(Not so sure) It's good to be the Monarch

Started by MetalDog, October 19, 2012, 09:35:06 PM

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MetalDog

This AAR will be a couple of first for me.  First, it will be my first AAR.  Second, it will be my first time playing Monarch.  I have played Prince extensively for the last few years and now it's time to move out of my comfort zone.  So I thought I would detail my successes and failures where every one can see and ridicule them :-)

The game is Civilization IV:Beyond the Sword.  I chose a Standard map which is six A.I.'s and me.  Land mass is Pangaea.  The victory conditions are Cultural (Three cities with 50,000 Culture or more), Domination (Own 41% of the population and 60 % of the land), Diplomatic (Be voted the winner by taking a vote in the United Nations) and Time (Highest score at the end of 500 turns).  I chose all of the Asian civ's: China (Qin Shi Huang), Korea (Wang Kon), India (Asoka), Khmer (Suryavarman II), Mongolia (Kublai Khan), Persia (Darius I) and me, Japan (Tokugawa).   

The reason I chose Japan is because their Archery and Gunpowder units get a free City Garrison I and First Strike promotion and their Melee and Gunpowder units get a free Strength promotion.  So, if I make it to discover Gunpowder, any units will gain all three of those promotions.  I also get a bonus to build Barracks, Drydock, Walls and Castle at double speed.  I'll be needing all of those buildings to survive and thrive.

This is me:


And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

This is my initial city placement:





There's two Corn and a Stone inside my fat cross as well as a lot of Forests to quick build Wonders.  The Corn will help me grow quickly and, if I'm smart, I'll use the steady population growth to siphon off Great People.
And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

With my city established, I can turn my attention to Research.  I have to discover Agriculture to take advantage of the Corn and Masonry for the Stone.  It'll take me 15 Turns to make a Warrior and 17 for a Settler, so I have some time to kill.  Because Axemen, your first powerful Melee unit need s Copper to build, I shoot for Bronze Working.  By the time it reveals where the Copper is, I will have some of the map explored and have the Settler building and ready to take advantage of what I find.  Plus, Mining is a prerequisite for Masonry, so, two birds with one stone ;-)


And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

It appears that I am at the top of the map.  Not my favorite place to start.  Limited growth opportunities and less desirable land types, Tundra and Ice.  I'll look around some more and see if I can move any direction but North.  Luckily, one of the Villages popped a Scout and I am using him to the fullest.


And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

Unfortunately, before very long, I run into my first neighbor.





I would prefer to have a little more elbow room to start. 
And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

With the first Settler done, and no Copper in sight, I choose to make a buffer between Suryavarman and me.


And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

Well well.  It appears that my neighbors are MUCH closer than I would like.





And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

Wow!  Good things twice in three turns!  We're rolling now!!


And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

All those trees pay off and The Oracle is built in Kyoto.  I choose Metal Casting as my free tech.


And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

undercovergeek

Great stuff..... Have played 4 and 5 but never BTS.... Looking forward to the rest.... Which goal do you usually reach first?

TheCommandTent

Keep up the great work MetalDog!  I never had the stones to try a game on Monarch.
"No wants, no needs, we weren't meant for that, none of us.  Man stagnates if he has no ambition, no desire to be more than he is."

MetalDog

Thanks for the encouragement fellas.  I usually go for Space Race first, but the A.I. runs for that first, too and their research ability seems to outpace mine too rapidly to make that an option this game.  To have any hope of winning this game, I will have to be militarily strong, which was another consideration for playing Japan with the bumps they get.  So I will shoot for Cultural, but be prepared for Domination and pray for a Time victory.
And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

MetalDog

#13
2nd session start

I realize I haven't been keeping up with the screenies, so I took a snapshot in time.  These are my nearest neighbors.  Suryavarman to the east.





and Cyrus (misidentified as Darius in the OP) to the west.


And the One Song to Rule Them All is Gimme Shelter - Rolling Stones


"If its a Balrog, I don't think you get an option to not consent......." - bob

undercovergeek