[PB58] Tarkeel and Amicalola's rule through fear

[Amicalola]

I prefer leaving the cities named as they are so lurkers don't have to relearn names.

That being said if you have a good naming theme like yours I will let it slide.

Just don't go renaming your cities after 60 odd turns so your ded lurkers have to relearn everything! ( hi Amica )

Ah, but the problem was that I didn’t have a good naming scheme.

[Tarkeel]

I don't like to indulge in meta-game thinking, but this is weird. After getting two turns on the same day, it's been two days without a turn. Is everyone waiting for AT to play to declare on him? There hasn't been much activity in the other threads, but I won't read anything into that.

As for naming, I agree with most that's been said. My two main reasons for not renaming (or at least waiting) is respect for my opponent, and to avoid confusing the lurkers.

[Tarkeel]

Turn 195 (1350 AD)
For some mysterious reason, Miko is only defended by a longbow and musket, which means the galleon was empty but has picked up two muskets and praetorian. We deposit three cavalry on the island, so it will be interesting to see if he defends or goes for havoc. We're criminally without collateral in the east, so we wait for some of the catapults to catch up and bombard, while the west regroups for the advance on Vaarsuvius. We discovered Superdeath's stack, but not where we expected it to be:


That's MrCairo's border, who currently has a defensive pact with Superdeath. It doesn't look like he'll join in on any action against AT.
Edit: That of course is Jowy's Azteca, which makes more sense than MrC. Still doesn't look like he's joining in against AT.

Thog comes out of resistance and is renamed to Roche.

The Roche asteroid field is home to the annoying insectoid species known as the Verpine.

[Tarkeel]

Turn 196 (1360 AD)

So we (well, I) had a little moment and under-defended Tatooine last turn. AT took the 72% odds of a musket vs archer, and cleaned up with a praetorian on warrior to burn it. I really shouldn't have allowed him to take that chance, but I'm surprised at how bad the odds were. It's time for some revenge though:

The Battle of Miko
C2 Cavalry vs Longbow, 85.7% + 4.3%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs Musket, 90.7% + 2.8%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs Musket, 95.6% + 1.3%: Win!
The city comes with 133g, granary, lighthouse and courthouse, so we keep it and ship in a rifle defender from Rahital.

Ladies and gentlebeings, the event you've all gathered here today to witness...
The Battle of Durkon
Vodka seems to prefer bombarding to sacrificing the catapults, and I tend to agree with that assessment, so we bombard the defenses down to 28% before bringing in the Big Guns.
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs Pike, 71.0% + 8.7%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs CG2 Musket, 71.2% + 8.6%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs C1 Mace, 78.9% + 6.3%: loss
C2 Pinch Cuirassier vs C1 Mace, 71.9% + 4.2%: Win!
C2 Pinch Cuirassier vs CG1 Musket, 73.2% + 4.0%: Win!
C1 Pinch/Shock Cavalry vs CG1 Musket, 88.7% + 3.4%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cuirassier vs CG1 Musket, 72.6% + 4.1%: Win!
C2 Cuirassier vs D1 Musket, 69.2% + 4.6%: Win!
C1 Shock Cuirassier vs Musket, 66.2% + 5.1%: Win!
C1 Shock Cuirassier vs Musket, 66.2% + 5.1%: Withdraw
C1 Shock Cuirassier vs Musket, 66.2% + 5.1%: Win!
C1 Shock Cuirassier vs Musket, 70.3% + 4.5%: Win!
CR2 Mace vs C1 Pinch Knight, 67.1%: Win!
G2 Rifle vs Musket (7.2), 88.4%: Win!
C2 Shock Ballistaphant vs C1 Mace, 83.4%: loss
C2 Formation Ballistaphant vs C1 Knight, 95.5%: Win!
C2 Ballistaphant vs C1 Knight, 78.7%: Win!
C1 Shock Cuirassier vs C1 Mace (3.0), >99.9%: Win!
Durkon comes with 187g, granary and a market. We can stuff enough bodies in so we keep it. Fondor also has a third settled great general now, so once we pause to build West Point we can build 4 promo cavalry there.

Here's an overview of the aftermath:



We've built some ships, and it's time to start dealing with AT's pillagers. First the one at Coruscant:
C1 Frigate vs Frigate, 50%: loss
C1 Frigate vs Frigate (4.8), 96.4%: Win!

[Tarkeel]

That's MrCairo's border, who currently has a defensive pact with Superdeath. It doesn't look like he'll join in on any action against AT.
Edit: That of course is Jowy's Azteca, which makes more sense than MrC. Still doesn't look like he's joining in against AT.

That prediction really had a short shelflife. According to PBSpy, Superdeath has joined the war not only against AT but also against Jowy, taking two cities from each of them. One of Jowy's cities seems to have been size 10+!

[Tarkeel]

Turn 197 (1370 AD)
Superdeath's strike on Jowy and AT seems to have been four different astro-islands. Our espionage spending on Jowy is paying off and we have city visibility on several key cities in the straits between us. Our stacks are sneaking forward under cover and we're laying siege to Vaarsuvius and threatening the fishing village of Demon Roaches, where two muskets appeared on a galleon this turn. The main price is Roy, and that's where the slow movers are headed.

Ambush at Antium
C2 Amphib Cavalry vs C1 Praetorian, 89.2%: Win!
The city comes with 52g but no buildings but we keep it regardless, it also gives a fifth ICTR for cities with castles.

[Amicalola]

The realities of timezones, life, and DST are unfortunately pushing us back to signs/non-turn communication. The southern hemisphere sucks. Oh well, two brains are still a lot better than one.

On the bright side, while I was logged in doing some micro and looking around, SD took two more cities off Jowy, including a mainland core city (!!!!!).

[Tarkeel]

Turn 198 (1380 AD)
Democracy comes in this turn, so it's time to start thinking of what we want next. The main options are:

• Steel (4t @50%), primarily for cannons
  
• MilSci (3t @50%), primarily for commando promotion
  
• SteamPower (5t @50%), primarily for levees and coal, but also leadin to AssemblyLine
  
• Education (2t @50%)->Economics (2t @50%)->Corporation (3t @50%), prereq for AssemblyLine
  

We'll probably go for them more or less in that order. AT has researched MilitaryScience, so several cities are now building grenadiers, so cannons will be a welcome addition. Kessel starts building SoL, due in 18.

Patrol against the eastern pirates:
C2 Frigate vs Frigate, 67.6%: loss!
That was unfortunate, but we've got some other ships that can deal with it next turn.

Raid on DemonRoaches
C1 Pinch Cuirassier vs Musket, 76.1% + 3.6%: Win!
C1 Pinch/Shock Cuirassier vs Musket, 76.1% + 3.6%: Win!
C1 Pinch Medic Cuirassier vs Musket, 76.1% + 3.6%: loss
C1 Shock Cuirassier vs Musket (1.1), >99.9%: Win!
The city comes with 109g, granary and a forge, so we keep it.

Siege of Vaarsuvius
We spend four accuracy catapults to remove the cultural defense before charging in. Our cavalry has 75% odds, so we soften up with some catapults first.
B2 Catapult vs C1 Musket, 0.1%: loss (3 rounds)
B2 Catapult vs C1 Musket, 0.1%: loss (3 rounds)
B2 Catapult vs C1 Musket, 0.1%: loss (4 rounds)
B2 Catapult vs C1 Musket, 0.1%: loss (4 rounds)
B2 Catapult vs C1 Musket (8.0), 1.1%: loss (6 rounds)
B2 Catapult vs Musket (8.1), 1.2%: loss (5 rounds)
C1 Pinch/Shock Cuirassier vs Musket (8.1), 77.3% + 3.4%: withdraw!
C1 Shock Cuirassier vs Musket (7.9), 83.4% + 2.5%: Win!
C2 Shock Cuirassier vs Musket (7.0), 87.4% + 1.9%: loss
C2 Shock Cuirassier vs Musket (8.1), 88.7% + 1.7%: Win!
C1 Pinch/Shock Cuirassier vs CR1 Praetorian, 77.7% + 3.3%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs CR2 Praetorian (7.0), 95.2% + 1.4%: Win!
C2 Cuirassier vs C1 Musket (6.2), 89.1% + 1.6%: Win!
C2 Cuirassier vs C1 Musket (6.0), 90.1% + 1.5%: Win!
C3 Cuirassier vs C2 Knight (8.0), 95.9% + 0.6%: Win!
C2 Formation Cuirassier vs Musket (6.3), 90.5% + 1.4%: Win!
C3 Cuirassier vs Musket (6.1), 96.6% + 0.5%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs Longbow (4.4), 98.4% + 0.5%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs CR2 Mace (6.1), 97.2% + 0.8%: Win!
C2 Pinch Cuirassier vs CR2 Mace (6.1), 91.4% + 1.3%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cuirassier vs Praetorian (6.1), 89.1% + 1.6%: Win!
CR2 Trebuchet vs Knight (8.0), 81.2%: withdraw!
At this point we're facing a slight dilemma because I got cocky (and forgot to count): There are 6 bodies left in the town, and only 8 hitters, on the wrong side of a river crossing. We have to give it a shot though:
G2 Rifle vs Musket (5.9), 88.8%: loss
Well, that clinches it; we'll have to let him heal and shuffle in reinforcements from Elan.




We found Yavin inbetween the ruins of both Belkars.

An insignificant speck that nevertheless managed to be important.

[Charriu]

I see that you used Serfdom during 2(?) golden ages. What do you think about this version of Serfdom? Would you switch again? Was it worth it for your civ? What are your thoughts about Serfdom outside the golden age?

[Tarkeel]

Turn 199 (1390 AD)
MrCairo declared on AT and took the southern border city of Tarquin and one other which I guess was in the jungle belt between them. AT just played a 5 minute turn without counterattacking or moving in reinforcements, so I guess he's checking out of the game. He did upgrade the praetorian in Vaarsuvius to a grenadier, but left the victorious frigate outsite Fondor in place and unpromoted. We're slotting in some colosseums and markets to alleviate our happiness issues.

Revenge on the eastern pirates:
Frigate vs Frigate (1.6), >99.9%: Win!

Cornering the inner pirates:
C1 Frigate vs C3 Scipio Africanus/Frigate (6.0), 53%: Win!
C1 Frigate vs C1 Galleon, 98.7%: Win!
That was the last of AT's pirate fleet. This means the inner sea is secured, and we can start shuffling defenders southwards.

Ambush at Orchidaceous
C3 Cavalry vs CG1 Longbow, 70.0% + 9.0%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs Musket, 72.1% + 8.4%: loss
That was unfortunate, but we'll have some other forces to deal with it soon enough.

The Fall of Vaarsuvius
C2 Pinch Cuirassier vs CR2 Grenadier (9.6), 90.1% + 1.5%: Win!
C2 Cuirassier vs Longbow (4.8), 90.1% + 1.5%: Win!
C2 Cuirassier vs Knight (8.8), 95.9% + 0.6%: Win!
C1 Pinch Cavalry vs Musket (5.8), 99.8%: Win!
C2 Shock Cavalry vs Musket (5.0), 97.7% + 0.3%: Win!
C2 Cavalry vs Knight (4.5), >99.9%: Win!
The city comes with 115g, granary, forge, courthouse and even a grocer! This was one of the main goals of the campaign, so we keep it.



We're moving up to lay siege on Roy next, which will be a tough nut to crack. A side force will try to take Haley, while the Vaarsuvius stack will try to cut off reinforcements from the other side, and possibly take Elan on the way. We've left DemonRoaches undefended to see if we can lure out his knights.

Lastly, any requests for the T200 overview?