Whosit Clowns Around in EitB PBEM XXVI [SPOILERS!]

[Whosit]

So, this is what Serdoa said:

I'm sorry to hear that you think like that - but wouldn't this diplomacy-channel be kinda the thing to use in that case to... I don't know, discuss terms you find agreeable and which not make you only have a choice between dying now or later? Not that I would agree with that assessment, though I can see where you are coming from. On the other hand, I can't just tell my troops to move back home. They would laugh at me and not accept me as their leader anymore.

My hand is reaching out to you, to help you, to help us, to get back to peace between our nations Perpentach, but YOU have to take it ... and put something in it when you are at it

Kind regards,
Jonas

This is what he did:




I fled the Worker, as you can see. I don't really have anything to say to him. I don't want to keep playing if the price is sacrificing any chance I have of doing well. Worst case scenario now would be if he just never attacks me. I may try to take out an exposed unit, but I have no production since he's sitting on all my forest hills. And he's gonna take out my food source now, too.

Ehhhhh. Maybe if I was confident I could recover from losing my worker and my settler. I was considering giving the Worker, promising the Settler, and never delivering, but I'm not sure I could pull that off, either.

[Whosit]

"Diplomacy":

Whosit, I think if we go on with this, this will end in a slow and unfun demise for your civ. I'd like us not to get there, as I think you and I both can invest in better stuff than units or unit maintenance (though pillaging helps with the latter I have to say) and we both would have more fun building up than razing down.

Unfortunately you never made a counter-offer to mine, so I guess I have to do that myself: You have a worker I see. Put it nearby one of my troops so I can capture it and I will move out of your lands.

If you want I will agree also to a NAP till T100. But if you don't want a NAP I'm fine with that too. If we agree to a NAP, one clause I see necessary is that you won't settle further north than 4 tiles counted from your capital (on the whole horizontal line of course, but not over this line to the north). I don't want to have a NAP and than get settled in my face. I will of course also not settle over this line into the south.

As image as I think my English is not really describing that not very good:

--------------------------------
x
x
x
Capital

I think that line should extend 12 tiles east and west. Beyond that everyone can settle as far north or south as he likes (so as to not box anyone of us in if you for example extend east and I west we sooner or later probably want to extend north and south as well).


Kind regards,
Serdoa

Not going to write in-character for this one because, frankly, I don't have the energy for it now, and also because it will be easier to state things in plain terms.

I have been unresponsive mainly because I've spent the last week moving halfway across the country, and am only now getting settled in. It seems I have little choice other than to come to an agreement if I don't want the rest of this game to be building Warriors and hitting Enter. I can agree to your terms, including the NAP, with the following provision: You will withdraw your soldiers far enough to allow my Worker to rebuild the Wheat farm you so callously pillaged before you capture the unit. Consider it a token of your good will. After all, you'll still be receiving a free Worker.

I think that's all that needs to be mentioned at this time. With luck, you'll be speaking to Perpentach in the next message.

I really, really hope he grants me this. I'm still Industrious, and I have started a Worker now in anticipation of losing this one, but getting that Wheat back faster would be a real boon. Maybe I should have tried negotiating before it got pillaged. Well, we'll see. I'm ok with agreeing to that line because, as it happens, all the cities I want to settle in the near future are south of it, anyway. Then maybe I'll have an army that can go pay a visit to ol' Serdoa. He did give me some info: He's north. Before that, I had no idea where he was. He's probably relatively close, too, if he's worried about me settling in his face.

So I went back and paid more attention to Brian's suggestions on city placement:



The one down south could be moved 1S (and off coast) to grab a mana source. Perhaps? Also, there's no clams out east. For some reason, there are random fishing boats in the water. I don't think they actually provide any benefit. Anyway, this all assumes I get peace and whatnot. I guess at least now I have enough warriors to defend any settlers I send out. I just want to hang on to my Worker for the time being. After all, I'm "conceding" Serdoa the north. Though, to be honest, he has no reason to agree to that part.

If he doesn't agree, maybe I'll just make him catch it.

[Brian Shanahan]

Mana I find is usually best in third ring (second if you're full of good tiles in a city), it does not increase production beyond base, and any normal improvements will have to be razed just to get the mana noded.

Random fishing boats could be pearls, which are not revealed for a few techs (Sailing IIRC). They don't give food but give mucho commerce.

Regarding not giving a settler (eventual peace deal) to Serdoa, that is workable, we can come back to him later in the game, when the early Clan power has evaporated due to him being too far behind in techs, and swarm him with skelly spams before hitting him with the big guns.

[Whosit]

Diplo:

He said:

Hey Whosit,

I wish you all the best for your move. Thats always exciting and frightening at the same time in my experience.

As for the game: I will withdraw all my warriors, except one which will sit on the grassland hill next to the wheat. So you can re-improve it. After that I will take the worker and offer peace. As you'll see when you open the game except for one my troops are moving north back to my home, one is going southeast to see if we have other neighbours. I'll let you know if I find someone.

Kind regards,
Serdoa

I said:

WeLl BrOtHeR, lOoKs LiKe We HaVe OuRseLveEs A dEaL.
iF yOu AsK mE yOu GoT yOuRsElF a MoThErFuCkInG sTeAl.
GiVeS mE a MoThErFuCkInG sAdNeSs To SeE mY bOyS gO.
mAyBe He CaN tEaCh YoU tHe WaYs Of ThE mIrThFuL mEsSiAhS tHo.
ThEn We CaN kNoCk BaCk SoMe WiCkEd ElIxEr AnD pIE.
i CoUlD mOtHeRfUcKiNg Go FoR sOmE Of ThAt NoW, nOt GoNnA lIe.

**Perpentach

Why did I decide to write like that? It's awful and I hate it. I also shame myself for how bad the tone is, but at least no one here actually knows how wrong it is.




So, in anticipation that he doesn't break his work, moved my worker (now named Truce) back to the Wheat. I also adjusted tiles to get the next Worker in 4 turns instead of 6. Lose a turn on Crafting, though, but such is life! Soon I'll have those incenses improved, and that'll mean much gold in the coffers and teching should pick up. I wonder if everyone's starts are as good as this seems to be? The map was supposed to be random, but I know it got tinkered with. Serdoa knows, though....

I am probably going to slam a 2nd Worker out after this one and make use of my Industriousness while I can. Then I think I'll pick up Bronze Working for Mines, and then go straight for Runes and hope I'm still Spiritual. My Forest/Hill Warrior is going to head to the east and scout around the gold/gem location for any more signs of food. However, Agrarian Farm Flood plain (5 food) plus Wines (3 food) should be more than sufficient to feed the 2 Gold and 1 Gem tiles. My god, that's going to be a monster city for commerce. The only hitch is that I have to destroy that Lion Den. I guess a couple Warriors should be able to do it, though. Maybe I'll make another so I can send 3, just in case. Ugh. Lotsa hammers gone, but after Worker 2 is done, finish the Warrior in Queue, and then a Settler! So I'm only, what, 20+ turns from having city 2? Bleh.

By the way: How likely is it that I could get all the requirements for the Grand Menagerie? I need a Bear, Gorilla, Lion, Tiger, and.... something else. It seems most likely that all the wild animals will be dead before I get enough Hunters with the proper upgrades to go out and catch stuff.

[Qgqqqqq]

Very unlikely.

[Whosit]

I figured as much. When I played some SP games, I don't think I even SAW all the creatures I needed at any point in the game.

Silly Wonder.

[Qgqqqqq]

Wildlands helps, but you need at least normal speed, and likely volanna too, to manage it.

[Brian Shanahan]

Last creature is a wolf. Depending on terrain you can usually see the other animals, but wolves suicide too early.

[Whosit]

Nothing picture worthy. But I have a rough plan: Once this dreadful deal is done, I'm going to take some risks and get a couple of settlers out as quickly as I can. Maybe even 3. Builds will be Workers, Settlers, and Warriors. I figure my best shot at catching up is to get cities settled. Gonna make use of that Industrious trait as long as I have it. I'm banking on Serdoa not breaking the NAP, to use a little metagaming.

Tech wise... how important do you guys think it is to get Runes early? To make Gold/Gems city work, I need Bronze Working for mines (right?), and Exploration for roads to connect things, so I figure I ought to prioritize that over religion right now. I figure with those techs done, I can grab the religion, then go back for Animal Husbandry and whatever else I need. I'll want Festivals sooner rather than later, of course, but with Jubilee working Incense, and city 2 working 2x Gold and a Gems, I should be able to blast through a lot of the early techs, as well as fund more cities. That's the rough plan.

[Brian Shanahan]

Nothing picture worthy. But I have a rough plan: Once this dreadful deal is done, I'm going to take some risks and get a couple of settlers out as quickly as I can. Maybe even 3. Builds will be Workers, Settlers, and Warriors. I figure my best shot at catching up is to get cities settled. Gonna make use of that Industrious trait as long as I have it. I'm banking on Serdoa not breaking the NAP, to use a little metagaming.

Tech wise... how important do you guys think it is to get Runes early? To make Gold/Gems city work, I need Bronze Working for mines (right?), and Exploration for roads to connect things, so I figure I ought to prioritize that over religion right now. I figure with those techs done, I can grab the religion, then go back for Animal Husbandry and whatever else I need. I'll want Festivals sooner rather than later, of course, but with Jubilee working Incense, and city 2 working 2x Gold and a Gems, I should be able to blast through a lot of the early techs, as well as fund more cities. That's the rough plan.

Mining for mines and chopping wood, BW for chopping jungle and +1 str from Bronze.

Festivals is extra important for Bals, because of Freaks and all they can do.