[PB66] Amicalola is Feeling Nostalgic

[Amicalola]

Thanks again Jowy for covering, it was a huge help.  The situation:

T95 - Stagnation
We are the third strongest empire in the game, behind Gavagai and Mjmd, and roughly equal with Miguelito. Edit: Actually, Mig just got Pyramids. So we're fourth, behind him also.  


Unfortunately, we are running out of room (2 more cities), and are geographically crammed between Gavagai and Miguelito, while our coastal neighbour is Plemo (currently busy eating Magic Science, and probably soon the other Major Power ). I would compare our situation to Frozen and Ichabod's in PB59 - we are strong, but stuck between other strong powers and unable to eat a neighbour. Ultimately, I expect this will end with either Miguelito or Gavagai eating a weaker neighbour and then us, or with them partitioning us. But karma dictates that I be in that situation at some point, and I hope there is some fun to be had first. It could be a good opportunity to practice defense, which I haven't done much (see PB64 ). 

I'm starting the Hanging Gardens, though I don't expect to get it (it's more of a Wealth build, with a potential upside). And here's an overview shot:


In the meantime, we can still try to look for opportunities too. I am still grumpy about Miguelito's stupendous Holy-City luck, and Gavagai's forward settlement is pretty outrageous, so I'm more than comfortable using opportunities against either of them if they arise. Gavagai's land, by the way, is equally outrageous. But I did suggest a mostly random map, so I can't really complain.

[Amicalola]

T99
We're currently saving up for Currency, which I'm going to try and reach during a GA. Then I will aim for Construction, which we'll ideally get before Gavagai, and try to muscle in on Tzintzuntzen. 


I will either demand the city for peace, or raze and resettle differently (according to the dotmap graphic). That assumes we get there before Gavagai though, which is far from guaranteed. 

Barays are up pretty much everywhere, and quite good actually. I genuinely think Washington of Khmer is a good pick, considering we bungled the start, and our land is Not Good compared to everyone else we've scouted. It also seems that we don't have as much of it, based on the demos. So how does it feel to have these demos and still be stuck between two stronger powers, unable to do anything?


Ok, actually. I feel like for the first time (in depressing reality), I'm able to take this game a bit more casually, or less seriously, than my others. I'm not reporting much! I'm not obsessing over little micro (well, sometimes ). I'm playing 15 minute turns! Maybe that's character development? 

Sadly, GKC built the Hanging Gardens (we were 4 turns away, so not very close). We will get a nice cash infusion of 150 gold from that, though, which is well-timed for our GA.

[Amicalola]

T100
It feels wrong not to report T100 so I am here to report that Miguelito/Ginger refuse to open borders despite my consistent signalling that OB is the path to friendship, and it's driving me crazy! If these guys just let me see their units, I could confidently march on Gavagai whenever I'm ready (one of their main rivals!!), but instead they're dead-set on making me view them as a military threat. Which, long-term, just makes me much more likely to attack them instead. It's counterproductive and silly and I don't get it. Grumble grumble grumble. 


Erm, I mean, Happy Turn 100 everybody!   

[Jowy]

Sounds like Miguelito is self-selecting to be the victim.

[Amicalola]

Sounds like Miguelito is self-selecting to be the victim.

To be honest, that's sort of the direction I'm leaning in now as well. We'll see if he changes his mind in the next 15 turns or so.

[Amicalola]

Launched a Golden Age. Plan is to get Currency in two turns, and then wealth-build our way to Construction/HBR. Then we reassess our options. 


Sent Miguelito open borders again, on the off chance they've changed their tune.

[Jowy]

Gavagai might be attacking someone based on his power. That is another thing to keep in mind when deciding who to go for. If he goes for you, you have to defend. If he goes for someone else, that leaves him open.

[Amicalola]

Long time no see. We had a GA, teched to Organised Religion and Catapults/Ballista Elephants/Horse Archers, and got ready to attack Gavagai. We even got Miguelito to sign clam/clam, so seeing our power rising and our military techs, surely he opened borders to secure that friendship, right? Right? 


When one neighbour signs OB, and the other is a scaling monsters who won't create a safe border after repeated threats, I ask you this: is there really any other option? 

The plan is to find and eradicate the Pyramids before he can PS-whip too many catapults. Sadly a few players gave loans, so Construction probably arrives at the end of this turn. Hopefully it's at his capital, if not we're pretty screwed. I give this war a 10-ish% chance of success, depending on if other players help (I'm not sure who borders Mig, so I sent copper/copper to every player ). But that's better than the 0% chance of trying to play peacefully as Washington with less land than the other players, so it's still the correct decision imo. That's right: attacking a Police State / Theocracy civ is the correct play, I said it.  

If Miguelito/Ginger are annoyed about the backstab, Mjmd in PB56 explains it better than I can: 

Van Miguelito/Ginger not accepting open borders not only meant I didn't have a good staging tile, but it meant I had no way of verifying his intent and would have to station a lot of my army along the border. If he had allowed open borders we could have started a deescalation along the border. Without open borders I just thought the situation wasn't sustainable long term once I bordered Civac Gavagai and Van Miguelito/Ginger.

I take back all of my "that doesn't make sense, Mjmd!" thoughts from after this game, Mjmd; you were totally right!

[Jowy]

The cities look whipped already. Good luck!

[naufragar]

It feels wrong not to report T100 so I am here to report that Miguelito/Ginger refuse to open borders despite my consistent signalling that OB is the path to friendship, and it's driving me crazy!