[SPOILERS] Team BASTARD settles on deer.

[Mardoc]

Something like that. But at least I can see the end, even if I can't hasten it.

I did something this turn that may have been a mistake. I committed us to two full turns of anarchy, which could have been only one if I skipped a civic. Now that I can't undo...lurkers, what do you think?

[Mardoc]

I really hope this is Azza not having his turn yet, rather than spite:



We may need to move ourselves to the back half of the timer and join in.

[Mardoc]

Mixed feelings. I've got like five mutally contradictory goals and I'm not sure how to turn that into a course of action:
- I want to hit Azza again. Just very much dislike the constant passive-aggression and aggressive-aggression he's demonstrated here. For example - it was easier to take his capital than it will be to take Dental Plan
- I want to be out of this game. No hope of victory, horrible people in the tech thread, slow pace
- I want to be a good sport, especially to Fintourist
- I want a reputation of someone you don't invade
- I want to play 5-minute turns

[Mardoc]

After thinking on it some, I think the priorities that are highest for me are good sport and short turns. So I probably won't pile on Azza just to show him I'm angry, instead I'll use my Vassalage XP and HR happy to start stacking up CG III longbows and more cats and perhaps some WElephants for their anti-knight powers. And research toward Engineering for Citadels/pikes.

Heck, maybe actually I'll declare on Azza and offer him Peace. Don't like this idea, but it's better than staring at his army while FinHarry take stuff cheap.

You never know what's going to happen. Maybe FinHarry gets into a war with an actual contender and I can pick up scraps, maybe the game goes long enough that shrine + Known-civ bonus lets me stay relevant.

[Mardoc]

Can I quit? Anyone want this civ?

Azza just burned down my capital. Brought his GG onna galley back to do it, which I didn't notice because I gave up when he chose not to defend his civ against FinHarry.

Well, I'm gonna throw everything against him. go Finharry.

Never playing against Azza again. This is a ridiculous amount of spite for a justified border skirmish.

[Ceiliazul]

Been tuned out of this game for a while, sorry things went sideways. I was rooting for you from the t0 calculations of guaranteed Buddhism... in a 33 player field! I know its not GG yet, but you've done good so far. Taking tjat crazy northern city TWICE was well done.

2 turns of anarchy: not worth it. Ouch! Did you figure your total empire gnp+mfg and calculate how many turns it would take to ROI? Probably a lot.

You arent dead yet. Gnaw his knees off!

[Mardoc]

Been tuned out of this game for a while, sorry things went sideways. I was rooting for you from the t0 calculations of guaranteed Buddhism... in a 33 player field! I know its not GG yet, but you've done good so far. Taking tjat crazy northern city TWICE was well done.

Thanks for this .

The northern city wasn't actually super-crazy - if Azza had brought along a garrison and a connecting city, it was close enough to the 'fair' line that I'd have let it go. It was merely the start of his aggressive moves. Which...I'm not going to document, it's too depressing.

2 turns of anarchy: not worth it. Ouch! Did you figure your total empire gnp+mfg and calculate how many turns it would take to ROI? Probably a lot.

No, didn't calculate. It would only have been directly comparable for OrgRel, since that's hammers vs hammers. How do you do the ROI on an extra promo on my longbows and elephants?

You arent dead yet. Gnaw his knees off!

Heh - I'll still likely outlast Azza, anyway. And FinHarry are going to pay for my land. Azza's just changed my method from 'wait it out and build cats' to 'Charge!!!'.

If FinHarry don't try to push through Azza into me, I may declare on them and force the issue. I'm sure they'll get Spain sooner or later, it's just a question of when they pay the butcher's bill. May as well be sooner. I won't be able to bleed them as much as if I stacked 50 cats - but at the same time earlier hammers are more painful.

[Mardoc]

Sadly, I think I even understand what Azza's trying to do. He's trying to make an RB metagame of 'let the wookiee win'. Or more specifically - trying to make it so that he can actually plant undefended cities on his opponents' borders and get away with it, because everyone's too scared of his grudges to call him on aggressive moves like that. The trouble is...

...The rest of us have reputations to protect, too.

I can't afford to be seen as a pushover, not even if it means spending months locked in an axe/cat level war. Which is why I don't plan to play any more games with Azza. It's not fun, playing for the mere sake of my reputation. But it appears playing for reputation is his default mode.

[Mardoc]

Destroyed most of Azza's army. Which was still sitting in Dental Plan. He's still got four badly wounded units there, I should be able to kill those off next turn if FinHarry don't get there first. Wasn't a good move, but I don't care anymore.

Queued up another round of elephants to whip next turn.

[Ceiliazul]

I cant remember if it was 8 or 13, but there was a pretty good discussion of Azzaan psychology in the lurker thread. The conclusion was that he actually doesnt seem to understand that free will and initiative go both ways. He really seems to think that he deserves to have people reacting to his plans only, and gets mad when they take initiative. Which they often do because even after at least five attempts, he still hasnt learned to defend his obnoxious reach cities.

Also his ai_grudge score is 20: he tilts at first blood, and stays tilted basically forever.