[SPOILERS] Charriu and Zalson are fighting the honorable post count war!

[Charriu]

Yes, I may be able to do that, but the other question is do want to keep Utopia. I don't like how the city is positioned. Yes, it would give me access to silk and dye, but it would also be under hard culture pressure from RFS capitol and it also borders Coeurva, who at the moment has a large army of axeman. I think it will be better to draw troops from RFS towards this city, so that he can prevent an attack by Coeurva. There's also the possibility to raze the city, but that would be like gifting that land to Coeurva.

[WilliamLP]

1. C1 Shock Swordsman     vs     CG1 Archer = 64% -> Loss (Archer 1.1 HP)
   
2. C1 Shock Swordsman     vs     C1 Axeman = 63.3% -> Win (Swordsman 1.4 HP)
   
3. C1 CityRaider Swordsman     vs     C1 Axeman = 63.3% -> Loss (Axeman 1.0 HP)
   
4. C1 Shock Swordsman (Amphibious)     vs     Axeman = 23.7% -> Loss (Axeman 0.8 HP)
   
5. C1 Shock Axeman (Amphibious)     vs     C1 Spearman = 77.5% -> Loss (Spearman 1.4 HP)
   
6. C1 Shock Axeman (Amphibious)     vs     Spearman = 89.1% -> Win (Axeman 0.2 HP)
   
7. C1 Chariot     vs     C1 Spearman = 89% -> Loss (Spearman 0.7 HP) 
   
8. C1 Chariot     vs     CG1 Archer = 96.6% -> Win
   
9. C1 Chariot     vs     C1 Spearman = 99.9% -> Win
   
10. C1 Chariot     vs     C1 Axeman = 99.9% -> Win
    
11. C1 Shock Chariot     vs     Axeman = 99.9% -> Win
    

Nice work!  Even though you had some bad luck with individual battles. It's more fun to be the one capturing cities, isn't it?

[Charriu]

Oh yeah, you bet. Capturing a city in SP can never compete with capturing a city in MP.

[Charriu]

T97:

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Somebody has founded Hinduism. I suspect either Magic or Shallow to be the one. Let's hope it is Magic. RFS moved some troops in front of Lighthouse, so I started an attack again:

1. C1 Chariot     vs     C1 Spearman = 1.1% -> Loss (Spearman 4 HP)
   
2. C1 Shock Chariot     vs     C1 Spearman = 2.4% -> Withdraw (Spearman 3.4 HP, Chariot 0.4 HP)
   
3. C1 Chariot     vs     C1 Spearman = 8.1% -> Withdraw (Spearman 3.4 HP, Chariot 0.9 HP)
   
4. C1 Shock Axeman     vs     C1 Axeman = 75.7% -> Loss (Axeman 2.8 HP)
   
5. C1 Shock Swordsman     vs     C1 Axeman = 36.5% -> Win (Swordsman 2.4 HP)
   
6. CG1 Drill Shock Archer     vs     C1 Spearman = 61.7% -> Win (Archer 2.4 HP)
   
7. C1 Shock Chariot     vs     C1 Axeman = 99.9% -> Win (Chariot 2.4 HP)
   

Losses:
RFS:

• 2 axeman
  
• 1 spearman
  

Me:

• 1 chariot
  
• 1 axeman
  

I admit I was lucky this time.



Lighthouse should be safe for now. He could only attack it with chariots right now and I did not see any of them from him so far. I could have attacked and capture Utopia this turn, but I deceided against it for the following reasons:

• I don't like how that city is placed
  
• It would have a food resource
  
• Culture pressure from RFS capitol
  
• I would not have units to defend it.
  
• Razing it would just give up this land to Coeurva
  
• The archer on the hill could retake it
  

But nonetheless I positioned 2 chariots north as you can see. I hope to pillage the ivory camp next turn. My loaded galley travelled south, in two turns I'm at RFS capitol. I also noticed that I somehow got trade connections with Superdeath and Magic while I was doing my turn. Still don't know how that happened, but here is what they have to offer.



I find it interesting that Superdeath does not have ivory although he has a city on it.



Now that I have trade connections with Magic I offered him an open border agreement again. Maybe he will take it now.

I will try to end my war with RFS in T99, when I can see/attack his capitol. Also you remember his lonely axeman near Galura, next turn he can move it to the oasis near Galura and I will attack him there, which will give me a Great General as I'm currently at 29/30 points. Other than that I don't see much value in keeping on fighting. My maintenance is already very high. I also finish Masonry next turn and will start The Great Lighthouse.

[Lewwyn]

Why have you predetermined peace?

[Charriu]

Here are my reasons:

• My finances are running very low. Right now I could only run 10% science
  
• RFS still has 5 cities. Capturing all of them is financial suicide right now.
  
• I also want to settle the blue dot spot east of Karlabos as a defensive position towards Shallow. Right now I still have the chance to settle there before his culture comes in.
  
• I expect that in order to capture his capitol I need more troops and propably cats or CKNs
  
• My battles so far were a bit unlucky and we lost units more or less evenly.
  
• My army right now is pretty damaged and would need time to heal. During that time RFS can build up more.
  
• I fear that this war could drag on from this point, because RFS building up more and more units. This could be costly for me in gold and happiness.
  
• My peace with Coeurva ends in T102, by that time I would rather not be in a war with RFS and prepare my border cities for any attacks.
  
• And last but not least. I feel like you should need a plan of what to accomplish in a war and more important how and when to get out of one.
  

[Charriu]

I also just noticed that I missed to post a screenshot of the current unit positions around RFS.

[Charriu]

I also noticed that I somehow got trade connections with Superdeath and Magic while I was doing my turn. Still don't know how that happened, but here is what they have to offer.

Ha, I just realized what caused this. I connected Lighthouse via road with my trade network. Seeing that the only road not going through RFS territory is the road north to Coeurva, I presume that the trade connections to Superdeath and Magic go through Coeurva's territory. I suspect some of the northern players also got Sailing establishing trade that way. After all I did not see a road from Coeurva to Superdeath, while I was scouting north of Galura.

[Charriu]

T98:

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The turn started with an open border agreement from Superdeath. I accepted it. Unfortunately my open border agreement with Magic only net me a 3 gold trade in Wing Raptor. Superdeath also discovered currency this turn. That's 2 players with currency so far, which will give me a nice KTB. I actually continues to research currency this turn.

Looking at the RFS front revealed a surprise.



RFS abandoned Utopia. I thought about it for a while and deceided to capture and keep it.



The capture netted me 25 gold, which was my main reason to take the city. The other was that if RFS abandons it Coeurva could just easily come in and take it. I don't intend to defend that city right now, because I still have a peace treaty with Coeurva until T102. Maybe RFS retakes the city, which would be fine with me right now. I also pillaged the ivory camp for 7 gold, like I said I don't intend to keep this city right now.



I scouted a bit with my fully healed units, while I am waiting for the healing and nothing dangerous in sight. I suspect that RFS retreated the axeman and the archer to his capitol, which I can see next turn.



Unfortunately RFS did not move the axeman to the oasis, but I suspect he will move to the desert hill 1SE of him next turn.



Shallow continues to explore my territory. Unfortunately I cannot spare any units right now to explore his, too. I'm actually a bit afraid about his galley near Karlabos. He could have boarded some units on it looking for an easy snipe at my cities or units, but that would be really mean. Am I too paranoid?

EDIT: Shallow also whipped 3 times this turn. Maybe he thinks I'm an easy target. Currently I have 1 axeman, 2 spearman and 1 archer in Karlabos, which would be a good defense for now, but the rest of my empire defense consists only of archers with only 1 spearman in Forza. But should I need them I could quickly whip some spearman.

[Charriu]

Ha, stupid me. Shallow could also whip units and attack RFS. He likely fears that RFS is collapsing fast and wants a piece of the pie. Another reason why I want to peace out on RFS, so that he can start defend against Shallow.