[spoilers] Commodore's 69 Techniques

[pindicator]

So I had to go look back at my own thread, but I think we had different ideas on how we were fighting Gavagai. I saw us more having a common goal than being allies, and was entertaining thoughts of attacking you depending on how things played out at various points. I didn't push Gavagai as much as you rather intentionally because I really did not want you to get Rome and box me in. I think I was still entertaining thoughts of possibly going through you up until you suggested the joint attack on Bing. It was after that and seeing you once again take the bulk of the fighting that I decided you had earned "ally for life" status and even if it cost me the game I wasn't going to invade you. I felt like you had earned it for sticking by me despite all the fighting going against you. That certainly would have changed if you had ended up dogpiling me, though

It seems like my defensive pact was a brilliant move in hindsight, but at the time I was just wanting to tell you that I had no plans on ever attacking you. Didn't think at all about how it would affect Naufrager or Magic Science trying to invade through your lands.

I think one thing we both experienced was that the land was not set up well for eastern invasions. The mountainous area between us and Magic Science/Naufrager was just too difficult compared to going west. I wonder how the game would have shaped out differently if there had been some greener avenues along that axis.

[Magic Science]

Good thread, pithy as always.
For me: Adjectives received, rite of passage achieved.
And nice to see a glimmer of storytelling appear.

You would have reached Assembly Plants at Steam Power and been positively thrilled about it if this game continued until someone's victory. You are not allowed to mock late era Unique Things any more. .
(If you missed it in my thread, I totally blanked on what CtH Germany's uniques were for a long time, so I didn't notice the beeline until it was over, ha)

And I see that Mr. Comm "Small Injuries" O'Dore allowed me to get away with unprovoked Scout homicide scot free. .


I see now that you were the one among my contacts with Polytheism but no Hinduism on Turn 55. That confused me. I should have considered that someone could have lost the race for Hinduism by just a little and therefore be a threat for Judaism next. That unwitting (for me) race was your free Mysticism vs. my free gold, ha.

I soon lost track of foreign Great People generation, so I didn't realize how many Great Merchant trade missions you sent to Dunwall. Did you ever consider sending a trade mission to me instead? I obviously thought we had that level of trust when I sent my mission to you, and my cities were farther and larger than Dunwall, at least eventually.
The Peaky Peninsula was such an interesting region. I never revealed it at all until almost the end when I proposed a map trade with Naufragar because it seemed like a friendly trust-building exercise for allies to do.
And at the Great General in Raddler. Where was your Galley when that happened? My Galley was usually parked at Bolan-Ban during wartime just in case for that exact possibility, but then you had an inland sea and more "offshore" cities to deal with.

The 2 vs. 1 against Gavagai was entertaining as I hoped. I thought you were the instigator and mastermind, but it seems like Pindicator actually started things against Gavagai somehow? Must read Pindicator's thread next. My condolences about the ultimate outcome.
Did you have the best land on the map? I ask because you had so many cities without war, seemingly without much close contest even, and you only profited by 1 eventually 2 cities from Gavagai, but were still in strong contention so late. Compared to Pindicator and I, would took more land in conquest, and Naufragar, who had the whole Monk thing going on.

Good to see your perspective on the Bing war too. Even after reading I am a uncertain with the timing, though. Your army did not proceed as quickly as possible to Chongjin, did it? It seemed like it kind of milled around and pillaged roads and waited for Bing to make an error, but that could just be my bad sense of in-game time talking.

The Defensive Pact at the end with Pindicator was pure misdirection against him, right?
And Naufragar was crazy to go through my culture instead of yours. Haven't read his thread yet, though.

Again, good thread, good game. . I would not have proposed a dogpile against Pindicator on my own, and I doubt Naufragar would have tried to include me, so you get credit for that.

[Commodore]

And I see that Mr. Comm "Small Injuries" O'Dore allowed me to get away with unprovoked Scout homicide scot free. .

Oh, I remembered. If it was down to a final game-ending choice between you, Nowf, and Pin, you were at a -1 relations.

I soon lost track of foreign Great People generation, so I didn't realize how many Great Merchant trade missions you sent to Dunwall. Did you ever consider sending a trade mission to me instead? I obviously thought we had that level of trust when I sent my mission to you, and my cities were farther and larger than Dunwall, at least eventually.

...this is also why I never sent a GM your way. You were in an untrustworthy bucket there.

And at the Great General in Raddler. Where was your Galley when that happened? My Galley was usually parked at Bolan-Ban during wartime just in case for that exact possibility, but then you had an inland sea and more "offshore" cities to deal with.

My galley was north, transferring troops alas. Peaky Peninsula was a very productive area, just awkward to transfer.

Did you have the best land on the map? I ask because you had so many cities without war, seemingly without much close contest even, and you only profited by 1 eventually 2 cities from Gavagai, but were still in strong contention so late.

My land was interesting. It was decently foody, and green...I worked hard on getting out to those chokepoints too. Unfortunately, it was all chokepoints...I really ought to have pursued Colossus early, I was top cities and bottom land area for a long time, just didn't have a lot of land tiles to work.

Good to see your perspective on the Bing war too. Even after reading I am a uncertain with the timing, though. Your army did not proceed as quickly as possible to Chongjin, did it? It seemed like it kind of milled around and pillaged roads and waited for Bing to make an error, but that could just be my bad sense of in-game time talking.

I waddled at near max speed after healing from the initial conquest, but I had to follow the hills while burning roads that would let Bing bypass me. It worked, he lost badly because of the power of G2 risengarde on hills.

The Defensive Pact at the end with Pindicator was pure misdirection against him, right?
And Naufragar was crazy to go through my culture instead of yours. Haven't read his thread yet, though.

Again, good thread, good game. . I would not have proposed a dogpile against Pindicator on my own, and I doubt Naufragar would have tried to include me, so you get credit for that.

It was me being too clever by half, but ah well, I successfully misdirected everyone apparently. Appreciate the thoughts, MS, and a pleasure to play with you. Here's to 74 being epic.