Hooo boy... I didn't think I would survive that one.
Where shall I start... my empire was looking beautiful and CV was on track until...
First off, let's start from last time... my empire was blossoming and everything is happy. Pisa was completed, as was Globe. (Uffizi taken by Washinton). Fpt is good and I bought GE to finish porcelain so my growing capitol (although it is already the tallest of all the capitols) could turn its attention to things like hermitage and archaelogists.
Diplomatically I succeeded in forming a coalition against Carthage. Siam, America and France all went to war with her (I didn't even have to bribe some of them!). They are all my friends, as is Babylon. I helped Babs and France out when they asked, forgave them for spying (secretly wishing they'd keep doing it to promote my spies, and had 3 lvl 3 spies die eventually but that got me a lot of coups) and I built my friends landmarks. My empire was at peace without a single worry as my only threat, Carthage (whom I also still built a landmark but refused a DoF from her because, well, with her low loyalty flavor DoF means nothing. Also not to piss off my friends) was well occupied so she'll leave me alone hopefully.
Me and my friends continued to get along (Pocatello is somehow jealous of me but he's far away so I didn't worry too much) even after ideologies we were still BFF even when I was the lone Freedom. My empire got wonder after wonder and culture is climbing up. Alas, eventually some clouds came over the sun... Washington got all but wiped out despite taking a Cartheginian city earlier. Hmm no worries I thought. Siam (whose military took out England who was never in our friendship circle) and France will protect me. Especially Siam. We're OK, we'll be OK right?
Alas, with storm clouds came rain. Heavy rain that darkened the skies. Pocatello who had been silently growing in the West, struck English lands and took the north from Siam. Carthage then advanced her army up. ARGHHHHHHHHHHH even with 3 nations France, Siam and USA sent against her she still came up on top! WHY DO MY FRIENDS ALWAYS LOSE!!!??? Nasty as always Pocatello stole my lands srsly next time he appears in my game I'm going to screw him up early rather than let him build up (unfortunately for him though his AI was stupid enough to plant a citadel on the border of a city he was razing!
) I eventually got all my tiles back in, like, 5 turns or so after the city was razed.
A city with 300+ culture will gain one tile per turn. (srsly now I built him a landmark, passed his WC proposal, did everything I could and he still was jealous of wonders and CS, covetous of my lands, and he denounced me to boot!)
Saw Dido's forces amassing near the East, sent her after Pocatello. Eventually they made peace and she was free for 10 turns. When my diplomat warned me of a launched attack, I had to sacrifice one of my friends. Sorry Nappy! Behold the carpet of units of an autocratic Carthage
One... last... bribe... (despite being at war with Nappy Dido seemed content to take on Poca at the same time... I might be next)... OTOH the culture these jerks generate from conquering is insane. Pocatello is not giving me open borders though.
63k... incredible. And I don't feel like waiting 20 turns for Poca because the jerk wouldn't give me OB even if I gave him all luxes, all gpt, and both my satellites.
So I sent a bazooka escort with a GM and got it over with. I had atom bombs, but Dido became guarded instead of afraid. So I figured my days are numbered so best take the victory now (look at France, he won't last long and then I'll probably have to throw Babylon under the bus if need be). Probably could've done it earlier though. I srsly have to thank Poca for kindly resettling where he razed Si Satchanalai as so to save my GM the looooooong walk.