C-IV BtS BOTM 300 (Greece, Monarch level)

Game started: 8 Dec 2025, finishes: 15 Jan 2026

This game is running! Download the starting save below (click on icon) to play and enter. When you have finished the game, submit your final save here. Submissions close in 4 weeks, 4 days

Contender:
(The standard save)

Starting save for Windows

Game info

BtS BOTM 300 starting position - Click for a wider view of the start position

Civilization: Greece - Unique Unit: Phalanx (replaces Axeman),
Unique Building: Odeon (replaces Colosseum)
Leader: Leonidas I
Difficulty: Monarch
Map size: Standard
Map Script: Modified Inland Sea
Starting Era: Ancient
Speed: Normal
Options: No barbarians, permanent war or peace, no goody huts, no random events
Rivals: 6
Victory conditions: All enabled
World wrap None
Schedule: Submissions due by January 15, 2026
PLEASE NOTE THE DATE

To commemorate the 300th BOTM, you will play as Leonidas I of the Spartans, who with 300 Hoplites held off a persian army of several thousands. Can you stave off the Persian hordes? "Hear your fate, O dwellers in Sparta of the wide spaces; Either your famed, great town must be sacked by Perseus' sons, Or, if that be not, the whole land of Lacedaemon Shall mourn the death of a king of the house of Heracles, For not the strength of lions or of bulls shall hold him, Strength against strength, for he has the power of Zeus, And will not be checked till one of these two he has consumed." --The Oracle at Delphi, in The Histories by Herodotus, translated by Aubrey de Selincourt, revised by John Marincola

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

New Players

The Newbies' Guide to Getting Started tells you how to get set up to play GOTMs as well as explaining the competition rules. Please note our no-replaying rule. If you want to enter the competition, don't replay any turns. Feel free to discuss your game with other players, but ONLY in the spoiler threads that we'll open in this forum.

Choose your Game

Besides the normal contender, we sometimes provide an easier save (the adventurer save) and an extra-hard save (the challenger).

For this game, we are offering only the contender save - so everyone plays exactly the same start.

Contender (the standard save)

This is the save that most people play. If you want to enter the competition with a normal game, then download and play this one.

Contender bonuses:

None.

Click on the image below to download the contender class start save file.

PC contender-Class save file PC File

Other info

Software Versions

Windows players require version 3.19 of Civilization IV BtS, as well as Hof Mod version BUFFY-3.19.005, available here.

Mac players will require version 3.19 of Civilization IV BtS, plus HoF Mod version MacBUFFY-3.19.003, available here.