[spoilers] Now, Commodore Frogger, roll those 71 dice

[Commodore]

Do you have ten spots worth settling?

Ish, one gap spot between the Keep on the Borderland and the wines city is debatable, only having a lighthousable lake and farm tiles for food. Beyond these ten it's pretty bleak.

[Commodore]

Hum. What's the reward of this one again?

[Magic Science]

Hum. What's the reward of this one again?

+1 happy face in every city forever.

This page has never let me down yet.

Also, I don't know exactly how this quest interacts with "Quests For Everybody" but I know that you will still fail it even if the rival civilization that takes control of The Holy Mountain doesn't have the right state religion and has no clue the quest is even happening.

[Commodore]

I love being Spiritual. About to hop over into Taoism to get the OR bonus on the temple/lighthouse to the south, then going back into Serfdom for a stint.

Happiness? Who needs it?

[Commodore]

This turn was annoying to wait for, up to five cities now...

...but those brown and green borders are alarming for our plans.

[Commodore]

City #6 is actually a fantastic island, not only the fish I'd seen but also clams.


... and on the subject of food...

A 2-food furs tile is much easier to work. This actually a decent capital at this point, I'm glad because we need a heck of a lot in the missionary department here while the other Taoist city makes the shrine.

Failed the Holy Mountain quest, probably because I converted out of Islam.

[Commodore]

Thoth is doing quite well; he's pushed me out of my ideal spot, but I can build a good border city here and still get the wines, at least. We're tied with Krill for top city count, but the power makes me nervous.

[Commodore]

Everyone is reporting pretty well, but I suppose I should make some notes about how the opposition looks from my perspective. Finals season is about wrapped up, so I'd love fresh eyes from my dedlurker on this too, but from my perspective:


Top Dawg: Krill (Shaka Sumer)
Cities: 6
Economy: Intact
Power: Stratospheric
Krill's matching us for top # cities, he's got the disgustingly powerful Sumer just entering its prime, and he's one of the Horseback Riders, which he used to raze a Bingian city out in the fog (presumably to his NW). Central position is his blessing and his curse, so he does need to manage diplomacy well on that front...I really personally appreciate him settling a city that shields me from Superdeath over land. He's been pretty engaged, but definitely needs to prepare for incoming storms.


Strong Horses: Thoth (Giggles Ottoman) and Pindicooter (Qin Japan)
Cities: 5
Economies: Passing
Power: Respectable
Thoth and Pindicooter are following very different game plans, with Thoth managing a standard "just build good" while Pindicooter are making the extremely obvious Early MC->Bulb Machinery->Mass Samurai play. Despite that, I'd say both are in contention with good solid development and nice growth.


Beetlebombs: Yuri (Lieu-Ye Dutch), Superdeath (Boudicca Mongol), and Bing (Vicky Babylon)
Cities: 3
Economies: Shambolic
Power: Fully Committed
The losers of the early wars, because they've been in early wars, are this poor sorry lot. I don't have Bing contact so I don't know what let him down, but Yuri got classically Superdeathed, who thus was also Superdeathing himself. They're all tiny for turn 82, and hopeless in the long term, but obviously they can still definitely affect outcomes. We tragically don't border and of them so there's not a lot of advantage to take here, but Thoth and Krill will love these.


Fine and Froggy: Now O'Dore (Brennus England)
Cities: 6
Economy: Adequate
Power: Pitiful
FARMERS...GAMBIT. The horribly awkward strategic resource situation of this land sees us trying to claim a ten-city Minimally Relevant Empire behind...archers. Nothing amazing has happened with Taoism yet but we are eight turns from a shrine, so along with the island city research will be okay. It's...a scary time.

[Tarkeel]

I'm impressed with how long you've held up without any metal units!

[Commodore]

I'm impressed with how long you've held up without any metal units!

I do not endorse this practice. Fortunate geography helps, but this isn't a safe or good way to play.