gotm.civfanatics.net

What is Game of the Month on CivFanatics.com?

Game of the Month (GOTM) is a long-running, regularly scheduled competition for Civilization III and Civilization IV players, hosted at Game of the Month - on CivFanatics.com. Each month the organizers publish a fixed scenario — a set map, civilization and difficulty level — and everyone plays the same start, then submits results by a deadline. Because the setup is identical for all entrants, the competition measures decision-making rather than luck or map knowledge.

The page evidence shows two parallel tracks, which is the main thing to understand before joining:

Alongside the current games, the site keeps an archive of completed games going back through many numbered editions, plus a Pantheon of Heroes (results and rankings), a map gallery, and links to a discussion forum and a newbie's guide to GOTM.

Who it suits: players who want a shared benchmark — you can compare your finish date, score and strategy against a global field instead of judging your game in isolation. It rewards players willing to write up what they did and read others' reports.

Trade-offs: the fixed schedule and submission deadline mean you can't start whenever you like, and the difficulty levels shown (Emperor, Demigod) suggest the main events are aimed at experienced players rather than beginners. Expect to need the correct game version and expansion installed to take part.

Next step: if you're new, read the newbie's guide and code of conduct first, then open the current game thread and check the submission deadline before you start playing — a game you can't submit in time doesn't count.

How do I submit my results for a Game of the Month competition?

Submit through the Submit Results page linked from the Game of the Month site; the site itself keeps the submission form and the list of current games on the same page.

Game of the Month - on CivFanatics.com

What to have ready before you submit

• The current game number and class you played. The site lists current games such as Classic GOTM 203 (Russia, Emperor) and C3C COTM 176 (India, Demigod), each with a submit-by date. Make sure you are submitting for the right one.
• Your saved game file for the finish or checkpoint, if the form asks for it.
• Your result details: victory type or loss, finish date/turn, score, and any required in-game milestones.
• Your forum username, so your result is credited to the right player.

Steps

1. Open the Game of the Month page: Game of the Month - on CivFanatics.com.
2. Find the current game you played under "Current Games" and note its submit-by date.
3. Go to Submit Results and fill in the form with your game number, class, username and outcome.
4. Attach or upload the required save file if prompted.
5. Submit before the deadline, then check the results thread or Pantheon of Heroes later to confirm your entry appears.

If something goes wrong

• If the form rejects your file, check that it is the correct save from the right game and class.
• If you are unsure which class you played, ask in the relevant discussion forum before submitting — the site has separate forums for Classic and Conquests games.
• If you miss the deadline, the game moves to the completed list; you can still post about it in the forum, but it will not count for that competition.

H3. Practical tip Submit as soon as you finish rather than waiting until the deadline. If the upload fails or you picked the wrong class, you still have time to sort it out. Also read the Code of Conduct and FAQ linked on the site first — they explain what counts as a valid submission and what can disqualify one.

What is the difference between Classic GOTM and Conquests GOTM?

Classic GOTM and Conquests GOTM are parallel monthly competitions, not two difficulty tiers of the same game. The split follows the two Civilization III rulesets: Classic uses the base game, while Conquests uses the Conquests expansion. Each has its own numbered sequence, so "Classic 202" and "Conquests 175" are simply the latest completed games in two separate ladders.

Because the expansion adds civilizations, traits, wonders, resources and gameplay changes, a map or start position cannot be carried directly between the two. That is why the site runs separate current games, separate results and separate discussion threads for each.

How to choose

• You own only the base game: play Classic GOTM.
• You own the expansion: Conquests GOTM gives you the fuller ruleset, including the extra civs and mechanics.
• You want the larger or more active field: check both current threads and the completed-game lists before deciding; participation varies by month.
• You are new to the competition: read the newbie guide and code of conduct first, then pick the ruleset you can actually launch.

A practical example: if you are comfortable with the base game but have never played the expansion, entering Conquests GOTM at Demigod level can be a rough introduction. Playing a Classic game first, or a lower-difficulty Conquests game, lets you learn the submission and reporting routine before the ruleset itself becomes the challenge.

What stays the same

Both competitions share the same surrounding structure: monthly games, a submission deadline, results and rankings, a discussion forum, a map gallery and a pantheon of past heroes. The current listing shows both Classic and Conquests games with deadlines, and long back-catalogues of completed games for each.

Next step: open the current games list, note which ruleset and difficulty are on offer this month, then read the FAQ and code of conduct before you start. If you are unsure which version you have installed, launch Civ III and check whether the Conquests expansion appears in the main menu; that single check decides which GOTM you can enter.

How does the scoring and ranking system work in the Game of the Month competitions?

The Game of the Month (GOTM) competitions on Game of the Month - on CivFanatics.com are regular, recurring contests for Civilization III and Civilization IV players. Participants download a preset save for the month's game, play it under a published Code of Conduct, and submit their results by the stated deadline. The site then publishes the completed-game list and a "Pantheon of Heroes" page that records past results.

The page evidence does not spell out the exact scoring formula. What it does show is the structure: each month has a current game (for example, a Classic GOTM and a Conquests COTM running in parallel), a submission deadline, a results submission page, and a long archive of completed games numbered in sequence. That archive is the ranking backbone: it is where standings and historical performance are tracked.

What the structure implies for players

• One official submission per game. You play the assigned map and difficulty, then submit through the results page before the deadline. Missing the deadline means no score for that month.
• Separate ladders for separate game types. Classic (Civ 3 vanilla/PTW) and Conquests (C3C) games are numbered independently, so a player's standing in one does not automatically carry into the other.
• Rules compliance matters as much as score. The Code of Conduct and FAQ are listed alongside the submission and results pages, which signals that a high score can be discounted or rejected if the game was played outside the accepted rules.
• History is public. The Pantheon of Heroes and the completed-games archive let you compare your result against everyone else's, month by month and year by year.

Practical decision criterion

If you are choosing whether to enter, ask what you want out of it. For a pure test of skill against a fixed map, the monthly format is a fair comparison because everyone starts from the same save. If you prefer casual play without deadlines or rule scrutiny, the competition format will feel restrictive.

Next step

Read the Code of Conduct and FAQ before you play, not after. Then check the current game's civilization and difficulty, confirm the submission deadline, and only then start the save. Submitting a strong game that breaks a rule is worse than submitting a modest one that follows it.

Where can I find discussions and strategies for the current Game of the Month?

The current Game of the Month discussion happens on the CivFanatics forum linked from the GOTM site. The page lists separate discussion threads for the two active tracks: Classic GOTM 203 (Russia, Emperor) and C3C COTM 176 (India, Demigod), both with a Sep 30 submission deadline. Each track has its own forum, so pick the one matching the game you are playing.

Game of the Month - on CivFanatics.com

What you can do there

• Read opening-move and build-order threads before you commit your first 20 turns.
• Compare how other players handled the same map and difficulty, then post your own result.
• Check the Code of Conduct and FAQ before submitting, since competition rules affect what is allowed (for example, reloading saves).
• Use the Newbie's Guide to GOTM if this is your first competition.

Choosing where to post

A practical next step

Open the thread for your current game, find the "spoiler" posts for the era you have reached, and avoid reading ahead of your own progress. Posting a short summary of your start position and first few decisions usually gets more useful replies than asking a broad "what should I do?" question.

What are the rules and code of conduct for participating in the Game of the Month?

The rules and code of conduct are not spelled out on the page you provided, but the site itself links to a dedicated "Code of Conduct" page and a "F A Q," which are the authoritative places to read the actual rules. The visible page evidence shows only navigation links: "Newbie's Guide to GOTM," "Code of Conduct," "F A Q," "Submit Results," "Pantheon of Heroes," and "Discussion Forum," plus current and completed game listings.

In practice, a Game of the Month competition like this typically works as follows (general advice, not confirmed product features):

• Download the current game save and play it under the stated difficulty and civilization settings.
• Play within the competition window, then submit your results before the deadline shown for that game.
• Follow the code of conduct for fair play, which usually covers reloading, exploits, and reporting.
• Use the discussion forum for questions and the results page for standings.

If you want the exact rules, open the "Code of Conduct" and "F A Q" links on Game of the Month - on CivFanatics.com. For broader Civ community discussion, CivFanatics hosts the main forums.

A practical decision criterion: if you are new, read the "Newbie's Guide to GOTM" first, then the Code of Conduct, before downloading the current save. That order prevents an accidental rules violation in your first submission.