The Great Hall

Turn 123, 200ad

Merlot
Spoiler :







Mav
Spoiler :







I played the mav turn first and decided to hold up a turn with the lead stack after seeing theirs. It's all looking real close. We can count on for sure one more mace and xbow from them which I'm pretty sure are in bookburner. I'm not sure where this other galleon came from, i think it may have brought the cats and then got placed coming back towards their city as sort of a fake out I don't think it came way out from around the south of merlot island. Even if there are 3 more units on nabaxio's pride I'd rather take that then walls going up in nabaxia. If walls go up I think we pretty much have to run back to our cities and play defense only. Playing defense is probably what we should be doing in terms of slowing down our eventual demise but that's no fun, so here's our (last) act of desperation. If they don't get the walss up maybe we do something but the mav stack likely gets creamed.

Since this turn was made the Dutch took a Mav city, most likely Jumbo, the one guarded by the single chariot. They showed up at the worst time; not quite enough hammers or pop into the mace to get it whipped. All trailing units had to scramble to cover the other cities and we'll see how mauch landed. But then this isn't the first time this desperate play towards nabaxia has opened us up elsewhere.


 
Turn 124, 225ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



So the whip is most likely the walls. That and the fact that they can dump those 5 jungle units into the city means there's no way we can take it. It looks so bad that that if you look at the merlot units, they have no where to go - if they head back to our cities the galleons can get them there first. Attacking would be suicide and promote them, deleting our units off the map is a serious option to consider that only gets beaten out by staying put in the jungle, hoping to pin down as many amazon units to that city as possible. The Mav army probably has to turn and run, if it gets to live that long.

We also have another amazon landing and now CDZ is on the scene





Mav
Spoiler :



They razed the city and landed at the mouth of the fjord/cove. Our elephant went on to kill the mace.



I played mav first before merlot so made the move and have now come to a fuller realization. There are no more good options left. even if we turn an run well likely get hunted down (they have engineering we dont). Like I said, deleting the units is a serious option.
 
Turn 125, 250ad

Merlot
Spoiler :

The battle went ok. Overall, I'm very pleased that we got the opportunity. And if they don't shuttle in some fresh reinforcements, maybe this'll end up good. Maybe the mav stack will get to fight next turn. But even if this turn is our high water mark, so be it, we did what we could.



Our unit v their unit, # v #, %, our result

cat v xbow, 5.0 v 8.7, 8.7%, lose
archer v war el, 3.3 v 8.8, 0.2%, lose
xbow v war el, 7.2 v 7.74, 52.4%, win
xbow v xbow, 6.6 v 6.35, 52.5%, win
xbow v xbow, 6.6 v 5.83, 70.2%, lose
xbow v xbow, 6.6 v 5.46, 73.4%, lose
xbow v xbow, 6.27 v 5.46, 70.6%, win
xbow v xbow, 6.0 v 4.50, 87.4%, lose
mace v xbow, 8.36 v 5.08, 94.8%, win
axe v xbow, 5.5 v 4.20, 82.8%, win
holkan v pike, 4.0 v 4.89, 37.9%, win
holkan v spear, 4.0 v 4.6, 29.7%, lose
axe v archer, 5.0 v 4.50, 63.0%, win

didn't make it to worldbuilder, just thought it over and plans sorta changed once it started going. The cat took the CG xbow way down to like 2.4 and I braved the archer fight which luckily took the elephant to 7.0 and from there I had favorable battles so from there just went down the line. Win some lose some. I took the bad holkan battle to lessen any units that can go at the mav units. I was able to promote the remaining after the turn flip but with them being charismatic some of theirs may get double promoted. But like i said, If they don't reinforce and we get to use the mav units this may get interesting.

Mav
Spoiler :



So this is what I'm talking about, but the cat sure makes it a target.

And here's what happened to the rest:



the numbers:

our unit v their unit, # v #, their odds, our result

mace v cat, 10.8 v 5, 5.3%, win
xbow v cat, 7.2 v 5, 23.0%, win
xbow v cat, 6.0 v 5, 27.4%, withdraw
HA v xbow, 5.61 v 6.6, 82.0%, win
HA v xbow, 5.61 v 6.6, 82.0%, lose
xbow v xbow, 6.55 v 6, 32.6%, win
xbow v xbow, 5.74 v 6, 53.0%, lose
xbow v mace, 7.24 v 8.8, 79.0%, lose
War el v mace, 7.02 v 8.8, 80.5%, lose
cat v xbow, 5 v 6, 78.3%, lose
chariot v xbow, 5.71 v 6.6, 79.0%, lose
mace v mace, 7.68 v 8.8, 70.8%, win
xbow v pike, 3.77 v 6.6, 96.1%, lose
mace v spear, 3.07 v 4.4, 90.5%, lose
xbow v spear, 3.15 v 4.4, 85.8%, lose
HA v archer, 2.73 v 3, 70%, lose

Ouch. Other than that Sirius has picked up and is off to somewhere else (they also have amassed like 400-50 EP ratio towards mav so can see our cities here now) and we build hanging gardens, which I valued slightly higher than a golden age.



 
Turn 126, 275ad

Merlot & Mav
Spoiler :

So as predicted, last turn was the high water mark. It's all downhill from here. stick a fork in us we're done. Here's what happened.

Starting out from the mav side:



They didn't touch the mav units. But they did reinforce the city. I don't have shots of what we had exactly, everything being wounded and all. I thought I saw some kills I could get in that amazon stack. Some things were coming out real close, like the combat 3 promotion would make this particular match up slightly tolerable when without it it wouldn't be. With all the units busted up I knew I'd never get another chance so in a rush I went for it.

(our unit, theirs, # v #, our odds, our result)
On the mav side, first went

cat v xbow, 5 v 6.37, 42.8%, withdrawal
WE v Pike, 9.6 v 12.4, 23.5%, lose
mace v xbow, 8.8 v 10.10, 24.0%, lose

and then over to Merlot troops,

xbow v xbow, 3.82 v 6, 4.4%, lose
xbow v xbow, 6.33 v 6, 53.4%, lose
xbow v xbow, 5.3 v 4.83, 51.3%, lose
mace v xbow, 6.72 v 5.4, 68.6%, win
axe v xbow, 4.23 v 4.52, 38.7%, lose

and then after that all that was left was a holkan and an axe who were getting horiible odds, so from there it was retreat. In hindsight, I could have done things better, for example, the cat should have been barrage II instead of city raider II, that cost me dearly, and then there was no need to sacrifice the WE on the pike, and then the first Merlot battle, where I tried to soften up the lead defender, I picked a bad unit to do so (it took off no damage by the way). I know the numbers I give mean something but aren't truest description of how the battles go. That first xbow for example, started at 37/100HP and got killed with two 21HP strikes. If it had at least 43/100HP it would have survived the first two ready for a third but as is he didn't have enough to survive that second hit. I'm sure my attacks could have been more meticulously calculated than they were so alas...



So that's how they were as I left. That macemen, along with the withdrawing cat from mave were deleted.



On the mav side:



The Dutch have landed. But not the most fearsome stack. All I needed to do was promote a mace to shock and he would get winning odds

mace v mace, 8.8 v 8, 68.1%, win

And then they'd be left with 4 units attcking 5; no matter how well all that seige did, they couldn't take the city.


 
Turn 127, 300ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



The retreating units, a holkan + axe, have this trailing. And CDZ has landed.



Mav
Spoiler :

On the Mav side the Dutch troops went back in their ships. But it their place is now a Carthage stack, and where the dutch bring too many seige the carthaginians bring too few. At least it appears our enemies aren't working together to facilitate our destruction, there is still competition amongst our foes as to who earns what.

The sole home island cat is spent on the stack, a few units re-arranged

 
Turn 128, 325ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



The CDZ stack didn't budge. Later I figured out they missed their turn, as they missed a turn before where their Galleons didn't move either, as they were parked NW of Merlot Castle.

On the amazon front 2 War Eles appeared with an archer; the retreat continues.





Mav
Spoiler :

Like the Dutch stack before it they're back in their ships. I'd assume this is all new territory mapped out of the fog, must be exciting.

The Dutch are still on prowl in mav waters.

 
Turn 129, 350ad

Merlot
Spoiler :

The 4 workers I had on the mainland some turns ago, well, 3 of them were taken when the amazon, WE + xbow stack landed, the fourth one had limited options with all the amazon/cdz units about so all he was able to do was to "scout new lands". I was hoping to at least run him up the coast but he got himself found.



CDZ takes their turn, amazon pillages copper, retreat...

For the CDZ battles, our xbow won one before it lost and in hindsight there really was no need to have the holkan there to defend/lose, he shoulda gone exploring



Mav
Spoiler :



They like to explore (carthage). The Dutch have a third UU galleon on the scene and the cursor is one the Dutch stack forming on their mainland (the mace).
 
Turn 130, 375ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



Add these to the mix. Worker went 2S, axe went 1N to jungle hill with Holkan if only to engage their troops. I wonder if any hostilities will erupt between CDZ-Amazon. And Islam got founded in sangre last turn.

Mav
Spoiler :



They found another place to land, we probably lose the city to their numbers. The dutch are amassing.
 
Turn 131, 400ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



Cursor on the stack to the SW of our city, also 2 beserkers to the NE. Also only 2 beserkers in sangre and 2 xbow 2 WE of amazon next to it, but they seem to be getting along for now.

Mav
Spoiler :



Quatronia stack moved E to the gems, maybe they want to pillage us into submission. With unit costs driving profit down to only +9 gold @ 0% science this could be a problem. Sirius has 3 galleons in play, nothing landed yet.
 
Turn 132, 425ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



Unlikely attempt to get our ancient age troops into our city

Mav
Spoiler :



And the dutch land near Injiya. I run away, trebs much too much
 
Turn 133, 450ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



Mav
Spoiler :



So this is what happened. There was only the one xbow from last turn in the city plus the one more being built. Despite my running away, they bomb the city's culture with a spy. 2 trebs withdrawl, and then 2 maces win vs our 2 xbow. This is their stack in our city. I attack.



All battles were above 50% odds. Combat II xbows lead then mace and when vercinget. popped I decided, largely because theocracy made 7exp troops somewhat un-appealing, to just attach to a xbow from Iron city to be promoted morale to handle half the pikes and thus clear the way for mounted (WE won luckily from there, unexpectedly). I could have taken the city with the last HA that wasn't used but would lost to them with only HA defending. I fully expect them to drop 4 fresh troops in injiya and attack our attacking stack so troops were transfered from gold city to help defend (but probably not enough).

And also of huge consequence is carthage deny us iron. once it's pillaged next turn all we got is cat/archer, so we'll need to hit Feud fast. (in hindsight, iron was much more important than retaking our city. wups.)





That's the stack on the mace on their mainland. ouch.
 
Turn 134, 475ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



They need more catapults they say, we live another day. Note the naval reinforcements by CDZ and the CDZ-Amazon co-operation.

Mav
Spoiler :



They abandon the city, we take it and revolt back to Police State. Ships are arrayed as to be able to land at Gold City next turn, we are healing 1N of injiya as is Carthage on our iron.
 
Turn 135, 500ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



Units piling up all around us. I don't show it but there's alot of them. Catapults are bombing us down.

Mav
Spoiler :



Q healing on our iron.
 
Turn 136, 520ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



Mav
Spoiler :



I'm set up to pummel Carthage next turn. But ever weary of those 3 dutch galleons in range of landing 12 units north of Gold City. Looks like another game-altering turns coming up, can I get rid of this carthage stack and still secure the city or will one cost me the other.

I also have the 4 units in the galleys heading to the island, it's too bad that barb galley pushed me so far south. Maybe this is enough to keep them distracted, but probably not.
 
Turn 137, 540ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



Turnpike falls.

Mav
Spoiler :

On this side of the world, we attacked



They moved 1NE from our iron tile, no picture but they were 2 crossbow, one of which at Guerilla II, but nothing else was really promoted aside from maybe one city raider (and much unpromoted as it was taken down). We had 4 cats available all w/ 2 promotions and I knew I really wanted to get our cats to face the maces, using the 10% v melee. First cat went in, no damage to the GII xbow. Second cat, same thing. In hindsight I should have done what I did next first, but oh well. Next went a sacrificial combat I/Cover xbow vs their GII and it did great, losing but taking it down to 1.9 (32/100hp). From there our last two cats died but got to use the 10% v melee and it was simple from there. Overall it went

(our unit v theirs, our # v theirs, our odds, our result)
cat v xbow, 5 v 10.5, 2.3%, lose
cat v xbow, 5 v 10.5, 2.3%, lose
xbow v xbow, 6.6 v 9, 20.9%, lose
cat v mace, 5 v 9.2, 5.6%, lose
cat v mace, 5 v 9.2, 5.6%, lose
xbow v xbow, 7.2 v 5.55, 85.6%, win
xbow v mace, 6.6 v 4.69, 91.6%, win
xbow v mace, 7.2 v 4.86, 92.8%, win
mace v mace, 9.6 v 6.08, 91.4%, win
xbow v mace, 6.6 v 4.05, 97.3%, win
mace v mace, 8.8 v 6.08, 89.1%, win
Vercingetorix v mace, 7.2 v 4.09, 98.2%, win
mace v xbow, 7.21 v 4.32, 90.1%, win
xbow v pike, 6.91 v 3.85, 96.1%, win
mace v mace, 9.5 v 6, 95.8%, win
WE v pike, 10.4 v 7.75, 87.6%, win
HA v mace, 6.6 v 4.64, 94.2% win



But what also happened was some naval stuff as well. Last turn we had 2 galleys carrying 4 units guarded by one caravel. There was a dutch Eastindiamen in range of our convoy, but our caravel would take the fight and the galleys could deliver the units the next turn. As for what happened to our galleys after that, well, it was in dutch hands, I had pretty much wrote them off.

Anyway, the dutch take the 96% eastindiamen v caravel fight and win, but they're left at 3.3 strength. Our ships are still next to land and combined with how well things went with Carthage I decide to dump the cargo there on the same coast they started from and use the 2 galleys to take down the eastindiamen. I use the first one for sacrifice and it wins,



even to the point where it becomes Navigation I (3 moves). With all the possibilities of where the dutch can place their remaining ships I decide that the best thing that the other galley can do is take on the barb galley at bad odds and it wins. The first galley ended up 1 tile southwest of where it's shown (able to escape to injiya if threatened) and the barb fighting galley (which also became Nav I) went to Copper City

Galley v Eastindiamen, 2 v 3.3, 14.2%, win
Galley v galley, 2 v 2.2, 32.2%, win

Winning stack:


 
Turn 138, 560ad

Merlot
Spoiler :


Confined to the home island (but with a decent army to guard it - until it gets obsolete).

Amazon has an archer and a settler on the tile where the circus was.

Mav
Spoiler :



The dutch ships don't budge, our galley makes it safely to Gold City, home island relatively secure, iron getting hooked back up.
 
Turn 139, 580ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



Cursor on the library. Feudalism in.

Mav
Spoiler :



Cursor on beta. Troops shuffled around.
 
Turn 140, 600ad

Merlot
Spoiler :



We build units, they control all things not our island

Mav
Spoiler :



Healing in the cap
 
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