[spoilers]Commodore is Tokugawa of Zulu, or, playing for second place.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Technically speaking, that thing is worth zero food, due to the citizen eating 2 food already. But I guess it's okay to park a citizen there while putting hammers into something else. Especially if you can't afford a lighthouse for coast.

[Merovech]

That's an interesting answer! See how I figured it out earlier. Upshot: Whips, particularly granary-fed two-pop whips, are really, really strong. Thing is I keep on upping my happy cap so I've yet to need it.

That is...incredible. One big hole in my game is whip micro, but that is just gosh darn clever.

[Commodore]

So, then. When last we left Mr. Cyneheard, he was sitting on a truly immense stack of spears, axes, and catapults in Lafayette for some dang reason or another. A little more sentry surveillance sees experienced veterans guarding jack-all, too.



Well, I'll take it. I'm breaking out more catapults soon, but I need to keep up the impi stacks too. Agg Impi are great...one of the hill-sitting chokers killed a Cyneheard axe in Mingo Junction. Which is awesome. See also Krill dogpiling Azza, which isn't awesome. Also jade? Which is...I dunno?



Anyway, that one axe being killed was critical. The rest of the garrison is all spears...which, after one catapult, means my impi get good odds.



I took some losses, but by then the spears were knocked down enough for the elephants and horse to get odds. A couple more 95%+ battles, and:





Hi there, Mingo. I think I shall dub you Jubjub Bird. My word but you're a hammer-heavy place. It's going to be a challenge to keep Jubjub, but if I can hold on to it...good, solid port location to settle that western isle, plus a strong anchor to threaten Cyneheard's flank.



I offered a white peace to Cyneheard, but I doubt he'll accept it. The remains of Byzantium are a tight, well-contained core with a large standing army. This is going to be a challenging campaign, but if I can keep what I gained for the next dozen turns, a mace/WE/cat force ought to get it done.



Finally, here's the other reason to farm the tundra: Not starving to death for a turn.

[Merovech]

The Jade event is awesome: +2c on an iron mine.

[spacetyrantxenu]

It's not as awesome if he doesn't live long enough to enjoy it!

[Commodore]

[SIZE="4"]On Zooloos
From the Saga of Erik Magel Lan[/SIZE]

From the log of the Magel Lan
On March 19, 980 by the common reckoning we finally excaped the wracking storms of the Great Ocean by sailing into one of the finest natural harbors I have ever seen. Upon the northern coast of the bay sits the oddly-named city of Jubjub Bird, recently Mingo Junction. It is a city veritably swarming with the Zooloo people we have heard tales about for so long. How marvelous it is to see these strange people on literally the furthest corner of the world!



An Egyptian by the name of Phatos among the crew knows the Aztec tongue, which was in turn known by one of the officers of the city, one Vish Boolam. Imagine my surprise to hear the Hindu name! Indeed, the whole city of Jubjub is quite Hindu, and apparently many of the aristocratic officers are Hindu following the ways of the distant Zooloo capital of In-the-Wabe. The aristocratic class are all equestrians, masterful horse archers who adorn themselves with armored bronze mail and ride with great skill upon their rangy mounts.

According the officer Boolam, there is currently much debate among the officers about whether or not to push north against the great Indianapolis Peninsula, the last major port of the Byzantines. Although the city boasts a formidable garrison, the veterans of this army appear confident that they can capture the city and the region. I am given to understand the problem is that the central government in the distant Zooloo core is arranging a peace treaty. Indeed the leadership in this legendary Jabberwock Clan are probably wise, for while they could probably capture further territories, it is doubtful they could hold them.



Indeed, while the equestrian archers are the pride of this strange army, the cities of the Zooloo are protected by commoners on foot. As much as these people value aggressive melee tactics not entirely alien to our own, they also revere the fiercely protective city garrisons' archers.The officer Boolam states that many regiments of archers set out on the westward campaign, but they now guard the rear and the long road back to the heart of the empire, so no organized mass regiments exist in Jubjub.

These archers are mostly Christian, from the great river cities; the twin spice-exporter cities of Gyre and Gimble, and the great fortress city of Mome Raths upon the bend. Although these cities aren't nearly the size of some of our own greatest cities, by all accounts the core of the Zooloo empire is prosperous and productive, although very much focused towards warring.



Some of the way in which these Zooloo do war are frankly terrifying. Gigantic elephants clad in armor are ridden into battles to great effect. To hear officer Boolam tell it, these mighty beasts can even push aside determined formations of spear-men, if they are shaken in morale.

Standard doctrine is to soften enemy lines with vicious bombardments from cleverly-wrought catapults. Brittle slate is the preferred rock for these killing and maiming engines of death, but they can be loaded with almost anything including, to my crew's delight and astonishment, a full-sized cow.


For all the bellicosity of the aristocracy and the solid military competency of the farmers and tradesmen that fill out the ranks, the heart of the Zooloo seems to beat within the breasts of the impi warriors.

While we Vikings are the clear masters of the axe, I am impressed that there are no greater masters of the spear than these Zooloo shepherds. They are tough, fast fighters, the slowest of whom managed to outrun every man in our own company. They are great singers and dancers too, telling us that singing and dancing are two of the only three way to keep themselves occupied in the long cold winters of their tundra homes. Indeed it seems very odd but the climate has begun to cool again as we have headed further north from the sweltering Dutch jungle shores. Apparently, the impi mostly come from the cold Mimsy province far to the north and east, where the men of the towns worship the Buddha or the god of the Indian Jews, and the herdsmen worship sky and rock and snow.



The men all complain about the scorching heat, and indeed it is still uncomfortably hot to a Viking boy, although nothing so bad as in the fever-coasts. Immediately away from the shore there is naught but dry scrubland and a very few trees.

Apparently, the Byzantines once ruled a long band from this very port along the dry hills and vales across half the continent, until the Zooloo, nursing ancient grudges and new territorial ambitions, launched a campaign to conquer all the way to this sea. Now they claim the lands, although it will be some time it seems before their cultural domination is felt in all of the small hamlets and pastures once bowing to the Grey Emperor.



Undoubtedly, these hard, tough people will be a victorious in their time, and I am going to recommend to the High Moot that we trade with these people. I cannot help but wonder if it has all been to the good, though. Certainly, in talking a while with the herdsmen and hard veterans I hear a longing for the cool slopes and lakes of their distant taiga homes, which I must admit makes me miss my own.

[Merovech]

Did I mention that I love your story reports?

[AutomatedTeller]

that's a great report!!

[spacetyrantxenu]

...very much focused towards warring...

I think that belongs in your signature.

[Commodore]

I think that belongs in your signature.

I think something like that could be arranged.

Although seriously guys, sheesh. I'm dispositionally the most peaceful guy ever. I just want to have my little sandbox and build my empire.