[SPOILERS] Isabella of Carthage, starring Ellimist, SleepingMoogle, and Nicolae

[Ellimist]

Let's not sacrifice so much for Poly unless it also speeds up Oracle. If we lose Poly by 1 turn, then at least we'll know someone else is probably going for Oracle.

[SleepingMoogle]

Yeah, agreed.. our advantage right now is that we can work multiple improved tiles. Let's not squander that.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

I've worked another turn of 80% research. Feel free to dial it up to 100% next turn, but we'll be exactly 1 beaker short of poly.

I would still vouch for working the whales tile the turn we do 100%, as while we get fewer hammers, that +1 food doesn't slow down growth to size 4. Of more important interest, I really want to guarantee the border pop from hinduism, that would include the two extra forests in Canopus' 2nd ring.

[SleepingMoogle]

Ugh.. if it's a single beaker, then we might as well. It doesn't look to hurt us particularly. The plan is to build two WB's now right? If that's the case, we'll probably want to grow to size 4, whip out the first and overflow into the second.

Eventually, we'll also need a MP Warrior for Canopus. Perhaps we can fit that in after the second WB?

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Our happy cap will be great, we have gold and ivory, we can make do with just the one warrior for now.

I forgot to mention, but I started Canopus on a workboat, in anticipation of hooking up the fish after the border pop. The idea is we chop out the workboat, and spend the rest of the chops on oracle.

I don't think it's worth whipping yet, we have 4 improved tiles that are too strong to whip off, and it's not good to 2-pop out workboats anyway. I'd prefer chopping out a granary once pottery comes in, and only then start whipping off tiles (preferably not the grass hills). My philosophy is: whipping with a granary can convert food into hammers at a 1:2-3 ratio, and a grass hill mine converts food into hammers at a 1:3 ratio. Hence, it's not worth whipping off grass mines unless you're at the edge of your happy cap.

It may also be better to go WB-worker-WB, to help chop the oracle a bit faster. Our first workboat gets sent east to scout around the copper, the next gets sent west. This hopefully lets us map out the entire coastline. What do you think?

[Ellimist]

You mentioned earlier getting the Oracle on T48. How are we looking for it now?

[Nicolae Carpathia]

T48 if we build 4 workers, chop all forests, and finish it off with a whip.

T51 if we build 4 workers, chop all forests, don't whip the city.

Not sure what it will look like if we use fewer workers, probably wouldn't be a huge increase in build time, plus I think 3 workers is a few too many considering how many cities we will have (and it's on normal speed, so worker turns aren't as valuable as on quick speed). I haven't really gotten around to simming it in detail for a few weeks.

[Ellimist]

Hinduism was founded in Canopus. Priesthood started but set to 0% for 1 turn. Sirius stopped working whales, and the workers continued to focus on gold/rice.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Great! I didn't want to make a post earlier because I was scared others would work out we landed Hinduism.

[Ellimist]

Doesn't it already announce religion founding to the world? As far as Noble/Lewwyn are concerned, the fact that anybody founded hinduism should be a major warning to them. They may be able to figure out who it was that founded hinduism, but even if they can't I would expect them to realize that the Oracle is being pursued by somebody.

As industrious Mali, a Metal Casting slingshot is even bigger for them. They should be putting an even bigger focus on it than we are. Denial value will be huge if we do manage to get it.

I'd like to see if we can figure out what techs they have researched so far. Is it considered acceptable in a PBEM to load earlier turns and check things like score/demographics? Obviously this would not even be possible in a pitboss game.