had to be stopped, since I could see two more settler teams on the move. I targetted two small towns on the border - the one next to my fur town, and one on the west coast. One got a small force of 2 swordsmen and 2 horsemen, the other got 4 swordsmen and 2 horsemen, since it looked to be more heavily defended. It seems I miscalculated.

The first attack, expecting to find one spearmen, but armed for two, found two very tough spearmen. Although one defender was killed (and the victorious swordsman became elite), the rest of the attack died, and out wounded survivor fled from the elite spearmen left in the town.

the second attack expected two spearmen, but it seems that the two settler teams took refuge there, as we actually found 4 spearmen. Two surviving swordsmen, on 1 hp, beat an inglorious retreat back to safety. After brief healing episode, the now woefully inadequate troops went back to the front to discover that the elite spearman was in between towns. He was pounced on and killed, and the elite swordsman went back to his objective and killed the lone defender there - the elite had been replaced with a regular. When this town fell, Babylon was prepared to give up the other town we'd attacked in return for peace. Since we were in no position to continue the war, this was fine for France, and we managed to proclaim victory depsite almost complete disaster and the death of 80% of our attack force.

Now we are in a building phase. Libraries are being produced as we research currency, and we are trying to rebuild a military presence, whilst continuing to fill out the land between our two chokepoints. If we get the great library, now nearing completion, then a supply of horsemen upgraded to knights may be the best way forwards now to wipe out Babylon.

[Konquest02]

Originally posted by badams52

Kon: Hmmm, you're in cavs and you have a long way to go till you conquer your continent. But I'm sure soon you will rule the roost. BUt how did you get contact with the other nations? I don't see a path across the ocean that made it to the other continent. Did they find you first? You're farther behind than I thought.

Well... I beelined for cavalry and just got it. I usually don't war much and our continent is large enough for my needs. I'll conquer Germany (done yesterday...) and Mongolia (I NEED to beat them up! I might go for them with Cavs too...) then I might go for Zulus, but the game should be won by then. I think that any city above that will just get too corrupt and won't do anything. Well see by then...

I assume Korea met Mongolia as they are nearer than everyone else. Then Mongolia sold contact with me. I then bought all possible contacts and sold them to the civs on my continent... As for the map, I traded for Korea's WM, so I think that Mongolia went and contacted the other continent themselves and not traded their world map. That way, I was able to pull the WM vs. Contacts trade and the passage would not show on my minimap...

I think I'm up-to-date, according to my plans. This is my first real monarch game so I might be a little confused with the timing. I'm fairly confident to win by spaceship or diplomatically. We'll see...

--Kon--

[badams52]

Originally posted by Konquest02
I think I'm up-to-date, according to my plans. This is my first real monarch game so I might be a little confused with the timing. I'm fairly confident to win by spaceship or diplomatically. We'll see...

Very interesting. Looks like you're doing fine. You should have no problem winning your first monarch game. I have yet to see a game where someone makes it into the Modern Era then loses by spaceship. Diplomacy...well...that's another matter, but being peaceful certainly helps you.

[Mountain Sage]

875
Excerpts from: ‘An Illustrated History of the Rise of the French Empire’ by Mountain Sage, Keeper of the Records and Official Historian, AC 935.

Another drawing called ‘The Calm Before the Tempest’ by the great painter Marquis d’Aureillac. It shows our military laying siege to the Babylonian capital, which will soon fall into our hands. As you all are aware, the few survivors fled towards the frozen wastes of our continent to found a new city. However, since then, the Babylonian civilization was but a footnote in history, before being utterly destroyed later on by the Chinese.

(Excerpts from the personal diary of MS: as I am looking at this drawing, I sense a dark and forbidding presence behind me. It is a flitting shape, one moment like a man holding a spear sitting on a warhorse, the other like a man all clad in black wearing a mask. I tried to dispel this ghost with garlic and making the sign of the Holy Joan, but to no avail.)

875BC

[Mountain Sage]

Excerpts from: ‘An Illustrated History of the Rise of the French Empire’ by Mountain Sage, Keeper of the Records and Official Historian, AC 935.
This fresco is a copy of the one adorning the south wall of the Great temple of Joan in Erin. It depicts our lush CoreLand and the barbarian wastes encircling it. Thanks to our Milady’s policy of ‘one baby a year’ (per family of course, Editor’s Note), we will soon be able to reclaim this land and make it a Garden of Joan.

[Mountain Sage]

450 BC
Excerpts from: ‘An Illustrated History of the Rise of the French Empire’ by Mountain Sage, Keeper of the Records and Official Historian, AC 935.
Another fresco, this time from our Milady’s Great Library in Roxane. See how we expanded far and fast! If you pay attention to the details, you can see the look of utter dismay and horror in the face of the barbarian in the west, whose camp will be soon overrun by our valiant troops.

[Mountain Sage]

190 BC
Excerpts from: ‘An Illustrated History of the Rise of the French Empire’ by Mountain Sage, Keeper of the Records and Official Historian, AC 935.

A rare glimpse of a military map dated 3805 showing our Central Command’s strategic planning. You see N-W, near the German border, some wild Spices groves. Our Seabees (Conquest Battalions) are already laying down a military road network, as to enable our settler caravans to rush to the spot and to move military units to face the ever-present threat of barbarian tribes.
(Excerpts from MS’s personal diary: ‘how the military came up calling basically a road-building worker team a marine bee, when we are scores of miles from the sea and don’t even have a navy, it’s really beyond me’).

[Mountain Sage]

400 AD
Excerpts from: ‘ Chapter 29: An Economic Survey through the Ages of our Forbidden Palace, by Prof. Laurent De L’Argentière, University of Erin:

‘As you are well aware, our blessed country has roughly the shape of a ‘Y’, with our capital Erin in the middle of the two ‘arms’. Our Milady (may she be blessed every day) decided in her great wisdom to build the Forbidden Palace south of her capital instead of in a town situated in one of the two ‘arms’. With this genial move, she created in fact what we call our CoreLand, the heart of our most productive cities and….

[Mountain Sage]

740 AD
Excerpts from: ‘An Illustrated History of the Rise of the French Empire’ by Mountain Sage, Keeper of the Records and Official Historian, AC 935.

The frescoes adorning the Great temple of Joan in Erin are a vivid illustration of the evolution of our beloved country over the years. This one illustrates our CoreLand in 4740 FR, just a few years before our Golden Age. Our productivity is so high that we can afford building two World Wonders simultaneously. Also note building of our first specialized military unit, the Musketeer, which will shortly inspire shock and awe in our enemies’ hearts.

[Mountain Sage]

860 AD
Military Academy of Tours, First Year Strategy Exam, Question B29:

Please analyse the following military map describing the treacherous attack of the Zulus upon our homeland. Special attention should be given to the following topics:

a) Zulus: number of attacking units, composition of these units, technology employed.
b) French: number and disposition of defensive units, technology employed.
c) Strategy: effectiveness of luring enemy troops deep into one’s territory.

Question B29 should be linked to question B52: ‘The wisdom of NOT going to war footing during an invasion. Political and Economical consequences’.

[Mountain Sage]

860 AD
Excerpts from Monseigneur de Richelieu’s speech at the 860 FR promotion day of the Royal Diplomats’ High School:
‘The whole concept of MAR, Massive Allied Retaliation, as some of you might remember, is to punish anybody who has the gall of declaring war on us by forming an international coalition of the willing against said offender. The beauty of this concept, which incidentally was developed by myself, your most humble servant, is threefold: first of all, the invasion, if such should occur, will be small, since the enemy has to fight on several fronts simultaneously. Then, the disruption of our economy will be minimal, since we won’t have to go on war footing and build many military units. Finally, it should teach all potential enemies the foolishness of declaring war on the glorious French…’

[Mountain Sage]

950 AD
Excerpts from: ‘An Illustrated History of the Rise of the French Empire’ by Mountain Sage, Keeper of the Records and Official Historian, AC 935.
The discovery of Navigation and Magnetism enabled our Marine Royale to explore our wide oceans, which led to the stunning discovery of many previous unknown civilisations.
Marquis de Sade painting ‘Alinghi races the unknown’ perfectly illustrates the spirit and boldness our captains and crews.

[Mountain Sage]

1080 AD
‘It was so good to be young then
In the season of plenty…

Folk ballad (translated in French from the original American version)

[Mountain Sage]

1250 AD
‘… when the cattle was jumping
as high as the sky’

Folk ballad (translated in French from the original American version)