[SPOILERS] scooter peruses RB's Greatest Hits

[Tohron]

Yet another random thought: looking at the tech tree, both the Combustion route and the Assembly Line route involve getting Replaceable Parts, Corporations, Chemistry, and Steam Power (the Combustion route would use Corporations for Mining Inc, the Assembly Line route would also want Rifling for Infantry). Given those techs as a starting point, Assembly Line is a bit cheaper to go for, although if it looks like someone else might be racing you for Mining Inc, that could shift your priorities.

[scooter]

Turn 257-260

Well, we are in a race. Some interesting things have happened lately.



A turn or two ago Mackoti suddenly abandoned his quest for Rifling and switched to the Communism path. In this screenshot he just burned his scientist and will complete Scientific Method end of this turn. I haven't started Liberalism yet, so that puts me about 1.5T behind him.

Something must have changed between Mackoti and REM for Mackoti to feel brave enough to ditch his Rifling route. I'm not really sure what happened there. Surely REM would prefer that I get to Communism first? By not threatning him, he may have just gifted Mackoti the spy + Kremlin. If Mackoti beats REM, that'll be why. Maybe REM estimates me to be in a better position than I do?

Anyway, I war-peaced Mackoti and then war-peaced REM, so I've locked down 10T of freedom for myself. I no longer need to get Military Tradition or anything. I do regret burning the 1.5T on Gunpowder, though, but I'm not sure I would have gotten the war-peace until I did. So I'm going to try to race him. He's got about the same treasury as I do right now, but his gold deficit is like 2.5X larger, so I'm crossing my fingers that he's going to run out first while also hoping he doesn't pop an artist in the next couple of turns. It's Mackoti, so he probably will. Also, he got an engineer awhile back, but he had to have used it to launch his golden age, so it should be a straight race for the Kremlin.

If it looks like I'll lose, I'll just take the Physics scientist instead and plan on launching a 2-man GA in a little bit. That would suck, but this is the best chance I've got, so let's go for it.



REM on the other hand is definitely going to attack somebody. It's going to be RMoG.



I assume Mackoti saw this buildup headed this way, and that's why he decided to roll the dice and avoid Rifling.

I'm trying to muster all the Knights I've got to see if I can take a city or two from the remains and then try to lock those cities down before the 10T is up. I won't get much though. RMoG have Pikes, and Knights struggle with those a fair bit more than Cavs. If REM does it right, he might be able to take the cities near me without me being able to do much about it.



This poor city. Have you ever seen an Altar city with 5 whip unhappiness before? (Seriously, I love this city.)



Just noticed that Pocketbeetle is not assigned to research, so I'll fix that in a few minutes. But we're going for this. Scientific Method is pretty close to complete for me, and I'll get some known tech bonus on it from Mackoti. Fingers crossed? Really unfortunate Mackoti jumped off Rifling when he did. If he had waited another turn or two I'd be feeling pretty good about my chances, but right now they look shaky.

[Tohron]

Do all the cities building Research have Libraries now? The extra Scientists and the multiplier would certainly merit weighing against the costs of production/whipping.

[Epoxy]

THE DAILY ROLL

TURN 257–260: THE GAME IS ON

The Ottoman Empire has fallen, beheaded by the Khmer in the first elimination of the game, who have as a matter of course promptly turned their crosshairs onto the Netherlands, cavalry in hand. Byzantium has noticed this new attention, and in the move of the century has switched their research from rifling to communism: they are now gunning for the Kremlin, assured that their defence won't be challenged by foreign adventurism. Hardly a turn too late, they have a fair chance, and the Aztecs feel concerned about their own call on the wonder. The only respite is the massive deficit the Byzantines would suffer were they to go all out, which would deplete their treasury faster than could compensate for the Aztecs' stronger economies. The Aztecs feel determined to make the Byzantines pay for this latest opportunity, else they would find their opponent so much the stronger from enhanced whips, even more recalcitrant and deadly. But possible upsets are abound, there being a chance that the Byzantines will pop a great artist, and hence lightbulb part of the technology required for the Kremlin—this event is at the mercy of the ever-ambivalent random numbers. With ten turns of peace secured with the twin powers of Byzantium and the Khmer, the Aztecs must have more to boast to their rivals by the end of the century.

ALHAZARD, WE HARDLY KNEW YE

Gandhi of the Ottomans. Liberalist and astronomer. Victim. Alhazard already had it tough when they drew REM for a neighbour, but their doom was at the bidding of a more ominous cloud hanging above the equator, someone who would go to great lengths to exert their will and power on rivals: Mackoti of Byzantium. It is not precisely known what invitation beckoned the leader of Byzantium to change targets from the Dutch to the Ottomans, but their instinct was right: Alhazard's civics change on the eve of invasion spelt their doom by abolishing slavery. It was unfortunate that their early-game push for liberalism did not stop this opportunity. In spite of this, the Ottomans furiously struggled against the onslaught of Byzantine, surviving the determined enemy with but a city, before making their final stand against the Khmer Empire. Alhazard did not fail in trying, persisting, and wrestling with the unenviable hand they were dealt.

[Epoxy]

That's not Isengard!

[scooter]

Speed update: Mackoti was clearly going to win to Communism by a few turns, so I'm trying to figure out a plan B. Also debating whether or not to go for the Physics scientist or not considering I'd already teched most of Scientific Method. It will likely allow for a 2-man GA, so it's fairly tempting. Plus the denial value is nice.

[Epoxy]

Speed update: Mackoti was clearly going to win to Communism by a few turns, so I'm trying to figure out a plan B. Also debating whether or not to go for the Physics scientist or not considering I'd already teched most of Scientific Method. It will likely allow for a 2-man GA, so it's fairly tempting. Plus the denial value is nice.

Clearly, the airships from physics should be used to airlift the Kremlin from Mackoti's hands.

[Nekira Sudacne]

Go for it. second golden age can only help, and others getting it will only help them instead of you.

[Brian Shanahan]

Speed update: Mackoti was clearly going to win to Communism by a few turns, so I'm trying to figure out a plan B. Also debating whether or not to go for the Physics scientist or not considering I'd already teched most of Scientific Method. It will likely allow for a 2-man GA, so it's fairly tempting. Plus the denial value is nice.

Clearly, the airships from physics should be used to airlift the Kremlin from Mackoti's hands.

And also correct the spelling of Isengard. That horror must be avenged!

[Tohron]

I'd agree that getting Physics should be a priority - with Chemistry too, that should ensure naval superiority until Combustion enters the picture.

After that, it's a choice between going for Assembly Line or Railroads -> Combustion. With Assembly Line, it's possible to industrialize in 6-7 turns (150% bonus on factories with forge, Organized, and OR, so 9-10 base production can become 73 invested production on the first 3 turns, then do a 3-pop-whip on the 4th turn to overflow 73 hammers from slavery and 25 from base production onto the power plant, leaving 37 production to be filled at a 75% bonus for the next 2-3 turns).

Alternately, getting Corporation and Railroads allows a shot at Mining Inc, which I covered the benefits of previously. It also gives access to Machine Guns, which, since they're immune to collateral damage, would make vital stack defense units if you try to steal the Kremlin from Makoti.

Incidentally, if I was REM I'd be beelining to get Mining Inc. as soon as I reasonably could to reduce the value of the Combustion path for everyone else. Since REM can't see oil without Scientific Method, he would definitely want to delay anyone else getting a modern navy. Fortunately, he's somewhat occupied with RMoG right now, so if you want Mining Inc, now's the time to start pushing that way (and if you do go for that, getting Corporations first would give extra trade-route commerce for all your additional research).