RBP3 [SPOILERS] - Friendly Kittens (Ragnar of Maya)

[RefSteel]

Also, HRE, supposedly their 2nd best techer started Steam this turn. It;s due in 17.... Meanwhile, in the space of 21 turns, we're going research all of Rifling, Constitution, and Steam... so, yeah, I'd say we're still kicking but.

Well, you mentioned that you'd like to win. I mentioned that I wouldn't really. So, how come I like optimizing things? Well, your puzzle analogy was good; that's part of it. But here's another big one: If when the Ottomans (who have enough EP to see our research) saw us start on rifling, they saw our ETA, and said something like, "That can't be right; they just got RP! Wait, and they're not even in a golden age?!" ... well, that would be neat. One of my favorite moments in the game was in one of my first chats with Krill, when we were first fielding the idea of taking over Metal Casting. He asked our ETA, and I told him, and he just said, "That's pretty fast." It was partly a 'we're not out of this game yet' moment, and partly just the fact of another team - and a very strong player - being impressed with what we'd done with our civ. I don't care if we win or lose, but I do like building civs.

So, how ARE we doing this well while also whipping our population like mad and (relatedly) farming everything like crazy? Well, partly it's a matter of picking our spots - knowing when and where to whip and so forth - but we've also been fortunate: Carthage has been in a war, Mali has been preparing for one (and I don't think they ever emphasized commerce as much as we did) and CUDDLE was apparently working lots and lots of merchants when they could have been growing and working cottages and things, which was a clever but possibly flawed strategic decision, and of course none of the other three PAT civs are FIN. So ... well, wasn't there somebody around here who once said, "It's better to be lucky AND good?" Maybe in some kind of ice-olation game....

[EDIT: Also, since I mentioned Ornata's name upthread, I should provid this link again. That's what an Indian Desert Cat looks like. (Yes, I realize it's not in a desert in that picture - maybe an oasis?) Fair choice for a gold city?]

[Maniac Marshall]

Well, you mentioned that you'd like to win. I mentioned that I wouldn't really. So, how come I like optimizing things? Well, your puzzle analogy was good; that's part of it. But here's another big one: If when the Ottomans (who have enough EP to see our research) saw us start on rifling, they saw our ETA, and said something like, "That can't be right; they just got RP! Wait, and they're not even in a golden age?!" ... well, that would be neat. One of my favorite moments in the game was in one of my first chats with Krill, when we were first fielding the idea of taking over Metal Casting. He asked our ETA, and I told him, and he just said, "That's pretty fast." It was partly a 'we're not out of this game yet' moment, and partly just the fact of another team - and a very strong player - being impressed with what we'd done with our civ. I don't care if we win or lose, but I do like building civs.

So, how ARE we doing this well while also whipping our population like mad and (relatedly) farming everything like crazy? Well, partly it's a matter of picking our spots - knowing when and where to whip and so forth - but we've also been fortunate: Carthage has been in a war, Mali has been preparing for one (and I don't think they ever emphasized commerce as much as we did) and CUDDLE was apparently working lots and lots of merchants when they could have been growing and working cottages and things, which was a clever but possibly flawed strategic decision, and of course none of the other three PAT civs are FIN. So ... well, wasn't there somebody around here who once said, "It's better to be lucky AND good?" Maybe in some kind of ice-olation game....

[EDIT: Also, since I mentioned Ornata's name upthread, I should provid this link again. That's what an Indian Desert Cat looks like. (Yes, I realize it's not in a desert in that picture - maybe an oasis?) Fair choice for a gold city?]

[RefSteel]

And while I'm on names: I'm not in love with any of the worker names in my microplan. Feel free to change them; I thought I'd explain who they are though. Because most of our workers are Disney animated cats and I think we were running out (there ARE still a few left though) I figured the ones out of Feng Shui could be cartoon cats from the far east, meaning Japan. Everyone probably knows all about Hello already, but I owe knowledge of the others to my otaku college roommate.

Nuku Nuku is an android with the (cybernetically-enhanced) brain of a cat. And retractable cybernetic cat ears. And cat-like teeth. No, wait, wait, the NEXT one is the weird one!

This is Shampoo. Uh ... I guess she doesn't look much like a cat. Hang on a sec. [Finds a bucket of cold water] ... [Splashes it in her face] Okay! So, this is Shampoo! Don't pour any hot water on her though, okay? Because she'll turn back into a girl and apparently she's a really dangerous martial artist or something and she probably doesn't appreciate the whole bucket-of-cold-water thing.

[Maniac Marshall]

You know, after giving it some thought, and re thinking it in my head, it's only 2 tile turns, not 4, meaning we're weighing 2 worker turns vs 2 tile turns... Ordinarily waiting a turn to whip all else being equal is the thing to do, but I think that was faulty thinking on my part, so we should probably just whip the workers this turn.

However, I'll do whatever jives with the version of the worker plan is posted as neither is exactly game changing

The timer is back to 24hrs unfortunately, so hopefully you can post the worker plan at some point tonite, because I'll need to play tonite.

Anyhow, just got home from the long drive 20 minutes ago, and I have about enough time to grab 3hrs sleep before work, so TTFN (Hmmm, now that's a disney cat we haven't used!)

[RefSteel]

Worker plan updated here.

Also note that the FS spreadsheet I posted above actually does NOT recognize rifling is in on T149; that was a different version of the spreadsheet, and was too much of a kluge to be worth posting. Fortunately, I don't think we're planning on starting any units there before Rifling anyway.

[Maniac Marshall]

BTW: I'm fine with using anime cat names for workers, unless you'd prefer we go with that theme for Rifles, of which we will hopefully have a lot. Meanwhile, my gf compiled a list of Disney cats right down to the obscure cat that belongs to Alice a while back which I could get from her and post tomorrow.

If we use anime cats for workers, then I'm open to a suggestion of what to name our Rifles and Cavalry =)

I see you're in game, so I'll check back in in a while. Going to make supper and go to bed early tonite.

[RefSteel]

If we use anime cats for workers, then I'm open to a suggestion of what to name our Rifles and Cavalry =)

Weren't we were going to use Kilrathi pilots for the rifles? We could certainly go with obscure Disney cats for the workers though; just tell me what we're naming them and I'll update the worker plan accordingly.

I see you're in game, so I'll check back in in a while. Going to make supper and go to bed early tonite.

I'm out now - did nothing except to assign new builds in cities that had completed things (didn't even switch builds around where needed).

[RefSteel]

Except now: Managed to get into chat with Maniac. Played and ended turn.

[Maniac Marshall]

FYI: Did the math on what Sci Meth will do to our teching. Was pleasantly surprised that if we got the tech right now, it would only cost us 38.9 beakers.

Should we build an Aquaduct at Kilrah after the Currie in production? This would finish the duct the same time as Cavalry become available. I don't see any other buildings that we'll 100% want to build here, but a duct is something we'll have to build.

Also, are we going to have our own marble in time for the NE, or do I need to start begging around for some?

[Maniac Marshall]

Mali is very heavily suggesting we need to switch everything over to military production virtually instantly. They seem to think they are about to get their asses handed to them, and that the army will then turn around and immediately attack us. He suggests we use HR and Nationhood as end stage civics and draft the hell out of everywhere.

I really think he's panicking overly much, but we'll see.

Meanwhile, I had been talking to Inca about a NAP before leaving for the wedding... seeing the size of that stack of units... I've gone ahead and sent them an offer of a NAP. Better safe than sorry I think.