Alhambram vs TheArchduke (Alhambram's Thread)

[Alhambram]

Turn 80:

Founded religion, went with vanilla one for Mali: Islam. Picked defender of faith and choral music. I still need more holy sites than one in Niani.
   
Also picked up Crassus, he still have 2 charges left. Suzerained Jerusalem with two envoys since requests for Bologna and Bandar Brunei are things that I intend to do soon (build horsemen and holy site)

I got 3 era points for producing 1st galley, good to know that TheArchduke hasn't started navy build. He however did build two wonders already, Artemis and Pyramids. I wanted to pick up Pyramids along way but TheArchduke is faster this time.

I already finished construction and I am starting to mass build lumbermills for more production in cities. Next turn finish Games&Recereation, then remove martime industries and Ilkum policies, put in Maneveur to pump out some horsemen.

I have been playing farmer gambit till now, no threat from rushing UU of TheArchduke, my army still exists out warriors and slingers, that must change soon. New barb camp in north, warrior on way to deal with it.

I already have decent gold income, already bought monument, watermill, ganary and shrine with gold discount from Suguba and market in Niani with faith discount.

[Alhambram]

Turn 83:

Humming along, making more money.
   
New barb camp spawned NE of Niani, need to deal with it.

Now researching Drama&Poetry, Theology is next for temples which gives me 44each time I build(buy) it.
After that I should start making way for Guilds, at least get it by turn 120.

[Alhambram]

Turn 94:

Met TheArchduke, his science is stronger due him already having campuses which I still lacks. I intend to build 2 campuses soon, one in Niani and other at Jenne.
   
I started Stonehenge to prevent TheArchduke access to easy religion and get one Apostle for evanglize.
Niani finished settler and start other one now.

Volcano is being annoying, two eruptions already, damaging Suguba and iron mines, at positive side it do feritlize iron and horse tiles.
TheArchduke attempt to control strait between our islands. The thing is that my eastern coast lacks good sites, hence I went settling western coast.
But western coast don't link with TheArchduke's island, moreover galleys built there can't pass ice, global warming can't come quick enough.

[Alhambram]

Turn 100:

Time for some summary since it is turn 100:
   
   

Founded 6th city this turn, 7th settler underway in Niani. I orginally did intent to sent 6th settler to site next deer in northwest, but TheArchduke's claim of channel made me nervous and last thing I want is having him a foothold at my island.
Tawdenni is only harbour city at eastern coast, hence I am going chop walls there for safety. From that city build/buy galleys and quadrimes for defense.
There is roughly three spots left at northwestern peninusla, after this expansion phase is over.

Also worth to mention: TheArchduke and I burned thorugh classical age so hard that era change did trigger after minumum time as possible, with other words next turn it is medevial age already!
TheArchduke is going enter heroic age and likely pick up three dedications except one for spreading faith since he do lack religion. I am going pick up Free Inquiry which gives sciences for all Sugubas that I did plant.
I initally thought that medevial age would trigger at turn 120, so I didn't complete all preparations for serious science boom. So at best I get merely boom of 22 extra science from Suguba's.
Also not able to pick up religious settlements pantheon did cause my curve go slower than initally thought.

At plus side, I am going finish 3 adjaceny campus next turn and also buy library, with Bologna's bonus total of extra 7 science.
Bologna do help me little with faith too, how? Seem since GS expansion, points of Great Prophet after claiming and prophet is converted into faith instead points just gone from GP generation.
So each shrine I produce/buy don't give me 3 faith but 4 (2 from building, 1 for initial GP from shrine and another one from Bologna).

Let's look at scores, TheArchduke has higher science. I should catch up him next turn since he is going get some boost from commerical hub and harbors too.
For long time I got more tech than him, often 3 tech advantage but past turns he has passed me. He for some reason has slow settler start but he is pumping out settlers,
He is about to found 8th city, my GM scout has revealed that (notice minimap I has explored some of his cities and lands).
I at other hand after decently settler start had to wait till ancestral hall due Mali's production penalty becoming more sore with increasing settler cost. Now I am pumping out settlers out Niani at least.


Culturalwise I have more culture and civics than him, mainly thanks abudant money to buy monuments and later shrines with choral music equipped. But next turn it is going change when TheArchduke picks up Pen&Brush.
He can spam out disticts with Nubia's power, so his culture shall increase over time quickly. I need to counter by buying more monuments, shrines and temples.

Empire score are often good indication, yet here it is bit misleading since each Suguba gives me 6 empire points instead normal 3 for districts. I have 4 Suguba's so minus 12 points which brings me close TheArchduke with 84 points.

Faithwise TheArchduke has invested little in faith, merely 4 per turn, maybe he is going improve that, at least I deny him easy religion by building Stonehenge. Till that time I just keep increasing faith and eventually build Grand Master Chapel which allows me purchase units with faith (with 30% discount thanks Suguba). In case you wonder, I use apostle from Stonehenge to pick Church Property, of course more money!

Goldwise TheArchduke has 34 per turn which is triple lower than mine mainly thanks Mali's gameplay centered around gold generation. At more interesting point, TheArchduke started to saving up gold, more than 500 already. I am starting get bit bad feeling from it, possible upgrades into caravels? In that case I should go for caravels/Frigates myself as soon as possible.

At this moment I thinks that it is still too close to call who is going win this duel, maybe lurkers already know? But I still think at this moment too close to call.

[Alhambram]

Turn 101:

TheArchduke's culture did match me as expected but his science increase is bit lower and I jumped over his science per turn.
   
TheArchduke used his gold to buy 2 seafood resources and iron tile for city next Tawdenni. I remembered TheArchduke's erractic tile purchases against Sulla in PBEM 1, therefore I decided to buy forested tile at my island which is 3 tile away from his city to prevent TheArchduke claiming part of my island.

I really need to go for guilds now, it doubles my commerical hub profit and basically doubles their science outputs too.

EDIT: next turn world congress, let's see whether TheArchduke or I can sabotage something.

[Alhambram]

Turn 102+103:

World congress arrived and the options:
   
First option is about amenties, there is no point to select no amenties for certain luxury because both TheArchduke and I have same sort luxuries. Voting for that option is basically shooting in own feet.
I picked wine because it is only resource that TheArchduke hasn't hooked up yet. But he shall do it eventually, his 8th city is close wine resource.

Second option is far more worrying, especially if TheArchduke picks commerical district for option to ban build/buy buildings there. Suguba is backbone of Mali and if this option is selected, then period of Sagnation starts for Mali.
Another bad option for me is holy sites, especially with Choral Music. I would unable to catch up with TheArchduke's culture this way.
So I push all of my favors in option A and I happen have one left which can't put in option 2, so one left went to option 1 wine.
I picked Government plaza for option A, because buildings of that district can't be purchased, only built. Ancrestal Hall took forever to build and I can build Grand Master Chapel much quicker.
For buildings of other districts, I mostly don't build them, I mostly buy them.
So votes picked and fingers crossed.

Result:
   
Jackpot! Won both votes.
It seems that TheArchduke didn't realize which damage he could inflict me if he manages to push for banning commerical hub or holy site buildings.

I got more favors due having suzerainity over 3 city states and TheArchduke has lower favors because he invaded a city state early.

So no real changes for me now. I bought market with faith in Jenne, next turn buy a trader.
   
Finished Stonehenge, picked Church Property, about to spread religion to 6th city. Also I am going mine 2 more iron resources for apprenticeship boost, need to swap out it next turn.
Also after 2 turns farm 6th tile and get Feudalism boost on route to Guilds. I shall stop with settler producing after current in Niani. I need to have Niani grow to size 10.
After 2 turns swap out colonization and put Insulane for little extra housing in Niani. At size 10 I get boost for civil service and I buy campus, yes I have upgraded Reyna all way to district buying.
But I stops upgrading Reyna, now it is Pingala's turn, he shall be placed in Awdaghust which is going be huge city, which I can use future promotion of Pingala to have science and culture per population.

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

I have to figure the longer the duel goes the great an advantage Mali will have as you can spin up your economy and get more and more CHs down.

[Alhambram]

Turn 109:

Turns of building might be over, TheArchduke made his move:
   
My scouting GM has noticed some military build up along coast dozen turns ago,you aren't disembraking units for fun.

Little summary what happnened from turn 103 till now: roughly same time that I did notice TheArchduke's build up for first time, volcano between Jenne and Timbuktu has erupted for third time and first time colossal  eruption.
That damaged Jenne's campus and Timbuktu's Suguba, causing my science going nosedive, I already repaired Suguba but not campus yet. I intend to send trade route from Jenne to Niani for 3 production extra to speeden up repairs.

Secondly I put 2 envoys in Jerusalem, I can defend Bologna or Bandar Brunei if needed but not island city state, so 2 envoys extra there to bolster its strength. If really needed I can levy to take over combat from stupid AI.
Also I just bought first temple, I did delay buying it a little due ThArchduke's build up but decided to buy it since I gains much gold now and needs some culture extra.

Thirdly I used GM to get extra resource from turtles, because TheArchduke can pillage that tile. This way I can don't suffer amenity loss.

Fourth, I upgraded one warrior and 2 slingers, frist for strengthing city defense and archers for future boost of Machinery. I still need 3rd archer, I do it when I found 7th city.

Currently I am in phase of using Ilkum before Feudalism obsoltes it and I need more lumbermills, repairs from volcano and other stuffs. It feels better having 5 charge builders soon.

Situation at end of turn 109:
   

EDIT: turn 110: TheArchduke declares war!

[Alhambram]

Turn 110:

Seems that TheArchduke was hoping for quick rush at Tawdenni to remove my only harbor at western coast.
   
But as I said at moment of founding of Tawdenni: walls there asap and chopped forest for it. Not for nothing it turns out be and it just finished this turn!
I used city garrison to shoot at embarked Pitati archer because galley can heal when pillaging turtle resource, I won't suffer amenity loss because I used GM there.

I hides horsemen out sight of TheArchduke. It can kill Pitati Archer fast, maybe one shot after all I do get defender of faith in all of my cities.
I can buy another horsemen next turn or a galley after 2 turns. Maybe wait bit more and purchase Quadrime which can attack from city without damaging itself.

Wonder what TheArchduke is going do next turn: press further at Tawdenni or retreat.

[Alhambram]

Turn 113:

TheArchduke decided to push, bringing his full force firstly towards Tawdenni and after Tawdenni got walls, he switched tagret to Gao.
   
Already killed 2 Pitati archers so far without losses. I can handle this for now.
I initally planned to suzerain Babylon and suprise TheArchduke but I just realized that it is maybe TheArchduke is planning with Bandar Brunei.
So I purchased missionary and hope to convert it before TheArchduke suzerains it, Bandar Brunei's request is conversion. Also researching Military Training for envoy and after 2 turns I get another envoy.
TheArchduke did invade early city state and he didn't invest an envoy in Babylon, so he should have bunch envoys in his pocket, ready to remove my suzerainity.
I did upgrade more swordsmen, archer and bought one more horsemen.

Policy swap: Serfdom instead Ilkum and Martime Industries instead Urban Planning. I need control the channel between me and TheArchduke.
I did found 7th city, start Suguba there. I try to not stop investing in expansion if possible. Awdaghust builds aquaduct for military engineering boost.
Jenne last part of repairs from volcano, Niani and Timbuktu producing a 5 charge builder. I am saving up faith for apostle, I think that I am going get wats to catch up TheArchduke's science a bit.