Alhambram's PBEM 16 Thread

[Alhambram]

Turn 14:

Barb scout sighted NE of Buda, warrior moves to block it, to prevent scout sounding alarm. Northern warrior goes east in search for camp. Meanwhile scout found something interesting:
   
Just looking at that yields at non volcanic soil, it is Mount Kilimanjaro which do erupt sometimes now with G&S. Area around it is very fertile to settle.
In PBEM 2 presence of Mount Kilimanjaro led to bloody feud between TheArchduke and Singaboy. Maybe it happens same here.

Now the dilemma: if I want get dark age for policy card Twilight Valor, then I shouldn't go south to avoid triggering 3 era points for finding natural wonder first. I am going trigger 3 points already by building 8 adjaceny campus.
So keep down era scores a bit.
Also Hungary don't really need to go for religion, so I can delay Astrology for a while. It is decided then, I go NW first in search for other player then if found, scout backtracks and scout south of Buda since warrior is bit busy now.

Maybe TheArchduke did find Mount Kilimanjaro already since he got 4 era points but I won't risk 3 extra points, so I am going "discover" Mount Kilimanjaro when I need boost for Astrology.

[Alhambram]

Turn 16:

Finished Code of Laws, seems that I am last one to finish it. If I don't find religious city state soon, I probably am the last one to pick Pantheon.
   
I need little extra culture, so God of the Open Sky or Goddess of Festivals would be great. But I am afraid that others are going pick it. Then plan B: Fertility Rites (extra builder) or Goddess of the Hunt (weakest choice for me at this starting situation, just bonus for deer tile but every little helps). I don't plan to get religion, so most pantheons are off chart for me.

In west scout is still searching for opponent. At north warrior stumbled upon coast, sign to go south and uncover that little fog. If barb camp is there, deal with it asap.
Already purchased tile since costs are now still low, I try to grab campus tile for 75 gold if possible.

[Alhambram]

Turn 18:

Finished settler and he shall found 2nd city at turn 21.
   
Buda starts an builder, he shall improve horse-rice-cotton. I need some amenity to prevent unhappiness at size 3 for second city already.
So after pottery research irrigration till it is 60% completed, so need to delay writing a bit unfortunately. At plus side improved cotton gives 5 gpt which should help a lot with other 4 gpt incoming from Bandar Brunei when I settle second city at coast.

Notice that second city also have 2 reefs adjacent cow tile, that is 4 adjaceny campus slotted down. At least I get boost for horseback riding from horse tile itself. This also makes me not wanting choose God of the Open Sky pantheon.
If all other players also has many reefs around, science in this PBEM is going be quick one.

I am second to complete settler after TheArchduke (his empire score did decrease).

[Alhambram]

Turn 20:

Contact and got much needed boost for writing. Oh, TheArchduke...
   
If I was one turn faster with scout, I would have sniped his settler. This is risk of unescorted settler and TheArchduke has been playing with fire here but just barely got not called. TheArchduke is likely going settle at that spot, first ring horse and rice.
This however makes Bandar Brunei interesting option to levy, it is between TheArchduke's and my cities. Without doubt TheArchduke is going make plan to invade Bandar Brunei soon as he open his save for turn 21.

[Alhambram]

Now I met him, what do I think about TheArchduke?

I am currently playing him in duel games and we have played against each other in other PBEM's. In PBEM 2 I won but after that there is an succesive defeats for me from TheArchduke.
He is good player, very skilled in warfare and decent builder. His modus operandi is rushing nearby city states or absorbing weaker neighbors before steamrolling the rest of the world.
It leaves me little doubt that Bandar Brunei is ranked 1st on his hitlist now after our contact.

Japan is good civ, very balanced. Districts adjaceny bonuses, half time for holy sites, encampments and theatres. And some combar bonuses along coasts might help here, against Bandar Brunei here it is going be very helpful.
Samurai, well normally everyone ignores tech for it, but it is now needed for mass production which is prequestie for industralization which gives mines extra production, so not more ignoreable. So Samurai's might be seen here.
Unique Building for Japan is very late game and I doubt that we are going see them.

[Alhambram]

Turn 22:

I am bit unfocused last turns, changing decisions all time. I planned to send back scout but now decided to sweep area where TheArchduke has his cities to find possible city states besides Bandar Brunei that I can use to hit him.
   
Also warrior in north went to search for barb camp, I did see scout several times. I assume in tundra region since scout seems come this way. But maybe it fooled me and is in little landpatch left hidden in fog not far from horses.  
And warrior east found another sea en is now going to east to check for possible discoveries over there. Need a new military unit to scout directly south of my 2 cities....

Speaking of cities I founded Eger and it works at cotton tile to earn some gold. I already purchased rice tile and I am now saving up for campus tile of Buda. After that no tile purchases anymore and save up for levying city states.
TheArchduke did get warrior escort for his settler quickly and crossed river to found city there. I did wonder why not next horse tile, but it turned out that TheArchduke hasn't researched animal Husbandry but Astrology instead.
   
That is Holy Site under construction and note his horse tile yield in his capital is still 2 food. Forgot to check his pantheon, I do it next turn by hovering upon white star next his city name.

[Alhambram]

Turn 25:

Found barb camp in north, hope to kill at least 3 barbs for Bronze Working boost.

   
I need to be careful if I raze barb camp, because I shall pick up 2 points (not 3 points because it is far away from my city, right?). Then I have 4 points, make sure that I won't collect more then 6 points.
This means 3 points from campus, 1 point for triggering classical tech from finishing iron works and 1 point for 1st swordsmen in word.
So till era change no government change if I want enter dark age. (I can still finish Politcal Philosophy but avoid picking government).
Hopefully one of players is going blitz thorugh tech or civics so earlier classical age then turn 60 is triggered.

In east warrior found red tiles which means that there was a city state waiting there several tiles away from Eger. I wouldn't be suprised if someone has met it already...
In Buda I start settler for now, because Agoge and Ilkum is close (craftmanship) and I want use 50%Agoge policy card. I shall finish slinger before settler in Buda for escort.

[Alhambram]

Turn 27:

Met city state in east which is Antananaviro, 2 extra culture per turn early is very nice. Interesting that nobody did find it before me. Maybe to east also dead end similar as north?
   
In that case I need to push cities south and west. Though spot 1W of warrior is very nice to have, with that cotton field it can fuel levy enocomy of Hungary.

Finished Irrigration at same turn that builder arrived at cotton tile with last charge, so Craftsmanship boosted and finished next turn.
I am still doubting a bit what to do, harvest cow tiles before putting campuses there or just go campus asap? No, I think that I just go campus asap.
Harvesting might accidentaly put my cities above happiness level and it costs builder charge, I prefer to improve deer, banana and stone tiles for extra gold and in latter case boost for Masonry.
I am going grow Eger till size 4 and then go production heavy. Buda can borrow rice tile if it needs growth after finishing settler for example.

Next turn Early Empire boost, after finishing campus I should get State Workforce boost. Already got Political Philosophy boost by finding Antananaviro. Antananaviro asks for State Workforce boost by the way and Granada asks for Mysticism boost when I pick up Pantheon.

Speaking of Pantheon TheArchduke picked ineteresting one, the river Goddess which gives 2 etxra housing and amenties when building holy sites along rivers. It is normally more mid-late game pantheon, but with half cost holy sites with Japan it is interesting choice. But once room to settle upon rivers runs out, it is less good pantheon. Normally not my first choice but interesting neverthless.
I am really crossing fingers that nobody picks Goddess of Festivals (1 culture for each plantation), I can farm a lot culture with banana's and cottons.

I have 5 era score, 2 extra from razing barb camp as expected, but one extra from improving cotton which was flooded previously. More and more it seems likely that I might accidentally trigger normal age instead dark age...

[Alhambram]

Turn 30:

Found Zanzibar's warrior by chance at turn 28 in north west and also noticed religious city state borders but it is blocked by annoying mountain chain.
   
I need to decide which city state I should levy against TheArchduke. City states next sea might build galleys instead warriors/archers which I do desire.

And I managed to kill barb warrior, one more barb kill for bronze working boost and barb scout is been idling for several  turns next my border, time to send finished slinger towards it.
   
Hopefully I can nab boost for both archery and bronze working in one sweep. Settler complete in 3 turns in Buda, I still hasn't scouted in south, slinger meant for it is on route towards barb scout.
I probably am going to settle at cotton field, I need many gold for levying and I lack knowledge of area south of me, dunno whether it is safe.

After finishing campus, I likely has finished Early Empire civic too at that point, then use colonization policy card to build 4th and maybe 5th settlers fast and push for south.

[Alhambram]

Turn 32:

That barb scout kindly waited till my slinger could kill it, got boost for archery and bronze working. Slinger shall turn back and scout south. Settler go to cotton field.
   
Finally met religious city state north of TheArchduke's capital. Nazca wants me build a galley. Zanzibar want that I recruit an Great Admiral. Not really happening I think.
So I need place envoy with diplomatic league to ensure that TheArchduke attempts to knock me out suzerainship fails or do a nasty timing by placing envoy same time as Amani, then instant levy to bringmy envoys in city state to 5.