[Spoilers] Woden takes on the World (PBEM18)

[NobleZarkon]

I figured I would call this one Helm's Deep since it is by Rohan and it will be my fortress in the west, and it is by some mountains.

Love it.

Internationally, Ichabod finished a civic and gained 6 empire points (not a city). Kaiser gained 5 empire points and 6 era points(?). Suboptimal gained 5 empire points and 1 era point, and CMF gained an empire point. Looks to be a bunch of districts being built this last turn.

Things are bubbling along quite nicely :-)

[Woden]

Turn 95
Start turn off with...



No policy change here because I still need everything I am currently running. I will delay Cartography until the era change to get teh era points. I will switch off of it next turn and start Military Engineering. Over in the east...



Kaiser did move to the geothermal tile and I will have to see if he fortifies. I keep my settler one tile off the coast so he doesn't see him and I can still move on to land and found the city next turn if he moves. After thinking about it, I am going to settle a city over here regardless if I can get freshwater or not. If he moves his warrior off the geothermal tile next turn, I will settle that tile. If not, I will settle the tile just west of it, where it shows -2 loyalty. It will have a housing penalty to start but I can camp the fur and pasture the cows plus put down a few farms to help it grow. I also can put an aqueduct on the cows tile down the road. The big bummer is that I won't be able to put down a +2 Cothon but may be able to put a +1 next to The Grey Havens Cothon that would give a decent Commercial Hub location on their cows tile.  

Elsewhere...



Gondor finishes its aqueduct and starts an Industrial Zone, due in 5 turns. Osgiliath's Commercial Hub was at 1 turn, so I switch to an aqueduct. Erebor finishes an archer and starts an Industrial zone. I put my 2 envoys into Antioch, giving me 6 and removing Ichabod's suzerainship. Don't really care about the suzerainship, more about the gold. 

Internationally, Ichabod gained 3 empire points, Kaiser gained 1, suboptimal gained 2, and CMF gained 2. No other score changes. Kaiser did finish an Industrial Zone, now collecting Engineer points.

[Woden]

Turn 96
Let's see if Kaiser's warrior moved or stayed put...



Nope, he is still on the geothermal tile. Okay, I settle the tile to the east that shows -2 loyalty. Screenshot after I settled the city didn't take but I name it "The Black Gate" since it kind of is the gate to my empire. The builder moves to camp the furs, then will farm the tile northeast of them while heading to the cows. Finally, he will farm of of the southern grassland tiles, which will bring the housing up to 4 while it builds its granary. 

Over at my core...



Kaiser's scientist is blocking my path to my cocoa. It was there last turn and stayed put this turn. I leave my archer but send the builder down to Misty Mountains to do a little work around there while I wait for Kaiser to get bored with having his scientist there. Kaiser did send me an offer, marble and war with Ichabod for Coffee? The is a big nope! Don't have extra marble, so the deal would only help him and not really interested in war right now. My builder will hook up my 2nd spice and I can trade for his 2nd coffee. 

Tech-wise, I swapped in Military Tradition and will work on it for a few turns before putting something else in. I should have switched out of Cartography last turn but forgot that it will get a discount once the era changes. I will have to make sure I only bring MT down to 2 turns, then switch to Castles. Also, I can't finish Cartography on the turn changes because it most likely won't finish. When the turn starts, I won't have my extra 10% to the boost or my jacked up science rate (my true science rate is ~42), so I will go back to Cartography after I make my next dedication. Not much else going on. 

Internationally, Ichabod gains 5 empire points and finishes a tech. Kaiser has no score change. Suboptimal finishes a civic, earns a great person (Admiral), and 2 era points. CMF finishes a tech and gains 2 empire points. The next Admiral is the one that provides a trade route, meaning the one after that is the one that provides +3 CS to all ships. Both are good and I am not sure if suboptimal will lap me with points, will have to take a closer looks. 

Overall, I need to come up with a long-term strategy to win this thing. I feel like I am just building without purpose. I mean, I have a short-term strategy but need to think about an overall strategy to win this thing. Probably put some thoughts together for a T100 summary.

[NobleZarkon]

Turn 96
Let's see if Kaiser's warrior moved or stayed put...

Nope, he is still on the geothermal tile. Okay, I settle the tile to the east that shows -2 loyalty. 

1UPT at it's finest!

Overall, I need to come up with a long-term strategy to win this thing. I feel like I am just building without purpose. I mean, I have a short-term strategy but need to think about an overall strategy to win this thing. Probably put some thoughts together for a T100 summary.

Look forward to reading it.

[Woden]

Turn 97
Well, what I thought would be a complete fake war is not...



Kaiser razed old Hattusa I guess this is where those Corsairs where going. This both good and bad. The good is Ichabod lost a city, a campus, and his only internal source of iron hooked up but the bad is Ichabod is now going to build an army. Also, he re-suzerained Antimoch and they have a source of iron. I wish I was ready for war but it is still about 10-15 turns away. I am also rethinking if I go after suboptimal first or Ichabod. 

In my empire, I chop out the Cothon at The Grey Havens for 4/4. I did not get the era points for a splendid harbor, not sure what is going on, if it is by design since I get points for a unique harbor or if it is a bug since one of my other Cothons is +4 but was not when it was built. A drought is occurring south of The Black Gate...



Luckily, no improvements yet. I do hook up the furs for more luxuries. 

Out west...



A new barb camp spawns in the far northwest. I dispatch my quadrireme and a horseman to take it out. Builder at Helm's Deep placed a lumbermill and the builder at La Venta chops out the holy project and has enough overflow to finish the shrine next turn. I will be 50/60 for the next prophet. 

Next turn I will switch civic research to Drama for a turn so I can chop out the Cothon and Lighthouse at Mount Doom before I swap out the policy card for Maneuver to build a bunch of chariots/horsemen. New era starts in 2 turns.

[CFCJesterFool]

You are correct that you only get era points for your unique district.

[NobleZarkon]

Turn 97
Well, what I thought would be a complete fake war is not...
Kaiser razed old Hattusa I guess this is where those Corsairs where going. 

Wow.

[Woden]

Turn 98
We start in the east...



My warriors over exploring Egypt's land found Kaiser's capital. This is good information, his capital is fairly easy to get to and could be attacked fairly easy if I wanted to go down that route (I don't right now, Ichabod is bigger threat). The plan so far is to get another friendship from Kaiser and then a Military Alliance once I get the civic (Civil Service?). Not sure if he is following the same thought process. He may be looking to strike me when he can. Friendship should end on T108. 

Builder at Mount Doom is in position to chop the Cothon next turn, so I change civic research to Drama so I can chop out the lighthouse too before dropping Veterancy for Maneuver. 

Over at my core, I switch production at Osgiliath to the Commercial Hub since the new era starts next turn. Ichabod and suboptimal we see my true science rate of 42 before I get to choose Free Inquiry agian but I will also gain another 10 next turn with the CH and Cothon. Then another 4 on T100 and another 6 on T104. I should be leading in science in about 5 turns. And I will continue, as Magnus will go to Misty Mountains to chop out the library and a Commercial Hub/Market. 



I notice that Kaiser stole one of Ichabod's builders but also it kind of looks like Ichabod might be setting up to attack. He could be close to Stirrups and has his chariot by Erebor ready to upgrade. I will have to be on alert. I am planning to build 5 chariots, starting on T100 when Maneuver is in place and can 2 turn Stirrups anytime afterwards. I am also thinking about keeping the Caravel at Fez close to home. It will explore down by Ichabod's southern lands and see if another city is hiding in the south. I don't think there is a race around the world, as suboptimal probably holding off until the era change to complete his circumnavigation of the map and I won't be surprised if he gets 5 era points on his turn for it. 

Internationally, Ichabod gained an empire point and finished a tech. Kaiser finished a civic. No score change for suboptimal and CMF gained 3 empire points. I did take a look at the race for the next Prophet and it looks like Kaiser will be able to get it the turn before I do. We are both 5 turns from it but he still has this turn, so he will get it. I am going to faith buy it in a few turns, since the next one will cost more.  

I plan on providing an empire overview and my immediate plans in the next turn report and then a game overview and some longer term thoughts on T100. I think the world congress will be between T99 and T100, or the turn after, seems to remember it is fairly soon after the era change.

[NobleZarkon]

Bubbling along quite nicely. People might be planning a pre emptive strike on you before your plans come to fruition so right to be cautious.

Look forward to the overall picture, can we have some more strategic overview pictures with it please.

[Woden]

Good thing I am planning a major military build up starting in 2 turns. Five chariots and 5 quadriremes should give people a little pause, plus when I upgrade 2 caravels in 2 turns, my city defense will go up to 45 strength. I can see Brazil thinking about a knight rush if he is close to it but I don't think he has mercenaries yet for half cost upgrades. He currently has 2 more civics than I do but is also in Monarchy, which means he has 5 civics I don't. I only have Naval Tradition that is not needed to get the Mercenaries, so he is 2 civics away from completing Mercenaries. So he either doesn't have Military Training or Feudalism. I figure he is ~7-9 turns, at least, from cheap upgrades. If he upgrades without the half price cards, at best he can get 1 knight soon and a second one when he gets some gold. It is possible he plans on upgrading 1 knight and looking to pillage for enough gold for a second one but then he is limited by iron. I am pretty sure his only source is from Antitoch but he does have a warrior fortified on the second iron down by them. Maybe he is looking to found a city there? IDK. Best bet is a rush in 7-10 turns, if he is even planning something. Regardless of any of it, knights don't do much against city walls when the city strength are similar and should be able to take out anything but a dedicated push of significant numbers before the walls fall.

Also, I am 2 turns from Machinery, Castles, or Stirrups at any given time while I work towards Square Rigging. Plus, in 5 turns my income is going to be almost double what it is now. I will have units to upgrade and the gold/resources to do it. My only real worry now is that Egypt decides I am a bigger threat than Brazil and decides a 2-v-1 on me better suits them.