[Spoilers] TheArchduke thinks it is all a dream as Japan

[TheArchduke]

Turn 45

What is going on here? 

I meet China first southwest of Kilimanjaro. So, Alhambram is definetly no southeast of Kilimanjaro. So east of Bandar Brunei. But where did scooter come from? 

   

[TheArchduke]

Turn 47

Oh yes, finally. Barely in time where I still can take advantage of it. The slinger of Gotta will join the attack on the camp which will start immediately.
This is excellent news. Current plan was to hard research Military Tradition for 2-3 Horseman to go for Bandar Brunei and/or Zanzibar. I also want a bit of a deterrence against primarily Hungary and India. My empire score looks a bit more juicy then theirs. 

   

Well, that is a DoF for you. I doubt Cornflakes would have sent that settler unescorted otherwise.

   

A short look at the japanese empire.

   

So, taking advantage of Agoge I will have 3 slingers in 1-2 turns which coupled with 2-3 horseman can take on a CS. As said I am thinking Zanzibar and Bandar Brunei, although I would prefer the former and then bunker up and get a fleet for a quick push into Bandar Brunei. I am firmly set against a rush by now. I have no interest in running into Varus or levied troops if I can avoid it. On the contrary, whilst my army is away I will try to use my warriors (2, soon to be 3-4) as a defensive screen/force against India and Hungary as Zanzibar is rather far away.

It all depends on milpower of course. Right now I am not that worried and I am in a heavy debate to either Magnus settler push out of my capital or Magnus chop the ToA as quickly as I possibly can. I doubt I have any shot at the Colosseum in this game and I would like to have more amenities. Just check the growth rate on Space Lion, my housing cap is ridiculous atm and will only shoot up.

Gotta will try to finish its holy site and if things look up with India (second DoF) I will establish a 2nd discounted campus if I can. Else an encampment.
Current tech route is 2 turns into masonry -> archery (1turn) -> HBR (6 turns) -> finish masonry. 

I was rather unlucky and did not make a save so I can not theorycraft as heavily as I would and could like during the baby break we enjoy atm which is a shame. I think I will do it with the screens I have, if anyone is interested.

So far I had not a lot of success in attracting any lurkers. Playing on my own here, but it seems Alhambram and Cornflakes share the same fate.

[Jabah]

Still reading and enjoying your thread (and the other ones).
Keep it as it is and don't worry about numbers of posts

[suboptimal]

So far I had not a lot of success in attracting any lurkers. Playing on my own here, but it seems Alhambram and Cornflakes share the same fate.

A few of us are here wandering the halls.  Keep up the reporting. 

If you're looking for a save file to theorycraft with you might be able to use the start of turn save.  IIRC PYDT doesn't delete that save file until the next one is downloaded.

[TheArchduke]

Thanks for the support. No it keeps only the Passover saves, not the intial one.

[suboptimal]

Did you check the autosave folder?

[williams482]

Also enjoying this thread. Thoroughly spoiled, or I'd offer up all sorts of impractical sim city district layouts.

[Woden]

Thanks for the support. No it keeps only the Passover saves, not the intial one.

I find if you save it other than the "(PYDT) Play This One!" save, the little app will delete the save you upload and not the original save. I usually just save it to whatever the game names it. Probably won't help you now but for the future.

Did you check the autosave folder?

If have found that Autosaves are created when the turn changes (start of new turn), not your EOT or SOT. There is a pydt-archive folder but those are copies of what you send along, so EOT saves.

[TheArchduke]

Turn 49

New policies.

   

A bit kuckoo, but you will see why.

So where are we.
The most notable thing is the sudden explosion of Hungary´s milpower.
This was one turn to another and is very quick and sudden. Hungary has iron, and either he has finished 2 warriors at once and upgraded them or more likely levied and upgraded.

   

Either he had luck with a mission or he took Amani as the first governor. This is huge. Thankfully it is not Bandar Brunei or even Zanzibar (so I am not the target). Which probably means China is. Or so I hope.

This also means if I have to fear any aggression it is by India, thus my working assumption is now that India could attack me with Varus. Hungary will probably concentrate on China now. This is as dangerous as if one conquers the other, I am in deep shit anyway.

So why the policies? I bought 5! tiles this turn. Which ones? The horse one near Space Lion for an instant improved horse ressource and more 2 more 
And Gotta knock a little harder for an excellent banana tile for an instant plantation for even more gold income. The banana breaks even after 24 turns and the horse is needed for my military expansion in some turns.

   

At the capital I go even more crazy. I snatch the wine tile which is buyable this turn thanks to the natural expansion. And another forest north for a chop and the ToA site south. I am down to 20 gold now, but my income is big enough to make my 3 slingers into archers.

   

Plan right now is Holy Site in Gotta. Warrior in Space Lion for a possible defense line of 3 warriors mostly near the coast for +5 CS against India or Hungary.
Why am I worried about India. Slow expansion, 1 campus. This is unlike Cornflakes, he is sandbagging something and I do not like it. I have 3 districts and 1 more city. And he is vastly more competent then this.

So, the policies. I want to conquer the barb camp quicker for the miltradition boost and then switch to Maneuver and chop and build 3-4 horseman to take a CS if India continues to be friendly or to defend myself if he comes for me. The -20% was needed for the 5 tiles I bought this turn. I especially need the wine tile to get my amenity back up as I am seriously starved for them. I think my pantheon was the right call long term.

On my defense. As I said I am not worried yet, I am more worried about Hungary then India. But the more I think about it, the more I think I could not defend myself against Hungary atm anyway. India however is a worry. He still has 50 horses, I am gonna watch his stockpile closely. Depending on the next 5 turns till Magnus establishes himself in Tank! I will decide if I chop out Horseman. If I have to the plan is as follows:

   

I am not sure if I can manage the encampment in time. I am sacrificing a half speed campus for it which I could lay down in Space Lion. Maybe it grows quick enough to size 7 so that is not an issue? Its housing is 8, so this should be possible.

Maybe I am going crazy over nothing, but Hungary took me by shock. If he had suzerained Bandar Brunei and upgraded to swordsman I would be. Well dead.

Gotta is defensible, but my warriors are east and west and my slingers all over the place. Should have offered a DoF again. Will do so next turn. Then I need to panic about Hungary.

[TheArchduke]

Just for kicks, the east is as defensible if I was not asleep. If Hungary comes knocking now it is goodbye Japan.

   

China has more milpower all of the sudden, maybe something is happening over there as well. Or barb troubles.