Inherited Turn (600 AD)
I traded with Qin:
We needed Horseback Riding for Conquistadors along with Feudalism as a prerequisite for Guilds. Calendar didn't hurt us because we don't have Stonehedge. And the 40 gold gave us an additional turn at 100% research.
Knowing that Qin would probably shop Machinery to the tech-whore, I decided to eliminate the middle-man:
Courthouses will be helpful now, if not sooner.
Turn 1 (620 AD) Toledo constructed a Barracks, started an Archer(1) -- we needed garrison troops.
IBT:
Buddhism has spread: Beijing (Chinese Empire)
Turn 2 (640 AD) Seville trained a worker, started an Archer(5). Cordoba trained a Swordsman, started an Axeman because we could see two Barbarian Archers, one of which had just encroached on our Marble quarry. I sent the Swordsman to kill him--he performed admirably. Toledo trained an Archer, started another(2). I sent the Archer to garrison Madrid. I slowed population growth in Toledo, trading food for a commerce and a hammer; it's reached its happiness cap but will be able to grow again in 3 turns as the whipping memories fade. I traded food and a hammer (pig farm) for commerce (sea tile) at Seville to slow growth there as well.
IBT: A barb warrior approached our copper mine at Cordoba while another archer approached our wounded Swordsman there.
Turn 3 (660 AD) Madrid trained a Worker, started an Archer(1). The worker boarded a galley bound for Santiago, our ice city in the south. Barcelona trained a Buddhist Missionary, started another(5). I dispatched the missionary to Toledo.
I established an open borders agreement with Qin so our galley could do some scouting of his lands.
Turn 4 (680 AD) Madrid trained an Archer, started a Worker(4). Toledo trained an Archer, started a Crossbowman(5).
Our Swordsman at Cordoba killed the second Barbarian Archer while our garrison Warrior died trying to dislodge the Barbarian warrior standing on our copper mine. That was a bonehead play at 50% odds; it forced me to whip the Axeman being built there.
Turn 5 (700 AD) Our missionary was successful in spreading Buddhism to Toledo.
Turn 6 (720 AD) We finished research on Feudalism and started work on Guilds(9). We were still at 100% research but that was to run out in 3 more turns. I set Seville back to grow to size 8 -- it had an extra happy face by then.
Our worker arrived at Santiago and started work on a Horse Pasture.
Turn 7 (740 AD) Madrid trained a worker, started a Barracks. Barcelona trained a Buddhist Missionary, started another(5).
IBT: Buddhism has spread: Tianjin (Chinese Empire)
Qin demanded that we stop dealing with Mongolia. We declined to comply. We were at -2 diplomacy with him.
Turn 8 (760 AD) Toledo trained a Crossbowman, started another one(5). I sent the new recruit southward with a Combat I promotion. The Buddhist Missionary boarded the Galley ferry south to Santiago.
Turn 9 (780 AD) Cordoba trained a Crossbowman, started a Forge(11).
IBT: Toynbee wrote a book:
We'll see if he changes his mind later.
A Barbarian galley attacked one of our exploring galleys and died for it.
Turn 10 (800 AD) I called up Genghis and got the following trade offer.
That's a 3:4 beaker ration in his favor -- not a bad deal so I took it.
Turn 11 (820 AD)
Turn 12 (840 AD) Madrid finished a Barracks, started a Work Boat(2).
A Crossbowman killed a Barbarian Archer camped out on our Marble Quarry. I sent an Axeman/Crossbowman south to investigate the Barbarian City growing in the fog south of Cordoba. Our Buddhist Missionary spread his religion to Santiago. That city was now producing culture at 1/turn.
Turn 13 (860 AD) Barcelona trained a Buddhist Missionary and started a Courthouse(12). I sent the Missionary to Cordoba. Seville trained a Crossbowman and started a Barracks. Sheesh, I just pulled a Pholkhero. I garrisoned the Crossbowman in place.
Turn 14 (880 AD) Madrid trained a Work Boat and started a Harbor for the trade and health -- it was getting a little sickly. The Workboat started crabbing in the bay outside Madrid, curing the health issues. Toledo trained a Crossbowman, started a Courthouse(7). I sent the bow man south -- no, check that. We were at +3 cautious with Khan who had been sniffing around with two Galleys. Based on my experience in a now-dead thread, I garrisoned the bow man instead.
Our expedition heading south came accross a barbarian Archer heading north. Our Axemen dealt it a swift death.
IBT: Taoism founded in a distant land
Turn 15 (900 AD) Santiago constructed aa Granary, started a Work Boat. It would be finished in 6 turns, just in time for an impending border pop.
Aristotle was born in Barcelona. We have two scientists assigned there and he could join them, or build an Academy either in Barcelona or in Madrid. or he could lightbulb Philosphy for us. Anybody up for a Liberalism slingshot? I sent him to Madrid to await a team discussion.
Our missionary spread Buddhism to Cordoba. Now all our cities were converted. There was a Grea Person due in Madrid in 15 turns. I slowed down food consumption and hired a priest there improving the odds of a Great Prophet (helped by the prophet who joined the city the last time one was born) and reducing the time to birth to 9 turns.
Turn 16 (920 AD)
Whoa, that's quite a nice city the Barbarians have constructed for us. But it'll take some help to take. Guilds up in one more turn.
And here's another, just west of our capital, Madrid.
It's on a hill but doable with Conquistadors, I think.
Turn 17 (940 AD) We finished Guilds,
Madrid constructed a Harbor, started a Conquistador(7)
Turn 18 (960 AD)
Turn 19 (980 AD) Our swordsman exploring with a Crossbowman escort killed a Barbarian Archer west of Chinook.
IBT: our expedition was attacked by an Archer outside of Chinook, earning a Drill I promotion for our Crossbowman.
Turn 20 (1000 AD) Toledo constructed a Courthouse, started a Conquistador(5).
That's it. We've got an Axeman and a Swordsman healing down south. They'll be ready to support Conquistadors as they become available soon. I've built some cottages and two plantations (Sugar and Spice) so our cities are still growing towards their current caps of 10 to 12 size, the memory of the whip long forgotten. We are in good position to whip up a good sized Conquistador force, backed by catapults soon. Who's our first fictim? It's your choice.
I traded Spice for 4 gold/turn from Tokugawa, even though he's annoyed at us. The trade may improve his demeanor. That puts us at +3 gold/turn at 70% research.
A Great Person is due in Madrid in 4 turns (50/50 chance of a Prophet or Merchant. There's a Scientist there who can wait to start a golden age, discover Philosophy, build an academy or join the city. Mansa has Philosophy already and might be working on Liberalism and won't trade it, so it may be risky to try for it. It hurts my head to go through the options.
Construction is 1 turn away.
We would need to go for:
Philosophy (Great Scientist)
Theology(6) Mansa will trade it(720 beakers) to us in exchange for Drama(432 beakers) and Guilds (1440 beakers)
Paper(9) Nobody has it, Mansa can research it. Great Merchant?
Education(22)
Liberalism(20)
Those are substainable research rates providing we build a few courthouses and not a huge army in the meantime.