[SPOILERS] scooter peruses RB's Greatest Hits

[Epoxy]

One of the problems with a dogpile would be mackoti pulling out of the south to defend the more developed cities in the northern hemisphere.

Details. If Scooter is to win this game, we must all broaden our minds and embrace any possibility, no matter how implausible!

[Tohron]

So, how's this for a tech path after Physics?

Replac. Parts -> Rifling -> Corporations -> Chemistry -> Steel -> Steam Power -> Railroad - > Assembly Line

Gets you basic defense first, then extra commerce from the Corp trade route to boost your tech speed, then further improves your defense as you push for Mining Inc.

Incidentally, do you think drafted Rifles (and slow-built Rifles) would justify switching to Nationalism, Caste System, Pacifism during your Golden Age? It would definitely leave you a bit vulnerable to a crippling strike from Makoti, but could power a bulb chain to accelerate acquisition of key techs (and ensure you have a GE for Mining Inc).

[Epoxy]

 We are outgunned 
                 outmanned
                 outnumbered
                 outplanned.

 Airships, dude, airships.

    Airships and a golden age would be pretty sweet for crushing rival cities to the ground!

      Tech up, choose your targets carefully, and then claim a decisive advantage against someone.

       Research assembly line, industrialise, and build up a production edge for crippling economic clout.

With airships, anything is possible.

   Let's attack someone! Mackoti always had it coming.

     Attack Mackoti, the biggest kid on the block, with no backup? Scooter must marshal their allies and forces first.

      Mining Inc via railroad and corporation would also be a sound option. Especially with resource trades. Defence would be strong in the meantime.

The thought of cities screaming to the drone of airship raids fills my heart with warm feelings.

[scooter]

Turn 262-264

I've been struggling to stay engaged the last few turns, but an interesting turn of events has piqued my interest a bit.



Not sure if this has been highlighted elsewhere or not, but Mackoti's Phract names made me chuckle. "theannoyer" and "hot bread is for salle" are definitely my favorites.



This is the damage REM enacted after T1 of the war. I joined the area looking for some pillaging. This was looking more and more like an easy romp.

One thing I did notice here is that RMoG had emptied out PlainsHillSheep. I can safely capture it because Mackoti and REM have enforced peace with me. It's not great and very risky, but cities on the mainland are gold to me, so I loaded up some trash and set myself up to capture it.



I nearly called it off when RMoG sailed two EIs into my land on this past turn. I sat for a half hour or so and tried to puzzle out what his plan was here. It may simply be a self preservation thing of some sort. I thought maybe he wanted to sail into my canal city and unload from there to recapture one of his old cities. It did remind me that he got circumnavigation, so maybe he was even trying to target one of REM's west islands. Who knows!

Anyway, I decided to go for it anyway. I was pretty surprised to see his unit didn't teleport, so I had to check the Civilopedia. Thankfully the Civilopedia actually tells you things in this game, so I now know it can explore enemy territory. Anyway, there's a chance it's loaded and he could revenge-strike me, so I had to shuffle a ton of units to defend the 3 cities he can hit just in case.



Captured and kept. Just had an Altar + Aqueduct. I then offered them a cease fire which I really hope they accept because I'd like the flexibility to re-declare if another opportunity arises. In case they reject, I offered a follow-up deal with a peace treaty + 25g + map as a "payment" which they should definitely accept. I don't think they'll be too mad at me because they were expecting that city to fall to REM, and all I did was take some extremely trivial spoils away from their attacker. That's my hope anyway.



RMoG did manage to capture this city back. I'm not really sure how this happened unless RMoG had some hidden EIs or something. Anyway, at the very least it'll empty out the remaining buildings in the city, so REM may be forced to raze and replace. Not a big setback.

You can see if you look closely that REM has some Cavs in range of that RMoG city. He had a ton of them along with some Knights - I think around 20 units? I was shocked to see on Civstats that the city didn't fall on today's new turn, so I glanced in to take a look.



WOW. That is a crushing loss for REM. He just lost nearly his whole stack and failed to capture. I'm now kicking myself for not having more Knights in range because otherwise I might have been able to take it myself. He does have more Cavs coming so I'm not certain RMoG will be able to hold this city, but I'm no longer convinced REM has enough to finish the job. Yikes.

So I'm puzzling now over the way to go on this new turn. I won't bother finishing Physics this turn because I don't need the scientist yet, and nobody else has put beakers into it. So I'm currently debating over what this means for me and if there's any way I can benefit from this mishap.

edit: Actually, I probably will complete Physics because mass-whipping out a round of Airships would be pretty useful to me. Morning brain there.

[scooter]

Turn 265

Quick update: I think I may have made a mistake actually capturing PHS, because not only did that front city not fall, but RMoG just reinforced it so heavily that I think they might even be able to counter-attack a little bit soon. They're definitely still outnumbered, but I just see no way for REM to really do anything. Anyway, PHS's days may be numbered. I've left some units in it for this turn because it would seem silly for RMoG to attack it so quickly, but I may empty it back out in a couple turns.



When your opponent gets double great generals and you get 0, you messed up.

In related news, I regret war-peacing both REM and Mackoti a little bit, as the 7T it'll take for options to open up feels like an eternity away while I stare at their virtually undefended islands. Anyway, I think I'm going to work towards giving myself military options in that window after all. Might as well. First will be Airships starting next turn, then I need to make a decision between Rifling (longest research time), MilTrad for Cuirs, or Chemistry for Frigates. Leaning towards the latter.

But seriously, if REM fails to make this invasion work, this game is over.

[Cheater Hater]

What happens if REM doesn't make this work--is your only hope really mackoti and REM being equals and killing each other? Or is mackoti making progress I missed?

Was that RMoG peace the ceasefire or peace treaty?

[Epoxy]

THE DAILY ROLL

TURN 262–265: THE DUTCH STRIKE BACK

The Khmer's excursion in Dutch territories has cost them dearly, as a critical mass of defending soldiers obliterated one of their invading armies, netting the Dutch two great generals in the process. But the Dutch situation is still precarious, with the Aztecs and Byzantines snatching some of their more isolated cities, taking advantage of this rare opportunity for easy expansion. In this free for all, the Khmer may be unable to make up for the Byzantines' lead, who are assimilating yet more territory on the back of their recent defeat. With seven turns left to expire on their peace treaty with the rival #1 and #2 powers, the Aztecs are fuming: if they had more soldiers, they could steal more prime land from the recalcitrant Dutch, at the expense of their redoubtable competitors. Now they have made peace, and will wait and see what form of postwar order emerges between the Khmer Empire and Byzantium. In the meantime, foreign undefended borders will continue to tease the Aztecs for their cautiousness, the pretext for a new priority in military techs.

[Tohron]

If you go for Chemistry, it should be with the intention of getting Steel shortly afterward (for Cannons) - having naval superiority won't get you much if you lack a way to kill defending Rifles in a city in a somewhat cost-effective manner. Hence, my plan of putting Chemistry at #4, with Rifling coming earlier to give you a way to capture cities.

Speaking of which, it sound like you'll have 6 turns of enforced peace when Physics finishes next turn. So, question time: if you fire off a Golden Age the turn you land Physics, swap to Nationalism-Caste System-Pacifism to set up another bulb chain (and have the option to emergency draft, and ensure you have a GE for Mining Inc) then research Corporations next to add an extra trade route to all cities (boosting your tech rate), could you follow up with Replaceable Parts and Rifling before the enforced peace expires?

Looking at your current research rate, and factoring in known tech discounts, I think it looks possible - and it could set you up to land Mining Inc. (followed by Assembly Line) soon enough for it to still be a factor. Also, if you delay Chemistry long enough to get a Great Scientist, a bulb could land you +1500 beakers toward it.

[shallow_thought]

Turn 265

Quick update: I think I may have made a mistake actually capturing PHS... (1)


When your opponent gets double great generals and you get 0, you messed up.... (2)

Anyway, I think I'm going to work towards giving myself military options in that window after all. Might as well. First will be Airships starting next turn, then I need to make a decision between Rifling (longest research time), MilTrad for Cuirs, or Chemistry for Frigates. Leaning towards the latter. (3)

But seriously, if REM fails to make this invasion work, this game is over. (4)

Good to see you're back and still having at least some fun!

(1) Nah.  You had to act rather than react. What will this have really cost you in the worst case? Even if you lose this city, it looks like you'll have taken pressure off REM which might well be the right meta-play.

(2) OTOH, I bet you're crying buckets over REM's luck after the last game...

(3) Cuirs. Airships will  help you and make everyone else doubt their plays until they have their own, but after that you need competitive land units ASAP. Otherwise, you're left with more waiting before you can act.

(4) Nah (again). Worst case you have to organise a REM/Plako/you dogpile of Mackoti. Keep calm and carry

[Cyneheard]

Agree that Frigates seems bad - land is way more important here and you can't be a generation behind on land.

Since you're not drafting, I agree that Cuirs are probably the way to go. Airships mean you win at tech parity easily.

Engineering a dogpile may be difficult, but probably necessary.