TheHumanHydra Loses His Head(s) [Spoilers]

[retep]

I'm confused, who are you attacking?

Things looks interesting. Biggest fear is that you, alhazard and Mardoc start a war and he runs away with the game.

Also fun fact Alhazard hasn't start his GA despite the fact he build the MoM.

[TheHumanHydra]

I'm confused, who are you attacking?

No, seriously, I want to attack Miguelito, but depending on events I may need to change plans (offensively or defensively), so I've been assembling my stack in a position where it can stage against anyone in one turn, while providing some zone defence.

Things looks interesting. Biggest fear is that you, alhazard and Mardoc start a war and he runs away with the game.

Not sure who you meant by he, but yes, that could definitely be a concern. I'm also afraid I could get dogpiled. But, as the Ferengi say, 'the riskier the road, the greater the profit.' Hopefully it pans out ... if not, at least it will have been fun!

Also fun fact Alhazard hasn't start his GA despite the fact he build the MoM.

He also did a non-Golden-Age revolt last turn (to Hereditary Rule and Vassalage, IIRC). I haven't looked into Alhazard's other games, but this might just be a factor of newness. I did similar things my first games (not that this isn't still very much a green-ish game for me). Honestly, if you guys hadn't told me to do the whole GA -> Bureaucracy -> Monarchy thing I would have played it way more inefficiently, too. So thank you.

[TheHumanHydra]

Hey guys, I don't have time to write a proper report right now, but it is turn 99, I have invaded Miguelito, and, following the plan suggested to me by Old Harry in chat some time ago, have taken his front city of Hulk and am now camped on the heights above it, threatening TheOtherSide and Barrow. His stack is adjacent to mine, before TheOtherSide, and contains two axes, two catapults, five Numidian cavalry, and four spears to my 15 knights, one axe, five chariots, and one spear. The outcome of all this is unclear, for he shall be strong if he fortifies inside TheOtherSide.




(If it is unclear, my stack is 1NE of the highlighted tile, which shows subsidiary forces, in lieu of creating a stitch.)

The combat results for the turn were:

Hulk (40% defences)

C1 Shock knight vs. C1 spear with 25% fortify, 68.1%
WIN, 2.4/10

C1 Shock knight vs. spear with 0% fortify, 76.3%
WIN, 8.3/10
80 gold, granary, harbour, The Great Wall

1NW of Hulk

C1 chariot vs. C1 warrior on hill, 95.9%, 0.4% retreat
FLAWLESS WIN

1NW of Childhood's End

W1 spear vs. chariot, 99.1%
WIN, 2.3/4, 5/5 XP

[ipecac]

I suppose Pyramids are in TheOtherSide? How many xp to GG?

[TheHumanHydra]

Actually, there are no wonders in The Other Side, surprisingly enough. And I got the Great General this turn.

Surprisingly, of all the things that could have happened this turn, musketmen (!) popped up in all Miguelito's visible cities. This put paid to the idea of attacking The Other Side, and seemed to bode ill for continuing the offensive in general, so I razed the empty Barrow (containing The Hanging Gardens, so that's less culture to slog through later, perhaps), pillaged the road under the stack to slow any counterattack, and retreated to The Hermitage, offering Hulk for peace. I hope he grants it, because that will allow me to attack Alhazard. If not ... I might see about attacking Alhazard anyway, because I now have this many knights:




[Edit: Oops, I have Alhazard highlighted there too. He's ... the war chariots, the scout, a warrior, a spear, and the three catapults.]

I should really have thought to build, you know, supporting units, though.

There's yon map:




Yon turn 100 demos (not so great as ever before):




Those coast tiles, plus lower unit costs previously, actually did a lot for my GNP. Break-even is now just above 30%, and Mardoc appears to make 50% more gold than me at 0% on the slider. Engineering in hand, he is teching Code of Laws.

Miguelito birthed a Great Artist (I will have to watch out for possible tactical uses thereof). He would seem to be a lock on Liberalism and/or the Taj Mahal, and might go for Cuirs since that may have been the Music Artist. All I have to say to his getting Gunpowder so soon (and skipping the entire previous era of military tech!): well played. [Where's the normal clapping smiley?]

Graphs:

[ipecac]

offering Hulk for peace.

Was there a pressing reason to do this? Otherwise it seems to me to be giving up the gains made while your knight stack won't be much of a surprise to other players.

[Khan]

According to the game rules, you cannot trade cities.

[TheHumanHydra]

According to the game rules, you cannot trade cities.

Uhhh, whoops ... that's my own rule, too! Thank you very much for pointing that out; I'll go attempt to rectify it in the tech thread.

[TheHumanHydra]

offering Hulk for peace.

Was there a pressing reason to do this? Otherwise it seems to me to be giving up the gains made while your knight stack won't be much of a surprise to other players.

I believed my knight stack would be shattered if I attacked The Other Side with it (which, going over it again, seems to be the case). Hulk was/is culturally-crushed and profitless, while almost untenable defensively. I thought giving it back would make him more inclined to take peace, which is what I really want so I can use my knights against someone else. As for surprise ... very true, but it seems better than risking a slaughter for little gain vs. Miguelito.

(The really foolish thing is that I overbuilt knights and didn't really build any cho-ko-nus at all. I was kind of relying on speed and raw power, but it seems Miguelito was just prepared enough that the collateral is/would have been necessary.)

Edit: Apparently I am really bad for this:

Does anyone find it funny that I'm launching a major invasion with no catapults (well, I've got one trundling along behind now)?

[ipecac]

Hulk was/is culturally-crushed and profitless, while almost untenable defensively.

Oh, I was assuming that TheOtherSide's culture wouldn't extend so far and that you'd get Stone at least.