[Spoiler] Desperados: The Black Sword & Agent

[The Black Sword]

I'd kill the bugger. Actually, I agree we should have killed him the moment he set foot on the hamlet.

I don't think killing 1 warrior who's made obviously aggressive moves toward us is going to make the game leader start making moves for revenge purposes. He'll judge his response to our southern settlement based on its own merits.

Also, wasn't that chop supposed to go into the Ikhanda there?


Where to settle is a tough choice. I'd probably go with red dot or 1E of red dot. Those pigs are probably the best tile in the area. Have to run now, I'll post more later.

[agent427]

Alright, logged in before turn swap and killed it.

[The Black Sword]

Oh boy;


I guess he must have got both shock and archery events for free? Anyway, I guess we need to retreat the Impi, who won't do anything. Retreating the axe too might be an idea so they don't get the xp, but he has full fortify so he might be worth leaving behind. Be careful, if they take the city, the road on the plains hill will open up and they could road the tile they're currently on to move 2 tiles toward Ugly.

Seems like we need to double-whip some axes. Best way is to put under 5h in and double whip one and overflow another. We could do that in the two southern cities. Might be necessary to protect the south settlement and move the others north.

Unfortunately we can't do that in Ugly. Either we put hammers in now and 1-whip an axe next turn, which really hurts given Ugly's food surplus. Or we put the overflow into an impi/chariot this turn, next turn <5h into an axe, 2-whip axe and overflow the impi.

Actually ... if our fortify axe defends, he could kill one axe and injure another. Then our shock axe in Ugly could take out the third axe and we have 3 shock impis in the area. Enough to kill the injured axe and spear with one loss to spare.

Btw, after thinking about it a bit more, I like red dot the best, though it hurts having nothing good first ring for so long. Needs an immediate Ikhanda.

Also, in the future, we should keep 5h into an axe in border cities like this, rather than starting a granary straight away. So we could 1-whip a guy in an emergency like this. Once we get to size 4, keeping 1-4h is best of course.

I'll be around for a few hours, I'll keep my gmail open if you want to chat while playing the turn.

[agent427]

There was only 15 min on the timer so I took my turn before reading your advice, sorry.
I just gave shock promos to both defenders. I have a new Axe on the road just S of the PH and a veteran Impi W of him.

Looks like he was planning this already so it's nice if we forced him to jump the gun.

[agent427]

1/11/15 8:38 pm CH Finished turn
1/11/15 8:13 pm CH Score decreased to 379
1/11/15 8:13 pm johns Score decreased to 321
1/11/15 8:13 pm CH Score increased to 383

[agent427]

Won't be able to log in til this evening so I can't see how much of his army is still standing, but there's 2 shock Impis + 1 axe ready to fort into Ugly, which can whip out another Axe this turn I think.

[The Black Sword]

Hmm, so it looks like he raised the city ... is this an opportunity to replant it 1N?

[agent427]

Yeah, he sorta did me a favor, assuming I can push back enough to resettle.

Thoughts on the southern front? I've got a chariot, impi, and axe in play there, but I feel foolish moving the axe out of a city that might come under attack and would prefer to just hold that area and not push near Aachen yet.

[The Black Sword]

Seems CH will give peace anyway. Yeah, I'd be really tempted to take this, switch Ugly to a settler and whip that, use the 10t as cover to settle these two border cities.





The Impi injured his axe down to 36hp, I assume he'll promote back to 68hp, second axe is at full health but only got 1xp.

Regarding the south, I'd probably move the axe out from Fistful and leave the Impi behind. It makes sense to leave the Impi alive since we have a lot of notice on any attack with the border pop, only chariots will be a big threat. If we don't have peace, we could definitely use a second axe and impi to help protect the city.

Also; I noted the marble in the southeast. Rome also has marble and stone already hooked up. Someone else has stone too. I think this means stone is reasonably close, probably on one of the east islands.

[agent427]

I've queued a galley in Il Mercenario to scope out the islands on that theory.
Other changes made per your suggestions.

Empire shots for ~da lurkerz~

For the area to the south, you suggested red dot or 1E of red dot. 1E is a hill and has its food in first ring but gives up the Gold. With city spacing it won't be possible to grab the gold spot later with any food. You think it's worth it?