[Spoilers] RFS-81 and haphazard1 don't know RtR, but won't let that stop them

[haphazard1]

Hmmm. Settler racing. There would still be the possibility of a gold city to the west, using the flood plains (if they do not get swallowed by superdeath's culture from the north). Or a city on the copper (or 1N of copper), sharing the pigs with your luxury city. Neither ideal, obviously , but if you wanted to fight a culture war for control of the gold it would be an option. Or you could grab whatever you can, or redirect the settler to another target.

Good to see the barb axe successfully dealt with.

shallow_thought's continuing military build up is a big worry. If that force comes after you, life will get very difficult. How much do you know about his forces? I assume he has metal for axes and spears; any sign he has horses?

[RFS-81]

Charriu is going to grab my target spot next turn (settler is on the same tile as my warrior). I moved my settler up just in case he does something else, but seriously, he probably knows there's gold there. I decided against the desert hill city. Settling on the copper would be a better alternative. If I end up doing that, I'll chop out a barracks first thing. (Well, I was going to do that anyway.)

   

More barbs at Rocky Paths, and an axeman of shallow_thought is poking around.

   

The oracle has been built by someone. Shouldn't the game tell me who since I know all players?

[RFS-81]

Charriu already played, so I got to play another turn today. The turn split is over now. Charriu settled on the hill south of the rice, but Coeur swooped in and grabbed a spot NE of the gold. Didn't see that coming. I'm not going to compete with first-ring culture, so I'll probably settle somewhere near the wheat and floodplains. There's also some wine nearby which is nice to have for later. Luxury City can wait for now because I can't chop the jungle with the ivory yet, and by the time I can, Golden Void will be ready to whip another settler.

Barb at Rocky Paths keeps wandering around. Workers are quarrying the stone while hiding behind an axeman and spearman. If the barb moves on the mine, should I attack before he pillages the improvement, or retreat to the city?

[haphazard1]

Not just a settler race, but a three-way settler race. Too bad on the gold. But I think you are correct about trying to fight first ring culture with a more distant city.

Another barb. At least it is not an axe. Well, with more cities being settled hopefully there will be fewer barbs in the future. If it moves onto the mined hill, it would have the defense bonus so attacking it would be more difficult. An axe could probably still kill it. Could you move a unit to the mine before and get the defense bonus yourself? Or maybe it will move towards the city, or even suicide on your axe.

For the wonder, I think if you have visibility on the city where it is built then you get told where/who built it. Otherwise it is just the "in a distant land" message. You can check the info screen to find out who owns the wonder -- I think it will tell you that much since you do know everyone.

Curious to know who built it, and what they took. Metal Casting is always a popular choice, or grabbing a religion. You did not mention a religion being founded, so likely MC.

[Hollybombay]

because I can't chop the jungle with the ivory yet,

You know you should be able to improve the ivory without getting rid of the jungle... right?

[RFS-81]

because I can't chop the jungle with the ivory yet,

You know you should be able to improve the ivory without getting rid of the jungle... right?

I did, in fact, not!

[haphazard1]

Thanks for the reminder, HollyBombay! I had missed that note. Camps can be constructed on forest or jungle without chopping them. For forests it is often best to not chop, as the extra hammer from the forest is useful. For jungle you usually do want to chop, as the jungle reduces the grassland 2 food to only one. But for connecting the resource, you do not have to wait for iron working.

[RFS-81]

So in that case, it's grabbing territory vs. more happiness right now. Gold city would have accomplished both...oh well. I think I'll go for more territory.

Playing another turn right now. My axeman killed the barb, who advanced onto the mine, at 91% odds.

Anyway, about my next city:

   

There's the More Luxuries sign, because it grabs the wine and sugar (which I already have, derp). It would get a floodplains on border pop. I could settle north of the wheat for more floodplains, but that would also get me a lot more deserts. So I'm leaning towards the More Luxuries location: Food from the wheat, lots of room for grassland cottages, and a few hills.

Also, shallow_thought's axeman has moved again after fortifying on the hill for a bit. What might he be up to? A single axeman is not an invasion force.

[haphazard1]

Grab more luxuries and then backfill for the luxuries location? How long would it take to get another settler out?

For shallow_thought's axe, hmmm. Could be scouting? Or looking for weakly defended targets of opportunity? Or maybe preparing the way for a settler to try to grab the wheat and sugar?

[RFS-81]

I just played two turns (nice to be able to double-move again!) and I'm currently visiting my family in Germany, so I only have time for a short report.

Golden Void is out of whip-anger in two turns, then I'll train a settler for Luxury City. I've been building more units and shallow_thought's power lead doesn't look as scary anymore. I'll have to post a list sometime later. The quarry is finally finished, my next project for the two builders is to make a more direct route between Rocky Paths and Golden Void. The other three builders are following the settler, building roads as they go, so the new city will start with a trade route. Then they'll improve the new city. I'm thinking about immediately starting a library in the new city for the culture. Seems more useful than a barracks, since the hill is only in the second ring.