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

[Krill]

That empire looks boring though.

Much nicer to have an empire that looks like a lunatic has carved it from swiss cheese.

[pocketbeetle]

14 with the one offscreen if I didn't miscount. And 3 gold resources. I have a feeling I know what your ramblings will be about
edit: Overlooked 2 at Adonias (what I would not have realized without Krills 16 post below)

16?

Yup!

Oh, keep a stiff upper lip, old chap! Mustn't grumble about the others' lot in life being much better than yours. After all, you've done a fine job pulling yourself up by your bootstraps - envy of the world you are.
Or are you going to demand equality like one of them godless socialists? That would simply not do. Frankly, we expect better from a gentleman of your caliber.
So what if they have floodplains and gold while you have a rusty spoon and a boot with a hole in it? That never stopped an true Englishman born and bred, and you've been proving it since day one.
So stop making those undignified noises, curl up your mustache and go out in the midday sun where none dare go - none but you and mad dogs, anyway!

Quite right old chappy!
Leading from the front and all that malarky.
Tally ho!

That empire looks boring though.
Much nicer to have an empire that looks like a lunatic has carved it from swiss cheese.

Wonderful.
For the 600th reply of this thread, my Empire is...a Swiss cheese. :neenernee


I appreciate the comments folks, more updates tomorrow. =)
Now shouldn't you all be in the lurker thread, speculating on what Bob/Dave's reaction will be to the Hawk infestation? ^^

[Mardoc]

As other lurkers mention, 16. Which, admittedly, would look much better in Kurio purple...But that's surely not indicated - after all, you're only #1 in Soldier ranking and production, with a large and growing tech lead - that's no time for a war!

Of course, my advice may be tainted by a desire for lurker excitement, rather than what would actually be good for you

Edit: In fact...why limit yourself to one war? Give it a couple turns, and your power will equal any two of them combined!

[Tatan]

Edit: In fact...why limit yourself to one war? Give it a couple turns, and your power will equal any two of them combined!

Why limit yourself to two wars? Just declare on everybody! BUT WAIT!!! Why limit yourself to five wars?! Built the Mercurian Gate and take over both civs for 10 wars!

[Maksim]

I really need to write a few of these in the other players' threads, but so far, yours just seems to provide the best raw materials:

I also get an irrelevant event – healing and +1xp to one of the future Dancing Bears.

A possible alternative is that it’s a Hidden Nationality Illian Bear explorer...

And thus, "Tales of the Bears", a collection of Kuriotate stories referencing these fine ursine mammals, is born!

- Aargh! The bear, the bear is coming! Aargh! Run for your lives!

The villager ran at full speed through the main square of a sleepy hamlet in the north-east of the Kuriotate empire, finally stopping before the elder's house. The elder himself, a jolly rotund man, was sat on the veranda, enjoying his leisurely lunch of smoked meat and pickles.

- Calm down, my good man. Calm down and tell me what's happened.

- I saw a bear... It was heading towards us. It will be here any minute!

A crowd was gathering now. The elder raised an eyebrow and scratched the back of his left hand where a centaur hoove bruise was just beginning to fade.

- Calm down, everyone! Remember how last time you were so scared about a sea monster in the river, and it turned out to be just one of them mer-folk? All creatures, great and small, are welcome in the God-King's realm. We should accept them for what they are, and extend our hospitality to them. Now, go and get prepared for our new guest!

...When the bear finally limped over the hill into the village, it was surprised to find a welcoming party. It was not a particularly bright bear in the first place, and the hunters' magics uplifting it to consciousness of a sort made it very confused, but it knew enough to keep still and let the villagers cleanse its wounds of dried blood, and the local hedge mage re-set his badly setting bone. Afterwards, a barrel of honey mead was rolled out, and much fun was had by everyone, the bear included.

Leaving the village next day, the bear, now bipedal and more sentient than ever (side effects of the hedge mage's spells), carried a bag of apples in his front paws. It - no, he - was looking forward to a new life, where he would not have to spend all his time foraging for food, and going hungry in the harsh winter months. No, he would only have to entertain the people, dance before them and let the children ride him for a bit - and in return, they would give him all the fish, rabbit and honey he could eat. Yes, that would be a much better life!

Absent-mindedly, the bear began to juggle apples as he disappeared into the sunset.

It has been many years since we left the port of Kwythellar and engaged on the maiden voyage of our ship Concepcion. We've been staying in touch with the capital using messenger hawks and making frequent trips ashore to re-supply, so the crew's morale stayed good. Lately, though, strange things started happening...

It began two weeks ago, when one of our men, ashore gathering fresh water, startled a bear. He was shocked, naturally, and babbled that once the bear roared at him, icy breath escaped its mouth. I would discount this as a frightened simpleton's tale, if not for the frostbite affecting the man's left arm.

Twice more since then have we met this bear - it appears to be following us as we follow the coastline. The last time, we tried to attack it with makeshift pitchforks. It roared, freezing the men in terror, and in two lighting-fast swipes of its claws, tore the pitchforks apart; yet when the men ran for their lives, it did not assault them but rather stayed back, watching.

I do not know what to make of this sequence of events. My great fear is that the bear is spying on us for the Ilian empire, as its great intelligence and skill at combat would make it uniquely suited to the task, and the frosty breath is a sure sign of Ilian birth, as all educated men know.

I shall write to the mainland, and ask how to proceed. After all, who wants to cause a diplomatic incident over a bear?

[pocketbeetle]

As other lurkers mention, 16. Which, admittedly, would look much better in Kurio purple...

Most definitely.

But that's surely not indicated - after all, you're only #1 in Soldier ranking and production, with a large and growing tech lead - that's no time for a war!
Of course, my advice may be tainted by a desire for lurker excitement, rather than what would actually be good for you
Edit: In fact...why limit yourself to one war? Give it a couple turns, and your power will equal any two of them combined!

Why limit yourself to two wars? Just declare on everybody! BUT WAIT!!! Why limit yourself to five wars?! Built the Mercurian Gate and take over both civs for 10 wars!

Admit it, you guys just want me dead.
Fear not! I'll start a war eventually, be it through the conventional method of declaring, or just generally annoying the other players sufficiently that they declare on me.

I really need to write a few of these in the other players' threads, but so far, yours just seems to provide the best raw materials:

And long may it remain so.
I particularly liked the first one.

[pocketbeetle]

Operation Talon - “we always get our units out alive!”

Ever since I was brutally blackmailed and held to ransom by that nasty little Calabim Scout, I’ve been meaning to get a little payback.
Forgive and forget is all very well, but remember that I do have the lives and welfare of my citizens to attend to.
So I figured some harmless intelligence gathering was not only prudent, but perhaps, necessary?

Kes went first, flying into Acaia and exploring SE to reveal the Calabim capital.
There was a Catapult in Acaia, and the mouseover shows a Disciple of Leaves in Prespur (about to spread the religion?).

Next I found a city in the fog, San’ta’ron, and explored South towards the FoL holy City.
No surprises there: lots of Bear Dens, Ice and barbarians.
Worth noting the coastal Marble also, because I sure have.

Finally Hawk #3 flew into Adonias and explored North. More Bears and the Seven Pines revealed (ooh!).
Oh and a second source of Copper.

The Bloodpet in the centre of that grouping has the property “Has already cast(ed) this turn”, ie they’ve explored a lair.
Clearly Bob/Dave and I don’t share similar views on how lairs should be treated.
Cowards!


Now, remember at KK how I was happy to overlap slightly with Avelorn, in order to pick up the Floodplain tile?
How I considered that fp tile practically a food resource in its own right?

Man, what I could have done with that start.
Sure it’s production poor, but for a non Expansive leader that doesn’t matter, just farm everything and build with food.
I personally think Bob should be doing a little better than he is.


Exit Strategy:

So, having gathered all that info, time to get our units out.
How you may ask?

That’s how.
Magically, all the Hawks are teleported to the nearest Kuriotates city!

…Or not.

Ah yes, they go to the nearest available city including OB agreements.
Oh well, let’s cancel that too.
And while we’re at it, might as well declare war.

Success!
Take that ya nooby Calabim!


End Result:

Some points in no particular order:

• Crazy amounts of river.
  It’s harder trying to find a tile that isn’t irrigated than one which is.
  
• High food.
  Floodplains, plus Cows, Corn, Rice, Pigs 1S-1SE of Prespur etc.
  
• 3 sources of Gold.
  That Gold deal in return for Cull’s survival, while admittedly catastrophic on the game speed, is looking better and better by the day <<alright alright, maybe every other day>>.
  The Gold tile 1W of Nubia has a yield of 3h/10c.
  
• All necessary strategic resources available.
  Incense, Reagents, Copper, Horses in the backlines, also Marble.
  
• Extra happy resources damn close to Capital.
  Wines x 2, Cotton, Ivory (mouseover tells me that Calabim have Hunting), Gems in the NE that they could grab if Cull doesn’t expand fast enough.
  
• Calabim have Construction
  Even if I hadn’t seen the Catapult, the irrigated Rice at Adonias & little bridge icons tell me the Calabim have Construction, no Sanitation though.
  
• Svartalfar OB agreement
  Sareln has a Hawk in Adonias, plus the Disciple of Leaves in Prespur, means they have OB.
  
• Dirage.
  The city has Barbarian culture (50:50) in its centre tile, so I would assume that means they’ve captured it. Dirage doesn’t fit with the Calabim standard naming scheme now that I think about it – maybe should have picked up on that earlier.
  
• City placement.
  I really don’t like Morr’ta’nar’s location, it should be 1E, and maybe as a knock-on Nubia should be 1S.
  I can understand why though, it’s hard fitting in cities between all those floodplains.
  
• Upside?
  The only redeeming feature I can come up with, is that there seems to be only one Mana node within the Calabim borders (fog SE?).
  Limits the Calabim magic options significantly (unless they trade for it).
  

The Calabim need dealing with.
Soon.

Unfortunately they’re playing smart and maintaining a respectable power rating:

Those Bloodpets must be hurting in Unit maintenance though.


Looking Closer:

Now that we’ve got vision on all the oppositions' capitals, let’s take a quick look.

Prespur – Calabim:
Training Yard, Deruptus Brewery, Market, Governor’s Mansion, Palace.
Most Calabim cities have Markets and Governor’s Mansions (understandably), Morr’ta’nar and Nubia have a Monument, Acaia has a Siege Workshop.

Upshot of Calabim not having any Libraries (currently building?) means Bob/Dave have no +%age science buildings, nor are they even working on a GSci.
Either they’re very confident they’ll pick up a GSci from a lair soon, or it’s just a bad move.

Altheriol-ta-Mealthiel – Hippus:
Elder Council, Deruptus Brewery, Academy, Market, and that MoM building is the Palace.

Nameless Tower – Svartalfar:
Understandably not a lot of buildings here, just an Elder Council and the rather cool Palace building.

Silent Night - Illian:
Monument, Elder Council, Academy, Market, Palace.
Like the Calabim, most Illian cities have a Market, Twelve Days has a Mage Guild.

Khazak – Khazad:
Cull has built a Granary, because size 6 cities can have health issues.
A Courthouse which is saving him 0.5 commerce per turn.
And finally a Monument, which combined with the culture from the Palace and the Religion civic helps him reach the important border expansions faster.


Quick comparison:

Doing okay, Kwythellar’s buildings are a bit cramped together and hard to see unfortunately.


Diplo:

I noticed in the log that you've declared war on Iskender. What's up?

Hi Dave,

Nothing much, similar story to your war in that I'm carrying out a few tile improvements for Iskender.

Regards,
Pb, Brief Boy-King.

If I was feeling mischievous I might have told him I was chopping Iskender’s jungle for free (because that’s what good neighbours do), and watch him panic over whether his deal was still in place.
But, I’m being good and keeping my head down in Diplo….well...trying at least.

[Old_Lion]

Very impressive game. Diplomacy and development.

I have a question :
I am a decent player, I usually play at emperor, but I feel humbled by this thread.
I've never been too much in the C&D and micromanagement stuff, and I will not do that in SP. But I'm now involved in several PBEM games, and I'm very interested in the way PB is able to extract information from what looks to me like raw data.

I'd like to know where to find a score calculation explanation sheet. It probably is in the civfanatics strategy and tips forum, but I did not find it.

thanks a lot !

(and is everybody here able to calculate from turn 1 what he will be producing at turn 50, safe events ? )

[pocketbeetle]

Turn 131:

KotE splashscreen:



Also received a note with the save:

Probably goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway. Don't bring that HN giant any closer to my worker unless he's a big fan of snowy gravesites.

I'm sure you weren't going to.

He’s talking about here:



Hawk scan reveals the lone PoW has moved down, clearly Selrahc is feeling…twitchy.

Hey,

Don't be crazy!
Wouldn't exactly be very subtle now would it, a HN Giant unit named 'Moe' with a blue swirly promotion aura around him suddenly stealing a worker?

I've moved him SE, he's just going to sit on that hill for visibility.
Promise you he's not going to be doing anything.

Kind Regards,
Pb

PS: You can see his name can't you?

Shot of the South after units have moved:



Goblin to the East will hopefully turn into a crunchy xp steak.

Ending turn at 50% research completed Philo in 1t.



Building Mage Guild in Kwythellar, Caledor and KK grew, Avelorn produced Settler.

[Mist]

Basic stuff at Civfanatics War Academy:
http://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/strategy...aphics.php

After that have a look at this thread :
http://apolyton.net/showthread.php/177396-Cloak-Dagger

And go read Speaker/Sulla's thread from Pitboss 2. That's even more humbling.

That's basically everything you'd want to know about extracting data from C&D.

(and is everybody here able to calculate from turn 1 what he will be producing at turn 50, safe events ? )

Are you talking FFH or vanilla Civ here? Because if it's the former, there's not a whole lot of things to build by turn 50

If it's the latter, then nope. Not everybody. I'm an example of a person that can't, just not enough game-hours spent on Civ. But I do try make up for that with extensive series of dry-run games and prolific use of WB for sandbox scenario creation. If you lack experience to know things instinctively, throw hard work at the problem and you'll figure stuff out with good enough precision.