[SPOILERS] Roland and Suboptimal Team Up

[suboptimal]

Colosseum and Entertainment Complex could go on the western shore of Lake Chao. That keeps it central to the core and covers all the cities in the area.

[roland of gilead]

Will have a look.

[suboptimal]

Turn 61

The turn’s come around. Read the last couple of the pages of the conversations between Roland, myself and Bruindane, load the save and tuck into it.

Rapa Nui has given me a new quest – destroy a barbarian outpost within 5 tiles. It’s too far away from me so that’s just going to sit for a bit. I’m in a golden age, take Monumentality. Switch tech research back to Shipbuilding. That’ll complete next turn, Masonry the turn after that and Celestial Navigation on Turn 66. I’ll update civics times next turn after the shrine in Al completes. Check my policies, like where I’m at, delete the iron pins in Chinese territory and it’s time to move stuff.

The escort galley at Al continues its return trip to the capital. I faith-buy a builder in Diamonds – I want to get the iron mined (eureka), the wheat farmed (more ) and hold the third charge for a plantation on the tea (which will be the city’s next tile buy). I’ll make back the in three turns or so (adding 5 generation next turn). I’m going to hold off on improvements at OC, particularly given that the iron mine will negate breathtaking appeal on three tiles (including the city center).

The warriors will embark next turn, then it’ll take six turns for the eastern warrior to reach the cove and eight turns for the other one to reach the mouth of the Achelous River. The plan with them is to use the warrior at the cove to defog the area for the planned settler while the other one hunts down the barbarian camp and defogs the interior.

At Brussels I move one ship up to the borders. The other ship needs to go through them, but to where? I decide to stay to the city’s east given that I’m declaring next turn and that path keeps me outside the city’s borders.




Those furs will be handy. It looks like this city does have some potential besides being a settler generator for Big Island. War will be declared next turn. The city-state costs 205 to levy, there’s 140 visible. A galley costs 65 so there’s either one of those or another chariot around. Obviously I’d prefer the chariot.

Down south I round the bend on the land mass, revealing Delicate Arch and gaining my first era score of the Classical. I check settlervision, see nothing interesting, then turn south.




Nothing interesting on settlervision here yet. Something interesting, though:




I have to wonder if this is another “Big Island”. I’m going to turn east to find out. At a minimum I might find another city-state.

Next turn OC will complete a warrior and start another. Al will finish the Shrine and start a slinger. Diamonds will finish its Holy Site and start a slinger as well. Also realize that if I was paying attention I could have finished both the Holy Site and warrior this turn instead of next – they’re both 1 short of completion and both cities aren’t set to max production. That’s OK, though, as I’ll get base overflow on both cities.

Regarding trade routes I’m going to hold off on buying a trader until I settle the first city on Big Island. I’ll use that trader to establish a route between Big Island and Al, along with a trading post in both cities. Once I’ve got a trading post in Al I can then run routes to China for a small but steady drip of religious influence and .

[roland of gilead]

Excellent stuff and good to be back.

Brussels a bit stronger than expected but galleys take early cities well.

Going to bed soon so suspect my turn will be morning. Though sometimes Woden and Lubjana can be fast.

I wonder a bit why Archduke took so long over his turn.

[suboptimal]

Archduke likely held his turn for no reason other than his turn came up when CMF said he needed to take the time off. I don't see anything odd about it as IIRC I believe he's done that in previous games when a sudden pause was announced and it was his turn.

[roland of gilead]

YEAH MOST LIKELY.

[roland of gilead]

TURN 62

Open up the turn to see woden is taking out Vilnius. They clearly don't care what we think of that. I may be able to put it under a bit of loyalty pressure down the road.



Get an era score for Delicate ARCH.



In the west the scout retreats which is great stuff so I fortify to heal. I may yet let this scout get back to it's camp and get units in place to pick up eurekas and promotions but the longer away that is the better. Also a volcano out here so clearly a good bit more land. Wee eruption would be nice.



General stuff.

Marcopolo meets a city state at start of his turn.
TAD obviously going for a heroic age in 40 turns. Sound tactic and if played right really valuable for him. One to watch.

Oh and i did pick monumentality just settlers don't get extra movement from it any more. No doubt most people know that but the civolopedia is crud.

[suboptimal]

The damage at Vilnius is likely two longboats with a good damage roll. Something to keep an eye on but not unsurprising given the power of those things. The good news for our capitals is that they're only accessible via one sea tile, not two. If Jongs come early enough it might make for a good liberation target.

[roland of gilead]

walls are getting chopped at both seaside cities next builds with limes in place.

bot only have one sea tile to attack from but warning heeded for sure.

[suboptimal]

Turn 62

Shipbuilding is complete, resume Masonry, that completes next turn. Recorded History in four turns. All builds are complete. Warrior starts in OC, slingers start in Diamonds and Al. Time to get moving (literally).

Farm the wheat at Diamonds, that speeds the city’s growth up by a turn (next turn). The builder will head for the iron next. Rearrange citizens at Al to get back to city growth. The warrior and slinger both embark. The warrior will head for the Achelous River, the slinger will head for the Chinese pin to the north. Both will disembark in 8 turns. Warrior in the desert embarks and is headed for Cove, disembark in 6 turns. Warrior at OC embarks and will head up and around the bend – I’m looking for any nearby islands with barbarian camps on them. Hopefully no barbarian camps spawn in my neck of the woods while everyone is out for a swim. Southern galley finds nothing new.

Attention turns to Brussels. Run the numbers, two galleys will be close...a bad roll or two could spell trouble here. I declare war and start the attack. I do 73 health on the first round which is slightly below average (expected 79). Galleys have taken 21 and 19 damage, which is also slightly below average. As for the escort galley, I could send it to Brussels for reinforcements although it’ll take 6 turns to get there. I’m going to keep it at Al and buy a settler the turn the slinger finishes. I’ll then escort it to Big Island and determine where to settle it based on what happens at Brussels. It’d take 10 turns to disembark at Cove, 9 turns at the other landing spots.

Marcopolo just completed a Campus or two – his jumped from 17 to 29. Ljubljana’s empire score dropped by three. If that’s all settlers then .