[SPOILERS] DaveV and Averax end the revels

[DaveV]

Turn 111. TBS is also going for the Foreign Trade economy, but with Military State instead of Slavery. He'll have a big advantage with FotT, since he'll get a promotion without having to run Apprenticeship.



I'm sending my scouts out for some exploring.




Here's the city screen, since I haven't shown it for a while.




Trying to pump a last round of settlers before the whipping starts.

Turn 112. TBS steals the barb city that I was about to flip, and fires a second golden age. From the number of troops on my border, maybe I'm the next victim. I cranked up the deficit research to finish Philosophy, so I can revolt to Slavery next turn in case I need to whip out an army.






In the south, the barbs are walking across open ground to attack. Sigh.

[DaveV]

Turn 113. Just one turn today.

Revolt time. I meant to switch from Nationhood to Religion, but things get forgetten when I play late at night (for me).



In the north, TBS moved his units away from my territory, but not toward Bob. Maybe superjm is the next victim?




I sent my scout to do some more exploring, and found a griffon. It was really tempting to whack this guy, especially after TBS just razed my future city, but I don't want to give him a reason to turn his stack of doom around. I'm a little safer now that I have Slavery, but my first several rounds of whips are earmarked for infrastructure.



More exploration:




In the south, TBS is not having much trouble dealing with the barb warriors.




In the west, I thought Coriolanus was on a peninsula, but it looks more like a bridge, presumably to superjm's territory.

[DaveV]

Turn 114. TBS's stack is still moving away from me.




There are some good city sites to the west.







Turn 115. Bob cracked the barb city. I wonder how many Moroi it cost him.




In the north, TBS's stack looks like it's going to heal.




I moved the scout north onto the forest after taking this shot, to discourage attack from the griffon.

In the south, our close borders are causing tension. I promoted my zombies in Zbolub to shock last turn, since TBS can one-turn that city after he researches Horseback Riding.




In the west, I've found Amurite borders. It will be tough to establish a trade route. There was a wolf in my way; I forgot to declare nationality on him but no Heralds appeared to pick him off.




The southwest scout is going to head back home next turn.




So far, I've whipped a harbor on turn 114 (in As You Like It) and a settler (in Scottish Play) on turn 115. I plan two more whips next turn.

[DaveV]

Triple report.

Turn 116. I have a trade connection with superjm, so I offered him fish and crabs for open borders. In the north, TBS is slowly healing his stack.




Here's a shot of my capital, with the mouseover showing all my yummy trade multipliers.




Turn 117. superjm accepted open borders, but I still don't have any trade routes with him. I offered a map trade to rectify that situation.



It's a very peaceful world.



Turn 118. Ashen Veil falls to TBS (with a free spread to my north); Bob fires a golden age (to speed up his research to vampires, no doubt).



Map trade was accepted. I am now killing the trade routes.





That's -6, -11 to -13, -49 for imports minus exports for my rivals (presumably TBS, Bob, superjm respectively).

I'm six turns from the great lighthouse, and hoping for some more turns of peace so I can whip in my trade route multipliers everywhere. Note the complete lack of military builds.




Here's a map stitch.




Bob and I have just one land connection, in my southwest and his northwest. A good position to be natural allies; I hope Bob sees it that way.

[Qgqqqqq]

That is an awesome stitch!
Why the inns?

[DaveV]

+25% connection to capital +25% Inn + 50% harbor = 2 commerce internal trade routes .

Edit: and, of course, +1 trade route and +1 happy.

Edit #2: for foreign trade, 150% + 25% connection to capital + 25% Inn = 3 commerce.

[DaveV]

Turn 119. The new city of Antony.




Turn 120. A worthless event.




The new city of Cleopatra (when I eventually remember to rename it).




More whipping.




Cities.

[DaveV]

Turn 121. If no one builds the Great Lighthouse this turn, I'll whip it next turn. That will give me at least two commerce per city, so it's past time to pump up my power a little bit.




Demos are looking pretty good, even with two rivals in golden ages.

[DaveV]

Turn 122. TBS's golden age spree continues.



No one has built the Great Lighthouse, so:




It was painful to whip away all those nice tiles, but not as painful as it would have been to miss out on the wonder by one turn.

TBS is flashing a scary naval unit:




That's a lot of movement. I don't think he'd move it into my view if he were attacking; he'd be more likely to come crashing in from the fog. Maybe he's just dodging the serpent?

But this does make it clear that I need to defend my cities better.

Another new city:




City screen:




Romeo is unhappy with my leadership. Probably deservedly so

[DaveV]

Turn 123 can be pretty well summed up by one picture:



Now that TBS isn't getting any trade route income from me, there's no reason for him not to attack me.

It's game 29 all over again, with TBS in the role of HK, and me in the role of, well, me. It's time to give up on MP and go back to single player games.