[spoilers] Commodore: Worse than Toku, it's Giggles of Siam!

[Commodore]

Keep on truckin. I was actually able to reduce the slider to 40% and still net Engineering in three turns, so Lakeside Garden got off wealth and onto the medium-term benefit of the National Epic. Ooh and ah about this city, best city in the world right now. Nobody with trade with us for cow/wheat boosts, but banana and then harbor ought to sort the health crisis in short order.


My third Future Megopolis, Hawk's Ridge, could have whipped an archer for one less turn on the Moai Stones, but that's a lot of food lost for +6h gained. Yeah, we'll just do it this way. Need lots of infra, will at last be able to build it in...4t.


Hammer continue being kind of depressing. It is, however, encouraging to be 3rd in GNP at break-evenish. Steady as she goes; stay calm and build forges.


Turn: 166
Status:

[Commodore]

"The Master has no possessions.
The more he does for others, the happier he is.
The more he gives to others, the wealthier he is.
The Tao nourishes by not forcing.
By not dominating, the Master leads."
-The Tao Teaching, Dai Miao School, AD 1067
Dues and pilgrimage business at this time accounted for over 40% of the Greenways district economy.


...so yes, I understand the new maces lend us a striking advantage over axes. But except for in some uniquely well-trained battalions, I cannot see how they are worth the expense, when we can use that same money to field another company of war mammoths! We aren't fighting the impi like our forefathers. Tell me, when the massed chivalry of Maya is charging at you, do you want a mace in your hand, or a mammoth under your knees?
-General Sun Cher, letter to Lord Far Quat.


The mark of a moderate man
is freedom from his own ideas.
Tolerant like the sky,
all-pervading like sunlight,
firm like a mountain,
supple like a tree in the wind,
he has no destination in view
and makes use of anything
life happens to bring his way.
-The Tao Teaching, Riversidonian Synthesis School, AD 1073
Taoism as state religion, while officially not required, was still highly encouraged. Without a Taoist tithe, contractors and builders could not receive state funds. Cities on the outskirts of the empire begged for missionaries from the more established schools, and adherents to Buddhism were particularly repressed.


Ingots and ore,
Lumber and salt,
All fruits and sweat,
Flow down to the monster,
Who sits on the Great River.
-Doggerel seen in all the major cities of the west, discussing the loss of wealth and goods as all raw materials were sent to the Great Forges of the Garden. Many of the major cities embarked on their own programs of manufacturing investment.


Turn: 167
Status:

[Commodore]

Taoism is spreading to the distant ends of the earth...like to the Arabian capital of Gorilla Gorge. Um, yeah. Plako is going to be hard to beat here, he's rolling the Arabs. Still, nothing else for me to do...beyond hope that the Vikings think this city looks attractive?


I am keeping on with the keeping on. Courthouses are making a massive difference here; if I successfully spread Taoism to a city (like here) I'll whip the CH in first if its a distant city. Worth 4gpt at size 5.


Spy is sitting around, wondering when the fun starts; I think Feudalism might be the only thing cheap enough to nag efficiently here. Assuming we still want to go the Banking line...


'cause this. 60% tech, baby, something almost even sustainable. MFG is already looking a lot better too, as forges come online and mines get picked up. Soldiers next!


We're still running a hybrid economy, but I'm considering just saying screw it, wealth all over, hit Nationalism and build the Taj, then run up towards Democracy. Emanci-towns would be lovely, eh?


Turn: 168
Status:

[flugauto]

How do you think this game will end? How much longer will it go on?

[Commodore]

How do you think this game will end? How much longer will it go on?

Interesting question. I think the game will probably end via concession, with an outside chance of space race. I'm deeply skeptical that anyone can hit the domination limit, AP is going to be Serdoan, and diplo is doubtful (maybe if I appear to be nearing a win, or Serdoa; Plako and Slowcheetah are too nice and well-regarded to get spited out of a win with diplo). Culture victory is interesting, but it is normal speed, and 50,000 cultures is a lot of cultures. So the game will probably go on for at least as long as it has, barring Plako Snowball Right Now. Not much I can do about that, to bastardize a Chinese saying: "Lurkers are near, and Plako is far away".

Serdoa is also near, I guess. Given his known stability levels, this is a scary little oopsie.


If he is inclined to push it, I'm willing to roll dice on killing his horse city. A full murder of mammoths, coming right up! It looks very Macy's Parade here, actually. Eh, nothing will likely come of it, but no harm in the being ready. Note the castle build; I'll feel much more secure when this city pops third-rings, and when it is sitting behind +100% defenses. Even ancient spearmen balk knights from inside a castle.


I think I've been slacking a bit in the crucial "REX hard" races. Here is the Final Frontier...simple to dotmap, I'll give it that. The little filler spot in the south peninsula is barely worth the settle; size four, making 12hpt base, it'll be a naval pump I guess. The prize neighbor is that eastern city, only gets a fish but that's plenty of useful other tiles.


Turn: 169
Status:

[Commodore]

I should have remembered, this is Pitboss. Serdoa didn't try for the kill, and so I was able to retreat a bit. Would moving 1NE allow sight into the city? Other things to note: Xenu is cramming the islands north of the Zulu, and I don't have Calendar this turn. Brick, bless 'im, declared war on Arabia, which is great if he can snipe a city or four from Plako, but it also cut off a couple trade routes, which was just enough to make me miss the tech.


Lakeside Garden needs those bananas! Badly. On the plus side, I'm getting in a National Epic here in short order. This really is a terrible spot for it in the endgame, but while the Parthenon and Great Library are still around, we're going to be pumping 27GPP/turn without any help. That'll be handy; golden age very soon guys.


In the "crappy long-term spots for National Wonders" column:


Even so. The last big nation wonder spot not otherwise considered is, of course, Generic Wall Street. I've spread Taoism aggressively, I've got myself a forge and OR, let's build some gold-boosting buildings! Which at the moment is just a market, but I'm pretty sure beggars are constitutionally barred from being choosers.


Scoopin might be making the choice for us in the tech direction department, check out what they're researching! Ugh, crusade to get homeland, or more Eastward Crusades?


Turn: 170
Status:

[Commodore]

[Commodore]

So, that screenshot shows pretty much all the news of the turn. Calendar in, Scoopin heading up Optics, MEETING SLOWCHEETAH WHO HAS OPTICS. Still, it's not all bad...National Epic is online rocketing my score to four digits, and I am getting castles up carefully in a few key places. Its a near run thing, but I was able to avoid losing overflow hammers on the capital's walls...that's a lot of bonuses, eh? I swapped the ghm to the phm, no worries. We'll 1t the castle next, and then it's harbor time.


Here's some nice timing, +1f comes in just as all the extra food runs out here in Tranquil Meadow. It'll comfortably stagnate here at size 12, making a comfortable 20hpt with the forge, plenty of commerce, and nary a food to spare. Perfection.


The star of the eastern empire is now proudly working silks. I know Western Heights isn't going to be the final GP farm, but I do want to squeeze a something out of it in the next GA. Let's call it 8 turns of GA/Parthenon/Pacifism/Caste, that will mean the 500-pool gets done with six specialists. No problem at all; I'll probably run to get a great merchant.


Lotsa castles completing next turn; the Shield of the East, Stoney Knob, is going to be rocking those defenses. I'm really truly curious as to what Serdoa is doing up there...where he goes with his knights...hopefully, he's lazy and just mushes 50 of 'em against this place.


I am so very close to achieving total Taoist penetration around my empire. I know Thoth wants to grow Hidden Valley and I agree, but Taoisming Hawk's Ridge is important too. I'm looking here really to show off my waterwheel; we're getting a bunch of these online next. It's a great way to get hammers.


Turn: 171
Status:

[Sareln]

What do RBMod castles do?

[Commodore]

What do RBMod castles do?

Cost more for me as Pro.
Beyond that, same as in BtS: +50% defense (added to walls), +25% EPs, +1 culture, +1 Trade Route. The last one is huge on Big and Small of this size; particularly if Slowcheetah realizes Plako is the biggest threat to win and Opens Borders with me.