[Spoilers] Ichabod, the Civ King

[Ichabod]

Are you having fun?

Yes. Civ 6 is pretty fun. Sometimes I get frustrated with some of the mechanics (e.g. the occupation penalty I'm constantly complaining about), but as a whole, it's a nice experience. You just need to focus on the game when you receive the save, you don't need to think about micro while taking a shower or trying to sleep, as it was with Civ 4.

I'm in a good position, with Krill a close second, I'd say. Improving my position depends on some factors outside my control. If Bacchus/Archduke try to keep developing, it'll be easier. If they default to beeline Knights and just spam units, it'll be a lot tougher. I can always reach cossacks and throw them all against Krill, if he starts to become too much of a menace.

I didn't report the past 2/3 turns because I'm mostly just following my plan laid above (get city to size 10, build some units). We have had quite a bit of delays (a lot of them caused by me, so I can complain), so turn pace has been iffy. Also, Archduke's playing window (he's subbing for Bacchus) doesn't really suit my own. I'll keep the lurkers updated when things get a bit more interesting. A few more turns and I'll enhance my religion, settle a new city and hopefully capture Yerevan without too much trouble. So, there are interesting to come.

[Ichabod]

As mentioned above, I'm mostly following the plan as stated before, trying to get to size 10 in my Capital and trying to get the second needed Temple. Temples are great investment for me, giving +4 faith (which will translate into units later) and +4 culture, which is a huge amount. I probably need to focus a bit more on Campi and science from now on, since my culture situation seems to be mostly in order.

I reached the needed housing and the workers are ready to go next turn. The only thing that can mess with me is if harvesting bananas doesn't give food, but something else. I looked around the internet, didn't find the info and I was too lazy to test it myself.

 


Rowain is showing some teeth, which is worrisome. He's a bit late, so I have some defenses around and more units are following. My horseman attack at 51 strength, which is pretty great (if I fortify them, it can go past 60). What worries me is that Krill could join and I don't think I can handle 3 players at the same time, not with my current setup. Whatever happens, I don't regret either of my attacks. Rowain was openly hostile for no good reason and Bacchus was meddling in my sphere of influence.



Meanwhile, I keep exploring with my Great Writer. I've seen a lot of horsemen from Emp K and I wonder what he's up to. Is that only defenses against Krill's power? Is he targetting La Venta (it's the worst city state land, but a city for free is a city for free)? Doesn't he have a closer CS to take?



It hurts me to look at Kumasi and Bandar Brunei as Krill's cities. Those are high pop, great land cities, that were basically free. I'm just whining and I'm obviously being unfair, seeing as Krill taking BB was due to his better strategy in prioritizing it, but emotionally it feels like he has an undeserved advantage. Of course, that's because of the stupid occupation penalty rule. If it wasn't for that, I'd be happy with my own gains and there wouldn't be any problem.

About that, I offered peace to Bacchus, offering my Great Work of Writing for his two cities. Bacchus' science and culture are really bad, to the point that a GWork is like a 33% increase in his current culture. Perhaps he'll be more willing to accept a deal with a sense that he gave me "lasting" damage, in the form of a GWork. It probably won't be accepted (Bacchus knows that giving a GWork isn't that big of a deal for me, considering I have no place to store my second copy and all the otehrs I'll get very soon), but perhaps he decides that improving his position by a bit is worth it. Who knows?



Krill has a relic. I thought long and hard about how that happened, until realizing it must have come from Kandy's suzerain bonus. Well done.

[Ichabod]

Any questions?

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

If Bacchus counters with his earlier offer - returning Proxy Hatch in return for Carthage, how would you respond?

[suboptimal]

Bonus resources give food, production or gold based upon what type of yield bonus they provide. Deer and stone give production, copper and crabs give gold, all others give food.

Thank you for giving periodic updates on how the game is progressing. Besides your reporting and the now-very-occasional screenshot or report from Bacchus/Archduke or Krill the lurkers are quite starved for information in this one for some reason.

As for questions, could you give a screenshot of the detailed score screen or culture/science/milpower listing of everyone?

[Ichabod]

If Bacchus counters with his earlier offer - returning Proxy Hatch in return for Carthage, how would you respond?

He offers me this every other turn, but I won't accept. That city is really powerful, having the Great Barrier Reef and some pretty powerful tiles. It would easily help Bacchus get XBows and Knights in time for my Cossacks. He can so that already, most likely, but I don't see why giving him the extra help. I have DotF, so my borders can be safe with minor investments (noproblem being at war with him) and I can plan on taking him out with Cossacks later (I haven't decided if I'll go that way, attacking Krill or Rowain might be a better option, we'll see). Also, Carthage is not that great of a city.

Bonus resources give food, production or gold based upon what type of yield bonus they provide.  Deer and stone give production, copper and crabs give gold, all others give food.  

Thank you for giving periodic updates on how the game is progressing.    Besides your reporting and the now-very-occasional screenshot or report from Bacchus/Archduke or Krill the lurkers are quite starved for information in this one for some reason.

As for questions, could you give a screenshot of the detailed score screen or culture/science/milpower listing of everyone?

I haven't forgot about that. I'll update with the required info once I get the new save.

[Ichabod]

Most of my plans are coming to fruition as expected. I bought an Apostle for 400 faith and landed Church Property, which gives 16 gold per turn right now and solved my monetary issues for now (I expect to have it up to 20 gold soon - but I don't think I'll invest faith in spreading my religion after that, I need to save it for Cossacks). Also, I got St. Petersburg to size 10 and got the Civil Service inspiration in time, which made me very happy! The Divine Right insp is on its way, with a second Temple some turns from completion.

On military news, I defended against Rowain using DotF and GG (killed a horse for free and offered a slinger in exchange for a sword, which he denoed by retreating). Right now, I'm going to Yerevan with 2 horsemen and 1 HC + GG. I have 3 more horses in production for defense, with a sword, HC and horseman already in place. Barring a dedicated surprise attack by Krill, I think I'm good (that might happen, since he has pretty good power numbers).

I'll settle my 8th city next turn (6th productive one). My next set of objectives is finish a discounted Campus in the new city and a normal cost Campus in my Capital (both 3 adjacency). I'll use stone chops into walls for that, most likely. For the discount, I need to finish the Camp in Astrakhan and capture Yerevan. I'll adopt the Camp building bonus after CS is done, since I don't need more horses. I'll use that period to also finish a stable in my Capital.

I need to figure out if I'll get the Feudalism insp. or not. Leaning no at the moment, but gotta think a bit longer.

Chop and result:










Defense against Rowain (67 damage dealt to 17 received, horseman vs. horseman, the power of DotF + GG):




Overview (just realized that EmpK scout can try to pillage my Campus):

[Ichabod]

I don't know if this game will last much longer. Bacchus/Archduke are taking about 48h per turn, and that's not a pace that keeps the game enjoyable. I'm not blaming them, life stuff happened to Bacchus and Archduke is only doing us a favor by playing the turns (as he didn't sign up for the game). We could try to find a replacement, but we are using that PYDT thing that makes subbing someone an herculean task. Also, I don't think we'd find anyone interested that is not spoiled. Finally, a sub in Bacchus situation can be unfair to other players (as in, he signs peace with me).

[Japper007]

Subbing is actually pretty easy, just join the PYDT forums and post a message that you want to replace X player with Y. Then their techs take care of it for you once they see it. It only took a day when we swapped Mike out for Cornflakes in pbem7. (I'd offer to sub but I am 100% spoiled on this game.)

[Ichabod]

Subbing is actually pretty easy, just join the PYDT forums and post a message that you want to replace X player with Y. Then their techs take care of it for you once they see it. It only took a day when we swapped Mike out for Cornflakes in pbem7. (I'd offer to sub but I am 100% spoiled on this game.)

I was exaggerating a bit there, but I find it a bit annoying that I have to ask someone to do something as simple as replacing a player. That's mostly on Civ 6 lack of a decent PBEM MP system, anyway.

For now, the game goes on and I received a new save.



We are being encroached by the enemy. Bacchus is packing more punch than shown here, the archer has 6 support (meaning 2 hidden untis) and the northern legion has 2 support (1 hidden unit). The archer lost 80 hralth from a single shot from my DotF archer. I made a mistake not changing the promoted archer for the non-promoted one in that spot (the promoted one could have killed the archer with +5 strength).

The northern sword can probably hold his position (36 + 6 + 6 + 10 = 58 strength + 7, if the battlecry promotion works, which sometimes it does not), but the southern position is a bit tougher. The terrain makes it difficult for the archers to attack from afar while I hold my current positions, so I may have to retreat. If all the hidden units are legions, we can be in trouble. I will likely send some reinforcements here, once I get more units ready on the east.

Rowain can pillage my horse, but he can't press forward with just one horse. It's annoying, but it's bound to happen when you are facing two wars and trying to take a CS elsewhere. If I can resist until Yerevan is taken and the units get back, my situation will improve a lot. It will already improve in 2 turns, when 3 more horses will be ready.

Notice that Rowain city to the south has my religion. Not only do I get 2 gold from that, but also, if I capture the city, I instantly get DotF on my units. Pretty nice.



Capturing Yerevan is a no brainer, I think. I won't be spending any more faith on Apostles, so the suzerain bonus is useless. Right now, the city gives me 12 faith (5 Lavras + Capital bonus). By capturing it, I get 2 Eurekas (sailing and celestial navigation), another Lavra (+4 faith from shrine and La Venta, +2 culture from shrine), faith yields from tundra, gold and culture. And it's a new, free city. Hopefully, I can capture it on the first turn of the war (and hopefully the city finishes the granary it's building before I take it). I'm in no risk of losing units, but I want to get back as soon as possible to my core.

Krill is up to 480 military power, I have 400, EmpK 300, the others 200 something. If Krill attacks me, things will be troublesome. I'm nearing the phase of the game where I'll chop walls everywhere for 150% bonus and once my Yerevan army return, I think I'll have enough units. But I'm a bit vulnerable right now and Krill's MP is too high to be just for the sake of it. I'm hoping he goes against Rowain and his 5 cities that are bound to be underdefended while his army is pestering my borders.



New city. Same as before, good unimproved tiles (currently working the 4/1 spices), new luxury (ivory and 3rd ring incense), great Campus location (3 adjacency) with a stone chop avaiable. I'll be building builders everywhere soon (I think I'll skip the Feud Insp, as farms are not worth it over chops and I rather get the 5 charge builders earlier than a bit more free culture - I have a lot of culture already and a 6 slot government about to be avaiable), to chop this new cities into relevance.

3rd discounted Campus plan is nearly ready, with the imminent capture of Yerevan (only need the Astrakhan Camp). After that, I'll get all the district techs and forget about discounts on the popular districts, I think (well, let's think a bit more about it). I definetely want Commercial Hubs avaiable after that, since I want one in the Capital, together with the 3 adjacency Campus.