Catherine ascends to the throne!
Err...waitaminit, we need a city first.
4000 B.C. The flag is planted - Moscow is founded! The settlers plant the torches on the outskirts of the village and begin to gather food and wood for survival. Our humble scouting party bravely ventures to the south - the surrounding woods are rich with several species of mammals. Worker parties marvel at the surrounding richness of the land to the northwest - they immediately dispatch to cultivate the land to maximize its use. Moscow is ordered to begin training warriors to tame the vast unknown wilderness - people begin to speak of developing a "warrior code"; all monies and gold gathered from the river are put toward this noble goal.
3950 B.C. Workers begin to dig a mine as the demand for raw materials increases. Scouting parties venture further west and report arid land to the south.
3900 B.C. Our scouts stumble into an unknown village - their sympathetic leader, Tarbin, insists that a band of his younger warriors accompany our scouts into the great unknown. With a hearty laugh and a gallon or six of grog, the warriors head north.
3850 B.C. The newest warrior party reports a coastline teaming with fish! With the location noted on the map, the warriors continue to head north.
3800 B.C. Scouts notice another village to the south.
3750 B.C. Moscow finishes training its first warrior party and they are immediately sent east to investigate an unknown village. More warriors are ordered to be trained - defense of the city is a priority! The scouting party has found another village - the Pheonicians. Word of the Russians warriors' prowess has spread - the fearful Pheonicians offer to teach the scouts about Ceremonial Burial. The secrets are dispatched quickly throughout the countryside.
3700 B.C. The newest warriors from Moscow enter the village brandishing their weapons and threatening the local populace. The Goths - eager to avoid conflict - provide the warriors with the secret of Mysticism. The people of Moscow marvel at this newest knowledge and thirst for more.
3650 B.C. Workers to the northwest have finished the mine - a road is needed to bring the materials to the city as quickly as possible. Scouts notice burned torches and what appears to another civilization to the southeast. Contact is made - it is the Americans! Their leader, Lincoln greets the noble scouts. An offer is made to Lincoln - Pottery and Bronze Working for Masonry? He accepts! Moscow masons begin forming bricks to build homes with.
3600 B.C. Warriors and scouts continue exploring but report nothing of interest. Workers continue to build a road into Moscow from the mine.
3550 B.C. Moscow completes another warrior party! The unit is given specific instructions to remain in the city and guard against any hostile aggression. Potters begin construction of a granary in the city - the granary is given top priority. The citizens move out to the woods - not rich in food but very rich in materials and gold. Not to mention - other surrounding land in the city would require more work than we can provide right now. The citizens are demanding raw materials and gold with which study the "arts".
3500 B.C. Our worker completes the road and is ordered to the plains with an eye on the fertile coastland nearby. Scouts are ordered to begin looking for other places to found a new city.
3450 B.C. Our workers begin to irrigate the plains - scouts have run into another stranger - an elite Japanese warrior! The warriors carry battle cloths and their weapons are indicitive of well seasoned troops. We offer Mysticism to them, and they offer something called the Wheel, Warrior Code and a pouch of 10 gold! We accept their gracious offer and send them on their way. Wisemen begin to study Iron Working; a young child brought back a piece of the mysterious material from the surrounding hillsides.
3400 B.C. Our warrior up north is directed to scout the land to determine if the northern border is surrounded by water. Warriors notice a valley of wild horses to the northwest! Our scouts notice the outskirts of the Japanese civilization to our south.
3350 B.C. Our eastern most warrior notices the nice city of Washington. To the northeast lies the river inlet, a potential city site.
3300 B.C. Frustrated with the lack of progress on the granary in Moscow, Catherine orders half rations until the work is completed! Food? Nyet! Granary? Da! The subsequent hurrying of the granary costs the lives of several citizens. Catherine decrees that a new military unit, Spearmen, will be the primary protectors of Moscow. A secretive military camp on the outskirts begins their training. Catherine also orders that citizens begin to prepare to settle a new city! They will begin to form when the Spearmen are completely trained.
3250 B.C. Warriors and scouts continue to explore but report nothing remarkable.
3200 B.C. Scouts notice a Japanese settler found a new city (Osaka). Warrior near America notices huge amounts of incense in the deserts to the southeast. Contact is made with the Americans and Mysticism is offered. They only offer 11GP but it is accepted as the treasury in Moscow is slowly declining in size.
3150 B.C. Worker completes all work in the plains - moves to coast to mine materials and connect a road.
3100 B.C. Mine is begun.
3050 B.C. Scouts and warriors continue to explore - still no sign of a second American city. Catherine stands back to admire the progress of the mighty Russian civilization.
Discoveries (not including starting advances) in 20 turns
Warrior Code
Mysticism
Ceremonial Burial
Masonry
The Wheel
Thoughts
We really need to focus on staking our claim before America beats us to the punch. The proposed city site near the fish (with the red dot) is good in that it will effectively prevent the Japanese or Americans from developing our north shore (as long as we boot them out if they try to cross our ZOC).
Note: I had a bit of a problem with the attachment. See the first pic below to see what I'm talking about.
The downside to our starting locations are the lack of natural resources - we're going to need several workers (later) to develop the unusable land.
