[PB61 spoilers] Bing Xi Lao stumbles into the ring

[Miguelito]

Congrats
It's these little things.
Can you build elephants? They sound more useful than Keshiks in your situation.
Also unit upgrades ate generally viewed as inefficient, although there are exceptions. But you really wouldn't upgrade an axe unless if it's to save a city in an emergency or something like that.

[BING_XI_LAO]

Oh yeah, I'm building elephants. Guess there's actually no reason to make Keshiks. Maybe a couple just to have 2 movespeed available.

[BING_XI_LAO]

I decided to retreat from Power Process. I think time is on my side in this war, the longer it takes the longer Bellarch and joshybravo have to decide the time is right for them to attack Vanrober. They are watching.
In Bellarch's case, he probably wants to kill off JackRB first. I will be patient, though I don't think I've been wrong to heavily whip.

[BING_XI_LAO]

No need to bother with more screenshots this turn. My armies are in place to defend Assabiyah and Mateship, while interestingly Vanrober razed Power Process.

I can now see that he is researching Gunpowder. He's massing Knights over in his territory, but I think I should be okay with cata-phant.

[BING_XI_LAO]

After razing Power Process, Vanrober retreated to just outside of what I think he thinks is my line of sight - but I have espionage view on that one town so can see his imposing cavalry stack.
He then sent a Peace Treaty offer. I sent a Peace Treaty offer demanding 400 gold in return. 



My strategic reasoning is this: if Vanrober doesn't get attacked by both of Bellarch and Rome soon, I think he will win the whole game, because he got the Pyramids, then expanded the most swiftly and easily out of anyone, vulturing both Rekenner and JesseL. He has to get attacked by both otherwise those two won't feel safe attacking him enough to actually put the brakes on him - since they might get backstabbed.

Then there's things on my end - how do I try to gain territory? It can't realistically be from JackRB because he will get eaten by Bellarch by the time i get back over there. 
So I have to expand into either Bellarch or Vanrober to get back into the game (I know, very unlikely).
Invading either of them requires the assistance of 1-2 other players of course. But if it's Bellarch, then not only is Vanrober's more threatening empire left intact, but I would be attacking areas relatively central to Bellarch's empire, which would make it easy for him to defend without sacrificing defense against his other potential enemies. Whereas if it's Vanrober, the former Rekenner territories are easy for him to abandon.

Then there's a problem that due to distance, Bellarch will be very tempted to invade me instead of Vanrober. But hopefulyl he will judge that he really has to put a dent in Vanrober's lead first.

I don't mind whether or not Vanrober pays the 400 gold. Either is good! That's 10 turns of my net profit after all this whipping, and i can send diplo attack offers to both Rome and Bellarch anyway.

[BING_XI_LAO]

Oh, as as for the tactical side of things..... the way he places his cavalry mostly out of what he assumes is my sight range, implies he will attack me further with them if I don't accept peace.
So I reciprocated by moving some of my troops back 1 tile, so he won't see half of them when he moves forward. He has two Knights in Concordia itself.

[BING_XI_LAO]

Vanrober sent me another Peace Treaty offer, but look at this:

I'm going to stick with the anti-India stance.
Vanrober has 12 Knights and 9 catapults besides another 18 or so units that I can see.
Meanwhile I have this, which includes 16 catapults. I'm not attacking, pust parking my troops near the border out of Vanrober's sight, but not Bellarch's .I just want Rome and Bellarch to see that I'm waiting for them to join in. I think Rome has a scout around in my area too.

[BING_XI_LAO]

Oh, and JackRB lost two of his seven remaining towns, Bellarch shouldn#t keep me waiting much longer..... either to put me out of my misery, or to attack Vanrober.

[BING_XI_LAO]

I just moved my forces in a pretty dumb way, they won't get destroyed even if Vanrober's troops are lurking out of vision range, but I wonder if he will outmaneuver me. I moved them onto an un-roaded hill with two workers, so I might have to build the road and abandon the workers if he moves loads of cavalry towards a city. Shouldn't play when busy and tired!

[BING_XI_LAO]

ITZ happening. But I had to move my army back/sideways this turn, which won't impress my allies unless they figure out why.