[SPOILERS] Woden gets swept away by the Gathering Storm in PBEM15

[Woden]

Turn 97
Open the save to the Great General Boudica. She is nice since her ability to convert barbs also lets you spot barbs in areas that are defogged but don't have vision on. I can see when they are approaching my cities. I will keep her around for a while and then maybe use her if I can get a couple of barb ships close together. Currently, I move her to Derecho to help my immortal on barb duty. 

Here is my south with added pins...



You will also notice my galley has found "Crab Island", four crabs plus at least 1 salt. My next settler at Polar Vortex will go there, so I need to make sure I finish Ship Building by then. I actual was able to see 3 of the crabs when I got vision from Jerusalem, hence why my galley is over here and not more to the west. Actually, I am assume this is an island but this could be part of the western shore, will know more over the next few turns. Regardless, all those crabs could help my economy and give me a reserve for upgrades.  

As for my construction plan, I think I want to go for the Colosseum at Derecho. The Entertainment District should be discounted once I build a few Commercial Hubs and I think I can save gold to buy an Arena, should help speed the build along. Bomb Cyclone, Polar Vortex, Derecho, PV1, the city in the desert marked "?", and PV3 will all be in range of the Colosseum. Cities PV5 and PV4 will be just outside of the range. I could also put a city on the coastal cows in the south that would be in range but not sure what is down there. 

I am also thinking about building the Mahabodhi Temple at Polar Vortex to fill out my religion. Should use my productions bonuses to Wonders while I have them. I should be able to finish both right around the time I can switch to a better government. I figure sometime in the next 30 turns.  I am also thinking of trying for Petra in the desert. Not sure when I will push for it but will try if available.  

Overall, I think the north will be for unit and military production and the south here will be my cultural hub. Bomb Cyclone will become a production powerhouse that can supply units down here is necessary.

[Woden]

Turn 98
Start turn off with...



Which grants 1 era point, one more to go. Also finish...



I swap out the Natural Philosophy policy for Maritime Industries and Maneuver for Limes. Walls are going up everywhere. For the Governor Title, I promote Liang with the Zoning Commissionor for +20% to districts.

Galley finds some rice in the west... 



Next turn I will get the final era point for a Golden Age when I found my northern city on a desert tile. I will have 2 cities found next turn. Era ends in 3 turns. My next civic will be Feudalism and I am 1 farm from the inspiration. I check the civic tree and it looks like pindicator already has Feudalism. I am one civic up on him, so he must have forgone a few of the cheaper ones.

[Woden]

Turn 99
Start off by settling the northern city...



I figured since it was in the desert, I would call it "Drought". I place a Commercial Hub and start working on some walls. Builder pastures the horses. Settling on a desert tile gives me the last era point I needed for a Golden Age. This will really help when all my markets come online. I figure it will be better to faith buy traders than settlers since I can get a production bonus on settlers. 

Down south...



Welcome to Ground Blizzard (in the upper right corner)! Start working on a galley that will be chopped next turn and should finish the turn after. Then it will work on walls. It will be awhile before this city is of much use. It will hit its housing cap and will need a granary fairly soon. 

At Derecho, I chop the river forest into the Commercial Hub bring it down to 9 turns. A mine should shave another turn off of it. This city is in desperate need of a monument as it only has 5 workable tiles and 5 population. I guess I could throw the next citizen into the Library but I am also going to harvest the marsh next to the city and lay down a farm next, for some additional housing. Might have to buy a tile or 2 here soon. 

Galley finds a barb boat and confirms it is indeed "Crab Island". The galley moves back a tile to hide and will attack next turn. I should have 4 Commercial Hubs finishing in the next 14 turns and will work on markets right after. Gold should double. Now I just need to find a commerce city state. Lots of cities need granaries and monuments and I would rather buy them than build them.

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

hey, crab island + magnus could be a very healthy source of gold down the line!

[Woden]

hey, crab island + magnus could be a very healthy source of gold down the line!

That is what I was thinking. Probably keep the crab around until I need some emergency gold for upgrades.


Turn 100

Not much going on here. Just building, moving units, and fighting barbs...



The barb boat should counter attack on their turn and die. I will probably have to retreat and heal before taking care of the second boat.

Builder at Ground Blizzard chops a Jungle and galley will finish next turn. I will then finish Ship Building next so I can settle Crab Island with the settler in production at Polar Vortex. 

Looking around with Boudica activated, I see this in the north...



Looks to be some barb activity up north. I have an archer and chariot moving up there to defog the rest of the northern tundra. Better to tke care of them now before crossbows and muskets come on line. They can be troublesome. 

I will leave space here for a T100 summary. We flew through turns yesterday and I have four turns that I have played but not written up. Hopefully I can put something here after I get caught up.

[Woden]

Turn 101

New Era starts and I get a Golden Age. Suboptimal also is in a Golden Age and pindicator is in a Normal Age. I, again, choose...



Need to put all this faith to good use. I am going to focus mostly on Traders during this age. Don't get a production bonus on them, so buying them with faith is good value. I have 4 Commercial Hubs in production and will soon have 3 Harbors being build, so will need lots on Traders. 

I also finish...



And start Ship Building, which will finish in a couple of turns. Galley finishes at Ground Blizzard, moves out and immediately finds a nature wonder...



Too bad there is only a 1-tile island there. That would be a nice pick up. World Congress is next turn, hoping for something good!


Turn 101 World Congress
Open the save to...



I have enough favor to control this congress, let's see what we get to pick.



Absolute garbage! The grievances one would only be useful in SP and the +10 strength to combat and religious units would be helpful but (1) I don't have my religion spread, so no one follows it, (2) I don't have a Holy Site yet to spread my religion, and (3) I am not planning on going to war anytime soon. I do put 30 favor into each vote to guarantees victory and get the diplomatic points, plus having the added strength should prevent the others from plotting war on me. I can always spread my religion around if need be. I will have a Holy Site and shrine up at Polar Vortex soon enough. The added strength plus DotF will give my units +15 strength and should be enough for an archer to take out a knight if need be. 

As a side note, I think going forward with the World Congress, if I don't have enough favor to dominate the vote, I think the best strategy will be to figure out how someone else will vote and hopefully the combined votes will win the day and get me more diplomatic points. 


Turn 102
And the winner is...



+2 diplomatic points for me! Also finish...



Time for a policy change... 



Out goes Maritime Industries, in comes Serfdom. I immediately buy a builder at Derecho. He will do a little work at Derecho and then move to Polar Vortex to mine a hill and then on to Ground Blizzard for some chopping. 

Out west, I ran into one of suboptimal's warriors...



I think he is down here somewhere and will scout his out next.

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

There was some debate whether or not the boosted strength applies to religious units of your religion only or to ALL combat units. Can you investigate and see if your military units are showing the boosted strength?

[Woden]

There was some debate whether or not the boosted strength applies to religious units of your religion only or to ALL combat units. Can you investigate and see if your military units are showing the boosted strength?

The text reads +10 strength (Combat and Religious) to all units following this religion. So, I take it as basically all units, not just religious. No way for me to check it at this point because I am not following my religion. I would need half my cities converted to my religion in order to be "following" it. Right now I have 1 city and still no shrine to make missionaries (I am building the Holy Site now). For me to get to the point of following, I need to convert 5 more cities and I would rather buy Traders while I can. I will eventually convert all my cities but am pretty sure we will have a new World Congress by then.  

Maybe down the road when enough turns have passed (like 60) or the game is over, I can come back and check it.

[Woden]

Quick turn pace over a few days and before you know it, you are behind by 8 turns. 

Turn 103

This is the turn I had to replay because the save I passed to pindicator was corrupt. Lucky for me, it was just a bunch of unit movement and harvesting a marsh at Derecho. Builds are continuing everywhere. Settler is due next turn at El Nino and the following turn at Polar Vortex. 

Turn 104 
Start off with...



I start Celestial Navigation (1 turn tech) so I can place a few Harbors on my coastal cities. Settler at El Nino finishes and heads east to the lonely mountain. El Nino starts a Commercial Hub, due in 5 turns, right when Bomb Cyclone's will finish.  Horseman in the west finds a dead end of mountains and will continue to probe the west to scout out the other players' lands. 

One thing I forgot to redo on T103 was...



For the last dozen or so turns, I have been meaning to see if the others have extra luxury resources and when I finally do, I have to replay the turn and forget again. Luckily, I did remember when the save came back to me. I think this will help us both out. Pindicator is leading in science and has large cities but I have many cities and this should keep them happy while I work towards hooking up my salt and cotton. I did check suboptimal's menu and he only has 1 copy of his luxuries. 

I switch governors around a little bit. Magnus goes to Ground Blizzard for a chop into a Harbor and Liang goes Thundersnow to help out on its Harbor and my next Builder is needed around there. 

Turn 105 
Open the save to...



and immediately place 2 harbors (one at Thundersnow and one at Ground Blizzard). Ground Blizzard starts working on the Harbor since the walls are done. Settler at Polar Vortex completes and start working on the Holy Site. Settler heads to Crab Island.

Pindicator accepts my deal and finishes Machu Picchu. He must have a bunch of mountains around him. 

I notice a big jump in suboptimal's science rate...



He was right around mine but now is leading. It takes me a few turns but I will eventually figure out what is going on.


Turn 106 
Start turn off with...



Which also means a policy swap...



Swap out Colonization for Natural Philosophy. Going to do a little infrastructure improvements before I go back to settler construction. In the west...



Suboptial has the path blocked. I wonder if this is the only land path west? Horseman will go south and then back north if it is blocked south. 

South of Derecho, my Immortal finally gets eyes on the barb camp and starts its attack by shooting it. Should be able to take it out next turn. Up north near Drought, I have a chariot and archer taking out a barb slinger and warrior but find no camp. Jester must have taken it out earlier. Using Buadica, I see more barbs in the northeast. The chariot and archer will head over there to take that camp out.


Turn 107 
Start the turn off with settling the city east of El Nino and get...



This means I have 3 more cities than any other player. They must be running out of land or slowed their expansion. Here is my new city...



I rename it to "Micro Burst". I lay down a Holy Site where I had the Aqueduct marked. I have been rethinking this spot and don't know if the dam will go here or at El Nino. Aqueduct can go on the plains hill west of city center or where I have the Industrial Zone marked.  Commercial Hub finishes at Derecho and starts a market.

Down south...



I melee attack the barb camp, taking it out. I add this picture to show that even though there are a lot on modifiers on the attack, I am not getting the +10 strength due to the World Congress resolution but I think it has to do with...



I am not following my religion. I do believe (and will check down the road) that it would give me a bonus if I were converted to my religion. I am not going to spread it right now. I want to save it until the next era. It is doubtful that I can get a 3rd Golden Age in a row, so I am planning on taking the +2 Era points per new spread to help me get another Golden Age the era after next. I should have at least 10 cities and 3 city states that I can spread it to and that is enough to get me to a Normal Age. Add in the districts with at least +3 adjacency and I can easily get to another Golden Age. Only problem there is that I don't think Monumentality will be available that late in the game.

With the gold from the barb camp, I buy a granary at Ground Blizzard. My strategy with my gold will be to buy granaries is all my cities, followed by monuments. I should have a pretty good income after the Harbors and Commercial Hubs are built, especially with 6 new trade routes. I will have to save 600 for an arena at Derecho soon. Plan is to build the Entertainment Center after the market, buy the arena, then start the Colosseum and harvest the stone into it. Should get me the wonder and set me up with happiness for a while.  


Turn 108 
Open the save to a new great person. Let's see who it is...



Nice, I have a place for a +4 Holy Site at Thundersnow or La Nina. I was going to build a campus at Thundersnow but think I will change that to a Holy Site. Holy Site will give me faith, culture, and science and should be better than a Campus. 

Here is the current score...



I am up by 20 empire points and i don't have that many districts built yet. I am leading in civics and in the middle with techs. Also note, there is not a land pass in the south. Horseman will back track to the north to see if there is a pass to pindicator's lands. If not, this is going ot be a builders game until climate change starts, I don't think there will be paths to either players by sea to get ships into play. 


Turn 109 
Start turn off with...



Two Commercial Hubs finish at El Nino and Bomb Cyclone. Both start markets. I have enough faith for a builder and Liang is established, so I buy one. This guy will chop a bunch of jungles to speed the Harbor along. I also buy a plains hill at Derecho. This city needs a monument as I am running out of tiles to work but want granaries everywhere first. 

I notice suboptimal has a second source of ivory hooked up, let's see if he is will to trade...




Turn 110 
Suboptimal sends me a new deal, let's see what he is offering...



Not going to happen! I wonder if he thinks I am hurting for happiness? I am not...



Just would have been nice to get a few more cities into happiness. No worries, I will have Cotton hooked up next turn and salt in a few more, once Crab Island is settled. Thundersnow chops its first jungle...



I provide this shot to see where my yield are. Should be able to get 100 from the forest chop at Ground Blizzard next turn.
 

Turn 111 
Start off by hooking up my cotton at El Nino...



This will make a few more cities happy. Up north...



Galley finds the barb camp. The galley retreats in case there is a barb boat around. Arhcer and chariot are making there way over here but chariot stops to heal a bit. 

One thing has bugged me about suboptimal's scicne rate jump and he has very high great people points...



With the high scientist points, I just put down as having a bunch of campuses and libraries but no way he has 4 commercial hubs and markets out plus the campuses and libraries and his unique Theater Squares. Then I remembered Stockholm. Who has Stockholm's ability now...



He must have suzerain Bologna. This would explain his jump in science and his huge great people rates. I must find them and contest his suzerain. One way would be to declare war but I want to keep my cultural city state secret for as long as I can. I might have to sail a boat to the east but need to be able to sail across oceans. At least I know there is one science city state out there. I wonder if there are more?

[Woden]

Turn 112
Start turn by chopping a forest at Ground Blizzard for 105 It drops the Harbor from 54 turns to 20. This will drop next turn when I mine the hill. Horseman in the west finds a few mountains by pindictor's borders. Might not be another way west. Here is my starting area...



Holy Site at Polar Vortex and a Commercial Hub at La Nina finish next turn. 


Turn 113
Finish...



Up north, a barb boat comes down to my galley...



I attack it doing about 29 damage while taking 21. It will counter attack between turns and then I will have to retreat to heal. This will at least injury the barb boat so my archer can take him out later. Over west...



No path west. This is good as it will be harder for them to push an attack on me and give me time to improve my civilization. Horseman will check out farther north and then defog what I can in the south.

Here is the current score...



I am starting to catch up on techs with pindicator, which means he is waiting on boosts to complete some techs, since both him and suboptimal have a much higher tech rate than me. Suboptimal is probably doing the same. No worries on my part yet. I figure I have a larger empire and should be able to catch up down the road as my many cities develop further. 

I have a new city next turn on Crab Island, 2 markets completing in 2 turns, one more the turn after, a harbor in 3 or 4 turns, and another in 10 or so turns. I think I might buy another builder next turn to have one around in case a disaster occurs at one of my cities. I have been lucky so far but it is bound to happen eventually. I put in Civil Service to finish next turn and am going to replace Serfdom with the 20% discount on tile buys. I want to buy the tiles for the Holy Site at Thundersnow and the tile for the Colosseum at Derecho. So, the time to buy a builder is next turn before the policy swap. After the tile buys, I will want the wonder card, so Serfdom is out for a while. Buying the builder will delay my traders but only by a few turns. Better to have the builder around in case I need him and there is a few tiles I can improve, especially at Derecho.