[SPOILERS] ARRR Ye Scurvy Dogs! Hannah the Irin

[Mardoc]

Bad news first; I tried in a test game to put a hawk on a hunter on a transport, and no dice. I guess civ can't handle the extra layer of nesting. So much for getting a perfect picture of everything within Hawk range of the coast. I will still need Hawks if I ever end up at war, but perhaps Hunting can be delayed until after Optics instead of before. About all I can hope for is to put a hunter down on neutral territory, fly a Hawk to him, then next turn fly the Hawk home and reembark on the ship. Without any indication that there will, in fact, be such neutral territory, it's not worth the trouble, I think.

So, for my exploration plans - I think it's going to be Pirates all the way. Hidden Nationality won't fool anyone, but will still let me explore in their borders, and Pirates will be more helpful as part of an eventual navy than Caravels, with their extra strength and withdraw chance (the gold doesn't hurt either). The only thing I give up is the free Sentry promotion, but that's probably not too huge a sacrifice. Admittedly, I still don't expect anyone to challenge me at sea, but just in case, it'll be nice to know I can win.

Which is why I'm so happy to find islands, places that can help the empire without adding to my defensive worries. It also means that the Trireme in progress will absolutely be useful, even if Thoth doesn't manage to get his city founded in time to block me off from my treaty city - I'll still need a ferry for the island, and to explore around Brigit, and presumably many other tasks.

I realized a much better way to explore the island by Curador; the first workboat for Curador will of course found a cove, but the second won't have anything to do while it waits for Curador's border expansion. It might as well go explore that island while the third workboat heads up the coast to meet people. That'll keep it in the area so that Curador's second cove can start on schedule, but it'll be doing something useful in the meantime.

In better news, I rediscovered that creating a pirate cove counts as a spell, not a worker action, so I was able to get the cove at Curador started this turn instead of needing to wait for a movement point on the workboat. Only one turn without a cove to work in a new city - I like that . Now I just have to see if I can match that in the remaining cities.

I'm close enough to founding all my reach cities that I'm starting to think about the appropriate order to fill in the backlines. Right now, I'm leaning toward the Sugar city first, then the city by Brigit, and finally the corn city; the Sugar is most important, to get all my cities up another size. I'll definitely need a passel more workers, though; now that my established cities are able to grow, they're running into the limit of my improved tiles, and that doesn't take into account any of the new cities. 4+ workers are not out of the question, since I need to go over the old cities in addition to preparing the new ones.

Still no Octopus Overlords spreads, it's looking like that'll all have to be done the hard way. Next turn when the Trireme finishes, Phoenix will return to that temple, and then almost certainly onto Zealots from there.

And, in foreign news, Sir Yellow still has 4 cities and Thoth still only has 6. My friendly named Hill Giant is still hanging around, at the moment nearly on top of where Thoth's treaty city will go. It's looking like I'll definitely be able to out-expand Thoth, at least as long as the stalemate lasts.

I'm pretty sure he does [know that Nyktorion is helping Sir Yellow][COLOR="Cyan"]. That hawk is currently in the cities that's being sieged.

Anyway, The hawk just revealed something interresting this turn. Thoth has aquirred an adventurer recently from the dungeons south. Fun stuff.[/COLOR]

Yep. It's not quite as bad as it could be, since Thoth's likely to end up with a military made of Potency Priests, for whom Hero is nice but not earth shattering, but I'm definitely going to need to outexpand Thoth.

And...it was finally brought home to me just how quick this game is moving in comparison to PBEM2; we started considerably later, and yet we'll be doing T100 reports just a couple days after them. Kudos to my competitors!

[Mardoc]

The settler and Trireme finished up this turn, as did Philosophy. I give the Trireme Expanded Cargo hold, and swap him to the Longshore promotion to get around the peninsula quickly. When he meets up with the settler and escort at Mindphasr he'll switch back to a cargo promotion.

Turns out he was needed, too, Thoth finally got his city founded, and checking his city list, an extra one somewhere else as well! This must be what he's building instead of a force that can crush Sir Yellow's Bannor. Still, I'm quite impressed by his production rate, and glad he's gotten entangled on the eastern flank. Also very glad that Sir Yellow was able to get help from so many of us, Thoth could apparently have steamrolled him pretty decisively! Fortunately both Giants ended up on the right side, where they can guard my flank for me (or at least make an invasion inconvenient).



I'm taking another gold break, in preparation for a 100% run to Priesthood. After which I'll have to see how my production is doing, if I can go for Optics and have cities that can build ships at the end, or if I should clean up some of the utility techs instead - Horseback Riding, Masonry, Hunting, etc.

After some debate, I put Phiber Optik right to a worker. I still want to grow it, but that will take 4 turns. Maybe after the worker finishes I'll take an intermission for a Temple of the Overlords and/or Elder Council and/or Lighthouse. Part of the decision is that I'm out of improved tiles to grow onto here, so I needed the worker anyway. Phoenix continues its temple; after I pump out a couple Zealots for Mindphasr and the treaty city, I'll probably switch it to workers and let Phiber Optik grow.

Fortunately both MafiaBoy and Mindphasr are productive enough and have finished their markets so that they can contribute now to the expansion efforts. Curador's hopefully not too far behind. And Captain Crunch, of course, remains a settler pump - three more, plus whatever I need for the island, then it can go to workers instead

All in all, I'm definitely remaining wary of Thoth. I don't know if he's just outplaying me, or if his start was super awesome, or what, but I feel outclassed. I'm hoping it's just a start with many floodplains and gold, because that's not something that'll scale up the way coves will for me.

[Mardoc]

There's very little newsworthy this turn, so I'll hold off and make a bigger report next turn.

[Mardoc]

Arrr, Jimlad, I be hearin' that ye wants to have some sorta Grand Empire Tour to help celebrate the hundredth year since we be a foundin' this nation on this dreary lump o' rock. Well, step aboard the Pale Wind (she's more a dream than a ship) and we'll be a lookin' around the place! Aye? Aye!

Fer starters, come look at the piratey pleasure place, Captain Crunch!

This is the life! Plenty o' beaches, pig roasts, crab cakes, wine, and willin' wenches! Captain Crunch makes most o' the little pirates in all of Lanun; so many that the land prices round here be high, and darin' young pirate lads go out and settle all over the place. Arr, this be where it all began, and it be a fine place to hang ye'r hook.

We'll sail around the cape, and take a gander at Phoenix next.

Phoenix be a prime place for cotton for breeches an' eyepatches, and lots o' mines. Phoenix makes most o' the stuff Lanun be needin', and it'll on'y get busier, I be sure. Right now they be workin' on some sorta big building that hurts to look at; the angles be off, I be thinkin'.

Up north be the town o' Phiber Optik.

The people here have been lately talkin' 'bout something scary and awesome undersea, but don't you worry ye'r little head about that, I be sure they know how to placate the bloody tentacled monsters. And if not, well, AHAHAHA, you'll never know ye've been eated, lad. Phiber Optik also be the place where ye get ye're best cutlass, and they make a good deal of booty here too.

Around the cape, ye see a new settlement by the name o' Mindphasr.

Not a lot be goin' on here; they just finished their market so ye can be a buyin' loot with ye'r tourist dollars, and now they be workin' on some boats to send off wit' the settlin' party that's made camp here. They were just takin' a long walk along the beach when they saw some odd borders o' golden color. Them Malakim rogues be at it agin! We gotta good ship on her way here to let the pirates ride instead.

Comin' up north here, ye'll see where those settlin' boys be a headed; we got lots o' beach, coupla places we can build a port, and pearls here! There e'en be rumor o' gold away from the ocean, but probably them Malakim rogues'll get their grubby paws on it afore we can be decipherin' the treasure map.

Now we got a nice little walk to the weirdest place a Lanun boy's ever decided to call home.

This town, a called MafiaBoy, be at least next to a big ol' dried up beach. These boys babble on about 'rich soil' and 'holy mirrors' and the like, but they fight good, so we don't tell em to the face how strange they be.

Round the other way, we got the newest li'l city in all o' Lanun, called Curador. There ain't much ta look at here yet, but they say eventually they can make as much as Phoenix! I'll believe that 'un when I see it, haha!

Another spot some boys got they eyes on be up here by the Goblins. Twill be the brave lad who decides to set up camp next to those green little buggers. Still, there should be good fishin' here, and some edible grass. There be a group o' lads already on they way here. They be tellin' me o' this ferrin' concoction acalled sooshy they can be a makin' here.

We's got a coupla more good spots to hang out elsewhere in Lanun. This beauty here has all the ocean's bounty gathered up in one spot - lotsa good port spots, clams, pearls, and a coupla forests fer building boats from.

This un here's got Sugar, and ye know what that means - Rum! Just gotta hack down all them vines and thorny plants in the way first.

This un's got not a lot to its name but oceans, but ye know the Lanun by know, a man can nay resist a good sail! The lads talking o' building here have these crazy plans for big buildings to come home to; they be wantin' to build a chair outa birds, and then some sort o' tower with a light on top, and then a bigger tower with a light too!

Then there's this place we's just found a year or two ago. All kinda beaches, and some tasty lookin' big ugly pigs, twill be a good place to come home to as well. We ain't decided where to settle round here yet.

Iff'n that be too detailed fer ye, here be a nice little summry thing fer ye:

We got money comin' in, goin' out, and ever' which way:

An' we know some stuff, too:

That be Lanun. we know a coupla' ferrin lads, too. The Malakim be as scurvy a bunch o' rogues as ever we did see! They be grabbin' all the land, fighting other ferriners, an generally makin' us'ns feel little and small. We don't take that too lightly! Hannah be makin' some deal fer peace in our time, but one o' these days, they'll be tasting our steel! Er, I mean bronze!

We don't be knowing much about the Bannor; they came visitin' one day but left before we could e'en give 'em tattoos and make them seasick! There be rumors o' a big fun ol' fight with them and those Mala rogues, but we don't know the details.

Alright, well, ye've seen the place now, aye? Have ye any questions? We got a little while yet before we drop ye off.

What? Well, o' course there be no port or ship here! Ye've seen too much to be a lettin' ye go! Haven't ye heard that dead men tell no tales? Nay, we'll be dropping ye off that plank over there as soon as we finish chummin' fer sharks an' answerin' yer questions. Ye sure ye haven't any questions?

[Caustic Soda]

^Is that Hannah the Irin in disguise ? More seriously, though, I really appreciate the tons and tons of pics. they give a good overview of your lands, plans, income etc. The one thing that seems to be missing is your number of workers, and by extension how fast you can get infrastructure set up for your new cities. Also, your description of the Heron Throne made me chuckle.

[Mardoc]

The one thing that seems to be missing is your number of workers, and by extension how fast you can get infrastructure set up for your new cities.

At the moment, I have 6, which would be a disgrace in any non-Lanun, and is still a mild embarrassment for me. If it weren't that half my worked tiles are ocean, I'd be in a world of hurt.

On the other hand, they're pretty much keeping up; all my cities are working improved tiles, and at the moment, for instance, there are three workers improving around Curador, one at Mindphasr, and two in the established cities, preparing for OO-induced growth.

[Mardoc]

And, now that I look at my pictures again, I'm getting antsy to get the turn back and find out if I got lucky, or if I made a horrible mistake putting my warriors on queued movement. One of them ended up 2 moves away from the named, Mobility Giant, and I think Giants get Sentry so he can see me. If that's true, then I probably have to retreat from the Goblin site until the Giant goes away, hoping to get a warrior or two home safe, and found a backlines city instead while I wait.

[Bobchillingworth]

Sentry doesn't really matter on a barbarian unit, since they cheat and always know where all of your units are. So yeah, if there's a unit of yours in range the barbarians can attack it regardless of vision rules.

[Mardoc]

Dang - that means my only hope is that Thoth has a unit in range too, and it decided to go for him over me. Well, that's probably 3 dead warriors, then, and a delay on founding the northern city until the Giant goes away. This giant is getting extremely strong, I don't even think a Hunter would have odds on him anymore.

I suppose I might as well divert the settler to another site, probably the Sugar, since I'll have a new Settler ready by the time the Giant wanders away again.

[Jkaen]

Don't Giants stay out of your culture borders?

Hence if you can run a settelr past him and found you should be ok