[SPOILERS] Serdoa plays in PBEM46

[Serdoa]

Turn 40 played. And quite a few things happened. Lets start with internal stuff:

- I settled city no. 4 (first to do so)



Quite a strong hammer-city with commerce thrown in as well. Can get to 20 hammers, sometimes. Not that I have the happy for that right now, but something to keep in mind for later, as I certainly will have to push out some units here. I'll get the cow improved, connect the marble and if possible and if I feel good about my chances to get Oracle will build that. Would maybe even take HBR with it, which is not good value for money, but due to how Azza is playing might still be worth it.

- I also finished Sailing. Have no picture for it though. Anyhow, I have to decide on the next tech to research. As I don't have yet the time for Libraries (wait I am CRE right, I get them half-price...) I've gone for Masonry. Need that to connect the marble anyhow and as Buddishm spread at least to the capital already Org.Rel. might be of interest. Also Construction. God, I really hope Azza leaves me alone...

- I have two cities in the top 5 cities screen (ok, ok, I have had that several times this game already, but now we have all players having at least 3 cities)



Ok, enough of that nonsense. Foreign news:

- Most importantly: Azza finished HBR. In theory, he could have a Keshik next to my newfounded city on T45. Well, at least if his 3rd city wouldn't have been settled only last turn, meaning it is at size 1 and can't whip one even if it wanted. Of course, in theory he could get 3 chops in next turn and finish it, but somehow I don't believe thats going to happen, because quite honestly I think that would be all the workers he actually has. From my C&D I would assume he did build

capital: Worker -> Warrior -> Worker 2 (?) -> Warrior 2 -> Settler (finished somewhere around T30) -> Settler (finished around T37, so maybe worker in between with overflow?)
2nd city: Worker 3 -> ?
3rd city: not long enough in existence

So, he might have actually 5 workers, if he could squeeze in one between his two settlers (not going to bother to work that out in detail, but it is likely). In theory he could get 3 chops in, especially as I can't say how many trees are in his 3rd city, it could be different to mine. There could be quite a few. Still, T45 is doable for me to get a Spear out. I'll grow T43 and will put one turn into one at that turn. T44 I can whip it if necessary, if not, I can whip the Granary. Also another spear can be finished instead of a worker on T44, able to move into the city T46. I can probably change the micro around to finish the other worker a turn later and get the spear on EOT43. The capital can produce 3 spears till T46 as well.

And while I talk about that, I realize I didn't even connect the copper via road... Ok, so T43 it will be connected, still working out with my micro-plans mostly. Just a chop coming in late, but I might be able to circumvent that via another worker. God, Azza really screws my microplans heavily. I just hope the others are going to produce some units as well. Oh, and I will expand to the islands next. That actually makes it easier to defend in this case than if I would put more cities on the mainland.

Overview of my lands, showing the missing road:



And last shot, demos for this turn. Keep in mind I whipped away two pop this turn (still leading the pop count funnily enough)

[Commodore]

We are so very spoiled with these maps...a grass sheep/grass cows/seafood/lighthouse lake city is described as a hammer spot. 0_o

[NobleHelium]

How does the presence or lack of food make it more or less a hammer spot?

[Serdoa]

Commodore, that statement is a misconception I see popping up quite frequently. It seems there is an idea that cities with a good food surplus can't be hammer cities. But that is not how this game works. Food is not what determines a citys focus. Instead food is a pre-requisite for every city - no matter the focus - to be viable, especially in the early game. Even more so for hammer cities. It does not determine the cities focus, it determines where you are going to plant a city in the first place.

[Commodore]

Oh, yeah, I agree, and in this case I'd make that a hammer city too. It's just an interesting contrast to playing on the natural script in PB8, 5, etc...on a natural script, a spot with that much food would be the defacto GP farm because nowhere else could you find a better food bonus.

[Serdoa]

Yeah, thats true Commodore.

And with that, lets do an update. First overview as of T48 (not EOT, I haven't hit end turn at that point to show you the builds I am constructing):



As can be seen I am finishing Writing right now (yes, late, I know). I also finished Oracle this turn as a 1-turn-build. Next turn I can choose between MC, CoL, Monarchy, HBR. I guess that are the ones making the most sense. Aesthetics theoretically, but I don't think I want to go up that line right now.

What can't be seen is that a worker and a settler are on its way to the Stone-site. They will board a galley (in a city with movement left) next turn, moving there and (if that is possible) get unloaded the same turn. If that works I'll settle the Stone site in 2 turns, else in 3. I still haven't decided if I should settle directly on the stone or not. I'd rather not because it is a not to bad tile and also I could share the fish in that case.

Ok, lets look at the cities in detail:



Char: Yes, I am working an unimproved tile. No that makes me not happy. Yes, it was necessary. I wouldn't have finished Oracle and Writing at the same turn otherwise. As can be seen, I am building a Spearman next (as in all my cities). After that I'll probably grow on a Library. Not that this city will ever have that great of research output, but I don't see any city having that and Libraries are half-price for me anyway.



Mar Sara: Settler gets whipped next turn, overflowing in a Spear. It will probably go to the Horses spot, not 100% sure right now, but most likely.



Tarsonis: As can be seen, Tarsonis has already a Spear in it. I has finished the second this turn and will now work on a Library most likely, while growing. Than a whip for something - or not, and instead I'll keep working the Gems. Probably that.



Umoja: Port-city. It will grow to 5, finishing the Spear. In the meantime, I will build 2 mines on the hills. That will give me the setup of fish, 2 GHM, 1PHM, copper for a total output of 16 hammers / turn. Forge to get it up to 20 maybe if I go for MC. Anyhow, 3 turns for 2 spears. This will be my main unit producer for the next time, to keep up with Azzas Keshiks.

Speaking of those, he has now 3 or 4. I haven't tracked the last two turns, but I saw again an increase of 6000 soldiers, so that certainly was the 3rd. Also his capital is a 6 pop, so he might very well whip it soon to get some more troops. I'd guess he starts attacking with 6-10 Keshiks, so relatively soon. Lets hope he does not come for me. I can defend myself certainly, but I'd rather not have to do it. I will expand to the islands for now though, not only because I want the stone, but also because I don't need to think about defending them just yet.

[Serdoa]

And Demos of EOT48



GNP is without tech selected. I feel relatively good about that. It is a bad GNP to be honest, but I just don't need more right now, so it is fine for me.

Crop will grow stronger over the next few turns and especially if I stop whipping sometimes. And MfG is not that high right now, but good enough. And again, it will grow strongly over the next turns.

So, yeah, feeling good. Not comfortable but good. I will start to move the warriors out to spot Azza earlier and work on getting my research up. I hope that I can at least triple it within the next 20 turns.

[NobleHelium]

A unit cannot move further after loading into a ship no matter what.

[Serdoa]

I believe to remember that if you loaded a unit in a city into a transport that it could be unloaded the same turn. Hm...

edit: Ah, it was unloading into a city to have the unit being able to move on the same turn.

[NobleHelium]

Okay my statement is not really true. A unit can promote to Morale after loading onto a ship and thus be able to move again that turn.