The Orc Clan: Following the Princess Rule

[Ravus Sol]

[SIZE="6"]Turn 25: The Summery[/SIZE]

[SIZE="5"]PAST AFFAIRS[/SIZE]
From the very first time we saw the land we knew we needed a mining beeline to work those mines. When the amount of land was revealed in full the idea of a mass land grab expansion fueled by Runes of Kilmorph and Warrens becoming solidified.



Here you can see the large view of the land discovered so far with all the resources possible to claim. 5 possible happiness resources (Whale still gives a happy point yes?) I won't need more then this. When I get the Runes Religion, The Rune Temples give an extra happy if you possess Gems. Combined with the natural Religious Civic Happiness and We should do well in happiness to late game.

We can fit 9 cities in all the land revealed so far... However i'd only count 5-6 of them as optimum. If we have this amount of space to expand over to the West as well then this game could be won without ever going to war.

The first quirk of the land was the three islands, each holding a great wondrous feature. Tempting nations to go for an Octopus Overlords Religion to more easily claim them and defend them.

The Second Quirk was the lack of grassland which is visable. The Grassland spots thus take on a level of urgency in claiming. Strategic land you should deny others if possible.

[SIZE="4"]Rivals[/SIZE]
We found the Elves up north, led by Bombadil in Rivendell.



Bombadil is meant to be the quinsential Druid. A Man totally in touch with the land. The only good character in all of Middle Earth that can resist the lure of the One Ring of Power...

I expect the Elves led by Bombadil to be the only nation I have no chance of tempting to follow the Ashen Veil. Coincidence?

[SIZE="4"]Casualties[/SIZE]
Recently our Super Scout Mork fell. He had only just managed to find the Elvish People. At least we now have a diplomatic contact for the next few turns.

With Mork's death we can once again increase the tech slider and work at full capacity to gaining Mining.

[SIZE="4"]Capital: Isengard[/SIZE]

The Capital is working well. Working 3 Farms and the Winery Finished this turn Catapulting us to #1 in GNP the turn after. Which is a major achievment as the Orcs! This lead will be lost quite quickly so we have to enjoy the lead while it lasts.

The Extra Food from the Wines also gets us the Settler out 1 turn ahead of Schedule.

Hobgoblin is going to explore the wilds. I was going to use him to spy for Spiders in the East for when the Fagorn Forest Site is settled. But i'm feeling safe with the settler having a 2 Guard + Wolf Rider Escort.

[SIZE="4"]Demographs[/SIZE]

I'm very Jealous of the food in other rivals capital areas. I should have taken the Demograph shot after I had pressed Enter so that the Wine had allready been finished and I could be proud of the lead in GNP.

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[SIZE="5"]FUTURE AFFAIRS[/SIZE]

Plans for the future mainly focus around expansion and technology grabbing at the moment. Nothing major has happened in international affairs and due to the size of the map we don't expect anything to happen until after turn 75. The Only person who COULD rush on a map this size is the Hippus.

[SIZE="4"]Tech Plan for the Future[/SIZE]
I want Warrens and my religion of choice for a massive expansion quite quickly. Priests would work better during this period. But I can at least expand to 4-6 cities before getting priesthood in my mind.

Tech Part 1: Masonry > Ancient Chants > Mysticicm

While Waiting for Mysticism to come in we can build a Warrens in the Capital to Help Future Settler and Worker Production.

Mysticism Will let us get a pagan temple built to work a priest to bulb into the religion. The God-King civic will help production and Gold Earning in the Capital.

Tech Part 2: Exploration > Education > Animal Husbandry > Calender > Fishing

This part of the tech path is just to grab worker technologies for the initial border push. The Capital can start building double warriors, workers and settlers to claim the better land areas. The Settlers should get out quickly and claim a food heavy area and a production heavy area so that each city can be spec'ed to take over double settler and military production from the capital.

Tech Part 3: Philosophy > Priesthood > Knowledge of the Ether > Way of the Wicked > Ashen Veil > Fanaticism

This part is getting ready for the Infernals to enter the world and grabbing what we need to start Ramping up the AC. The Prophecy of Ragnarok. Fanaticism is there so that I can steal the Grimore from the Infernals to slingshot my way into the only tier 4 units I will hopefully need.

Techs to try to slot in: Sailing, Trade, Council of Esus, Bronze Working, Construction, Sanitation, Code of Laws, Arete, Divination, Necromancy, Warfare

These are all technologies that could be useful but would deviate from the tech path that would get us Infernals quickly. Sailing lets us build lighthouses and work the Whale while also getting us into Trade, which is a good tech to have late game with lots of cities to benifit from the extra trade routes. Council of Esus unlocks the powerful Undercouncil Civic, Bronze working gets us Bronzed Warriors and our Hero Unit.

Construction, Sanitation and Code of Laws would all be needed to run a benifiting late game Aristocracy run, which could make a late game land grab profitable by making new cities economically viable quicker.

Arete gets us the civic to increase mine production, it also unlocks a enchanting hero for some minor use and the Mines of Galdur wonder which gives us 3 Irons.

Necromancy means we could use the Necro mana node and also make the Shamans useful offensivly. Divination lets you eventually build the Tower of Divination which could be used to Slingshot something else late game. It also lets the Shamans use Mind Magic to make the cities better. I need to spam a Unit to gain Prophecy marks, one that is left on defence so that it isn't killed in combat, Shamans work just as well as anything.

Warfare gets us the Wonder to give +100% military production. Which WILL be built in the Prophecy city to help boost out Units quicker.

[SIZE="4"]Land Grab for the Future[/SIZE]

This is a selection of the expansion as I see it for the future. It needs a bit of polish and if the Horde Members could chime in with a "don't be stupid" or a "meh it's good enough" comment that would be great.

The land is split into 4 parts. The North which I have named the Gladden Fields in my mind, next to lake Gladden. The East Which is Fangorn. The North, which is the Misty plains and Misty Mountains and the Frozen South.

[SIZE="4"]North: Gladden Fields[/SIZE]

It has a few good spots. Marble to be claimed by a future site. But mostly it's got the potential for one really good city which I am thinking could become our production centre while also closing off passage for rivals from East to West.

Broken Entwash follows the Entwash River that runs through the capital helping early trade possibilities. It grabs the remains of the Broken Speluncher, Rice and Incense. More importantly it has 5 possible Mines and 4 possible Grassland Fields not including the Rice. Once we get into Agrarianism and maybe Arete aswell this could be a powerful production site.

Moria is inbetween Gladden lands and Misty lands. It's not perfect but it claims Cows and Wheat and enough Plain Hills to make it Productive midgame.

There is space for a filler city above the capital to claim the Sheep but unless there is something hidden in that black fog it will never be a good city. Just filler.

[SIZE="4"]East: Fangorn[/SIZE]


The East shows us Fangorn Forest, which we don't need to look upon, having allready confirmed it's settlement a long time ago.

North Fangorn is very food heavy, but has enough Mine-able hills to be productive enough to build a warrens and be our settler pump mid-game.

Port Fangorn will not be useful untill we get Fishing and Sailing, No point settling it untill then. The Forest will have to be lumbered if possible and the Mine given over to them to give some very low production. If will never be good. But with a lighthouse and the temples passed on from priests it will be good enough.

[SIZE="4"]North East: Misty Plains & Misty Mountains[/SIZE]


Here you can see a better picture of Moria. (I'm thinking that could do with a name change and have Moria actually in the Misty Mountains not the Mist Plains.) The Eastern Plains are however... well they are damn pitiful. Unless there is something hidden in the shadows, some sea resource maybe, or something in the mountains. Maybe even some Copper or Horses waiting to be revealed. Unless there is SOMETHING, then this site would only be settled to deny people access to my own lands.

I consider everything South of the Misty Mountains, which stretch from West to East from lake Gladden to be MY LAND. No one else should be allowed to settle below them.

My own personal Pink dot which I hope to grab is also shown. It's VERY close to the Elves. Close enough to be their 2nd city spot then my... (counts the distance) 5th city spot. It would annoy them a LOT. Might even get them on their toes. But if I am feeling confident enough and tie them up with a NAP then I won't care. Land is Land after all.

Once The Misty Mountains are settled then I can focus on Expanding to the West.

[SIZE="4"]The South: Frozen Wastes[/SIZE]
Forgot to take pictures. Will be done later.
PS it's bad filler land anyway for the most part.

[Ichabod]

Your updates rock, Ravus!

The whole LotR theme is fitting the game very well.

Just one question: are you settling your 2nd city near the gems? The thing is, without AH you'll only be able to work one of the gems, so I ask if it's worth to do it if you are not going for AH next.

[Ravus Sol]

Your updates rock, Ravus!

The whole LotR theme is fitting the game very well.

Just one question: are you settling your 2nd city near the gems? The thing is, without AH you'll only be able to work one of the gems, so I ask if it's worth to do it if you are not going for AH next.

*tap tap tap*

grrrrr okay when you are right you are right. I have to bow to your expertise even if I think it could cost me the religion. The AH should be enough... The Question becomes what my capital should be building while researching AH. Masonry would have been quick and the Capital could have built a Warrens.

I'm thinking I should explore the West of my city near the Marble and Sheep to see if I can fit a 3rd city in there earlier then I thought to get one out. It is the city area that would benifit most from the early AH/Masonry. I should adapt and take advantage of that. Theres also a Corn/Sheep site to the south but the Western one would be the most beneficial.

That way my Capital can build Another Worker then another Settler while waiting for AH to come in. You think I could survive the economic burden of an early 2 cities with 2 Gems and Wine?

The only other build while teching would be the Brewery.

So...

What do we think? Brewery or early 3rd City Grab?

PS - thanks! I'm enjoying the updates more now again, more stuff to do now we can make future plans. The LoTR theme is getting very fun. Is Moria placed in the right place on the map do you think? What do you think of my own personal Pink Dot? Think I can make it?

PPS - The Elves still havn't gotten back... remind me to get threateny if I manage to get another Wolf Rider

[Ravus Sol]

Is it wrong that i'm basing the fact that nothing has happened Internationally on the fact that the Lurker thread hasn't been updated in a month?

[Mardoc]

Is it wrong that i'm basing the fact that nothing has happened Internationally on the fact that the Lurker thread hasn't been updated in a month?

Maybe we just don't care because it's something normal and hence little and boring, rather than Sons of the Inferno or the first ever RB Centaur/Hemah blitz, or a million vampires crying out and being silenced.

Plus, well, there's really only 3 and a half civs that update regularly enough that lurkers would even know if something's going on. And none are as interesting as Ravus plotting against himself, so they're easy to overlook.:neenernee

[Ichabod]

Well, a third city first seems like a good idea. Since you won't have to worry about maintenance from units to defend your empire, you have some leeway. Broken Entwash is a possibility -> if I'm not mistaken, it'll have an instant trade route with the capital, which is +2 commerce. It has a first ring rice to help with fast growth. If only there was a way to do a fast border pop to get the incense hooked up (but you'd still need calendar), that'd be a crazy good site for a 3rd city.

I don't think is time to lose turns in the Brewing house. There's always a place for more workers/settlers after all.

The second city will have an easy 14 commerce (1 from sheep, 1 from city center, 12 from gems), so I guess you'll be fine regarding research. You are actually teching a very costly tech, so it'll be easier to get AH, masonry, etc.

A worker after the settler could be a good idea, to help improving the second city faster. But ideally you'd want to grow to the happy cap... Maybe getting some turns in the brewing house wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. It's better than a granary or a smokehouse and you don't need a lot of warriors. The commerce boost will be helpful (and it'll be even better if you go for Broken Entwash as a third city, since it has rice).

So, I guess getting some turns into the brewing house while growing isn't such a bad idea. But I wouldn't finish it ASAP, just work it when growth is needed. Remember that there's the vamps worldspell waiting to be cast too.

...

Guess I just made you even more confused, huh? But there's a lot of possible ways to go about this, so having doubts is only natural. As long as you get the early economic techs and keep a good rate of expansion, I guess we'll be fine. Don't forget that you'll be expanding like a weed after the warrens are built, so you'll need a lot of workers too (especially with the orcs lazy workers...).

[Ravus Sol]

Wow, i've gotten so behind in this. I have taken so many pictures...

Right, Ichabod I think i'm going for a early third city push (supported by the Gems) Broken entwash seems the most likely. But i'm being tempted with another position. I'll give better pictures and thoughts once i've caught up with where I am now.

[Ravus Sol]

[SIZE="6"]Turn 26-30[/SIZE]

[SIZE="4"]Turn 26[/SIZE]

The wines are finished. The Goblin heads of to the West. The Warrior waits in the East to hook up with the Settler when finished.

The Demographs paint a hopeful picture of the future.

[SIZE="4"]Turn 27[/SIZE]

The Goblin continues to survive. The Worker starts another farm.

This is the top cities, we've allready lost our top spot.

The Demographs show we have allready lost our short lived lead in the GNP.

[SIZE="4"]Turn 28[/SIZE]

The Goblin searches around an area that could possibly hold another city site. Marble and Sheep found allready.

[SIZE="4"]Turn 29[/SIZE]

The goblin finds another sheep near to the marble, close enough to fit all three resources in one city...

[Ravus Sol]

These were the boring turns, a whole lot of nothing happened. Made it very easy to keep putting of updates till later.

[Ravus Sol]

Maybe we just don't care because it's something normal and hence little and boring, rather than Sons of the Inferno or the first ever RB Centaur/Hemah blitz, or a million vampires crying out and being silenced.

Plus, well, there's really only 3 and a half civs that update regularly enough that lurkers would even know if something's going on. And none are as interesting as Ravus plotting against himself, so they're easy to overlook.:neenernee

Yeah i'm sensing that i'm the only crazy person in this game. Bar any future craziness from Mr. Yellow.

Hopefully once we get past turn 50 more stuff will be happening. Including my attempt at using the AC counter as a useful means of winning. (A long shot. But a fun one.)

The less said about my self sabotaging plotting the better.