41 Vice: Commodicator/Pindore

[Old Harry]

If they have privateers out perhaps they're worried about double moving?

[darrelljs]

I can't recall Commodore ever going a full week between turn updates...new job kicking your ass?

Darrell

[Commodore]

I can't recall Commodore ever going a full week between turn updates...new job kicking your ass?

Darrell

Not so much ass kicking, but still firehosey. Plus this has a lot more tech writing; I've noticed I only have so much writing in me in a day. The tightness of the slot hurts too, I feel like I always have to rush in the evenings to get the turn done to keep up the pace, because it's always just Rusten waiting. I should probably stop hurrying and let it be delayed.

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. -Sun Tzu

This is truth. Alas, the war was started on the wrong foot, when Hitru spotted the fleet here:

He contentedly bottled up some 15% of our total power rating; Naufragar hasn't been moving.

The frigate battles have been everywhere; unfortunately, Civ is a game of snowballs in all cases, and early bad luck has run into us losing frigates at a rotten 2:1 ratio. That's been...suboptimal.

Rusten's diplomacy game was neatly counteracted by BGN's War of Gav-Pissery; Gavagai isn't jumping in. If he wants it to matter he'd better hop in soonish, because Rusten is about to have the Taj and that'll push him into Steel; drydocks are pretty much the be-all, end-all building on this map. Steel unfortunately also will take us 8(!?) turns at max tech, which costs about 6,400 gold. That's...a tall order.

[Commodore]

If Gavagai doesn't jump in in the next half dozen turns, we've officially lost.

...so if Gavagai has (understandably) given up, you guys can call it.

[Commodore]

I could complain about my luck, I could grumble about the diplo situation, I could admit I goofed an offense...but honestly?

Police State is just brutal, and it was a mistake to fight it.

[mackoti]

Police state doesnt apear there, you must add a 25% if everithing going military.

[Commodore]

Yep, that's what I'm adding.

Rusten is eating Silver Isle...prompting the entire world to turn against him. BGN and Gavagai declared war, Cairo finally closed borders, and even Naufragar looks like he may be pushing down again. Now the question is how real the dogpile remains. If Gavagai stays at war and tries to take more, if Naufragar targets the University of Sankore, and if Cairo piles on with rifles, Rusten can be stopped. If any dogpiler stops, Rusten will win.

We don't need to lose more than Silver Isle, but losing Silver Isle only helps our diplomatic case. We don't want to retake things until our economy returns (Golden Age in 8t) and Rusten loses some 20% of his island holdings. Meanwhile, just keep making frigates.

[thestick]

Any plans for the GA?

[Commodore]

Any plans for the GA?

Nothing interesting, really. Flip to modern civics, research Constitution, flip to the advanced civic that Rusten's been benefiting from for the last 130 turns, make a few more frigates/privateers, and then leave the GA mildly better off economically while still in the Forever War.

BGN made peace with Rusten after snapping up a single city of his. Yay he has gems now?

Gavagai is fighting a lot more determinedly now, of course. He's taken what should have been his by right of Donovan-conquest, now just has Cartwright to be the sole owner of his own continent. The real question is what happens after Cartwright; does Gavagai stay at war? He needs to stay at war.


In the ashes of losing Silver Island, there have been a couple bright points. Brightest of all was this turn. Not only did our hero longbow defend one city at a mere .6 hp remaining, but Rusten left this fleet open:

Not only the selected fleet, but a privateer and two other frigates were in range. It's a brutal and expensive thing to fight massed fleet battles, but numbers really do matter:

Three trashed frigates remain. That ensures the safety of Superdead Island, at least, over the next few turns. 

I also poked down in the Naufragar Mainland; the Pothole is shockingly undefended. 

Have a great general, brah, you can't let that stuff happen. 

We'll see how loaded those galleons are; might take losses. Still, given the fundamentally defensive nature of the current war, I don't see that as a bad thing. The message of the raze is also important for our dear ally who absolutely hates us. "We're still fighting" but also "we can't hold any gains" are the two things we want Gavagai (and Cairo and Naufragar) to see. 

It's an interesting game. Rusten still feels like the favorite to win just given the fundamentally flaky morale the smaller dogs in this potential pile. Still, where there's a willingness to dogpile the leader, there is hope.

[Commodore]

Gavagai made peace and Rusten just landed MilSci. I spoke with Pindicator: We formally concede .