[SPOILERS] Roland and Suboptimal Team Up

[Bruindane]

Mildly amusing, we are presumably the dominant power in our mini-war. It does take away our ability to 'break' friendship with Russia by declaring ourselves, but that wasn't our objective.

By declaring war, Kaiser reminded me of an earlier mini goal that Indonesia should outlast Japan. I think we can actively make that happen-- I don't think any of the other powers would interfere, and there may be oil over there for us. They have both coal and niter, so we are about the same tech wise, but with a military strength of 226, and perhaps a navy on par to ours.

So Conquer Brussels; Clear Out Barbs; Settle new cities; Suzerain Valetta (capture later?); Move Troop to Al; Flip Big Island Cities; and now send troops to Conquer Japan. Lots of little goals.

[Bruindane]

Turn 186: War with Japan

Our calvary near Brussels are closest, needing 10 turns to reach Japanese shores. I don't imagine they will be braving the oceans to reach us.



I'm building two harbors, but I don't have the ship doubling policy in. So another wonder right? At least for a few turns.

Including Sacred Places, it's currently worth 2 2 2 4 9 per turn once it's built for 400, but I'll probably switch to ships once I have policy card. I do need to build two privateers for an eureka eventually.

[Bruindane]

We are in a mostly irrelevant position, annoying Russia on the margins, but unless foreign cities start burning we'll stay that way, but that's what Russia might start doing if they can't hold on to them.




I could liberate or conquer Milta (named Ashai by williams in the East China Sea) instead when it rebels in 16 turns, though it wouldn't be free for long.

In Al, my spy will take 15 turns to gain sources and then choose a mission, which may be a turn or two after it rebels, and I'm supposing the spy will be bounced by the rebellion. I'll also need find Russian campus locations, to steal tech boosts, as we only know two including Al, and I'll build a third spy soon enough.



Japan's cities are likely inland, otherwise they would have been captured by now. That actually makes them interesting targets for us to take. I imagine they will have walls, so we should wait until we can upgrade to cannons, then decide in 10 turns or so. We didn't start the war, we just sailed troops to return Brussels to its conquerer.

[Bruindane]

That's brilliant, I'll queue up a few missionaries and on the way south spread a few charges to convert the cities on the Big Island to add to their loyalty woes.

I did notice that Mitla has +12 loyalty from their governor, which must be Victor with Garrison Commander, providing extra undocumented loyalty to their city. My Victor is currently providing +8, but is enroute to Goldson so my promotion is inactive, and Indonesia's Victor also provides +8 loyalty, but I presume is not a garrison commander. My spy in Al may be useful after all.

[suboptimal]

Hey guys, I'm back from vacation. I'll get caught up tonight/tomorrow but should be able to play turns from here on out (for a few months, at least). The exception will be if Williams passes the turn in the next ten minutes or so, in which case I'll play in tomorrow's window.

[suboptimal]

Ok, we'll try to recapture Al But why did suboptimal sign a DoF then, that locks us out of an attack for 30 turns and the game may be over by then. 

Per the post on the prior page...

Next turn do we want to re-offer with the ask of a couple of cities on Big Island?  He can’t trade me Al as trading capitals is a . 

I've been running on the aspirational goal that freeing Al is our victory condition. Could we use 30 turns of friendship to rebuild in safety, sure, but why should Russia value a friendship so highly to give us cities for it? I'm happy to take straight up `friendship`, with the intent to build a small fleet, and see where the game is then.

Mechanically, I am a little uncertain how multiple diplomatic offers are handled. Are you able to send a trade offer and a friendship on the same turn? If so, what do they see first?  It occurs to me now that maybe past friendships I sent are rejected and re-offered, and not me mis-clicking/cancelling or some other limitation.

I'm assuming I got the same friendship offer, so I can reject on my turn to give you a chance to negotiate. Might drag on a few turns, so you could provide me a playbook if it drags into your vacation time.

Based on this conversation I offered a DoF so that I could get one or two ships up, plus the Harbor, lighthouse and trade route slot at Graceland.  Russia accepted.

[suboptimal]

Turn 186

First things first, Brussels. One issue with Thrawn’s suggestions – my experience has been that if one of the two units in formation does something to zero out its movement then the entire stack gets zeroed out. I shift the man-at-arms east, link up and attack with the jong. That confirms my experience as the man-at-arms is zeroed out. Confucius stays put and the musket advances to take the spot.

Down at Graceland the trader is complete. While the routes through Big Island are not the best I send the trader to Vladimir Monomakh. That’ll let me the central core of the island and pull in 1011. I start a University in the city, 8 turns to complete.

Builder at OC repairs the horse pasture, diamonds will be next. The crossbowman moves to the open desert adjacent to those resources.

[Bruindane]

Turn 187: Will clear more barb camps for 50 , buying a workshop won't be cheap

Gossip talks about Norwegian Battleships. Woden also has aluminum for trade, so that's a hint where refining is, because I doubt seaside resorts were the target. I don't think I'll follow that path, flight being more suited for deterrence and more likely on the lower route. Russia doesn't have aluminum to trade, but is also at the same tech tier.



We'll finish scorched earth next turn, passing the inspiration to suboptimal, which will then score them an envoy to remove Australia's sovereignty of Valleta denying them a whales lux to drop their Big Island loyalty. The thing is, they are at now -6 loyalty, which is the max effect for lacking amenities. We also bought a missionary for scouting, but spreading our religion will not reduce their loyalty by 3, as Australia never founded a Religion and the loyalty modifier only applies to any city that doesn't have the founded religion not just a foreign one.

[suboptimal]

Turn 187

I’ve generated two envoys and put both into Valetta. That gets me suzerainty by one envoy. Shuffle some builders and attack Brussels. The walls will be down next turn, after which I’m going to pause to promote-heal the jong (with Bombardment).

[Bruindane]

Turn 188: New Victory Conditions

Building three settlers over the next eight turns. We will settle for oil, but also for possible coal and aluminum.




Indonesia is now the 5th most powerful military, but decided that perhaps another path for victory exists.