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

[Zalson]

Don't give up hope! Once you have collateral options/CKN, you can put the hurt on OT4E.

Once you start the pile, everyone else will join in.

[Zalson]

Also, he is making a calculated response to the fact that current level warfare isn't profitable. Once you have collateral/catapults, you can change that equation.

But yes, he is out to a great start.

FINALLY: you didn't act out of a desire to save the game. You acted out of your rational interest against a competitor with a very aggressive play on your border. Unfortunately, you weren't able to respond as quickly as you had hoped to and that let to the war being mildly unprofitable.

If you can present that option to your competitors, with a city capture and monstrous power, you will have success. Just keep looking for an opening.

[Charriu]

You are absolutely right. About that collateral: Next after Priesthood I will go Monarchy->Metal Casing->Machinery.

[Charriu]

T118:

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Iron Claw popped borders and next turn the farm tile will be mine again.



Good news. As predicted the 3rd border pop in Forza increased my share on the tile NW. Just a few more turns and it will be mine again. I need another farm in Forza.



Found Shallow's main force on the east side of his empire.



Unfortunately Superdeath city also got it's third border pop denying me that city spot that I wanted to settle near the lake. Well now I definitly need Shallow to capture Superdeath city to settle there. Very sad, I already had plans to build two forts (1NE and 2NE of the iron), so that I could start a naval/amphibious attack on Superdeath through the lake.  



The current situation north of Galura. Superdeath double moved me this turn. Unfortunately the settler did not have enough movement points to settle that city this turn. But next turn I will be able to settle. Should Superdeath have a settler nearby I could claim, then he got himself an advantage because of his double move. The reason why I bring this up is that I see a road connection going from the city ruin in the north.

Question: Should I contact Superdeath about a potential settler race, even though I did not see any settlers from him?

I counted 3 impis and 2 chariots from Superdeath in the area. I myself have 2 archers, 1 axeman and 1 spearman that could fortify the new city immediately. I'm also producing a few more spearman in my empire, so that almost every border city has at least one spearman. So far I didn't see any horse archers from anybody, but you never know.

[Charriu]

T119:

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While looking through the enemy cities I noticed that Superdeath has stables. That's terrible as it could mean he has horse archers by now. Good that I started some more spearman for my border cities.



Liquid Flames borders popped, which is nice. With the mountain in more border I will have better vision on any potential attackers from OT4E.



As expected the border tile near Iron Claw flipped back to me.

Which brings me to my potentially biggest mistake in this game:



I settled my 10th city Byblos, but after settling I noticed that there are more units from Superdeath up north. Together with the borders I already explored he has the following right at/in my border:

• 4 impis (2 highly promoted)
  
• 2 axeman
  
• 2 chariots
  

I garrisoned the following in Byblos:

• 2 archers (one CG2 and one CG1 with Shock)
  
• 1 axeman (shock)
  
• 1 spearman (C1)
  
• another archer at the hill 1SE of the city protecting the worker
  

I also order more troops from Forza, which could be in Galura next turn:

• 2 axeman
  
• 1 spearman
  
• 1 archer
  

Superdeath still can move this turn, let's see what he will do. I forgot to take a power graph screenshot, but Superdeath is below me in power and a little bit below Magic, so that could work in my advantage. He also got 10000 power from Horseback Riding, which I expect nobody else has, so he's even lower in power.

[Charriu]

T120:

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Magic got Iron Working some time ago. Good for him.



I got 50% on the tile NW of Forza back, so maybe it will flip next turn.

[Charriu]

Graphs and Cities post

Graphs:






I hope that when Exdeath matures more and grows over it's cottages that my GNP rises.



I pushed more towards growing my cities in anticipation of my golden age coming along.





Superdeath and Magic have basicly caught up to me in power, but don't forgot that Superdeath has 10000 points from Horseback Riding, so he is actually a bit weaker.



Cities



Exdeath has almost all of it's tiles improved and will serve me well in the future. I want to add walls later, just to be sure.



Wing Raptor also has all of it's tiles improved so far. The other tiles can only be improved with further techs for workshops and irrigation.



It's becoming a classic by now, but Karlabos to is fully improved except for the tiles which need irrigation. I will add some farms in the north for additional growth. Other important buildings in this city will be a Jewish Temple and Walls. I deceided to start those during the golden age and when I'm in Organized Religion.



By now you know what's coming. The only improvements Siren needs are some workshops and another farm. As you can see I spread Judaism here and started a monastery. My goal is to convert most of my cities to judaism before my golden age and Organized Religion comes along. Siren also needs a walls for safety.



Magissa is still working on it's market and waiting for the angry mob to go away. I put some turns of scientist here mainly so that the city does not grow that fast.



Forza will get another farm on the plains east and the contested tile NW. And when I finally take back that plain hill from OT4E I can work a mine there, too, but that will take some time. After the jewish temple it's pretty much done on buildings so far.



I'm waiting with chopping the forest to the east both because of Organized Religion and for Metal Casting to get some workshops there. I definitly want to build a monument here for more culture.



I miscalculated the food in my spreadsheet, so Liquid Flame grew earlier then expected. Liquid Flame only needs another farm in the west so far. As you can see I'm working a settler to settle blue dot between Liquid Flame and Wing Raptor. After that it will definilty need a lighthouse and market. I also want to look where I can get stone, so that I can start the moai statues.



Unfortunately while Karlabos is growing, Iron Claw won't have much food to work with. It desperately needs irrigation to get going, but meanwhile it can work some cheap units and a monument for more culture.



My newest acquistion. I plan to finish that barracks and after that I chop out walls and a granary in that order. I need defense here ASAP. Once that is done I can relax a little bit and start growing.

[Zalson]

Grow to those higher sizes! You'll catch up as you add more pop.

Thank you for the wonderful reporting!

[Zalson]

That said: don't build walls anywhere until you absolutely need them. You're protective. You can get them with enough warning.

[Charriu]

Short:

1. Finish The Great Lighthouse in T107
   
2. Settle blue dot in T102 and build up it's defenses, while Shallow is distracted with RFS
   
3. Defend Lighthouse and Forza as best as I can. Those must not fall.
   
4. Get currency
   
5. End the war with Coeurva/OT4E soon and get another 10 turn peace deal.
   
6. Build 2 more workers
   

Mid:

1. Tech Metal Casting-> Machinery
   
2. Build CKNs
   
3. Build Moai in Lighthouse
   

Long:

1. Finish up RFS
   
2. Take that gold from Coeurva/OT4E
   

I'm very disappointed with my goals from last time. They are way to vague and I lost a bit of focus in the last turns.

Short:

1. Unfortunately Superdeath beat me to the Great Lighthouse. At least the fail gold gave me currency.
   
2. Success and it is now safely in my culture.
   
3. I was really surprised in my success of this goal. Some how my actions diverted OT4E towards RFS.
   
4. Success and not only that I also get myself a religion.
   
5. Success, see 2.
   
6. Success, but I feel that I'm fine with 11 workers for now. Like mentioned in my cities section almost all tiles are improved.
   

Mid:

1. This will be focus for the next 20 turns after I finished monarchy.
   
2. See 1.
   
3. Still in planning
   

So these are my new goals for the next 20 turns.

Short:

1. Settle blue dot and with that finish natural expansion so far.
   
2. Spread judaism to most cities
   
3. Finish monarchy (T126)
   
4. Start golden age (T129) and switch to Heredetary Rule and Organized Religion
   
5. Start and finish some important buildings with OR.
   
6. Grow Exdeath as much as possible to increase GNP
   
7. Finish Metal Casting and start machinery.
   
8. Build up defensive spearman against Superdeath's horse archers.
   
9. Get a stone deal with somebody other than OT4E right before the golden age and start Moai in Liquid Flame
   

Mid:

1. Finish Machinery
   
2. Build CKNs
   
3. Try to profit from any potential war against OT4E or Superdeath.
   

Long:

1. Finish up RFS
   
2. Take that gold from Coeurva/OT4E