Alhambram's PBEM 16 Thread

[Alhambram]

Turn 51:

Finished iron working and upgraded 2 levied units into swordsmen, farmed 6 era points in total. With PP completed next turn, golden age is certain.
   
Antananaviro got suzerained by me and it turns out that city state has merely 2 warriors, so 80 gold is all that I needed to levy them, so I did it. Granada having more military units due being military city state makes sense.
Now I have 4 levied swordsmen soon and 2 levied archers supporting invading one of my opponents. Next turn I need to choose: Scooter or TheArchduke. Scooter is closer, I think that I am going hit him.
No new archers for me, means I might upgrade one of my own to get Machinery boost. Or maybe Bandar Brunei has them since I hopped Amani there now. To make sure I shall finish Archery next turn.
Walls for Engineering is still a few turns, so I can research archery, fishing, wheel and currency quickly with my current science rate and then research/finish Engineering.

[Woden]

Do you have to pay maintenance on the levied units?

[Alhambram]

Do you have to pay maintenance on the levied units?

Not sure yet, since warriors don't cost maintenance and I didn't pay attention towards archers. Next turn I check incomes page whether I have to pay for maintenance for levied units.

[Alhambram]

Do you have to pay maintenance on the levied units?

Not sure yet, since warriors don't cost maintenance and I didn't pay attention towards archers. Next turn I check incomes page whether I have to pay for maintenance for levied units.

Having played turn 52 just now, the answer is no! I don't pay maintenance costs for levied units, I just pay for levying them and eventual upgrades.
Which means I can keep warriors/swordsmen and slingers/archers that I created myself in my lands for defensive purpose while levied units wreck harvoc my opponents.
Also no maintenance means I bascially can field unlimited army, not constrained by maintenance costs, only drawback is that I need to pay sum gold which do increase more stronger units get every 30 turns for them.
I fear that Hungary might be banned after this PBEM, this power if used properly is unstoppable.

Turn 52:
Levying Antanavario's units and upgrading 2 warriors into swordsmen did boost my power greatly, I posses now army that is more powerful than all three others players armies combined already....
   
I did finish Archery and Political Philosophy this turn. Now Sailing for galley per request of Nazca, I am going chop forest NW of Eger for this.

Political Philosophy finished means Oligrachy government, no need to hide my intentions, 237 military power is giveaway that I am going rush someone.
   
I acutally don't need any military slot right now, next turn swap for Maritimes Industries for galley. No need for conscription since I don't pay maintenance costs for levied units.
Next turn finish Mysticism and put one envoy for 2 in Zanzibar for 4 extra gold per turn, also finally improve cotton at Esztergom for another 2 gold per turn and 1 culture.

I am not first to get classical government, same turn Cornflakes also got it and went for Autocracy which strikes bit odd for me. But Cornflakes also sent me a offer:
   
I accepted, I always can use bit more gold. But what is his message? In 10 turns attack someone? Seeing his borders is close TheArchduke's cities, he might plan Varu rush.
Cornflakes is only one besides me who is in classical tech and civic already, I heavliy supsect his classical tech is Horseback Riding for Varu.
I might made little mistake by argeeing due scraping every little gold, because I don't plan to help him, not yet...Scooter is my first tagret. I hope that Cornflakes don't get pissed if I don't help him after 10 turns.
But my presence at Bandar Brunei and Zanzibar soon might alarming TheArchduke and if I got enough gold to levy both city states, I might snipe some cities from TheArchduke if he is busy fending off Varu's.
This way I can possibly help Cornflakes a bit while dealing Scooter myself.

Now there are two leaders: Cornflakes and me, TheArchduke and Scooter are lagging behind for now.

[Alhambram]

Turn 54:

Al lot stuff to think about this turn. Let's start with some diplomacy, starting with Scooter whose sentry warrior saw my levied swordsmen incoming.
   
I suppose that this is his way to react for his incoming doom, spitting in my face. I obviously reject his demand and moves all levied units forwards.

TheArchduke at other hand:
   
If I was playing other civ, I probably would accepted it, giving me safe flank. But with fast paced levied units, things can change quickly and I want to keep all options open, so no DoF with anyone for now.

I finished sailing and noticed that Eger takes merely 3 turns to finish galley, so my plan changes a bit.
   
Next turn builder completed in Eger, then start galley there. Builder won't chop, instead he shall move 2 tiles NW and plant Alcazar there.
Then he move back to forest NW of Eger and chop out encampment that I did toss down upon former stone tile that I did harvest for campus. It is about time that I start collecting GG points.
I orginally planned to place commerical district NW of Eger, but that can wait till Eger reaches size 7 since I have fairly steady income now.

This also means that I shall swap in miltary tradition civic next turn, it takes 2 turns to complete, just in time when forefront of my levied army arrives Scooter's northernmost city at turn 57.

Buda did finish settler and after tiles shuffle, I can complete Ancrestal Hall in 6 turns instead normal 11 turns for non-Hungary players. This means I am going delay settling with 1 turns, so new city get free builder if I settle upon planned spot.
When Ancrestal Hall is completed, I shall pick 3rd promotion for Pingala, science per pop this time. At turn 60 I shall have science over 30 per turn.

My scouting slinger around center of map encountered warrior of Palenque, a science city state whould be nice addition since I am planning another campus in new city.
Amani needs 2 more turns to settle in Bandar Brunei. I need to think whether I shall levy and send her to Zanzibar right away.

Pro of this is another army after 2 turns which can harass TheArchduke and I shall get 2 extra amenties empire wide thanks Zanzibar's suzerain bonus after 7 turns.
Cons of this is that I might have not enough gold to buy battering ram in one of eventual Chinese conquered cities. With several turns warning Scooter probably is building walls and deterrent army.
Scooter still lacks classical tech, so no swordsmen or horsemen yet. He has stockpiled horse however, so more likely to see horsemen if he manages to finish a classical unit.

I am not looking foward battling a civ with Defender of the Faith, but it is better to smack them now then wait till Scooter spreads it over all of his cities and set up proper defense.
In case that northernmost city already has both walls and DotF, I might go for plan B: using levied mobility to capture city without walls instead and then buy battering ram to mop up remaining cities.
In the normal matchup between my levied swordsmen against Scooter's horsemen whould be 45 strength against 39 strength. And I got numbers, but no direct replacements.
Even if I fail to eliminate Scooter, I can pillage or kill his units to make Scooter's growth curve slower so I can outtech him, though I have deal with lifelong enemy then.

[Alhambram]

Turn 55:

Finally left hilled forest/rainforest which are 3 movement points, levied swords flies across hills. Need to decide whether DoW next turn to damage warrior heavy before he enters borders.
   
Finished builder in Eger, start galley there, after 2 turns swap in diplomatic league policy to get 2 enovys in Nazca. Also suzerain Bandar Brunei, if levying is as cheap as Antanavario (80 gold), then I levy it right away and send Amani to Zanzibar.

[Jabah]

Where can you upgrade levied troops?
Only in your territory or also in their (if they have the required ressources).
If you get only warriors from a far away cities with no access to your cities (someone else backline) it might be tricky to get a real military value from it (I guess you get 2 envoys for cheap then).

[Alhambram]

Where can you upgrade levied troops?
Only in your territory or also in  their (if they have the required ressources).
If you get only warriors from a far away cities with no access to your cities (someone else backline) it might be  tricky to get a real military value from it (I guess you get 2 envoys for cheap then).

I can upgrade levied troops in either inside my borders or inside borders of city state that I am suzerain of. No suzerain of that city state means I can't enter city state's tiles.
That is same for normal units, everyone can upgrade them inside borders of city states if they are their suzerain.
Your last question is relevant for this turn. 

Turn 56:

Scooter for some reason decided to fortify warrior. I simply hopped my levied swordsmen over Scooter's warrior and closed in Longxi.
   
Walls aren't up, not yet, time might ticking. Probably next turn walls up, otherwise Scooter would have moved warrior to spot where my southernmost swordsmen is standing to buy more time.
It is going be slugfest dealing with walls and DotF, at least there is one rice tile for free healing for one unit.

Other news is that I did suzerain Bandar Brunei and levied 3 warriors for 120 gold.
   
Bummer that one warrior was in city and upon levying it teleported to NE instead SE, now he is stuck there till I finish Shipbuilding which I don't intend to research it for long time.
More importantly, I plan to move warriors west and upgrade into swordsmen using most SW tile of Bandar Brunei, then I can attack TheArchduke at turn 60.
This plan has one big weakness, I have 3 envoys there, TheArchduke two. All he needs to do is research Mysticism and use envoy to get rid of my units. But maybe he already used envoy, it is a gamble.

Amani now hops to Zanzibar for 2 more amenties and more levied army, I shall get 4 enovys there against 2 of TheArchduke, so fairly safe bet.
Cornflakes and I did trade: my cotton for his jade, we are friends for now as long TheArchduke is around.

[Alhambram]

Turn 57:

Upon noticing that Longxi hasn't its wall up, I decided to declare war this turn. First preparations:
   
Builder improved a Alcazar upon 7 appeal tile, it gives 2 culture and science based upon 50% of appeal, thus my culture and science got boosted once more.

Moved all levied units past fortified warrior of Scooter, I rather have many units as possible past that warrior before its zone of control kicks in once I DoW. Then I declared war and attacked Longxi:
   
Its HP is almost halved, one more swordmen would have taken that city but unfortunately no more movement points left for other units.
Shot fortified warrior of Scooter with 2 archers, next turn it is gone.

I also moved slinger who did make contact with Palenque towards borders and he is just in time to check other city of Scooter at west. If Longxi gets wall next turn, I might opt to attack other city if it lacks wall.
That is also why I did move swordsmen to hill west of swordsmen who attacked city, this way he can fork both Longxi and other city in west. If Longxi hasn't wall up yet, then I capture the city.
The problem with other city is that builder just chopped forest upon that hill, wall might be completed already. I check next turn with slinger first before making decision.

Warrior who did discover Scooter did walk all way to south at eastern border of Scooter to check various things and I just noticed a city state borders south of Scooter. Maybe I can use that city state.

I did finish both currency and military tradition and a policy swap:
   
Still need to complete galley and put in diplomatic league for instant 2 envoys for Nazca. I can put back Ilkum after 3 turns when Ancrestal Hall is completed. Also put in GG policy card, time to collect points.

The die has cast.

[Alhambram]

Turn 58:

After some days thinking and seeing Longxi has it walls up but still has defense of 20, I decided to deal with Longxi and not with other city.
It probably has walls up already due chop and if I moves slinger to check, it likely would be killed by city garrison and inflict war weariness upon me, no need for it.
So furtherest archer north killed warrior and then another archer shot at walls, followed by three sword strikes.
   
Walls up means bit more trouble, but with city strength of 20, it is diffcult to withstand three or 4 Oligrachy powered levied swordsmen with strength of 45.
Next turn if Scooter don't finish horsemen, Longxi shall fall. Scooter has used up horse resource before my DoW, so he is building horsemen in hurry right now.
If Horsemen is finished, city strength would rise by 16, making bit harder for swordsmen to deal with city, this also means increased damage that garrison can do, I might see dead archer or swordsmen west of city whose HP is almost halved.
No matter though, I shall plow through this obstacle and then when I captures city. I shall buy battering ram in 6 turns when I acculmated enough gold (260 gold).

Therefore I call off attack on TheArchduke:
   
Normally I would upgrade warrior in swordsmen, but it do cost 25 gold. I decided to save up gold.
Cornflakes is clearly preparing a invasion, TheArchduke at other hand set up his defense, just completing horseman to increase city defense and putting walls in place.
The best scenario is Cornflakes and TheArchduke reaching stalemate, if I interventes, TheArchduke might collapse too fast resulting Cornflakes gaining most of spoils.
Other reason for my hestation is that I has fairly weak presence in Bandar Brunei, all TheArchduke needs is place merely 1 envoy in Bandar and I lose levied swordsmen and wasting amount gold that I can need for battering ram.
Zanzibar and Nazca seem better options since I can open lead of 2 envoys there. If I lose suzerainship of Bandar Brunei, it cost way more to relevy units if they are upgraded to swordsmen already. So not upgrading them now keep releving costs low.
Speaking of Nazca, I finsihed galley and got 2 envoys there now. I think that I wait with levying units of Zanzibar since I needs gold for battering ram now, so I keep Amani there for now till I can levy Zanzibar's units.
My scout stumbled upon bloodthristy barb scout, no choice but run away from it.

And in south warrior met another city state:
   
I can fulfill its request by capturing Longxi since its holy site would be my thrid district, also I still has diplomatic league running which means 2 envoy for 1 in Mohenjo-Daro too.

I did finish wheel and started Engineering, walls completed next turn in Esztergom.
   
I won't found 4th city next turn, wait one more turn for completion of Ancrestal Hall. I rearranged tiles of Eger to focus upon growth again.