[Spoilers PB23] Old Harry's attempt at civilizing AdrienIer

[AdrienIer]

Now I'm angry, Agent decided to snipe the worker.




If he wants to take the city the odds are in his favor. That's what happens when you're facing aggressive Zulu.

I still think his play has been pretty shady. He double moved next to my worker, which I couldn't move because he was automated, I kept him automated because I thought that if he wanted to snipe it he'd do so next turn so nothing I could do would've changed a thing, but then he let me double move (intentionally or unintentionally, it's quite possible and even likely that he was in good faith in this affair) which I didn't notice, and which gave me, when I did notice, a false sense of security. If you're expecting to war someone you should try as much as possible to play consistently after, or before him. All these double moves really messed with my play. But I did have a chance to move the worker out, and to produce a unit in Maserus to defend, so I guess I can't really complain officially.

So now it's the second worker I've lost in this part of the world, next turn I'll whip an axeman in Maserus to end this madness, if he doesn't attack. My chances of winning this thing are getting really low...

[Old Harry]

Unfortunately by letting you double-move him back he made sure he did nothing wrong. Also with an Impi there is no way you can kill him, so for him this is just a risk-free worker steal - he very much benefits if he can escort the worker back to his territory. Do you presume he's your northern neighbour? If so a few Axes would be handy now. Does he have Horses? If so some Spears might be necessary too...

How to prevent this in future? Cancelling worker moves as a matter of course (unless deep in your territory) is a fairly standard practice for this reason. Also assume that your neighbours are dicks unless proven otherwise. Mackoti or Seven would probably have let your worker live, as they are planning longer term (and are confident of their skill) but I have no idea how aggressive and/or desperate Agent is.

Ah well, at least workers are cheap... Also, it's possible to come back from way worse positions than this one, so keep playing!

[AdrienIer]

I've been eying civstats all day to watch for a city capture, that's what worries me the most. I'm currently building 2 axes (I almost started one in Qunum too but the settler is too important so I changed it back), next turn if he's still around I'll whip maserus for the axe and destroy him. I can't see his resources because we're not connected. I'm pretty sure he's north of site 8 because he came from that direction and east is CH. I'll put my EP on him next turn to be sure that he's not preparing a real rush.

[GermanJoey]

Another thing good thing to do is station warriors and scouts just outside your cultural borders to act as advance sentries on incoming troops/barbs. If you had seen the Impi coming, you would have known to cancel the worker's action a turn ahead of time.

[AdrienIer]

I know but I'm currently running low on military, with 5 warriors for 4 cities (lost 1 warrior and 1 scout to low odds barb fights), so I can't be everywhere, you could say that that is what I'm doing in the southwest with my exploring warrior.

[AdrienIer]

Haha I was greeted with a peace offer but I wanted to check where he moved, turns out he attacked Maserus with the odds in his favor (71% actually, due to my axe being shock) and lost. I replied with a demand for his world map as compensation, he had to move the worker east to avoid my interception so he might be trapped unless he goes unescorted through CH's land. So maybe it's going to end up ok. No screenshot because I'm lazy.

Edit : oh and I forgot to mention I double whipped the settler in Qunum, both new cities will be founded in 2 turns (that would be something like t66 ?)

[AdrienIer]

Agent refused the peace, and the worker is out of sight. I hope he got cornered against the mountain, maybe I'll be able to get it back. Or he deleted it just in case.
Axes are coming, I should upgrade my defenses.

[AdrienIer]

Two new cities ! I need more food and a LOT more workers (two of them queued in Mthathum after the axe, one in Qunum after the WB for the stone city)

[AdrienIer]

Agent asked for peace once again, I declined and checked the surrounding land but the worker wasn't around so I decided to propose back. I'll remember this episode in the later stages of the game, but it's not useful to make this last any longer. In the west my latest discoveries make me think that maybe there isn't a passage towards the NW a few tiles N of the wine, I'll be certain next turn. I also got another quest, a very useful one this time. I don't remember what it does exactly, can someone enlight me ? IIRC the Great Library gives you an option for a great scientist (or a free settled scientist ?), but I don't remember what the rest does.




Edit : actually I just checked, the reward is either library : 2+ beakers, receive tech from ancient era or extra scientists where the GL has been built.

[Old Harry]

I think that only counts as useful if you're building 7 libraries anyway!

How long before the rice is improved at the gold city and how many cities will grow into the new happy cap the turn the gold is hooked? It's probably a bit late again, but the worker ne of the cap could be helping set that city up...