[PB81 Mjmd] Heave Away

[Mjmd]

When TBS didn't rolled I feared the worst, but he may have been just being polite as this looks like what I hope. Settling where the spear and settler are. He did settle another city this last turn, which I almost dreamed was on the plains but I knew that to be a foolish hope.



I did stop teching archery and moved my settler to fulfill my normal settlement micro. I'm cautiously optimistic. I would have expected another worker on jungle and another spear if he was going for hill city.

[superdeath]

Would you have settled on the copper and rushed you, if you were in my position? Was there anyway if u played as me, that you could have won/not died? I know i did a couple mistakes, but i felt i played decently enough. Id love to know what i could do better for next time. Or if the map just fucked me. Id rather not rely on that.

[Mjmd]

Scouting would have been key to if to rush or not rush. I know it was for me. I called off my 2 city rush for multiple reasons, but one of them was I thought your scout was coming over and would see my worker roading up around north. In a dual I think you are supposed to hit early. When that is is a tough call. If I hadn't had instant connect horses (or copper although it would have been a bit slower) / I decided you would be able to see what I did, I probably would have gone at 4-5 cities. In a dual setup it doesn't pay to let people get set up and resilient (especially when they have a really good UU eventually). Again, even if TBS settles where his settler is I am a bit surprised. He could have 6 cities to 4 and then while Nauf tries to catch up just hit him and Nauf is probably mortally wounded at least and maybe dead. The city he is settling (whichever it is) is slow, won't contribute towards a push, and has to be defended vs me.

[superdeath]

If he settles on a hill it makes a decent fortress city vs you, rather than you controlling that area no?

[klops]

The question would be growth vs area-control.

I would feel reasobably safe with only spear+axe in a hill city, but I am not such a good player like... all of you

[Mjmd]

So the key is you have to KNOW I'm rushing you. If you use a whip for an axe and spear to defend and I am whipping settlers and workers you will just fall farther behind. If I'm up 4 cities to your 3, what do you do? This is essentially how I caught Jack in PB66. He never had both an axe and a spear in the same city until I got to his capital, but he had put down 3 cities right before I hit him because he was trying to catch up in cities. Now this didn't work vs Cornflakes in PB65, but its Cornflakes and I was missing horse so I could only produce impi making his counter easier and mind you he was pretty sure I would contest the spot.

T61

Probably just naming Schooner Moonlight.




Since TBS settled his city in the hopped for position I settled mine in the spot I wanted. He did move the spear to the jungle hill and has a 2nd spear moving up causing me to shuffle warriors forward and do another turn into archery. I probably should finish at this point, but I stopped T62 as I probably shouldn't have done T61.

T62

Opened turn to Nauf offering open borders which I snap accepted. I then offered TBS open borders as well. If nothing else it should let him know Nauf and I have open borders, which I  am sure will make him feel less sure of using resources to invade me (not that I think that is likely, as stated I stopped teching archery). ALTHOUGH I did on T61 move the northern worker to the ivory to start roading this turn. I then dry whipped an axe this turn in capital (having grown to 5) so it can reach the copper if need be. This will delay corn settler, but I don't have to worry and peace of mind is worth something.

Speaking of peace of mind a barb spear appeared in the north. Luckily Great Big Sea can whip an axe in time. Both of SDs cities are pretty bare of defenders atm, but they both popped borders meaning they have pretty good vision.

I also had pleasant surprise that SD has started mining the gold so only need 2 turns plus 2 roading.

[Mjmd]

T67

Sottish Hero



Was waiting to see if I would get another turn tonight, but doesn't look like it? Of course after I post turn will roll. Anyways lets do some catch up reporting.



- Back on T63 TBS sent fish for fish and I returned. I could have rushed with axes, but can't figure out how much I care and I just want to expand! It also let me head back up with my axe in case the barb spear got super lucky, but I got a flawless win.
- Nauf last turn built Great Lighthouse, which explains his willingness to do open borders earlier.
- TBS is doing the TOTALLY FAIR AND WTF WHY HAVEN'T WE BANNED AMERICA thing of going early MC for a free GE. Probably mids target. Nauf has had masonry for a while. I assumed it was for the mids (he loves that wonder), but then he built GLH. SURELY even Nauf wouldn't go two wonders early........ But I hope he did.

I have some decisions soon. SD has been posting elsewhere so sadly no ded lurker for me .

- Do I build settler at 6 then 6>4 whip a galley or do I 6>4 whip settler then just keep on whipping..... I built a cheap org lighthouse at capital (I was going to try for fail gold on GLH) and also its worth +3 food. My happy cap is going to be very good even without the beavers. I also don't have a lot of cottages yet so seems fine to whip away.
- Do I even build the galley over here. If I do it commits me to settling that island. AM I? The better spot is the southern one but that looks aggressive. Which if I was going to be aggressive I wouldn't be whipping a galley. I could settle the north spot still. Slightly worse Moai spot, but still very good. Either way it permanently steals the fish. Naufs routes aren't enough for me though. I could do Moai at NE spot I'm settlng next.
- I could instead settle a different island. Couple of problems. 1) I haven't scouted. 2) Most of them are REALLY far away which would almost kill their economic benefit (as long as Nauf keeps routes open). Now if TBS gave open borders maybe the one south of my gems city, but that assumes it has its own food, which isn't guaranteed. I could get a galley out of SDs capital and go scout. I probably should either way, but worker next.
- Next turn my sentry chariot takes over barb busting  up north, so where is my gg going? IF I'm going to attack TBS it should go to my capital. If I'm not it should go to SDs capital. EDIT: or could still do great big sea, which is maybe a better option? OR go fog bust minor patches.
- How many more cities after NE one do I want. The wheat river city for sure. MAYBE an island. But I might stop there so I can focus on tech. I'm still very behind cottage wise from lack of workers. I do have another 3 commerce cities to settle not counting the wheat one, but I think I wait to focus on getting more workers out.

[Mjmd]

T70

Grumble grumble everyone wants a piece of me.



I COULD fight this. Its first ring for me and 2nd for him and he isn't creative. SIGH. I have half the continent and TBS is about to get mids at some point if someone doesn't steal (which has happened vs America ), so I should probably keep friendly with Nauf. I did ask TBS for open borders again so the work boat can go explore more easily. I'm half tempted to delete it as its going to cost quite a bit of upkeep, but it is an explorer for the islands. I think I'll just do the northern island spot city for now. I'm just so short of worker labor. I can grow on galley then 7>5 whip the galley into fin the settler.

[Mjmd]

T78

Fire on the Water



Settled T77, but I rolled another double turn. I only finished last while in wars in PB75 (and when on vacation). This group is good. Not PB82 good, but considering we have 6 and there is a war on as well, I really didn't think I would double play.



Anyways went with the non aggressive settle option. Does get me a chop into 1 pop gran whip, which isn't nothing. Get to grow 2 cottages for capital.

Some of you may wonder how I have a barb spear incoming in the northwest. Didn't I have a sentry chariot up there! I did. I realized its the solution to a major problem though. See TBS and I have gone through this routine where I ask for open borders, he doesn't accept, then we trade fish for fish. What happens if he gets aggressive? He can tell I only have 1 copper hooked via trade screen! I in my good nature decided not to get too aggressive decided to settle my gg Kittyman SDs capital, so I'm not going for early war. So how do I make sure to keep my copper safe? If he roads the sugar and puts chariots on there he can instant disconnect my copper! Now should I have gotten aggressive here? I don't know. He got Mids as predicted and also landed Colossus. Both at pretty early dates. On the other hand I have a lot of expansion room. Anyways the solution is to get the sentry chariot down there. Which while the work boat is traversing it made sense to move it. Of course a barb spear spawned IMMEDIATELY . Speaking of spears I finally built an impi to help guard vs chariots. Current fish for fish expires T82/T83 (I don't plan on attacking). Maybe he will do open borders now that I have an island city.

Anyways, cottaging is coming along finally. More settlers soon.

[superdeath]

1. Hows our land doing? Liking it so far? :P

2. How many cities you thinking you can get out of this?