SPOILERS : Twinkletoes' Mystery Thread - PBEM7

[T-hawk]

Actually, I don't think that it matters which build you put that overflow into because neither build gets modifiers.

Production modifiers don't matter for catching overflow. The granary costs 30 base hammers, which remains the same whether those hammers came from overflow or production or chopping or whatever.

If that overflow went into a Worker or Granary, however, it would have been multiplied. Therefore, if you were planning a Worker build at some point, catching the overflow would probably have been the best time to do it.

This is right, though, because an Expansive worker is a special case. Only hammers into an Expansive worker get multiplied, not food. So you want as large a proportion as possible of the 60 final cost to have come from hammer input rather than food input, which you can do by catching overflow.

(This usually holds true even for non-Expansive workers, with the more general case that food can convert to hammers by more than 1:1 via whip, so 1:1 conversion on a worker or settler is suboptimal.)

[Twinkletoes89]

Interesting development this turn!

AH came in after I ended turn and the horse is situated on the eastern landmass - very near the silver.

Here is a picture - also showing how well our two cities are doing so far.



Workers are on hill ready to mine next turn to give us a bit more production in capital (much needed for military and or galleys soon).

Settler is due in 2 turns. Where do we want to send him - do we want to claim Whosit's cyan dot next still?

I propose that tech-wise we now go Sailing then Mysticism. I would like to claim that silver & horse spot sooner rather than later and the Henge isn't going anywhere (or shouldn't be) and I would like to see what other bounties are available on the other landmass.

Let me know your thoughts guys!

[pocketbeetle]

Are your cities connected by the river?

[Twinkletoes89]

Yes - i noticed that much too late, hence the road being 3/4 of the way there. The road would need to be built at some point but in hindsight a mine first would have been better.

[Whosit]

Though you may as well drop a settler off on the eastern landmass eventually, I believe that the Horses could be connected by building a Fort on them (I recently learned that Forts can also act as a harbor). You would not get the production bonus, of course.

[Twinkletoes89]

I know about the fort thing but thanks for that anyhow.

Settler 2 is out and on his merry way to cyan dot. Here is his planned route.



When he moves to red, he will be protected by the Axeman. After he has moved on black, he will be protected by the warrior until he settles on cyan dot. Axeman will then move to city to protect it while warrior will go back to garrison Actium.

I had the opportunity of a 2 turn worker after the settler, and growing Actium to size 3, so I will hold off revolting to slavery until the turn after next.

Am sending workers (Roy Treneman and Maurice Moss) to Actium to build a mine to get some production going, then will improve the corn by cyan dot to get it growing. Worker Three will hang around Pharsalus ready for chopping out Settler 3. Unless it will take a long time to build, I will not chop out Stonehenge as it shoudln't be taken by anyone.

On a side note - Moogle discovered the world was round about 3 or 4 turns ago. Can't be too much water then! Plus he must have 'wasted' a workboat exploring instead of improving the fish.

[Twinkletoes89]

Right then - on the last turn I was planning to move settler into the forest to settle cyan dot the turn after.

However, I discovered that Moogle's just founded city is one tile south of line of his capital and so I would face an uphill struggle to secure some of my second ring without Stonehenge being built at this time and have decided to change where I am settling city 3.

I have decided to move to this dotmap plan for settling:



I want three cities on my northern border and this is the best way to do it IMO.

White dot is actually a barbarian city which appeared last turn. I have moved the axeman towards it to gain visibility on it and then I shall attack as soon as it reaches size 2 - as it should only be garrisoned by warriors right now. Hopefully that will prove to be true and I have saved myself a settler.

I hope you agree with this decision as its pretty much too late to change it now.

Also, revolted to slavery this turn. Started on a four turn worker at Actium and a second axeman at Pharsalus.

[Twinkletoes89]

Zama was settled this turn so we are now at 3 cities with a fourth ready for capture should my axe be lucky and it grows to size 2 while killing the garrison.

Here is the overview:



Bear cannot attack cities so we are OK on that count. Even if it did we should have good odds as warrior is Combat 1 and fortified in a hill city.

3 warriors in the barb city (Saxon). I moved Axeman into position to attack so he wouldn't have to cross a river attacking the warriors. If I had ran into Barb Axes it would have been foolish but I took a gamble and it paid off. Now the plan is to attack and hopefully defeat the first two warriors in next two turns, heal up until it hits size two - then take down whatever garrison is left.

For this reason, I want to hold off on researching Archery until the city falls or the Axe dies. I do not want to end up facing Barb archers yet.

Stonehenge can be built in 9 turns but that will be shortened by the overflow from the Axe build and the chop coming in when the mine is completed in 3 turns. After 'henge will likely be either Settler>Worker or vice versa. I want to seal off the north but I will need more workers soon to improve both Zama, the future north city and (hopefully) Saxon.

Tech-wise I am thinking of going Writing -> Mathematics -> Masonry -> Currency next. If I am to keep expanding, I will need to get Libraries up and Markets to maximise the output from my commerce cities. Mathematics will make my chops more powerful and with Masonry I can build Hammams where for my bigger cities. Writing will also come in quite before 'Henge is built - so I may hold back 'Henge to get a library up and work a scientist early to try and get a GS instead of a GP out of my capital.

I do not think I need Iron Working ASAP as I have no annoying jungle that needs chopping and I have metal for Axes and Spears. Archery is cheap and cheerful but with NAPs in place at the moment, I do not need too much defensive troops yet. Hinduism has not been founded but that is for Serdoa as he has given me Henge rights, so I do not need religious techs. Metal Casting much too expensive for little reward right now. Cannot neglect it for too long however, as I will need Triremes to protect my fishing nets.
Horseback Riding is pointless until I have claimed the horse on other landmass and Meditation gains me nothing right now other than a possible go at Oracle through Priesthood.

I imagine that Scooter (being industrious Bismarck) is already building the Oracle as he founded Buddhism a long while ago and Priesthood is cheap enough.

If you guys have any issues with my suggestions - please speak up!

[Whosit]

Hope you get that Barb town. Would be a nice, quick addition. Stonehenge, yeah, guess you should get that ASAP to get it out of the way. After that, troops and Workers, I'd say, and for the northern cities, well, you probably already know what to do, but I'd give 'em both just one mine to play with, improve the food (first, of course), then build cottages to get the money rolling in.

Do any of your cities have barracks yet? Personally, I like to get Barracks up before I really start pushing out troops, although I know sometimes you just need the boots on the ground, and worry about experience later.

[Twinkletoes89]

A few turns ago, I recieved mail from Serdoa who told me that he would not be going for Hinduism any time soon. With the fact that scooter already has Buddhism, and the other two opponents are creative - i thought I would take a risk on researching Polytheism in 3 turns.

And it worked!!



Hinduism was founded in Actium at the end of this turn! Unfortunately Buddhism randomly spread to me in Zama the turn before (must be due to the connection by river I guess?) but who am I to complain!

Happiness should now never be a big issue for me, as I will have my own religion, Charismatic-boosted Monuments in every city (Henge due in 2 turns), Ivory and the +1 Charismatic bonus and eventually Hereditary Rule should I need it.

I honestly can't understand why Serdoa has let me have it without complaint - as he has now let me gain Stonehenge and Hinduism for nothing really. Perhaps his (now ended) war with Dazed knocked him away from Polytheism but as it is quick to research, his offer is mystifying.

Regarding the Barb city (Saxon), My Axeman has taken out two of the warriors for the loss of .6 health, so he is healing up until it is at size 2 and I can take it and keep it. Both Moogle and Serdoa have pretty much stated that they will not attack it so it is just a matter of waiting now.

After I have completed Stonehenge, I am going to build a Barracks and then start churning out some military in-between a Library and a Granary. I need to get some defenses in place just in case either of my neighbours wants to get frisky.

So far, So good - I hope you will agree!