Das Boot (directed by Wolfgang Petersen and Singaboy)

[Singaboy]

Turn 103:

Opening the save, I get more convinced that I should go after Archduke and not oledavy. Archduke took Carthage in one swift turn and that makes him only stronger. In fact he has a score of 200 compared to my 220. He is getting scary.

Stirrups is done and I am thinking long and hard throughout the entire turn where to go next. I had laid out a nice plan for cavalry, but it is simply too far off to be viable against Archduke on T120. I need some good military might against him. For that to happen, I will need to get exploration faster, this means getting rid of Japper sooner.




Let's have a look at my campaign. Still 4 cities to conquer however, Utgard will fall this turn. Strangely enough, Japper has moved an archer toward my horsemen in the west. His military strength is at 25 and that might be his last unit. Maybe he just wants to get over and done with the game as soon as possible. Who could fault him here.

I attack Utgard with my quadrireme and the crossbow, the city is seriously down in health. I use the opportunity to pillage the cows with my swordsman for yet another 50 gold. I will need plenty of gold for my navy and army. The horseman takes the city earning himself a promotion.

This is important to continue the campaign as fast as possible though I will be seriously starved for units here. The other horseman is healing in Weidenfels. With the promotion in hand, the horseman will be able to move NW together with the battering ram. It can then attack Alfheim on T105, but no other unit will be able to join. On T106, the crossbow can join in but will not make a big dent. My navy will certainly sail north to see where it can get there to get to the western side of the Island.

I might have to wait for the second horseman, the second crossbow and GG to be back. The GG has been sent to the western front in order to take out Jotunheim before it gets its walls up. If the city gets its walls within the next two turns, I am facing some serious battle here. Next turn, I am able to attack the city with two horsemen after moving them southwest. If things look positive, I might want to send the horseman, that is currently healing inside Hirschfeld, east.

I still do not have any idea about Japper's last city. I hope it is not some distant place which can't be located or reached easily. As you can spot, my caravel is moving westward and has been promoted to 57 strength versus navy.

As for the meta game, I have decided to put any campaign against oledavy on hold. I will have to be contented to hold him off in the west while making a move against Archduke on T121. This will mean an invasion from the sea north of Zuckerstadt. I will have at least 4 caravels and 1 frigate in place. Yes, a frigate. I have decided to forgo the Eureka for Square Rigging (it's a convoluted musketman victory) and head for that tech. Currently, I takes 13 turns to get there (T116) but with more libraries coming online and Norway potentially being liberated, science should increase.

Once the current slate of infrastructure is done, I will have to start pumping out knights and crossbowmen, both of which still profit from the current GG.

[Singaboy]

Turn 104

It is now a rush to defeat Japper as fast as possible to match Archduke's progress. He is now making 70gpt, which is quite impressive compared to my 48gpt. My progress is hampered by the bad occupation penalties.

First, an overview of my home Island before the end of the turn. Next turn, a market and a library are done boosting both income and science. Square Rigging needs better science for a faster progress. Salz am Meer finished its walls and starts a quick granary. It will switch to a trader once I have Jotunheim conquered as it owns a harbor. Zuckerheim is finishing its library in 2 turns to complete its district upgrades. It will go for walls and then start with military. Aachen will do a work yard so it is ready for a factory in due time. Weinberg will employ a specialist and starts its CH, which will take quite some time to finish.

In the longer run, it would be nice to get at least two more cities planted on my home Island.




As for my conquest of the three remaining Norwegian cities, I approach Jotunheim in the west and attack with two horsemen. I really hope the city walls won't be done for another turn. If all goes well, I might be able to take the city next turn. Of course, oledavy has an archer parked there, which could cause some trouble. If Jotunheim gets its walls this turn, I might be in for some trouble. Fingers crossed that I am lucky here. My caravel is trying to sail around Norway's Island to help out with a city assault, but that would take 3 turns sailing to make it happen. Anyway, I need the caravel there to search for the last Viking city.

In the north I am preparing for the assault there. The wounded horseman moved onto the hill and promotes to full health taking the battering ram along. It will be able to attack the city next turn together with the ram. A swordsman will support it two turns later together with the crossbow. An additional horseman is on the way and could support the attack in 3 turns.
My galley and quadrireme are sailing north to round the Island and search for the last Norwegian city as well.

[Singaboy]

Turn 105:

Bad news await when I open the save. Though I get an Inspiration for guilds due to a second market, Jotunheim has finished its walls at the worst timing. This almost took out one of my horsemen. Without the battering ram, it will now be much more difficult to take the city. At Alfheim, Japper used all his gold to purchase an archer. I hope this will be his last ever unit he can field.

Aachen finished its market and starts the workshop done in 6 turns. Weinberg finished the library and employs a specialist there boosting science to 57.7. Zuckerstadt will finish its library next turn and science be at a healthy 60. Square rigging has dropped by a turn and now takes another 10 turns to finish.

Weinberg starts its CH which takes a whopping 9 turns. The price of a late start for it.





The big questions now, how to take those cities with somewhat inadequate units. I gambled here to split my units and it almost paid off, but only almost. Let's see what we can do with this tricky situation.

Jotunheim:
I have to withdraw the horseman there to save its life. I decide to use the crossbow to attack oledavy's archer and almost take it out. The other two horsemen heal for now while a third horseman is coming to the attacks aid from the east. There is also an additional crossbowman move slowly west just in case.

I assume oledavy will withdraw his heavily wounded archer. Jotunheim might shoot at the wounded horseman possibly enabling a promotion for it. The big turn to take the city will be in 2 turns. I am hoping to take down the city walls that turn with the crossbow (its at 14/15 exp and up for a promotion if shot at) and the caravel which will most likely reach the city in 2 turns (unless the Island has some really nasty shape). By then , I will have 3 horsemen and the currently redlined horseman available. It should be enough to take the city T107.




Alfheim:
The city sports city walls and a purchased archer. With my first attack on the walls, half of it is gone.  I assume that Japper will hit my horseman twice, but should not be able to beat it. A combined crossbow and sword attack should make sure that the city walls are gone next turn. I should be able to take out the city in three turns I hope. Once Jotunheim is taken, my GG will immediately transfer to the north to aid the conquest there.

Unfortunately, I have yet to spot Jappers last city and due to the shape of his Island, I suspect it to be further up north or on another Island. I hope it to be north so that I can use the battering ram to take it out.

[Singaboy]

Turn 106:

The slog against Japper's cities continues and I need to keep my cool not to burn my units here. Patience and a proper strategy should have me prevail in the end, even if it takes a little longer than hoped.

In the diplo thread, oledavy talks big again about how he is helping Japper when he didn't do much at all but feed me a few archers. oledavy seems to have a tendency to talk down on others and thinking he is the one who knows it all. It can be quite irritating. He did send his promoted galley in my way though. I give that to him.

The situation at Jotunheim at the beginning. oledavy has retreated his archer as expected. His galley blocks my caravel. Jotunheim shot at my crossbow that can get a promotion anyway. I have two horseman able to attack, a third moving in and another crossbow on its way.

I decide to attack the galley with odds of 57 versus 30. The caravel takes a damage of 12 and sinks the galley. That's very good news. The crossbow takes a step back and shoots at the city with limited success. The healthy horseman does the same. The city now stands at 32/50 walls and a health of 134. If things go right, I can attack the city in 2 turns with the caravel, two crossbowmen and three horsemen. That should be enough to take the city, I hope. I have to get lucky too that Jotunheim can't produce an archer that fast to pose added problems.

The situation at Alfheim is equally tricky. Japper has used both attacks to redline my horseman. The city walls are at 25/50.

I use both crossbow and swordsman to attack the city and the walls are gone. The sword is at 65 health and should survive the archer counterattack. I might have to evacuate the sword via the sea and hence, bring in a galley for protection. Next turn, both crossbow and horseman can attack the city and knock out half its health I hope. It might take three turns to take the city in a slow grind. Once Jotunheim is taken, the GG will be transferred north and might help in the attack.

The quadrireme reached a dead end up north. There is no passage to the west there. The settler lens didn't reveal any city as well. It has to be somewhere to the west. Zuckerstadt finished the library and science is at almost 60. The city starts a wall as well to protect my core from coming attacks. It seems that Archduke, oledavy and Woden are ganging up on me. Archduke's score is getting scary and I am not too sure that this is the best strategy for the other two. Well, I better be prepared. I am still building districts buildings until a new government takes effect on T109.

I will then build a combination of builder and military, both navy as well as knights/crossbowmen.

[Singaboy]

Turn 107:

The diplo thread has opened some new options this turn. I have agreed with Woden on a NAP if I don't attack Archduke. This at least gives me the option of having only oledavy and Archduke to fight. Fighting all three at the same time seems scary and Archduke's navy is not to be messed with. However, Archduke has NAP with both his neighbors and has started checking out my borders. I will make sure to get walls up everywhere as much as possible and get some crossbows ready too. I hope Archduke will realize that there is no point attacking me after a while. I might have to turn my offensive action back toward oledavy. However, there are still 13 turns on the NAP with Archduke.

Nothing much happens on this turn at Jotunheim as my troops prepare for the final assault. I will be able to attack the city with potentially 4 horsemen, 2 crossbows and the caravel.

In the north, I decide to attack with all three units sacrificing my swordsman and bringing the city defense down to 88. This will hopefully give me the edge to take the city in 2 turns and move north where the last city has to be.

[Singaboy]

Turn 108:

In the IT I lost my swordsman in the north as expected but also lost a warrior on my Island to a barbarian horseman that has popped up. I have sent over the crossbow to take care of this mess and while get a swordsmen for support soon.

The big turn to take Jotunheim has arrived. It took long enough, too long but under the circumstances (without a ram) it wasn't to be avoided. I am trying to take the city and remove oledavy's archer from the battlefield at the same time. I attack the city with the northern crossbow, the caravel and three horsemen bringing it to the brink of defeat.



Time to take the city. The last horseman has no issues to take the city and earn a promotion too. The GG has not moved and is being teleported to the north.

The second crossbow has not attacked yet. Due to his boosted movement, he can reach the wheat and shoot at the same time which he promptly does.

In the north, I attack the city with the GG boosted crossbow and the horseman and Alfheim is about to fall into my hands as well as I have another horseman next turn able to attack. Japper has evacuated his archer north I assume. I hope I can locate the last city fast to finally get rid of the 75% occupation penalty. Science and culture should prosper after that.



You also notice that I upgraded another galley to a caravel as I wanted to see how far I am from exploration and it's within a millimeter. Next turn, I will upgrade more units before enabling a new government with new policies. It is time to get back to military production to deter Archduke and keep oledavy at bay.

Woden is currently making an effort to nab the next GG and I hope I can do something about it to prevent that.

[Singaboy]

Turn 109:

I finally get exploration and with it a government with 6+1 policy slots. Of course, the downside of it will be the loss of amenities for quite a number of cities. I will have to aim for the +1 amenity policy gained via civil service.

Before, enabling a new government, I have to upgrade quite a few units though, namely 2 chariots, 2 galleys and a warrior. This depletes my coffers quite a bit but will boost my defenses.




My crawl against Japper continues, still two cities to go. I hit the city with horsemen twice and occupy Alfheim. There is now only one city left, probably to the north. In addition, I shoot at Japper's archer with my GG boosted crossbow. It barely survives.



Time for a new government. This gives me a lot more flexibility for civics. Conscription is a must as well as Merchant Confederation in order to have some gpt left after all the upgrades. I enable Feudal Contract to produce more defensive crossbows (I currently have 5 of them). For military policies, I enable Press Gangs (Maritime Industries is obsolete) for caravels and soon frigates. Zuckerstadt has just finished its walls and goes for a caravel (takes 7 turns though). Kiel remains on a builder as I have re-enabled Serfdom. I still need to improve the new holdings and some sea resources, though they might get pillaged fast.
In a surprise move, I enable Limes to get my new cities walls up faster. Indeed, all walls there drop by half, which is important in the upcoming defensive battle versus Archduke.



The last screenshot shows my reduced science, gpt and culture due to upgrades and the loss of amenities. War weariness is running high. I need to get rid of Japper as soon as possible (written plenty times).
Civil Service will take 8 turns without an Inspiration, but I need to go down that path.

You can see that walls still take a long time for most cities but are far more reasonable. The former Viking capital will produce a builder in 2 turns. It will repair the pillaged tiles and connect mercury for added amenities.

The other thins I am scared of, is an attack from oledavy with his caravels that popped up north of Teeplantage (former Jotunheim). A mouseover. I have my caravel there to boost defenses and heal the caravel. Two crossbows are there to counter any potential attack. With the city at 120/200 health, he might have a go at the city and might be able to really put some harm on me. Jotunheim is a gem due to its strategic locations, its added culture due to the natural wonder and the luxury. I will send an additional caravel there and strengthen it with crossbows. Both crossbows currently there get a +7 against naval attacks once promoted again.

[Singaboy]

T110

When can I finally get rid of Japper and free those cities. It is vital to prevent a meltdown against two major forces, oledavy and Archduke. Without the production, science, culture and gpt from them, I can't win against those foes.

My hope is that Jester starts to attack oledavy and distract him sufficiently to give me some breathing space.

There is not much going on this turn. I am still finishing district elements in my old land (Aachen will stay on course of a barracks and armory for Eurekas as I need to get to musket men and cavalry to survive).

The issue of interest are Jotunheim and the northern conquest.
First off, oledavy has no guts and didn't attack Jotunheim. To me, that was a big mistake. I know he is trying to block my caravel, but I am healing that anyway. The city defenses are now at 140/200 and both units inside the city will get stronger thanks to healing them. I am sending another caravel there to help out.

What about the north? I spotted Japper's last city and it has funny name by now. My redlined horse got a promotion moving north, the other horseman is in tow. The crossbow moved north and shot Japper's promoted archer. I won't promote the crossbow for now in case it needs some healing while taking the city.

Japper unfortunately has accumulated gold again and could potentially buy an archer. If he gets walls up there as well, I am in a world of pain yet again. Next turn, I could attack the city with one horseman only due to the forested hills there that prevent a fast attack. Worse is, that my crossbow can only attack in three turns as he also needs to climb those hills. I will need to be fast though to prevent a double defense again. I might have to wait two turns to double attack the city on T112 and then triple attack on T113. As long as Japper doesn't have both walls and archer, I might be able to take the city on T113...three long turns of occupation I can't afford.

[Singaboy]

Turn 111:

The fronts are quiet, oledavy leaving his caravel in sight of my city but too far for a bombardment. TheArchduke is showing off his navy with two Great Admirals. One of themn is obsolete, I guess he will form an armada with it. He has certainly enough gold to upgrade those ships to caravels and frigates. However, will he have square rigging in time?

As Salz am Meer finished its lighthouse, I am building 2 caravels (5/7 turns). Aachen has finished its workshop and is building a trader (3 turns) to help my Norwegian colonies get on their feet faster. Kiel is still producing a builder, Weinberg soon finished its CH (3 turns left). It will boost income and the Hansa production there before starting to produce crossbows.

In my new holdings, Hufeisengipfel has finished its walls starts a builder. Lots of tiles to improve there. Weidenfels is going to finish its builder next turn. It will do repair works and connect the mercury after that.



The important question of course is the attack on Japper's last city. Well, there is no attack this turn as a single horseman attack would only wound the horse more than harm the city.

I set up the first wave of attack for next turn, hoping there is no wall there next turn. The city just gained a pop but even with 3 pop the production of this icy city must be abysmal. I am hoping there is no more wall nor an archer being produced in the next two turns.
Next turn, the crossbow will get into position to shoot at the city on T112, while the tow horsemen will attack if there is no wall. The northern horseman can avoid the river by moving NW and W before attacking while the southern horseman has no choice but to attack across the river. I hope two attacks will bring city defenses down sufficiently so I can take the city on T113. This might be a little optimistic, but one can always hope for the best.

[Singaboy]

Turn 112:

The frustration continues. A very quiet turn as I set up the attack for next turn. I rather attack with both horsemen and crossbow together maybe aiming at 100 health damage. This could get me to take the last city by T114 or maybe even T115. Very annoying but nothing to do. Japper has a mere 120 gold, not enough to buy an archer. I really hope he doesn't get either an archer or city walls up.

Just in case, I am sending a knight and horsemen to support, but both would need another 5 turns to take part in the action. I really hope they are not needed. It would be nice if I could manage to snatch that builder.

The signs are all over the wall that I am soon facing three enemies. My diplomatic attempts have failed and none of them would ally with me, quite understandably. I might want to carry out a preemptive strike on Archduke on T120 in case he still only has galleys and quadriremes. I would be essential to stop him before his GA boosted navy overpowers mine.

I am trying to pull the ships over near Archduke's fleet and monitor what is happening prior to T120.

In the west, I am trying to lure oledavy into a trap with his two caravels. I know he had two of them there. One of them is towering outside Teeplantage. I am getting a second caravel there to aid my defense/offense. I pull the ships in such a way, that if oledavy decides to attack the eastern caravel, I will be able to counter it with my crossbow as well. In fact, if I am able to defeat Japper, I could pull over the Great General and mount an attack on Titan. For that, his navy needs to be kept in check.

Let's see what he is going to do.