Yeah, you're right, there's no way Helios can build it in 4 turns without marble. Post #350 shows it building a library in four turns, and Evermore can build it in two. So a 5 turn vs 8 turn build makes perfect sense. The spider may or may not be in position to kill the workers before they hook up the marble; if the quarry is built, uberfish can't do anything about it since animals can't pillage. Fortunately for him the workers are building a farm first, but he still needs a couple more turns to get into range. I'm not familiar with quick speed improvement build times, so I don't know.
Looking at it again, if Ilios does connect the marble, he may beat uberfish - Evermore can do a library in two turns, but Hyll and Yonna need three. Evermore will build the Grand Menagerie in that intermediary turn. However, Evermore will also grow on the same turn as it builds the Menagerie (see screenshot in post 312), not to mention he has a priest who can plant a forest or two in the next few turns. Maybe that'll shave off a turn, although I think new forests don't give a hammer.
The big advantage that uberfish has is that he can see all of Ilios's cities, and has the option of cash rushing at any time once he sees the libraries go up. One of his earlier posts indicate that you can see in-progress wonders from the graphics too, is that true?
Lastly, there is likely to be massive diplomatic fallout if the spider actually attacks the workers. Barbarian spiders can't attack inside borders, and it'll be pretty obvious that uberfish is likely the only person who would do that. Not to mention, if the spider gets spotted it's still holding Barnaxus...and Ilios's army is much bigger than uberfish's at the moment. And they are bordering each other now.
Looking at it again, if Ilios does connect the marble, he may beat uberfish - Evermore can do a library in two turns, but Hyll and Yonna need three. Evermore will build the Grand Menagerie in that intermediary turn. However, Evermore will also grow on the same turn as it builds the Menagerie (see screenshot in post 312), not to mention he has a priest who can plant a forest or two in the next few turns. Maybe that'll shave off a turn, although I think new forests don't give a hammer.
The big advantage that uberfish has is that he can see all of Ilios's cities, and has the option of cash rushing at any time once he sees the libraries go up. One of his earlier posts indicate that you can see in-progress wonders from the graphics too, is that true?
Lastly, there is likely to be massive diplomatic fallout if the spider actually attacks the workers. Barbarian spiders can't attack inside borders, and it'll be pretty obvious that uberfish is likely the only person who would do that. Not to mention, if the spider gets spotted it's still holding Barnaxus...and Ilios's army is much bigger than uberfish's at the moment. And they are bordering each other now.
Civilization IV: 21 (Bismarck of Mali), 29 (Mao Zedong of Babylon), 38 (Isabella of China), 45 (Victoria of Sumeria), PB12 (Darius of Sumeria), 56 (Hammurabi of Sumeria), PB16 (Bismarck of Mali), 78 (Augustus of Byzantium), PB56 (Willem of China)
Hearthstone: ArenaDrafts Profile No longer playing Hearthstone.
Hearthstone: ArenaDrafts Profile No longer playing Hearthstone.
are going to roll all over the Balseraph. It is a shame in a way since Serdoa has added a lot of flavour to the game, but I think he has has been the creator of his own downfall in his diplo.