TheArchduke and the Gentleman Bastards lead the Mongol Horde

[suboptimal]

Japper seems to be a very slow starter, though I don't know if that's because he's just slow at development or goes off on an unusual "strategic" tangent on Turn 1. The fact he only had one city when you met him seems to imply the latter.

Korea will be a tough nut to crack if CMF leverages his science advantage properly. However, population growth should soon make up for it. Growing many smaller cities in a very wide situation is faster than growing a few larger cities and that population can make up the difference quickly. Of course, Magnuschopped Campus districts close the gap that much faster.

CMF will probably go after Japper because he's likely the easier target. The thing to do is to let him and position troops just over the horizon to the east, then pounce before CMF can fully recover.

[TheArchduke]

This has been the most peculiar and enjoyable game.

Mongolia seems a much more valid choice for warmongering then I gave them credit for. Although as with PBEM #6, people once again:

- Fall into the builder trap, despite a clear presence of a militaristic civ on their border. What am I going to go for Gers for production?
- Despite a clear buildup, Rowain did not only continue to build but did not ASAP ask for a DoF and then DoW afterwards.
- Leaving the GGs for me and build those beautiful campuses and whatnot.
- Do not organize a solid defense until it is too late.
- Suboptimal´s performance if doomed was better then both my neighbours, he got walls out, organized at least 1 army and actually was sieged.

Now I know that Mongolia is swift and all that, but if you are next to a rusher/mil civ, you either get

- Masonry VERY soon
- Build your UUs
- In general increase your milpower, I find the PBEM #10 as shocking as this one.

Anyways. I think as people seldom update by now, I will get a concession soon thanks to this:

   

   

Yeah, easy to buy 2 kesqiks on both fronts and rams. I will concentrate on the southern front for now though and get a second army going north to use my second GG.

   

Alhambram, why is peace still a thing with me? So I can scout you? Put a trading post inside your borders as soon as I got your cultural state?

   

[TheArchduke]

A quick overview of my empire. Notice the amount of garrions everywhere:

5 chariots, 2 horseman, 1 archer, 1 warrior

are on barbbustduty.

North, Temple of Artemis done, 1 of 2 planned settlers out.

   

You notice that everyone seemingly builds builders in feudalism anticipation. Not perfectly timed though as I do not want to loose time advancing.

   

Former Sumeria. The Oracle is a nice touch.

   

The Southeast, a premature settle, but still, soon with builder and even more culture.

   

[TheArchduke]

And yeah, I am normally cautious, but I am not seeing how the others can stop me by now:

Alhambram   SC39C41 EMP77    MIL240
Chev/aetryn  SC45 C24 EMP92   MIL 230
Japper          SC20 C14 EMP68   MIL74
TheArchduke SC40 C65 EMP149 MIL612

I easily caught up in Science, I am crushing culture, double Empire Score of Alhambram and Japper and probably Chev (if you subtract his special district points) and more milpower then everyone else and this will rise thanks to Knights next turn.

[suboptimal]

Yeah, this one seems well in hand. I don't understand both of your neighbors here. As you point out, I had a builder civ and was in a position to put up some sort of defense even though I tactically screwed the pooch (and even if I did was probably doomed by the stacked GGs). Mongolia is a powerful rush civ but takes just enough time to get going where one can get walls up. Sumeria and Aztecs, on the other hand, do not afford one that luxury if used correctly.

[Shimomo]

Korea will be a tough nut to crack if CMF leverages his science advantage properly.

Archduke, how many techs ahead is CMF? also what tier of techs is he on?

CMF will probably go after Japper because he's likely the easier target.  The thing to do is to let him and position troops just over the horizon to the east, then pounce before CMF can fully recover.

Ultimately I don't think it matters, Archduke is winning this game, but I think it would be faster to mass all troops and first try to obliterate Alhambram. Worst case he has a vast force of crossbows and spears, in which case Archduke can just go around Alhambram (highly mobile army) and hit CMF from the backside.

Sidenote, Alhambram's city strength of 15 implies he's built a spearman, and has not built a chariot, horseman, or swordsman.

[TheArchduke]

3 techs ahead. It is a gap, but thankfully he is not my neighbour, also he will fall behind as soon as I can get some things built now that the war is done.

Changed two names, new names needed.

Kar Skandrin
Asheoppin
Veda
Vaningrad
Adrin's Pearl
Halgarst
Elvar
Svarda
Kandolfing
Skaldein

Lorem and Balinel are exchanged, Lorem was the old name for Camorr. Renamed Veda and Kar Skandrin.

Going for Mercenaries next to make an upgrade to Knights.

   

The southern force will be 6 horseman, 6 Knights, 1 Kesqik (bought) and a ram in tow.

2 chariots will protect my southern borders against barbs, 1 in the middle near the capital, 2 in the north.

I decided on a crazy plan of action. We will strike north as well, conquering Kumasi.

Current force in place, 2 Knights, 1 Horseman, 1 Archer.

Reinforcements: 1 Kesqik (bought) and a ram in tow (bought), 2 horseman and 1 Knight from the south.

Capital delays builder to enable the +1 charge by the new governor.

   

Scouting parties will be noticed by Alhambram who is suzerain, nothing I can do about that.

   

[TheArchduke]

First of all this was the quickest turnaround since I dunno 2 months?

I was quite confused. Anyway, starting to finally engage in some basic infrastructure building and in 2 turns we upgrade to knights.

Antanavario will be a tough cookie. Need Knights and ram for that.

   

[Shimomo]

Does Antananarivo's power get added to Alhambram's power rating because he's the suzerain?

Also do you have any way to send a trade route to Antananarivo before you attack it?

Also yeah 3 techs is less than one tier ahead. It's hard to imagine what you would have to do to lose at this point.

[suboptimal]

Does Antananarivo's power get added to Alhambram's power rating because he's the suzerain?

Also do you have any way to send a trade route to Antananarivo before you attack it?

Also yeah 3 techs is less than one tier ahead. It's hard to imagine what you would have to do to lose at this point.

City-states do not add to the military power of a suzerain.   They might in the event the suzerain levies the troops, but I haven't looked at that.

Sending a trade route to Antananarivo won't have an effect.  The Mongol combat bonus bonus is based upon the difference in levels of diplomatic visibility and you don't have a diplomatic visibility level with city-states.

The city-strength of 15 in Alhambram's city could also be a garrisoned archer. If his city strength hasn't changed when the knight upgrade is performed I'd advocate bypassing Antananarivo completely. That city is a "nice to have" not "strategiclly vital" at this point. Conquer the easternmost dutch city with knights - they'd be attacking at, what, 56 with the Great General in tow? That's 154 points of damage per attack against a Str 15 city. Once that's done send an available trader over, connect to the next city and just shred through everthing. You wouldn't even need a battering ram at that point - 2-3 knights would take down the walls and 1-2 more would take down the city depending on how much damage bleeds through to the garrison. Heck, you don't even need the trader.