[Spoilers] Defining the phrase "€˜Hung Like a Horse"€™: Pb & the Kuriotates

[pocketbeetle]

I'm going out on a limb and guessing Krill is genuinely curious this one time.

@Krill: the answer's in this post:

One thing that has surprised me is the response to my posts in the tech thread.
They’re meant to be a blatant joke: I picked the worst thing I could be building (Herbalist) and then the absolute worst tech to be researching (Masonry).
Sareln seemed to get it, but Bob and Archduke appeared to partly believe me???

I mean, I know I want to come across as a bit of a noob, but please give me a touch of credit.
I just hope they don’t totally believe it and then think I’m a lying sumabitch!

Herbalist gives +1 health, +10% faster healing to units in the city and +1 more health with Reagents (which I don't have).
I most definitely have not built it, nor will I any time soon.

Now why you couldn't just go through the low low number of posts in this thread and find that Krill, I have no idea.

Edit: Omg 9 pages already, at 30 posts a page?
I may need to rethink that contents page...

[Krill]

I searched this thread for the term herbalist and only got 2 posts, both of which were worthless That'll teach me to trust the search function

[pocketbeetle]

Turn 47:

Vanilla Ice still running. Moved NW-NW.
Wrong move by me, as that turned out to be Sareln’s border after all (the gray makes it -very- hard to tell).

Will move W-W onto the hill next with the aim of heading Southwards.
Tile bleed suggests that the tile SW of the hill is not forested.



Beefy moved SE onto the forested hill, Clogz moved NW onto the plain hills, finds furs and whale.
Boggy B moves onto the plains hill to fortify, Bob the worker continues to farm the mana node.



Clicking end turn brings up Mysticism (next research Exploration).
Kwythellar grows to size 6 and also produces a warrior with 3 hammers overflow (Bug, should have been 4 hammers, production was 5h/turn and the last warrior was on 15/16 hammers).
Next turn will revolt to God-King and Agrarianism.

Since we now have a good idea of where a second city can go, production after the warrior just built will go something along the line of -> Sage Council -> (Warrior to finish growth) -> Worker -> Settler -> Settler.

I’ll draw up potential sites for the next city soon.


Demographics:

• Sareln gained a tech this turn, see below.
  
• Cull from the power graphs appears to have lost a warrior recently.
  
• Rival Av Soldier count went up by 1.6k.
  Since no-one gained pop, that’s 2 warriors and a scout.
  
• Bob took over from Selrahc last turn as Rival highest GNP at 20. His Crop yield was at 16, not far off mine, Mfg Goods 5, pop 6.
  Let’s see if we can break it down:
  • Clearly he’s researching something with a prereq.
    GNP 20 – 2 cult = 18. 18/1.2 = 15. 15 – 8 (palace) – 1 (base) = 6.
    So we’re looking at him getting at least 6c from 6 worked tiles, suggests all riverside?
    
  • Mfg Goods 5.
    We know that he’s low on forests and doesn’t have a riverside plains hill from previous estimates.
    5 – 1 (palace) – 1 (base tile) = 3h from 6 worked tiles.
    
  • Crop Yield 16
    Subtract the base tile yield, get 14 food from 6 worked tiles, an average of 2.3 food per tile worked.
    
  • Clearly has a worker running around.
    Can tell simply from the 6c/3h from worked tiles, when we know he doesn’t have riverside plains hills.
    
  • So, 14f/3h/6c from 6 tiles, no God-King or second city confusing the issue, and we know he’s got multiple 3f/1c tiles.
    It should be easy, but it’s not. Too many combinations unfortunately.
    If I suddenly develop more free time and decide to give a damn, I may try going back a few turns and deconstructing him at 5 pop.
    But for the moment Selrahc is the priority, I haven’t even found Bob yet.
    
  
  

Tech:

• What’s Sareln researching now? Hard to say. Too many variables due to the hut.
  If he’s got 1 commerce resource like I’m guessing everyone has, he could be going Calendar to unlock that, if he got Exploration from the hut then he could be going Hunting to unlock his improved recon line, if he got Ancient Chants he could be going Mysticism, etc etc.
  The only things I can add are: Exploration (roads) are lower value to him, as his units already get 2 movement in forests (which we know he has a lot of around his capital), and that Mining similarly is slightly lower value as he doesn’t need to chop trees down (Elves build improvements on top of forests).
  So to reduce it down to the five most likely paths:
  • Calendar (GNP)
    
  • (Exploration) -> Hunting (Military + religion)
    
  • (Ancient Chants) -> Mysticism (GNP)
    
  • (Ancient Chants) -> Education (GNP)
    
  • (Crafting) -> Mining (Production)
    
  
  

[b]Sareln:[/b]
Last turn that he researched a tech: T31 -> Assigned AH
Next turn he researched a tech: T47
Therefore gap = 16 turns
GNP during period: 15-17 ie research 13-15.
16 turns x 14 = 224b

Still not sure about this, but the high beaker count makes it likely that it’s either Mysticism or Mining at 215b.
Something I didn’t consider in the quote above, is the chance he got Calendar free from the hut.
But Sareln researching Myst or Mining means that didn’t happen, he had to have popped either Anc Chants or Crafting.

Which is it?
Not sure. I noted that Mining is lower value to Sareln, and if it was me in his place, I probably would have gone Mysticism for the GNP.
But the way he’s been prioritising production and pumping out warriors recently makes me a little more uncertain.
Maybe he’ll be nice and helpful by building a Sage Council or switching to God-King in the next couple of turns.

Edit: Otherwise, I'll have to wait and watch for gradual 2 hammer rises in the Mfg graphs.

.

[pocketbeetle]

Brief Diplo:

Sent: Friday, July 16, 2010 8:50:55 PM
Subject: Re: Dwarves^2‏

No worries, there is plenty of time for talk right now since we're still in the primary phase of the game, where the barbarians are more threatening than other players.

Selrahc's new city is pretty close, 6 tiles from my capital (I can see its initial ring just on the border of my capital's third ring). It's also south of his capital, so it is a claim to southern territory, rather than to any of the area around leptum fridgus. I wouldn't be surprised if the city plant was just choosing the best city site for his 2nd city. He hasn't made any angry noises in diplomacy.

I'm sure Cull is quite happy that you pulled some barbarian pressure off of him, those lizardmen are a royal pain to be sure.

-Sareln-

Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2010 12:02:47 AM
Subject: Re: T44‏

Vanilla Ice will be celebrated as a hero of the times!
Seriously though, thanks for that. Southern lizardman moved 1W north of the bananas.

Note to Sareln: when players make audacious settling moves, they don't make angry noises in diplomacy also.
They either go quiet or get more friendly, waiting to see if -you- make angry noises.

[SevenSpirits]

I just read your entire thread. Very informative and fun to read, thanks!!

I think I had a comment about something early on... oh right: I'm pretty sure (95% in BTS, only guessing for FFH) you can't pop techs from huts until you have a city. So it's definitely nice to settle before popping them, since nothing other than a tech is super amazing.

[pocketbeetle]

I just read your entire thread. Very informative and fun to read, thanks!!

I think I had a comment about something early on... oh right: I'm pretty sure (95% in BTS, only guessing for FFH) you can't pop techs from huts until you have a city. So it's definitely nice to settle before popping them, since nothing other than a tech is super amazing.

Hey Sevenspirits, thanks and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

If you're referring to here then yeah you're almost certainly right.
Should have founded the city first, then moved the scout.

Live and learn, thankyou for pointing it out!

[pocketbeetle]

Turn 48:

Vanilla Ice had a change of plan after a skeleton suddenly showed up adjacent to him.
Moved NW-NW, coming into contact with Sareln’s scout (probably the scout that was built a couple of turns ago).

Turns out I was both right and wrong about the tile SW of the hill not being forested, it’s a peak.

But where are the Lizardmen?
I hope I haven’t dumped them on Sareln’s capital. That was not the plan.



Nothing happening at Kwythellar.
Beefy and Boggy B fortify on their hills, Clogz moved SE to fortify on his hill, and the newly built warrior Spadge puts itself on city garrison duty.
Fogbusting net is starting to take shape. Could do with a couple more warriors, but oh well.

Coincidentally, don’t look up some of these warrior names using urban dictionary, Clagnut is another one that will be used soon.
How the developers managed to get them past the censors, I have no idea.




Revolted to God King and Agrarianism.
And in a fit of temporary insanity, threw Pacifism into the mix also.



Still don’t know why I did that.
Part because I’m slightly miffed about not getting a second GSci fast due to Stasis, part because I’m feeling a bit more secure with Selrahc after he’s settled towards Sareln and made no attempt to find my location, part because everything’s on track and Cartography will be coming in less than 15 turns.
Still could come to regret it however, with Orthus coming up.
Worst case scenario, I have to waste a turn revolting back.

And then I receive this Diplo message from Selrahc:

Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 3:27:08 PM
Subject: Exploration

Greetings PB

Well I've found the last of the tribes of this land. A pale breed, averse to sunlight. At first we thought it was more Svartalfar but after checking their ears it turned out to be vampires instead. They're located to the southeast of Archduke and south southeast of Sareln. That rounds up the full set.

North Wind the scout has done his initial recon and is currently heading on a broad arc towards the west. His starting position is near the nothern area of Hippus land, and is arcing around the previous explorations in that area.

If you're available it would be good to get a chat going in the next few days, I've got some issues to discuss that might work a little easier in a faster format.

Regards
Selrahc

Arrrggggggggg!

I don’t want to be discussing -any- issues with Selrahc for another 15 turns yet.
Bargaining position is important!

I believe now is the time to bring my top counsellor M. Keown (title: Hand), into the diplomatic fray.
He will be deployed whenever I wish to delay communications, am absent, or diplomatic relations have soured to such a degree that I no longer wish to interact with a civ (talk to the Hand).

Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 9:11:19 PM
Subject: RE:Exploration

Greeting and Salutations Winter King,

It is with deepest regrets that I must inform you that his Lordship Pb is currently unavailable for any indepth communications.
His favourite centaur recently died and he is in a period of deep mourning.

The Kuriotate Empire is presently being stewarded by myself and a capable outsider.
I will inform his Lordship of your wishes as soon as he returns.

Humble Regards,
M. Keown, Hand to the Kuriotates.



Out of silly Diplo:

Hey,

Sorry I'm going to be away Saturday for a week+, and I'll struggle to find time this week.
Currently running around trying to tie up loose ends, find a sub etc.
Will post this in the tech thread when I've found someone.
Are we okay to chat, say the weekend I get back?

Cheers,

And just so there’s no confusion: I am actually going to be away, something that was planned earlier, I’m just using the timing (hopefully) to my advantage.


Demographics:

• Archduke reached size 4.
  
• Cull gained 16 points score, tech + pop.
  

Cull:
Last turn that he researched a tech: Hasn’t.
Next turn he researched a tech: T39

Therefore gap = 26 turns
GNP during period: Before Stasis briefly reached GNP 15, but after Stasis has barely reached 13, ie 11 research.
Est 80b before Stasis.
After Stasis 19 turns x 11 = 209
= 289b total.

However because we know that he’s currently running around farming stuff with a worker, that means it must be Mining, with the free tech from the hut being Agriculture.
Not as crazy as I first thought then.

Currently he’s researching something without a prereq, either Exploration or Ancient Chants.

Cull:
Last turn that he researched a tech: T39 -> Assigned Mining.
Next turn he researched a tech: T47

Therefore gap = 8 turns
GNP during period: 13, ie 11 research.
8 turns x 11 = 88b.
Either Exploration or Anc Chants, can’t tell.


There’s also this worth noting about Sareln:

Maybe he’ll be nice and helpful by building a Sage Council or switching to God-King in the next couple of turns.

*MAYBE HE’LL BE NICE AND HELPFUL BY GIVING ME A BAJILLION DOLLARS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF TURNS!*

Sent a brief message off to Sareln to warn him about the skeleton:

Dear Queen Sareln,

I have been instructed to deliver an urgent warning to you, that there is a skeleton in the vicinity of your capital.
It is located 1S of the cows, or 2S1E of our hero scout, Vanilla Ice.
Moving your scout 2s onto the hill will probably get it killed.

Humble Regards,
M. Keown, Hand to the Kuriotates.

[Maksim]

Hi!

I'm hoping to do some analysis of the players' positions in this game, and to do so, it would be nice to have some comparable figures. Turn 50 (a nice round figure) is up and coming soon, so could you upload a few screenshots (city view and overall), and describe your situation at the end of it, please?

1) What are you building in your city\cities? What tiles are you working?
2) What is your current research and hammer potential?
3) Do you feel you have been affected much by Stasis? By River of Blood?
4) What techs have you researched so far?

Thanks a lot!

P.S. I'm posting this in every player's thread, by the way.

[pocketbeetle]

P.S. I'm posting this in every player's thread, by the way.

I noticed.

I briefly wondered if you were trying to challenge me as biggest spammer of this subforum.

As for the rest: No.
I don't like doing updates.

[pocketbeetle]

Turn 49:

Looks like Vanilla Ice may be in the clear soon.
Received a message from Sareln saying the Lizardmen have diverted to head for his capital.
Wasn’t the intention, but oh well.



Sareln’s scout may die to the skeleton next turn, 2.8 str vs 3.0.
Maybe Vanilla Ice will be able to pick up that missing 1xp?
Note Selrahc’s borders to the North (Lapland).


Over at Kwythellar, everyone has fortified.
Bob the worker completed the farm, will move over to the forested hill to await Exploration and the ability to build roads.



Agrarian farms have boosted the crop yield nicely.


Demographics:

Bob is currently top rival GNP, going up 1 to 21 last turn.
Since nothing obvious has changed, same pop, still researching something with a prereq, that suggests his worker completed an improvement last turn.
He’s nearly rivalling my GNP now, so I have to assume he’s got a commerce resource online via Calendar (silks/cotton/dyes) or Crafting (wines).

Selrahc gained 34 points score. Uh?
Rival av pop hasn’t changed, so no pop increase in there.
On T43 I said we had about 5 turns to go for Selrahc to get Philo. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to assume some of that score is this. I went back and checked ingame, turns out Philo is worth 22/23 points of score, probably related to it being a third level tech? (I don’t know for sure).
The only other techs earlygame that cost ~320 beakers are Education, Archery and CoL. The latter two Selrahc can't reach yet, while the first I believe is ruled out as the accumulated beakers have gone over ([strike]will check[/strike] checked).

That still leaves 11 score to account for.
Cultural score is out, his capital recently received score for it’s second expansion and isn’t due another for a while.
Second city planted T38, so won’t get +13 points for cultural ownership for another 10 turns on T58.

Which just leaves tech, which leaves huts.
Seriously, the last goddamn person I need getting +techs from huts is Selrahc, closely followed by Bob.
It can be Agri, Fishing, Hunting, Cartography, Crafting, or Education.
I’m ruling out KoTE and Philo branch-offs because I’m assuming they’re worth more than 11 points also.

These free techs from huts seem to be concentrating on first level techs, so I’m going to say (and hope) that Agri and Crafting are most likely.

FFS.

.