Turn 148
Slight screw up on my part, I had graphs of Cairo and lost them as he put more EP against me, I believe to keep research visibility. I am one turn from getting research visibility on OT4E, and also getting graphs on superdeath, so I'm going to grab both of those and then drop all my EP onto Cairo until I get tech visibility, and then I will keep a buffer of 10EP above that needed for graphs (so half a turns EP generation). The reasoning is this: once DZ dies I have graphs on everyone, and will have tech visibility on OT4E and OH. I could try for city visibility on OH, but that would be really aggressive, and I am not willing to do that before I have units in place and a decent power rating (so I can actually defend if I piss him off). That leaves superjm and Gav for research visibility, as superdeath is irrelevant to me except for his ability to keep OH honest and Lewwyn is backward. Neither of those are particularly relevant to me at this point, as superjm is trying his best to tech to the future and not put up a defense, and Gav is a long way away, all that really matters is his route to Frigates. Knowing the relationship (ie power graph) between Cairo and Gav, and Cairo and OH is much more important than that research visibility, so maintaining that is more important and gets the first share of EP.
Looks like OH has put the kibosh on DZ good and proper, and now it is back to consolidation rather than moving onwards, at least for a few turns whilst his pop regrows. That's the only window I need to get a decent defense in play, so I'm a bit more comfortable, but I'm not taking my eye off the ball completely. Still planning for build up and hitting OH first.
2 points of relevance: OT4E has Feud as we know, but he is moving his longbows down to the Gav front. It suggests he is not about to rush superjm off the map with knights, but might do in the near future. And Gav also lacks Guilds: golden age and caste production level workshops. But I have an easy way to check on his speed to Guilds. OTOH, I just can't find any workshops in OT4Es lands, which is bizarre for and RtR mod game, which is why I'm valuing research visibility on OT4E.
I know this doesn't show it, but Cairo was around superjm's level of power, which makes him a target. But something I've not shown: superjm has Guilds. For the love of god, man, you're SPI and have forges down: go into PS and builds some fucking units! Just get a response stack of knights and a couple of longbows/xbows and cats. We're all going to follow OH's lead and start building massive armies.
Slight change from this screenshot, running wealth in ITM and LBJ for a turn or two, to time the HA builds into knights. But I've checked again: this turn we make 570 base bpt, and Feud is known by 5 players: it has a 1.5 modifier (0.2 from Monarchy, .06 from each player), so it costs 750 base beakers. If Guilds is known by 2 players on T151, that should be a base cost of 1245-ish, give or take rounding beakers. With this turn saving gold I think we are good for Feud eot150 and Guilds eot152. If Guilds were known by 4 it is still a 4 turn tech, just out of reach, but I will have gold left over. If it is known by 5 players, then eot151 is just about possible if I pushed really hard. But I'm not going to, eot152 is fine.
I'm depressing MFG at the moment to grow a couple of cities a bit more before Guilds comes in...and OT4E has only just overtaken us in MFG, whilst in a golden age.
Slight screw up on my part, I had graphs of Cairo and lost them as he put more EP against me, I believe to keep research visibility. I am one turn from getting research visibility on OT4E, and also getting graphs on superdeath, so I'm going to grab both of those and then drop all my EP onto Cairo until I get tech visibility, and then I will keep a buffer of 10EP above that needed for graphs (so half a turns EP generation). The reasoning is this: once DZ dies I have graphs on everyone, and will have tech visibility on OT4E and OH. I could try for city visibility on OH, but that would be really aggressive, and I am not willing to do that before I have units in place and a decent power rating (so I can actually defend if I piss him off). That leaves superjm and Gav for research visibility, as superdeath is irrelevant to me except for his ability to keep OH honest and Lewwyn is backward. Neither of those are particularly relevant to me at this point, as superjm is trying his best to tech to the future and not put up a defense, and Gav is a long way away, all that really matters is his route to Frigates. Knowing the relationship (ie power graph) between Cairo and Gav, and Cairo and OH is much more important than that research visibility, so maintaining that is more important and gets the first share of EP.
Looks like OH has put the kibosh on DZ good and proper, and now it is back to consolidation rather than moving onwards, at least for a few turns whilst his pop regrows. That's the only window I need to get a decent defense in play, so I'm a bit more comfortable, but I'm not taking my eye off the ball completely. Still planning for build up and hitting OH first.
2 points of relevance: OT4E has Feud as we know, but he is moving his longbows down to the Gav front. It suggests he is not about to rush superjm off the map with knights, but might do in the near future. And Gav also lacks Guilds: golden age and caste production level workshops. But I have an easy way to check on his speed to Guilds. OTOH, I just can't find any workshops in OT4Es lands, which is bizarre for and RtR mod game, which is why I'm valuing research visibility on OT4E.
I know this doesn't show it, but Cairo was around superjm's level of power, which makes him a target. But something I've not shown: superjm has Guilds. For the love of god, man, you're SPI and have forges down: go into PS and builds some fucking units! Just get a response stack of knights and a couple of longbows/xbows and cats. We're all going to follow OH's lead and start building massive armies.
Slight change from this screenshot, running wealth in ITM and LBJ for a turn or two, to time the HA builds into knights. But I've checked again: this turn we make 570 base bpt, and Feud is known by 5 players: it has a 1.5 modifier (0.2 from Monarchy, .06 from each player), so it costs 750 base beakers. If Guilds is known by 2 players on T151, that should be a base cost of 1245-ish, give or take rounding beakers. With this turn saving gold I think we are good for Feud eot150 and Guilds eot152. If Guilds were known by 4 it is still a 4 turn tech, just out of reach, but I will have gold left over. If it is known by 5 players, then eot151 is just about possible if I pushed really hard. But I'm not going to, eot152 is fine.
I'm depressing MFG at the moment to grow a couple of cities a bit more before Guilds comes in...and OT4E has only just overtaken us in MFG, whilst in a golden age.