[SPOILERS] DaveV and Averax end the revels

[Qgqqqqq]

Any plans for those zombies?

[DaveV]

Turn 88. Settled my sheep/horse city. Tholal went for the map trade, so I can see just how close together we started. And that barb team was probably softening up Tholal rather than superjm, so I'm glad the second team got stuck.




More map griping: here's another case where the second-city cow is right next door, like TBS's, instead of unreachable, like mine . Edit: the resource bubbles don't show up, but Wraith has plains cows one tile SE and grass cows two tiles SW .

Any plans for those zombies?

Defense. TBS will have his army right on my northern border after he finishes off Tholal (although I'm hoping Tholal will thin that army out a little).




Another possibility: start some forest fires. TBS has inherited a bunch of forested cottages thanks to his Elf conquest.

[DaveV]

Turn 89. Tholal and TBS prepare for a climactic showdown:




It would be fun to hang around and observe, but I think my scout is better employed by moving off to the west. I believe circumnavigation is still available, and it could be handy on such a watery map. Also, I'd like to find Bob and superjm.

Back home, scouts are massing to kill the bear who should be a hamlet or village.

[Qgqqqqq]

More map griping: here's another case where the second-city cow is right next door, like TBS's, instead of unreachable, like mine banghead. Edit: the resource bubbles don't show up, but Wraith has plains cows one tile SE and grass cows two tiles SW banghead banghead.

Because you've mentioned it twice now, I feel I'd better clarify: the immediate expansion options were not balanced with plains cows in mind. The fact that this has (apparently) occurred is funny, but there's no way I'd balance anything for that stage of the game around AH (or hunting) resources, and certainly not a measly plains cow (and I'm honestly finding it vaguely hilarious that it is of such great significance to you )

[DaveV]

Map whinging is the national sport at this site. And I do think I have some justification: six foodhammers instead of three or four would have helped me build faster workers and settlers, settling my expansion cities sooner, etc.

Turn 90. A sacrificial scout softened up the bear to 2.3 HP, then my lion-capturing scout picked up some more XP. Welcome to the team, Mr. Bear.




Demographics are starting to look good. City count: TBS 9, me 8, superjm 4, Tholal 2.

[Qgqqqqq]

Map whinging is the national sport at this site. And I do think I have some justification: six foodhammers instead of three or four would have helped me build faster workers and settlers, settling my expansion cities sooner, etc.

Of course you are justified - all other things being equal, having one plain cow less is nasty. But things aren't equal. And in FFH, I'd probably prefer a river grass, and certainly and unirrigated rice, to the tech-expensive plains cow.
And feel no compulsion to stop whinging - I expect it! I'm simply helping you to concentrate your whinging

[DaveV]

Turn 91. Contact!




Bob has seven cities. Since I now have a full set of graphs:

Tholal is now in Conquest, TBS's war weariness is up to 55 from 37 last turn, and TBS hasn't taken any new cities . A meat grinder would be most excellent. Better still would be Tholal recapturing some of his former cities.

I'm doing some scouting in the east and west:




I was planning a city on the pigs tile; I'll probably move it south to the plains hill now.




A wolf moved onto the plains hill SW of the horse. Time to load up the combat odds spreadsheet and check my chances of capturing him while crossing a river (edit: 96% ).

[DaveV]

Double report. Turn 92: I decided to scope out Bob's territory a bit before re-embedding with Tholal's forces.



I chose ... unwisely .

In the west, I captured the wolf and forgot to declare nationality. This worked in my favor, since it released three of the bears from the bear store.




War weariness thermometer:



After EoT, Scottish Play's borders popped to put pressure on Zbolub. Lurkers demand a culture flip!




Turn 93. Lots of bad news in the log.



Bob offered a peace treaty, which I accepted. No reason to go all irrational over him sniping my scout; I did the same thing to Ellimist in 27. Of course, we ended up in forever war in that game for other reasons. And I was Decius of Calabim and he was Sheaim.

War weariness. Soon it won't matter, since I can't see Tholal holding out much longer.



Here are the bears in the south, before their move. I have to be careful about capturing them on defense, since TBS could potentially steal them before I can declare nationality (his scout 2N1W of Venice Merchant has Subdue Animal).

[DaveV]

Turn 94. Bob offered a map trade. I considered offering one on my turn, but was afraid he would gain circumnavigation from the trade. So I accepted.



F5 map: better than the minimap, far easier than a stitch.

Here's where I need to defog a route to Bob:




And here's why:




No bronze weapons, and just a few steps away from Tholal's last city. He might be able to settle an awkward city in his southwest to grab copper; I hope that happens. He's not going to clear that barb city on a hill without bronze weapons, so he has to settle around it.

A bear suicided into my scouts. I *will* declare war on TBS to recover the bear if he snipes it with his scout (hiding under my scout, 2W of Venice Merchant).




In the east, it looks like a dead-end peninsula with room for two very good cities. I'll have to look elsewhere for circumnavigation, though.

[DaveV]

Turn 95. The log has some interesting information.



Bob forced out a Bard, which will no doubt be used for Drama next turn. Well played, Bob.

It's odd that Tholal declared on Bob. Is Bob moving units in to contest TBS for Tholal's last city? I can't be bothered to look up the war weariness numbers, but I think this means Bob lost some units and killed some. Sniping workers after Tholal declared?



Here's a better map overview than last turn's, thanks to flying camera:




In actual gameplay news, I declared nationality on my bear, who remained unstolen, and moved in reinforcements:




In the east, I didn't find any seafood on the east side of that peninsula.




I discovered Sailing after ending turn. Show me ... pearls! [/RichardDawson]




Another interesting thing in that last screenshot: I now have a trade connection to Bob. No need to defog the southern route: I already have a northern route that I missed. Also, you can see from the events that another bear joined my team. Go bears!