Zalson plays one turn at a time [COMPLETE]

[Zalson]

I might consider consolidating the two cities north of Baghdad into one, located 4N 2E of Baghdad, where it reaches both the deer and sheep. This gives up the copper and gold tiles on the coast -- but you don't need those tiles. You already have the resources, and you won't have enough food to work them; that sheep is only 4F which leaves the city at just +2 surplus if it works the copper, and that's not good enough. You can always still settle the "1" later after that if you still want it.

So 1 east of the existing x that's N of Baghdad? That's seems like a plan. City there would have a +6 food surplus. Which is enough to whip. Cottage the grassland and that sites ... mediocre. But what isn't? (Answer: Fish/Cow/Horse city).

Meta-tip: turn on flying camera mode for high altitude dotmap shots.

I knew I was forgetting something. Thanks for the hot tip.

I started waffling on attacking Ramasses, but have come down firmly on it being the correct choice. If I can crush him, that opens up a lot more land. I've got the economy to do it -- plus I can only win by Conquest. No point in having friends.

So, probably 10-15 turns to attack. Want to have 5 or 6 cats -- does anyone know how long it takes to 1 shot a 40% city defense with cats? That might not be a reasonable expectation.

So, how do I get there? I'll try to write up some thinking on that tonight.

[T-hawk]

It's been a while, but IIRC catapults bombard 8% at a time, so it takes 5 to strip a 40% city in one turn.

Walls halve bombardment damage and also provide a minimum 50%, so for any city with that, you're looking at 12.5 bombardment actions.

[Zalson]

T98
Kept science at 0% for one more turn and kept the worker in Mecca.

T99
Whip the worker out of Mecca. 89/60 overflow for 29 overflow into an axe, plus 1 chop next turn for 1 axe and another on T101.

Inefficient worker movement means I miss out on moving directly onto my plains hill SW of Baghdad to chop. I’ll stop to think before I move them next time.

Spread Judaism to Kufah.

That gives me:

T100
2 axes
Construction in 4

T101
3 axes (1 out of Mecca)
Construction in 3

T102
5 axes (1 out of Baghdad, 1 out of Mecca)
Construction in 2

T103
6 axes (1 out of Medina)
Construction in 1

T104
9 axes (1 out of Damascus, 1 out of Baghdad, 1 out of Mecca)
Construction comes in. Start catapults.

I think once I get construction, I’ll go for calendar. That’ll give me +3 happy. The other option would be Meditation/Priesthood/Monarchy — for about 1 extra turn of research time. That’s +1 happy … I think calendar is the better choice.

[Zalson]

Judaism spread to Najran.

Baghdad can finish an axe in 1 T, but I’d rather chop out the axe and overflow the chop into an extra axe. Adding the plains hill will help.



Medina can complete its barracks this turn. Woot.



Mecca completes an axe next turn. I’m holding off on the chop for the time being. Can complete 2 more axes that way.



Workers are going to chop and add another mine, then head down and mine the hill E of Damascus. Then it is off to the north for a while.

I probably want to squeeze in the silver city sooner rather than later. The +1 happy will be worth. Maybe I can get it out sometime soon…

2 axes and +1 next turn.

Then +3 turn after that.

[Zalson]

T101
Axe completes in Mecca (start another). Chopped out.

Barracks completes in Medina (start an axe; I got excited because I thought it was an axe. Then I went and looked for it and was sad )



Axe chopped out in Baghdad.

Damascus has started on a scientist, thanks to the governor.



251/522 beakers on Construction. So, I grabbed a few scientists at Mecca and Damascus to get the ETA down to just 2t remaining (116 BPT). #microskillz

+2 axes next turn; +1 the turn after.

T102
Another chop into Mecca for another axe next turn.

391/522 on Construction: completes next turn.

[Old Harry]

Growing Damascus t101 would let it work two scientists t102...

[Zalson]

I think I'm running 2 in Damascus and 2 in Mecca. Damascus is at the happy cap.

Since I'm at the happy cap in nearly all my cities my next move is calendar. That'll get me +3 happiness which is more than I can immediately get via Monarchy.

[Old Harry]

Ah, I missed the happy cap.

Have you got combat workers for your stack?

[Zalson]

Have you got combat workers for your stack?

That is a very good point. I'll probably need 3 for the initial attack, since it will be overland on desert.

[Zalson]

Have you got combat workers for your stack?

That is a very good point. I'll probably need 3 for the initial attack, since it will be overland on desert.

To that end, I'll try to illustrate the theater of war tonight.