Pindore and Commodicator are Closing towards Home

[Commodore]

Congrats on circumnavigation! That should be a pretty decent boost this early.

I'm pretty happy with it. Next two techs should be fishing/sailing, get a pair of island cities, and all newborn coastal cities will start with a lovely pair of +3gpt trade routes. Going to feel pretty good about it, just need to get a border that's both solid and equitable with Gavagai.

[Commodore]

I've been lazy, let's start these with our Least Favorite Neighbor (hey, it's mutual I'm sure):

Gavagai (relentless, realpolitik) as Suryavarman (Expansive, Creative) of Egypt (War Chariot, Obelisk)

Whew boy, did we really land with this as our neighbor? Gavagai is a skilled player with a penchant for careful aggression who absolutely hates me. Also, he's driving the fastest leader in the game with a civilization that has first-rate start techs and a scary ancient-age highly mobile terror unit. Joy. Gavagai isn't a guy to tilt, or to risk his game all on one single pitch and toss. In some ways that makes him safer than say a Superdeath; he won't go all-in in a rush. But being next to him with a huge land border means that we're both going to be forced to have a huge land army squatting defensively forever, assuming the border gets locked down equitably.

I don't think Gavagai has many bad paths here; either he gets a bigger share of our borderland, outweighs us early, and can steamroll us, or he can take a middling border and work to conquer AT without too much trouble. His leader and civilization say go fast fast fast, while his most challenging neighbor is Slow Leader of Classical Era Civ. Good setup for him.
Early Game Fear: 
Middle Game Nervousness: 
Late Game Outlook: 
Motto: "VE VILL BURY DEM!"

[Commodore]

Oh yeah, circumnavigation really really helped the economy. Still worth going for the copper inland though, because...

Without going spear/spear, I'd be doomed right now, yeesh. He wants that hyper-aggressive border where the south war chariot is, I think. Whipping settler next turn.

[Commodore]

Really war time.

I popped the C1 war chariot, but unfortunately it did a lot of damage. I offered peace, which I doubt he takes, but worth a try anyway.

No idea how this goes, but we're having to fight very very hard for this cautious and fairly laid-back border area. This is why it sucks to border Gavagai. That "Border?" sign is the halfway point between capitals.

[Commodore]

Here's the border. Gavagai let me keep and promote the spear, so I think I'll manage to get the city.


Also pushing to make a solid border over here in Jowyland. Newbies/Rust Buckets must be loving this conflict brewing between us two vets.

[Commodore]

Well nuts. Going to have to whip to the bone.

[Commodore]

Well, there were fun plans and ideas to be had, but that was then, this is now; locked in a duel with Gavagai until one of us dies. Spoiler alert, I think it's us.

Sure would be nice if we could get an alliance going but AT just made peace to Gav's north. So...this is our life now. I should have remained firm in my resolution to never play with Gavagai.

[pindicator]

It's like he wants a fight to the death when he has his UU in the scene...

[Commodore]

It's like he wants a fight to the death when he has his UU in the scene...

Well, he opted instead to squeeze us hugely. Need 2-movers to overcome this, I think horse archers over Gaels but I'm not sure. A pair of silver mines plus two IC-TR cities means we really aren't going to be economically crunched for a long long time. Should we bother with cottages here?

[Commodore]

Hrmmmm.