PBEM5I Rematch: scooter's thread

[scooter]

Thanks. I'll probably check that out - I always have to google search it so I ought to bookmark it too. T407 is in - sneaky time:



He can't see me past the forests... My struggle is wondering if I should go up to the forest hill next turn which would alert him, or if I should wait one turn for the other mech to catch up. Leaning towards the former.

[scooter]

Also - note to self - get boats on the water and some airships in my cities. I can't afford to make the same mistakes twice.

[scooter]

Randoms:

1) Broadcast tower was a bad decision, but what's done is done. Should've used culture slider. Borders pop next turn, workers are in place for oil.

2) Battleship will be built from capital next turn - need boats on the water.

3) Stupidly got myself stuck in Mercantilism still! Argh. When I revolted to Org Religion, should've picked SP as well. So I'm stuck in Merc for 2 more turns. I'll probably swap to Caste at that time as well.

[scooter]

Dazed gave me a "yeah nice try" message on chat... I open the save and he has two mechs nearby. He also told me he had an airship over there, so time to retreat:



Oh well, no harm done. On the other hand, I made a horrible mistake in my capital:



Border pop doesn't get me oil . This is not great. I can turn culture back on max though and get the border to pop in a bit (broadcast tower may save me after all), but this is just a bit dangerous. I built a Missile Cruiser in 1T thanks to a chop, and I'll be building navy for a few turns now. Should be ok from naval landings, but if he builds some modern armor I'm in a bit of trouble probably.

[scooter]

407 in, I'll be brief though because I already played 408. 407, I built a Destroyer because I could get it in 1T, so I confirmed that the lake is empty thus far:



Cranked up culture so I get oil sooner.

[scooter]

411:

Got close to his land to take a look with my Destroyer:



I backed off though with the remaining movement points because it's only a Destroyer, so pretty much everything else will get odds on it if he's got stuff hidden. He's probably spotted my destroyer after all (airships), so decent chance he's baiting me... so I'll avoid the bait if I can. Finally did a civic swap:



That hugely impacted the demos:



I'm still ahead in soldiers which is good... but that's after adding a Destroyer and now, missile cruiser. So Dazed has either built boats too or he's built land units - either way, I need to be careful. Both my capital and SW city have airhips now, so I'll be on the lookout. Speaking of which, I got that Missile Cruiser in 1T due to forest chops again:



I thought long and hard about swapping to build culture, which would speed the time from 3T from 5T. Ultimately decided against it because I see no signs of a land invasion (yet) so I'm safe for now - water is still more dangerous and I have uranium for my boats. If I can get oil hooked up - I do think I'm stronger economically for now, but I'm just playing somewhat dangerously at the moment . I thought for sure I could get oil with that second border pop though (just didn't think that through sufficiently), so I do think I would've settled differently had I realized that!

[scooter]

412 is in, and I love my airships:



Lots of visibility. I backed my Destroyer up 2 tiles so it can't get hit by any ships, and then next turn it'll combine with my two Cruisers. Speaking of which, his explorer probably spied my Cruisers which ends my hopes of a surprise choke:



Probably can kill it next turn if I lay my rails right. I moved my other Cruiser away and hid it so hopefully he thinks it's the same one as last turn... I've gotten two consecutive 1T cruisers, which he wouldn't expect to be possible... Then again, he saw my choppings so nevermind. Still, I'm going to send the cruisers + Destroyer and see if I can make him sweat a bit. Demos look nice:



The increasing soldier gap is the best part.

[scooter]

T413 is in... I thought I could kill his explorer... So close!



So I stopped right before the hill so I could hide and hopefully ambush him. I basically just want the experience. Dazed actually told me by chat that I had his first explorer trapped (he must've walked into it) but he deleted it... So that explains the power discrepancy - he built a unit but also deleted his explorer, which is why the power numbers seemed too close. So yeah, I want a kill here for an XP point, but it'll be tough to trap him. Airship scans found this in the south:



So I know how to take care of that:



SAM it is. Also, I cut it a little close here, nearly have to work an unimproved tile! Thankfully my workers are completing a workshop or two here next turn so I'll be fine . Also, Dazed has a cruiser on the loose:



I backed off with my destroyer and stacked my two cruisers + destroyer in the little cove by my capital. I'll try to bait him into the open and then hit his cruiser. If it's by itself, I'll sacrifice the destroyer to weaken him and then finish with a cruiser - thus winning the hammer exchange and getting a cruiser promo'd. Or at least that's the plan.

Dazed jumped ahead of me in power:



Makes me nervous. Still, my airships are patrolling constantly and I see nothing coming by land... Which makes me think he has more boats. Need to be careful here. Tense turns for sure.

[scooter]

An oops for Dazed:



I guess more likely he wanted to see if I had more ships there? That would make sense. Here I am attempting to be sneaky with my ships:



Should be away from his airships visibility. Can't confirm that though. Borders pop next turn and I'll have oil the following turn. I need some settlers very soon too.

[scooter]

Well that went well:



Destroyer did about the expected amount of damage, but my cruiser killed him without a scratch! Also, finally will have oil next turn:



Continuing to build ships out of my capital at the moment, and I'm building a settler in my backlines city right now.