[spoilers] The Bulldog of Africa: Commodore gets boat murdered

[El Grillo]

Hah, so there are players with even fewer food resources. The prospect of shamelessly settling GLH fishing villages to work coast tiles for commerce doesn't even seem all that bad, in light of that.

[Commodore]

Okay. Listen up, Urist Damnfool. It's been a sleepy few decades what with the years seeming to slow to a crawl thanks to Alexander Boyboffer up there “moving to a new house”, whatever that filthy metaphor means. I would ask but we have not actually met anyone but snarling wildlife and swarming barbarians in this Armok-haunted wasteland. Anyway, we now know that Armok in His Cruel Menacing Munificence decreed a simple rule for the world:
-You can settle a fort for luxuries or you can settle a fort for food but forget about doing both.
   
So here's our plan:
-Tell the eggheads to figure out this “mysticism” crap so the labor can get to work on monuments.
-Settle a fort for that fish, then one for that corn, then one for the copper and crabs.
-On every green flat acre, kill every elf-humped tree and put a good solid dwarfy cottage down instead.
-Long term, once the eggheads figure out writing, have them investigate hiring Numidian mercenaries.
-Individually, suffer, die, and get rich. Same plan as always really.

[Commodore]

So Brick is a genius. Phi Zulu, how will he tech? GREAT WALL BABY. Now 17 turns after building:

[Commodore]

Syrupleaf, a sad fishing village.

This is a third city. All craftdwarfship is of the lowest quality. This city is adorned with a distant fish and menaces with a desolate inner ring. In the city are citizens of hopeless prospects and a hungry future.

[Commodore]

A caravan approaches!
A caravan approaches!
   

[Commodore]

I suppose I should give some thoughts on the game here.

Hah, so there are players with even fewer food resources. The prospect of shamelessly settling GLH fishing villages to work coast tiles for commerce doesn't even seem all that bad, in light of that.

First off, El Grillo the notion has merit but unfortunately someone (Khan?) built the GLH this turn. So that's about done for that...but we're working on Mathematics research already, so once the chops are full-power I'm not likely to object to a swing at something. We really are blessed to be in a pretty secure little peninsula with a ton of green for un-FoR'd Totestra...we get a cottage on every flat bit of green real estate around here, I think we've won this long-term.

Up in the north as seen we met HAK then Sian in rapid succession. So let's do a bit of evaluation:

FACT SHEET: SIAN


Sian (flaky, impecunious) as Stalin (Industrious, Aggressive) of Arabia (Mysticism, Wheel, Camel Archer, Madrassa) CURRENT CITES: 2
NOTABLE WONDERS: STONEHENGE
OTHER ASSETS: UNKNOWN
POSITION READ: COMPLAINS ABOUT DICE, FEELS UNLUCKY
Sian is a definite known quality; he is of average skill, is prone to rage-war, and has a history of flaking on games (both quitting or just taking forever on turns) when his game goes south. He's landed an...interesting combo here; he used Ind plus Mysticism for a very very early Stonehenge, while given the lack of any resource guarantees the often-a-joke Camel Archers' resourcelessness might actually come in handy. Still, nobody can deny this is a weak pairing, and it's been about average out of the gate this far. Going forward, I expect him to be aggressive and reachy for the scraps of food that might be found, and very possibly might go up the religious bulb line by default with 'henge and Maddrassae.
Player Skill:
Combo Quality:
Terror Rating:

FACT SHEET: HIT ANY KEY

HAK (friendly, unfocused) as Suleiman (Imperialistic, Philosophical) of the Celts (Hunting, Mysticism, Gaelic Warrior, Dun)
CURRENT CITES: 3
NOTABLE WONDERS: NONE
OTHER ASSETS: UNKNOWN
POSITION READ: COMPLAINS ABOUT DESERTS, WANDERED FOREVER
Good ole' HAK here managed to wander long enough at the game's beginning to make me fear for the auto-loose check, but he eventually did settle and has managed to pump out a couple more cities, so Imp at least is pulling its weight. HAK is a nice, friendly, oft-distracted guy and it shows in his civilization resume; he's not enjoyed stunning success although he has actually fought successful wars (wiping Jowy out in PB18) and with Mindy's prodding in PB25 he's played an order of magnitude better. Again, nothing wrong with his smarts, just focus. He's driving a bad-but-given-competition-decent leader...spamming out cities ain't a pure win, but you do need them and just settling great people could see him do really well. The Celts will love the hilly outer continental rims around here, but keep in mind in the end they are, well, the Celts. I don't expect this to be one of HAK's focus games, so he'll probably bump along until his eventual subsumation. Yum
Player Skill:
Combo Quality:
Terror Rating:

[pindicator]

I was hoping for a quip about how elfy or dwarfy each player is

[Commodore]

I was hoping for a quip about how elfy or dwarfy each player is

Both are clearly contemptible elfs. Look at those ruffles!

[Commodore]

Useless. So-called ambassador finds food but it's just elfy sugar, then manages to get himself struck down by a mere thieving party, and when he had the hills! That's why all future ambassadoring will be done on carts pulled by the finest warmules we can train.

Our south scouts, now, those lads we can be proud of. We told them to find better food for the copper mines and by Armok they did it.

Their excitement about the fine furs in the area is a little worrisome, though. Our doctor attributes it to hypothermia so I ordered them all to stay in the arctic wastes as guards, ought to toughen them up nicely.

[Commodore]

Oilfurnace, a mediocre grand fourth city.

This is a fourth city. All craftdwarfship is of the highest achievable in this world quality. This city is adorned with a dry corn and a forest silk and menaces with Zulu vulnerability. In the city are citizens of hopeless prospects and a hungry future.