[LURKERS] Mr. Gradgrind's Review

[Commodore]

"Suppose you were going to carpet a room. Would you use a carpet having a representation of flowers upon it?"
"If you please, sir, I am very fond of flowers."
"And is that why you would put tables and chairs upon them, and have people walking over them with heavy boots?"
"It wouldn't hurt them, sir. They wouldn't crush and wither, if you please, sir. They would be the pictures of what was very pretty and pleasant, and I would fancy -"
"Ay, ay, ay! But you mustn't fancy," cried the gentleman, quite elated by coming so happily to his point. "That's it! You are never to fancy."
"You are not, Cecilia Jupe," Thomas Gradgrind solemnly repeated, "to do anything of that kind."
"Fact, fact, fact!" said the gentleman. And "Fact, fact, fact!" repeated Thomas Gradgrind

[BRickAstley]

None of that makes any sense to me.

[Commodore]

Charles Dickens, old boy. The story Hard Times.

[BRickAstley]

So there definitely are horses on this map, but they are just outside of the vision range of that starting 9x9. I had had them that way so if someone picks one of the cav focused civs they wouldn't be getting them right away, but they are definitely still close enough that you could get them in a good city with one of your starting 3 settlers. But since people can't see then right now, probably no one will go for Russia or Mongolia.

[Commodore]

Cavalry are bad bad news, I don't think it's the worst thing. Bod of the Slavs is still scary.

[The Black Sword]

I'd go with Gandhi all the way.

I think Org is being underestimated a bit too(at least by scooter).

[Commodore]

I think Org is being underestimated a bit too(at least by scooter).

Well, it's kind of dependent on two things:

1. Economy will matter at all. I'm not entirely convinced that the best path isn't just England/Russia/Mongolia/Genghis/EastIndiamen and just fight fight fight. Economy will take a *long* time to get rolling here.

2. Corporations are worth it. I know Krill and every SP bozo who's ever rapaciously negotiated with the idiot AI swears that corps are the most broken things ever, but I'm having a hard time seeing them being worth it next to the fire-and-forget simplicity (and maint discount!) of State Property. We're all familiar with the nuttiness of RBmod Merch and Free Market, but those huge boosts were only barely putting them in line with the broken SP.

I'm not sure about either proposition. If both are granted, ORG is top. If just #1 is granted, it's at least worthwhile.

[BRickAstley]

Another note; I think this is one of the most even slates of players for a Pitboss game we've had here. I don't think there's a clear winner or loser jumping out at me.

[The Black Sword]

My thinking on the economy is that while hammers are a lot better than commerce at the start, at the very least you need to not go broke and Org allows for more farms/workshops. I didn't consider whether SP has a big effect on Org, certainly if you're going for Corps though then CHs become a lot more tempting.

[Commodore]

GPs this late really aren't good for anything but a golden age