[Spoiler] RB Pitboss #2 - Shaka of Rome

[Whosit]

And a chat:

Ottoman: Hello
me: Hello.
Ottoman: you've read my e-mail?
me: I have.
Ottoman: any thoughts?
me: Yes.
Ottoman: lol k...that you want to share?
me: Not at the moment.
Ottoman: np then
me: All I will say is that it doesn't help that I didn't hear this from you first.
Sent at 9:19 PM on Thursday
Ottoman: so I guess slaze beat me to it...well that's a shame...
Sent at 9:21 PM on Thursday
Ottoman: my thoughts probably aren't entirely what he makes them out to be...i think he might stretch them a bit...and I'm not completely truthful with him...atleast not yet...
anyways...i'll be around off and on if you wanna chat or ahve questions or something
me: I will probably formulate a formal response tomorrow.
Ottoman: no worries
me: Drat. I forgot to use the quote at the start of this conversation.
"You've gotta lotta nerve comin' here, after what you pulled!"
Ottoman: ?
oh
lol
me: Well, better late than never.
Sent at 9:24 PM on Thursday
Ottoman: well i'll just reiterate...the faster I secure my western border...the faster help you techwise...
me: The question is, of course, if securing your western border is even possible.
Ottoman: Unless I'm being strung along by a couple of parties...i have every reason to believe it is...
otherwise I've thrown the game to India..GG...
I doubt slaze would do that
me: Probably not, but it's not certain.
Ottoman: no it's not..."I'm taking an awful risk here, Vader"
me: Anyway, as I said, I'll have a proper response tomorrow. Though I will mention one more thing:
Since HRE has Paper, you have the opportunity to prove that slaze gives you his army (good quote, by the way).
Ottoman: Ya I can trade with HRE right? Are they allowed to forward to you? I suppose their word would be good enough for you anyways...I'll get a pic (pre) tonight...and a post probably tomorrow
I gotta get back to my paper
later
me: Later.
(And they can probably forward to me.)

I already forgot my commentary.

Um, well, I didn't manage to stay quite as terse as I intended. I seem to be positively loquacious whenever I'm trying to keep a secret.

Anyway, I think I have a comment to Athlete's actual e-mail: He's gotta be insane to assume that slaze will be "gassed" by the time he's ready to go back to war (assuming this is all true). This past fight with slaze should have proven that he's a foe to be reckoned with. I'm lucky I was able to hold him off (and I should probably get a Medic unit to Bestine--maybe Kuat can do a quick Scout or something). My surviving catapult needs 5 turns to heal. Slaze will heal faster since he has a Medic, so he'll be back in a few turns.

Anyway, if Athlete proves that slaze is going to give him the army, I suppose that will corroborate the story. Yeah, I can't really remember what else I was going to say. Oh well.

[Whosit]

Sorry, been a little quiet. Basically, I'm still alive for the moment.

Drama is researched, but Music has already been taken, it seems. My necessary diversion to Machinery cost me that race. Going to try to research Engineering before I'm overrun by Korean Knights; the Rebels say they will provide me with gold, but even so, my expenses are enormous: -130 gold at 100%. Over 50 of that is from city maintenance (I never got the chance to build Courthouses), and about 25 is from Inflation, which I cannot control. I don't think I have a choice but to slot in Courthouse builds in cities that lack them.

Otherwise, I'm going to try and stock-pile catapults, especially in Bestine, because I know that slaze will be back, and in greater numbers . . . .

I know I need to get some pictures. Any requests?

[Shoot the Moon]

I know I need to get some pictures. Any requests?

What does your core look like currently? How do your best commerce and hammer cities look? Thanks!

[Cull]

How many beakers at 100% research per turn, and how much gold at 100% gold?

Also, a picture of the military in-game advisor to see how many units you have would be nice.

[Whosit]

Never let it be said that Whosit does not deliver . . .

Here is what will probably kill me:



It kind of runs of the screen (an excellent sign), but I count about 10 Longbows, 10 Axemen, 3 catapults plus change, and more coming from the north, assuming slaze waits that long.

To oppose it, all I am likely to have are 6 Praetorians, 3 Crossbowmen, and 3-4 Catapults in Bestine. I am probably hosed.

Overview of main cities:



City views of all my cities. Now you can see my mismanagement up close!

Imperial Center:



Carida:



Byss:



Kuat:



Nar Shaddaa:



Bestine:



Dathomir:



Nal Hutta:



On a total side note, I noticed that Vassals appear to be disabled. A shame. There goes my far-fetched plan to capitulate to Korea. Yes, I was actually considering that.

[Whosit]

How many beakers at 100% research per turn, and how much gold at 100% gold?

Also, a picture of the military in-game advisor to see how many units you have would be nice.

Other pictures should have answered the first question. Now . . .





As you can see, the Imperial Economy is not terribly robust, and the Imperial Army is a shell of its former self . . . .

[Cull]

Thanks for the pictures! Also, what's up with Engineering? What are you aiming for in getting that tech?

[Selrahc]

On a total side note, I noticed that Vassals appear to be disabled. A shame. There goes my far-fetched plan to capitulate to Korea. Yes, I was actually considering that.

If vassals were enabled colonial maintenance costs would make any sort of Island settlement prohibitively expensive. So you probably wouldn't be in this position anyway.

[Whosit]

Thanks for the pictures! Also, what's up with Engineering? What are you aiming for in getting that tech?

Pikemen. And the faster road movement wouldn't hurt, either. Since Korea is going for Guilds, I'll need something stronger than Praetorians to fight Knights. Crossbowmen can probably suffice to handle Macemen for the time being. If not, well, Macemen wouldn't really suffice to beat Knights anyway.

If vassals were enabled colonial maintenance costs would make any sort of Island settlement prohibitively expensive. So you probably wouldn't be in this position anyway.

True enough.

[Kyan]

Thanks for the detailed updates mate.

To quote Churchill from Dr Who:

KBO!