[Spoiler] Kaiser has a plan

[Kaiser]

Yeah 1 but the Campus stays at +3 (reef +2 and Banana/Coffee jungle +1) and will get over 10 pop with the chops, so we actually get a +1 on total from rationalism and we can still build a University here for another +8.

I think we save up faith as well so we can react flexible to Suboptimals movements, I think he will find our Caravel but here is hoping that we can monitor him without him realizing. For that we likely should try to move it NE of his fleet next turn to then follow it.

Yes I think so, I do not see another reason why 3 Xbows with a GG are there. There probably are at least as many Melee/Mounted/Anti-Cav units there. Probably more and probably also more Xbows.
We need to pump up AK, as it is the only city attackable by Naval Melee (2 tiles, one covered by Encampment).
EM can be shot at by Frigates from 3 positions, we can actually try to encircle there from the S, so with 2-3 bombards this should be defensible (well outside of his crazy 3-star Frigate)

Viktor is deployed in AK in 3 turns, combined with the Curassier upgrade from this turn AK and EM will be at 71 CS with Medieval walls both. His 55 Caravels will need numbers to conquer the city and probably sustain a lot of damage. His Frigates as well, but his 3-Star Frigate will be a tough nut to crack, I am not sure if it will be better to ignore it or not.

I delay further upgrade to save upkeep, but we want to upgrade at least 4 more Xbows to Field Cannons, probably all 5. I build the CH in Isaac as we need the money urgently, without triangular trade we are running on ~25 income, that will be 15 with the upgraded Xbows. That Great Merchant alone allows us to build 1.5 more units and he brings a trade route which we can leverage into another 12-15 worth 3-4 units upkeep.
I hope we get leonardo as well, but he is just icing on the cake as he brings 4 and a nice modern era Eureka.

We are basically leaving the wonder card out and get the wall card instead with the next switch. Suboptimals attack takes 5-10 turns if he starts it now, so we are currently not running it but churning out the builders for operation "cut the jungle".
Most important cities to get better walls in are:
- Isaac (MW)
- GM (MW)
- AK (RW)
- Steve Newton (MW)
- EM (RW)
- CF (RW)
- Charlie Burke (MW)
- Bortus (MW)

[roland of gilead]

All looks good to me.

Faith saving is a great shout.

[Kaiser]

More units coming up 



and



Good thing we have Matterhorn, we can shoot once and then retreat if it gest dire, we need to track the 2nd Frigate and hope he has none clkoser to our borders though. I put two more envoys in Geneva as we are leading by 9 in Bologna and we really want to make sure that he cannot take Suzerain from us. He now needs 3 to egalise 4 to take it.



Maybe this is Ichabods revenge for not joining the war against Woden, but there are worse news and the replacement gave us 1 envoy and 0.5  per district in the target city



CMF did not accept, MA attack incoming, especially as Suboptimal has a DoF with every player besides me. Woden is likely moving in as well so I sent him a DoF, if he takes it Suboptimal might have thrown the game to Woden by giving him a secure flank to refresh the fight against Ichabod



Let us hope he picks the other tile, I would hate needing to spend the money for the tile when we have 5 Xbows to upgrade

[roland of gilead]

Certainly expected that cmf declines.

Geneva is toast I expect but they are going to find it hard taking your cannon filled cities with musketmen

[Kaiser]

Forgot to upload the save

I have been thinking about building the walls vs. rushing Steel instead as our first modern tech.
I checked the save and we can get steel in 19-20 turns I believe, including a small detour to Steam Power to build an Ironclad in Alara Kitan (6 turns with the 100% card). 
This would:
- increase our base city defense by another 6 (Ironclad base strength 70) in 12 turns or in 6 turns if we upgrade our Caravel into an Ironclad (290  before discount)
- bring us a unit which can fight the 3-star Frigate and thus create a big safety for AK
- some era score for likely the first coal based unit
- 400 hp walls in all our cities and immunity to Siege Weapons

We can then go for Flight and Refining afterwards

In the meantime we have to consider chopping units instead of Ruhr as part of operation "cut the jungle", but we are already near the limit of advanced units we can support, we can build another 5 and GM and KG will be able to 3-4 turn industrial units when we slot the according cards.
A lot will depend on when Suboptimal will pull the trigger.

[roland of gilead]

Yeah again that all make sense.

would need to asses save to fully analyse but it's a simpler plan and works across the map.

there are a lot of chops to be had. We can do units initially then go Rhur if it is still an option.

Rhur can do a lot. Add 20% to all your trade rout hammers if desired for example. I have rarely seen a better Rhur City,

[roland of gilead]

rationalism is getting nerfed in next Thursdays update.

need a pop of 15

[Kaiser]

Suboptimal declared war on us and killed our caravel, I wonder how long he knew about it or if he just found it last turn



I would have positioned like marked here, but maybe he had other boats up here?



His knights cleared Geneva Muskets but it is bringing one musket into the city. 

We really need to consider if we defend Geneva or not as the 3-star frigate is a threat to our FC there and we do not want to loose all 3. 
I bought a Bombard in Isaac to have some more firepower against the main naval thread but that might have been a mistake as it can be used only defensively. At least it is the best investment as there is no production card

Ruhr has been started

[roland of gilead]

Interesting and the smart move from him.

I think we leave Geneva and retract back to our core. We can perhaps take it back.

we get cores pretty soon and we can set up brutal fields of fire as he comes into our territory.

Lets fight them under our walls.

Pedro has nearly the same military power as dido and all of his is on land.

I like our chances.

Next 12- 16 turns is vital.

[roland of gilead]

not sure about bortus IZ short term.

30 turns to pay back.