Civ 3 Classic GOTM 45 (Russia, Monarch level)

Game started: 15 Jul 2005, finished: 15 Aug 2005

This game has finished. Click here to see the results.

You can no longer submit a competition entry, but you can download any starting save below (click on an icon) to play for fun.

Open: (The standard save)	Starting save for
Conquest: (The easier save)	Starting save for
Predator: (The extra-hard save)	Starting save for

version 0.0.0 last updated on July 14, 2005

You may choose to play the same game in one of two different program formats (Civ3 v1.29 or PTW v1.27f). Please do not attempt to play this game in any version of Civ3 Conquests. If you have the Civ3 Conquests Software you will definitely have the other two program choices available you just have to select and start with the appropriate software executable other than Civ3 Conquests.

Classic Gotm XLV: Russia

The vast lands of Russia were home to disunited tribes who were variously overwhelmed by invading Goths, Huns, and Turkic Avars between the third and sixth centuries CE.

Modern Russia dates from about 770, when Viking explorers began an intensive penetration of the Volga region. From bases in estuaries along the eastern Baltic, Scandinavian bands, probably in search of new trade routes to the east, began to penetrate territory populated by Finnish and Slavic tribes, where they found unlimited natural resources.

The Varangian dynasty lasted several centuries, during which they affiliated with the Byzantine, or Orthodox, church and moved the capital to Kiev in 1169 A.D. In this era the term "Rhos", or "Russ", first came to be applied to the Varangians and the Slavs who peopled the region. Surviving internal conflict, invasion by the mongol golden hordes, and attempted colonization by germanic crusaders, the duchy of Moscow began to assert its influence, and eventually tossed off the control of the invaders late in the 14th century. Ivan the Terrible, the first leader designated Tsar (from the Roman Caesar, also written Czar) of Russia, finalized this process, consolidated surrounding areas under Moscow's dominion, and annexed the vast expanses of Siberia. The Russian Empire was born.

GOTM 45 starting position - Click for a wider view of the start position

Scope of the Game:

Civilization: Russia
Difficulty: Monarch
World size: Standard
Landmass: Pangea, Some Ocean
Geology: about 5 billion years old
Environment: kind-of cool, sort-of wet
Barbarians: Raging
Rivals: 11 Preset
Upgrade Swordsmen/Longbows: ON
AI Respawn:: OFF
NOTE: Differential Naval Movement is OFF
NOTE: Iron location is fixed (will not disappear)
NOTE: Huts give workers instead of settlers.
Submissions due by August 15, 2005. PLEASE NOTE THE DATE.

A SPECIAL NOTE: In recent classic GOTMs, there have been some changes made to provide a rule-set similar to that used in Civilization3: Conquests. This month's game is a 'classic' game, and hence most of these rule changes have been reversed. In particular, Map Trading is restored to being possible with Map Making, and communication trading with writing. Differential Naval movement is OFF. However, please note that some (minor) changes are still in-use. Some of the A/D/M value tweaks are continued, as is the lethal bombard and defensive free-shots for archers.

The Great Wall Wonder: now gives free walls in all your towns/cities on the continent
Explorers and equivalent unique units have been moved from Navigation to Astronomy.
Space Race - SS Stasis Chamber Has been moved from Synthetic Fibers to Robotics.
Republic Government Unit maintenance cost is now 2 gpt/unit with free unit support of 1/3/4 for t/c/m.
Archer/Bowmen added defensive freeshot at 1/0/1.
Longbowmen added defensive freeshot at 2/0/1.
Marines Increased attack strength from 8 to 12 and cost increased to 120 shields.
Radar Artillery Movement increased to 2 and rate of fire increased to 3.
Air Unit Operating Ranges most have been increased up to the maximum hardcoded limit in Civ3v1.29.
Lethal Sea Bombardment for all air units that can bomb targets.
Lethal Land Bombardment for all bombers and steath bombers.
F-15 stats increase to 8/4/1 (range of 8) with bombard at 6/0/2 lethal land & sea
Helicopter transport capacity has been increased to 3.
Stealth Fighter stats increased to 8/6/1 with bombard at 6/0/2.
Stealth Bomber stats increased to 0/5/1 with bombard at 18/0/3.

Being a 'classic' game, this month's game will not require any downloads for the Play The World version - It will play with the 'out of the box' PTW install.

For Civ3 and Mac players, you will require the install packs as for previous GOTM events. Note that custom resources are NOT used!
All-in-one installers are now available for Windows and Mac OS X. See this page for details of all download options for Windows and Mac Civ III v1.29.

If you have any questions regarding this set-up, then please let me know by PM or email.

ALL SPOILERS PROHIBITED: Do not post any messages or questions about this game in any forum until after about July 20th, 2005 when we open the first spoiler thread. Please do not discuss any aspect of this game prior to that date, and then only post in the official spoiler threads. Once you have started playing the game, you MAY NOT post in the pre-game discussion or game release threads!

As always, have fun playing the GOTM and we hope you join us in the postgame discussions!

You will have your choice of Playing Gotm 45 in one of three skill levels that most closely matches your current abilities - Conquest Class, Open Class, or Predator Class. The two software choices for this game do not have compatible setup files. You may only play the game in one software format and at one difficulty level for comparison to other players.

Conquest Class Game Details for Gotm 45

Players who choose to play in the Conquest class game will receive a set of bonuses designed to help them focus on key early strategic decisions that may help them to get more enjoyment out of the specific conditions of this game. The bonuses ARE NOT designed to guarantee you a win without requiring some good early decisions to be made and without asking you to manage your Civilization properly.

Players who might be interested in playing the conquest class game could be those players who might only feel comfortable playing at Warlord or Regent difficulty.

For the purposes of global ranking and comparison to all other GOTM scores, the Conquest class games scores in the QSC and GOTM results will be weighted downward with an 85% multiplier to factor out the value of the additional starting bonuses.

Conquest Class Starting Bonuses:
Conquest class players will begin the game with following unit and game feature bonuses:

Extra Units: An extra scout, and an extra worker - don't let the barbs get them!
Extra Gold: Starting with 100 gold.

Click on the image below to download the start Conquest-class save file for the version you want to play.

Open Class Game Details for Gotm 45

Players who choose to play in the Open Class game receive no bonuses compared to a game that would be normally be played on this level.

For the purposes of global ranking and comparison to all other GOTM scores, Open class game scores will be ranked according to the Jason score which balances speed and scoring skills for a combined "Best Overall game" rating.

Open Class Starting Bonuses:

None

Click on the image below to download the start Open-class save file for the version you want to play.

Predator Class Game Details for Gotm 45

Players who choose to play in the Predator class game must overcome an extra set of obstacles built into their game to provide an extra level of challenge. The intent of these changes is to raise the difficulty without altering strategic play progress from that which you would see for comparison in the conquest class and open class games.

Players who might be interested in playing the Predator class game could be those players who have participated in the Elite or Leader divisions of the Medal Play Series or players who just want an extra level of excitement or challenge.

For the purposes of global ranking and comparison to all other GOTM scores, the Predator class game scores in the QSC and GOTM results do not receive any compensating scoring bonus for the added elements of challenge.

Predator Class Equalizing Obstacles:
The game features for Predator Class Games have been raised to provide the following obstacles:

Barb Attack Bonus: Removed.

Technology: you are backward people, and start knowing nothing.

Click on the image below to download the start Predator-class save file for the version you want to play.