[SPOILERS]The 3 Muscateers playing Ragnar of Rome!

[Catwalk]

t13 report

Some nice PH locations down there. Too far away for early expansion IMO, but something to consider for expansion number 4-5 or so. I'm going NE with the warrior next turn, hoping to get an idea about general map layout. AH complete, BW started. Growing to size 2 next turn, with 6 hammers left to go on the workboat (city stats shown in screenshot). Does it pay better to finish WB next turn with 2 forest tiles or the turn after and work the corn both turns?

[Catwalk]

t14 report

Exploration:

I decided to go SE with the warrior, which confirms that there is a long (most likely connecting) arm going in that general direction. It's a reasonable theory that there are 5 similar arms. Any theories about the map structure based on this? Guessing there is a circle somehow. The connecting territory is inhospitable desert, suggesting that it'll be easy to hold our territories early on. Further guessing that there will be similar stretches of jungle, tundra and possibly ice elsewhere.

Angry Angora:

WB and growth done shortly, pasture will also be done soon which leaves us with a nice size 3 city ready to pump out workers and settlers. Worker or settler first?

Demos:

Someone is still size 1, eww.

[slowcheetah]

Ooh lots of floodplains, and we can actually build cottages on them this time .

I have three questions:
1) Warrior next in Angora? Or are we going for the ridiculous farmers gambit and another worker/settler?

Actually thinking about it maybe start a worker or settler, until the cows are pastured and then interrupt and pump out a quick warrior with the extra hammers?

2)We've got a reasonable grasp of the area around our capital now. Where is your preffered second city placement? I personally think that horse city would work out well. Chariots are pretty good for early defense and scouting and it's a strong early production site.

3) Why do I always forget my third question?

and two observations:
1)Angora and the demos are in the wrong spoiler tabs.
2) Working a grass forest instead of the cow makes me happier, though they are the same it looks improved so it eases my mind

[Catwalk]

I'm all for the ridiculous farmer's gambit, I don't think we're super close and we'll be able to get a warrior with short notice. Being at size 3 already, we benefit less from a warrior as we don't need to grow further.

On the other hand, seeing lots of black around the horses brings back bad memories... If we were to settle the horses without a warrior first, I'd want to spend an extra turn with the settler in order to climb the sheep hill.

[slowcheetah]

Building a warrior could solve the fog problem... It'd only take two turns

[Catwalk]

t15 report

Turn played, don't have time to post screenshots now... Teaser:

WE FOUND GOLD:2dance:

Decided to keep wandering with our warrior and build a new one, we will be able to whip off the excess population for profit.

[Catwalk]

t16 report
I will have hardly any time for reporting over the next week. Exploration:

Quite a tempting site down there. BW coming in soon to let us know where copper is, useful info to have in deciding on a dotmap. Planning on building two warriors, then whip the capital down from size 5 to build a settler, followed by a worker while whip anger dissipates.

[Catwalk]

t17 report

Played and forwarded. Planning on switching to Slavery soon in order to whip out a settler at pop 5, after building two warriors. Then keep the capital at size 3 for a bit so it won't need a garrison unit. I believe I've reached the halfway point between us and another civilization down by the gold, putting their capital at a distance of 17x17 from ours. The spot between the gold and the corn will then be 9x9 away from each of us. That's fairly close, and bodes well for our chances to praet rush someone.

[Catwalk]

t20 report

Turns out that corn wasn't the halfway point after all. Bronze Working is done, revealing 3 sources of copper. One in our neighbourhood, and two down the desert arm. Sucks for our praet rush that copper is easily available, but anything else would be wishful thinking. Settler is due soon, so we need to start finalizing a decision on the first expansion.

Going to revolt to Slavery next turn, then whip out a settler and produce a worker soon after. The river grassland hill is being mined, decided against chopping a forest as it'd waste a worker turn. This means we will have one improved tile to spare for the expansion, whichever direction we go.

Someone still has a size 1 capital, I'm guessing that's a double worker start. Seems terribly unproductive, with 3 decent resources available and limited forests. Any experts care to weigh in? On that note, are spoiled lurkers allowed to answer a general strategy question like that which is somewhat unrelated to the game?

[slowcheetah]

Regarding settling, 1N of the copper looks a very nice site, it can share corn with the capital for a quick start. Gives us copper for defense, and it's a very good tile anyway.

We definitely need more workers. Maybe one in the capital after the settler?