[PB56] Amicalola and Tarkeel are Feeling Spicy

[Tarkeel]

Ok, that bites. It doesn't help much that Noble is CRE either. I'll have a look around and some more thoughts tomorrow. I don't like to bitch about maps, but this doesn't seem fair. You forgot one point: Where's our stone? Marble is not a suitable substitute!

[superdeath]

I do apologize, when i last looked at the map while it wasnt "balanced" ( hard to do that with an odd # of players ) each start had its ups and downs. I dont quite remember what all was changed on your side of the world and ill have to go over my previous map-saves to see if it was me, or Charriu that changed things around.

[Tarkeel]

I hate to complain about map balance, it really is hard to get right. Our start does have some strengths, especially the contested river and the crab-lake. Taking advantage of the latter forces us to pick a fishing civ to properly exploit, and with dual seafood start we really had to invest in workboat first as well. This paid off in us being the most tech-advanced for the start, but one of those techs is fishing, and others are catching up now that their workers have improved the first tiles and we are just getting started.

I think our best bet is to actually not settle the copper first, and let capital culture claim it. Instead we should settle the pig for a nice early production city.

[Tarkeel]

Turn 22 (3120 BC)
Last turn, NobleHelium and Lazteuq grew, Gira got the full 15 land points and MrCairo researched Bronze Working. This turn, ElGrillo grew and Vanrober researched something. 2 turns is too fast at this stage, so he probably did not finish something on turn 20, and got Bronze Working this turn instead.


Upon logging in, I'm greet by Noble's warrior saying 'hi' to our scout. I expect him to try to kill the scout if given a chance, so we take evasive maneuvers. (He also has Animal Husbandry instead of Bronze Working).




I took a stab at dot-mapping:




Red should be our first city to help out with initial production. It can share the capitals Ivory as needed, and claims Pigs and Marble.
Pink and Cyan lets us establish a border against Ruff and Noble, and has hills for defense.
Yellow will be a powerful commerce city down the road.

I swapped espionage around to Ruff, to see if we can hit 43/43.

Demographics & Graph

[Amicalola]

Run away run away!
PBEM Spoilers

Noble whacked Serdoa's scout in the PBEM, do not trust!

Two nitpicks for that dotmap (Otherwise I like it!):

1. I think Blue and Pink dots should be our first 2 cities. We NEED that territory to be relevant, I think enough that we can't risk. We simply can't expand north or west. I think either of Noble and Grillo would go for a similar spot for their 2nd/3rd cities anyway, so there's decent odds we miss one. I lean towards Blue first, then Pink, although if you think Red is more important I'm open to persuasion. I just think we'll always get it, no matter when.

2. If Red is later (maybe even if before), I think it should be moved 1N. This both claims the deer in the unlikely event that Vanrober doesn't. but more importantly it allows for a filler city on the Plains Hill 1SW of the spices. I think we need a filler city there because otherwise our capital is totally exposed and we waste so many tiles.

Thoughts?

[superdeath]

Run away run away! Noble whacked Lewwyn's scout in the PBEM, do not trust!

Two nitpicks for that dotmap (Otherwise I like it!):

1. I think Blue and Pink dots should be our first 2 cities. We NEED that territory to be relevant, I think enough that we can't risk. We simply can't expand north or west. I think either of Noble and Grillo would go for a similar spot for their 2nd/3rd cities anyway, so there's decent odds we miss one. I lean towards Blue first, then Pink, although if you think Red is more important I'm open to persuasion. I just think we'll always get it, no matter when.

2. If Red is later (maybe even if before), I think it should be moved 1N. This both claims the deer in the unlikely event that Vanrober doesn't. but more importantly it allows for a filler city on the Plains Hill 1SW of the spices. I think we need a filler city there because otherwise our capital is totally exposed and we waste so many tiles.

Thoughts?

Should probably spoiler something like that, even though that isnt "huge" info. ( even if it is/isnt true )

[Amicalola]

You're 100% right I'm sorry. Fixed now.

[Tarkeel]

Turn 23 (3080 BC)
Jowy and Noble's score increases are their second ring, due to being Creative, while the other score increases should be population growth. Not much interesting this turn, just followed the micro plan, avoided Noble's warrior and set EP to end at 43 on Ruff.

Turn 24 (3040 BC)
We scout out Noble's copper and meet Lazteuq's scout.




Ruff actually went to 44 with us, but we can still see his graphs. (I forgot to take demo's on 23)

Demographics & Graph

PS: I didn't mean to take over playing the turns, and have been trying to give you the opportunity to play.

[Tarkeel]

Regarding city settling, I think it's time to break out the micro plans again and consider two scenarios:
A) Capital produces 3 settlers, for cyan, pink and red.
B) Capital produces a settler for red, possibly another worker, then red and capital produce a settler each for cyan and pink.

The bad part about Red is that we need two new techs to improve it's tiles, so that might be a point to plan A. We also don't have a set plan for the worker after the camp, should he go mine or start roading towards red?

[Amicalola]

No, it's genuinely been amazing having you play the turns. I know how silly this will sound to all the experienced adults in the forums, but moving house has been a far longer-term process than I imagined and I haven't had a lot of time. I really appreciate it! Thankyou! I do promise I will be back and more prompt very soon.

I am going to dedicate a solid 2-3 hours of time tomorrow into figuring out which of Plan A or B is better, because both seem plausible to me. I will also make a concrete micro plan in the process.