Heaven Games Invades Big Huge Games

Warstory

ODA (Dutch) + Soc (Persia)
vs
Thunder (Lakota) + Zen the Amazing (Americans)

Map: Great Lakes
Conditions: Standard

00:40 ODA makes fast use of the free Dutch merchants, laying claim to the salt that is right near his starting city, and begins scouting with the other. ...Soc has four idle citizens making chit chat around his city. Tsk, tsk. Meanwhile, I'm making use of the Lakota ability to build in neutral territory by slapping down a lumber camp beyond my borders, where I plan to put up a second city later on. The Lakota don't need a second city to max out their food production, as they don't build farms at all.

2:50
ODA was the first to put up a second city quite some time ago, while Soc is just finishing construction on his.

Zen seems to be taking it easy...not pushing too many hotkeys or clicking his mouse much, and no second city yet. He's got a barracks up and a couple of units...that translates into free resources for the Americans, so why not? I'm making liberal use of the Lakota neutral territory build bonus again and putting up two docks outside my borders on different lakes. I have my choice of the lakes for fishing...I'll take 'em all! All that wood I'm saving on not building farms gets pumped into my docks and fishing boats.

3:40 ODA reaches the Classical Age! Zen is setting down his second city and a dock, while Soc is booming nicely now. ...I start building my second city in a choice location, yes, Zen and I are a little behind. I've also got greedy and start building a dock in the lake closest to ODA, who already has a dock up...complete with two free light ships. Damn the Dutch, but he doesn't spy my builder.

7:22
Zen is the last reach the Classical Age at this point, but he's got lots of fishing and a pretty good economy going. Soc, the second player to hit Classical behind ODA, puts up his senate and chooses to go with Despotism. ...being a webmaster, I guess he's used to ruling with an iron fist. His Despot Patriot is produced from his Senate, and Soc sends him to hang out by his second city. He looks bored...what, no army Soc? ;)

ODA is clobbering my forward Dock with a tower, a heavy ship, and his free ships. He's got his third city up nearby...I surrender the dock without firing a shot.

8:14
My third city is going up, shortly after my senate, and I'm going Republic. If things are going well with the Lakota, I'm usually maxed out on food ALL the time, so I'm going with the +50 to my commerce cap. The Senator Patriot can also come in handy, a little bribing can go a long way. I've also got a stable up to start pumping cavalry, which also give me food as the Lakota.

8:42 My dock is in flames...and ODA is a happy man. He goes with Republic for his Government, not a bad idea for the Dutch. Everyone either is building or has a third city up now except for Zen...c'mon!

9:24
I start building the Hanging Gardens wonder. That's +50 knowledge, and 66% cheaper smelter, lumber mill, and granary upgrades if I complete it. I'm mostly in it for the knowledge. ...I think I'm smart.

9:43 ODA hits the Medieval Age and Zen starts researching it. I've forgotten.

11:15
Zen takes Despotism for his Government. That means cheaper barracks units, a great choice for the Americans! He also starts on the Terra Cotta Army. It's almost like he knows what he's doing!

Not to be outdone, ODA starts on the Forbidden City shortly after that. The evil Soc begins building the Colossus. I've started raiding ODA with a few Sunka Wakan, unique Lakota ranged cavalry. My Senator Patriot escorts them in to give them a +2 armor bonus, and use his forced march ability if any enemy cav show up order a quick retreat. I'm getting some decent kills!

13:00 I've got two groups of raiders in ODA's territory now. One stumbles on his Forbidden City construction site and slaughters the builders. The other, runs into a city and ODA's cavalry...they don't last long. 16:54 Zen hits Gunpowder first, and has a sizeable force of light infantry thanks to his Terra Cotta Army. I'm upgrading to Gunpowder, while ODA finally finishes his Forbidden City.

Every player now has an army positioned, waiting to strike.

18:32 I go in for another raid with my Musket Horses and run into ODA's army. It's not very big and since I'm an Age ahead at the moment, I call in reinforcements and start bombarding his 5th city. It would be no big loss for him, but he loses his army trying to defend it.

20:00 Zen and Soc are starting to mix it up just as Soc sends some units to help ODA. Soc has a pretty small army left to defend himself. A few Elephants and Slingers, compared to Zen's legions of Arquebusiers. There is a bit of back and forth before Zen launches his assault with everything he's got. I took ODA's 5th city just as he hits the Gunpowder Age. I keep right on going to his next city to keep the pressure on. I'm a little frightened to be sitting next to him as he's cussing up a storm at this point.

21:52
It's looking grim for ODA and Soc as both lose a city at this point. I've changed my Government to Monarchy, which gives my mostly cavalry army a serious boost, and have hit the Enlightenment Age.

Zen is pressing his attack on Soc who just can't produce units faster than Zen is killing them off with his masses Continental Marines. Zen reaches Enlightenment shortly after I do and we continue to steamroll.

26:14
The territory timer gets set off as Zen assimilates another of Soc's cities. I look over at Zen in awe as his mass of Continental Marines marches into Soc's last city, his second capital and burns it to the ground. It was all over for both ODA and Soc at that point.

GG guys.

By Thunder