Alhambram toast his first PBEM game with Russian vodka

[Alhambram]

Turn 11: 

   

Finally met the city state, it turned out be Nan Madol, an cultural city state. However my enthusiasm quickly disappeared: someone already claimed Nan Madol first envoy! 
Maybe it just happened at this turn and I need check the culture rankings next turn to find culprit. However if the ranking don't change, than it means that Woden claimed it.

Meanwhile my scout delivered me good and bad news. Good news is that area have plenty food and production, the bad news however...

   

There isn't one but two cities over there, pay attention to red sheep tile: its tile isn't inside three radius of city behind mountain range, so there is another city at further east. This might limiting my expansion at east.
Zooming on the tile just behind the mountains, I see a white lines which indicate that it is an religious city state. Next turn scout goes east and hopefully I grab envoy. After that my scout make contact with city further east.

Meanwhile in St. Petersburg an barb warrior says hello at my borders, at this moment I don't have any military close St. Petersburg. 

[Alhambram]

Turn 12:

   

Oh, it wasn't religious city state, but an industrial city state, my mistake. However as I feared the first envoy is taken already too at Toronto.
My scout is going to explore unknown city east of Toronto, if it is another city state, I wouldn't be surprised if its envoy has been taken away already. At least research time for civic Political Philosophy would getting cut in half. 

I did check the cultural ranking, I still stand second place with 1.9 culture per turn, which indeed confirms that Woden is that bandit who has been stealing envoy's before my nose.  
At bright side, I can use Diplomatic League in all city states, but missing out early boons do hurt and boost Woden greatly.

Speaking about Woden, he got second civic this fast thanks cultural city state and he also leads in religion ranking (by either adopting God King or finding religious city state).
He also likely got warrior, same as oledavy: both are higher than me at domination ranking.
So I likely have an uphill battle to go with my closest neighbor Woden, but I won't give up!

Meanwhile at St. Peterburg the barb warrior is still standing outside my borders at same place, maybe he is polishing his stone axes before he attacks me.

[Tyrmith]

Dang dude that's some great reporting! Thanks for taking the time to write that all up, very interesting and ambitious.

[Alhambram]

Oh, just when I thought that it was all for today, Singaboy played his turn at 3 am.  Respect dude! I wouldn't do that.

Turn 13 with a contact from human player!

   

It wasn't really an surprise to meet Woden now: I already guessed from pieces of information that he is closest neighbor.
And the city at east turned out be another culture city state: Vilnius. Woden claimed it too, the result is that he have a disgustingly 5.9 culture per turn already this early.
Since he gained very early culture, it seems that Woden started next one of culture city state. Either east of Nan Madol or east of Vilnius. 
I said earlier that it is hard for me image that Woden starts next an cultural city state, but it turned out be a unfortunate truth. 

I am bit surprised by amount gold that Woden posses (118 gold and I checked 12 gold per turn at his diplomacy screen), maybe he did meet commercial city state too? 
Last news is that he also got 3 population, oledavy also got 3 population now and Singaboy produced warrior.

On positive side, I did meet three city states and got eureka for Political Philosophy. My scout is going to south next turns, I want fully explore area's that I should claim asap.
I want put some cities at east before Woden realizes which situation I am in currently. Otherwise he plant cities to limit amount cities I can plant, since I got sea at west, desert at north and tundra at south: I MUST GO EAST FIRST! 
Also I finished Code of Laws, second player to do. As planned, I picked Discipline and God King policies. Started to research Craftsmanship to get two useful policies: Agoge and Ilkum. It get a boost when I complete two camps and a pasture. 
I also decided to use money to buy monument: I can use policies to decrease production time of military and civilian units, but not buildings. It costs 240 gold, so it take a while and with completed camps I should get bit more gold per turns. 
I need to keep up with Woden, also isn't that bad when I am behind someone while playing Russia. Because I can use Peter's ability to gain culture when I send my trader to Woden's cities.  
And final positive note: barb warrior nearby St. Petersburg is still polishing his stone axes. 

[Alhambram]

Turn 14:

   

Uh oh, that barb finished polishing his stone axes and brought more friends with him.  I risk to be eliminated by barbs, so I swapped builder for slinger in St. Petersburg, also rearranged worked tiles, slinger due in 4 turns.
Also my warrior can walk through flat desert tiles and he too shall arrive after 4 turns at battlefield near St. Petersburg.

Looking back first 14 turns, maybe I did invest too much in growth and little too few in production. Earlier scout might nab some envoy's from city state and earlier warrior/slinger could deal with this invasion force.
But what done is done, I have to resolve this situation first and then proceed to settle area around St. Petersburg.

The plan that is brewing in my head this moment is: I got four forests inside cultural borders. Three of them are adjacent the river and get +2 production when I build lumber mill there, so no mining and chopping there.
The forest west of mountain is only one not adjacent river, so when I complete my builder, he does this: chop that forest, mine at same tile and build pasture afterwards. According civilization wiki chopping forest gives 100 production and that would complete settler which requires 80 production instantly, then the overflow goes to builder to finish 1 of camps and improve two tiles for new city. Well time to test whether it is true that chopping give 100 production now. I did select mining as my second tech with possible chopping in my mind, glad that I did select it.

Oledavy got 2nd tech, first player to do it, so likely he found science city state. TheArchduke gained an population and Singaboy passed me at science ranking, did he meet with another science city state too?
It seems that I drew shortest stick regarding first free envoy's from city states in this PBEM and maybe also regarding barb actives...

[shinghand]

Bad luck about the city states and the barb situation.

What's your plan to take out the barbs, and any ideas where your second city is going to be?

[Alhambram]

My plan to take out barbs, well the terrain is bit favorable in my side: it takes 3 or 4 turns for them to fully surround my city, that is also when slinger is completed and warrior just arrives at scene.
Slinger stays in city and rains down stones at adjacent barb units, I shall attempt to kill one of them with slinger to get eureka for archery. My warrior mops up rest of them, I got advantage having discipline policy.
After healing my warrior shall venture south to find and kill barb camp, there have be one over there.

However there is a worst case scenario: barb closest city moves to cow tile and attacks, while another barb warrior moves two tiles east. Then two barb warrior can attack me at same time and my warrior and slinger might be one turn too late.

Regarding second city location, my scout almost finished exploring all area east of St. Petersburg, next turn I shall pin down where I plant my second city.

[Alhambram]

Turn 15:

   

Barbs started to getting in formation, due terrain it takes them a while. Unfortunately my warrior won't move two tiles due barb camp zone of control, so he can move 1 tile per turn, my miscalculation here.   
However that barb camp is already attacked by warrior of Nan Madol and spearman is injured, maybe I can nab camp next turn and claim 50 gold. Then I shall purchase warrior at St. Petersburg, I rather saved money for monument, but emergency situation asks for emergency measures. I am starting to become nervous. 

Oh Shinghand, you asked for location of second city, but due barb situation I forget to take a good look though my scout did explore more area.

Meanwile all players have gotten Code of Laws, also Singaboy rose to first place at religion ranking, did he meet a religious city state?
I need to mention that oledavy and TheArchduke don't need to choose between God King or Urban Planning, they can put one of them in wildcard slot thanks being a Greece civilization.

[Alhambram]

Turn 16:

   

I am going plant city here, it is going to grab rice, sheep and wheat, it have lower food comparded with St. Petersburg, but more production. And the city on plain hills mean 2f/2p for city itself. Also it basically deny any settling west of city states for Woden, I need also plant another city bit further north to seal off the area for Woden, I shall post screenshot with second planned city next turn. The second city also grabs stone I need for possible Stonehenge. 

Barbs didn't attack city and remain standing at same place, my survival chances are improving. Meanwhile I didn't manage to take barb camp, barb spearman still have a very little life left and warrior from Nan Modal retreated, so I am free to finish barb camp off next turn unless there are some surprises in fog.

[Ituralde]

That's some tough luck with the city state envoys, hang in there. Really like your reports and look forward for more.