[Spoilers] The Golem Factory: Beeri Bawl of the Luchuirp

[NobleHelium]

What time is your next capital border pop?

Er, never mind, it's probably really far away. Thought you hadn't gotten third ring yet for a second there for some reason.

[Sciz]

Yeah it's far away. Maybe 50 turns or so at this rate (2 culture per turn)

I will be getting the score increase for my second border pop soon though. Maybe 10 turns or so? Ilios and Serdoa have already got it, and Uberfish should be getting it soon (them being creative).

[Selrahc]

I wouldn't worry about the Lizard, you're dwarfs on a hill with defense boni. 2 should do more than adequately.

Dwarfs on a hill doesn't actually do anything special in terms of defence. No worries anyway though, because Lizards get a penalty attacking cities and Warriors get a bonus defending them. With the culture bonus, fortification bonus and the general hill bonus? Should be pretty damn low odds of any lizard hurting the city.

So let's say 8 turns. 15+8 = 23. 23+34 = turn 57

It's worth delaying that a few turns in order to get a third city out, with the standard two warrior escort. Remember... in the early game we're trying to get cities out nice and quickly, so we can trigger the hammers. Don't be entirely blinded by the rush to get Barnaxus.

I've suggested 5 cities, and that is what I do in single player, but it may be worth doing it earlier. Getting a strong start is probably a lot more important in this scenario. It seems like we're pretty crowded in, and we really don't want to look like an easy target. Any thoughts?

[Sciz]

imo 5 cities still seems like a good idea, we'll see when we get closer, but too early means we get less too. We've got three players around us, and of them I think only Mist is the big early trouble. Really doubt the Ljosalfar or Malakim are going to attack us, at least not early on. Been having good relations with them too so far.

But you're probably right about getting a third city before Barnaxus. I think our third should be somewhere to the east. Not the wine spot because of the dungeon, but the hill to the west of the gold seems nice i think.



If not, check my dotmap pic somewhere in this thread for other ideas.

[Brian Shanahan]

Dwarfs on a hill doesn't actually do anything special in terms of defence. No worries anyway though, because Lizards get a penalty attacking cities and Warriors get a bonus defending them. With the culture bonus, fortification bonus and the general hill bonus? Should be pretty damn low odds of any lizard hurting the city.

What I meant about on a hill was that looking at where the Lizard probably will end up, i.e. NE if by some miracle they win the first fight, you can mop up and retreat the second warrior no problem.

[Selrahc]

But you're probably right about getting a third city before Barnaxus. I think our third should be somewhere to the east. Not the wine spot because of the dungeon, but the hill to the west of the gold seems nice i think.

Hmm.. Alternately there is a less defensible site one south of the gold. Brings in three sources of dye, and more grassland river. But its further away from the capital, and doesn't have that hill defence. It would also need us to get Bronze Working to chop down those jungles, which we don't otherwise have much use for.

[Sciz]

we'll need bronze working sooner or later anyways, since we need it and smelting for iron working, which gives us iron golems.

we definitely won't have it in time for the third city though

[Selrahc]

we definitely won't have it in time for the third city though

Not immediately but with all the jungle being second ring, and plenty of other tiles to work in the interim it might be worth grabbing them to be worked later.

[Sciz]

Ilios has settled his second city, I see this by checking diplo with him, and he can offer a city to me. I've checked diplo every turn, so I know he must've settled it this turn.

Luckily it seems that he has not settled towards me, as I should be able to see if he's settled in an area I've explored, right? If so that gives us a better shot for the ruins area.

[Selrahc]

Ilios has settled his second city,

We could have had ours around by now as well if you hadn't been so intent on serving up gourmet meals for spiders

If so that gives us a better shot for the ruins area.

Going for a sneaky sneaky approach to secure the area then?