RB Pitboss #1 [SPOILERS!] - Kublai Khan of Rome

[MWIN]

Thanks for all the updates...

[Munro]

Progress of sorts:

I've accepted Exploit's vassalage offer. Exploit waives a long-standing 5 cannon debt I owe him (part of an old settling agreement I had with Yaz). He also sends me military assistance against dsp / Kodii and will probably try to negotiate a peace deal with them as well. (With Exploit's friend taking over for Kodii this might even be possible).

Obviously the best case scenario all round would be if he can get Dler to turn those stacks on dsp instead of me and it'd be a good chance for Dler to get Kodii's civ back in the game too as (with Broker's backing me as well) I'm probably in a better position to defend anyway than dsp. That's wildly optimistic but I've pointed out the logic of it to Exploit and it's probably a good play for Dler too. Might just depend on whether Dler feels any moral obligation to honour Kodii's former allegience. (Not that they've served Kodii particularly well mind you... dsp basically just left Kodii to his fate while trying unsuccessfully to pursue his own agenda against me).

Meanwhile, I've basically thrown my lot in with Broker and Lins (who Broker tells me are a solid ally). That'll be our core tech trading bloc and we'll keep up by self research and one-off tech trades with whichever other mini-groups emerge. No more mega alliances. The last one (anti-Exploit) doesn't even seem to have made it a whole turn!

Obviously with tech brokering off we'll have to be careful about holding the line. Any tech traded to one of us must be traded to all, otherwise we end up having to self-research it in the end anyway. That'll seriously limit our trading partners since there are so many local rivalries anyway. (Exploit won't trade with Broker now; dsp/shady probably won't ever trade with me). Elkad has no economy left anyway. Rego / Sunrise would be a good fit if they separate from dsp/shady but dsp will be an obstacle to trade if not...

So it might just be the 3 of us for now. With Exploit, keeping up with rego / dsp / shady could be tough though in that scenario if they stick together (and it's a big if). Our long term tech prospects probably rest on splitting rego from dsp / shady, or reconciling with Exploit.

Anyway, there should be a lot more dust to settle over the next few days. Once we get another few turns in, things will probably look completely different again...

[MWIN]

Do broker and Lins not interested in global war against Exploit anymore?
If Lins declare war on Exploit, how are planning to trade with them. As Exploits vassal won't you be at war automatically?

The last one (anti-Exploit) doesn't even seem to have made it a whole turn!

[Krill]

Yeah...can vassals even make peace? I was under the impression that the vassals diplomatic stances were mirrors of hte masters, so the master had effective control over the vassals diplomatic dealings.

[Munro]

Sorry for not posting in a while. Things quite busy for me at the moment in real life as we are getting ready to move house at the end of next week (from Washington DC to San Francisco).

As everyone already knows, I didn't vassalize to Exploit. He rescinded his offer during the extended pause and arranged for me to capitulate to Dler instead, Kodii's replacement. This just seemed more attractive than another hundred years of war fighting off dsp and Dler (capitulating to Dler automatically forced peace with dsp) so that's where we are.

Now I'm focusing on building some infrastructure, and hopefully building a long term alliance with Broker and Lins. I may yet end up at war with Exploit, since Broker is trying to get Dler on board with the anti-Exploit dogpile. If that happens I would expect to be fighting with Dler's and Broker's troops.

If Dler doesn't get on board, then I'll probably be watching from the sidelines as Broker takes on Dler's troops, which will suit me fine. (No more Vassal arrangement after Dler is gone).

[Munro]

Well, sorry for the lack of posts. As mentioned I've been moving house and not had much time on the side.

Last few weeks have gone quite well.

• I've continued strengthening my alignment with Broker and he's used his own tech trades to keep me current in techs.
  
• Dler's heroic / tragic attack on dsp strengthened Broker further while keeping me out of the war with Exploit allowing me to build some badly need infrastructure.
  
• Exploit's abrupt exit gave rego the chance to throw some spoils my way that would otherwise have gone unequivocably to dsp.
  

Very much looking at my future right now as being one leg of a Broker/Dreylin tripos, with me as the war machine / hammer economy to Broker's research / cottage economy and Dreylin's research / gold.

Here's a quick screenshot of my HE / WP capital for the lurkers:



Add another 3 levee'd mines and 3 more workshops and it's going to be a bit of a monster. (The overlap is temporary with my soon-to-be National Epic city on the coast).

[Rowain]

Thanks for the screenie :-)

[Munro]

You're welcome.

Today's screenshot(s) - the industrialization of Rome:



Peace at last! In the last 15 turns, my MFG has gone from last to 2nd place...



... with the help of a very new 34-strong workforce (and growing). Serving now 21 cities. Still plenty for them to do.

[Rowain]

Very nice catchup there :-)

Do you think you will have a chance to win?

[Munro]

I think it might be possible from here, although actually winning the game is not a priority for me.

My main objectives for the rest of this game are
- continue to expand and have fun doing so (kill kill kill )
- remain allied with Broker and Dreylin and beat everyone else into the ground

What happens after that I don't really care. Late game back stabbing and / or a drawn out space race is not really that fun to me and I suspect that the game will wind up once one of the players / groups emerges with clear dominance. (Hopefully a small group that includes me. )