[Spoilers] luddite tries to remember how this game works

[luddite]

Sure, and I realize this game was experimental. I had fun with it, I just want to change things if we play it again.

One thing is that Mr Cairo really made an excellent pick with France + Gunpowder. The musketeer is kind of perfect for this: strong enough to kill all the early game units, but also cheap enough that he can mass it up quickly.

On the other hand... did he really win? He's suffering economically almost as much as me. Scooter has more cities now (9!) than both of us put together. So just like in most multiplayer games, rushing might kill your neighbor but ultimately lose you the game.

One thing I could have done to defend better is push forward faster. There's a diagonal line I could hold from the central desert that would let me reach anywhere across the continent in one move. From there I could defend with my whole stack and he wouldn't be able to sneak past. If I could actually reach that point, I could defend much more easily and have a decent chance to mass up. But I don't think he'll let me get up that far.

[luddite]

Ah, I see that Scooter took a city off Yuri this turn. That explains why Yuri's score is so low. I didn't realize just how cracked Scooter's start was going to be, with start 3 + civil service. He can afford to get wonders, spam cities, AND fight an offensive war all at once! And it's only turn 67!

[luddite]

Cairo has combined his stack on a hill. No more builds as far as I can tell, and he's just hanging back.

I offered him a peace deal, but I'm also going to (once again) try to bait him with a worker here. If he goes for it, I can hit him with 2 AT and then defend from the hill with axes. If not... I've got another AT coming along in 4 turns and an artillery in about 10.

I also finished a settler this turn no clue if I can actually defend that city or not (where Dulle Gruet was in the east) but at least I can attack him if he goes for it.

[xist10]

No much comments from me - I read all stories - but I have and follow your report

[chumchu]

His behavior is strange to me. Either he tries to choke which he did efficiently with the first two musketeers. Why add more dripwise and pay extra maintenance instead of building his own settlers to outgrow us. If it is an attempt at conquest he should aim for surprise and overwhelming force and want us to build as much infrastructure as possible. As it is now he is forcing us to build units which is not very good for him in the short and medium term

[luddite]

Thanks xist, I'm glad you're reading and enjoying this.

Chumchu- yeah, I'm also confused. I think Cairo made great choices early with his picks and his rush, but he didn't quite commit all the way and now he's paying the price. He seems very cautious and unwilling to risk anything that isn't a sure win. Which sort of makes sense, because if he just waits long enough he can out-produce me. But of course Scooter and Oxy will out produce HIM at the same time. I feel like he just doesn't realize that he had me (still has me...) on the ropes and that if he just pushed a little harder he could have probably killed me.

For some reason the site is not letting me upload screenshots right now.

[luddite]

Again he pulls back... I don't have any visibility on his stack now. And his power went up a bit, so probably another musketeer coming along soon (I don't know the exact numbers for it though).

I resettled a city to the east as mons meg, which is another name for the Dulle Griet gun. I wish I could say I have great hopes for that city, but I don't... I'm just going to whip an archer there and use it as bait.

On the plus side, I think I can chop the forest hill in the NW next turn. That will improve my defensive situation, plus extra hammers in Rodman for another AT. And if the capital can finish an artillery that will really change things.

Scooter offered me 2 gpt for open borders... surely he can afford more than that? I countered with 10.

[luddite]

I wish I could pop borders just for visibility, I feel so blind when I can't see his stack. He could be anywhere behind those hills. Fast workers are great for scouting but I also need them to, you know, work.

On the plus side, he can't see me either. I feel like he's always overestimating how much I actually have.

[chumchu]

Looks like you have gained a small respite at least. Can you plant a forward city as a crumple zone.

[luddite]

Looks like you have gained a small respite at least. Can you plant a forward city as a crumple zone.

I was thinking about that... I could plant one in the central desert, 3NE of Rodman, just below the line of hills. It's a terrible city site, but it would block all of the central land, allowing me to build roads there without him using them on me. I could put all my units there, and still be able to move back to defend Rodman since it's also protected by blocking hills. Maybe I can station my units there once I get an artillery out.

For now, I guess Mons Meg is the "crumple zone" city. I like that analogy!