Can you build a civilization that stands the test of time?
This is going to be an LP of the 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) game Civilization V. Running from 6000 BC to whenever the hell you decide to end it, you advance through the eras of human history, glare distrustfully at your neighbors, organize your nation, yell at your neighbors, befriend their neighbors, and have big fistfights between neighbors. There are four ways to win: control the original capital cities of every other player, be elected World Leader by the United Nations, be the first to launch a spaceship to Alpha Centauri, or become culturally dominant over every other civilization. Day-to-day operations will be handled by yours truly, but big decisions will be left to you. Declarations of war, what the state religion should be, and, most importantly, who we will play as and what style we'll use.
There are five choices, one for each victory type and one to be more open-ended. For the conquest-inclined, I'd recommend the Zulu. Melee unit upkeep is halved, which will allow us to field a much larger army, and the 25% reduction in experience needed for a promotion for any unit will make them more effective on the battlefield. The unique building, which is one of the first available, gives units special bonuses. The unique unit has a special ability allowing them to use a ranged attack before a melee battle, giving experience and weakening the enemy at no risk to themselves.
Brazil is available for the cultural route. Their Carnival ability drastically increases tourism and the spawn rate for Great Musicians/Artists/Writers during golden ages. The unique Brazilwood Camp improvement makes jungle tiles more useful from the mid-game on, and a special unit replacing infantry adds points towards a Golden Age when they defeat an enemy.
Korea, with +2 science for specialists and Great Person tiles improvement, and coupled with the tech boost attained when a science building or wonder is completed in the capital, certainly can into space. What they cannot into, however, is cities and the ocean. The Hwach'a, which replaces the standard Trebuchet siege unit, receives a significant ranged attack bonus at the cost of bonuses against cities. The Turtle Ship is subbing for the Caravel, and while it's also better at fighting, it's unable to enter ocean tiles—a major loss, as the Caravel is the first ship in the game that can do so, thus costing points in the race to discover (and colonize) the rest of the world.
"Speak softly and carry a big stick," said Teddy Roosevelt, and so does Greece. The Hoplite, which replaces the Spearman, is essentially identical barring greater strength. The Companion Cavalry, replacing the Horseman, is faster and more likely to produce Great Generals. Both are extremely early-game replacements, which would allow a smart player to take a lot of land early with a bit of luck. If the conquest ends up the same way it did for Alexander, though, the unique ability provides an excellent fallback, making it easier to establish and maintain alliances with City-States, which are crucial for a Diplomatic victory.
Arabia is the last civilization. Trade routes do a better job of spreading religion, land trade routes are extended, and oil resources are doubled. The Camel Archer is a ranged replacement for the Knight, and can move after attacking, making it useful for hit-and-run attacks. The Bazaar replaces the market, giving extra gold for each nearby Oasis tile, oil resource, and incoming trade route. Perhaps most important, it grants an extra unit of each nearby luxury resource, giving an edge in international trade.
There will be nine other computer-controlled players, randomly chosen by the game. Game length will be standard. One mod will be used, which changes the name of a civilization based on its social policies. If you choose Korea and the Order ideology just to try and get the DPRK, I will invent a way to punch people through the Internet. Oh, and I specifically made the choices civilizations I haven't played before, to try and make it more interesting.
Away we go!
