[SPOILERS] Roland and Suboptimal Team Up

[suboptimal]

Turn 81

Harbor complete at OC, start a chariot. I’ve secured a normal age, now working on a golden one. The Harbor also boosted my Campus adjacency, netting me 2 per turn. Military training complete, four turns to Games & Recreation. I have an envoy available; for the time being I hold onto it. Getting another one in two turns but I think I’ll hold onto both of them for now.

Builder at Al camps the deer, raising my income to 23 per turn. OC will grow in population next turn and I’ll put the citizen on the diamonds. That’ll stop city growth but give me another 3 per turn. The galley that was headed for Shikishima turns around – Roland, I’ll use this to scout out the strait and preposition the ship for the intended attack. On Midway Island the warrior embarks – I’m going to sail this one back to Al to be part of the invasion force (after an upgrade).

On Big Island the swordsman crosses the river and will head for city site C before continuing further south. Settlers and Confucius move. The latter finds some company:




If they’re checking settlervision they know that I have a city here as they’re within its loyalty range. That’s OK – by the time they can get something up here I’ll have 3-4 more cities ready to go. Hattusa has closed its borders so my galley has to cross to the south. Up north the other one moves along the Japanese coast. I’m likely 2-3 turns from completing a circumnavigation though I doubt I’ll be first.






Based on the scores Archduke did not get his capital back. The only new gossip is that Australia has adopted a pantheon – God of the Forge. That’s kind of...late. All of the belligerents have lost milpower over the last turn. Archduke also got his first admiral – Themistocles.

[roland of gilead]

Turn 82.

Russia probably have monumentality and can buy settlers close to big island? perhaps an issue but we sure have the head start.

Tav Finishes the Petra City settler and starts on first of 2 archers.



Goldson gets another charge into Jebel 4 to go and will finish a settler at same time.



Capital continues recovery and will finish shrine next turn which is good.



I go scouting down south. Nothing of not but get's rid of some fog.



In the north west the barbs continue to be far to civilised and not attack me. Valletta seems to be coming to help me which i could do without. I can surround them perhaps and send one warrior round Tsingy to explore and set that up. More likely i draw them into the pass one at a time and have to do the attacking.

Have fortified for now to see if they attack.

[roland of gilead]

I also wonder how long i could hold Woden for.

I put absolutely no loyalty on it.

I don't mind you gifting it to me and trying to hold it but you would be as well trying perhaps? Even Vilnius puts no pressure on it. Though i put a fair bit on Vilnius.

further scouting required i suppose. Would love to know what is going on at archdukes capital.

Perhaps i can suze Valletta before then and that might let me buy a Monument or granary to help. Well i definitely can if that is the plan.

[suboptimal]

The issue we have is that we currently cannot scout past Wodin to see what other cities are in the area. The fact that it's the largest city will help, it just depends on where Woden put his other cities. I think if he's got a coastal one just past that and I take it in a turn or two (or raze it) you should be able to hold Wodin. However, something else just occurred to me - your cities don't give me any loyalty, favorable or otherwise. It might be worth me keeping the cities so that their loyalty can reinforce each other. Something to think about a bit further.

[roland of gilead]

Can we get your GP onto wodens island? Bit obvious if we do mind you. or wander my warrior over.

[suboptimal]

I can work him over there but the invasion fleet will be in position before that happens - Confucius only moves 2 per turn while at sea. That'd also be a bit of an obvious tell. I'd rather put him ashore at Russia/Australia and go wander around down there for a bit. The galley I've got north of Japan can go find Phoenicia while the southern one works towards Australia.

Turn 82

Open the save to find that Hattusa has made peace with Norway/Phoenicia. Also see that England/Japan have declared war on it. I move my galley up to see what’s going on.




A poach is out of the question as I have no access to the city from this side. The damage is consistent with two galley attacks and given the sea access and the undamaged galley making an end run is also out of the question. My galley returns south to resume its prior exploration. The other galley shoots the gap in the red & white borders and reveals a city:




What’s interesting is that the granary is pillaged. Big Brother is likely a former city-state. The city is listed as having an RND, it’s in the fog on the far side of the city. These two galleys will complete the circumnavigation next turn.

At home the builder at Al makes it to the wheat. OC is now working the diamonds for a bit more . I said two turns ago I’d plantation the tea up there but given that the city isn’t growing I’m going to farm the wheat at Al. Galley out in the channel heads west. Midway warrior heads for home.

On Big Island the settles and swordsmen make their moves, with the northern settler picking up its slinger escort. Everyone else is chilling out and healing up from their barbarian adventures. Confucius moves south, away from the Russian galley.

With the exception of Ljubljana (now 24 per turn) the belligerents appear to be cash poor. CMF founded a city – his empire score went up by 7. Ljubljana also founded a city – his went up by 6. CMF gained 4 tourists so he picked up a serious inspiration (or two) last turn. Nothing on the gossip column not already covered.

[roland of gilead]

Turn 83.

Cash poor is good. Well for them not us but we aren't

Down south i finish my holy site netting 5 extra faith per turn Which is much needed. Start Shrine Immediately. Also scout out Vilnius some more.



Micro goldson to get settler in 3 and grow in 3. Also get a bit more gold. Honestly i would like to buy about 8 tiles but we can't get everything we want.



3rd charge goes into Jebel and Cap starts to repair the Temple 2 turns till it is back. Put a lumber mill down at Cap. Have an extra charge on that builder i didn't know i had. Will get the truffles back with it.

Up west one of the warriors worked up some courage and attacked losing badly. I fortify again and move up the reserves.

[suboptimal]

Turn 83

Second quadrireme is done, third one underway. Horseback Riding is complete, start Military Engineering. Roland, I’ll hard-research this one so you get the boost, then I’ll start getting the others to eureka + 1.

I have a notification that my swordsman was attacked by a barbarian. Where?




It dies and the swordsman crosses the river. That reveals




Theoretically I could settle ‘C’ now but the issue is loyalty – too close to Shikishima right now. I’ll settle ‘A’ and proceed as planned with my swordsman keeping station on the horse between the two other resources. An approaching settler won’t see the swordsman until it’s too late, so if one shows up I’ll declare war and take it. Settlers move, ‘A’ will setlle next turn, ‘B’ two turns after that.

Back at the mainland the new quadrireme leaves the city and parks out on the coast. Builder puts in a wheat farm.

Farther afield an English quadrireme has appeared by my northern galley. I advance one tile to take a look at the situation:




and then proceed to move right past it. That gets me the circumnavigation and three era score. Roland, it also got you three era score. I also find a Japanese quadrireme a bit deeper in the fog. To the south I find another ring road




and some flooded tiles further east. I’m going to continue west with this galley towards Australia and try to head east with the northern one to find Phoenicia. Scout galley is now outside Borna Barasic.

CMF has settled another city, recruited Ovid and earned five era score. However, based on the deal screen he’s settled two. He also landed another 200-300 in inspirations. The good news is he’s not settling Big Island.

Looking at the tech tree everyone but Archduke has completed Horseback Riding. Ljubljana has reached the Medieval on the civics tree but is in Oligarchy. He likely completed Naval Tradition for the production boost card. Next turn Japan will either recruit Euclid or pass. If Kaiser passes then we get Euclid. If Kaiser takes him then I’ll have the option of taking the next one or passing on it. Given that Hypatia is in the mix I might pass if it’s not her.

Looking at era score I need ten. I can get nine – 4 for jongs, 1 each for medieval tech, medieval civic, a horseman, settling ‘C’ within two tiles of a flooding river and establishing a trading post in James Tavernier. Roland, if I can suzerain Valetta first, preferably towards the late 90’s, that’d save me from having to build a horseman for an era score and secure me a golden age for the Medieval. Will you be able to accumulate 13 era score in the next 16 turns without Valetta?

[roland of gilead]

I will be fine on era score.

I will get 3 circumnavigation. 3x3 from wonders. great wall. boat, sword. 6 tier government.

I am going to overshoot a fair bit and will try to limit that.

i can have an aqueduct in 9 turns if you like. I don't mind doing another settler instead but it is no issue to get one at Goldson.

what do you think?

[suboptimal]

No need to rush the Aqueduct if there are more important builds at Goldson or Barasic (like more settlers). The Aqueducts will be more important later on for housing and IZ adjacencies. If you do decide to build out an Aqueduct anyway let me know in the next six turns so I don't over-research the tech.

Looks like we're both on track for a Golden Medieval. That'll be good since I can shift gears to builders for improvements if I'm not buying jongs.