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

[pocketbeetle]

I favour the filler settlement between Caledor and Kwythellar being on the road, so it can get some cultural defenses and help blunt a big raider push.

It was an early intention to found a settlement 3S of c5 (which I think is Profane's red dot?), mainly to pick up the second Cow and eventually gain cultural control of the desert peak gap. Diso having a Cow resource near it has pushed that back, but we'll see.

I'll start marking out some Fort locations when I have the ability to build them (Construction).

There's a forest missing between the peaks to the north

Which means?

If I’m going to get spanked anywhere, it’s in my lack of MP warfare, and the single player tendency to try and farmer’s gambit while I tech for the military equivalent of tanks vs spearmen.
As such, I’m going to make a conscious effort to maintain a credible power rating at all times – if I start posting pictures of my main cities being defended by 2 warriors, please slap me.

So, how are the home defenses at the moment?

I read and realised that two days ago, and honestly made the commitment to verbally slap you all for failing miserably to stop me!

But seeing as you've now asked the question Ilios, let's review my massive city garrisons:

• Kwythellar: 1 warrior
  
• Caledor: 1 warrior
  
• Avelorn: 1 warrior (Combat I!)
  
• Karond Kar (frontline city): 1 GArtist...
  

In the meantime I've teched to my tanks (Centaur Archers) and will start building them next turn.
It would seem I have a way of playing this game, and without outside influence I tend to fall back into it.

Don't get me wrong, I've been seriously worried for the last 5-10 turns, because by my reckoning Selrahc's Priests are definitely home somewhere. And if he'd done something even remotely threatening, like placing them on our border, I would have instantly gone to full alert.
But... he didn't and now I should be in the clear.
Nevermind!

[pocketbeetle]

Turn 117:

Short turn update.
Diplo screen shows Iskender settled his fifth city, Murousbane.
Selrahc now has two sources of Ice mana, mouseover for Letum Frigus confirms he's roaded to it.



Kwythellar produced another engine of death and destruction to add to the Hunter arsenal.
CloverLeaf sprang into action and followed Pixiefoot’s trail up North!

Clicking end turn produced the fourth Kurio Hunter in Kwythellar, next up is a Zealot for Avelorn. Micro’d in a Hawk earlier from Caledor.
I like seeing all those “1t” production city details, iz gud stuf.

Interesting detail: see the tile 2W of Diso?
If you look back at other screenshots, you’ll notice that it’s not actually culturally claimed by any city.
But because my culture controls all tiles around it, it becomes 0% Kuriotates and workable. One of those mechanics which you do know about, but it happens so rarely that it can be unexpected.
Anyway, so Karond Kar actually had four choppable forests, one of which got chopped this turn.


Demographics:

• Selrahc lost 21 points of pop from whipping this turn.
  
• Bob and Cull gained a pop point.
  
• Iskender gained 21 points, 6 of which will be pop but the rest?
  I’ve got him as potentially researching a tech last turn, so assuming he’s not researching something in 1t, I guess last turn was 2 pop growths? Ah well, doesn’t matter.
  
• Sareln switched to FoL religion, gained 10 points cultural score for Schwartzwald.
  

[Jabah]

Interesting detail: see the tile 2W of Diso?
If you look back at other screenshots, you’ll notice that it’s not actually culturally claimed by any city.
But because my culture controls all tiles around it, it becomes 0% Kuriotates and workable. One of those mechanics which you do know about, but it happens so rarely that it can be unexpected.
Anyway, so Karond Kar actually had four choppable forests, one of which got chopped this turn.

I hopeyou didn't forget to 'give' this tile to Karond Kar, because that would be a shame to get 'chopped' hammers going into a settlement

[Maksim]

Why are you going for Drama? You already have a Great Artist to kick off another Golden Age - is this purely for denial purposes?

Also, you mentioned earlier that you were going for a Great Prophet (for the RoK shrine, presumably?) as the next great person. Is this still the case? How long before he arrives?

[pocketbeetle]

I hopeyou didn't forget to 'give' this tile to Karond Kar, because that would be a shame to get 'chopped' hammers going into a settlement

Yeah don't worry, I've only moved the Worker onto that tile this turn.
But thankyou for the reminder, I've forgotten that so many times in previous games. =)

Why are you going for Drama? You already have a Great Artist to kick off another Golden Age - is this purely for denial purposes?

Hey Maksim,

Went over the plans for the GArtist here.
Also don't forget this post detailing tech plans.

Specifically:

Tech path:

Hunting -> Archery -> HBR -> Stirrups -> Writing -> (Drama?) -> Philosophy -> Priesthood -> Masonry -> Construction -> BW -> Warfare -> Sanitation -> Military Strategy.

Insert CoL, Currency, Trade, Sailing, Arete, Mind Stapling, KotE, Divination where appropriate.
As always, subject to change.

That's already changed to:

Stirrups -> Drama -> BW -> (Bulb Sanitation) -> Writing-> Masonry -> Construction -> Philosophy -> Priesthood ->Warfare -> Military Strategy

I've moved Drama up because I'm worried about the #2 GNP (Selrahc), who by his own admission has Festivals, and I haven't the foggiest about where he intends to go next (probably BW and Axemen if he doesn't have already).

I originally intended to bulb Sanitation after researching Construction and before researching BW, because that was more advantageous to Avelorn.
Problem is, most of my workers are currently around Kar Karond, and those jungle tiles are annoying.
Hence prioritising BW over Construction, Avelorn is pretty happy spamming Settlers/Workers/Temples atm.

Short answer is: I intend to use one GArt to bulb Sanitation, another for a GA. (Assuming I manage to land it)

Also, you mentioned earlier that you were going for a Great Prophet (for the RoK shrine, presumably?) as the next great person. Is this still the case? How long before he arrives?

Yes indeed, I'm still planning on getting a GPro as the next GP, but because I'm no longer Philo or Pacifistic it's going to take ages.
Next gpp level is 336, I'd estimate Avelorn is around ~50?

That's why I'm building a Zealot in Kwythellar, to spread OO and get an OO temple up in Avelorn.
I also have the option to build a Pagan temple for a maximum (at this time) of 3 priest specs = 9gppt = 18gppt in a GA.

Either way, not going to be popping that GPro anytime soon, probably will have to get the National Epic up first.

[Maksim]

Hey Maksim,

Went over the plans for the GArtist here.
Also don't forget this post detailing tech plans.

<snip>

Short answer is: I intend to use one GArt to bulb Sanitation, another for a GA. (Assuming I manage to land it)

Ah, missed the GArtist post - I just re-read the tech plan one before posting the questions. This is what puzzled me - by your earlier explanations, it sounded like Drama was less useful than it actually is.

Bulbing Sanitation is a powerful move - that +1 food per farm will increase the growth speed nicely, provided you still have sufficient happiness to grow into. And it will bring the fourth mega-city to a good size quickly.

Yes indeed, I'm still planning on getting a GPro as the next GP, but because I'm no longer Philo or Pacifistic it's going to take ages.
Next gpp level is 336, I'd estimate Avelorn is around ~50?

<snip>

Either way, not going to be popping that GPro anytime soon, probably will have to get the National Epic up first.

That is a real shame, as with the deficits you are running, you could definitely use a shrine or two. It's hard to say with your binary science, but I'm guessing your positive cashflow research percentage is in 60-70% range, which is rather low for a vertical-growth civilization like Kuriotates.

Finally, now that you can build Centaur Archers who will provide the bulk of your defense, how can you make them better than normal - I'm talking things like building them out of your current capital which gives them a +2 XP due to command post.

Would acquiring Copper provide a benefit to them? Does Enchantment 2 spell (Enchanted Arrows) work on them?

Or, you know, feel free to throw the question back at us, and hold a "Pimp My Centaur" contest.

[pocketbeetle]

Pimp my Centaur!

Omg Omg, so with like, Centaur Archers soon to be streaming out of Kwythellar like, I need to find ways to make them more uber than they already are!!1! :kisskiss:

I'm in that Donald Trump gameshow civic and have the Command Post thingy-majiggy, so I think they're starting with 4xp straight away (1 away from the next promotion BOOOOO!) . :hippie:
But I'm going to leave it you happy readers () to suggest ways of making them really really really cool.

Now, I don't want to hear any silly recommendations from you guys.
Metals such as Copper don't work with Centaurs and suggesting Enchanted Arrows, which is a buff for Archery units not Mounted Units, will just get the other kids laughing and pointing at you!


So, without further ado, hit me with all your fabulous ideas and may cookies rain from the sky!

[Profane]

Courageous Valorous Aggressive Water-walking Nightmare-Mutant-Stigmata-Sentry Raider Centaur Archers from Avelorn, of course!

Add in Morale from Ride of the Nine Kings, Aggressive/Raider trait combo, Form of the Titan, Conquest, Apprenticeship, Command Post, and Theocracy, and you've got yourself 20xp monsters to play with!

What it might look like (pretend it's holding a bow). Hey, it's the closest picture I could find!

[Ilios]

Don't know about pimping, but I think your first Centaur should be called Priapus... :D

[Profane]

Are Roman names fine too? Like Mutunus Tutunus or Biggus Dickus...