Dreylin goes big or goes home [spoilers]

[Dreylin]

t72 -

Well this is interesting:


I'd assumed there weren't any of these out there, but guess I hadn't done enough exploring.

I have 3 Settlers due to finish in the next few turns, then a round of Stables followed by Horsemen...

[Sarmatian]

So, what's going on here? Haven't seen an update for a very long time. I figured it would be slower during the holiday season, but there's been one post in the last month. Is the game on hold or something?

[Dreylin]

Hey Sarmatian, yeah things have been very slow recently - last night I played turn 77, so we've managed 5turns in the past 3.5 weeks. I have been part of the problem - being 6hrs out of my usual timezone meant my turn slot was typically after I was asleep - but by no means the only delay. Things have been picking up a bit in the past week, so maybe it'll get back on track. Limited time while on holiday meant I didn't update, but I have taken some screenshots and there have been developments - I'll try to put a report together either tonight or when the turn next gets to me (probably not the same time, unfortunately).

[Dreylin]

Update!

Not long after discovering the Pool of Radiance Tears, I found this:


TBS as a neighbour is, y'know, probably not ideal. 

Checking contacts shows a mixed bag:


A few turns later, Ellimist (Michealangelo) would claim circumnav; I guess I'm glad /he's/ not a direct neighbour.

Security takes a step forward on the following turn:


Stables queued up in big cities (once their Settlers completed) so it'll be a few turns before the first Horsemen come of the line.

Speaking of Settlers, I planted Mon Cherie (1980) in the NW:


But have run into a snag with my planned location for Piaff (1972):


Note the Bronze weapons, which complicates matters if we do skirmish over the area.

(Granat (1976) is on course for Settling out East next turn ... unless I change my mind over location!)

[Dreylin]

t78 & 79 -

DaveV did indeed grab that spot in the South:


No prospect to dislodge him in the near term, so I offered him Open Borders - which he has accepted. You can also see my Settler heading NW to the new spot marked for Piaff.

Next turn I get a nasty shock in the NW:


Well several nasty shocks, I guess. TBS grabs FoL, Jalepeno takes Bone Palace (maybe a bit early?) and it looks like someone took the Drama Bard. The Spider is going to cause problems in Settling that area so I dialed up a Scout in Rembrandt so that I can see whether it's possible to work around it. No real rush though as I don't have any Settlers in production right now with Stables and then a few Horsemen in the pipeline. I do need to decide what to do about Tech though...

[Dreylin]

Wow, I seriously owe an update.

I've been planning for one on the symbolic t100, but that's still a ways away. I confess that mostly I've been playing on a turn-by-turn basis, with little grand strategy involved; the break / slowdown over Christmas (coupled with my poor in-game positioning) led to a loss of interest in the game - which was somewhat exacerbated by general RL responsibilities - and that killed my posting. We did get going on a stretch recently, but just as I was getting invested again we had these latest hiccoughs (to which I was not immune from contributing); hopefully though the few more plans will mature into something that will keep my engagement.

Brief summary of the last 13 turns (played through t92):

Piaff founded at the alternate spot and Ikhor planted 1S of the Sugar to close the Southern border.

In the East, I've been building Granat and planning the next city NE to (potentially) set a border with Ellimist and another 1-2 to the S/SW to border TBS.

In the NW I brute-forced the Spider with a Scout, 2 Warriors and my first Horseman, which was a big deal because Pearls showed up S-SW of the Jungle Pigs and allowed me to place Wörmann 1S of Pigs to get them 1st ring. (WB still building) Other plans in the North include Bear-dodging to get a city out to the North of Rembrandt.

I have a scattering of Horsemen out now, so am feeling a bit more secure - although I've only got touching borders so far in the South.

Deruptus complete in Bonfire.

I made my decision on Tech eventually; I decided that since I had HBR and there were several good reasons to get Sailing, that I would push on through to Trade to support my Cottage-based economy. I've recently completed Writing and am saving gold before grabbing the final tech. I also have a GMerch due in a couple of turns, which will allow me to (finally!?!) switch up my civics. Still working on where to go from there.

[Dreylin]

t93 -

Spiders everywhere!!!



Aaand I need BW to clear the Jungle from the Pigs 



TBS is going on Hunting trips, it seems:

[Dreylin]

t94 -

Seems that Ellimist thinks I need help defending myself:


It's only 2t until I get my own, but I guess I'll take it anyway and get a head-start on the upgrading.

Founded Absent this turn:


Ridden to victory at the 1960 Rome Olympics by Sergei Filatov of the USSR.

[Dreylin]

t95 -

Bugger:

[Dreylin]

t103 -

Uh-Oh:


There's a Cease Fire behind it as well; I take a look around while thinking it over.

Aha, so this is what he's meaning in the EitB thread about Trade routes without Right of Passage:


I go back and accept the Cease Fire, move the Horseman away and re-offer Open Borders - letting him re-declare if he thinks I'm crossing a line.

Time for the Golden Age:


I'm going to pick up Construction first and then grab Empyrean - Rathas w/Horselord should be decent.