Woden's Wondrous World of China

[Woden]

Ituralde, thanks for letting me know, should be fixed now.

Turn 144

I think I am finally safe from a Russia religious victory. He seemed to move his units out after I attacked his missionary with my inquisitor. I decided to use one of my 1 charge inquisitors to kill some weeds at Space Mountain. I was planning on using them for defense if he starts sending apostles but figured better to get as many cities with my religion first. The before at Space Mountain...




5 Weedy followers and 2 Norse. Add a little Roundup and...




No more weeds and now 6 followers of the one true religion and with Space Mountain converted....




The majority of my cities are following my religion. Should be safe for now. Here is an overview in strategic view with the religion filter on...




Just 2 more cities to convert in the west and all my cities will be following my religion. Now if Russia wants a religious victory, it will take some effort. One good thing about Russia having the majority religion in all the other civilizations, if they read the meta game right, they really shouldn't dog pile me if Russia attacks and if fact should help me. Because if I start losing cities teh closer Russia will be to a religious victory. I will also have to be careful if I attack Russia and not take too many cities without converting them. Don't want to own too many Weedy cities.


Turn 145

So, apparently you can't put a fort on a resource...




I never play with forts and guess I should have tested it, that sucks! I will put fort across the river. The big news of the turn...




Russia declared war on Pericles! This is both good and bad for me. Good because it means Russia' sofrces will be on that side of the map and I can swing down through Desertgrad and not expect his whole army. Bad because Pericles will come asking for money, like he has any time I have a little and he is at war. I probably will send him some too because if he can keep Russia busy and kill some of those units. I might have a better chance taking a few cities. We will see, if he comes asking I will have to see how much I can spare.

Great People status....




6 more turns until I get Chatelet. I will hold off until I get the eurekas within reach before I use her. Hopefully she gives me Industrialization. Here is the score for reference...




I must say, I am very impressed with Russia. Take out my wonders and he has a higher score. Good job Alhambram!

Edit: I just looked at Forts and I guess I need Siege Tactics to build them, that sucks. I should of looked earlier and I would have built a bombard before the engineer.

[Woden]

Turn 146

Like clockwork, guess who came calling...




He offers all of his luxuries. Well, I need your cities NOT to revolt from unhappiness so I remove all but his coffee. I think this should help defend against Russia and last a little longer in the game... or not...




I don't think Gorgo is putting his units there to prevent war. I am not sure when their friendship ends but I think it might be soon. Gorgo is now second in military power with ~950, and Pericles has...




Maybe it was a waste of gold but hopefully he can put up a good fight at least against Russia. I should have a little time to increase my defenses. I don't think I will declare right when my friendship ends with Russia or maybe I should. I have 8 turns to decide. Russia is now at a higher science rate than Gorgo but still behind in tech...




77.2 bpt to my 91.1 bpt but my 2nd university is due in 7 turns. I will get his hopes up in the next few turns as I am not going to complete anything until at least 7 turns as I wait for eurekas. I might actually hit the point where I don't have anything to pre-research but then I will just put an extra turn in everything so they will complete when I have the eureka. May waste a little overflow but nothing I can do about it, I didn't plan ahead with the engineer.

Here is the score for reference...




and the lower 2...




My score is damn near double of Germany!

[Woden]

Turn 147

No war between Gorgo and Pericles yet! It has to be soon, I know they signed friendship probably 5-7 turns before I sign friendship with Gorgo and that friendship ends T154 but the Alliance will end on T155(?).

Anyways, good luck TheArchduke! Hope you hold out 15-20 turns and kill a lot of Russian units.

My turn, I mine the Niter at JC so I can build muskets everywhere and start a bombard at Monsanto. I start a musket at Small World. Nothing but military once things start to complete. Here are most of my current builds...




I will be able to speed teh bombard at Monsanto with a jungle chop once the builder gets down there. I am moving teh builder at Small World towards the jungle between Monsanto and JC. Forgot to mention, I start the Terracotta Army at JC last turn and will build it until it has 1 builder charge left and then hide the builder in the encampment until I get more troops out for maximum benefit or Russia declares war. I will shift a few units down there in case Russia attacks and occupies the tile. Then I can kill whatever is there and finish it.

Here is the leader board...




Russia now has teh same number of techs as Gorgo but Gorgo now has a bigger army. Also, Russia finishes Printing as his tourism jumped and is close to mine. Russia is also trying to be sneaky...




Looks like he is trying to build the great lighthouse. Can't let him get another one of MY wonders. Ok, I was planning on putting that in Pirates but now I will harvest the crabs and put it at MCA. I will move the builder at Soarin' over to build it and should have it complete in 10 turns (?). So unless that city is making close to 40 cogs a turn, I should have it.

Here is the score for reference...




Russia is catching up in score but not for long. I want to quickly discuss techs and civics for the next 10 to 15 turns. First civics...




Humanism will finish in 2 turns (T149), then I plan on going to Mercantilism (154) and Civil Engineering (T161), doing Enlightenment after CE. This means I won't get the euerka for Scientific Theory but I think I need to slow research something while I wait for the other eurekas, maybe not, IDK. In tech...




The only thing I can research now that would not be a waste is Scientific Theory but I might switch to Cartography to finish that one and get closer to Industrialization. Yep, I just saw that and will do that next turn and then cross my fingers that I get the eureka for that when I get the GS. Otherwise, in about 5 or 6 turns, I should be able to get a bunch of techs in a row with a bunch of overflow to reduce Military Science a turn or 2. Interesting times are coming.

[Woden]

T148

Wow!, Just wow! Gorgo's and Pericles' friendship has ended and Gorgo attacked...




and takes Pericles' captial on turn 1 of the war! Not only that but it looks like Russia has captured 2 cities in the west. Pericles is going to fold like a paper tiger against those 2. I hope this is not embolding them to think I will do the same. I check Pericles trade info...




He still has the gold I sent him. If he has not used it next turn, I might ask for it back. I don't think a unit or 2 will help him now. TheArchduke, you played a good game but I don't think you will be around much longer. Wish I could help but it looks like you will be out before my friendships end.

Well, I hooked up a second sugar and ask Gorgo for this trade...




Maybe she will be less likely to attack if I supply some happiness. Well, I think with both Russia and Gorgo adding to their empires, there will be some major tension in the future and I can foresee a 2 v 1 war bubbling. Just hope I am on the right side of it, with who IDK.

Here is the score for reference...




Russia is shown as the new leader but I finish a civic next turn. He has 28 more empire points, so he is ahead. I will have to think about what my next moves are and who I want to con into attack who. Gorgo seems the better partner and more likely to help. She really can't attack me without giving the game to Russia and it will be hard for use to attack each other with the hill area in the middle. But Russia should have Cossacks by the time we can fight, and they are no joke. I have 5 turns to think about it.


Turn 149

Finally finish Humanism...




And get to change policies...




Both builders I had in production finished, so I swap out Serfdom for Natural Philosophy. I need more science to get where I want to go. I also switch out Scripture for Town Charters. Need gold more than faith now that I am safe from Russia's religion.

I had 2 deals waiting for me. I hop Pericles isn't asking for my Niter. First...




I don't have to ask for Pericles gold, he just sent it. Awesome, at least I can do more upgrades. Second was Gorgo with a counter offer, coffee for sugar. I wonder if that is the coffee Pericles was sending? I accept, no reason not to right now. I don't want him mad at me, do I?

Forgot to mention, I finished the Colossus last turn and created a trade route from MCA to Monsanto. The trade route I had going to Pericles city is done, so I sent it to Nan Madol to make a road to Monsanto.

[Woden]

Turn 150

This just breaks my heart...




Sorry, I wish I could but I just can't help you! You may be able to hold off Gorgo for one or 2 more turns but I need the Niter to mass build muskets and the gold to upgrade field cannon. If I sent you that, I couldn't do either and there would be a good likelihood I would be steamrolled like you. Pericles only has 2 cities left, and TheArchduke, when you read this, this is what you are facing and I don't think my Niter and the gold would help...




I will try and take some vengeance for you before the game is over. I am sure you have helped me get to were I am right now by distracting Gorgo. Thanks!

Anyways, I notice this...




Gorgo and Germany are now friends! So much for hoping Germany was Gorgo's next target. Either this will hurt me or help me, depending on his next target. why have such a nice army if you are not going to use it?

Check out the science rate with them taking Pericles' cities...




Russia has 80.5 bpt and Gorgo has 80.3 bpt compared to my 102.6 bpt and increasing next turn by finishing a university (+4). Nice, but I don't know if it has updated yet, so they may be a little higher. I will get the GS next turn and wait to use her until I get the next set of eurekas. If i finish Scientific Theory, I should be guaranteed Industrialism, if not I have a 3 in 4 shot at it. 

Here is the score for reference...




Russia is now the undisputed leader of the game. This could work to my advantage if I want to try and get Gorgo into a war with Russia. I am sure he might be pissed that Russia took some of Pericles' cities, especially if he wanted them all to himself. But maybe this was a planned attack, IDK. I don't think so, since Russia attack before Gorgo could have. I guess we will know shortly.

[Woden]

Turn 151

University finishes at Nan Madol, giving...




I will hold off finishing Printing until I can get a few more eurekas and do a rapid fire 5 techs in 5 turns and get a bunch of overflow into economics on my way to replaceable parts. I also get...




This should help finish a few techs early without have to get the eurekas. I will use her after I get my Harbor done at Pirates and put 2 forts down. Then I should have only 3 un-eureka'd techs in the industrial era and she will get them all, including Industrialization.

I evangelized a belief and took Tithe for +1 gold per 4 followers. This should help get me more gold. The builder at MCA is ready to harvest the crabs...




252 gold, not bad trade off for losing 3 gpt but I need to get the Great Lighthouse going before Russia can finish it. Should be able to start it in 2 turns, once my builder gets there.

Here is the score for reference...




Turn 152

Not much happened this turn. I switched civics to finish Naval Tradition so I can get Professional Army going to upgrade my melee units to muskets before my Friendship ends with Russia on T154. It is also complete and the overflow should cut a turn off Mercantilism, so it will be as if I never switched. Moved some units around and not much else.

Pericles comes asking for my Niter again and turn him down. What he doesn't realize is that if I were to give it to him and Russia attacks, the first thing he will do is pillage my second source at JC and I would be left with none. I will see if anybody has 3 so I can get a spare source once Russia attacks.

Here is the score for reference...




Turn 153

Naval Tradition finishes and I do a policy swap...




I put in Professional Army and Meritocracy. I probably should have put Meritocracy in earlier to get thought Humanism quicker. I just noticed it when I was looking at ways to increase my culture. I was thinking I want to get to Civil Service sooner for the added defense but now that I looked into city strength a little today, I don't know if it is that big a deal. It only gives city defenses to cities without walls and all my cities that are in harms way have walls. I probably will swicth it out next turn and actually research Enlightenment next instead of Civil Engineering.

So, now with Professional Army in place, time to do a little upgrading...




My military power is 808 for reference. It won't update this turn but I will post it next turn. I upgrade 3 warriors and 2 swords to muskets. I also finish one at Splash Mountain. Here are the majority of my forces...




I have 1 musket south of JC that is not in the picture. Everything is spread out along my border with Russia. I believe our friendship ends next turn but am not sure if it ends on his turn (since he asked) or my turn (when I accepted). We will see. Here is JC...




I want to take a minute and talk about the set up down here. I have a bombard in my encampment. He can reach Desertgrad. Now, he is in my encampment and cities and encampments can't fire on each other. So, that bombard can attack Desertgrad but Russia will have to kill the encampment to get it to stop bombing the city. I am going to post the crossbow behind the encampment and attack anything that comes close. Should be an interesting fight down here if it comes to war.

I also spied this...




Russia has finished Military Science and has a Cossack. Ok, now I won't be attack him for a little bit. My plan so far is to try and get to Replaceable Parts as fast as I can to upgrade a few infantry. I will not attack Russia and hold a defensive posture. I should do better fighting him if we fight in my land and not his. Of coarse there is no knowing what "next to your territory" means for the +5 strength. I forgot to check and see how long it will take to get to Replaceable Parts. I will look at it and discuss it next turn.

[Woden]

Turn 154

Friendship ends with Russia. Wonder how long it will take before he attacks? Anyways, I finish...




I also finish the bombard in Monsanto, which finished...




I guess I put 1 turn too much into it. It is hard to tell what 60% is with that little bar. Oh well, not necessarily a bad thing. I put down a fort and will put down another next turn. I also switch to Printing and will start my tech spurge. I should be able to get four more in 4 turns, if the overflow will finish Scientific Theory.

My Military Power broke 1000...




Bad thing is Russia is at 1,489 and weird thing is Gorgo has 952 but still listed 1st but he does have Pericles' capital so that must be it. Speaking of Gorgo, she came offering this...




This looks promising. I reply by this...




Hopefully she gets my meaning that I want war in 11 turns. I should have replaceable parts by then and some gold for upgrades. Here is my current tech options...




I should get some good overflow from Printing, then I will Research Ballistics and should get some from there, they Cartography with more overflow, then hopefully the overflow is enough to finish Scientific Theory in 1 turn (2 turns left). Economic in 4 turns and Replaceable Parts in 5. I will put the science building doubler card in when Enlightenment finishes and hopefully that takes a turn off of it. So 12 turns, hiopefully 11 until Replaceable Parts and a unit that can take on the Cossacks. 

I change my policies to...




I decided to keep Professional Army so I can upgrade a few field cannons in 2 turns. I put Natural Philosophy back in to help with the tech rate. Like I said before, most of my threatened cities have walls so I don't need Civil Engineering just yet. 

Here is the score for reference...




These next turns are going to be interesting!

[Woden]

Turn 155

No war yet! 10-ish more turns until I can invade Russia. Let's hope peace lasts that long.

First, I finish...




and throw down a second fort, giving...




I will finish Ballistics next and then the Harbor at Pirates will be done next turn and will start Cartography, then roll all the overflow into Scientific Theory on my way to Replaceable Parts. Should be done in 10 turns, maybe 11. 

Gorgo captured another city from Pericles...




Only one more to go. Also, Russia signed peace with Pericles. Not that it really mattered at this point. Gorgo sent this...




Which I think means he is in for war in 10 turns. I really hope he means it and will not back stab me and join with Russia. That would be foolish because it certainly would give Russia the game. Of coarse, I think the best scenario for Gorgo right now would be to have Russia and I go at each other while she sits back and builds. I don't really care about that but I just need her to look like she will attack and keep some of the Russia army occupied. My war plan depends on it. I do accept the deal and signal to her my intentions.

The war with Pericles has really help Gorgo's culture...




Gorgo is now leading domestic tourism (an indicator of total culture). The nice thing about tourism, is that foreign tourism is dependent of the number of current civilizations in the game, so total foreign tourist should stay the same as the number of tourist from each player will go up.

Here is the score for reference...




I hope Russia is worried about a Gorgo invasion and will hold off on declaring war. My alliance with Gorgo is done next turn (?). I have not decided if I want to try and get another one right away. It would let Russia know the way the wind is blowing but it also might prevent him from declaring war right now. We will see...

[Woden]

When I get the email this morning that it was my time to play, I also get an email that TheArchduke was eliminated from the game. So, before I do my turn report I wanted to give props to TheArchduke. You played a much better game than PBEM1 and lasted longer than that whole game. You help keep up this crazy pace of the game and I would gladly play you again in another PBEM (already am). I really can't comment on your game play until the end of the game and read your thread because being in the west and really didn't know that much of what was going on but I did benefit from it, so Thank you! You keep the pool of agitation stirring in the east while I peacefully built and only really had to worry about my southern neighbor. I tried to help you when I could, but also need to admit that I help your foes just as much. I regret not being able to help you in the end but I could see the force that was coming for you and my second source of Niter was very vulnerable. The second I sent it to you, Russia would have attacked and pillaged it, leaving me with out it. I will say I was thinking of hitting oledavy's back lines soon after our alliance ended but he hit you with such force that you folded like a deck of cards and there was no longer hope for you. Anyways, good game and can't wait to see you in action again in PBEM4

[Woden]

Crazy day with rapid turn around. I have 4 turns to report and will probably break them into 2 posts. There will be a shift in "normal" play times since TheArchduke is no longer around and I won't have a late night turn to play but should add a tun in the afternoon that I might be able to hold a while. Freeing up my night, I might be allowed to write a little more depth into my actions or maybe not as PBEM4 is starting up in a week or 2. We will see. Anyways...

Turn 156

To start, Harbor finishes at Pirates and I get the inspiration for Cartography, which in turn completes a quest for Hattsa. Interesting, I will get to that later. I finish my third tech in 3 turns...




I start Cartography next and will finish it next turn. I also noticed something this turn, Scientific Theory will finish in 2 turns regardless if I research it or not. Enlightenment will finish and give the eureka to finish it. This will allow me to research Square Rigging and get closer to Industrialism and extend my 1 turn/1 tech out to 6. This will delay Economics by a turn but I would rather get into Industrialism right after Replaceable Parts. Those Infantry are expensive and I won't have the 50% production card yet. This also means I am cracking out as many Muskets as I can before I get Replaceable Parts, which should help because I want to have a higher military power than Russia by the time I attack.

Germany asked for to trade Jade (?) form me for his Cotton. I agree. Gorgo also asks to trade Cotton for Mercury. I change the deal to Mercury for 5 gpt. I just got Cotton.

Here is the score for reference...




Everybody is real close thanks to the added Pericles' lands to Russia and Gorgo. We are even on Civics and I lead Russia by 5 techs and Gorgo by 4. Let's see if I can extend that lead.

Turn 157

Four turns, four techs. I finish...




Now I can sail the seas. Gorgo comes back with a new deal...




Sure, why not. I think she is trading a few luxuries with Russia, so if I want her to attack Russia I need to supply a few. Russia also comes asking to trade Jade (?) for silver. I accept, it should increase my happiness and production a little. I think I only had an unhappy city 1 turn the whole game. Jungle Cruise was unhappy at first before I hooked up my Mercury. Anyways, I looked at Gorgo's science rate now that Pericles' cities are online...




109.1 bpt to my 112.4 bpt. She is catching up. We can't have that. Since I got an extra envoy into Hattusa, I looked at the Civic tree and will get 2 envoys before I can free Zanzibar. I put 2 of my 3 envoys I currently have to gain 6 more science...




My science goes to 118.7 bpt. Gorgo only has 1 more envoy in Hattusa but I don't think I will steal them yet.

I was wrong about foreign tourists being determined by the number of current civs in the game and not total civs. I swear I read that somewhere. Oh well, my total foreign tourist dropped from 14 to...




This will make it harder to win a cultural victory. I will have to see if I can get a spy to steal some of Russia's great works.

My military power is slowly creeping up to Russia's. He is Russia's...




and mine...




We should be about even by the time I am ready to declare. Then I will finish the Terracotta Army and upgrade to Infantry and jump ahead (unless he is continuing to build military just like me).

Here is teh score for reference...




I am even now with Russia, thanks to more tech and a harbor.