[SPOILERS!] I am Molach. This is my thread. Kublai Khan of Rome

[Bigger]

I am lost.
You lost me.

How did you manage to lose me?!?!

See my avatar, I am Skeletor...

thats an appropriate response, then. Skeletor always lost.

[Molach]

I am Molach's minister for exploration.
Hi.


Now step a bit closer, while I unfurl the screenshots of our current extent of scouting...and let's see what has been revealed.
First an overview with cultural heritage.

Now I shall show the maps, starting west...east....LEFT, and going upwards then right
First there is Azza.

I personally wouldn't mind a little....closer...relations with him, but next minister can comment more on that.

Moving on to the naughty wetbandit, who might need some...punishment if he should settle towards us.


Then there is our newest enemy...
(rival)
rival, oxygensteal...oxymoro...orange guy to the east.


So, thats all for now, hope you liked my report and...
(mumble)
oooh, yes, the Lord asked me to tell you that after discoverying how to work copper into bronze, we now realize that we don't have any copper. Well that's science for you, never could see the point of all that paperwork. Not like scouting, really brings out a nice tan...
(...)
Hope you liked my report. Bye now.

Molach's comment: City #2 is pretty locked in, it goes by the gold, probably where the sign is planted. Next will probably need to be westwards, to seal border with azza. Then 4th city north or due east. And I did scour my whole land, no copper in sight. Gonna kill a bunch of trees as revenge.

Next up:
I AM MOLACHS MINISTER FOR PLANNING*
*This includes building, science, transportation, military and commerce. And espionage.

(It's only a model)

SILENCE!
WE HAVE A PLAN. WHILE OUR CITIES SPREAD ROMAN CULTURE TO INFILTRATE HOSTILE LANDS, WE WILL SEND OUR IRON LEGIONS AND BEAT THEM INTO SUBMISSION. FIRST WE STRIKE WEST AND TAKE OUT ONLY VETERAN COMMANDER. THEN NOONE WILL BE ABLE TO STOP US.

WE ARE PREPARING FOR THIS BY BUILDING WORKER. THEY WILL MINE IRON FOR US

(We actually don't know if we have any iron, keep in mind. I think we first must learn how to work with it, then we can establish whether we have any)

WE WILL FIND IRON, OR TAKE IT FROM OUR ENEMIES' COLD, DEAD HANDS WITH OUR LEGIONS.

SHORT TERM PLAN. GET IRON. FIRST WE GET DRAFT ANIMALS, WE LEARN TO MAKE ROADS TO IRON MINE, THEN WE BUILD SLAVERY PENS COTTAGES SO WE FIND OUT FASTER ABOUT IRON.


MEDIUM TERM PLAN. BY NOW WE HAVE KILLED ONE CIV. WE GET CATAPULTS, CURRENCY, COURTHOUSES AND CIVIL SERVICE, AND KEEP KILLING THE SHEEP


WE ARE ALREADY BIGGEST AND SMARTEST. SOON, OUR NUMBERLESS HORDES SHALL SMASH YOU ALL!



Lurker comment (Molach): I will certainly be on the lookout for any opportunities. I was hoping that bronze near cap - make a bronze man - kill Azza warrior would be valid play, but no dice. Azza is closest, and he has juicy lands. However I could make an settlement-in-force operation vs Oxy, and steal 'his' gold. But I need iron. If no horses magically pop up, I suppose I need to go straight to Iron working? Gold mine for research, but still a long way there...don't worry about the Caps, I think this guy get's fired before next council report.

[teleh]

I am lost.
You lost me.

How did you manage to lose me?!?!

See my avatar, I am Skeletor...

Every time I see your full name I can't help but think of the power of Grayskull.

I am teleh's appreciation of creative turn-reporting.

[Molach]

I am grateful.
The grateful undead, my favourite band.

I've never watched he-man as a child, so I was wondering about 'sercret powers' - is there something I am missing?
Is my start that good? That I used secret powers to get it?

AAaaanyway, here is the Mismicromanagement of Molach Hill:

Just build a second worker, moved to GLFH to chop. First worker chopped plains hill, moved to GLRF to chop that. Warrior finishes next turn, then I plan to chop out a settler. 3 chops will do, as capital makes 8 settler production. I have slavery civic ready, but didn't revolt yet obviously. Perhaps when settler is on the way. I'd like to have the grain farm ready for city founding, mine gold to work at size two. I am thinking to grow after the settler - on warriors probably.

So I think about where to settle

At the south sign means overlap with capital to share the load growing cottages. Sharing the FP 2N of capital is good. Gold will take 5 turns to get in borders, which probably means a couple of turns without working the gold. 1N speads out more, so capital and newcity get bigger BFCs, to enjoy sometime around AD 1200. But gold start inside borders, which means city can grow right into the mine. Terrain further north of the city is not good, so I don't think future dotmaps care where I place the city.

[Ichabod]

I think the southern spot is better. You want to work/improve corn and cows before gold anyway. Sharing tiles is pretty good. Not that big of a difference between the two spots, though.

I don't think anyone will want to settle towards you. AGG/CRE Rome is pretty much the worst neighboor to have on the early game.

[Molach]

I am teleh's appreciation of creative turn-reporting.

This reference I got, though.

Great movie.

I think the southern spot is better. You want to work/improve corn and cows before gold anyway. Sharing tiles is pretty good. Not that big of a difference between the two spots, though.

I don't think anyone will want to settle towards you. AGG/CRE Rome is pretty much the worst neighboor to have on the early game.

I'll look at the timing, but I suppose by the time I settle the city then AH will be researched. No worries about gold then.
And it must have been my SP-genes that stubbornly wanted North, not quite cured of the 'ultimate BFC' syndrome...

[pindicator]

Another thing to consider is how many turns until your capital pops third ring borders. Maybe it can do it in time?

[Molach]

I am checking...
7 turns ago I got 3rd ring borders. 93 turns to 4th ring, a bit long to wait.

Here is my happy widdle city.

Southern worker just moved into the forest. Northern put a turn into floodplain farm before getting bored and farming the corn instead. Wonder what he was planting on the floodplains....not corn, by any chance?

Anyway, south worker chops another forest, while waiting for AH to work on cows. Speeds settler 1 turn. I suppose I should overflow into a worker or settler, then grow on a couple warriors. Soon I need to start thinking about these things. I guess worker, because once I need roads and cottages before too long. Current workers will be pretty busy with farms/pastures/gold and roads before long.

Some shots showing my scouting adventures.

Scout killed a bear stupid enough to attack over a river into a forrested hill. Guess thay don't teach tactics at Lion High

(Note: To avoid confusion, readers should be advised that this is a different set of lions.)
He is wondering where to go now. 2N to safe hill? E-NE, take cover in forest and across river? I like that direction. Find which civ is lurking further east.

So that is a strip through Oxytocin lands. Not bad, not great. Good for aristograrian, but that is not for this world. Seems we are all on the desert-floodplain longtitude/latitude (whichever is right. 'breddegrad' in norwegish. "width-degrees").

[Molach]

Anyway, south worker chops another forest, while waiting for AH to work on cows. Speeds settler 1 turn.

I caught the mistake here in time. I was yesterday perfectly happy to slow-build a settler while a chop was incoming. Ops.

I started warrior build, so I can grow while chop comes in. Settler is built on time, but I get to size three 3 turns earlier. Also I don't have to worry about whether to overflow the chop into worker or settler just yet.

What you guys think? I've gonna worker - grow on warrior - chop worker - chop settler, gonna have a warrior halfway complete when settler is chopped out. My gut now says worker, hopefully I'll have some horses that need a pasture as well as 2 cows and a gold - and a FP farm.

[Molach]

......TOP SECRET.......for lurker eyes only.
NOTE: If you are currently playing in a game against Azza at the moment, this can be a spoiler. PBEM 45G or 46. To a much lesser degree, PB8 or 9 (safe for Lewger to read this)

Report on Azzagustus of China.
Known civilization traits:
Industrious - Can quickly build world wonders and forges.
Imperialistic - Can quickly build settlers and attracts great generals to his cause more easily.
Cho-Ko-Nu - Crossbowmen with terrible weapons that can damage several units at once.
Pavillion - Theatre with extra culture.

Following is our Spymaster's report, written in his usual characteristic style.

Ah, hello there old chap. During my recent trip to China I've been quite busy. Weather was appaling. Temperature fell to two below. Two below the blanket. During this and other ...inrettogations, as it were, we have uncovered much about their mysterious and secluded ruler, Azza. Now, from before it was my azzumption, pardon my pun, that Azza was an experienced ruler, well versed in the various tactical and clandestine arts. We've had chance to study several of Azza's writing, and while not as volumous as certain others, he is very to the point. It appears that he twice has brought ruin, death and destruction on his subjects by overexpanding without sufficient, or indeed any protection.

Recent developments suggest he has learnt from this, and is now known as a militaristic, aggressive and utterly ruthless opponent. He has even been know for hiring azzasins to get rid of anyone standing in his way. His experiences has pushed him from peaceful builder to the other extreme - he will never be caught unprepared again. And the best way to avoid an untimely DoW, is to issue the DoW oneself

Threat level: Severe.
Chance of successful rush: Negligible.

However there are possibilities. Once, when leading his empire, 'the greatest under the sun', rumor has it he lost a major battle. In his own, terse words; "Got another stack of mine killed. I don't seem to be very good at this whole warfare thing."
Recent study of his command of the 8th roman army also suggests several tactical blunders, where he would split his command in the face of a superior enemy, leading to subsequently being destroyed in detail. So what remains to be seen, is whether he has learnt his lesson, or we could, with superior tactical control, win the day. And their women.

Well then, nothing more to report. Flying off to the lands of the Wetbandit tomorrow, see if the persian girls are comparable to parisian. Once more unto the breach, dear friends. For Despot and Country.