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

[Woden]

Since you wonder about it: Just look at greeks/Gorgos abilities then you will know why he has that many envoys/where they come from.

I knew about the envoy for completing an acropolis but thought the +5% culture for Suzerain was a Greece thing, not just a Pericles. Thought he would be using them to get as many suzerains as he could, not just Antananarivo. Still, he must have been saving all that he earned and built acropolis everywhere, which is surprising since his culture is not that high.

[Woden]

Just a quick note, I did some interesting reading last night over at CivFanatics:
https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/c...12.648740/

Apparently, the AI always attacks the unit with lowest modified combat strength. It is interesting because I can use that information to take out Antananarivo before I reach Flight. The big issue right now with attack them is that their walls will could attack my bombards and take them fairly quickly before I could even put a dent in their health. But if I have a few "weaker" units to absorb the shots, I can keep the bombards safe as they bomb the walls. Probably wait until I can make an army to do more damage but it will still be quicker than waiting for Flight.

Also, need to remember to pillage Antananarivo and Auckland while I can, good way to get gold for upgrades. I think Auckland has a Harbor and a few mines and Antananarivo has a few mines...and a quarry...might be able to buy a second builder after all.

[Woden]

Turn 179
Start off with...



Take a look in the western battle zone and no new units along my shores, just a few great people. My northern Frigates sails north to see if there is anything up there and finds...



There is at least one unit in the north. My other 2 Frigates sail north and a little to the east to see if there are more and found none. I move the Frigate close to the embarked unit south a little bit to get out of his vision. I upgrade a few crossbows at Fog that will move north next turn. I am able to do a few upgrades thanks to some city states. I pillage the lighthouse at Auckland and a quarry at Antananarivo, then harvest a crabs at Sun Dogs. Since we only banned declaring war on city states and not pillaging them, I am going to pillage everything at Antananarivo and Auckland. The current pan is to absorb Anatananarivo into my empire but not 100% on Auckland. I might just pillage them and leave. Not sure but I will farm them for experience on my Frigates as they work down Auckland's walls. I upgraded 2 Calvary at Tornado should be able to Auckland next turn. 

Suboptimal founded 2 new cities...



Not sure if I would have founded Xoroshiro1284 while at war with me. I might have to have some of my units pay a visit to see if what is around it and if it is guarded.

Over on the east side of the Pacific Ocean...



Sub has some nice targets around Xorshift. I move the Frigate back and he will wait for the otehrs to do a sweep of the northern ocean. I have the Caravel head back to Alberta Clipper to get upgraded.

In other news, I bought a builder at Thundersnow. Start researching Scientific Theory and switched civic research to Conservation. Era ends in 2 turns and I will form 3 corps for the boost to Mobilization after the Era change for the era points. I am going into a dark age next and should get a heroic age after that. I think that will be the last age, as I think I can win this game around T250 +/- 10 turns with a cultural victory. Not sure it will go that long. I think the others are losing interest in the game. Turn turnarounds are taking longer and longer as the game continues. The last few turns have taken 2 days to get back to me. Frankly, I am a little surprised that they haven't conceded yet. I guess my lower science rate is giving them hope and them think they have some sort of advantage right now? Give it another 15 or so turns and we will see if they want to keep playing. I am planning on chopping a few campuses at Tornado and Thundersnow and am going to dump a bunch of envoys into Bologna. That should help my science and I should start pulling away. Maybe if I raze sub's new city and Xorshift will get him to concede. Not sure how I can get pindicator to concede...maybe raze his coastal city in the north?

[Woden]

Turn 180
Start turn off in the north, chasing sub's embarked unit...



Only one frigate was able to reach him but it was able to take a good chuck out of his health. He will most likely land next turn and I will have a couple of units waiting for him. My other frigates over here search the north sea for anymore units in the fog. They will sweep east and then head towards sub's coastal city. 

Over by Auckland...



Both my cavalry were able to move from Tornado to Auckland thanks to the road and having 7 MPs. The northern one even had enough movement to pillage the industrial zone for some science and faith, which gave me enough to buy a second builder this turn. Caravel moves to the coast to see if I can see what is around sub's city, X-128. As you can see, it looks like he only has a warrior and builder. Might be something on the west side but still looks fairly undefended. I move up my 2 muskets at Tornado, plus the ram in case he chops out walls. Doubtful he can get Medieval Walls up by the time I can reach the city. He would have to buy the other forest tile and my cavalry can get there next turn. Actually, I could get to the forest in his borders next turn with 7 MP. Hopefully his not currently running the upgrade cards. I don't know if he will have enough to upgrade the warrior without them. I was going to pillage Auckland next turn but maybe I rush X-128. I will start by sending the southern cavalry to check it out. 

Finally, here is a picture of my northern core...



Notice the 3 projects finishing next turn. Should be enough to grab the Great Merchant for 500 and 2 envoys. ot sure if I will send them right away to Bologna or wait for Conservation to be able to get a nice buffer. I will probably send them next turn to see if he has any stored up. IDK, I guess I will have to see what I think when I am in the turn. 

This was the last turn of the era and I lose Monumentality and going into a dark age. I am planning on taking the dedication that gives 1 era point for industrial buildings. I should be building/buying a few over the next 30 turns, so it should help get me a heroic age afterwards.

Edit: Also forgot to mention, pindicator settled 2 cities, one near his core by Yugul and one east of the mountains by Tornado.

[Woden]

Turn 181
New Era starts. I get a dark age and take as dedication...



Everybody is in a dark age. Pindicator put some envoys into Auckland and I can no longer pillage them. That sucks, wanted the free gold. He did have a unit close by and must have been worried I was going to capture the city. Oh well, I move my units south and was able to hit Xoroshiro128 with one calavry. Here is what it looked after...



It will take another turn to get the Muskets closer before they can attack but should be able to put the city under siege next turn. Looks like sub was going to chop out walls, as I captured his builder on the forest tile. Not sure why he left this city unguarded, only see 1 warrior. Attacking him through the mountains would be hard. Attacking him in the open, not so hard. 

I get the Merchant with all 3 projects completing and had like 4 point to spare. Next merchant is the one that gives toys (not even close) 500 and 1 governor title, I think. Will have to double check next turn. I did look but no screenshot to remind me. I used the Merchant for 500 and 2 envoys. I was going to send them to Bologna but forgot to after I did a few other things in game. Will do it next turn. With the gold, I upgraded a few immortals and a crossbow. 

Up at Antananarivo...



The field cannon might be an issue if the AI wasn't predictable. I will move one of my Generals next to the city unguarded which will draw it out and I will kill it. I did move one of my bombards up and shot the city, then formed a corps using the other. This brought its melee strength to 53, so my 50 strength field cannon will take the damage next turn. He shouldn't die but will be redlined. I have another field cannon ready to get in range and draw the fire. I am going to move a few more down to help draw the fire. I am also going to buy a catapult next turn and upgrade it to a bombard to form an army, which should help speed up the capture of Antananarivo. General at Fog might be able to make it down to the farm next to the city next turn and I will kill the field cannon in 2 turns. 

Up north, my Frigate moves down the canal looking for sub's unit and finds nothing. I didn't notice right away but he was hiding by the ice. I kill him with my trailing Frigate. My other Frigate and Admiral move east and find nothing of importance. That might have been his last embarked unit. I will do a sweep as I send my Frigates east and my Caravel will sweep the southern ocean after he gets upgraded. 

I start Factories in La Nina and Bomb Cyclone. Both Sleet and Fog grabbed their coals this turn and my builders were waiting to improve them. That should help them build their walls. That was about it. Now, I just need to continue to pressure suboptimal, build a bunch of builder, and cruise to a cultural victory. Only real concern now is if pindicator attacks now while a chuck of my army is south around Xoroshiro128.

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

I really like watching your manipulation of the AI to take down the city-state. If it works as you expect, I will have learned a lot.

[Woden]

Turn 182
Start turn off with...



Start working on Flight. Down by suboptimal's city, I move my units up and take a few whacks at the city. Might be able to take the city next turn if I get a few good rolls but will probably take another turn. Have not seen any units of his moving up. 

Up at Antananarivo...



Ant did attack my weakest unit (field cannon in 1000-year Storm) but did not kill him. I retreat into a city to heal. I move another into range to use at bait. I also move the General to the farm to bait the field cannon to leave the city. They usually will go after an unprotected General or builder. Not sure if this would considered an exploit of the AI but playing it long enough, you start to see patterns and how things are coded.  I did buy a catapult at Micro Burst that will be upgraded next turn and swapped civic research to Mobilization. Once I form a bombard army, the walls should fall faster, since it will at a higher strength than the city, or at least if I can get the +7 against districts promotion on it.

Edit: Forgot, I put 2 envoys into Bologna and am now suzerain. Not sure if it will stay that way, just checking if sub has anymore envoys.

[Woden]

Turn 183
Cruising through the turns today, kind of makes up for the slow turn pace during this last week. 

Start of with...



Before I do a policy swap, I need to do some upgrades...and for upgrades I need some gold. So, let's go to Antananarivo...



Hey, look! The field cannon came out to play. I move up my injured field cannons to take most of the health away and then killed it with my Cuirassier. I pillage 2 mines for 594 in total. I upgrade a field cannon, an ironclad, and bombard and maybe a cavalry, not sure..was thinking about it but not 100%. I know there was a few units I looked at and I didn't have enough gold. Anyways, city walls are down to 239/300 but it should go quicker after next turn and I make an army bombard. 

Policy swap time...



I can get rid of the upgrade card and go with Isolationism since I think I have enough cities right now. This should help me build walls quicker.  Levee en Masse is worth 83 , which is a little weird since it is not divisible by 2. 

Over by subopitmal...



Not quite enough to take the city but it will be toast next turn. Not going to push any farther, just saw an opportunity.

In other news, neighborhood finished at Thundersnow, boosting Conservation (due next turn). I immediately chop out a campus and start a library (due in 4 turns). Same will happen at Tornado once I can get my captured worker up there. Fog finished ancient walls, I chop medieval walls out, and it starts renaissance walls. Sub has retaken Bologna but I will retake next turn when I get 3 envoys from Conservation. I buy 2 missionaries to spread religion to the few cities that don't have it yet. Then I will save my faith for a naturalist before I start buying districts once Mass Media finishes and I can get my final governor title into Moksha. I think if there is one oversight with the others during this game, it is completely ignoring the faith economy. Granted, Earth Goddess has been very good to me and once I build the Eiffel Tower, it will only be better.

[Woden]

I really like watching your manipulation of the AI to take down the city-state. If it works as you expect, I will have learned a lot.

I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. Drawing out a unit from a city is fairy predictable. Once I figured it out, it almost always works. I did not know that the AI targets the weakest melee strength unit until recently, but having played around with it in a few games, it is also fairly predictable. 

I think it shows some of the problems with the AI. They should have added a threat variable in the code that could be adjusted by the situation. Targeting ranged units from a walled city is useless. It should be targeting the biggest threat, i.e. the bombard . The ranged units get a -17 strength against walls. And it should never move out a ranged unit to get a lone General when it is surrounded and will die. 

I hope they release the dll so that people smarter than me can fix some of these issues. Overall, the game has really become good, except that the AI can't play its own game.

[Woden]

Looks like the others conceded. Not unexpected but figured I might have to raze a few of suboptimal's cities to get it and maybe a city or two of pindicator's. I will do a brief summary of my thoughts on the game later this week and might take the last save and play it through to see how long it would have taken to get a cultural victory.