[spoiler] Q Returns to Quest Once More

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I chose to hold back for a turn to get a second fawn into play - and was struck by some very poor luck. Norman went into revolt (7.5% chance), halving the health of the warriors in there and giving me 3t of vulnerability / lost growth/hammers (1-2 warriors). There's a chance he could even capture it with that. A Lizardman also approaches from the west.


Anyways. 6-7t from my fourth city, Turia:

It will split food from Donald and let it focus on pumping fawns for protection (while nursing cottages to life).

Donald about to start on either a settler for city number five or another worker - I think actually the settler might be the best choice. While there's always a demand for more worker time, only Fitzsimmons needs improvements, almost all cottages. And commerce feels like a luxury right now - we're a long way from tech that will decide the game (Priesthood and beyond), and have competitive GNP (elevated by ridiculous culture). The next 25t feels like the biggest vulnerability, and that will be driven by foodhammers.

City 5, Shaw, will take the one decent spot to the East:

It makes for a very long empire, but is also a collapsible position should Auro come from that direction and locks down the border with Bing.

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Miguelito advanced with a stack. Four warriors, mostly with Guerilla promotions. One Fawn could reach Norman in time, but once I was there I realised it would be best to attack. Fawns have +25% Forest attack innate, Elves a further +10%, and start with Forest 1 for +30% Forest str. That gave +65% for attacking, vs. only 25% defending. He also has +50% defence from the tile and the Guerilla 1 promotion for a further +40%, so in truth maybe not the best decision - I had misread the hover and missed the G1 effect.

Still, I had 70% odds and it worked out, leaving the front like this:

My other Fawn, a warrior, and Gilden advanced to there. It's a little risky but I trust Gilden against that stack, and I don't think he has *too* much in the fog. I could also have left them 1E, but that would have meant Gilden and the warrior couldn't advance as far next turn.

Honestly, I thought I might have to sue for peace (war-peace) or at least a cease fire, but currently I think we barrel on in and see if we can take Timberling. I'm not sure where his third city is, but I'd really like to eliminate him if possible. Three players is a lot cleaner and reduces my odds of being 2v1'd a lot.

I'm getting a bit concerned about Auro. He hasn't planted any cities recently, still at three. It's hard to read the power graph, but I think we're basically level. So what is he doing? Edit: I can spy a monument and a granary, so possibly that?


Still need to worry about Bing PoWing me. Once I'm at HBR reinforcing my stretched out empire will be cleaner. I also finished my first cottage this turn, go me!

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Miguelito offered peace. He must have just been chancing it with the opportunity of the revolt. His stack mostly couldn't reach the city this turn, so I attacked. Gilden had 99% odds, and didn't take a scratch! I then won with one Fawn at 58% and lost with the other at 68% Cleaned up with a last warrior, and reinforced with a couple (one more after this picture):

His Thane would have a chance against my warrior, but I think it would be low odds (warrior is 2.7hp with +115%, his Thane has +40% at 3hp). I didn't consider him attacking and Auro's scout burning, but Auro moves first so he'd have to proactively declare war on a hunch - feels unlikely.

I think the force change of Gilden reflects how it was a mistake for Mig to offer peace once the Treeants died. He doesn't really have a chance now, barring outside intervention. Gilden does only get 82% odds against the Thane, but a warrior-pult should soften that up.

More concerning is Auro's scout in the area. 2-3 Fawns would pose a serious threat, especially if they are able to coordinate. Not much I can do about that, but it does reflect the vulnerability of small unit wars. My successful Fawn (now renamed Mathers) is now a uber-promoted Satyr candidate, but who knows what promotions Sinister Fawns have from the local wildlife?

Anyway, not much we can do now. Hopefully we can take Timberling in 2-3 turns.


My warrior killed the lizardman on defence, clearing that up. I switched Donald to another warrior. I'm feeling slightly exposed rn, with one warrior/city in our borders. Perhaps a Fawn would have been better, as Norman starts pumping warrior-pults next turn, but hard to say.

HBR finished. I'm going to save gold and then choose between Writing->Trade (22t at 100%, +1tr/city and Foreign Trade); Hidden Paths (16t, Kithra and Satyr's); or Priesthood (35t, Priests). Likely to stick to Trade, though I'll hate to be facing Kithra and SIN Satyr's in 15t time...I'm really worried about that window of military tech. HBR also makes me face up to the risks of RAI 3-move Fawns alpha striking me into oblivion.

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Urgh, I might need some time with this turn. Mig has bronze working and two SoK. One killed a warrior. I don't think I can take the city, but Norman is in such a vulnerable position that giving peace feels horrible.

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I killed another warrior, agonised a lot, and offered peace for his world map. Against an AI I think we could grind a victory, but against humans I think he can overwhelm Gilden eventually with numbers and bronze units. If he accepts, I'll build a monument, keep a firm garrison, and hope I can reclaim Norman's first ring before the treaty expires. I can't expand a ton with Mig there, but I can add a few decent cities. And time should ultimately favour me, so long as I don't slack on military.

The issue, as always, is the auro of it all. I think this stalemate puts him in the pole position, despite my score. I'm paralysed by Mig, and he can expand freely.

So is it Hidden Paths, economy, or the slow haul to priests? I'm thinking about if I can bulb one if I build a Temple of Leaves (yes, I should have done this earlier, sue me). I think Priesthood has priority so long as I don't get KotE. That would give me a temple in 3 turns, and a prophet 23 turns later. Building a Pagan temple could shave 10t off that - 16t at the fastest, while teching towards economy. I like this plan, even if it sucks to tie the capital down on that. Maybe Donald could fit it? I'll look next turn. It would give it something to do while sharing tiles with Shaw.

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Auro settled his fourth city, reinforcing the above. I offered OB to Auro as we each had a scout threatening the others workers. Hopefully he takes it, rather than sniping the scout.

I think the above was a mistake. I should have used Gilden to pillage Mig - he's never going to be an ally. I blame it on real life commitments meaning I didn't have the time to think things through. Donald has finished a temple and will hire a prophet next turn. I'm starting to wonder about trying for the music Great Artist, as no one appears to have gone there...probably an enormous luxury though. A shrine is 5gpt, and there's no interesting bulb (sanitation is eh, 5fpt).

In other news, I have my first ancient forest cottage! 1t from hamlet as well. Shaw is 2t away - I'd feel okay if I had the quality of land and neighbours (read:none) that Auro has. As is Ancient Forests can rescue shitty land, but that's a far cry from the powerhouses elves should boast.

Bing, of course, is still on two cities.

Edit: BTW, as no one else is reporting, Mig's empire (he gave me his world map) and Auro's third (?) city.

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Any lurker queries as we head to t50?

[Brian Shanahan]

Yeah, what's the outline of your plan for victory?

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Get forked by RAI Fawns/Kithra and lose 3 cities on turn 1.

Will give a proper answer tonight.

[Jabah]

Any update for the lurkers, left completely in the blind as noone is reporting ?