[Spoilers] Commodore as Washington of the Mongols

[Commodore]

Yeah, I pulled the trigger, a free worker means that this puppy wasn't going to be growing anytime soon. On the plus side, the capture gold was just enough to let me finish Mathematics at 100% The hapless new worker will be sent northwards.



...to assist in overexpansion project one, Codename: Ypotryll. The pigs here are getting settled ASAP, as a massive string of workers works on roading. The forests of Hippogriff are being saved for the moment, but that'll change in a few turns, depending on certain factors. In the meanwhile, I think I'll actually probably agree with the AI blue circle on this one.



My economy is choking on this expansion, but I'm not yet crashed, so onward I go. It seems like expansion and tech pace has been a little slow this game, but I am on seven cities by turn 60, which isn't horrible.



I'm keeping up the in inter-city support. Basilisk will finish its current worker and then make a galley, followed by a work boat for the stone city's clam claim. It's really the best way to net fish if it can be managed.



So, I finished Mathematics with 1 gold in the bank. My initial thought was to limp towards Currency next, but for just a few dozen beakers I could jog by Priesthood. I have four forests remaining around Gryphon, which with ~14 overflow from a whip and one turn of production, means a 1-turn Oracle, in three turns' time. If it's still available, I need to make it and snag MC...and then Hippogriff will get a forge whipped and then 1-turn chop the Colossus.



It's a temptation...or an opportunity.

[Commodore]

It's Great Person time in the world, now with who I can only assume is Gaspar's scientist. Someone, probably either Gaspar, Mackoti, or TT, founded Judaism. It's okay, I'm very close to a shrine, which will help keep Hinduism the most-spread religion in the world. Actually, I need to convert soon, come to think of it. Probably after the Oracle, whilst chopping out the Colossus.



That will, alas, slow down the cultural growth of hammertown here, the Buddhist Sphinx. I'll be starting an aqueduct here for the HG to be slow-built. Once the rice is online, I can work all four mines for 18hpt, and if I manage the slow process of irrigating the rice, a couple plains farms and the grass hill mine can be added for 23hpt before modifiers. As it is, I'll 7-turn the Gardens once I grow once more.



I'm trying to finish my road network out west, and things are coming along nicely. The forested hills seen in this particular image are slated for turning into a less cool wonder, "more work boats and workers". I think it's one worth investing in though.



Coming along, 3 turns until I finish the chop for whatever in Gryphon.

[Commodore]

Well, a little flurry of activity in the lurker thread, looks like I might be expecting some incoming irony RE: Oracle. Eh, if so, it's going to be okay. More settlers and workers, then. If I lose out on the Oracle, then the Hanging Gardens will be more important, so I'll probably slate Hippogriff's forests for them.

[Commodore]

The year 440BC dawned with no Oracle fallen as of yet, so I turned on research a little bit to get Priesthood. A butt-ton of chops will go into it and then it's time for Colossus. My GNP is competitive with everyone else at 40%, and MFG and CY are still catching up. The demos look pretty okayish.



Gryphon, the Oracular target, whipped a chariot for overflow (hey, it's getting ger bonus and makes an okay MP). Two of those western forests go away next turn, and two more finish the turn after that. If I lose out by one turn I'll be very annoyed, but at least the failgold will be helpful.



Out west, Gaspar and I are having horse-measuring contests. I think I'm winning. The sentry keshik looked over the peaks to find very lush land, but no marble or anything yet. It's okay, I'll just send along a galley post-haste.



I actually feel like I have...enough workers right now. I'm still knocking out a couple more but thus far I'm keeping pace quite nicely with the settling. Those two settlers are destined for Stone Island and the ex-barbarian rubble, to be picked up by the galley I just whipped in Basilisk. Heedless, ever onward we charge.



The newest city will never actually amount to much but it's a decent little stepping-stone site that will work the pigs and a couple of grass hill mines to pump out supporters for further west. It'll be the gateway.



Going well thus far.

[Commodore]

Grshnaaaaaa....



I had enough extra workers. I could have chopped it all this turn. I wonder if Mackoti used his Great Engineer to rush it, or if he's still await the Great Library. He sure is an early runaway here. That capital (or other city) needs to be razed.



Still no sign of Gaspar's borders. I guess he went the galley-way across his inner sea, so it'll take a bit more to find those trade routes.



My economy is damn near crashed, and without much hope of the Colossus, I'm at a loss what else to do beyond limp to Currency. I'm about to settle Stone Island, which will be a nice little boost. TT really picked a nice combo for here, although he's been falling ever more behind.



Sigh...

[Commodore]

*echo chamber*

Well, I don't think I'm at all worker-limited here. Got the pigs pastured within a turn of Centaur's settlement, Hippogriff is getting infra chopped in post-haste, over all, very healthy turn-set.



Stone Island will be plunked down next turn, although it's going to be costly at first, once I have the Moai here it'll be a very strong site. Gaspar's chariot is potentially annoying, I'll tell him to shoo if he gets to where I'll be settling the turn after next. Oh, we have a short-cooldown 7-turn NAP, so I don't worry about him suicidally sniping me.



Such a move would be MAD anyway, thanks to our mutual vulnerability. Gaspar's using the lake to ferry stuff ASAP too, I need to push to the hidden middle fast now.



Finally got his graphs, Ceil, care to give analysis?



If it wasn't for TT I'd be feeling bad about myself, Gaspar and TT are both up 1 city on me, although I ought to match them in two turns. More economy crashing, k pls thx.



Limpin' along to Currency, it's the RB way.

[Ceiliazul]

Limpin' along to Currency, it's the RB way.

Ha!!

I'll get some analysis going, but not going back to turn-by-turn stuff. I'm more interested in the diplo side of things with Gaspar... you have an NAP, anything else going on?

[Commodore]

Ha!!

I'll get some analysis going, but not going back to turn-by-turn stuff. I'm more interested in the diplo side of things with Gaspar... you have an NAP, anything else going on?

[COLOR="Magenta"]Hey Commodore,

Just a quick note - you'll excuse me some paranoia, it is my calling card after all. While I have a general disdain for NAPs it occurs to me with you warrior headed towards my territory (soon, but not real soon) I might have to do some annoying and counter-productive things like covering workers on the border there and such which I'd rather just avoid. As such, I'd like to offer you one of three options:

(For all below, define NAP simply as may not declare war on the other)

1. A 20-turn NAP.
2. An indefinite NAP with a 7t-cancellation cooldown.
3. Me killing your warrior with my chariot.

I greatly prefer the first two options, since I'd like us to use the space between us to engender further cooperation as discussed in our opening communiques, and certainly think once we have a route defogged OB would be a large benefit to us both. Still, I'd really rather not risk you feeling opportunistic against one of my workers and I definitely don't want to have to build a bunch of garbage to cover them so I'd like to have the security of peace and continue to build a positive relationship.

Let me know before I play the next turn if at all possible.

Thanks,
Gaspar [/COLOR]


[COLOR="DarkOrange"]Hey Gaspar,

Sure thing, I'd rather not have to pop your own warrior with the nearby keshiks either. I'll take option #2, if you can add to the definition of NAP as also "not attacking the barbarians I'm farming over here" too. OB would be huge for both of us, too, and I'm sure spice/wines at least will be important once we get them hooked up.

Let's call it a rolling 7 turn NAPm then, and just note that if your BFC(s) cross our mirror line without prior notification I'll be activation the cool-down immediately.

Here's to not being opportunistic or stupid,
-Commodore[/COLOR]

Also been despairing about Mackoti, Gaspar lost the 'mids by one turn.

[Ceiliazul]

Any chance your next settler can jump to the center FP? It looks like Gaspar is ahead of you in that race currently. You can backfill later, but only one of you can get that center.

[novice]

*echo chamber*

hamber... amber... mber... er..

Losing the Oracle sucks, my sympathies.