[SPOILERS] DaveV and Averax end the revels

[DaveV]

Turn 41 (no report for turn 40).




Last turn, superjm's scout skipped off into the fog; now he's back at my borders again (with some animals to dodge). He's certainly getting his money's worth out of that scout.

[DaveV]

And a quick turn 42. The farm S-SE of the capital will be finished in two turns, so I'll put some hammers into a warrior and catch up to the other size 6 guys.




superjm's scout is out of view but still alive. I hope that bear keeps running interference on my southern border.

[DaveV]

Double report.

Turn 43. Amurite scout is still alive, capital is set to grow.




Turn 43. An event:



I've been pushing hard for Fishing before my third city is built, so it can start with a workboat. Too bad I don't have 50 gold in my pocket, but at least I get a consolation prize of 41 beakers.




Now that the Incense plantation is finished, I can work it for a nice boost in commerce. The capital switches back to a settler after growing. Worker #3 heads up to road the Dyes; worker #2 is starting the road network.



First place in GNP, even accounting for my +4 culture advantage. I'll savor that while it lasts. The ridiculously high rival best manufacturing number probably means someone beelined Mining and found copper, or Animal Husbandry and Horses. Or a little of both. Beakers are the most important number for me; techs are expensive and costs will be very high.

[DaveV]

Even though the blitz isn't scheduled until tomorrow, I have two more turns to report.

Turn 45:




Saving gold. Horse, barn door, etc.

Turn 46:

The big news came after I ended turn. A barb Herald wandered along and freed the Valkyrie that was stacked with my Shade.




But apparently my shade is still held .

Other news: superjm's scout was *finally* eaten by barbs.

[Qgqqqqq]

Damn. Tell me if the Valkyrie starts to move.

[DaveV]

Damn. Tell me if the Valkyrie starts to move.

Not yet, but the Herald entered my borders on turn 47.




If I didn't have the Barbarian trait, I'd be really disgusted now. Even at -100% strength, that unit is probably unstoppable with all of its first strikes.

[DaveV]

Blitz turns 48-60.

Turn 48, the herald is wandering through my territory.




Turn 49, more of the same.




Turn 50, my second settler is ready to move out.




After I end turn, the herald moves back into my capital. I think this can result in him passing his Plagued promotion to my unit, but fortunately that didn't happen. Also, a bear moved in to threaten my settler.




Turn 50 screenie dump:

Turn 51, no picture.

Turn 52, the herald is in the north and the bear is staying put.




Turn 53, the border pops on the (finally) renamed Hamlet, trapping the bear on a tile I wanted to cottage. In the south, a couple barbs appear: a diseased tiger that probably killed superjm's scout, and a Weak crusader.




Also, note the barb city borders in the east. Amusingly enough, the barbs liked to build a city here in my sandbox. I was usually able to culture flip it.

Turn 54.




Turn 55.




Turn 56. superjm pops a great sage.



Turn 57, no picture.

Turn 58, my work party is getting ready to road to the super fishing city to the east.




Also, King Lear pops its borders, revealing a bear shop to the west.

Turn 59.




Turn 60. The capital pops to fourth ring, revealing some uninteresting terrain.






The settler is on his way. One warrior remains behind to protect against a griffon on the one tile I can't see: the lake 2SE.

[DaveV]

A note on tech path: I'm headed to cartography, with the intention of triple revolting to city states, nationhood, and apprenticeship. I think city states will be the clear winner on this map; my city costs are currently running about 75% distance and 25% number of cities. That ratio will probably get somewhat worse as I expand. Apprenticeship will let me build Subdue Animal scouts out of the gate; Sareln's calculator tells me that one scout has 27.58% odds against a bear; two have 88.81% odds; three have 99.16% odds; four have 99.95% odds, and five have 100% odds.

Next, I'll pick up Mining and Bronze Working so I can improve the Dyes and Gems. Then Animal Husbandry, Sailing, Trade. I'm going for a trade economy here; since nearly all my cities will be coastal, I can get 6 trade routes (lighthouse, inn, and +2 from Foreign Trade), and their value will be 2 commerce for internal routes and 3 for external routes (+25% for capital connection, +25% for inn, +50% for harbor).

[DaveV]

Turn 61. I'll settle my fourth city next turn.

[DaveV]

Turn 62. The new city has a pretty severe impact on my GNP, but it's a start for the eventual cultural encroachment on the barb city.




A cute name because I don't need any bad luck.