[Spoilers] Commodore as Washington of the Mongols

[Commodore]

No harm in trying. A GP in payment was something I knew wasn't ever going to be exactly a high-probability chance, but hey, as long as he's rooting for me...

[COLOR="Sienna"]Hey TT,

Sorry for the late reply, thought I had sent this earlier. I'm not at all surprised that Mackoti wants to stage through your lands to hit me and I appreciate your turning him down. My airships and I have been observing and reporting the epic battles you've been engaging in, it's been a joy to watch. I think you've impressed a lot of lurkers with your dogged defense stopping Mackoti...and frankly, I think Mack's been more than a little flabbergasted. He was supposed to roll you.

I suspect both of the other two are gunning for me, although they have to maintain some balance of power on their own borders I think. I'm getting a fairly impressive mass of airships and cavalry to oppose, so we'll see how it goes.

I hesitate to even ask as I know your determined defense has more than paid for those mercenaries, but how hard would it be to push out a Great Artist yourself? My GPP thresholds are climbing hugely despite the power of Pacifism . If you can't afford to swap Caste that's absolutely fine, I completely understand and wish you luck in round three of the most determined long-haul defensive I've seen.

Cheers,
-Commodore[/COLOR]

As the Incans say, dudo.

*edit, yeah:

[COLOR="Yellow"]Hey,

Thanks for the praise, its heartening to know that finally I am doing stuff right in these RB games. I'm as surprised as anyone at how long I have lasted, but I think the map and the fact that macki has never noticed that I have had full EP visibility on his cities and military for ages has played the largest part in that.

If I could get out an Artist, I would but I think it will prove to be too difficult. I can't really afford to go into Caste as I'm whipping out cannons wherever I can right now. The only place which could churn it out is the only place which builds 1.5 turn Cannons and so its vital to me. I would be prepared to do it if we could exchange some units for it, but it would likely infuriate Macki and then you end up facing his wrath when you want to avoid it at all costs. He has quite a few marines now which means I will likely lose all my coastal cities next time as I will have to abandon them to bleed him so I'll be left with just 2 cities.

TT[/COLOR]

Yeah, I'm not about to break the agreement with Mack to not help TT. Pity, but there you have it. These guys are going to be slinging some huge armies.

[Commodore]

You'll get your chance, I have no doubt.

Thanks, but it is okay. Recall my tech rate before I went down the culture of death route, I'd be rolling out my own if I went with that option. The chance to actually win, though, is higher this way I think.

[Commodore]

Never mind, apparently TT will lift a shaking middle finger to Mack with his dying breaths.

[COLOR="Yellow"]Actually sod it, I'll give it a try. I can't guarantee it will be an artist as the pool is half full but I'll run as many as I can and see what I can do.

I've whipped everything down that I can now for a little while so lets see if I can get you an artist. You win and I'd better get some more of that praise lol!

TT[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Sienna"]Hah, I'll give a ringing endorsement: Twinkletoes; he always follows through, even unto death. Also, he'll shred your stacks of doom into stacks of doomed. You know you really ought to show the lurkers an insider's perspective of the Great War, up until you here and *redacted* Mack has had an aura of invincibility, I look forward to seeing those landings utterly shredded.
-Commodore[/COLOR]

It's doubtful slaving could preserve his life beyond fifteen turns anyway, so that's not going to be a huge deal. One more artist might make things a great deal less tight, with nine I believe I can aim for Legendary Three on Turn 168.

[Commodore]

Turn 153, progress to victory [SIZE="6"]~51%[/SIZE]



Not enough time for a big long report, but the biggest thing this turn is that I opted to speed up Sphinx's culture accumulation at the expense of Gryphon's very slightly. ~400 per turn makes a big difference here, this will enable me to pop the city up to the 5-artist threshold on turn 167 (with additional starving near the end) rather than turn 170.



It may make all the difference in the world. I'm actually going to need to calculate the value of another golden age if TT makes a non-artist in his dirty pool, I have a dirty pool of my own that might be boosted into a 5-turn GP if need.



Sooo close here.

[Commodore]

Turn 154, progress to victory [SIZE="6"]~53%[/SIZE].



Since I'm getting hungry in Naga anyway, I abuse the "only starve one" mechanic some more. Two more turns for a Great Artist, this time with a clean pool thank goodness. Two more hungry places will be starved again before pumping 'em out here again.



TT decided in for a penny, in for a pound.

[COLOR="Yellow"]Commodore,

I have found that I may have 2 chances to produce an Artist before the peace with mackoti runs out. I am popping a GP at Iris in 2 turns from now whilst running 7 artists and am popping another in another city the turn after whilst running 4 artists. It may turn out that both are duds as they both have quite a bit of GP pollution, but I'm giving it my best shot. If I land two artists I might start asking for second place lol!

TT[/COLOR]

Although really, second isn't mine to hand out in any case, it's first or bust here. TT's Caste switch makes sense considering his unit stacks already around.



Here's TT's other big stack. These things will be murder on any landings, shredding with canon enough that even the rifles/cavs will kill marines and infantry, I think.



Mack is no fool, though. I think he plans to bypass those formidable frontline defensive stacks by boating around back and then making a lightning attack at TT's capital. You know I'll be watching that with great interest.



Gaspar in his own way is also trying to capitalize on the extra time TT is buying by spreading Mining Inc far and wide and also building up pretty strong canon/infantry forces. Once tanks start rolling out I think Mackoti might actually be in trouble.



My own canon are now coming off the lines, thankfully. I set research to Biology but I don't think the return if worth investing anything into teching it. I'm on a steady course, I think.



Here's my own smaller stacks for example. Not a ton, but with oodles of canon they'll still hurt anything that tries to nose inland. I'm considering more or less conceding the west, stripping it completely to use it as bait.



Here's Mongolia's power, right now.



Let's try to not fight any wars, eh boys?

[Ceiliazul]

ack is no fool, though. I think he plans to bypass those formidable frontline defensive stacks by boating around back and then making a lightning attack at TT's capital. You know I'll be watching that with great interest.

And reporting, I hope!

Why the observatory builds? Those are 1.5 cannons each, and that seems to be the only currency that matters at this point.

[Commodore]

And reporting, I hope!

Why the observatory builds? Those are 1.5 cannons each, and that seems to be the only currency that matters at this point.

Yeah, those got cancelled, I had missed them as research builds covered them.

Things got more interesting! Apparently Mr. Murphy heard that things were looking up, so a miffed Gaspar delivered this missive:

[COLOR="Magenta"]Hey Commodore,

Just a note to formally invoke the 5t Cooldown on our NAP. So we can attack one another on T160. Though one could argue you've been attacking me for the last 10t. :P

Cheers,
Gaspar[/COLOR]

So, hey, more fun-ness!

[COLOR="Sienna"]Hey Gaspar,

Never been my intent to attack or pressure you there, and I offered to work on solutions to reset the border culture but those were rebuffed. But hey, fair enough, it's a cooldown at any time. But, uh, wouldn't that be Turn 162?

-Commodore[/COLOR]

Here's the old convo:

[COLOR="Pink"]Hey Commodore,

Just a quick note - you'll excuse me some paranoia, it is my calling card after all. While I have a general disdain for NAPs it occurs to me with you warrior headed towards my territory (soon, but not real soon) I might have to do some annoying and counter-productive things like covering workers on the border there and such which I'd rather just avoid. As such, I'd like to offer you one of three options:

(For all below, define NAP simply as may not declare war on the other)

1. A 20-turn NAP.
2. An indefinite NAP with a 7t-cancellation cooldown.
3. Me killing your warrior with my chariot.

I greatly prefer the first two options, since I'd like us to use the space between us to engender further cooperation as discussed in our opening communiques, and certainly think once we have a route defogged OB would be a large benefit to us both. Still, I'd really rather not risk you feeling opportunistic against one of my workers and I definitely don't want to have to build a bunch of garbage to cover them so I'd like to have the security of peace and continue to build a positive relationship.

Let me know before I play the next turn if at all possible.

Thanks,
Gaspar
[/COLOR]

10/11/11

[COLOR="Wheat"]Hey Gaspar,

Sure thing, I'd rather not have to pop your own warrior with the nearby keshiks either. I'll take option #2, if you can add to the definition of NAP as also "not attacking the barbarians I'm farming over here" too. OB would be huge for both of us, too, and I'm sure spice/wines at least will be important once we get them hooked up.

Let's call it a rolling 7 turn NAPm then, and just note that if your BFC(s) cross our mirror line without prior notification I'll be activation the cool-down immediately.

Here's to not being opportunistic or stupid,

-Commodore[/COLOR]

[Commodore]

Turn 155, progress to victory [SIZE="6"]~57%[/SIZE]



Wait what, why the jump? Well, see that little log thingy? Yeah, beyond that, Mr. Efwon here tells a tale of military build up/wealth builds/the big three still trucking. Might need to poke about a bit to see if Manticore, not the problem child at all, should do canon/cav/wealth.



Little bit of both is happening in the side cities. With the climbing costs of gearing up for war in Pacifism, I'm hiring merchants where they won't push the GPP pools into actually yielding fruit. Here's the Heroic Epic city:



At least Gaspar is hurting the same way with harsh Pacifism costs. Mack got the Three Gorges, so I can see why Gaspar's looking to expand Mongoliawards before tackling Mack's first strike fight (because recall, Gaspar cannot DoW Mack until I am dead).



Here's the first punch, methinks. Unless he's enraged/worried enough to break NAP (don't expect it to happen, he's honest), this one will hurt but won't be fatal until it's too late by t162.



Mackoti, on the other hand, will be able to bust almost anything...remember, self, to scatter stacks to avoid collateral and to have workers around to rebuild when needed.



Nice firy end incoming it looks like.

[Ceiliazul]

Mackoti, on the other hand, will be able to bust almost anything...remember, self, to scatter stacks to avoid collateral and to have workers around to rebuild when needed.

Um, not sure about that splitting up thing. That's just death of a different sort. Machine Guns are out of the question, I suppose? At least cannons are immune to collateral?

[Commodore]

Turn 156, progress to victory [SIZE="6"]~60%[/SIZE]

Um, not sure about that splitting up thing. That's just death of a different sort. Machine Guns are out of the question, I suppose? At least cannons are immune to collateral?

Yeah, and yeah. Honestly, it's okay. I counted tiles! Gaspar has 5-mover transports, by and large (if they're six-move, counts are still valid for a least-time hit). Assuming unstoppable two-mover stacks (doubtful), here's the worst case:





Anyway, turn wasn't a biggie. Got a powerful, possibly game-winning Stack of Doom right here!



Meanwhile, I'm working also to ensure that those worst-case scenarios don't come to pass. This is going to be a lot of pain for my invaders, especially because I really don't care about loosing anything but my most remote core. Nice, eh?



This is, I think, a totally legit attempt. Closest ever, I think.