[Mjmd #59] Sea Shanties!

[Mjmd]

T164



Not sure when I'm using this for a city name. I'm REALLY hoping that it is on astro island, but if nothing else you get a video and I would be remiss if I didn't put one of his videos in here somewhere. I honestly need to still go through all his shanties of the week. They aren't as conductive to listening to at work because I keep wanting to glance at the historical facts lol. If you are also getting distracted by the historic stuff here is a link to anothing good version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDjOAsxeokw

Lazteuq does have galleons, but he appears to be gearing up for a Charriu war or at least pretending he is (I would be shocked if he doesn't retake that border city at the least).

Anyways, Ramk lost his 20% attack vs Cruel Wars. I took Gobi. Evidently Kalahari NEVER popped 2nd ring borders (it has islam, but I wasn't keeping track of for how long). So after a little scout with sentry chariot, moved 1 crossbow forward and saw it was fully clear to go raze next turn (its aweful placement between assuming GKC taking capital and Gobi).

My main decision is if I advance afterwards on Hulun-Buir. I had planned on giving it GKC to have a better border. It also would require going deep into Ramk culture leaving captured Gobi a little exposed. Shall see. Speaking of GKC WHEN ARE YOU ADVANCING!!!!

2nd: evidently I should slow play so people let me go 2nd half of turns . I mean I also switched to first vs GKC in PB60 but that was because I forgot I was at war with (I essentially was only at war with SD at the time).

[Mjmd]

T168







Decided to go take Hulun-Biur. GKC advanced, lost 1/3 of his knights (ish) and retreated remaining to heal. Like any number of macemen or crossbows would probably go a long way........ There's an unchopped jungle next to the remaining border city he easily could have used....... Also, you know any number of cats maybe?



I plan on leaving the remaining cities for GKC, but remaining at war for now.







Sent fish for fish with Lazteuq who made peace with Charriu and might care I'm settling island near him. Also has two galleons on inland sea threatening two cities potentially. Mind also threatening GKC cities.



Mig doesn't have a ton of galleons in sea that I can see atm. However, has  some frigates, which there is no early reason other than boredom for frigates to be on that side of his empire (I mean I suppose Carracks could cause trouble if I was feeling suicidal). Very possible just building to start building up next gen of sea power and dissuade me (no need). Civac hasn't declared on anyone and I sent another diplo message basically saying please have a wall of units (requested stone, copper, and horse). In any case I'm starting operation whip the western islands constantly for longbows (and 1pike per). They are just super exposed.



I have a settler currently hanging out trying to debate between settling mainland vs going off to island. Both options are fraught with peril.



So I didn't realize until I was trying to see if Ramk was getting metals from anyone that there are almost no wars going on in such a big game. Very weird. I imagine with more people getting next gen of naval power that will change.



Anyways, trying to live one more day at a time.

[Mjmd]

Sigh got a PM from Mig declaring war. I really needed 12 turns...... I imagine the plan is just to take all my western islands. Like I said they JUST started building actual relevant defenders and they are super exposed.

I'll see if I can get some Charriu help on the mainland, or a backstab /shrug.

My plan was / still is to try to go lower portion of the tree pronto during GA. But poor Cousin Jack was going to actually build a market this next turn instead of cranking units out constantly. Sigh. I probably won't report too much more this game. Mig does a better job at it and now I'm out. I think I would have been in ok shape if I had a weaker neighbor to the west. Finally use all those building discounts and I would have been one of the largest empires.

Obviously the main point this game went downhill was the poor defense against Ramk. I still am a little depressed about the 11% raze of Whiskey (probably still avoidable). I may have actually had units to defend future razes (not the moral GG) if that city had lived. Also, probably a much sooner GA.

[Mjmd]

T170

Now you get the really downer one:



Hopefully a astro island name.

Mig took 4 cities last turn and will take capital this turn. Only has 15% chance on Whiskey says Vodka, but whiskey and vodka combined.......

I needed 2 more turns I think to hold a little (at least make him bring up cats / cannons). Again literally had only 0 or 1 longbows in my cities. He also took OldBillyRiley so I won't get GA. I'm attempting to make a stand at Jack until whatever of my stack can maybe come back. May also decide to try to evacuate it to the island.........

Maybe come back you say. Well Laztueq decided to take multiple GKC cities, so its up to me to get the white whale. Not sure if this viewed as giving up to Mig, but listen whale-mans code. You have to ignore the storm and go for what you've been hunting.

Man wish this had been a 5 man. Lazteuq attack meant I would have gotten all of Ramk.............. Ah well, I guess I should have defended vs Ramk better. Other than the 11% the major mistake I think I made was not having Ramks graphs (/ him prob having city vision), meant the first invasion was just silly and that's when I had most of my cities razed as I had vacated them for invasion troops.

[Mjmd]

T178



The mutinous dogs bound my hands while I slept! Charriu after not bringing up nearly enough troops and 0 siege, threw some units at advancing Mig and decided that it would be better to take some cities instead. Sure Mjmd could whip out multiple units from them to help resist, but heh Charriu might get 1 each before Mig declares on him. Certainly wouldn't want to use Mjmd's cultural presence /shrug. That being said, he left alive a settler and worker on his other border headed for astro island, so he may end up with all peninsula cities if he wants to keep pushing. You know just to make it as awkward as possible   between Mig and Charriu. I think I'm trying to get as much as possible to Royal Oak from old mainland. Charriu can use old Lazteuq canal, so imagine ships are incoming sadly. I also lost a 75% vs galley with a carrack.



Speaking of curses, Ramk dies next turn assuming I don't mess up worker order. My plan for this turn was to actually send most of the stack south and just send a portion north. Did Charriu just not look power graph and assume I wasn't coming back? Ah well, now I'm not! Now I'm debating between flashing them at Mig to delay conquest old Ramk land or to start evac to astro island. Probably some mix. Ramk's luck is undiminished btw. He won an 83% and 96% defensive battles with axes against two knights. Ramk also put up kind of a neat defense with forts. He would put a double hill crossbow on hills in my way which took 1.8 elephants to dislodge each time.

Pretty sure I'm giving that city back to GKC. Its awkward as Laz and I share an astro island and I need him not to hit my ships on the way. That being said if he does interfere I suppose I could always use my stack for defending GKC   . Plus GKC deserves at least that much from me. He had also given me 232 ish gold as well (100 of which I passed on to Charriu as protection money). I hate people giving away gold while dying, but if you are, give it to someone like me who is also dying lol.

Edit: realized forgot to take down my hopeful market sign from before Mig invasion lol. I also had some forges under construction assuming Charriu would keep sending.

[Mjmd]

T180




I eliminated Ramk, gave the city back in act of generosity, and then realized I should have used as a canal to get 3 carracks out. Ah well, probably better not to take a city away from Lazteuq.

Charriu is advancing with an insultingly low number of units. I'm like 30% tempted to wipe it next turn, but ya ya greater good stopping Mig blah. I'll probably evac everything. Hopefully he razes RollingDown so there isn't any awkwardness with Royal Oak, which I would like to keep..... and there are still no galleons so maybe.

But ya will lose Cousin Jack and RisingofTheMoon this turn /shrug. Realized I strung out 1 crossbow to die alas. Assuming Mig and Charriu are in turn split I'm going to nicely set up Charriu having RisingofTheMoon and Mig having Worst Old Ship. A CURSE UPON BOTH OF YOU!!!!

Anyways, was going to settler 3rd astro island city next turn, but then realized I should probably send 1 settler to immigrate a little farther just in case! Pretty sure Botany Bay will still be astro island city name.

[Mjmd]

T187



I don't actually plan on leaving this game, but this will be my last report (most likely). However, I know Charriu will read this and my attempted actions could affect Mig who is a contender, so figured I would report. I assume between Mig, Charriu, and Lazteuq anything I do further will be reported in some part.

I have never died in a pitboss and I don't plan on starting now, so I came up with multiple plans to avoid (2&3 are technically part of the same overall plan):

1) Hopefully this song will be city name of the settler I sent off in to the void somewhere...... I just got a map trade with Amica and Amica actually settled the 1 tile on astro island I was going to!!!! Sooooo not sure where I'm going now. This plan not looking the best (obviously going to require someone being nice in any case).

2) As a review my plan to put Charriu and Mig in an awkward spot worked perfectly. I purposefully didn't whip Cousin Jack even though I could get 1 more unit out SPECIFICALLY so it would still be in revolt when Charriu and Mig peace treaty expired so he could hit with collateral. I've been sending diplo EVERY TURN for the past 3 turns that I would support if he went to war (it doesn't sit the best with me that Mig never faced my main stack, my fault, but still). Where do I find Charriu's cuirassier stack this turn...... NEAR LAZTEUQ!!!!! I resent my support, but it might just be too late. Mig can draft rifles, so even 1 more city that can draft will probably just be too much. Even going back to original Mig invasion and Charriu betrayal is that Charriu just has a sizable force defending the exposed border city he took from Lazteuq. He could easily have vacated it, Laz takes, get for sure peace, go take my whole old territory....... But nope, have to devote over half his forces to an almost worthless city that Lazteuq can at any point decide to take anways....... . Oh did I mention Charriu looks to be setting a city in old Ramk territory . Now some of you might be asking why I want Charriu to have my old territory other than to kick Mig out. Well part of it his good will. The other half is to be a better counterbalance to Laz.

3) Not going to lie I've been in some complicated diplo all around, but especially with Lazteuq who I'm not sure has been understanding my messages. I could do the make a last stand with my stack thing against Lazteuq, but as mentioned I would rather that go against Mig, but with Charriu off doing something   its possible it just does nothing..... My plan is to give Lazteuq all remaining Ramk mainland cities in 8 turns (I chose 10 turns when Laz started looking like he was moving forward). If I move against Ramk with Charriu or if not, my remaining stack will then be shipped to Royal Oak. Its culture will be very annoying sadly, but hopefully after giving Lazteuq Ramk mainland hopefully have some goodwill built up. I'm also hoping he lets me keep my astro island cities. I've been sending diplo messages where I give him every resource in Ramk land, but no others.

I've tried sending messages to both Lazteuq and Charriu to fight each other later and fight Mig now. It does not appear to have worked...... Again that one bloody Charriu capture is probably causing the tension.

Anyways, time for me to leave this thread. Hope you enjoyed. I had some bad luck, made mistakes, and was left broken. So a sailors life.

[Mjmd]

Its 5:18 AM and I haven't slept most of the night, so random update.

God Bless Charriu and his Christmas spirit! Lets go over things in last however many turns:

-Civac sails two transports over to astro island. Attacks with 4 knights???? and signs peace. I am confused but happy (8 infantry could have taken my 3 easy). I had sent Civac all 3 city name songs just assuming actual troops were on board.
-I had a crossbow hanging out in Mig canal for a LONG time. Waiting. Waiting for literally any ship to step onto the fort tile. As mentioned need some good will to live and literally all my other plans have failed. Mig put two galleons on the tile. I move crossbow so its facing the tile and declare war (and don't kill ships / pillage fort). I do get the peace, but Mig kills the crossbow (how rude)
-There was I believe* exactly 1 island without settlement. The SD horse island near Amica. Now I like Amica and I'm pretty sure they like me at least a little. So when Amica declared war on SD I raced my carrack over to settle "Leave Her Johnny". Sadly Amica settler is there ahead of me. I "demand" horse, but sadly log in next turn to Amica's new city. Its possible there is 1 more site if DZ hasn't resettled an island. I kind of stopped map trading to know for sure; better to have hope.
-Charriu moves on astro island and declare war. I assume some kind of invasion where bleeds off now obsolete rifles and cavs. I send Charriu all 3 songs (same as Civac). Charriu takes just the dye city and offers peace?

Right now I have peace with 3 separate civs all of which could have killed me. Will I live this game? I'm resuming whipping, which I had kind of gotten lax on. I also realized I made a mistake WAY back and built a library in Royal Oak when I still had Ramk land. I actually have Maoi mostly complete there, but not going to finish until that border pops because will take food resources from both Charriu and maybe Mig, but maybe I can still alive???? /shrug.

[Charriu]

Hey I wanted to get back to you for the backstab after I first supported you against Miguelito. But first about that war against Miguelito and my lacking support. First of all I wanted to mention that I was the only one supporting you in that war and reading Miguelito's thread I may have slowed him down in the beginning. I would have supported you more, but since the early game I was more or less in a constant struggle against Lazteuq. Lazteuq razed one of my cities, tried to settle up on me afterwards and harassed me a second time with an immortal. My trust towards Lazteuq was at a very low point for the majority of the game because of that and that's why I kept my forces mainly on his side. I know we two managed to get on better terms in PB52, but Lazteuq's continued hostile actions made that harder for me.
When Miguelito attacked you I saw the danger of a technologically superior force invading our continent and my thought was that we (Lazteuq and me) have to help you (Funnily that same sentiment made me support Lazteuq against Amicalola later.) It could have been an ideal continent defense. I would have supported you on land and Lazteuq could have joined in on the water. I tried to communicate that to Lazteuq, but he never made a move in that direction. That certainly didn't help me in trusting him more.

Now as for the actual backstab. At that time I felt that Miguelito had the upper hand on land and of course on water. To me it looked like you were basically dead in the water. Therefore I thought before all of your cities fall to Miguelito it's better I take them, similar like your final attacks on me in PB52.

[Mjmd]

I was actually expecting a backstab, but I expected it AFTER we had kicked him out. I think the one city you took from Laz ended up being a poison pill. It just kept sooo many of your troops tied up. I think we could have beaten Mig back either A) before you made peace if you had brought up any number of cats. A had advantage of being able to use my culture to push back. or B) right as peace expired. I specifically didn't whip Cousin Jack so it would still be vulnerable 1 movers from you when peace expired. B would have been a bit harder as he had a small # of rifles, but I forgot he couldn't draft because of culture %, so I think we would still have been able to do it.