Astronaut without sin confounds press, invites trio to control civilization

[SevenSpirits]

I'm a bit worried about your choice to move the axe defender out of Callisto and leave only a WC. I don't think the size one island city needed three defenders so fast, and we don't have any way of reinforcing Callisto next turn short of whipping from scratch. Other than that, looks great. Sorry for the poor worker move on the northern island last turn. Oh btw, looks like the south WB should have moved into neutral territory this turn so it can be in our territory again next turn (when our settling party's in neutral lands costing supply), but no big deal.

[novice]

I'm a bit worried about your choice to move the axe defender out of Callisto and leave only a WC. I don't think the size one island city needed three defenders so fast, and we don't have any way of reinforcing Callisto next turn short of whipping from scratch.

Yeah, I didn't really think about that. I guess history will show what was the luckiest choice - if nothing appears to threaten Callisto next turn, we'll have a fresh axe in place, and a safer island.

Oh btw, looks like the south WB should have moved into neutral territory this turn so it can be in our territory again next turn (when our settling party's in neutral lands costing supply), but no big deal.

Ah, so that's what you meant by thinking about supply cost. I just kept it in our borders to avoid any supply costs this turn.

Only two negative marks on the turn - I'm pretty happy with that.

[zakalwe]

I mean, how do you guys expect to win if you keep making mistakes like that?

[spacemanmf]

Only two negative marks on the turn - I'm pretty happy with that.

See, this is partly the reason I felt it sensible to step down...

[novice]

Playing on a team is definitely a way to raise the level of your play though, having teammates questioning what you do, or just being aware of the possibility of having to explain your choices.

Of course now that our empire includes twelve cities and thirteen workers, and we don't have a micro plan, the number of choices made in an average turn is getting quite large. Seven and I have played most of the latest turns while chatting, probably discussing 10-15 decisions while playing. I think that's the optimal way of doing things, but sometimes (always) a fast turn pace is more important.

[SevenSpirits]

Playing on a team is definitely a way to raise the level of your play though, having teammates questioning what you do, or just being aware of the possibility of having to explain your choices.

Of course now that our empire includes twelve cities and thirteen workers, and we don't have a micro plan, the number of choices made in an average turn is getting quite large. Seven and I have played most of the latest turns while chatting, probably discussing 10-15 decisions while playing. I think that's the optimal way of doing things, but sometimes (always) a fast turn pace is more important.

Plus with no talking it turns out you actually have to micro military units when you're not at war - crazy!

[SevenSpirits]

Culture watch:

1. The last time we observed Pharsalos (Mackoti's jungle city) it had been around for 9 turns (our t63 to t71) for 18 culture and had had Confucianism for 2 turns (our t70 to t71) for 10 culture, total 28. It's gaining 7 a turn, which means its borders will pop in FOUR more turns (after our t74). If he manages to squeeze out one extra culture, i.e. by completing a library, it will pop a turn earlier by reaching 50 instead of 49, i.e. after our t73.

We are planning to found the island on t73, so we should be OK even if he gets that one extra culture in there. If we were delayed though, we'd not be able to found on the plains hill because it will be in his culture once Pharsalos' borders pop.

2. Luna, which is fighting Thessalonica for culture, is unlikely to see any changes. We're currently still gaining on his culture in our first ring that's his last ring (i.e. pigs and coast) - we're getting 21/turn and he's getting 15/turn. So gaining 6/turn and we're already more than 200 culture ahead. His will increase marginally when the colossus and library culture double (or maybe library already has, don't know when that was built) but ours will increase by 20/turn as soon as we hit 50 culture and his next threshold is 2500 (more than 2000 away, 100+ turns at this rate). So in fact, all we need is one culture building there (for after Stonehenge obsoletes) OR a religion, and we'll keep our tiles. I don't think there's any hope of claiming more tiles without capturing Thessalonica. Therefore the utility of running an artist in Luna is actually pretty low. Obviously we want to reach 50 culture, but there's no hurry.

3. Rhea is fighting Thessalonica and Constantinople to the west and has no chance against them. It's also sparring with Adrianople (which is producing just 2cpt) to the north, over a peak. This peak is the only tile which could plausibly change hands. We'll claim it after a turn or three at the 50 culture level and probably keep it thereafter, so it's worth running artists there a bit if we care about that peak. Honestly I'm not sure I care that much, but the cultural defense won't hurt either. So my view is if we have to run a rep specialist there, might as well make it an artist.

[novice]

Got it.

[novice]

Nothing showed up this turn to threaten Callisto, so things are proceeding smoothly. Sian officially landed circumnavigation, and Luddicator countered our OB offer with another OB for silver offer. No can do. Btw, Luddicator's power graph is rising steeply, but so is ours.

After ending turn we discovered Alphabet and got a great prophet in Io. Next turn it's time for a golden age, caste system, pacifism, and great people bonanza.

Here's the tech situation.
Baseline: Agriculture, The Wheel, Hunting, Fishing, Mining, Bronze Working, Iron Working, Sailing, Animal Husbandry, Pottery, Writing, Mysticism, Mathematics, Masonry, Currency.

Sian: down Mysticism (52), up Calendar (365).
Yuri: up Meditation (83), Priesthood (62), Metal Casting (470).
Fierce: down Currency (418), Masonry (83), Sailing (104).
Luddicator: down Mysticism (52), Masonry (83), Currency (418).
Mackoti: up Polytheism (104), Priesthood (62), Code of Laws (365), Metal Casting (470)
Us: down Iron Working (209), up Alphabet (313), Code of Laws (365), Meditation (83), Polytheism (104), Priesthood (62), Monotheism (125). Also we'll bulb Philosophy (836) next turn.

So, ranked by beakers:
1. Us, up 1679 beakers.
2. Mackoti, up 1001 beakers.
3. Yuri, up 615 beakers.
4. Sian, up 313 beakers.
5. Luddicator, down 553 beakers.
6. Fierce, down 605 beakers.

Power graph:


Fierce is garrisoning his cities quite heavily:


Demographics after ending turn (no tech selected):

[novice]

Sandbox: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15215428/PBEM23/...dSwordSave