Kyan Rhoentach: YY OF ZZ IN XX {SPOILERS}

[Ichabod]

Man, talk about harsh terrain... What did we decide on religion? Going for Esus, Gibbon and the possibility of the vitalize spell is actually starting to look like a decent option.

It's likely that Ellimist only kept Yellow's capital (I think he'd have revolted to City States sooner if that wasn't the case). HE has education, which is annoying, since it means no economic tragedies. He's probably going for Code of Laws now, but I don't expect him to get it sooner than 10 turns (he wouldn't have revolted if that was the case, I think).

Could you send me the next save that arrives Kyan, just so I can take a proper look at it? I'd say the 4th city should go for copper, but it seems you'll get the settler way before Mining.

As crazy as it may sound, going hunting soon might be a good idea, just because of the scouting help + potential discovery of what Ellimist is up to. I'm actually a bit lost regarding the tech path. I believe we will go something like Exploration -> Mining - (reevaluate a bit with copper knowledge, Ellimist diplomacy) -> BW/Horseback Riding/Festivals?

[Kyan]

Man, talk about harsh terrain... What did we decide on religion? Going for Esus, Gibbon and the possibility of the vitalize spell is actually starting to look like a decent option.

We didn't decide yet, I believe. However, Esus has the non-nerfed Nox Noctis which means we'll want at least that much irrespective of anything else.

It's likely that Ellimist only kept Yellow's capital (I think he'd have revolted to City States sooner if that wasn't the case). HE has education, which is annoying, since it means no economic tragedies. He's probably going for Code of Laws now, but I don't expect him to get it sooner than 10 turns (he wouldn't have revolted if that was the case, I think).

I agree with this. He only kept the capital, i've checked the trade screen and he only has Kwythellar plus his starting city

Could you send me the next save that arrives Kyan, just so I can take a proper look at it? I'd say the 4th city should go for copper, but it seems you'll get the settler way before Mining.

Certainly. I only just saw this so it'll have to be tommorows turn, unless you want a copy of the one I played this morning?

As crazy as it may sound, going hunting soon might be a good idea, just because of the scouting help + potential discovery of what Ellimist is up to. I'm actually a bit lost regarding the tech path. I believe we will go something like Exploration -> Mining - (reevaluate a bit with copper knowledge, Ellimist diplomacy) -> BW/Horseback Riding/Festivals?

My current thoughts are:

Crafting > Mining > Festivals > AH > HBR > BW

This is subject to change though.

[Ichabod]

It can be the one you just played, I just want to see the terrain in full picture.

[Kyan]

It can be the one you just played, I just want to see the terrain in full picture.

Let me know if you want anymore buddy.

The turn:

We founded Black Sea



We are not the first to three cities (The Orcs captured the Kuriotates capital), but i'm hoping we'll be the first to four!



Settler completed at end of turn. I believe this site to be optimum as it can get the wheat and oasis and work one of the grassland farms at the capital. That means that the capital can leave the grass farms to Black Sea and Astrakhan just as Mining comes in and it can work the hills instead. That's pretty much working out perfect- working farms to grow then onto the hills, recycling the farms onto new cities that need to grow.

The spot marked Sweeney's Hold is where Sweeney Todd will fortify. We have friends en route (he already has 1/2 xp):



Blighted Wanderer (our scout) will try and see if he can survive long enough to swing back round to the south of our land to scout it out more fully. I thought about going 'deep' to find others, but decided against it.

[Kyan]

Short report:

Ellimist beat us to four cities. Course his last two are named Kwythellar and Hyll. He's als ahead of us by 9 food despite our cities being at happy cap working almost all farms (Semir working 4 floodplains farms, Black sea working a grassland farm and Zapo working a grassland farm, a floodplains farm, a dye farm anda grassland dye).

Hmm. We must win.

[Ichabod]

Well, food isn't as revealing of a strong position in FfH as it is in BTS. We could have a lot more food without Aristocracy. But we prefer a crazy GNP over it.

It seems the Orcs are going for the kill against the Elves too. Well, that's actually good for us if you think about it... We want to win by conquest, so no March of the Trees is good for us. Anyway, Ellimist better be confident he can take down the elves before they land FoL, otherwise they lose all their army. By the way, how's the power graph going?

I was going to suggest the 4th city by the dye, but I agree that your place is better. Less workers needed (and easier to improve, since they are all close). Far from that annoying archer. Overall, a good city.

Fingers crossed for a nice copper somewhere. I'll put my bet in the plains tile in the second city, just so that city can be even more powerful.

[Kyan]

Fingers crossed for a nice copper somewhere. I'll put my bet in the plains tile in the second city, just so that city can be even more powerful.

Copper is in third ring of Semirachye down south. Will get a picture next turn. Things to report since last update:

Ellimist got a huge points spike
Lurker thread got busy. Tasunke, you traitor!
We met the Malakim! Their lightbringer turned up in the southwest.
We have four cities now. The Malakim had two last turn, Orcs have four (two conquered).
Completing a couple more workers next turn. 6 turns until we can begin Horsemen. Once we've churned out a good number of these, we'll continue expanding rapidly.
Began mines all over. Once gold finishes (next turn) and these mine are done, i'd be very surprised if we weren't comfortable #1 in GNP, MFG and food. Shame we're still second by a mile.

Sorry for lack of pictures, I took loads for XXII, but forgot this one.

[Ichabod]

There's really not much to say regarding domestic affairs, since everything seems to be going pretty well. Our GNP is better than it looks like because we have only 2 culture in all empire.

On foreign affairs, worth noticing that the orcs and malakim have open borders.

Also worth noticing that Ellimist got a power spike. Is he really building more units? Maybe it's a tech + population. But I made a test and discovered a worrisome thing. With HBR teched, the clan can hire goblin riders in goblin forts that get a +1 poison strenght, being 5 str units. They cost 60 gold. This could boost Ellimist to an early conquest win, if leveraged properly.

[Tasunke]

With HBR teched, the clan can hire goblin riders in goblin forts that get a +1 poison strenght, being 5 str units. They cost 60 gold. This could boost Ellimist to an early conquest win, if leveraged properly.

This is actually a pretty good Diety strategy for Charadon vs AI

[Kyan]

Apologies for the lack of updates recently. Not a lot has happened really. Sexy Jim got himself enough xp to permanently act as an 'FO Clan':



That's combat 3 and cover 2. Ellimist offered open borders which I accepted. Normally I wouldn't, however, i've made a discovery that makes that not so painful:



Notice the city ruins. That was once Kuriotates lands. What I didn't screenshot is that this is identical to the north of our lands. I figure we've each got an identical chunk, possibly aligned straight or in a patchwork like PBEM12. This also lands credence to the 'Ellimist you're a bloody liar' theorem since he told us none of his lands were even remotely close.

Commodore once described me as Machiavellian and in every game i've played, diplo has played a huge factor in everything. Yet, this game, where we need it most, i've engaged in very little. Time to change that. Ellimist's score is ridiculous (270~ compared to us in second with 200. HK is on ~170!). To win this, we must turn the world against him. Bearing in mind that we will win this, that leaves me with only one option. Kyan's Diplo Hotline is now in full swing. I'll let you know how things go on that front.