[PB74 Spoilers] Donovan Zoi Celebrates 20 Years of Living Dangerously

[Donovan Zoi]

Turn 48 - 2080 BC

No screenshots this turn.  I just wanted to confirm that Miguelito did not opt for a Wonder, so he must be building a Settler after all.  Though it happens a lot with me, there are times where I actually love to be proven wrong.

Also, Workers completed the Copper road, bringing new unit tech to all 3 cities via coastal trade.  For now, it's time for these guys to retreat to the safety of the capital as there is still much work to be done.

Turn 49 - 2040 BC

It's been 33 turns since we've had a Scout surveying the unincorporated wilds, and now we have 2.  Each one has their own set of objectives, so let's check em out.




The K2 Scout's first order of business is to unveil the waters of our possible Fur site.  Bupkis so far, but I'm hoping to reveal some tasty seafood once we see the remain 5 water tiles.  After this, we'll hug the coast and perhaps monitor the eastern forests to see with whom we'll be racing for them.

In the south, we began our quest to locate Miguelito but found....




Hubabi? metal?  Well, anyway, it's Korea.   We are just out of contact, so I'm deciding if I want to introduce myself immediately or wait another turn for Writing so I can offer OB on our first exchange.

Worker Delay




As much as I want to build more Workers, I'll need to delay just a bit longer for the current growth recovery to complete for Skelly and K2.  I was going to go Workboat and Scout respectively, but decided to beef things up with Axeman/Quechua instead due to Korea's proximity.  Offense or defense? We should know shortly.

I'll whip the Axe at turn 5 so the full overflow goes into a Library -- the whip anger synergizes perfectly since it ends on the 5th turn as well, keeping our capital at a happy Size 4.


So...next turn is the big 5-0. I have some cool things lined up for the celebration of surviving to this point. Stay tuned!

[Donovan Zoi]

Welcome to the T50 Celebration!

While I prepare the turn report, you can check out this screen dump of graphs and whatnot.  So far, I've only got eyes on Magic Science, though I am 10 EP from Miguelito if he doesn't commit any to me for 3 turns.

Power
Mali recently discovered Archery, giving Magic the edge for now.



Crop Yield
Magic's been growing taller than me, but I think I've whipped more.



Manufacturing
Had a feeling I'd be leading here, and it's only gonna get stronger.



GNP
Sea tiles the likely difference in this case.



Culture
CRE vs. CRE, but my cities came a bit earlier.



Espionage
For completion's sake.  Yawn.



Top 5 Cities
We're baaaaack!



Rival Civics
No surprises here. I forgot to grab the main FA screen to see how our neighbors are committing toward each other.

[Donovan Zoi]

T50 Maps and Demos

Dotmap

I promised one of these and am finally delivering.  I think this map is really set up nicely for CRE civs.  It's a risk, but in many cases, I'm spreading these out further so they won't be stifled in the late game.  I'll just need to scout and defend effectively so I don't leave my chin out.



I'm thinking the two sites ~45 degrees of K2 will be first, but also want to secure that plains hill north of Korea.  As tight as things are, I'm sure there will be a race for Cowtown.


Cultural Map

Only us and Korea for now




Demographics 

We are coming back, but still left wanting for food apparently.  The soldiers max really hasn't increased from last time, resulting in an inverse status to my blood pressure.

[Donovan Zoi]

Turn 50 Update

Still working on some things but in the meantime, I have to pour one out for my EXP brother Dreylin who was just eliminated by the two-headed monster that is Tarkeel and Civac.  Game of the Year indeed!

Since I'll eventually be leaving some historical accounts of my past dealings as part of my Tier List (It's coming, I promise), my memories of Dreylin are both fond and not-so-fond.  We first met in the Apolyton Demogame way back in 2009 (and not a minute before ), where our rival civs worked together to the point that it secured an eventual Realms win.  I was that dude from Team Banana, and I've gotta say, having one page dedicated to me by Sullla is still perhaps the highlight of my spotty Civ MP experience.  Later, in the RB33 Industrial Era game, Drey teamed up with OT4E to hand me my ass.  I'd be hard-pressed to tell you any other details of that game, except that it was a betrayal that has stung me to this very day.  

So, GG man.  In your honor, I'll be listening to both Country and Western tonight.

More to come shortly...

[Qgqqqqq]

What order are you looking to found those cities in?

[Mjmd]

& estimated timeline?

[Donovan Zoi]

What order are you looking to found those cities in?

& estimated timeline?

You know, those are damned good questions.  And I really wish I knew the answer though it's a safe bet the first one will be the Fur site (I still have one more scouting turn to see if a plains hill plant grabs any goodies east of the Furs).

However, something else came up, and I was going to work up to it via a series of posts.  But I guess I'll just rip off the band-aid now.  I'm going for the Oracle in Skeleton Coast.

I'm betting this folly on the following observations:
-religion has been neglected this game (T19 and T41)
-I have intel that leads me to believe that possible holders of either religion may have their sights set elsewhere, or cannot quickly produce.
-now that I'll have a Library soon, Meditation and Priesthood are within the range of affordability.
-My civ is the only one that can build its Warrior unit without disconnecting metal until Macemen are available.

And here are the tools at my disposal:
-growth into unhappiness to Size 6 or 7 for a 3-whip (45h for a Wonder iirc)
-4 chops still available for Skelly (80h)
-whip of a 1-turn build the turn before Priesthood (25-30h)
-stellar production already available in this city.

So there's your 150h right there, so if I plan right I'll only be spending 1-2 turns on the wonder..  And the best part is that if I fail, I am already in line for the tech I want anyway: Monarchy

With Inca, Monarchy is the key to my getting the advantage over everyone else.  Because:
-pairing Hereditary Rule with my health surplus is going to allow my cities to grow over Size 10 while others are struggling to maintain S6 until they can serve kings of their own.
-I have a capital that will produce 18h to provide a Quechua every turn once it flourishes.
-By building a Barracks before the mobilization, each UU will come with a C1-ready promotion.
-I can prioritize Math and Compass to get my cheap health buildings to grow even larger.

I'll research Sailing during the Oracle build because Lighthouses will be essential for steady Terrrace-enhanced growth.  And the money from the Lighthouses will eventually help to pay for promo'd Quechua upgrades.

Anyway, the above is too lucrative to not attempt.   And I'll be able to get started around T60-62 with the Oracle or T75 without.

In the meantime, I'm looking to have 4 workers for 4 forests by T58.  And I think I mentioned earlier that once I had enough manpower to build a decent roadnet, I'd be focused primarily on Settlers.  So to answer Mjmd's question, it looks like between T60 and T70.  And to answer Qgqqqqq's, as simultaneously as possible -- but most likely Furs > Hubabi block site > Lake Wheat SE of K2 > Silverfish.  My apologies for taking the scenic route. 

[Donovan Zoi]

Turn 50 - Actual Report

My previous maps probably render my scout updates unnecessary, but we unveiled one source of Clam to enhance the Fur site.  We''ll also get 3f out of the lake with a Lighthouse.  We venture 1E next turn to see if there is anything special to justify settling on the plains hill (is there an echo in here?)
 



Looks like I never got a screenshot to the south after I moved the Scout to meet Korea 2SE via the desert west of the Cow.  Next turn I'll offer OB since I'll have Writing.





Diplomacy

Checking the EP distribution FA screen, it feels like I dropped in uninvited on a group of old friends.  Everyone seems pretty cozy with each other despite a minor dustup that's since been settled for the moment. I think I'll tell the old Incan fable "The Scout and the Wolves" as an icebreaker to explain my absence from the table.




And what the hell, Willem?  Can't you hide your contempt for everyone from anyone?  


City Screens

Well. I guess the cat's out of the bag re: the city growth plan.  I also did this to keep K2 from growing into unhappiness for a turn at Size 4, though I suppose I can just as easily 2-whip a worker there from Size 5.

I'll have time to build something here that keeps the food coming in, after the Library and before the Oracle starts.  Maybe another Axeman?  Or the Barracks?





If I can grow K2 to Size 5, I may see if Quechua > Worker > Worker is viable here.





We'll have the FP farm ready for Death Valley next turn, but I think I'm gonna stay on the Copper to nearly complete the Terrace before reallocating.  I may have to sim the possibilities real quick.  It seems like a waste, but after that I may rest the Copper and go all Flood Plains until Size 4.  Which still won't be that long with the Terrace in place.

[Donovan Zoi]

So, after writing a whole manifesto about the Oracle, I check to see that Pindicator has just initiated a 4-whip.   I haven't played yet, but I think I'm gonna put a turn into binary and see what shakes out next turn.  It makes sense that as Sumeria, he would already have a strong interest in Priesthood for his UB.  He and Gavagai were on my short list of competitors for the wonder, the latter for a Great Prophet cascade with Stonehenge.

Better to find out early, I guess, and Monarchy is still a crown jewel (ha, snort) for me.  But nothing wrong with getting back into the Settler race. I may have to determine a real answer now for my lurkers!

[Donovan Zoi]

Turn 51 - 1960 BC

Before getting started, I just need to say that there's no way that Pindy could have 4 whipped one city.  Ffs, it can be disproven by my own screenshots last turn. So he must have whipped while cycling through his cities -- I remember German Joey doing that in the RB30s to the tune of -23 and it baffled many players until explained.

So yeah, in this game I'm definitely not going to spare you my crackpot theories based on unresearched intel of the worst possible outcomes.  What is different is that I will be calling myself out on them and adapting.  And with that being said, it appears another pivot may be in order, whether Sumeria lands the Oracle or not.

On with the turn!

So the northern Scout revelated nothing extra east of the Furs so we'll be settling on the tundra.  The Scout has the option of 2-moving E or SE next turn, and I'm thinking east to find a coastal route.

What's more interesting is the current ensnarement of my southern Scout.




Moving one tile SE left me between a Lion and metal's Axeman (which must have been granted a Cover promo from a hut).  And if this were to be my Scout's last stand, I was going to have him take in as much of the view as possible, moving further SE locating two sources of Ivory in the process.  He's also standing on another great city site too, if I'm being greedy.

Since I was going to do this anyway, I sent OB to Korea.  It looks like the Axe may be heading over to cover the new city, which I could not see upon passing it.  So at least it's not on a hill.  You're move, metal!


Mainland Preparations




Remember when I said that that the Worker actions through T54 were unlikely to change? Well, I'm adding 3 units of work into a strategic road for the FP tile.  This will be in place next turn, rolling out the red carpet for Skelly's Axeman.  After that, I'll road 1N of it and then mine the shared grassland hill 1N further.

And the prospect of using that 80g upgrade just went up big time, so I went with binary this turn and queued up for another neglected tech with some needed benefits -- Animal Husbandry.  Now I almost hope that Pindicator lands the Oracle so I don't have to feel torn about doing the right thing.