[SPOILERS] Roland and Suboptimal Team Up

[suboptimal]

Turn 127

Open the save to a pile of notifications. A pile unseen since...um…I got invaded and nuked in PBEM 18:




Russia and Australia have been busy down at Demak Sultanate (as can be seen). I’ve completed a trading post in Have a Good Time and James Tavernier. DoF with Bruise is over. The swordsman with the promotion is now dead. China is asking to establish an embassy. This concept is unheard of in Indonesian lands but it’s from our friends next door so why not accept it? Clicking the city attack button takes me to an unexpected location:




Hmmm...that’s interesting and a bit of a problem. First things first the swordsman heads southwest to get away from it all. Good thing the trade route ended this turn. Before I do anything it’s time for a policy change and some other things.

Well, I don’t need Serfdom so that’s out. I do want Press Gangs and Conscription though. Nothing grabs my fancy economically so...how about Bastions? Sounds like a plan to me. The immediate upside there is that my city attack at Have a Good Time goes from redlining a galley to sinking a galley. I’ve got two envoys – not anymore. Valetta falls back under my control. If that’s still the case in two turns I’m buying some walls. As for the governor promotion, well, my choice here is Victor or Magnus as planned. Start Civil Service and go back to the action.

I use the city attack on the galley on the Harbor and it dies. Trader relocates to Al. The galleys do not have any frigates hiding off in the fog (yet) as all the support bonuses are from what’s visible. The two galleys headed to Al turn around and attack the westernmost galley, redlining it. I’ll have another galley around next turn as Have a Good Time’s build completes. Roland, I wouldn’t necessarily send your frigates over in this direction yet – it could be a diversion to prevent backups from helping at Hearts & Bones. The galleys can’t break through the city by themselves, just pillage improvements.

Down at Demak Sultanate I make a city attack against the remaining Russian chariot, killing it outright. Confucius jumps into the lake for a nice swim. Chariot embarks and immediately spots an Aussie quadrireme. Goodbye, sweet chariot! Jong at Hearts and Bones takes another jaunt west, finding nothing. Jong attempts the northeast run and, well, is inadvertantly blockaded by England:




I move back south and will need to pick my way through the fog next turn.

Mother & Child Reunion has finished its Campus and starts a library. I appoint Magnus as planned and he goes into Fifty Ways. Five turns to establish and I’ll chop out the jungle where the Commercial Hub is going to go. Until the jungle is ready for its chop I put the citizen working the marsh down here – it slows city growth but gets me an extra while I wait. I send the builder towards the bananas at Proof for a plantation in two turns. I was going to buy a second builder but, well, I want the for a wall upgrade at Good Time. If for some reason I don’t need that upgrade (or frigates show up) I’ll buy a builder at Skies and one at Diamonds.

Archduke’s milpower is now over 1500. Writing on the wall remains in Phoenician hands.

Roland, once I get Civil Service completed I think I may beeline to Divine Right for Theocracy. Diamonds is completing its temple in two turns and I’ve got a granary and library after that. I think I might drop a wat in after those are done.

[roland of gilead]

TURN 128

First Size 10 city at capital. Won't get much beyond that.



I set down an excellent and discounted theater Sq at cap. Did consider a harbor but this will get me all sorts of GP if i ever get the chance to build it.



I complete the Colosseum and am all sorts of happy. Really late getting this but it will pay for it's self in not many turns.




my culture, science gold and faith all jump considerably. My production and growth to.

The hurricane died without wipimg me out.



I upgrade to a crosbow at the capital and get the boost, we now know where all the techs are and have a good number boosted. Siege tactics is the only hidden one.



I start the great library



Have a new trade route and decide we need gold the most.



given we keep forgetting i offer a couple of DOF




i shuffled some Frigates over your way sub but not too far also asked for some niter to do a couple more upgrades.



reformed church in next turn. really hoping nationalism is right behind it. Everyone cross your fingers. That could be game changing.

need to stop cartography research for a few turns to build some Galleys. not sure how many though any thoughts sub?

[roland of gilead]

another thought Sub is a spy a good idea?might build one in tav

[suboptimal]

Spies are useful. I've mainly used them as advanced scouts, since if they're sitting in a city doing nothing they have a sight range of 3. I used them to good effect in PBEM 10 and somewhat in PBEM 18 as battleship spotters. It's early enough in the game where I don't know that you'll get much out of them (if there are any Commercial Hubs to be found) but a Listening Post mission gets you a level of visibility and the +3 CS bonus that comes with it.

[suboptimal]

Turn 128

On the diplomatic front Kaiser has declined China’s offer of a DoF and is currently in a DoF with Russia. England is still in a DoF with us and I believe that expires on their Turn 130. In addition to the niter request I’ve got a DoF request from Wodin. Given our stance towards Bruise I accept. My chariot off the Aussie coast is under attack, the Demak Sultanate is down to zero garrison and zero walls, my lighthouse at Good Time has been pillaged and one of the galleys up there has been sunk. Where to begin?




Sink one and another shall show up. City starts another, due in three turns. Another screenshot – Russia has a military alliance:




with




Bruise. Ugh. Galley outside the city beats a retreat. I do 98 damage to the one on the Harbor and the galley attacks the one to the northeast for 24 points. Swordsman makes it to cove and disembarks next to Graceland. Move the slinger and builder. Jong checks south, still clear down there.

Roland, you’ve got three Russian galleys off your coast.




Your galley at Steve Davis and the quads at Ryan Kent may have to cat-and-mouse for a bit. Also note that the middle galley has a friend in the fog giving it a +2 support bonus.

Al’s second galley is done, start a third. Trader at Al has no available trade route options because I’ve lost my third slot with the lighthouse pillage.

Chariot heads east, hopefully Marcopolo chooses the wrong direction. My jong attempts to pick its way through the fog and heads south, making no eastwards progress. Another four turns and I’ll be free to move. Confucius swims around, finds an Aussie crossbow near Fantasy.

I will likely delay Cartography’s completion by one turn in order to get two more galleys out at Al. Roland, I may come looking for a loan to get all five upgraded and into the fray at Have a Good Time. I’ll have 450 in five turns so it shouldn’t be that bad. I’ll also have enough to buy a caravel.

[roland of gilead]

How rude of Kaiser i though we were pals.

should have plenty of gold for you when you need it. Just let me know how much and when.

might get to do some killing here. yay

[roland of gilead]

Turn 129

as stated by sub Kaiser was rude and turned down my offer of friendship. sad. I also have galleys off my coast but it is worse than that.



i lost a frigate and i have a frigate off the coast as well.

I fear we are going to be swamped by galleys and some frigates making it difficult to get out of our cities. Our cities may not be under huge threat yet but that will come.

Reformed church is in revealing nothing useful, forgot screenshot but it is Civil engineering and opera and ballet.

changed policies wars of religion should be helpful right.



Switched off of cartography till i can build some galleys but may have to get it soon to fend off these swarms.



I upgraded some Man at arms and crosbows. I also got garrison commander on victor at steve davis. mostly i just hid my ships as much as possible.



i expect my harbor will get pillaged at Ryan Kent and your trader is probably toast Sub

interesting times.

[suboptimal]

THe issue is the lack of walls at your coastal cities - frigates will be able to chew right through Glen Kamara's defenses without too much difficulty.

[roland of gilead]

THe issue is the lack of walls at your coastal cities - frigates will be able to chew right through Glen Kamara's defenses without too much difficulty.

both coastal cities will have walls next turn. Kamara is in land but i will switch it to walls immediately. 

I have 6 envoys i could take control of Valletta but that seems like a last resort action.

[suboptimal]

Do you already have three in there? You need to get up to 9 to be able to take it. Might be better to hold onto those to maintain control at Antananarivo.

Saw all the kilt commentary in the tech thread. They're quite comfortable.

When is the pre-wedding handover to Bruindane?