Arise, Riders of Rohanna! Ride for Molach! [SPOILERS!]

[Ranamar]

I get it now!

We were hit by Stasis!

All the way from the next game over!

[Molach]

Sorry I haven't updated, but I've been very busy last few days and....

...well the game is pretty much where it was last time.

When this game _does_ start up, people will be so hell-bent on action I must prepare against warrior rushes.

I did manage a practise run yesterday, on a random fractal map where I edited in two dyes and a wet corn to starting city (and removed anything else). Learning more and more about how to play the start. I think I can research at a good clip without edu-CoL, getting BW (hopefully) connecting bronze will give me reasonable security. Hopefully calender and mining resources I can abuse, farm the rest and grow. Markets in new cities keeps science slider high enough, I should think.

Molach-only-Stasis would be fun, everyone has just been skipping me and suddenly it'll be turn 12 when I first get to move.

[Ichabod]

I won't be able to play tomorrow (saturday) - plan to get hilariously drunk in some ski-resort without internet (or running water), both celebrating a friend turning 40, and the long-awaited start of this PBEM.

Friday and sunday are go, if I have a save then.

I've made sure to delete earlier save, and used some (un)holy water to expel/exorcise the last remains of the previous evil savegame.

Is the tracker updated & on the ball? It insists that Tasunke/Ryan has the save still.

Molach, you are hilarious.

[Molach]

Molach, you are hilarious.

Thanks, try to be sometimes, but surprisingly often unintended.

While we wait on primepolar, or a replacement for his spot...

About my first turn moves, I've changed my decicion back to moving scout to the Tower S-SE and send warrior northwestwards. I still think SIP is likely, not sure what would need to be revealed for me to change my mind. Jungled hills 2 or 3 South of my city is probably alternate spot - I do lose the plains ancient forest, and I lose the mined plains (copper?) in 3rd ring from capital for easy hookup. Also lose incense, but sounded like I'll lose that anyway with new map showing. Both spots keeps both dyes and corn. 2S has good production, 3 hills to mine before BW and 3 more after. 3S does not, I'd be lacking for production before BW. Both have better food than my current capital - they would both gain at least 1 farmable grassland (the tile with the tower on. Both locations would be on ocean - there is salt water SW of the tower. So if there is anything worthwhile in the deep south, I should probably move. No reason to cling on to my two precious plains/desert northern wasteland. Moving will mean founding one turn later, that is only negative I see. One turn, with our current speed, actually means 35 RL days, so that is a serious delay....

In other news, after spending many words and a picture worrying about raging Pyre Zombies of Doom, they have been ganked and replaced with the Orcs. Well, at least I can keep worrying. Serdoa has played a few MP games already, won FFH ToM victory and several BtS games. He has shown extreme knowledge of (core) game mechanics, and that he can control big armies on the map. So he easily steps up as 'greatest worry for the early game'. Only difference is that he will remain a great worry for the remainer as well due to warrens. I should worry about early choke with WS-units, about switft wolfrider strikes and worry about sudden city-strikes if he should convert a gang of Orc barbarians nearby. I suppose much will be down to luck where his units will pop after the WS, and who he will want taken out of the running if he has a choice. I won't have anything but warriors & diplomacy for defense, need alert sentries around my land, and enough warriors that my worldspell can save me in a pinch.

Augh.

If I'm still in the running & not dead from old age after 40 turns (about 4 years from now, given current speed) I'll do something about clowns & elves & sidar.

[Ichabod]

There's really nothing like a huge delay in turns to make you second guess every possible decision in a game.

Not sure how much the Orcs got changed in EitB, but they are probably the best overall civ in the game.

[Molach]

New game, newish map.

Got a question....where to settle?


1W has no hill anymore.
S-SW means I settle next turn...

[Qgqqqqq]

Why there?
The jungled dye?

[Molach]

* 1W is no longer on plains hill.
* 1W gets me 3 useless deserts now that incence is gone.
* 1W still gets both dyes, lots of hills and AF plains, good tile. Two plains hills (if we cound the mana as well) for total production.
But less food than other locations - corns and one farmable (forested) grassland.

---
* W-SW (grassland hill) - get more coast, but also the Ancientforest pirate cove, amazing tilem if it's still there. Does require fishing. (But then again, I might be forced to MftD at some time anyway with all this water around.)
* Low production before BW - just grassland hill & desert hill.
* Both dyes. Of course.

---
* S-SW (jungle grassland hill) - saves me the trouble clearing it.
* Has 3 minable hills before BW, few more after.
* Non-costal (will actually say this is a plus, no direct amphib possible).
* One extra farmable grassland (forest, with the tower on it) to cover food needs.
* Another jungled dye. And I am 99% sure I'll run straight to BW because of gems, so it will come into play before long. But bottom line, it's a great cap for both production and commerce with mining. God king or no.

So moved settler on corn, found the pirate cove tile gone. Hmph. Okay. But also found more dyes.
Moved settler on the hill W of corn for visibility, then on jungle hill. Next turn I can decide whether to SIP there or go 1 S and settle.


Gained visibility to my SW....


Do my eyes deceive me? Is that a green border? Oh yes it is.

Heres an overview shot:


To the east of golds is something beginning with an 'O'.

And some demos. Damn I suck, gotta fix this fast.

[spellman]

And some demos. Damn I suck, gotta fix this fast.

Turn 1 Demos. Showing just how awesome you really are.

[Molach]

I've got the save, will play in about 2 hours.

However:
Close neighbour, he does not know I'm here.

• Do I take him out? I'm thinking I might rush him if I produce warrior(s) and concentrate that and my starting units on his capital. He will have 2 scouts scouting, and if he goes worker first he should be dead.
  
  
• If I decide to abandon the rush/hostile takeover and be peaceful, I think I need defense? If he scouts NE (and he has two elven scouts) he could seize my capital if I leave home open. So do I need to put some hammers into a warrior anyway?
  

...any thoughts?

Also SIP or 1 south?