[SPOILERS] Structurally unsound lurking thread

[dazedroyalty]

Luddite's aggressive oases grabs have him sitting pretty. Unfortunately for everyone else the only one planning early aggression, Scooter, isn't his neighbor so he'll probably get away with it. I think the aggressive grabs were the right play for this map for anyone not next to Scooter. Those cities get going so quickly without any need for worker turns and they ensure the ability to build any early wonder because of stone/marble

[SevenSpirits]

This game is just so fucking bizarre. Luddite's literally been rushed by every single opponent in the first 50 turns. All with mounted units - chariots, war chariots and horse archers! And he hasn't even settled copper yet despite it being at a strong first-ring city. And he's winning.

[waterbat]

"And he's winning" That's why I don't get WonderWhoring for the Win!

[Serdoa]

This game is just so fucking bizarre. Luddite's literally been rushed by every single opponent in the first 50 turns. All with mounted units - chariots, war chariots and horse archers! And he hasn't even settled copper yet despite it being at a strong first-ring city. And he's winning.

Goes to show that bringing some forces alone isn't going to cut it if you don't know how to use them. Well, and 5 HAs at that point in time and against the civ with the highest soldier count is not really impressive. They seemed like intended for a quick city razing but not trying to do that and instead strolling around into the unknown is not really good tactics. Especially when he could have gotten odds for his HAs, as he could have sacrificed the axes into the archers. And he could have promo-healed them the next turn (they had all at least one promo available). 5 HAs against at most 1 HA (which he didn't even know about), 1 Archer, 1 Warrior? Should have been doable. But he didn't and instead Luddite decided to sacrifice chariots at 20% odds each into HAs. And those odds he only had because Sian still had not promoted those HAs, despite being deep into enemy territory.

Not sure on the other occasions when he got invaded (I didn't follow closely enough), but if they all handed their troops to him like that, then I doubt he has any competition in this game. Especially after scooters ill-advised attack.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Yeah, both axes would have probably redlined the archers. After that, horse archers eat chariots. So next turn, it would have been 5 weakened HAs vs 1 healthy unpromoted archer, 2 semi-healed archers, and an unpromoted HA. Good odds.

The lesson is that going deep into enemy territory is incredibly dangerous, they will always outmaneuver you and bring whatever forces necessary to bear. So yeah, quick strikes, duck in and out, you need significantly more power in order to fork and apply pressure to multiple points.

[Lewwyn]

I think the thing that amazes me most is Luddite's lack of workers and unimproved land.

[mackoti]

Well for 2 cities he got land already improved,and other were so small that he needed just 10 tiles improved in all empire.Thas 50 workers turns.

[Boldly Going Nowhere]

Or, just now getting to granaries... This one has been interesting, but I think it's going to steamroll now.

[waterbat]

oh no! Scooter bemoaning that Sian is attacking him, meanwhile AT planning his own raid.

[Lewwyn]

oh no! Scooter bemoaning that Sian is attacking him, meanwhile AT planning his own raid.

Scooter had like no defenses. I don't think he should be calling Sian