960 (1): We cut down two Indian longbowmen landed near Viroconium, three around Caesaraugusta, and one in India (6-0).
We take Bad-Tabira from its remaining garrison of two pikemen, capturing two workers (8-0). We later abandon it.
We auto-raze Tepetlaoxtoc, held by two spearmen (10-0).
We lose a cav and a knight to Sumerian attacks, while killing a knight (11-2). I didn't want to wait two turns for an army to arrive to cover our worker stack roading the jungle, so I took a chance.
970 (2): We defeat an Enk and a longbowman outside Susa, just re-founded by the Sumerians (13-2).
We crush a settler/spearman team in India (14-2).
We slay a wandering Indian LB (15-2).
980 (3): We auto-raze Susa, held by two pikemen, and then defeat a Sumerian knight, a Sumerian LB, and an Aztec MDI in fighting around the ruins (20-2).
We take Agade, held by two Enks and a longbowman, and raze it for two workers (23-2).
Elsewhere we eliminate another Indian settler/spear team, four Indian LB, two Spanish LB, and a Jumbo, losing a Legionary and a cav (31-4).
We found Vesuvius, filling a hole in the east.
We repel the attack of a Jumbo (32-4).
990 (4): We found Dyeapolis in the northwest, and I'm able to cut the lux rate to 0%.
We finish roading the northwestern jungle, and get our network hooked up to Sumer's.
On the road to Lagash we defeat ten assorted Aztec units (five of them knights), and an Enk (43-4).
We destroy two spearman in Pune, but the town still has a garrison (45-4).
We take Isin, held by two pikemen (47-4). We later abandon it.
We take Jaen, held by a pikeman and a spearman, and sink a galley on the way in (50-4).
Elsewhere we defeat three Indian LB and an Aztec settler/pike pair (54-4)
We lose a cav to terrain ambiguities--that's my story, anyway
--and smash the attack of a Spanish MDI (55-5).
The Vikings are building Magellan, which is a little further up the tech tree than I care to see. I decide to research to Theology, which will only cost us about 650 gold--two cav units, in effect.
1000 (5): We take Pune, now held by a rushed Jumbo and an LB (57-5). We get 72 gold from this trivial town, so the Indians have a lot of money.
We kill a pikeman in Akshak, but the town remains garrisoned (58-5).
We found Tarentum, filling another hole in the east.
Elsewhere we slay three assorted MDI (61-5).
1010 (6): We take Akshak from the final pikeman in its garrison, capturing two workers and a trebuchet (62-5).
We take Lagash, held by three pikemen and an LB, and capture four workers (66-5).
We found Artaxata, pushing our northeastern border forward.
Elsewhere we destroy four assorted Indian units and lose an MDI (70-6).
1020 (7): We storm Ur, held by six pikemen, and capture a settler (76-6). We gain control of the Hanging Gardens and the Oracle, both still functional.
Elsewhere we smite fourteen assorted units and capture two settlers (90-6)
We connect our road network to Spain's.
We found Hippo Regius in the southeast.
We lose two cav to counterattacks, though we kill two knights (92-8).
One of our Legionaries defeats the attacks of two barb horsemen and promotes to elite (94-8).
1030 (8): We take Nagsu from its garrison of two Enks, and sink a caravel when we enter the town (97-8).
We take Kish, held by two Enks (99-8).
We re-take Akshak, whch was briefly occupied by a Sumerian knight when left open due to flip risk (100-8).
We take Indus from its garrison of two spearmen and three LB, generating the GL Claudius, who immediately forms an army (105-8). We capture four workers and pocket 88 gold, so the Indians are still rich.
We found Londinium in the southeast, and cut down a barb warrior in the area (106-8).
Having completed a jungle road to give us access to the outlying Aztec cities, we take Cempoala, held by two spearmen (108-8).
Elsewhere we trample three assorted units (111-8).
We discover Theology and I turn research off again.
1040 (9): We take Sumer, held by three pikemen (114-8). We gain control of the Mausoleum and capture a worker. The Sumerians are down to one visible city, but it isn't their capital.
We get started against the garrison of Erech, defeating a pikeman (115-8).
We found Eburacum on a coastal site much favoured by the Aztecs.
We destroy two barbs and disperse their camp in the southeastern tundra (117-8).
We get started against New Calcutta and Asturias, defeating a musketman in each town (119-8).
We found Corfinium in a gap in the northwest.
Elsewhere we liquidate eight assorted units (127-8).
We repel the attack of an Indian LB (128-8).
The Indians are building Shakespeare.
1050 (10): We take New Calcutta, held by a just-rushed musketman and a spearman (130-8). We capture four workers and seize 96 gold.
We take Asturias, our first conquest in Spain's homeland, held by two pikemen (132-8). We capture three workers.
We found Trapezus in a gap in the northeast, and Bagacum on our west coast.
We take Malinalco, held by a single pikeman, and then kill three knights in fighting around the town (136-8). We capture two workers.
We take Chalco, held by a spearman (137-8).
We take Erech from its remaining garrison of a pikeman and an Enk (139-8).
We defeat the first Enk of Kisurra's garrison (140-8).
Elsewhere we exterminate two units (142-8).
Thirty-one elite victories this round, two of them defensive, produced two Great Leaders.
I've got it.
