[SPOILERS]2metraninja for PB17 (If any)

[2metraninja]

Some rant again (it is early Saturday morning here, have to go to work in half an hour and I am still not finished my first coffee)

Again and again and again - pauses, diploscreens, waiting, missed windows for playing as I have to go to work in half an hour, maybe missed trade opportunity as I cant be sure if what I clicked will be accepted by the game after I switch off computer, possibly diplomatic consequences if the other party proposing me the deal decides I just turn decline and see this as sign of hostile actions, days and days for advancing a single turn because someone just dont care of the game Not to mention that same player after he played 2 turns further in the game after the reload caused by his negligence, now plays different - whipping things where no whips were performed originally

[spacetyrantxenu]

Just kill him already I think it will do wonders for the game pace. Are you still at war? Update?

[2metraninja]

To not let it be only empty rant sequence, I will do an update.

Here is how the land I took from Sian looks:







He is down to 3 cities, but I fear to advance to his capitol, as he have catapults and must have had some other units lately as he whips from time to time and most of all I fear he will empty his 2 front cities facing Furungy to make army strong enough to defend his capitol, which will be bad scenario for me. So far I have the army to defend my gains and I have the land and resource to work with and grow on. So I switched to builder's mode.

My current production is at 3-th place (at half the hammers of the leader, which is Catwalk in a GA I think), my food is just over the average and at 7-th place. My gnp though sucks really bad at 11-th or something place. I am teching Civil Services next which will make things a tiny bit better for me I hope. I can have it in 3. I have third biggest land territory and I have land for another 7-8-9 cities. U gave just the same city count as Catwalk. Cant see how much cities have the current score leader Zanth as we never met. This is another thing that worry me - he is away obviously and I cant do anything about him. And I have comparable to the most powerful nations armies in the world.

BTW I wont be surprised if Sian comes at me for me complaining about his play.

And here is a question to see lurkers opinion. Where I should build my Moai?

Candidate 1 - the city of Provlak:



and Candidate 2 - the city of Manole:



I can have it in each place in 2 already turns.

I have my pros and cons, but wont share them to not lead and bias opinions. All comments and suggestions are welcome.

[Old Harry]

I know which I'd go for, but I don't think I can tell you until you've done it, just in case I have a brilliant insight...

[Ichabod]

I'd go with Provlak.

[2metraninja]

I ended up with building it in Manole. Yes, there are only 6 water tiles in it's BFC, but they are being worked already, so the bonus came immediately on 100%. Plus it is going to be my Hero Epic city which means those 6 hammers will be doubled. And it is somewhat on more defensive place, not being border city like Provlak, which with it's 15+ water tiles being worked with hammers to act as a temptation to Slow to plan how to get rid of. Provlak looked like almost perfect city location for the Moai, but as I said it is a border city (could been a plus too if we consider the culture which Moai produces). But it had to still grow to it's full potential. And then, what I was to do with the sea tiles in Manole? When the sea tiles in Provlak I will whip merciless making it highly productive city. HR and half my army stationed in and around it makes it one very happy place which can give loads and loads of hammers trough the whip.

[2metraninja]

So it seems Furungy also did not wanted to finish off Sian and signed a peace. I saw he played last and played twice last turn. So be it. It suits me OK. The juicy capitol wont go to Furungy and I will just develop until I feel ready to take on and get rid of Sian absorbing his last 3 cities. I am producing a trireme in one city to go and see with my eyes what Sian have in his capitol. I was about to make some calculations based on his territory and population to see what part of his powergraph are from real soldiers and how much units this translates in, but maybe next turn. He have for sure Xbows, as I saw 1-2 in one stack of his which he attempted to re-capture one of his cities with 2-3 turns ago.

I wonder why is not the Apostolic palace taken. Maybe because Sian founded Christianity in 25BC and ever since anyone was expecting him to build it, but he was busy in wars? I might try for it. Free hammers from cheap temples will be nice.

[2metraninja]

I let the slow flowing stream put me to sleep and TBS managed to put me in troubles. Well done, man and shame on me.

I will kill him of course, but this carelessness will cost me a lot

[spacetyrantxenu]

Your slumber has provided an opportunity for the blood god to reawaken! It is a most holy thing you have done , do not be concerned for you have pleased him indeed!

[2metraninja]

I was having my little plans for the near future and I was so inclined and concentrated on them, that I almost forgot it is not Sian, but TBS who is playing and I was warned he is capable player.

In the first turn of the war I was playing in a bit of hurry and I failed to realize in the first moment TBS have Engineering, so I moved my mobile stack of obsolete units according to this my (wrong) belief. When I realized my mistake, I had no what more to do than to curse colorful

Second of my ex-Sian cities had fallen next turn with heavy losses for me and almost no losses for TBS. Very nice play. The fact he teched to Engineering was brilliant because of his culture he can use catapults on my sitting duck defenders and move swiftly before I can establish stable front line to wait for my reinforcements.

I switched to Nationhood and Slavery starting to draft maces, muskets from the next turn and slaving longbows and walls.

I am moving my army from the west (Slowcheetah) front and all the newly produced knights and drafted maces. I will be able to give decisive battle to TBS (or at least stabilize the front) in like 5-6 turns. Which means like 3-4 more of my/TBS-by-heritage cities being taken and needing to be re-taken. The war between Gavagai/Zanth and Slowcheetah is like blessing for me right now.

I had sent him a white 10-turns peace offer. Not that I expect he to take it, but more to play mind games on him. He will either get mad of the dirty-cheap attempt on my side to buy myself the needed time to gather the army to smash him, and angry men do more mistakes, or he will get it as a sign of weakness on my side, influencing his judgement making him more bold and reckless.

I am surprised how this guy managed to tech to Engineering with 3 cities and had the money for upgrading axes to maces. Engineering was the key element of surprise here. Once again, very nice play for The Black Sword. This is the way you walk out with honor out of a hopeless odds position - with a big bang and blood on your foes noses.

BTW, Furungy offered me map exchange. To those who did not follow the game very close, Furungy is Sian/TBS east neighbor who was in war with Sian the time I attacked and took most of Sian's cities. I saw just now that TBS cities on Furungy's side are virtually empty. TBS decided to attack me instead of Furungy, which I think was the right decision. But now I wonder does map exchange have some hidden specific meaning in the RB "language" of no-diplo? Like "Lets attack this bugger between us". Or "Dont you worry, I come to help" or something. Someone can enlighten me please either with telling me if this is something established or by pointing me previous examples of map trades being proposed with the idea to communicate something additional than well, map information?