[SPOILERS] Banzailizard and Woden go hunting!

[Woden]

With the talk in the tech thread, I am willing to predict Thrawn rage quits at some point during this game.

[Bruindane]

With the talk in the tech thread, I am willing to predict Thrawn rage quits at some point during this game.

Thrawn picked China for a duel and did a slinger rush. Let's step back and consider that Thrawn is playing a psychological game wanting the other teams to over invest in early military to defend from the "obvious" longship swarm and make less-optimal choices. suboptimal intentionally built non-coastal cities for this reason in PBEM20, which I felt was inspired for Indonesia due to bought ships don't require many ports. The map doesn't even factor in this until exploration occurs to shape decisions.

Sure, we may see lone longships after a few city states fall, but they will be there to bait out the inspiration for defensive tactics. Nobody's expected to take the fight to Norway and Sumeria early, because nobody else has longships.

I do expect Norway to build the Great Lighthouse, , and possibly invest in religion. There will be a magic window later in the game where Norway will have a +10 combat bonus due to a beelined military alliance, and possibly another +10 due to crusade against the team that didn't pick up a religion (which is us?) or spread it to their team mates in time. That's the Thrawn I expect to see.

Speaking of declaring war; it might be the new declaration of friendship on meeting other teams for the first time.

[Woden]

He could be running a giant con and planning on a later attack. The Vikings and Sumeria both will benefit from later game benefits. I showed the Vikings could make up a lot of ground later in the game, when there are a bunch of improvements to pillage.

But I don't see that in Thrawn's temperament. The constant posting in the tech thread points to someone who is itching to get going. His history also has shown early aggression works and I don't see him having the patients for playing the long game. He dropped out of PBEM20 when I pointed out that the previous teamer drag on a bit and ultimately ended in a tie because of players dropping out . This all points to early aggression from their team.

[Banzailizard]

The one good thing about RND in this case, they both defend from early aggression (lots of free units) and help build towards a stronger economy (trade routes). Its probably safer to assume early aggression and be wrong, than die to early aggression.

[Woden]

If we do allow Thrawn to switch civs, I am rethinking my Gaul pick. Not being able to have districts next to the city center could be an issue, especially if the map is smaller land masses. It would limit district placement. I am thinking of switch to my original pick of Macedonia. Gaul won't be bad but they might be hindered on the map, without enough room for districts.

[Banzailizard]

For what it is worth, I think that would be a resonable thing to do.

[Kaiser]

Here you go, I need you to state who plays East and West repectively

[Woden]

Thanks Kaiser!

I think I take the east, as it will provide a +3 IZ 2 tiles NW of capital with 3 mines around it. Interesting that there is no luxuries (no an issue as long as it is consistent with the other starts).

The west spot would give you a nice +3 campus to start with where the warrior stands. Your RNY would be not be boosted by seafood, like maybe with the east start but I think having the extra boost to my IZ will be more important than a couple of gold. I think I should be pumping out ships, especially since I get 20% rebate as culture, even with ships.

What do you think Banzailizard?

[Banzailizard]

I fully agree. Gaulic culture and production from mines and early IZ is our early game driver, we should optimize around that. I can find plenty of good places to throw down RNDs as the game goes on. 2 gold won't make or break that.

[Woden]

Kaiser,
I (Gaul) will be playing the east start (the one with the rice) and Branzailizard (England) will be playing the west start (the one with the sheep).