[SPOILERS] Lurkerloos and map discussion

[novice]

Ha, I didn't realize until now how closely my phrasing resembled that of Gaspar. Imitation, Flattery, etc.

Probably a good thing for Scooter that he isnt the only possible horsey source. I don't see how Lewwyn would be able to pin down the supplier unless someone slips in chat.

I think he can figure it out with reasonable certainty. It would have to be someone with a trade route, and the only plausible candidates appear to be Commodore and Scooter. Commodore doesn't have copper.

[timski]

...but Commodore does have 3 fairly safe sources of Horses. Lewwyn's map knowledge is such that they will have a hard time working out which Horses were within Commodore's territory at the time the trade occurred. Ultimately Lewwyn will be unable to trust either Commodore and Scooter, leaving that part of the map with 3 damaged, but competent players/teams, none of whom will trust the other. Sounds like fun.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

On yet the other hand, Scooter is closer to Azza. And Scooter's horses aren't of very much use, considering he gets Impis that aren't facing axes.

[Ceiliazul]

My best guess, with lots of islands in between.

-Xenu was one tile away from meeting Serdoa on t31.
-Brickabod could be 10 tiles from 4x gold, and he wouldn't know it.
-Catwalk is really isolated, if they take to the seas they could do well.
-Plako appears to have his new island all to himself.

[fluffyflyingpig]

That Map trade Commodore made with Azza is biting him in the ass now, scooter knows about the ivory.

[Krill]

Yeah, Commodore probably shouldn't have traded his map away.

That said, how come everyone forgets about horse archers?

[Ceiliazul]

So, did Lewwyn just double move? He moved, Azza offered peace, then he moved again and settled Azza's Iron... I haven't been following the turn splits but seems odd.

Details in Lew's thread.

Edit: Just realized the peace deal negated the turn splits. Sucks for Azza, he was doing well!

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Eh, only really a problem if Azza had a settler in the area. He's unlikely to complain.

Azza seems kind of checked out right now.

[Gaspar]

Azza definitely shouldn't have taken peace until he was prepared to snipe the Iron spot himself. I don't see scooter supplying him with resources non-stop, and right now really he needs HAs or Praets in the next 20t.

[timski]

What I don't think he [Plako] realizes is that we can resettle for horses in just a few turns, with all of our otherwise useless archers, and with a ten-turn treaty and a little pre-chopping, we should be able to build up a nice little chariot force to hold it.

...And what I don't think Merovech realizes is that Plako has a Settler due at that spot next turn! Plako's Settler is currently 1N of Tlateloco. An extra tile of road will allow Plako to settle the Horse spot in one turn.

Plako doesn't have much to gain from conquering Merovech's land, so if Merovech can find somewhere else to expand, their game may not be over.



I think Merovech has two options:

1. Use their Settler for a daring cross-sea eastern Iron plant for much-needed metals. Tactically vulnerable, and ideally wants the Iron in the second ring for food, but it's metal.

2. Hope there is more land to the west. Merovech's hasn't explored beyond their western border, in spite of seeing flashes of green. I suspect Merovech may find BRickAstley's "land of milk and honey".