[PB70] Charriu tries to promote the arts again

[Tarkeel]

Thanks for the overview. Where are you planning to add filler cities? (Not that I would call a city that claims new food filler, but I get what you mean)

[Charriu]

Well there is room for 4 more cities 5 if I claim the last spot on the marble island, but would annoy Scooter. The 2 yellow spots are planned for the next settlers. The green spot is a small filler city. I'm still not sure if I settle it there or 1 spot south and gain another plain river tile that way. The purple spot is possible, but I find it worthless. Better use the food for the other surrounding cities. The only new tiles it would claim are a few water tiles.

[Magic Science]

Post-T100 "filler" cities with food resources of their own. .

You mentioned you plan to not adopt Organized Religion. What else do you have in mind with civics? I think right now your only civic is Slavery, right?

[Charriu]

Yes I only run Slavery and it will be my only civic for a long time. After Education (and Gunpowder) I want to push for Constitution. Ideally I want to use my first golden age to switch into Hereditary Rule, Bureaucracy and Pacifism.
With my second golden age I want to switch into my almost final civics in the form of Representation, Nationhood, Caste System and Pacifism
Later with a third golden age I would like to run my final civics in the form of Representation, Nationhood, Emancipation, Mercantilism and either Pacifism or Free Religion most likely the latter.

[Tarkeel]

Any particular reason why you're avoiding OrgRel for the first golden age?

[Charriu]

Just wanted to avoid investing tech into Monotheism and the increased maintenance cost of OrgRel

[Charriu]

The song



Music: RoeTaKa - Hunt: Showdown 'Dark Awaits' OC ReMix

I know absolutely nothing about this game, but I liked this track. It's so dark in a nice foreshadowing way. Like something big is coming.

This is yet another arrangement you can find and download from Overclocked Remix.

T102:

---

It's the turn that we decided to do the trade embargo against Mjmd and of course someone had to make problems. That someone of course is Bing (who else). When I was about to play T101 he came around with this demand:

Bing: I think I need 80 gold from each of you for this mass MJMD border close - will ask it of the others also. MJMD offered to fund me, but presumably won't if I close borders with him. Actually, he offered me a "0% interest loan" to limp to currency.

Charriu: Does he want to send you gold directly or give you gold per turn?

Bing: I think I need 80 gold from each of you for this mass MJMD border close - will ask it of the others also. MJMD offered to fund me, but presumably won't if I close borders with him. Actually, he offered me a "0% interest loan" to limp to currency.

Oh Bing you annoying prick. Well chatted the others up. First Scooter. Do note that I skip a lot of messages that are rather unimportant now. We discussed the current wonders and how Mjmd used his Engineer for MoM. Nothing that interesting.

Charriu: Great now Bing wants money for the embargo. I don't want to pay him. I think we would be fine without him joining the embargo. He only has 2 cities on islands or 3. Mjmd might even loose more money if he loans Bing money and looses our tade routes. It's also a very convenient timing from Mjmd. On top of it. Mjmd must suspect something is up if Bing doesn't accept a gift immediately. Also remember how I said he finished Iron Working? Apparently not. He's once again slotted it in. This means he's also switching around techs before finishing them.

Ginger: Probably ridiculous to pay Bing for CB, especially because it won’t peel him away from being Mjmd’s lackey by virtue of last position needing first to be as big as possible

Charriu: Agree. He won't see money from me

Ginger: This is a bit down the road, but realistically I think we’re going to need to do a CKN/Galleon unit trade scheme. Only window I see for curbing Mjmd. Probably partition Bing first

Charriu: I have no plans to go for going astronomy that early. Splitting Bing first sounds reasonable.

Scooter: Yeah I’m not gonna pay him. I think we go ahead with the plan to close and call his bluff. Either Mjmd can pay Bing (which will cost more than the border close from Bing), or Bing will realize there’s no point and he’ll come back to us anyway. Also the longer the Bing limp to currency lasts the better for us as it widens our window of facing nothing more than skirms. Would prefer he stay backwards. And it’s gonna take him an eternity to get to currency right now

Charriu: I didn't give him a proper answer yet. Curious to see what he does this turn

Scooter: I thought the request was so ludicrous that I more or less ignored itpartition Bing first

Charriu: And of course no payment from me too. Superdeath also isn't paying

Scooter: Right. I wonder if he closed borders. Since he played 102. I’m planning to close when the turn gets to me tonight

Charriu: You will know first

Scooter: I’ll offer to Bing and hope that helps convince him, even though I am mainly doing it to replace mjmd’s routes Since I currently don’t have OB with him

Charriu: I also plan to close this turn. Curious if you can close borders sfter the turn rolled and therefore take that last extra money

Scooter: Hmm I would be surprised given that you can’t even queue worker actions outside your window which surprised me, but maybe?

Charriu: It's nice that we are last and can react to the other guys

Scooter: Yep. I sent SD a message asking if he closed. If he says no I’ll pressure him to login and close. That will answer our question

Charriu: Since you may not have currency yet, I will let you know about how much money Bing may get from Mjmd.

Scooter: He forgot but says he will login and close after work. And cool, I’ll have it next turn. I’m quite confused by the Bing/Mjmd thing as it doesn’t really sound like something that makes sense from Mjmd unless he’s REALLY afraid of us splitting Bing soon or something. If he wants to give away gold still after we do this he’s welcome to hah

Charriu: Good for us either way. Nice that way we also learn if one can cancel deals out of turn. Take your time with the turn. I'm interested if Superdeath can actually cancel the deal out of turn.

Scooter: Oh yeah I won’t even be able for another 7-8 hours anyway

Nice to get some added information in there regarding their Currency time. Next Superdeath:

Charriu: Great now Bing wants money for the embargo. I don't want to pay him. I think we would be fine without him joining the embargo. He only has 2 cities on islands or 3. Mjmd might even loose more money if he loans Bing money and looses our tade routes.

Superdeath: yeah

Charriu: It's also a very convenient timing from Mjmd. It also shows how much of a "help" Bing would be in an attack on Mjmd

Superdeath: yep

Charriu: On top of it. Mjmd must suspect something is up if Bing doesn't accept a gift immediately.

Superdeath: aye

Charriu: How much of our plans could Bing relay to Mjmd?

Superdeath: i have no clue. but mjmd does show signs of knowing something

Charriu: In terms of embargo or attack? What did you notice?

Superdeath: so what you thinking?
[9:17 PM]
something about the others worrying about my score and wanting you to do all the dirty work while they kill Bing?
those were his responses.
randomly

Charriu: I have no interest in killing Bing any time soon. Bing does not need me to accomplish that goal.
I would be surprised if Mjmd doesn't think we are worried.
I admit you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. As far as I see it Scooter is still naturally expanding. Mjmd though has to conquer for more land and that's either me or you.
I didn't think about the geopolitics if he attacks me, because if he does I will be either dead or weak enough. If he attacks you a lot will depend on your ability to defend against him. As long as you defend well I doubt scooter will backstab you. That would just boost Mjmd.
Of course I would help you defending either by opening up another front or in other ways. Depending on the situation on the ground. By the way I haven't given a proper response to Bing. Curious to see what he does without one. Since you may not have currency yet, I will let you know about how much money Bing may get from Mjmd.

Superdeath: Okie

And Superdeath is also not paying. Nice try Bing. Scooter and I closed borders this turn. Mjmd lost at least 5 gold per turn from that. For more we need the others to follow along. Of course I am also loosing here, but that's always the price of an embargo.




The border protection is a bit on the bad side right now. But another spearman is on it's way from the north and the one in Shimomura will move to Matsumae. Since this is somewhat surprising to Mjmd I don't think there will be chariots immediately at my doorstep.

[Charriu]

After asking the others I went on to give Bing an answer about his demands:

Charriu: Superdeath, Scooter and I talked. You will not get any gold from us.

Bing: I got too cheeky ))

You really are a clown. But at least he tried something with diplomacy. I think the main reason why this stunt didn't work is because Bing did not put in the work to establish enough trust with the others by fostering good relationships. With those it might have worked out. I've let the others know about Bings answer. Here are their responses:

Scooter: HAH
Would be nice if we could still get him to close

Charriu: Agree

Scooter: That message sort of makes it sound like he was mostly bluffing

Charriu: Looks like it. Nice try. Now I like him even less. ? I mean why would you ever admit something like this in a running game

And Superdeath:

Superdeath: Lol

As of end of T103 Bing still has open borders with Mjmd.

[Tarkeel]

How would you rate the various parties at this stage?

[Charriu]

1. Scooter: Has the good wonders and the easiest option for expansion in Bing
2. Mjmd: Great expansion by him, but no easy expansion option afterwards. Growing so big so fast might backfire as it puts a target on him as we've seen. Sometimes it's not the best option to lead from the beginning.
3. Charriu: Tech leader and easy expansion into Bing, but I'm at a huge city disadvantage right now and Scooter has already a step into the door to Bing.
4. Superdeath: Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Don't ask me who is who?
5. Bing: Don't feed the troll.