That's a TON of turns lost. Thebes could have built about six settlers instead, and we would have expanded and researched up to Monarchy faster.I decide to found on the starting spot. It looks good enough, and this city isn't our prime city anyway. Three warriors, to explore and find a good site for our Goal City.
So much for my plan. The ideal 20k culture city site has four aspects: fresh water, a couple food bonuses, several hills, and coastal access. Thebes has two of those, and a lot of forests for a poor-man's version of the third... and no other site within view has more than one. It's a real tough call as to what site would actually be the best for Thebes. One tile west would pull in three hills for later wonder building, but sacrifice a wheat and several shield grasslands now, or one tile north would get coastal access and two hills. But I'm committed to this one.
I can wait until the temple finishes to decide whether to go for the 20k in Thebes anyway, or to swap to granary and play a conventional game. Of course, in 3100 BC, I commit to the 20k in Thebes.
I immediately begin the Pyramids, even before any settlers, though I don't intend to OCC it all the way. Here's why:
1. Culture. Duh.
2. Greece won't beat me (they have to research Masonry.)
3. The Pyramids are a granary, so that saves 60 shields anyway.
4. The settlers and new cities will FLY after the Pyramids are built: the worker will have some roads in place out to good sites, they'll all have the Pyramids granary, and we'll be in Golden Age.
Hey! A barb pillaged the road on the dyes! Thebes riots! Whoops. That sets everything the city will ever do, including the cultural win, back by one turn. Oh well.
At size 7, I set Thebes to one surplus food, and let it run max shields otherwise.
I researched Mysticism at minimum science, in hopes of getting the Oracle next. Also, I'm going to try a strategy I've been wanting to check out for a while: a super-early Monarchy beeline. I start Polytheism at minimum research (we can use the gold to deficit-research Warrior Code and Monarchy after.) Once the Pyramids complete in 1500 BC and Golden Age starts, I change my mind and research Polytheism at max science. Due in 17. Can't get to Monarchy during the golden age, but oh well.
1375 BC is definitely the latest I've ever founded my second city. :)
How many settlers should Thebes build? It's a tough call, but I decide on two before getting started on the Oracle. With Pyramid-granaries, the rest of the cities can build settlers.
Grr - the end of the Golden Age makes Thebes riot. Another turn lost...
AAAAAAAAAUGH - Greece completes the Oracle 4 turns before I can. If I had built only one settler and hadn't had the two riots, I would've gotten it. Aaaaugh, swap to settler and 182 shields down the drain. That's a TON of turns lost. Thebes could have built about six settlers instead, and we would have expanded and researched up to Monarchy faster.
Monarchy finally comes in 370 BC, way too late, and we revolt. Thebes instantly starts the Hanging Gardens. I've got to give this my all, so (after this picture) I join two workers to Thebes to get it to size 10, and lux has got to go to 30% to support it.
Next beeline: Literature. I do plan to build the Hanging Gardens rather than switch to the Great Library, though. Thebes really needs the HG's happiness effect.
In news that doesn't involve Thebes, I've selected Byblos as the Forbidden Palace site. It'll suffice, and with those hills will also be a good wonder building city for coastal wonders or whatever else Thebes can't get.
In 70 BC, a Greek warrior wanders up over on that single grassland square across the water gap from our southwest peninsula. Hi Greece!
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