Whosit Clowns Around in EitB PBEM XXVI [SPOILERS!]

[Whosit]

I forgot that deserts in EitB cost 2 movement. So city settlement will be a turn delayed from what I expected.

Boo.

[Brian Shanahan]

AH isn't really that important unless you're pushing horses for your army, and neither is BW unless you think you're going to be attacked, attacking with warriorpults or settling into heavy jungle.

While it isn't essential to get Kilimorph first, the shrine income is nice, and I generally find the extra 5% of popping a mine resource from the shrine Earth Mana turns up some nice pops. Remember this is a religion that will probably sort you for money for a long time to come, allowing you to tech away to your hearts content without bankruptcy issues.

[Whosit]

I suppose I won't worry about AH right away, but I do want BW so I can get at the dyes. Plus, I'll feel a tad bit safer if I can produce slightly stronger units. I'm gonna have to decide whether to go with mage or catapults, I guess. I'm no longer Arcane, though I don't really have any combat traits at the moment, either.

What does it take to get the Kilimorph shrine? I like the idea of not having to worry about bankruptcy. :P Also, how does that 3% beaker boost from Mind mana factor in? Is it on a city-by-city level (I never see any indication), or is it the grand total? Is the boost even that significant? Annnd, yeah, having a +5% chance of popping things from mines sounds pretty great. Anything else about the religion I should know about? I looked at the unique unit I could get, but it doesn't seem worth making? It's pretty expensive.

Also, I need to think about when I'll make Loki (who I will be calling Makara). Probably after I get a few more cities settled. I need to catch up on this city curve, really, and I can't justify the cost right now, even for a great scout.

[Brian Shanahan]

Regarding the shrine it's +1gpt for each city with the religion, same as base. Where the money aspect comes in is through the number of cities you have of it when running Kilimorph as a state religion or no religion, +1gpt in each city (instead of culture), and the amount of gold from the Temples when built +2 gpt on each temple (correct me if my numbers are wrong people). Combine that with markets and you need significant city numbers and late game inflation before you start hurting for money.

The Soldiers can be used as mini-engineers if you wish (I think half their hammer cost is returned), it is inefficient but sometimes can be handy, and they are good defensive units. Their upgrades, the Paramanders, are really strong defensive units good for protecting the stack and even with enough of a punch to help capture a city after bombardment. You get a shot on building the Mines of Gal-Dur when you tech the follow-up religion specific tech, which gives you three irons free, and puts the iron promotion on your Axes and Chariots even before teching IW.

[Whosit]

Ok, biggish turn.




Fiiinally got my second city. About time. Though it retains the desert's -25% defense penalty, so it is vulnerable.




More gold across the way. That might not be a bad spot for a future city. I think I even see a flood plain. Not bad, except for all the fire.




I have contact with gtAngel now! I'll dash off a letter in a bit. I wonder if the Clan has harassed anyone else. I can only hope so.

In other news: I completed two road segments to rivers, so at the end of turn, I got trade routes between the cities for +2 commerce. I'll start the farm next turn, and that should be done in 2.5 turns.

Y'know, it occurs to me that I may want to get AH after all. My current expansion plans means I'm going to have a long border. The tundra to the south means I won't expand there for a long time, and the peace treaty (and jungle) means I can't go too far north. So I'll be stretched east to west, and having a squad of fast-moving units could really help me defend things.

I was also thinking about how important it is for me to get Aristocracy quickly. While I do eventually want that, I think between all the high commerce improvement tiles I have available, plus Kilimorph (assuming I get it first), I don't think I'm in a big hurry for that. Get my gold and gem mines up, get some Markets, and I'll be sitting pretty easy, I think. I hope.

I just have to hope I don't get stomped by someone with a big army, or by a ton of barbarians. :|

[Whosit]

I shouldn't have made the decision to do diplo in-character. This stuff takes me WAY too long.

RaUcOuS gReEtInGs To ThE sIdAr,

wE hAvE sEeN yOuR bOrDeRs AcRoSs ThE sEa.
LeT mE oFfeR gReEtInGs BeTwEeN yOu AnD mE.
wIlL yOu bE a FrIeNd To Us RaThEr ThAn A fOe?
AnD iF nOt fRiEnD mAy We At LeAsT cOmE t' No WoE.
mAy Th' MiRtHfUl MeSsIaHs SmIlE uPoN yOu,
AnD bRiNg GlEe T' aLl ThAt YoU dO.

~Perpentach

:o)
Do:

[Brian Shanahan]

You're Perpy. You can change your character any time. ;p

[Whosit]

Yeah, except I also made this deal with myself that I'd change my character loosely based upon my traits. So until the next trait switch I'm sticking with this. But to make it clear: It's the rhyming that's a pain, and Perpentach always rhymes from what I've seen of his canon dialogue. And why stop rhyming to save my sanity?

[Qgqqqqq]

Yeah writing perpy is realllllly hard.

[Whosit]

Not an awful lot to say about this turn. Nothing new picture wise, though I'll try to remember to do a big overview on turn 50.

I'm not really sure if I should get an Elder Council right away, or get another Warrior. Mysticism finishes same turn the Worker will. Howeverrrrr, I want to get a 3rd city sooner rather than later, and I need at least one more Warrior to help defend, so I should just get the Warrior. I probably wouldn't benefit from a super fast academy just now, anyway. (Though it's definitely tempting to try and run a Sage while building the next Settler, but that would probably slow it a lot.)

Coombe View won't add much to my crop yield on the demos, but once I get those gold/gem mines made, it'll certainly add to my gnp. Also, Clan has some scary production and power. Highest production by far, and his power is like triple anyone elses. Kiiiinda scary. His score is also huge, and I wonder what that's all from. Can't be 3rd city alone. Did he also grab a ton of techs?

Anyway, diplo:

Greetings to Perpentach of the Sidar.

I am gtAngel, listener for Sandalphon and the Sidar people, and on behalf of them I would like extend our greetings. We ourselves seek peace with your great nation. We would both prosper from peace - being so close any conflict between us would easily destroy us both. I also fear the growth of the Orcish tribes to the west - they are gaining strength, and I would not like to see them grow strong enough to become a threat.

If you haven't met the Hippus yet, they are far away from you, nearly on the other side of the world, and slightly to the north.

PeAcE sOuNdS gOoD bRo, LeT's PoP sOmE wIcKeD eLiXeR tO sEaL tH' dEaL.
gOtTa Be KeEpInG iT mOtHeRfUcKiNg ReAl.
We'Ve MeT tHe ClAn It WaS a MeEtInG wE dIdN't SaVoR.
sAiD tHeY wAnTeD tO pArTy BuT oNlY wAnTeD a PaRtY fAvOr.
YeS tHeY gRoW wE'vE sEeN iT wItH oUr OwN eYeS.
pErHaPs SoMe TuRn SoOn We CaN cUt ThEm DoWn To SiZe.

~Perpentach