[SPOILERS] ARRR Ye Scurvy Dogs! Hannah the Irin

[Mardoc]

All right, for some odd reason the Fawns left my scout alive, so he's fleeing a bit, to at least draw them off. Since they're about 10 turns from Cap'n Crunch, and I really want my coves started, I decided for now to keep going for work boats. Keeping my fingers crossed that I have the time to finish the coves before finishing warriors, but even getting one up ought to help me out significantly. Looking at the demographics, I'm actually last in GNP, which is not a place for a happy Lanun to be.


Working on C&D now (well, at least gathering all the info I have into Excel). Already figured out one thing, which is that WarriorKnight didn't found first turn. Given that he had a super settler and knowledge of all the unique features, I suspect he found one and moved toward it. Which seems unfair, even though I know it's what makes the Elohim. It's not like I'm complaining about coves, even though no one else gets those and they ought to be as good as a unique feature eventually.

We'll see just how long it takes me to collect and analyze the data, though. Especially if WarriorKnight's blitz idea comes off again, that could take a while to catch up to.

Finally, an annoying event. I went with the pay money to avoid inflation one; it seems like 3% extra for the whole game wasn't worth 10 culture now, or even 10 gold now.

[Mardoc]

Still working on C&D, still no main conclusions. Someone still has a ridiculous GNP, but I'm leading in score and thus probably tech - I wonder if maybe it was a Great Artist for free; that might partly explain it. Hopefully I'll have the time for C&D soonish to come to some actual conclusions instead of this wild speculation.

Turnwise, it's being proved to be a dangerous world. My warrior found a Hill Giant, and was promptly jellied; meanwhile, the Fawns keep chasing my scout up the penisula - he made it to the hill tile at the end this turn, so probably has very little time to live.

On the other hand, they did force me to do a better job exploring - that peninsula will be an excellent city site eventually! I can certainly fit in three coves (can't figure out how to fit in a 4th without a cove on top of a sea resource, of which I have 2 or 3 pearls, plus clams. To the west of the peninsula is an island with the Ring of Carcer, and 2 Brigits trapped within. I don't want to post that in the tech thread, though, since that would give WarriorKnight infomation on my location. I assume we'll end up with the same deal as PBEM1, with all but one Brigit deleted.

In non-scouting news, my work boat gamble is so far working; I have the first cove founded and being worked, which shot me up to 2nd place GNP with 15 to the 28 of the leader (I still don't understand how that's possible). I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I train a 2nd work boat (at least the Fawns have been drawn away from the capital), and then I'll have to knock out a couple warriors. After that, I'm debating between a third work boat for the crabs, or a worker to begin improving the land portion of my empire Probably will go with a worker, since I'm nearing my happiness limit, so I ought to at least hook up the wines; without slavery for a long while, there's no good way to spend a food surplus except on workers and settlers.

I'm a tad frustrated with the production potential of my lands, actually - most of my hammers are from either forests or Pirate Ports, and I probably should chop down the forests for safety's sake. I haven't yet figured out how I'm going to get around that limitation.

In fact, Cap'n Crunch had probably better for the foreseeable future stick to warriors, workers, settlers, and work boats; with all this excellent coastline, and no obvious neighbors, I ought to be able to set up a nice empire and tech lead by the time anyone can get to me. Or at least, that should be my goal . With mountains to guard my flank, and ocean on the other side, the war against the barbs can be limited in width, with relative safety for the workers and settlers behind.

I'll post some screenshots next turn, which is looking like tomorrow.

[Mardoc]

1260 has run until he cannot run any further, those damnable goat-men constantly piping, piping on his heels. Finally, he has reached the end of the land, yet there is no sign of a sail on the horizon for rescue. He spends this turn fortifying his hill and composing his will, for surely the end is near.



Since both scouts are dead, and the barbarians will start spawning shortly to supplement the animals, I think I know all of the map that I will know for quite some time. That means, of course, that it's time for me to use what knowledge I've gained, and dot map! I'd appreciate your feedback on this, Dave, although it'll be a while before I can make use of these plans, since I need at least a workboat, 3-4 more Warriors and a worker before I'll train my first settler. And that assumes nothing unplanned happens

I think, for defensive purposes, and also a bit of speed, I will pretty much found these cities in the order they're numbered; essentially directly up the western coast, then, once I found on the Fawn-infested peninsula, turn, cross the desert, and place some cities up the eastern coast as well.

First, the capital region.


City2 is only good for the Lanun, but with 2 coves, a pearls, and sharing the rice, it'll be a decent early game city. It's also nice and close to Cap'n Crunch for defense. Due to the extreme packing, City2 will never be an awesome city, but I can't just let that coastline go to waste! Plus, Cap'n Crunch's culture means I'll be able to wait on religion or monument here for everything but the Pearls.

Next, either City3 or City4. Both grab at least 2 coves, plus a Calendar happy resource. City4 is a stronger site, due to a number of hills in the area, plus not being choked in jungle, so I think it's the second one I found. I'm currently unsure if it makes sense to found City3 after that, or head up the coast; I'll have to make sure to finish scouting that finger before I need to make that choice.

More to follow in the next post, as there's apparently an image limit per post.

[Mardoc]

Ok, apparently it's not an RB limit, just something odd between Dropbox and here as a result of too long filenames.

Western Coast:


City5 is pretty straightforward; only one cove, but corn and hills to make up for it. City6, I'm having trouble getting how I like. If I found it where the sign is, and adjust the coves eastward (one on the cove 1W sign, one 3E of that), I can have a city with 3 coves, two pearls, and a clam, plus a minable hill and some forests. It seems like I ought to be able to find a way to make this a 4-cove city, but so far it hasn't come to me.

That seems like as far up the western coast I want to go before backfilling my lands; city10 is a guess, as half the BFC is unknown and it's not a high priority in any case.

Mirror of Heaven and Eastern Coast:


For the Mirror city, this is my current best guess. I'd have to found on floodplains, wasting one, but this site captures the rest of them and a number of good production tiles, plus of course the Mirror. I've listed it at city7, but this one might deserve to be bumped up in the queue, as it's probably my best production site so far, and the Mirror would be very handy to have for both fogbusting barbarians and early warning of more civilized visitors.

It might be worth moving the Mirror city onto the Marble to save that floodplain; I'd lose the ivory and scrubland in exchange for 2 riverside plains and three grassland tiles.

Finally, on the eastern coast, I've planted a couple sites that capture all the land and cove locations, but neither's particularly obvious. Both the pigs and rice ought to help these become powerhouses eventually, of course, but with that straight coastline I can't fit in many coves, and these cities won't be defensible for a long time, with that nasty mountain chain between Cap'n Crunch and them. Hence, despite their potential, they're at the end of my priority list.

[Mardoc]

Finally, other topics. The Malakim gained a tech this turn; maybe they're the exploring culprits, not WarriorKnight. That would fit their quick tech pace despite not being Financial. I do believe that ErebusContinent would put them in desert, and I do have a mighty big example of desert right here Given how early the Fawns showed up on my borders, their triggering scout/warrior must not have been too far away from me, and desert is the only stereotypical terrain around that's not beautiful Lanunish coastlines.

If they've started in desert as well, particularly if it's floodplains, that's an extra 2 gold per worked tile. Their Creative culture would also make me feel a tad bit better about #1 GNP being at 28 this turn.

In fact - if they're one of the size 4 capitals, working all floodplains, that'd be 8 gold for the Palace, 2 culture for the Palace, 2 culture for Creative, and 8 gold for the floodplains; a total of 20 gold right there. Add in a super specialist for +8, which I believe is possible (or if he's running Religion for extra culture), and that could explain it. Anyone else would have to have 2 super specialists, I think. So yeah, it's got to be the Malakim, and I'm pretty sure they're my neighbors.

That's both reassuring and yet, very not. On the one hand, I ought to be able to catch up to their tech pace with just a few coves and coasts worked; 2 gold per tile is surmountable easily if I switch from production tiles to commerce tiles, at least until they go Financial at Turn 75 (assuming - if they go Aggressive or Raiders, it'll be time to look out ). And at least it's not the Sheaim. On the other hand, my next door neighbor will be at least even with me on tech, and has demonstrated a willingness to take risks. Hopefully the Hill Giants and Scorpions keep them away until I'm ready to face them!

That also adds impetus to hurry the Mirror city, since if they do attack, they'll want to come across the desert, and therefore I need to be able to see them coming. Ideally, I'd found it before they explore this way, so they don't even know I have it, but that's an unlikely result. Maybe my founding order should be city2, city4, Mirror, and then on with the rest of it.

On the subject of the Mirror city - that is quite a nudge in the direction of Chalid and the Empyrean for my game.

Lastly, most of my cities are assuming the BFC for their strength; in fact, most of the resources are in the 2nd border pop, not the first. That means I'll need an early source of culture; it might be worth going OO just for that, with the assumption that I'll switch to Empyrean later on.

[McClure]

City6, I'm having trouble getting how I like. If I found it where the sign is, and adjust the coves eastward (one on the cove 1W sign, one 3E of that), I can have a city with 3 coves, two pearls, and a clam, plus a minable hill and some forests. It seems like I ought to be able to find a way to make this a 4-cove city, but so far it hasn't come to me.

IIRC, you can place four coves if they all occupy the "Knight's Move" position from the city center. (Recall the super cities from Civ I/II if you're old enough.) I think the rules require the sideways steps to be all clockwise or all anti-clockwise. If you found on the spot marked 6 you would have to put a cove on one of the Pearls.

[Amelia]

Nah, he can't. Both Knight moves have an ocean tile in it, so he can never place a 4 cove city that way.

[DaveV]

City2 [will] be a decent early game city. Due to the extreme packing, City2 will never be an awesome city

"Decent" and "not awesome" are hardly the adjectives you want for your second city.

but I can't just let that coastline go to waste!

I think you should. Your capital placement makes it pretty difficult to use those eastern coastal tiles. It's best to write them off and cut your losses. Move the second city to the grassland hill east of the southern sugar, then change city 4 into city 3. You'll be able to build a city to the west of my proposed city 2, its priority will depend on what you find out there.

[Mardoc]

If you found on the spot marked 6

This is the question . Maybe it makes more sense to go on top of the hill (although I'd like to have it accessible for production), or back down the peninsula a bit. I've obviously got a while to think about it, though, as I have at least three sites to claim first.

"Decent" and "not awesome" are hardly the adjectives you want for your second city.

This, I should have seen earlier. You're quite right. Your suggested alternative loses a few coastal tiles, but doesn't lose any cove spots, and is stronger overall. It does sacrifice the ability to free ride on Cap'n Crunch's culture, but then, I should shortly have the extra beakers to be able to divert to OO for culture. Plus, it's on a hill, which I suspect will be important once the barbs get established.

I had already moved City3 east of where I thought it belonged to pick up the Sugars, but if I can give those to City2, then it's a better use of land overall.

And, I have the option, later on, of building City of a Thousand Slums to partly correct my mistake in capital placement, but that only makes sense if city 2 is further away.

Current tech path thoughts: Crafting, Exploration, Mining, Bronze Working, Sailing, Calendar. Possibly slip in Message from the Deep in there, once City2 is founded. I don't have the tech tree in front of me right now, so it's possible I'm forgetting about a prerequisite or two.

These are all focused on making my resources available, being able to chop down the jungle and get some serious hammers going. I don't see the need to unlock many buildings yet, as paying for the workboats will consume most of my excess hammers, and give me a better return besides. After that, I'm not sure what makes sense. Probably divert to grab Markets and Elder Councils, then head up whichever military tree I settle on. On the bright side, if I'm having this much trouble prioritizing techs when I'm the freakin' Lanun, everyone else has probably a harder time (except Sciz's Malakim, assuming I'm right about them). I already think Agriculture first was a mistake; the rice is low priority when I'll be working 2 coves and a crabs at least, but at least the time to worker is long enough that I can sweep that under the rug.

[Mardoc]

Played turn 19, and as expected, my scout bit the dust. Not going to be a lot to do in the next few turns as I finish my coves and build a garrison

Of course I went for a tech I didn't even mention - Mysticism. I had forgotten about God King; given how short on hammers I am, that seems like a worthwhile pursuit. I still ought to be able to get to Crafting before I train my worker.