[Spoilers] DZ'CH is apparently a catchy name

[Cheater Hater]

Thanks for finishing the turn DZ.

[Donovan Zoi]

Turn 251 - 1705 AD

OK, here is what our Explorers have uncovered.

Northwest Site


I still like the site our Explorer is on, and this we should send the Settler there this turn in case it holds. However next turn I would like to move the Explorer north to see if there is any compelling reason to select another site that would leave unused tiles on the way to our capital. One of those reasons would be access to the river, as I don't think we could build a Levee here otherwise. And perhaps more resources would be available, as we still keep the existing ones moving 1N from here.


Southeast Site


It looks like we will be settling here, as this gives us Horses as well as a canal. Agreed?

Also, I think we should send the SE worker directly to the Iron hill next turn for chopping and to absorb the movement penalty we would get later. We can easily road back once we have a stronger workforce.

Do we want to chop out a Library or another FW here first?

[greenline]

Do we want to chop out a Library or another FW here first?

Usually you want two workers per city so I'd chop the worker, in between building culture that is

[Cheater Hater]

Everything looks fine--when would the northern settler settle on your plan? I still want a bit more information, as the north is much more complicated (compared to the south, where the cities on our strip are pretty clear-cut, but everything around it seems interesting).

How soon do we want a navy? What did we decide to build after the new FW in the capital?

[Donovan Zoi]

OK I think everything is pretty clear, so I will finish the turn.

Northern Plant

If on Explorer Hill - T252 (next turn) as Settler will be staged there
If something better - T253

Delhi

T252- chopped FW (mmmmmm....)
T253 - Work Boat if enough overflow and there should be

No plans after that, but we still need 1-2 more workers to work the north
Also fine with a scouting WB or a Library after.

Southeast

Proposed site to be built on T252
1st - chopped worker, then Culture to get Corn and Horses (credit: greenline )
Worker chops Iron Hill, then mines Iron (...maybe, let's discuss)

[Donovan Zoi]

Turn 251 - 1705 AD

OK almost done, but I have not hit enter yet. A minor situation has arisen in we capital. We are just far too productive for our own good...



At 126 shields, we could theoretically get 2 workers in a row with no additional production. But, with FWs only costing 48 shields we would lose 30 shields of overflow by building a Worker here this turn. I obviously did not factor in all the multipliers.

So while I haven't ended the turn yet, I am calling an audible and switching production to a Library. Behold!



Now, check this out. Getting a Library at T2 allows us to go straight for an Academy next turn full stop if we want, and could secure one by T11 if we wanted to stunt growth here to do so. And any temporary loss of production by having one less worker for the moment will be easily reconciled later if we have worker actions at 200% more quickly by shaving several turns off of Steam Power.

We are already down to 92 turns for Steam and we haven't even:

- Gotten the 25% Library bonus yet
- Built the other two cities.
- Brought in extra commerce from Gold and Silks that we will expand into in T5
- Cottaged the 8 available tiles available to us (including 5 river tiles).
- Built a cheap university.

If you like this plan (and I think we are kind of forced into it now), let me know the following.

- Should we set the free specialist to the generalist this turn to ensure that 100% of points go to a Scientist?
- Are you cool with getting the Workboat next to ensure moderate growth while we do this?

I think we should go with the 1 free scientist until we get to Size 4, by which time we will have the netted Crabs and Flood Cottage up. Then go to 2 Scientists, and switch to a Worker build until the Pigs are up. Until that time, we would be working the 3 tiles showing and would have to figure out what to build before the next FW.

I may have to sim going with a Worker or WB after this Library build, as I don't like holding out for too long on another Worker when we are counting on one in the NW too.

[Cheater Hater]

Library is fine--keep in mind that means Delhi will pop borders on T4, if that affects your micro.

Are you sure we can't 1T a FW next turn between the overflow and the Engineer (which is still worth running this turn, even if it slightly decreases our odds for a scientist--remember, multiplier buildings don't need to be built right away), and maybe working the plains hill. Even a 2T FW feels more worth it over rushing the Academy.

[Donovan Zoi]

Turn 252 - 1710 AD

Sorry for not being able post anything until now. I have made all of the moves except settlements. To me, it looks like we should SIP in both places, though we may need some discussion on the north.

North


Our Explorer uncovered Silks within our current plants borders, with Ivory and a Stone island beckoning in the distance. We are past the golden era for each of the latter resources, but let's list the merits of our two sites.

Settling in place:

1. We get 2 both regional food first ring along with Iron.
2. We get to find out if our culture activates something cool from the whaling boat.
3. We don't lose another turn settling.
4. 6 chops here vs 4 if we settle 1N
5. Easier access to chop first worker (1S of current)
6. No cultural gaps between this site and capital.

Settling 1N

1. We get the Ivory along with the Silks Still get the Iron and Wheat in the first ring.
2. We get to build a Levee here.

I still think SIP is the best bet here despite losing the Levee, but what do you think?


South


I think SIP here for sure, but look at the tundra site to the NE -- another decent canal site with both Corn and Fish for quick growth.


Delhi

We will get the FW here next turn. We did need that GE last turn or we would have fallen short -- 48 hammers on the dot.

I think that with our border pop coming in 2 turns, we should send the current worker to chop out the next one at the new site while the new one goes straight for the Pigs. This way all 3 sites will have some activity.

[greenline]

Ivory & silks are neat since every city starts with a market, but ivory will lose its luster when we get industrialism and stone doesn't boost anything except Cristo possibly (was that banned?)

edit: Also, what's the deal with that city ruins? Might want to investigate that with the explorer

[Cheater Hater]

@DZ:
North: Is settling 1NW an option? It gives us the ivory and Levee without losing a turn (and the forest). If I'm not mistaken SIP doesn't have fresh water, which is as important as the Levee in the age of Factories. Overall that looks like a really good hammer city (Ironworks almost certainly). The main thing is that we lose the hill plant, but the Machine Gun protects us in the short term.

South: SIP is fine. Also, isn't the fish at the tundra city fresh water? Not sure how good of a canal that'll be. Still a good city though, maybe the next one?

Workers: I really should get a worker micro spreadsheet going for this game. I'd pull out my PB27 one as an example, though it's slightly spoilery (I stopped using it ages ago, but Serdoa and I never signed OB, so it'd have minor territory spoilers--though IIRC you had OB with me in your past life, so that shouldn't matter.

Semi-related: Any naming things we want to do? If/when I do a worker micro spreadsheet, I'm naming the workers alphabetically for sanity's sake, but anything else is up for debate.

@greenline: Stone boosts Oxford and a couple Cathedrals at least, but it looks like it's a one-tile island, so we'd need to plant a city on it, as well as something on that coast.

The city ruins are probably just a fun detail, like the whaling boats--I assume no one's lost a city yet

Edit: Also, is there any way to bias the religion algorithm to put it in the northern city? I think you want to settle that one first, though it might just be random.