RBC15d: Austria- Demigod

Napoleonic Europe -- C3C v1.22

Team
6thGenTexan
Dwip
-0blivion-
Bede

Opening Thoughts:

We are the Militaristic and Industrious Austrians. Our military consists of Hussars, 6-4-2 Cavalry, and Grenzers, 4-4-1 infantry. From the looks of things, they are both on the weak side. To compensate, we need the Grand Battery, bombard of 12 and rate of fire 2. Unfortunately it is 3 techs away. We can get the first, Nationalism, in 15-20 turns. Our Grenzers require this tech so we start with 14 musketmen.

We start with 12 cities and corruption is an issue. We need a FP and I'm thinking that should go in Cracow. Warsaw would bee a good place ot pop out workers if we can get it to 5 uncorrupted shields per turn. Why workers? We start with 5 but there is a lot of development needed: one more shield in Warsaw, more shields around Cracow or other FP location and 3 unconnected luxuries to trade.

I'm thinking initial builds of courthouses in cities lacking and cannons/Hussars. Once Nationalism arrives, we can build Grenzers. In 40 turns we should be ready for war. The question will be who? Naples has a small front and there are 2 VP Locations in Italy. Prussia is another posibility with 2 VP locations on the border.

Our World:

Checking in.

Will review later today.

Checking in.

I checked this one out last night, and Cracow was my choice for the FP.
A lot of our towns are far too food heavy. Warsaw needs a lot of irrigation changing to mines.

I myself turned Budapest into a 2 turn worker factory, but maybe that city is too worthwhile as a core city producing military.

Take the Nationalism - Advanced Tactics (? - the one that gives Britain/France/Prussia/Russia infantry units) - Artillery Tactics tech route.

Grenzers are pretty crappy. The French cavalry has 8 attack i seem to remember, as does the Prussian, British and Spanish. Sipahi is 6 attack i think. Grecnzers are only 4 defense so cannons are a big priority.

Its really very hard to say who we will attack first now. It all depends on which way AI alliances go. You don't want to be at war with Russia. In my game, on about turn 40, about 30 hussars using an ROP with Prussia swept into France and took 6 cities in 4 turns.

In my game everyone turned on France, so i declared on them and did OK. But in another game, the AI may turn on Prussia, or Spain. It all depends on what happens in alliances between the AI.

Checking in.

Will see about saying productive things later today or so.

Ok. Ponderances. I've played all of about 2 turns of this scenario as the British, for whatever that's worth.

And I'll be repeating stuff that's been said. Sorry. I do that. Polly wanna cracker, already.

We have 96 turns in which to either hit the 40/40 domination limit or 60,000 VPs. VP locations are 25/turn, cities are 100*pop, and units are 5*shield cost. So any way we look at it, that's a lot of warring.

Cracow looks like the spot for the FP.

Too, it looks like beelining for Grenzers and Grand Batteries is the way to be going.

As far as everyone else's units go, It's like this:

France
6/5/1 Voltigeurs with Nationalism. (Which they have)
8/8/1 +1 hp Imperial Guard with Advanced Tactics. (Eep)
8/4/2 Imperial Cavalry

Russia
4/5/1 Jaeger infantry with Nationalism.
6/6/1 +1 hp Guard infantry at Advanced Tactics.
5/2/3 Cossacks

Prussia
4/4/1 Fusiliers with Nationalism.
5/4/2 Cuirassiers

Ottomans
3/4/1 Sekhan with Nationalism.
5/5/1 +1 hp Jannisaries with Advanced Tactics.
5/3/2 Sipahi

Naples
2/4/1 Musketmen
3/5/1 Musket Infantry with Nationalism.
5/2/2 Cavalry

With our lack of an Advanced Tactics unit, there will come a point at which we will need to be wary of Russia, and fairly wary of the Ottos. After nationalism hits, we have a sort of curious situation where we're better off attacking the Prussians and their 4 defense Fusiliers rather than the 5 defense Musket Infantry of Naples. What's more, not only does Prussia have those VP locations that are closer than any of the Neapolitan ones, they have good land close to our own.

Too, France can probably run us over without even breaking a sweat whenever they feel like it, so I'm thinking that we'll need to at least maintain friendly neutrality towards them, likely for the whole game. As to Russia/Ottos, the more they fight each other and leave us out of it, the better. If we eventually decide to take on the Ottos, that works too.

Fighting's a long ways in our future, though. We are, to put it nicely, pathetic. Vienna's pretty good, and our core isn't doing TOO badly, but the rest is...enh. So I like the Budapest worker farm idea. We indeed have too much food, too few shields. Vienna lends itself to Hussars. Courthouses where needed. I can't decide if I'd rather have cannon or muskets elsewhere. Somebody else decide that one.

It would begin to look like we signed up for the hard game. Or the mostly hard game - we COULD be playing the Dutch, after all.

You forgot the 8.4.2 Imperial Cavarly France already starts with...

"The hills are alive with the sound of....shovels

Knowledge is expensive in this scenario!!!

Accordingly we need a horde of Industrious workers to push the gpt output. Some towns start with one, rush others elsewhere, and then set up a couple of worker farms. Keep the citizens working river tiles for the added commerce. I doubt if building self research is worth it, given the length of 96 turns, so it is either buy, steal, or extort it. To do the last we need military, for the second military and money, for the first money, so banks will help at least as much as Hussars.

Definitely a challenge: a small nation surrounded by larger warmongering neighbors.

Warsaw and Budapest are both easily capable of being two turn worker farms. Warsaw just needs to become a bit more shield heavy instead of food heavy.

Knew I was forgetting somebody. Edited it in up above. It's what I get for doing that late at night.

As to the tech thing, I haven't quite made up my mind about the tech thing. On the one hand, it's 20ish turns of research at deficit for Nationalism. On the other hand, our entire economy for France's monopoly on it gets us to doubtful. *shrug*

That having been said, I think I'd rather have hussars than banks, but our cardboard cutout army kind of frightens me more than a little. So does the turn limit.

If your plans include a lot of workers, maybe you should grab Code Civil first. Surely you can trade it out for the military techs.

England has a monopoly on Naval Tactics on the first turn. Surely our whole economy can get it on the first turn? Then we can maybe trade it out for money, or wait until the other civs get Nationalism, and trade it then?

Sword and boots from last Austrian game all polished, horses brushed/braided and have shiny new shoes, uniform retailored and repaired, so

Reporting for duty, Emperor 6thGenTexan, who wants to open the ball?

After reading through the starts of the other games to see some opening diplomacy, I realize that we are in a unique position. We are not a super power (England, France) nor are we isolated (Russia or Spain.) I'm leaning towards holding off of trying to get Nationalism or Naval Tactics and see if the AI will pass them around. Hopefully we can pull a 2fer during the second turn. The key is to accurately track which way the alliances fall so we do not end up caught by the web. If we do anything on the opening, I'd get the Russians and Ottomans on our side to protect our backs.

As to who goes first....I've got a heavy turn in another SG up at the moment so unless someone is chomping at the bit, I'll play the first turns on Sunday night.

Looking forward to the opening reel.

Hello Texan?
If you want someone else to take it, don't hesitate to ask.

This weekend turned out busier than I expected. I be done tonight.

It is January of the year 1800. There is an ill wind blowing across Europe. From the west, the wind carries the massed drums of the mighty French infantry columns. The only break in the drums is the massive cry of thousands of men shouting, “Viva Le Emperor!” The constant rumble of the Napoleon Cannons insures there is not a moment of silence. A mighty cloud of dust kicked up by thousands of hoofs chases the scared, scattered enemy into the ground. Only England can stand against Napoleon, but they are on an island that might as well be on the other side of the world for a battle on land. Their “puppets”, the Dutch, Portuguese, and Naples, will not be able to hold out for long.

Who are we? We are a nation of artisans and musicians. We sit in the middle of the continent controlling the overland trade routes. We are no great military power……..not yet.

I must watch the diplomatic exchanges carefully. I do not want to engage the enemy until we are ready. I will wait a season to see how the cards fall before showing my hand. In the mean time, I must prepare us for war. What to do first you ask? Build a summer palace in the mountains around Cracow. Although Vienna is protected by a river, she is too close to the French border. My military mind must be preserved in cases Napoleon looks our direction before we are ready. Only four cities are capable of producing military now. Vienna will continue to train Hussars while Venice, Budapest and Salzberg build cannons.
May courthouses will be built. The corruption must be curtailed so there is more resources available for our army. And to aid the production of the means of war, we need more workers.

Let the pages of the calendar now turn………

IBT no one talks to us.

Mar,1800-1 The techs have not traded.

IBT Prussia joins Denmark against Portugal. Sweden joins Britain against France.

May, 1800-2 Warsaw worker-->worker

IBT Dutch ask for an alliance against the Danes with RoP....No.

Jul, 1800-3

IBT Russia joins Bitain against Denmark. Russia asks for our TM and 46g. He can have it for now.

Sept, 1800-4 Warsaw worker-->worker Venice cannon-->cannon

IBT The Prussians want and embargo vs. the Portuguese....No. Ottomans and the Russians have signed a MPP.

Nov,1800-5 Vienna Hussar-->Hussar Salzburg cannon-->cannon

IBT Kindy give Britian our TM and 53g.

Jan, 1801-6 Budapest cannon-->cannon

IBT Denmark come offering a RoP for an alliance v the Neopolitans....No. Prussia and Sweden have sighned a MPP. The Neopolitans offer the reverse of Denmark.

Mar, 1801-7 The monopolies have broken. France, England and Prussia hve both Navel Tactics and Nationalism. Russia only has Nationalism. Prussia gets 53GPT and 852g for Naval Tactics. Naval Tactics and 9GPT to Russia for Nationalism. Sell Navel Tactics around the world so everyone can build ships they will not need against us. We gain wines, 37GPT and 1277g. Best sustainable rate for Advanced tactics is 39 turns, way too long for self research. Spend 840g upgrading our Musketmen to Grenzers.

IBT Ottomans and Prussia have formed a MA against Portugal.

May, 1801-8 Vinice cannon-->Grenzer Warsaw worker-->worker

IBT Portugal comes asking for an MPP and RoP...no.

Jul, 1801-9

IBT Two Ottoman Sipahi cross the border. I believe they are heading to Portugal.

Sep, 1801-10 Vienna Hussar-->Hussar Salzburg cannon-->Grenzer Prague courthouse-->Grenzer

I have not asked the Ottomans to remove their units. I have spread our our cannons and Hussars in case someone decided to get adventuresome. We will need to consolidate them in about 10 tursn when we are ready to attack someone. We have the funds to rush the remaining 5 courthouses. FP due in 6. Workers have been mining and building road on worked tiles.


The Game

Nice start, Tex.

Assuming that I'm supposed to be next, can we put me third or last? I won't have time to get it for a day or two, and I'd hate to slow things down.