RB Pitboss #1 [SPOILERS] - Louis XIV of Byzantium

[Kodii]

Finally was able to look ingame. A couple questions:

How does our Oracle production shape up until T78? It doesn't appear that we'll be able to complete it on time, even with a whip, since we still have 7 turns to go right now with 53/150.

T75: 53/150
T76: 68/150 -> ANARCHY
T77: 68/150 -> Can we even whip that?

Were we supposed to have chopped a forest into it?

Höpfner is cottaging at CoT, what was our plan for Boehm?

Did you already offer OB to Ruff?

I noticed you put 1EPT towards Broker again, what is the level that we need to be on par? 42?

[Kodii]

I just put together a test game, and our ETA for the Oracle is actually T81, unless I've completely missed something. I think we've done our math wrong.

[Kodii]

[SIZE="5"]**URGENT**[/SIZE] <-- Nevermind...

Our Oracle ETA is not T78. Please correct me if I am wrong, but according to the plan we initially laid out, we wanted to revolt to Slavery/Representation next turn and then slave 1-pop on T77. BUT: We do not have enough hammers for a 1-pop whip until T80. That makes our ETA T81.

A ran a test and then logged in to stop Himelfarb from pasturing the cows. If we move him next turn onto a forest and chop it, we can complete the Oracle on T80.

Wanting some input, and knowing that you are fast asleep, I revealed the situation to dsplaisted and shadyforce.

It seems we have two decisions:

a) Make the gamble that Broker is holding the Oracle until T80, and then gamble on the cointoss
b) Tip Broker off that we're building the Oracle so that he completes it and takes something other than Feudalism

What do you think?

Personally, I say we go with Option A. There's no use in giving up now if we still have a chance at it. If anything, it'll give us enough cash to finish Math on time.

I also think we want to confirm Broker's ETA for Monarchy, because if he is going to finish it on T79, there's no point in consider Option A. I'll put together a draft.

Chatlog:

shadyforce: hi
Kodii: Hi
Kodii: I think we've made a grave error in the planning of the Oracle
Kodii: I'm trying to find where mh wrote up the plan, because I think we are off our expected ETA
shadyforce: damn
shadyforce: how much off?
Kodii: very off
Kodii: off enough that Broker is sure to get the Oracle
shadyforce: if he is going for it, which seems likely but not certain
shadyforce: ?
Kodii: I doubt he'd be building anything else with 144 hammers
Kodii: He was supposed to have it this turn, but held back, so it is almost certainly the Oracle
shadyforce: ok, so I guess the best option is for someone to 'tip broker off' that you are doing the oracle and are close, so that he is forced to finish it prematurely and not grab longbows
Kodii: Or, I think we can time it to finish on T80
Kodii: and gamble the coin toss
Kodii: I need to test game this
shadyforce: you are gambling on much less than 50-50 odds though as he could easily be a turn or two earlier, and if he is not only then are you a coin toss
shadyforce: maybe it's worth the risk though, I'm not sure
Kodii: I'll have to talk to mh
Kodii: But I am unlikely to be able to contact him until this turn is already over
shadyforce: ok
Kodii: And I may need to make some drastic changes
Kodii: To get the Oracle on T81
Kodii: 80**
Kodii: alright, I have confirmed that our ETA is now T80
Kodii: our previous plan, would bring it in on T81
Kodii: I don't know how we screwed it up
dsplaisted from x.x.x.103 joined the chat 26 minutes ago
Kodii: Hi Daniel, read the above
shadyforce: it's a pity but not the end of the world... you weren't sure of getting it anyway
dsplaisted: was the plan wrong or did you not follow it correctly?
Kodii: The plan was wrong
dsplaisted:
Kodii: Unless I am completely crazy, but I'm almost certain it is wrong
dsplaisted: did you guys create a sandbox game to test it out?
Kodii: I assume mh did
Kodii: A setting must have been off
Kodii: Or something
Kodii: Because our Pyramids test is accurate
Kodii: Speaking of which, I don't think we've formally told you we're building the Pyramids, due next turn
dsplaisted: we kinda figured it out since you kept referring to the fact that you were building two wonders
shadyforce: yeah, all you ever said was 'THAT' and 'the other wonder'
dsplaisted: settings in sandbox games will affect the research speed, but shouldn't affect hammers
Kodii: Daniel, what are your thoughts
Kodii: Should we gamble on the Oracle for T80?
dsplaisted: the other option is to tip Broker off so he will take something besides Feudalism?
Kodii: yes
shadyforce: I don't think there is an option C... I don't see how we can con Broker out of finishing it altogether
dsplaisted: well, I'm not sure exactly how to go about tipping him off
shadyforce: me neither
dsplaisted: we could have an in-game chat and "accidentally" use chat to all while he's logged on...
dsplaisted: or rather one side of the conversation could
Kodii: there's an easier way
shadyforce: hehe, that could work
Kodii: we can just send another email to Broker, since we have friendly relations, and tell him that we are about to Oracle CoL and ask whether he would like to trade it for Monarchy
Kodii: That's probably the best option, so that he thinks we are still buddy-buddy
Kodii: And then makes HIM the bad guy when he sneaks the Oracle from under our nose
Kodii: Or maybe he'll feel bad enough and let us have it :P
dsplaisted: is it plausible that you guys wouldn't know/suspect that he's building it though?
shadyforce: I like that plan Kodii
Kodii: yes
dsplaisted: I gotta go, but I would think he would know that you guys know that he's going for Oracle
dsplaisted: I figured he would be going for it as soon as he told me he was researching Monarchy next
Kodii: we suspected it, but then waved it off until we noticed the sabotage points piling up
dsplaisted: I'd recommend waiting to confirm with m_h that you can't finish Oracle on turn 78
Kodii: yea, I hope he wakes up soon
Kodii: but I think its 2AM in Europe
dsplaisted: And if you can't get it until turn 80, probably some sort of email to broker would be a good idea, but you don't necessarily need to state that you're going for Oracle
dsplaisted: just say you'll have CoL in a few turns and ask if he wants it
dsplaisted: anyway, bye for now
Kodii: thanks for the input
shadyforce: bye dsp
Kodii: alright, I'll grab the log and post it up for mh
Kodii: thanks for your thoughts
shadyforce: ok np ttyl

[Kodii]

We now have Open Borders with Ruff. No trade routes though. I think we need Sailing.
He is getting trade routes from us however, if I am reading the demographics screen correctly. We now have -2 Exports-Imports

I sent this to Kalin:

Hi Kalin,

Thanks for those directions.

The fastest path to dsp (5 turns) is as follows:

T76: 1W, 1NW
T77: 1NW
T78: 1SW, 1SW
T79: 1SW, 1W
T80: 1W, 1W

You can then follow the coast clockwise to eventually reach Imhotep

The path I gave him is the fastest path and keeps him out of our cultural borders. I added the part about reaching Imhotep to KEEP him out of our borders.

Also, please review the draft I made for Broker.

[Kodii]

OVERLOAD!!

Way too much happening within the last turn

I will provide a report after I eat dinner. I have partially played T76, but have some questions.

mh, do not worry about the Oracle, we already lost it to Broker33

[Kodii]

T76:

Broker33 has completed the Oracle
I cannot determine what he took, but by his massive score jump (~+50), I would assume it was Monarchy, Oracle and Feudalism. Ruff isn't going to be happy.

Cream of Tartar has completed the Pyramids
I have not yet revolted to Slavery + Representation

Workers:
Himelfarb resumes pasturing the cows at Kobe
Steiner continues to road towards City 2
Valensise completed the chop for BH
Höpfner is cottaging at CoT
Boehm = ?

Cities:
Kobe is now resuming its Granary while working the cattle and marble. Do we want to keep this configuration?
CoT has started a Granary while working the oasis. Do we want to run some numbers regarding the great person? I think we should either build the Granary using the copper tile or start with the Library.
BH has a settler due in 3

Our warriors have revealed a total of three cities. I had a very interesting chat with Kalin that I will post. He talks too much.

Also, we no longer need to send Broker an email.

[Kodii]

I have never seen so many people logged in at once...



Here is a very brief chat with regoarrarr:
(Read bottom to top)



And here is most of the chat with Kalin, I didn't get all of it:
(Read bottom to top)







I really don't know what to say about this guy. I can't seem to read him very well. The moves that he makes... the stuff that he says... I think I trust him even less than I do the Borg. However, he talks a LOT, and I'm pretty sure he gave me a lot more information that I gave him. Maybe he's making up for the blunder he made? I'm also curious to know what sort of "personal attacks" that Krill made. The rest of the chat was essentially Kalin directing me E towards sunrise and me making up an excuse to want to continue northwards. However, Kalin OFFERED to let us see his capital to make up for his blunder, so now we have sight into all of his cities. Hooray!

[mostly_harmless]

I am awake now.
First of all, with Broker grabbing the Oracle this turn, the discussion about our Oracle plan is academic. I still would like to figure out what I did wrong.
Here is my Excel table:


A whip is 30base hammers, right? *holds breath*
The only flaw I just found is, that I got to involved in getting the numbers aligned, and missed that the game would not allow us to whip on T77 as it is not taking the "normal" production into account (?). So then we would have whipped it in T78 for completion.

There is clearly something else I am missing. Please point it out to me.


EDIT: AHHHHH. Whips into wonders get a reduction factor? Right? Is that it? 50% or so?
Ok, I will go into hiding. Clearly not cut out to do this plans. Grrr. Thank god, Broker got it that early. Would have been a lot worse if he was aiming for T80 and we were all waiting for us to finish on T78/79.
Sorry, sorry.

mh

[Kodii]

I'm not 100% sure of the mechanics for whipping, but when I did my test, I wasn't even able to 1-pop whip until T80. My guess is that whips do not get bonus?

I'm just very confused by the excel :P

I don't know how you got from 64 hammers to 151 in one turn.

EDIT:

EDIT: AHHHHH. Whips into wonders get a reduction factor? Right? Is that it? 50% or so?
Ok, I will go into hiding. Clearly not cut out to do this plans. Grrr. Thank god, Broker got it that early. Would have been a lot worse if he was aiming for T80 and we were all waiting for us to finish on T78/79.
Sorry, sorry.

Hey now, your Pyramids plan worked out!

[mostly_harmless]

I'm not 100% sure of the mechanics for whipping, but when I did my test, I wasn't even able to 1-pop whip until T80. My guess is that whips do not get bonus?

I'm just very confused by the excel :P

I don't know how you got from 64 hammers to 151 in one turn.


Hey now, your Pyramids plan worked out!

This was assuming the whip gets 30base hammers + the 5 normal base hammers from city tile and (only) working the Marble (back to size1).
35base hammers. Multipliers bring that to 87 hammers.
But the whip only gets 15 base hammers for being put into a wonder. So, you won't be able to whip unless you have 113hammers in the box already, I think.
mh