[spoilers] Commodore and Dtay are Sitting Bull of Inca, somehow.

[Aurorarcher]

Hahah, that was well dramatized. It's so accurate too!

[Commodore]

That results are in: Damnit, Elkad.

[Commodore]

News screen. At least the failgold will power us through Gunpowder almost immediately; protective muskets are a pretty awesome deal actually. HAK's spy was annoyingly turn-order screwy; I could have effortlessly dealt with the unhappy using HR shuffling, but...Pitboss.

Damnit Elkad, damnit 2x Tasnuke. Props...ish...to HAK.

Thus the game slogs on longer. HAK is “losing” over a hundred GPT in payment to Tasnuke, but that would only be a loss if Tasunke wasn't playing for HAK to win; as it is, he's just funding his vassal's run to galleons. Traditional calculations of “sales” break down if one side just 100% wants the other to win. To use Pitboss One analogies, Tasunke is Sunrise to HAK's Rego. Just obviously with less sanity, etc. That being said, HAK is experiencing some problematic short-term cash flow issues...he's whipped his capital hard, is drafting maces like a Sullla smurf, and is paying off big debts, plus needs Feudalism and Optics, maybe Guilds, for security. This makes me consider where we can go with Liberalism. I think Chemistry is a clear and obvious goal, but I am definitely going to look into the feasibility of Liberalism->STEEL.

Bathing Holy Rome in the hellfire of cannons is the way we end this.

Strategically, the plan is to hold fast. HAK has invested hundreds of hammers into castles and 1-movers, and is drafting himself into tragedy on maces. Huge crossbow forces and heavy catapult stacks mean we need fear no incursion; but currently a big hammer blow just reduces his frontage. We're going to trust Gavagai; their treaty is up and our DoW focuses the mad eye of Mindy upon our giant Masterness...meanwhile, I think Gavagai can be counted on to get some of his own back. Caravels are an empire focus; we need enough to threaten HAK with (galleys mostly empty all over but moving in screened) and also to thwart his minion Tasunke's galleon fleet, incoming in 5-6 turns.

National mood: Pretty calm, actually.

Tactics follow strategy. Our silly burst of EP on HAK had the intended side benefit of giving us vision on Zuludom, so we'll be able to watch any massing. Make no mistake; although we're technically still at war we are very much not going to harm Elkad in any fashion; Amsterdam is a huge shield for us overland. HAK meanwhile is going to continue to be annoyed and harried in the water on both sides; as you see here that means right now sitting on his seafood and inviting attack, best to clear up the triremes before they turn into caravels. But make no mistake, we want HAK focused laser-like upon MilTech like Optics for a while, and tactics will be all in service of that.

Laser focus from Mork and Mindy is...pretty impossible, I understand.

[Krill]

Request: State of the Empire, F5, all city screenshots and min/max/breakeven bpt please.

[Commodore]

Request: State of the Empire, F5, all city screenshots and min/max/breakeven bpt please.

Well, F5 is seen above, I'll grab the rest next turn given HAK's already played (some).

[Ceiliazul]

Incredible "state of the game" montage, loved it. Sorry about Taj, that sucks.

Make sure your Lib feasibility study includes a significant blockading campaign from Tasnuke. (love that name... Was the first use of that moniker a happy accident?)

[Krill]

Request: State of the Empire, F5, all city screenshots and min/max/breakeven bpt please.

Well, F5 is seen above, I'll grab the rest next turn given HAK's already played (some).

I demand to know works totals

[Commodore]

Request: State of the Empire, F5, all city screenshots and min/max/breakeven bpt please.

Well, F5 is seen above, I'll grab the rest next turn given HAK's already played (some).

I demand to know works totals

18.

[Commodore]

HAK, HAK, HAK, HAK...you got to start respecting base strength. A single unpromoted pike won't stop two knights. First had 25% odds as it was, so this second had zero problem at all. Burnt, of course, fixing the old, old mistake. Think Mork and Mindy will try to renege on their payments to Tasunke now?

Still no good pillage gold, alack.

I'll update Krill's request as time permits, but here's an updated image of Inca:

Ballin'

[spacetyrantxenu]

That's a sad, sad little island. It would be a mercy to raze and salt the island before the game ends.