RB PBEM #2 Sitting Bull of the Native Americans

[regoarrarr]

Mining, BW, Mysticism (discount as Dreyling knows it!), The Wheel, Pottery, Writing, Alphabet, (Try to line a trade for Maths in here), Currency

If I have to wait a few turns for the trade of Maths then I will park on 0% and save up so no biggie.

Can anyone see any technical issues here?

You might want to check, but I'm pretty sure that at the earlier techs, the round off means that you don't really get any bonus beakers for just 1 more person knowing the tech.

Not that that means you shouldn't research it, of course! :-D

[Square Leg]

Thanks - I realise it would be fairly insignificant anyway!

By the way - can anyone point me to a good article on teching and discounts for people already knowing it? Essentially I want to work out the beaker costs of my tech path. Thanks!

[kalin]

Thanks - I realise it would be fairly insignificant anyway!

By the way - can anyone point me to a good article on teching and discounts for people already knowing it? Essentially I want to work out the beaker costs of my tech path. Thanks!

http://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/strategy...search.php

And yes, you won't get any the discounts for a while for civs knowing that tech, but the prereq discounts are worth imo.

Kalin

[Square Leg]

Thanks Kalin.

Another turn played and I moved my warrior further south to reveal another fish! Looks like I have a double fish city for the furture! Great for running specialists - maybe this is where I can triple-whip a market later and run 2 Merchants.

Good times!

[Square Leg]

Quick update on communications:

SL,

Hey...so when is a good time to start talking about tech trades? I've made good progress with Krill, nothing concrete yet but some idea of where things will end. He's interested in bilateral only, he doesn't want to form an alliance. I figured we could plan something now to avoid duplication. Also, in terms of early relgions it might be nice to coordinate and avoid racing for the same one(s). What do you think?

Darrell

Hello Darrell,

I hope the early years have treated you well and that everything is going to plan! The Native Americans are enjoying peaceful times of plenty at the moment!

I am happy to start discussing trades. What have you lined up with Krill I'll be honest: Krill has approached me also with a similar sounding deal. I haven't committed yet.

Let me put my cards on the table a little here - I am planning on researching Alphabet and am really looking to line up a few trades for it. Are you interested? Perhaps for Maths or for Monarchy or HBR? Something of that kilt anyway.

Incidentally - have you met anyone in game yet?

We will need to meet in game before any trades of course so it might be worth sending a Work Boat out early doors. I believe that I may be in the Norther hemisphere, not too far north of the jungle.

Do you plan on heading for a religion then? I would be happy to discuss avoiding a race.

Cheers,
Sitting Bull of the Native Americans aka Square Leg

Ps: What times are you generally around for a chat?

I was going to email Darrell yesterday and started a draft only to think it was probably a bit soon and stop so i'm glad he has got in contact. The trouble with lining up too many tech deals before people have met in game is that, what if we still haven't met by the time the deal needs to be made?!? I'd be surprised if we hadn't met but it is a possibility, especially on quick speed where tech moves quicker that units!

Anyway - it would be folly to miss out on potential deals and so I've got to get involved!

I think the time might be right to test the waters with Dreylin, if he is going for religion then he should be founding one very soon... I haven't seen a splash screen yet... As soon as that comes up I think it is an ideal time to write a congratulations message and start discussing potential trades... If I don't get bored this afternoon and write to him anyway!

[Square Leg]

Couple of chats worth noting, firstly with Krill:

11:34 Krill: Hi mate, you around atm?
11:35 me: yep - how's tricks
11:36 Krill: Tricks?
11:37 me: sorry, just a turn of phrase, how are things going?
Krill: OK atm.
11:38 I was wondering if I could give you a solid offer for Alphabet, if you are still inclined to go that way?
11:40 me: I am happy to trade you Alphabet, my only concern is that I am not desperate for IW... Is there anything else you could offer?
Krill: Instead of IW? I was considering going for HBR afterwards, but any deal I do for Alphabet I want to include IW to some extent
11:41 I am willing to offer both HBR and IW for Alphabet and writing, for example
11:43 me: The 2nd deal is much more appealing to me. Would the clause you mentioned last time about trading received techs applicable to both HBR and IW? (and Alpha + Writing)
11:44 Krill: Yeah, I'd not trade Alpha or Writing to anyone, and you agree to not trade HBR or IW to anyone.
They are called "No Trade Agreements", or NTAs for short
11:47 me: I suppose I could live with that. If the beakers are equal then you have yourself a deal, any minor differences can either be made up later or written off depending on how our nations get on in the future. I am keen to meet you as soon as possible in game though so that these deals can all be realised
Have you met anyone else yet?
Krill: Yeah, I'm trying to get WB out at the moment...
No, not met anyone yet
just got a warrior heading don a peninsula atm
*down
11:49 me: I haven't seen any other land masses yet, will try and get a WB out soon also. My warrior popped some maps but they were of my capital! doh!
Krill: yeah
I popped a maps
11:50 all it showed me was ocean
me: typical!
11:51 Ok gotta dash. Speak again soon.
11:52 Krill: cya

Tricks? I use that phrase all the time! Looks like we have a deal here. Much better I think as it means I can focus on some Economic techs and then still pick up the Military ones. You'll notice I didn't let on about meeting Dreylin. I didn't really see the point. The clause about not trading the other techs is fine really. I hope to get a lot from alphabet so Krill not tading it on suits me - Would have been nice to be able to trade HBR but hey ho!

Had a quick chat with Dreylin also:

13:18 me: Hey Dreylin, you free atm?
5 minutes
13:23 Dreylin: sorry, didn't notice you; am around now if you're still there...
me: Hey - yeah I'm still here.
13:24 Just wanted to float some ideas about tech trading down the line
Dreylin: I've only got 3 so far!?

13:25 me: Yeah me too! ;-)
I am planning on heading to Alphabet are you interested in trading for it later on?
13:26 Dreylin: sure, right now I have no plans past Mining next....
13:27 me: Ok - thats good to know. Looks like we'll be researching Mining together!
Dreylin: heh
That's what you get when you start with two "situationally useful" techs....
13:28 me: I'd be keen to use what ever religion you found since I don't really think Sitting Bull is well aligned for an early dash to religion!
Dreylin: Cool
13:29 We'll have to see if we get a natural spread or I can try and get a Miss over to you
me: Perhaps if there hasn't been any natural spread we could incorporate a missionary inot any deals we make?
cross post ;-)
Dreylin: yep, certainly can do that
13:30 me: good - well, let me know when you have some plans on what techs to go for and we can line something up.
Dreylin: sure, will do
13:31 me: cya!

Here I want to deal for Maths plus a missionary really. I'll give Dreylin some time to mull over things here - he has a lot on in PBEM_1 so I don't want to come over as pushy. I am going to be friendly with Dreylin, Everyone needs a friend right?? He has been genuine in PBEM_1 and so I expect the same will be true here. Just have to make sure i research Engineering for if things go sour later on and he has Cataphracts running around!

[athlete4life10]

Do you have any thoughts to utilize the Dog Soldier offensively against any of the players?

Or are you planning a peaceful expansion phase?

Or (last one I promise) are you reserving a decision until you have a better idea of the map, players locations etc...?

I myself have no experience with the dog soldier but it looks like it's a decent early UU.

[Square Leg]

Do you have any thoughts to utilize the Dog Soldier offensively against any of the players?

Or are you planning a peaceful expansion phase?

Or (last one I promise) are you reserving a decision until you have a better idea of the map, players locations etc...?

I myself have no experience with the dog soldier but it looks like it's a decent early UU.

Good questions. Initially my thought was to use it as a defensive unit, more of a deterrent than anything else. The thing is, it doesn't pack much punch attacking anything other than melee (which it kicks ass) however, a stack of spears and dogs is a formidable choke! Chuck in some crazy promo archers and its an absolute nightmare. The trouble is that doing that wouldn't really achieve too much. Diplomatically it would be a nightmare.

2 Gallies with 2 archers, 2 dogs and 2 Spears is just mean! Seriously guys, don't piss me off early! :neenernee

That said, I'll take option C Do I win a prize?

[athlete4life10]

That said, I'll take option C Do I win a prize?

Sure! +1 post!

Thanks for the response by the way!

[Square Leg]

Ok more diplomacy - things are moving a little bit too quickly here seeing as not many people have actually met yet...

Had a looong chat with Darrell about everything. He seems very friendly and we agreed a tech trade deal only to realise that there was a problem... The deal was Mono+Masonry+Maths = Alphabet+Writing. Slightly in my favour so I was very happy! +1 for trading being fair and forthright! Only trouble is need writing to research Maths and me not being able to trade Mono+Masonary = Writing before I had Alphabet...

The solution - I have to get to Alphabet even quicker!

We left it that I was going to think about it but I think it will be worth it in the end. It will mean that I have the 2nd prereq for Currency before researchin it and also gives me some spare turns to research Sailing which I seem to have overlooked somehow!

One thing to come out of the chat with Darrell was this:

Darrelljs: I have some bad and embarrasing news
16:40 I accidently typed the above info on the trade order into a window with Yaz.
I've been chatting him up trying to see if I can get a good rapport with him as we seem to be developing, and totally screwed up.
He doesn't know the message was meant for you, but he does know I've lined up that trade with someone
16:41 me: Ah...
So what does he know?
Darrelljs: Really sorry man, I am usually not that stupid
This:
I did think of one problem...to get Mathematics, I need Writing. So you'd have to trade me Writing for Masonry and Monotheism, then I would research Mathematics and trade it for Alphabet
16:42 So he knows I am trying to line up a trade with someone for Alphabet+Writing in return for Mathematics+Masonry+Monotheism.
I'm going to give you free broker rights for any of my techs from thsi trade with Yaz...its the only thing I can think of to make it right.

-1 to relations, luckily countered by the +1 for a favourable tech trade!

I was a little annoyed but it could have been worse, Yaz didn't actually know it was for me. But, I felt I should come clean to Yaz and so a quick chat with him ensued:

17:05 me: Hey Yaz, You free atm?
Yaz: I can spare a couple moments.
17:06 me: Cool - Darrell confessed he sent you a message that was meant for me regarding a potential tech trade...
Yaz: ah so that was for you?
17:07 me: Yep ;-)
I would like to offer you a deal for Alphabet also - I guess you know what I already have lined up! Are you interested?
17:09 Yaz: I may be but I need to figure out my tech planning. Are you going to basically beeline to it/when do you think you'll have it? All these tech trades are going to start getting complicated lol
me: Tell me about it!
Yaz: I'll say I was thinking of heading down that tech path myself though wasn't 100% decided yet.
17:10 me: Ok - I am planning on picking a few other techs up first but nothing massive
Yaz: Right. Well what other techs would you be looking at trading since it seems you have masonry, mono & math lined up?
17:11 me: Well - there is actually a problem in that trade... You need writing to research maths and it can't be traded before alphabet!
17:12 Another problem... I was thinking something like Monarchy?
17:13 Yaz: hmm k. Do you have any other deals working out with others too? I know Krill has been shopping around IW and something else that I can't remember right now for some reason.
17:14 me: Yeah - Krill has talked to me about IW. It is pretty meh considering my start. I might take him up on some trade but not defo yet. He did mention HBR too.
Yaz: Ah right HBR. All the war techs :P
17:15 me: I know - Thats what temps me to trade with him - then at least i'll have them too!
Yaz: Yeah I haven't comitted to anything with him though did say I'd probably be interested in IW. Mostly because I wasn't planning it any time soon.
17:16 I was planning on figuring out my techs tonight though so how about I get back to you tonight or tomorrow when I know which paths make sense for me?
Not like we're trading any time soon anyways
17:17 me: That would be great. I know - This is one disadvantage of allowing communication before we meet! Just too keen! ha ha
Yaz: yeah. It did save me already though
17:18 me: ha ha!
Yaz: But open communication + no tech restrictions = a lot of negotiations and calculations.
Think my poor brain will explode in near future.
17:20 me: Mine too - Drop me an email or something once you have had a chance to think everything through - I hope we can sort something out, If not for Alphabet, then for something else.
Yaz: Yup will do. Good talk to ya.
me: you too, bye!

I came clean! Did tell him a little porky about the trade with Krill though - I know after saying that honesty was the best policy! - I am going to take the trade with Krill and for exactly the reason I pointed out to Yaz above:

Yaz: Ah right HBR. All the war techs :P
17:15 me: I know - Thats what temps me to trade with him - then at least i'll have them too!

So far we have Alphabet and Writing getting in Mono, Masonry, Maths, Iron Working and HBR! Not bad! Add Monarchy to that and I will be a very very happy Bull!

Perhaps Dreylin can offer Monarchy... especially if he goes through priesthood on the religion path...