[PB62 Mjmd] Let the Bullgine Run!

[Mjmd]

T54




I like songs in my report and my deciding to deter awkwardness of sheep evidently invited awkwardness of a different sort......

Naufragar decided to give ya'll a report a turn early. I'm very curious if he really doesn't have a single better city spot than inviting war. I mean he took a capital south and has only expanded south and east, so steal my wet corn is the choice? Very confused. So when I settled Oak & Ash & Thorn I thought Vanrober would be the trouble, but nope Naufragar.



I kind of want to flatter myself and say he has studied past openings I've done, where normally I build 0-1 chariots MAX. Turns out when you're playing a no copper variant you build more of them. I've had them floating on either side of Barge Ballad. Worker just finished ivory last turn so was also perfectly positioned to road the ivory this turn. If he had waited even a turn that worker would have moved off. I was debating sending it all the way east, because I hate the micro you see over there. I'll have to redo it anyways because I think a chop I was going to put into settler will go into skirmisher instead. Skirmisher can get to new city before he can react (also keeping scout around; I was going to send off next turn).

Cautiously optimistic about Van. Hasn't responded diplomatically, but has been keeping an axe in sight of my warrior, which represent a descent chunk of his military.

Literally any capture gold will also be welcome. Researching archery and myst has really put me behind (I NEVER usually research archery early). I tried to see if I could get to pottery pre city #5. Two full turns and then a couple half turns. Because I wasn't doing math for this game I was super short after the two full turns, so just stalled now. Imp on Emperor is just brutal if you don't get a mineral resource early. Mind you that will be my #6 and my hate of my current micro is that it doesn't  get two workers to gems pronto, which I'll make sure I do. Also, with skirmisher build will have extra turn or two to work with. Have new worker coming out of Last Sask if nothing else, but kind of want that one to finally mine that sharable hill.

BTW Pin T/C did lose an axe worth of power, but if it was a war with SD it was short, he double played this turn.

[Mjmd]

T55



He had a spear coming!!!! I deleted the chariot that razed and offered peace.



Settled 5th city of Devil's reach, which in a world where people got stone would be a Maoi city. Maybe I can trade a happy for stone later. Obviously needs lighthouse to really shine, but for now settles a new food and opens up maybe getting another new food city. Obviously I am now VERY broke just short of a major economic tech....... I only got 3 gold from razing. Decided to just go full speed on settling gem city. Using worker from Last Sask. Obviously will be kind of awkward because it will only work the rice for 1 turn and then will be mono working the gems. I looked back at PB60 and hopefully I can beat like the turn 70 something pottery in that game lol (mind I had two silvers and had gotten judiasm by that point......).

Naug shockingly is the one who had masonry (hope you all read that with a sarcastic air). Must be nice to get a for sure wonder resource and it be the one you need for a key philosophic wonder. Ah well, I at least set him back and hopefully he settles you know free land in any other direction?

[Mjmd]

T56

pindicator — Today at 9:32 AM
ugh, naufrager is probably thinking we've "wronged" him
he's an emotional player, and will conveniently forget things like he settled up on our city
anyway, don't expect an easy peace here

I definitely wished I would have known this yesterday....... or maybe its just hind site being 20/20. I should have let him kill the chariot to gain a turn. He didn't take the peace and is advancing with axe, spear, and warrior. Which I wouldn't have figured. If I had literally any number of axes this would be a cake walk...............    T62 copper will be hooked. Whats the latest copper hooked date people can remember that the copper itself wasn't under pressure / the person had the time to do so? Mine is just not near ANYTHING that matters, but I'm dedicating 3 workers to it basically. Worker that just finished settler chop and the 2 workers after they are done with gems.

[pindicator]

Yeah, but he has no chance making any gains against you. You've got skirmishers, your city is on a hill, and you can chop out a bunch of them. He's just going to waste both of your resources because he got called out on a stupid forward city plant that he wasn't defending well enough to justify.

[Mjmd]

T58

I didn't go in with a for sure song I wanted and I clicked a random link I had saved and listened to once before (I have a spreadsheet I'm eventually going to organize of songs).



In war news I think Naug is just lost? I don't think he ever scouted the rice to be fair. I did have to whip Barge Ballad another time which I'm not happy about. Axe appeared from the west with combat I and promo available, but thanks to my chariot had to take woodsmen I. I'm not sure why it advanced to be fair, but it paid off as he got me to cancel a worker chop (which maybe he could figure that was the most likely place for worker to be?).



I'm 1st to 6 cities, but still 5th in pop thanks to my lack of granaries. I'm somehow only 5th in gnp; SD . New city gets to work gems next turn, but I also finish 3 units, but still should come out ahead. I think I'll be able to do 1 turn of tech T60 if I want, which should get me close. I might start building Stonehenge somewhere for fail gold....... 

Anyways other than paying for itself via the gems Amity Men will hopefully also grab the marble. I'm hoping C/T (who are ridiculous in demos charts) have better spots to settle.

[Mjmd]

T59

Naug make peace please; I have other business to attend to.





See meme above. It extra doesn't make sense because of course that spot would also make sure T/C can't get it. I moved Oak & Ash & Thorn SPECIFICALLY to keep Van from making this mistake. Which of course invited Naugfragar to try their hand and now Vanrober has done the same thing. Listen people just because your creative and CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD do something. I wanted capital to work those dyes on these upcoming turns, but now I have to figure out when I'm attacking to whip that chariot . Can we just call this game for Tarkeel / Civac now please? Vanrober basically declaring war kind of just ends this right?

Gold didn't go up as much as I had hoped this turn as Devil's reach moved off of lake to work the wheat. Scout is now off trying to find SD for that sweet sweet last KTB. Luckily I suspect some loss of military soon to free up expenses.

[Mjmd]

T61 quick work computer report.

Peace with Naug. His units got teleported SW of my spice from the forest tile 1w of that instead of back to him.   . If Vanrober doesn't give open borders they will be stuck! 

Speaking of, he offered to me. I sent back. If he hadn't placed that city it would be the greatest news ever. 

T/C are up to 7 cities now and sadly they choose to put one at the marble and steal a capital food. I wonder if this was changed after seeing mine. I had to divert a skirmisher that way as back up. I wanted to finish the road last turn so I had to move the garrison skirmisher to guard against a chariot in case they managed to play first this turn. Didn't end up occurring luckily.

[Mjmd]

T62

Naug is a crazy sob. I feel like a trip back in time is in order. Lets go way way way back to how this started, but more specifically to T15.



This was my original dot map. I fully intended to give Van the sheep and settle 1st ring wet corn. I had some spots I thought Van should settle, I wanted Van to settle, and spots that were not acceptable. So why did I grab the sheep?

Lets fast forward to T46

SOOOO Vanrober settled ON copper. This obvious creates a super awkward situation where in order to get the sheep he HAS to make his culture SUPER awkward for me.

The other balancing to my spot is Van could actually settle an INSANE spot towards former Fable which would take my wet rice. It would also grab the hill pig and the gold. Seems fair to me.

If Van settles 1N of copper this game is soooo different for me. Being creative gives him the sheep and we have a fairly stable border where he gets both sheep and gold. I would settle 1st ring wet corn and Naug would have to go elsewhere. Settling on the copper meant of course the only way to get the sheep was to settle a "no" spot. I think its pretty obvious why the "no" spots are bad. They basically isolate any city I place for 1st ring wet corn. Here is a picture from this turn showing eventual culture and how his city can basically threaten 3 of my cities at once............ Like lets set aside the fact he could have settled a better city that takes potential resources away from T/C. Current city has EGREGIOUS culture push into me. Van is basically betting I'll follow my normal logic of "play to win and need Van for ally". Like ya I could keep multiple scouts in there, but even with them 2 movers from the fog I would have 1 turn to defend 3 cities. Plus he is clearly stealing a sheep I wanted. As I stated I was very willing to trade a wet rice 4 tiles from my cap and 6 from his in return........... You know stable border, both get good cities, keep resources away from runaway civs......... Am I the crazy one or do those all seem like good things Van should want???



Whats that you say. Naugfrager tricked you into peace so he could resettle his city and now both food resources are under threat all because Van settled on copper and can't figure out what an aggressive city plant is and that there were better spots.

Now I'll note Naugs spot while giving great vision, isn't actually more invasive than Vanrobers. Am I confused why someone who took a capital and presumably has expansion spots not towards me available keeps inviting war. Sure sure that's a great question. I think the first time was a little more valid as there was a high chance he could get away with it. Doing it a second time is just conceding to C/T because you know I don't like it and want another war for some reason???  

So I see two options:
1) Burn the world. Reputations can do wonders in games. No one settles up on SD, because they know the consequences. I have the units in position to burn Vans city (unless he has a ton in the fog). Burn it try to get peace. Maybe we can be friends going forward and maybe not. I'm willing, but I doubt Van will be after. Anyways, then go to war vs Naug again. Note I'm pretty sure I can keep Naugs units from getting to that city in time.
2) Open borders gives me a chance for trade routes and a way out of horrid economy. Try to forge the alliance I described earlier to take down T/C. Take out Naug first with Vanrober. Naug has already slowed himself down from top contender so makes sense (again I'm very much a fan of make yourself stronger).

I think this game is just a loss. No one seems to want to settle anything towards T/C. They would rather settle towards me!!! I think burning the world and gaining a reputation for defending my stuff is good. Plus the units are there. Otherwise what else are they doing for 9 turns??? Gotta use what you got

I also really wish I had gone Charlemagne in perfect 20/20 hindsite. Mind if I had just had copper in a reasonable location I wouldn't have had to tech archery and would have had pottery turns and turns ago............ Speaking of copper it is finally hooked!!!! Plan is to send 2/3 workers south and chop out an army from Oak & Ash & Thorn. It also has 4 hammers into stonehenge from last turn, but I think we are past waiting for T/C to build for failgold and onto building a large army (note I'm already #1 in this category).

[Mjmd]

T62

War with a weird stack go go go. I was actually kind of worried borders would pop this turn as I wasn't sure if Van settled T57 or T58. I tried to get 1st half of turn but Van was in within 5 min of the turn roll! Luckily seems to have been T58 so he didn't see. Its really sad that his borders pop next turn / that I don't have literally 1 axe, as its going to make it bloody to crack that axe (crack axe down below spear, hopefully skirm can get spear low, chariots). But I'm paying 5 gpt in unit maintenance, so I have at least 5 units I don't mind losing. 



I did PM the war dec. Always the chance he just retreats and realizes that that city was a mistake. More likely he will considerate some kind of deep betrayal and that I'm out to get him. Just for the record even though it didn't go into my decision, but the fact that he gave open borders to Naug doesn't make me happy / bode well for the future.

[Mjmd]

T63

I don't think he is unhappy at all I swear.



He did retreat his units which is interesting. Razed for 6 gold and offered peace. Hes going to need cats at the very least if hes serious about the above offer because he isn't taking on skirmishers before that.

Naug is chopping forests instead of farming that wet corn. Glad we are all on the same destructive page.

In good news I should be able to 1T pottery next turn!!! I'm pretty sure I'm cottaging both dyes to try to get economy back on track. Both are sharable and will instantly get fin bonus.