[spoilers] Commodore in the slightly less than sudden death playoffs.

[Commodore]

Whoa. Apparently, what Scooter was doing was KILLING OFF YURI. Nothing major this side yet.

Good game Yuri, sorry we didn't make it to Chemistry.

Cornflakes seems to be agreeing that Scooter needs taking down. He better be up to help, or it's over for us all.

This was last turn. I reoffered after scouting Scooter's nearby troops:

...and positioning for a possible nasty snipe next turn:


Cornflakes and I have been skirmishing, it's been no big deal, just back and forth.


Winning the hammer trade, but it's all ultimately for naught.

If we can kill Scooter, I like my duel shot vs. Cornflakes. I have two nice cottage areas up and running, should be able to help:



Popped another copper at least. MoM golden age incoming too.

[yuris125]

Me giving Cornflakes that great general was a loss at 90% btw. Not that I have any right to complain after the combat luck you had this game

Good luck! Sorry we couldn't find that mortal blow

[Commodore]

Me giving Cornflakes that great general was a loss at 90% btw. Not that I have any right to complain after the combat luck you had this game

Good luck! Sorry we couldn't find that mortal blow

It happens, high-variability game mode.

Speaking of, Scooter is...alarmed:


No way, dude. CF has this army:

...and I have this one:


And also this, so that's neat.

[Commodore]

Okay, this is going to be a heavy hit, but I don't think he's managing a stack wipe. Then Cornflakes ruins his day.
   

[Commodore]

Cornflakes, as expected, was able to absorb Scooter's under-catted stack and burn the city. Cost him all his own siege, though.


Need to show I'm serious. Even if it means spending horse archers against a pike on a hill over a river.


Burned for a lot of horse archers, which is annoying but fundamentally okay.

The culture leaving and all the workers I brought along to soak cat hits means I can road and smash his extra units. Rare case of Woodie III making a huge odds difference, too.


Moving up, moving in.


Unless he's got a shocking reserve, Scooter's dead here. Sorry Scooter, but the dueling you vs dueling Cornflakes at 1hp, it's not much of a question. Take it as a compliment that Cornflakes agreed.

It's slightly premature, but I'm thinking of the duel now. Golden age time:



Obviously I'm pushing for a quick win. Long-term I have some projects, but that's a harder road.


I need MORE units in the south now, however. THE BARBS HAVE HORSE ARCHERS.

[Thoth]

Back in Base Civ 4 the barbs started with Horse Archers on Classical era starts.

Raging barbs were interesting.

[Commodore]

Back in Base Civ 4 the barbs started with Horse Archers on Classical era starts. 

Raging barbs were interesting.

I think I do, fuzzily, remember that.

Scooter hit me with his knights, but I have pikes for that. Not concerned.
   

Cleared 32% of the defenses with trebs, then it was time to go in. Only lost two catapults, which is good. Otherwise, I was carefully working to optimize my XP.
   
...and burned. Scooter played a very good game, no way he could know that Cornflakes and I had been negotiating a peace for half a dozen turns before he went and killed Yuri, making the dogpile the One Right Choice.
   

His towns, so painfully and patiently nurtured, are going to fund my 100% burn to Guilds.
   
Four more turns until peace is up with Cornflakes, then it's duel time.