Turn 138
We're moving right along. Sub is practically in free-fall, but he has had time to scrape together a decent navy, and the Chinese fleet is 4th largest in the world and not to be underestimated. Speaking of:
Bruindane is more aggressive than Roland and knows to use his ships in groups. As a result, I think I've blundered Melee 3 away. I knew there was a chance of getting swarmed by superior numbers of ships when I detached them on this duty, but I thought the benefits of potential pillage and diverting Chinese defenders worth the risk. Anyway, at least I can extract another frigate before I go. On the whole, not favorable to me, but those are the risks.
I maneuver and kill the frigate, but blundered the galley move and so can't hit the quad. I expect to lose the galley and one caravel next turn. If the caravel that survives can run, it will do so, cutting my losses here to 3 galleys and 2 caravels in return for a galley and 2 frigates - unbalanced, but not horribly so, against me. If the caravel must die, then at least I'll try and take the quad out - one fewer frigate down the line. I approve of Bruindane's moves here. He's one to watch.
However, I can take risks myself. After pausing to pillage an extra 100 science off the campus, we throw everything we have at Vladimir, gambling one of our three knights:
And the city is taken in a stroke of good luck. Both cities are loyal to me and growing more so, African Skies is stable for 19 turns, I have 3 knights, a courser, and a trebuchet on the island, with another trebuchet, 2 crossbows, a siege tower, and a heavy chariot to be added, along with naval gunfire support. Against that I face 3 crossbows, a courser, and a slinger that I know of, plus possibly a few more units to the north.
The land campaign will be to heal up my cavalry and concentrate it on the drive on Proof, focusing on killing enemy units. Once the units are down, my trebuchets - or bombards - with the siege tower (which only works with infantry...hm. Need men at arms here, or muskets? Muskets) will be able to secure the island in short order, aided by frigates at the northern two cities.
Proof has no medieval walls yet, and sub is about 4 turns away from being able to purchase them, so I will try and hit the city with a knight before he gets those up.
In the far southern theater, sub surprises me as the lone survivor of the Australian campaign is not, as I thought, making for the straits and escape:
He must be trying to slink around to the southeast to try and get at my cities for more pillaging. I bring the caravel back east to cover - if he emerges I should be able to hit him next turn. I will also be finishing another caravel in 3 turns and the two will own this sea.
In the north, the redlined galley is gone from the city. There's only one real spot he can run to:
Didn't quite have the troops in range to hit him this turn. Until it reaches friendly waters it can't heal, so it's essentially irrelevant apart from pillaging. I pull everyone else to the west of Good Time, leaving sub with a bit of a puzzler on his turn. The city will be at 40 hp and should fall to Australia easily.
Situation at Sakhalin at the end of my turn:
I have the ideal force mix to beat him here, now I just need to add some city-cracking infantry.
The main fleet is sailing west:
Towards Borna Barasic. Like I said, hitting China here rather than sailing for Al in the north lets us split the enemy fleets. Sub can ONLY upgrade around Al, China has shipyards on both coasts, and their core around Al MUST be defended since so much Chinese gold and culture is based there. But at the same time, the main Chinese coast - Barasic is China's third largest city, and one of its oldest, the capital is up there, and the Mausoleum city - is on the other side. Taking and razing Barasic gives them the same dilemma that sub threw us into when he broke through at Rodeo: splitting the defenders and letting us take fleets on either side. Then I can choose whether it's better to strike east or west.
Early attacks can hit the city as soon as turn 140, or I can launch a more concentrated blow on 141. Don't know if I should rush to try and stop the walls - he's working on them, but how close is he to completion? I have 7 frigates and 9 caravels to throw into the fight.
Abroad, I decide it's poor form to bodyblock, and instead will use my caravels for a target of opportunity:
3 caravels should burn a strength 32 city with no walls fairly easily, yeah? Who's going ta stop me?
Fuji Bay overview:
We FINALLY make landfall. I will found the city, heal the man at arms, and then begin clearance operations. The city itself will pump out a lavra and then get to work on caravels. The faith will be worth it if I can get even 2 more ships out for the main event.
Russia proper:
Builders clear the lumber mill and mine for the first phase of Noche Triste next turn. That should chop off 4-5 turns apiece, to drop me down to approximately 10 turns ETA. I think I will save the northern forest - the mill can't be replaced with a mine and it's actually serving Borodino right now, not Oryol, so it's more useful. The third chop, then, will drop us down to ~5 turns and we hand-build it from there, finishing ~t145.
Aleksandr will start a spy. Petro, Mikasa, and Navarin will remain on ship duty, while KS and Borodino will get out my shipyards, due in ~11 turns, for Steam Power. Notice also the Galileo and Newton pins - I had a spot in mind for each, but the lucky winner is Galileo. He will arrive on turn 141, but I will burn him to reach the more distant of Industrialization or Steam Power. He'll be worth 1000 science, or about 8 turns' of production.
Svalbard:
This island will be supercharged next turn. Anyone know what's about to happen?
We're moving right along. Sub is practically in free-fall, but he has had time to scrape together a decent navy, and the Chinese fleet is 4th largest in the world and not to be underestimated. Speaking of:
Bruindane is more aggressive than Roland and knows to use his ships in groups. As a result, I think I've blundered Melee 3 away. I knew there was a chance of getting swarmed by superior numbers of ships when I detached them on this duty, but I thought the benefits of potential pillage and diverting Chinese defenders worth the risk. Anyway, at least I can extract another frigate before I go. On the whole, not favorable to me, but those are the risks.
I maneuver and kill the frigate, but blundered the galley move and so can't hit the quad. I expect to lose the galley and one caravel next turn. If the caravel that survives can run, it will do so, cutting my losses here to 3 galleys and 2 caravels in return for a galley and 2 frigates - unbalanced, but not horribly so, against me. If the caravel must die, then at least I'll try and take the quad out - one fewer frigate down the line. I approve of Bruindane's moves here. He's one to watch.
However, I can take risks myself. After pausing to pillage an extra 100 science off the campus, we throw everything we have at Vladimir, gambling one of our three knights:
And the city is taken in a stroke of good luck. Both cities are loyal to me and growing more so, African Skies is stable for 19 turns, I have 3 knights, a courser, and a trebuchet on the island, with another trebuchet, 2 crossbows, a siege tower, and a heavy chariot to be added, along with naval gunfire support. Against that I face 3 crossbows, a courser, and a slinger that I know of, plus possibly a few more units to the north.
The land campaign will be to heal up my cavalry and concentrate it on the drive on Proof, focusing on killing enemy units. Once the units are down, my trebuchets - or bombards - with the siege tower (which only works with infantry...hm. Need men at arms here, or muskets? Muskets) will be able to secure the island in short order, aided by frigates at the northern two cities.
Proof has no medieval walls yet, and sub is about 4 turns away from being able to purchase them, so I will try and hit the city with a knight before he gets those up.
In the far southern theater, sub surprises me as the lone survivor of the Australian campaign is not, as I thought, making for the straits and escape:
He must be trying to slink around to the southeast to try and get at my cities for more pillaging. I bring the caravel back east to cover - if he emerges I should be able to hit him next turn. I will also be finishing another caravel in 3 turns and the two will own this sea.
In the north, the redlined galley is gone from the city. There's only one real spot he can run to:
Didn't quite have the troops in range to hit him this turn. Until it reaches friendly waters it can't heal, so it's essentially irrelevant apart from pillaging. I pull everyone else to the west of Good Time, leaving sub with a bit of a puzzler on his turn. The city will be at 40 hp and should fall to Australia easily.
Situation at Sakhalin at the end of my turn:
I have the ideal force mix to beat him here, now I just need to add some city-cracking infantry.
The main fleet is sailing west:
Towards Borna Barasic. Like I said, hitting China here rather than sailing for Al in the north lets us split the enemy fleets. Sub can ONLY upgrade around Al, China has shipyards on both coasts, and their core around Al MUST be defended since so much Chinese gold and culture is based there. But at the same time, the main Chinese coast - Barasic is China's third largest city, and one of its oldest, the capital is up there, and the Mausoleum city - is on the other side. Taking and razing Barasic gives them the same dilemma that sub threw us into when he broke through at Rodeo: splitting the defenders and letting us take fleets on either side. Then I can choose whether it's better to strike east or west.
Early attacks can hit the city as soon as turn 140, or I can launch a more concentrated blow on 141. Don't know if I should rush to try and stop the walls - he's working on them, but how close is he to completion? I have 7 frigates and 9 caravels to throw into the fight.
Abroad, I decide it's poor form to bodyblock, and instead will use my caravels for a target of opportunity:
3 caravels should burn a strength 32 city with no walls fairly easily, yeah? Who's going ta stop me?
Fuji Bay overview:
We FINALLY make landfall. I will found the city, heal the man at arms, and then begin clearance operations. The city itself will pump out a lavra and then get to work on caravels. The faith will be worth it if I can get even 2 more ships out for the main event.
Russia proper:
Builders clear the lumber mill and mine for the first phase of Noche Triste next turn. That should chop off 4-5 turns apiece, to drop me down to approximately 10 turns ETA. I think I will save the northern forest - the mill can't be replaced with a mine and it's actually serving Borodino right now, not Oryol, so it's more useful. The third chop, then, will drop us down to ~5 turns and we hand-build it from there, finishing ~t145.
Aleksandr will start a spy. Petro, Mikasa, and Navarin will remain on ship duty, while KS and Borodino will get out my shipyards, due in ~11 turns, for Steam Power. Notice also the Galileo and Newton pins - I had a spot in mind for each, but the lucky winner is Galileo. He will arrive on turn 141, but I will burn him to reach the more distant of Industrialization or Steam Power. He'll be worth 1000 science, or about 8 turns' of production.
Svalbard:
This island will be supercharged next turn. Anyone know what's about to happen?
I Think I'm Gwangju Like It Here
A blog about my adventures in Korea, and whatever else I feel like writing about.
A blog about my adventures in Korea, and whatever else I feel like writing about.
