@MWIN: That might have worked if I started it earlier, but I think it's a little too late. I'll just have a few more Galleys on the Azure Ring, but that can't hurt. I can always upgrade them down the road. I'll probably want a Trireme later, too.
Anyway, I'm going to try to post pictures more consistently, since I find even random pictures make reports more interesting.
First, here's this turns exploration of Centralia:
The terrain looks pretty nice, though not quite as awesome as I was hoping. I haven't played on a Ring map before (maybe I'll start one up), so maybe this is just usual. Dyes and Bananas will be nice to have, though. Too bad I'm not creative. I plan to head northeast next turn, and generally try to scout out "my" quarter of the island first, but eventually plan to map the whole thing out. I can probably do it long before anyone is ready to settle there, too.
I'll need to see more, of course, but it looks like most cities there would be great commerce sites. I think a spot 1S of the Dye, 1E of Gold would be real nice. Gold, Dyes, Banana in 1st ring, and Sugar and Fish in 2nd (could share fish with Kuat, perhaps). I think that there is a plains hill 1N of banana, so some hammer potential, as well.
Of course, I'll probably want Calendar before I settle the island heavily. Or maybe not, and I'll just grab what land I can. Though I suppose I'll be dividing it with my allies.
Speaking of, Nakor didn't move his Missionary like I asked him to.
He moved 1E, 1NE, instead of 2E. Well, I sent him a message, asking him to wait for me to build a road 1SE of his current position. My Workers can do that next turn.
Now, more important stuff. IG "Outbound" is beginning to take a look at the islands. They're fairly big. What I really want to find is a water passage south to the Rebel Alliance. I know there is one here:
But the question is: Can I move south here:
(Sorry for the zoomed out images, but it was the only way I could get the whole shot.)
Or is Korea in the only position to make that crossing:
My gut says that Korea controls that passage. I may have to sail around to the Ottomans in order to find it. I really want to get the Circumnavigation bonus because it should really help out on this map. I still believe that the navy will play a key role in future events. I was hoping to be able to head south to Rebel territory, then cut southeast between the Inca and the Killer Angels, but I'm not sure if that's going to be possible. I got into this race a little late, so I'm not sure that I can win (and I only have one Galley). I may try to negotiate Open Borders with Korea if I have to, though I don't know if they'll even want to. I'm pretty sure that they already have a Galley heading south, since Kalin mentioned seeing a Korean unit on one of the islands nearby his territory. Troubling.