[Spoilers] Commodore as Washington of the Mongols

[Ceiliazul]

Sounds like he's pushing back on shield counts (2 gift keshiks)... I guess that's small potatoes if it makes a willing ally. And I have no idea what his thing about "WE trade duplicates" means.

...but it sounds like you're getting there.

[yuris125]

I like it! How many Keshiks did you end up building, and do you have plans for them?

[Commodore]

I like it! How many Keshiks did you end up building, and do you have plans for them?

I currently have four keshiks, all of which are going on a rampage out west to landgrab, capture barbarian towns, and hopefully find China behind the Great Wall. I'm building a few more on growth cycles between workers, but mostly, it's worker, worker, worker...

Sounds like he's pushing back on shield counts (2 gift keshiks)... I guess that's small potatoes if it makes a willing ally. And I have no idea what his thing about "WE trade duplicates" means.

...but it sounds like you're getting there.

My trading duplicates was an offer, likewise the keshiks, which is more of a "I want to stiffen your spine as you landgrab" thing than anything else. I'm gifting 66 hammers for an additional 65 hammer (to me) settler, but the timetable ensures he keeps to his side of the bargain. Right now I think I'm going across the northern landbridge, settling the fish site in five or six turns, then the pigs and the lake entrance with the first of TT's tribute.

Awwwwww. We wanted blood.

I'll do my best to ensure that happens, folks. Sorry if this is a less entertaining option, I really do feel bad about that.

[Commodore]

[COLOR="Yellow"]Commodore,

That is fine to me, consider this message as my agreement to the terms detailed below.

To hopefully long and peaceful new working relations!

TT[/COLOR]

Boy that's some good timing. Before the south-securing border deal and tribute has a chance to even dry, I meet the new meat. Ugh, and it's not the preferred rival to crush.

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Hey Gaspar,

So, it looks like we've met in-game in PBEM 24, my Slam Beefchest is eyeing your De just about on the mirror line. What's up over there? Mackoti managing to avoid attacking you in his mad Pyramid rush? I've been having all the usual fun that comes with being a TT neighbor, but I've thus far managed to avoid getting my ox gored. Need some keshiks to capture a pointy rock pile? We buy and trade over here.

May your fortune cookies never be wrong,
-Commodore[/COLOR]

Bleh, this is going to corkscrew the whole metagame, but that's why we play, ain't it? Gaspar's own wonder "more settlers" seems to have payed its dividends. Need moar cities, thataway.



This really will not do. Even TT has as many cities as I do, although now they're helping load my coffers.



I'm clearing out the city of Sphinx, to garrison my slightly miffed other cities. A good news is Gaspar will be seeing this power rating is mine and he'll wonder how much is MP, and how much is terrifying keshik swarms of death.



Speaking of terrifying, two level three keshiks are born now, which is less impressive that the Pyramids, but in their own way nearly as useful. They say "hi, we're scary and farming barbs". I'm a fan of that message. Both promoted to heal and are off for more XP, commando or bust folks.



So on we go, this time with workers and settlers and work boats as the theme. I'm going to be settling the fish/lake spot NW of Basilisk next, settler out in three turns. It's going to be a straight line west, the rest of this is all back-fill. Note: Engineering is a huge tech on this map, need faster roads.


Here's the demos, I'm getting that's Mackoti's specialists kicking into gear. Need to study the feasibility of grabbing the Colossus somewhere, maybe even the GLH. All secondary to expansion, of course, next tech is maths. With stone the HG might be a good fit.



Nicely timed, TT.

[Commodore]

Swapping to peaceful builds is fun! Sorry about the lack of fireworks, but expanding like Always Peace is the name of the game. Grimly, Mackoti got the Pyramids, which given the size of this place is going to be huge, and catching up is going to be hard.



Wait, what's that RNG? You wanted to help me boy? Okay, but how? Oh...



Still chopping and pushing as hard as possible. The RNG loves me for spreading. I'm still 14 turns out from popping a prophet for the shrine, but still Hinduism is spreading like wildfire.



Holy crap, is that power Mackoti's? I need to bolster Gaspar without actually, you know, giving anything of value away. Not sure how, but we'll meanwhile make a nice big empire.



More metagame thoughts needed later.

[Commodore]

So, it's the year 720 BC, and the Pax Keshikana reigns over the northeastern corner of the world. My empire is currently in all categories a solid "average", with a GNP second only to the Pyramids guy (yikes), a MFG second only to the China guy, and a crop yield just a bit behind both. Max power means I can relax for a little while on the troops front, unless I go strike Mackoti.



The now-backline southern portion of my lands is pumping infrastructural builds, while I also work to get cottages going for Gryphon. Naga is one whip away from having two more 3-food tiles to work, and Sphinx is soon going to begin work on a great scientist for an Academy. Humming along over here. The first TT settler was gifted this turn, to bee-line the north pigs location. The 8 workers in view here are about to start migrating out.



Meanwhile, the north core is preparing for the heavy settling push, in two turns adding a city 1NW of the lake for the fish and hills. The WB will net the fish in 7 turns, and then the city can start contributing to more settlers, workers, and other such sundries. When I have the chance, I grow cottages so as not to totally wreck my economy.



Meanwhile, the frontier is getting pacified by swarming keshiks, eying now a barbarian town that can be worked into the dotmap quite smoothly. Galleys can sail up the lake with the barb town's defeat, settling even more quickly this good and green land.



REX time, gentlemen.

[Ceiliazul]

Sphinx is soon going to begin work on a great scientist for an Academy.

Strongly suggest another city for the scientists. (Naga?) Sphinx has too much production to spend babysitting scientists. Sphinx needs to be your long-term wonder factory, for the sake of a strong cultural border.

The WB will net the fish in 7 turns, and then the city can start contributing to more settlers, workers, and other such sundries. When I have the chance, I grow cottages so as not to totally wreck my economy.

I'm confused, what fish will you be netting in 7 turns?

frontier is getting pacified by swarming keshiks, eying now a barbarian town that can be worked into the dotmap quite smoothly.

Yahoo! Question is, do you want to farm it for a while first? one unit on each side of the river, cheap promos and saves on maintenance. I don't mean forever, just until after you nail down that valley entrance.

[Ceiliazul]

until after you nail down that valley entrance.

Speaking of which, has Slam entered that valley yet?

[Commodore]

Speaking of which, has Slam entered that valley yet?

Slam can't. It's all lakes and peaks, I'll need to galley my way there...another reason to go in via the lakes. I will farm the spot until I have worker support nearby, though, which will be soonish (14 workers by turn 60).

The fish I speak of are hard to see, in the ocean north of my next city location.

[Ceiliazul]

Just doing my lurker duty and bumping the post count!

Did you assign esp points to Gaspar? His graphs would be helpful for analyzing Mack too.