[SPOILERS] Roland and Suboptimal Team Up

[roland of gilead]

TURN 60

Warrior retreats back



First charge in pyramids.

With monumentality movement should only be 6 or 7 turns from completing this.

[suboptimal]

what are you building just now?

Holy Site in Diamonds, Shrine in Al, Warrior in OC.

[suboptimal]

Turn 60

Open the save and well, there’s war afoot. It’s not us, though:




Australia/Russia are at war against Norway/Phoenicia. What’s puzzling is that based on turn order it appears that Russia/Australia are the aggressors despite their lower milpower. If Norway/Phoenicia had declared we would have found out about it on Roland’s turn. The gossip section of the deal screen confirms this – Norway’s gossip shows that they were declared upon.

This bodes well for us as it should allow us to expand peacefully while Norway/Phoenicia deal with war. However, we need to keep an eye on our defenses as once it’s over they’ll have a well-oiled war machine with no targets. All the more reason for me to settle Big Island inland from the coast except for one or two coastal ports.

Craftsmanship is complete, start Recorded History. It’s got 9 turns to go but that will drop by 2-3 turns once the age rolls next turn. Shipbuilding is actually 1 turn from completion once I take the era penalty off it so I start Masonry. I’ll put one turn into that, finish Shipbuilding after next turn and then go Masonry → Celestial Navigation → Archery. I think Al is going to produce some slingers instead of warriors. I can get either type of unit out in two turns but want two slingers on Big Island for archer support & defense. Make a policy change, Conscription is out, Agoge is in. That doesn’t change the build time at OC.

Roland, we have a bit of a decision point with regards to Brussels:




We don’t know what is on land to the north of the city and it doesn’t appear to have good growth prospects. What it does have is four bonus sea resources which means that Kampung would be strong here. Appeal is good as the city center, the tile to the NW and the woods across the channel are all breathtaking. It’s exposed and the first build would need to be walls. The city’s role would likely be one of just population (because and housing will be plentiful) and commerce (Harbor) but it might be hard to defend. Thoughts? I could start an attack the turn after next and take the city in three turns.

The galley at Delicate Arch rounds the point and sees land to the south. I may go check that out for a turn or two to see if there’s anything down there.




The war declaration doesn’t make any sense. It gives a stronger faction a hard-to-get inspiration (Defensive Tactics) and completely nerfs one of their own civ abilities (Australia’s bonus ) in the process. Definitely puzzling.

Elsewhere, Kaiser has a settler out. Right now it looks like Archduke will have a dark age, MptF will have a normal age and everyone else is golden.

If you’ve been reading my reports for several games now you know how my next turn report is going to start…

[roland of gilead]

I was going to Suze Brussels but I am not that fussed. I do think we should take something and if that works best go for it.

War is mental but suits me. Perhaps they want the first strike and knew it was coming anyway.

I will get walls up asap and archers out.

[suboptimal]

I loaded my EoT save. The city-state's borders are still open. I'll send the closer galley through the city's borders to the north to see what's up that way. The area north of the grassland forest is open water but I'll see if there are any resources worth grabbing. If you feel the city-state is better suited as a Chinese suzerainty than an Indonesian colony I'll pass, circle back to Nazca and take that one instead.

[roland of gilead]

I think we take it. I would get a few hammers here and there for now.

I do want Manchu Pichu but not for a good while and maybe not at all.

on the other hand a city in your hands providing faith etc can be great.

also nazca Suze provides me with much needed faith.

[suboptimal]

Yeah, Nazca would also give me a bit of faith as well. Dunno that the Nazca lines would be worth it (can evaluate that later) but the extra from envoys might be worth it.

I'll scout Brussels out the next two turns and then pull the trigger unless we see something we really don't like.

Come to think of it having Brussels that close means I could purchase a settler out of there and get it to Big Island quicker.....

[roland of gilead]

I have played my turn will do a proper report in morning.

PP is now 2 turns away and the researches are all down to 5 turns un boosted.

I will really struggle get all he needed boosts before running out of things to research.

[suboptimal]

Being in a position where you're researching faster than you can get boosts is generally a positive in my book as it implies your yields are good on absolute terms. It then becomes a matter in which your paths through the tree both meet your needs and give me the better boosts until I can catch up to your output.

Looking forward to the turn report.

[roland of gilead]

Being in a position where you're researching faster than you can get boosts is generally a positive in my book as it implies your yields are good on absolute terms.  It then becomes a matter in which your paths through the tree both meet your needs and give me the better boosts until I can catch up to your output.

Looking forward to the turn report.

will do the report soon nothing much in it for now. 

Can you update me on when i will get Ship Building and Celestial navigation boosts from you please?

You can also remove the Iron pins as i have that sorted now. 

What Boosts do you need from me as a priority. 

Once we know where your jongs are I intend to do what I can to get you there asap. I also intend to get that petra city up and running and get you some serious gold. Hope fully I farm to an extent and you protect and destroy. That's a balance we have other teams don't. But don't think that means i won't have an army intend to have tech advantage and serious troupes when the time comes. 

I seem to be a little behind in terms of the best science and culture out there but thats fine i have 50% boost on both and I am about to explode on both. 

today i need to do a list of builder charges and what i am doing with them.