[Spoilers] rho21 follows the works of Homer... D'OH!

[rho21]

Unless you win hard, which currently I doubt, attacking Kongo seems much worse than hoping they are also capable of seeing that working together against the threat is better than an attritional war.

The trouble is that two smaller civs fighting one larger civ doesn't really work. Even if the military can be co-ordinated (tricky before alliances), science isn't shared so the larger civ will gain a technological edge in time. My awesome campus locations and unique cultural districts may just about be enough to keep me competitive there, but it won't matter much unless Kongo can keep up too.

Even so, I played a turn late last night and offered Kongo friendship.

Throwing west is what I was hoping for earlier, with more time to prepare, but after even Valletta didn't go well, and with much of your forces currently attacking that camp in the east, it seems implausible right now.

Yup, I don't think it's remotely plausible before swords + crossbows + great general. Which is maybe 25 turns away (though upgrade cash will be a problem).

Concession seems distinctly premature, even though I agree that the situation is grim.

Yes, not there yet. That was mostly to indicate that something needs to be done to change the course of the game or concession will be inevitable.

One thing's for sure, though - reading the Aztecs' thread after the game is over is going to be interesting! I want to know just how pushed this military really is, and what it came at the expense of. How much does it have to be the Aztecs that do it, for instance?

Out of the civs on offer, Aztec and America seem like the only ones that could conquer a couple of city states so quickly.

[rho21]

Turn 56

Score tracking
Kongo finished Political Philosophy (last turn, oops) and adopted Oligarchy. Nothing this turn.
Aztec finished a seventh civic this turn and grew 2 population. Need to look out next turn in case they've adopted Strategos.
Egypt finished a tech. Everybody currently has 9 techs except me on 10.

Eastern Theatre
Second hoplite complete. Started work on a water mill. Euclid isn't the best location, but I need one somewhere fairly soon for the construction boost, and right now there aren't any other production boosts to take advantage of. Due in 7 turns.

Attacking the camp next turn, and still planning to attack Yerevan in about 8-10 turns' time.

Western Theatre
I'm thinking to clear the camp in the north using a couple of archers, then swing them back south to join up with some swords and attack Valletta. The barbarian spear here retreated 2W (the only place out of archer range). Hopefully the Kongolese scout will come south of the hills and miss the almost undefended camp: unless a new unit has spawned, it has one heavily damaged scout defending it.

Housekeeping
Wheel complete, Iron Working next up. Horseback Riding the turn after, then 6 turns for Apprenticeship.

Pythagoras has reached size 4 and is working the dyes, which should alleviate a bit of gold pressure.

Waiting for next turn (when Early Empire will be complete) for the archer chop in Pythagoras, so this turn it started work on the Hanging Gardens. I think it's worth getting these built ahead of extra military because I don't want to be running Agoge after next turn and I really need to catch up in culture, which Drama & Poetry will make possible. The wonder should be done at the start of turn 62.

As mentioned in the previous post, I sent a declaration of friendship to Kongo. If that's accepted, I'll feel happy they understand what needs doing.

Another view of the barbarians in the east:

[rho21]

Played turn 57 over lunch, will report later. The important news is that Japper accepted the friendship request.
Oh and I got the boost for Military Tactics.

[rho21]

Turn 57

Score tracking
Aztec finished a tech and produced a settler.
Kongo also produced a settler, probably for somewhere near C7. They now have 2 horses connected, which could be useful down the line.

Eastern Theatre
The barbarians made a strange choice this turn. The spear moved westwards out of the camp (presumably to engage Yerevan's nearby archer). The heavily damaged scout moved in to "guard" the camp. I took the opportunity to kill the scout with my hoplite, earning the irrelevant Military Tactics boost. The barbarian spear I left alone to contemplate its actions (and hopefully get some damage in on Yerevan's archer).

Western Theatre
Not much going on at the moment. I have 3 warriors about ready to receive upgrades to swordsmen. Of course I can only actually afford to upgrade two of them. The upgrades will be done in a turn or two ready for the attack on Valletta.

Housekeeping
As mentioned previously Kongo accepted my friendship request. I'm going to assume that friendship will last until we both concede to the Aztecs, or they somehow become a less significant force in the game.

Early Empire is done, Political Philosophy expected in 10. That made it time to chop the forest at Pythagoras into the last bit of the queued archer. The forest was worth 48 (and ) which put about 71 into the Hanging Gardens. It should be done on T62.

I also had a civics switch available. I dropped Agoge in favour of Conscription, which is going to be mandatory for a while now. It saves 6/turn immediately but that will be going up to 8 or 9 pretty soon. Other civics were unchanged (Urban Planning and Strategos). I get rather more total from Urban Planning than Corvee (15% wonder boost). May look a little silly if I miss the wonder by a turn though.

With Agoge no longer in force, Hippocrates switches from its half-built archer to a monument which is due in 10 turns. I'm really feeling short of culture and this might help a little until I can get an Acropolis out. I think I'm going to use the final builder charge to improve the stone by Hippocrates. It's probably going to be harvested later, but right now it will be a valuable extra production.

Iron Working is done; Horseback Riding is the final one-turn tech in this run.

Phew, busy turn. Here's another look at the situation in the east:

[rho21]

Turn 58

Score tracking
Kongo upgraded a couple of warriors to Ngao Mbeba (I think). I hope they're not racing me for Valletta.

Eastern Theatre
The barbarian spear decided that attacking my warrior on a river across a hill was better than going after Yerevan's archer. My units sit in place to heal, next turn they will start lining up for the attack. The attack on the city will start as soon as the archer by Euclid (upgraded from a slinger this turn) can get in range, which is in 4 turns.

Western Theatre
A little manoeuvring. Looks as though the camp will be mine next turn. Sword upgrades can be done next turn too.

Housekeeping
Horseback Riding done; Apprenticeship due in 8, which is a little odd: I was expecting 6. I'll have to check my overflow numbers.

[rho21]

And apparently the Egyptians have just been defeated. I hadn't been mentioning their gradual military decline, but I had been hopeful they'd hold out for a little while longer.

I imagine this is rather how Sulla's eastern opponents in PBEM1 felt. At least Japper and I aren't fighting among ourselves; perhaps there is hope yet.

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

This is how I feel watching Mongolia gobble everyone up in PBEM8. And Archduke is dedlurking subtoptimal...

[rho21]

Turn 59

Score tracking
And then there were three. With the fall of the Egyptian capital to the Aztecs, all the Egyptian cities lose the occupation penalty, propelling the Aztecs into a narrow lead on both science and culture production. They also start gaining the benefits of Egypt's holy site.
Kongo, meanwhile, gained a population.

Eastern Theatre
Advancing on Yerevan. It has a warrior fortified inside the city that will hopefully move out. I'm currently wondering how best to deal with the archer near my current units without delaying the actual attack too much.

Western Theatre
The barbarian camp is on woods so I can't take it until next turn. Did one sword upgrade this turn; clearing the barbarian camp will give me enough for a second one. About 6 turns until the start of the assault on Valletta, I'd say.

Housekeeping
Definitely lost the overflow into Apprenticeship.

[Garath]

Perhaps the science overflow has one of those annoying mechanics where you can't stack the same overflow over multiple techs, like production has had in some versions of the game (I don't know about this one)? Definitely sounds painful, whatever the reason.

[rho21]

Turn 60

Score tracking
Gossip says Aztec is attacking Brussels now.
Kongo gained another population. They are critically short on money (22, losing 1 to 2 a turn) so presumably are using Agoge to desperately get out more military and couldn't find a slot for Conscription.

Eastern Theatre
Euclid has claimed the forested hill (finally!) so I start working it in place of the wheat. Extra production is much superior to attempting to grow under the housing penalty.

My units advance on Yerevan. Will probably declare next turn if the archer is somewhere helpful.

Western Theatre
Camp cleared; warrior upgraded to sword at Hippocrates. Forces are now moving forwards. A scouting archer reveals that Valletta has at least a warrior and two archers, hopefully the warrior will chase my archer and allow itself to be ambushed.

---

Round-number roundup™


Civ Comparison

Civ	Cities	Pop	Techs	Civics	Districts	Military estimate
Aztec	6	23	10 (+18.7/turn)	7 (+12.1/turn)	Encampment, Holy site	Something like 8 Eagle Warriors, 3 Archers, 2 Heavy Chariots, 1 Settler
Kongo	3	11	9 (+11.9/turn)	6 (+11.3/turn)	Campus (+2)	1 Ngao Mbeba, 1 Scout, 4 Archers, 1 Settler
Greece	3	10	12 (+17.8/turn)	6 (+5.2/turn)	Campus (+4)	2 Swords, 2 Warriors, 2 Hoplites, 5 Archers

The Aztecs lead in all categories and are pulling away. If I can take and hold Valletta and Yerevan, I will feel much more as if I can keep something like pace.

Great People
Hannibal (60): Greece 46 +2/turn, Aztec 24 +2/turn
John the Baptist (60): Aztec 1 +1/turn
Aryabhata (60): Greece 24 +1/turn, Kongo 20 +1/turn

Research and boosts

Tech	Cost remaining (assuming boost)	Boost	Turns until boost
Astrology	25	Already boosted
Mathematics	100	Build 3 different districts	~20
Construction	100	Build a water mill	3
Engineering	100	Build walls	~15
Apprenticeship	82	Already boosted
Machinery	150	Already boosted

Many techs complete. Still looking OK for boosts, though some of the medieval ones are going to be problematic if I can't get culture much higher before then.

Civic	Cost remaining (assuming boost)	Boost	Turns until boost
Mysticism	25	Already boosted
Games & Recreation	55	Construction tech	13
Political Philosophy	33	Already boosted
Drama & Poetry	55	Build wonder	4

Still way behind on culture production but just about holding my head above water on actual progress. Both city states I'm looking to capture have monuments, so perhaps this will be respectable again in 10 turns' time.