[spoilers]Commodore is Darius II of the HRE, now with less excuse.

[Commodore]

A bit more to the point, there's a jolly pile-up around here. Mistabod and Gaspar have warriors here now, Yuri had a chariot a while back nearby, and Davy's Palaven pink-dot cheerfully dominates the local SW. This is what I'm calling the green maw, but you could just as easily dub it "casus belli land".



I'd push harder but we've always got to remember the north, the north, ever the north. Kiki needs some more infra but the dirt cheap Org lighthouse will do in a pinch. The walls might need to get finished first, just to dissuade any adventurism. See also: Stupid Governors are enamored of spies.



Makes for a nice EP balance, though. I'm catching up with the rest of the world due to the Gaspar EP-off earlier, and these new rathausai are doing wonders. Even after I fire all but one spy I'm looking at a healthy lead.



The courthouses are pushing up my GNP slightly, but not hugely. That 50% edge over the next closest rival (I think Gaspar but maybe Yuri) is pretty honest. Overall I have every reason to be very pleased with the demos, as long as those Byzantine soldiers aren't coming for me. Which would be crazy, but stranger things have happened.



The population edge surprised me, actually. I've been trying to tone down my tendency to hit the whip constantly, which hasn't hurt all that much. Riffington is getting the best of me right now, with the brand new wet corn farm able to push the future capital up to maximum population very soon.



Now please let us alone, all you other guys.

[Commodore]

Gaspar has been heading down the eastern side of the inner sea, I think he'd react violently to an attempt to snipe the corn and sugar...[]...Basically, I'm pretty sure Gaspar hates me already but we've got a good solid border in the NE. I'd really rather claim more conservatively in the south so as not to tick off everyone. We have five more sites to fill in counting the banana there...then it's blood time.

Plan "not tick off everyone" is still in effect. Welcome France, our new trading partner. I'm not sure how well Dave is set for the long-term, but for right now he's the weakest and so the one I'd most prefer to give +2c routes. There is a nonzero chance of Dave getting Confucian from this too, although with the Stonehenge prophet he might just bulb Theology.



Wish me luck, next turn we get to play with the lakes around the empire to try and 1-turn Monarchy, although it's not strictly necessary. OR and HR will do wonders hereabouts, it's great to be able to pop borders in the expansions right off the bat.

[Commodore]

Wish me luck, next turn we get to play with the lakes around the empire to try and 1-turn Monarchy, although it's not strictly necessary.

Wasn't even that hard. I am trying to grit my teeth and work a few of the little cottages to push them up to the hamlet level, as well as the riverside plains dreck. It's annoying, but worth it long-term.



As I'm sure you've all seen elsewhere, Mistabod and Dave had some sort of war and then peace. I'm wary but I don't think this was a "NAP-so-I-can-hit-my-other-neighbor" thing.



Dave did settle the marble down south, but I'm going to get the dye/sugar, so I'm content. Clearly down there is his rightfully owned territory, anyway...heh, it's backfill thanks to Palaven.



Gaspar is pushing the border a bit. I'm IW/Calendar away from those bananas, though, so this will actually be a solid, clear border area. I don't have the power or the desperation to harry the pinkos right now.



On the plus side, happiness just became easy on the well-garrisoned border cities. So too did getting a missionary for culture. I'm loving the Organized price of these civics.



Here's Holy Rome!



Please, please don't notice me you guys...

[Commodore]

Welcome to the world, Zoë (anyone know how to get Civ4 to um the lauts). In a few more turns, we can hook up the sugar and dyes, making this a pretty good spot for a buffer city in the end. I doubt I'll own the marble, but maybe we can generate something.



I'm pretty average in stats right now, save the GNP. I'm actually sandbagging at break-even 70% here. Yikes. Just need to keep it up, if I can. 8 cities, which is average too.



Dave has a pretty decent backline area, which will be great to brutally galleon if possible. I envy this hammer-heavy area. Sadly, given Dave's preferences, farms and mines and workshops rather than villages will cover this area.



I have a plan!




In six turns, I want the MoM in Oasis here. I might be in a race, I think the GNP spike I just got was Gaspar getting Calendar. How would you do this? Post in the lurker thread, and then tell me in six turns.

[Commodore]

Okay, you know what is completely unacceptable? This little dot. Not with my forces in the area it won't.



Yuri's been known to be reasonable, so maybe the offer of 100 gold for his city will sway him. Although I'd really rather raze the dang diplomatic faux pas.



Grumble. MoM in six turns.

[Commodore]

Upon further reflection, I massively regret offering the trade, I don't want that blight. It completely nullifies even a decent cottage city 1N of banana, which I would be willing to take. One way or another, I need to get rid of that city, razing is the only way.

[Ilios]

Welcome to the world, Zoë (anyone know how to get Civ4 to um the lauts).

Get a Euro keyboard? It's to the right of the 'P', using shift first, then press 'E'.

[DaveV]

Or hold down the Alt key and press 137 on the numeric keypad (ëëë).

[Nydaeli]

It's not an umlaut, it's diaeresis.

[Commodore]

It's not an umlaut, it's diaeresis.

No, that's prunë juicë you're thinking of.