A Challenger Appears!

[CFCJesterFool]

First time mp player, but I don't think that will be the key challenge facing me as I takeover for Tankra. This, however, is a big problem...

Just terrible bpt at 80BC (max science for 60bpt losing 28gpt) running 2 scientists. Must have techs are Sailing, Math, Construction, Monarchy, Alpha, Currency, and CS. I normally wouldn't tech Alpha but bpt is so terrible that I need to be able to build research if I hope to ever catch my tech up to par. The most pressing need is happiness so I think after CoL I'll research Monarchy. I get a GS in 7 turns (Academy) and I'll probably starve out another GS (after switching to caste once CoL finished) so I can bulb Alphabet (suboptimal I know ). A GM would be better but the diplo situation (Tankra had attacked Ozzy) and not entirely trusting TheStick means the GM would have nowhere to go (without great risk of getting the GM sniped). Bulbing MC does have merit but Alpha gives a discount on Currency (which is really what I need right now). This means I go Monarchy->Math->bulb Alpha->get Currency asap.

There is a reason to the madness...and it would be this...

This is the best commerce city the NAs have, by far, and since it is on the border with TheStick (hence needing a heavy garrison anyway), I need to grow this city under HR as large as possible.

If I can improve the economy fast enough, I might have a slim chance. Unfortunately, I am quite far behind (4th/5 players). However, I do have HAs/dogs/spears/soon to be CG2 archers to defend so I *can* defend what I got. The question is can I get cats fast enough (after researching Currency) to be able to tech to Fuedalism/CS in relative safety.

One reason to get Sailing (besides normal reasons) is that CD4 is extremely vulnerable to boating. By the time I can go to war again (economy takes precedence), if this city is as undefended as it is now, seriously going to consider a sneak attack on it. Something to keep an eye on for sure.

[CFCJesterFool]

Well, I definitely wanted to go Monarchy immediately afer CoL, but this changed my mind...

To be safe, I went ahead and teched Masonry so walls can be put up in vulnerable cities. Missed founding Confuscianism by 1 turn so CoL turned out to be a bust (caste right now not the smartest idea in the world). Team SAT is doing a nice job on the farmer's gambit...

Exactly one warrior in every city that I passed by enroute to find Sian's borders. TheStick has opens borders with SAT so probably know about the "robust" defenses of his next door neighbor. I won't take any chances ofc but I have a feeling it won't be me that gets a rude awakening. City builds...

After Monarchy, probably going to tech Fuedalism before Math (not going to have many forests left anyway) since I will be building defensive units anyway and Drill 2 longbows negate to an extent the threat of catapults. Under vassalage, only 1 settled GG away from triple promoted longbows. I hope to be in caste soonish and will try for a quick GS (bulb Alpha) and a GM (bulb MC) to at least somewhat catch up in the tech department.

[CFCJesterFool]

Opened the save to this...

I knew quite some time ago that he planned on attacking me (not opening borders telegraphs that move). I decided to risk teching (and switched into caste) because a) economy was in the tank and b) didn't feel like build *archer->end turn->*repeat end turn until the inevitable (so boring ).

Nicolae could surprise me by declaring and then just marching straight to thestick's border and taking his core cities but that is unlikely. Lolsy but unlikely. GeeGee....

On a side note, Poverty Point will autoraze since I never let it grow to sz 2. If I wasn't so far behind in tech (i.e. had cats) then I could actually defend against his aggression. Cats + HAs do quite well against 1 movers prior to maceman. Math->Construction would have been much better than CoL->Monarchy.

[CFCJesterFool]

So Nicolae attacked Poverty Point (*former city of* I should say ) and offered peace which I accepted. Hmm, not what I would have done but whatever. The question is why build a big stack (second in power to thestick) of leading edge military (nobody else has xbows) and not use them? He had enough already to take pretty much every city I had...but didn't.

The same turn, I dowd thestick for funsies. No units sent his way but a scouting HA near his border with SAT did get teleported to just outside of a city defended by a single archer (which he reinforced with a scout). He offered peace + 25g for peace when his turn rolled around. Since I was fooling around anyway, I declined the offer but countered with peace for peace. Getting free gold is cute but not going to let a joke affect his game negatively.

Having scouted everybody, I would have to say that the game will be won by either Nicolae or thestick. For now, the edge would have to go to Nicolae (since ckn edge out axe + cat unless significantly outnumbered).

[Merovech]

You already did let a joke affect his game negatively; albeit, the effect is minor. You cost him a bit of commerce in lost trade routes, plus resetting the peace modifier for the trade routes once you do get peace.

[CFCJesterFool]

You cost him a bit of commerce in lost trade routes, plus resetting the peace modifier for the trade routes once you do get peace.

That affects me equally so I have no problem with it. It's not like I have to help thestick win right?

[Merovech]

That affects me equally so I have no problem with it. It's not like I have to help thestick win right?

Sorry, I must have misunderstood your intent. Of course you don't have to help anyone.

[CFCJesterFool]

T102 report -

I am a pretty good player but I gotta admit...Nicolae has this in the bag. However, he could have easily killed me off...but didn't, so I'll continue to play on even though he has already won (I suppose he likes building Wonders?)

First we start with the tech picture...

I get Currency next turn and Monotheism the turn after. I have a GM due the same turn Monotheism is finished and will bulb MC, so really, I am solidly in 2nd place on tech. The demos...

I am number #2...big f'ing deal. I can't defend against Nicolae...yet...and this is what thestick got...

Longbows + HA kill this stack pretty easily but he's busy (with SAT) and anyway, I am trading him wine for gpt. Tbh, he is a logical choice for good relations...so I won't attack him for real (the first joke was the last joke) at this time. My tech path...

I normally wouldn't build ToA but in this case it would be nice to get a GP for the Taoist shrine (or maybe even bulb Theology). So we definitely need marble...

Random empire screenie...

Now that I have Calendar, I have another city to settle (the iron site gets settled first though)...

City screens (plus more!) will be in the next post. Stay tuned (ok, so I am drunk and can't continue posting right now...you can wait right?)

[CFCJesterFool]

Now for a look at the cities of the *empire*...

I plan on switching to OR/Slavery once I get the GM because I need to spread religion and pre-build the Palace in its' new location. Also going to whip courthouses and basic infra as well. The monastery is needed because I won't stay in OR that long and might still need to spread missionaries.

Building a second monastery so I am not limited to just one city that can spread Taoism when not in OR. Before the Palace is moved, I need to have courthouses in every city. I'll fire the scientists once I am to within 1 turn of popping the GS since I want to get a GP from elsewhere first.

I really need a lot more workers. It's possible I might 2 pop whip the courthouse after building 2 workers and then finish the others. Really depends on when I go back to Caste/Pacifism and how soon I can get Taoism here (to take advantage of OR).

Instead of the Stables, I'll switch to building the Palace here (to within 1t from completion). The current capital is pretty lame but Dumb Mud (under Bureaucracy) will be pretty good.

I'll have marble next turn so even if Nicolae builds ToA, I'll get some fail gold with the resource modifier (which is better than just building wealth). If I do get ToA, I will want to build a temple here and run a priest. Both a GProphet and GM will be useful but I hope I can get a GProphet for the Taoist shrine. I am currently on GP #3-GM (#1-GS/Academy and #2-Philo bulb) so I'll need to get the following GP from here, assuming I can get ToA, if I want to have a chance for a GProphet.

Stupid jungle...good thing I am building more workers. I do have 4 workers already down here but that just ain't gonna cut it obviously (I still need tile improvements in other cities too). Eventually, this city will be a decent commerce/production city with Moai. The galley comes first though because I have plans on oversea colonizing. I'll whip both the granary and courthouse since the happy cap is so high.

Probably whip the lighthouse and then a courthouse. After that probably build a barracks/totem pole and spam longbows under vassalage (once Fuedalism researched).

[CFCJesterFool]

One thing I haven't mentioned is forges. I'll have to fit them in but once I can switch to vassalage, I think getting out a bigger army of decent defenders is more important. The problem right now is every city is tied up with important builds so forges will just have to wait for the time being.

I think Nicolae has all the wonders that have been built. He will get GLib too. Hopefully he keeps building wonders and neglects the military techs. Most likely though, he goes Music, gets the free GA and starts a golden age. After that he blows through the tech tree getting CS/Engineering and kills stuff with Mace/CKN/Treb. Might choose to go for Guilds and knight stomp everybody (well I should have longbows by then I hope). So yeah, he can win this whenever he wants.

Not much to say except that Nicolae is "quite safe from the Rebellion." Probably too much to hope that he is as overconfident as the Emperor was.

That pretty much wraps it up for now. If any of the lurkers have questions...feel free to ask.