Lurker Discussion Thread (NO PLAYERS)

[Whosit]

As far as I can tell, TT knew, or at least suspecting, that this war was coming. As certain observers has stated, TT's success so far may have more to do with his opponent's mistakes than his own skill at warfare. The main thing that surprises me is that TT seems to have had no Catapults ready to deal with a landing. Granted, he's managed to batter Ad Hoc's stack with normal units alone, but the cost/benefit ratio of sacrificing Catapults seems more favorable than with sacrificing Longbowmen (especially a GG Longbowman ).

To TT's credit, though, it seems that he has realized the importance of controlling the seas, and appears to be fielding a stronger navy than Ad Hoc (or, at least, has better positioned his). Hopefully he'll get some Catapults into play so that he doesn't have to take a 1:1 unit loss ratio to win this war.

As a bit of an aside, is there a stack-size threshold at which using Catapults is not profitable? When first introduced, Catapults are more expensive than most other troops, like Axemen. I know that it's the "collateral" damage that makes Catapults valuable, but they're still relatively expensive for "throwaway" units.

[mackoti]

In my experience cats are very important if the stack is bigger than 4 units and even more important if that stack has all kind of stack defenders.But again this is just my experience.

[Rowain]

The main thing that surprises me is that TT seems to have had no Catapults ready to deal with a landing.

He has reached Construction just now so had no chance to build any cats before.

[Ilios]

Looks like Cyneheard and Tatan will reach Astronomy at about the same time (at least, they both need to finish Optics, then go Calendar -> Astronomy, I don't know their respective beaker counts).

[Bobchillingworth]

Wow, Tatan has been all over the place this game, but his reading of Cyne's email was entirely spot on. If he follows through on his preparation plans, and Adlain keeps giving him solid advice, Cyneheard might get an abject lesson in not underestimating his neighbors.

[Brian Shanahan]

Well the game seems to have started up again, after Christmas.

Mackoti is wondering about the enforced peace with TT. We know it's due to the AP resolution, but he hasn't seemed to twig it (or not got it due to happening during Meatbalz's time at the helm). I'm wondering if it's all right to tell him?

[T-hawk]

I think it's okay. mackoti would know that if he had been the player all along. Another angle is that Boudica would know, even if her player might not.

[Brian Shanahan]

OK I'll mention it, was worried about it changing his game plan.

[Brian Shanahan]

Another question re mackoti. What do you think of his interpretation of Meatbalz's diplo dissimulation* re TT and the semi-proposed NAP to T125.

Basically what Meatbalz was doing (IMO) was offering a phony NAP proposal to TT to lull him into a false sense of security and then unleash the dogs of war on T101. Now mackoti seems to have taken this as being accepted by both sided due to TT being game, and is now holding off until T125.

Me I think he is not reading the situation closely enough (which is understandable as a new turn player with no current guidance), as Meatbalz never actually formalised the arrangement and TT hasn't pressed him on it. So personally I think after the AP wears off it's fair game.


*I'm using the word here simply in it's meaning as a diplomatic ploy, in case anyone is thinking I'm having a dig.

[Gaspar]

IMO, the play was a little silly and unnecessary by Meatbalz, but I still don't think there was a firm, agreed to NAP in place. Additionally, TT violated the earlier NAP like half-a-dozen times - Boudica, as T-hawk put it, would have absolutely no reason to feel like she should be bound to any agreement with TT.

I guess I'm saying, if mackoti went and bulldozed TT as soon as the AP peace wore off, I wouldn't call it dirty pool by any means.