Turn 200 Update
Yeah, I know it's only t75 but PBSpy is telling me 200 so I figure it's time for a big update.
So let's get into the cities:
I'm really liking Belem's growth. The farm needs to be turned into a watermill and I still need to put 2 cottages down on the last two grass tiles, but overall I'm happy with this town's development. The forge was largely delayed before because it doesn't get quite as much benefit when you're already in Bureau - however, I am probably going to switch out of Bureau for at least the next 10 turns, possibly longer. Next turn we go to Vassalage/Caste/Pacifism, grab the deer from Matsumoto-Jo, and then hire 9 scientist specialists to start our great person journey. After 5 turns of that, we switch to Vassalage/Serfdom/Theocracy (or Slavery?) and pump out some 6xp boats for a bit. I've left the galley unfinished here for exactly that purpose. Then if everything is going well we'll switch back to our last 6 turns in Caste/Pacifism to finish up the great people.
Long-term this is going to be my bureau-cap: cottages and watermills. I don't want to make this entirely commerce because you absolutely need production on this map - the units have to keep coming. However, this is about a third of my economy right now.
Doué-la-Fontaine is the production hub and military pump of my empire. I've been holding back on completing a number of units in anticipation of my Vassalage swap, but starting next turn we'll complete the trebuchet, then the longbow, and then the crossbow. The trebuchet needs to go first because we'll promote it straight away to CR3 and unlock Heroic Epic. Then we'll pump out longbows and catapults here for a bit.
I don't see this city doing anything but units for the rest of the game. Long-term we want to mine all the hills, farm all the grasslands, and then if we can get to size 14 we'll be getting base 32hpt.
Alhambra is kind of the red-headed step child of my empire. I'm never quite sure what to do with it. I could put a bunch of cottages down here, but it's coastal and I really need all the help I can get putting out navy (especially when I have neighbors like Thoth and Commodore). My current idea is to put down farms and workshops and build nothing but navy and units from here. And possibly Globe. I'm still toying with that (but I'm not going to use a GE for it).
One thing the city will contribute right away is starting next turn we are going to hire 5 scientists. This is the other half of my plan to get 3 Great Scientists in the next 15 turns and help me get to Astronomy.
Ah, but then why the cottages? Well, my future filler city is going to go to the east of Alhambra and that city will just work cottages and be a commerce city. (As soon as I figure out when I can build a settler for it...)
Matsumoto-Jo is going to build boats, and not a whole lot else. I will try to whip a forge out of here at some point, but right now it is just too much of a need. I'll leave the caravel here unfinished just like I plan on doing in the capital, and work to get a 6xp galley here as well. Having a pair of 3-move galleys will be nice for the turns ahead.
I considered making this my second great person city, instead of Alhambra. But this city feels too exposed, and I don't want to stop building boats.
Wolfpack Tower is my production center of the north. Right now I have some time, but Yuri will not hold out forever. I'm hoping he holds out long enough for me to put a large garrison of longbows here, along with the Heroic Epic. Once I feel this city is secure I will start building boats here again. But there aren't a lot of other good cities in my north, so right now I need to ensure this does not fall.
Bacon's Castle is what they call "castles" here in North America. It's a weird name for a weird city. But I'm hoping I can get a barracks out and then start pumping out longbows. I might try to squeeze out a settler here for that filler spot I mentioned, but I think it will be a long build. My goal is to windmill all these hills and then put workshops down on the plains tiles. If I need boats on the outer rim, this is the city that is going to have to do it.
Farms on the flatland and mines in the hills. This city needs worker help and I'm not sure when it will get it. Look for me to whip one out when I possibly switch to slavery in 6 turns. When we get the citadel out and some production going then this will be the boat city for the outer coast.
Fesil Ghebbi needs to be ready for my enforced peace with Commodore to end in 5 turns. We chopped out a theatre to make sure the culture was going to be set - because it is a cheap buildling and because I'm still toying with the idea of Globe. We'll build a mine next and get the Citadel in place next, followed by a wall. Inside the city I'll have at least 1 longbow, and behind it I'll have 7 more units along with 4 siege units. I also need to get the hills roaded before peace is up.
I saw Scooter turn his force around this last turn, and there certainly is enough time for Commodore to strike a peace deal and then send his knights my way next.
I'm saving up for Theology - I decided against running Wealth so I ended up not turning up the slider this turn. I finished Feudalism end of t73, Scooter picked up Optics t74. Not sure if I mentioned but Yuri picked up Engineering a few turns back as well. Thoth is saving up a TON of gold - he's up near 600g already - so I wonder what he's going for - Guilds and Civil Service are both good bets. Right now Thoth is in last place when it comes to the tech race; he's leaning heavily on his military strength and the gains against Yuri. Scooter and Yuri both have 5 techs, and Comm and I have 6. I see Comm and Scooter saving gold at about 40gpt, Thoth saving around 60gpt. I'm saving over 100gpt.
Only two wonders built so far. I'm eyeing Great Library, but it's something I'd have to chop out in the north. Great Lib + Nat Epic would be a nice combination to help fuel later great people, though. I'm not really considering many wonders right now; I want to make sure I have enough units.
I know I just did graphs recently, but there are a few developments over the last 4 turns:
Commodore has spiked in mfg after switching to Caste: using Caste & Guilds to get 1f4h grassland and 5h plains workshops in his empire. It's stymied his growth a bit, and he still is 3rd in MFG to Thoth and I - though he is growing fast. Yuri has turned on his beakers as of late and is close to me now for top spot in beaker rate. He must be going for Feudalism and longbows now.
And finally, the world:
Long term I can't stay in this corner. I have to either take Yuri or Commodore.
Comm flashed his new Caravel this turn.
