The-Hawk
Old Original Geezer
Took a closer look at the save. With the large stack we have up near Hams, I can understand the desire to carry war to him asap. Our units are costing almost as much we would save in maintenance from CHs, so we might as well put them to use. However, I do like the idea of a limited war. The key to Civ warfare is to grind the AI's stack, then kick his ass when he is down. If we chew up a pile of our units killing his stack, then only to take 2-3 cities, he will simply rebuild his army. Why start an expensive war if we plan to let him up off the mat?
So here is the problem. In a normal game, I would fund my deficit war by city razing. However, in this game, we can't raze. Every city we take must be kept, adding to our maintenance. Good cities will break even, but crap cities will be a drain.
Hatty's cities will add about 20 in maintenance each. Our 3 target cities are all commmerce poor, but have good prod. If we build wealth in them, they might just break even. So I am all for carrying on the war with Hatty (leaving her alive in Satsuma as AP insurance).
Hams cities are much crappier. I'm guessing his closer cities will add 15 maintenance each, the further ones 20. Even building wealth, Opis, Borsippa, and the two island cities will lose 5-10 gpt each (ignoring the trade route impact). Dur-Kur is good, the real prize is Babylon. Can we assume there are a couple of cities tucked in between Borsippa and Dur-Kur? If so, we will need to capture all of them on our march to Babylon, unless we want to try a very, very risky naval attack.
My swaggy math:
Current deficit: -25
per Z, adding foreign trade: +30
Add 8 Hams cities: -40
GLH if we get Babylon: +35?
Total deficit: 0, but we will be building wealth in 75% of our cities.
Other factors that will impact the economy:
- We are still growing pop, this will increase maintenance and civic upkeep (unless we whip).
- Once we move our stack into Ham's land, we will pick up more unit supply cost.
- As we build more units, our unit upkeep cost will increase.
- As we lose units to Ham, our unit upkeep cost will decrease.
Bottom line for me:
- Continue war on Hatty until she is down to one city.
- If we are going to war with Hams, then no half measures. Whip units everywhere (which will help our economy), then go for Babylon. I would not attack the island first, they are not a threat to build units. We can pick them up later with a second wave. Our plan should be kill his stack then head straight into his production core so he can't replenish his army.
- If we are able to accumulate a decent amount of gold from captured cities, then we can research CoL. This will allow us to eventually whip CHs in the distant captured cities (although we might need to whip units in Ham's cities first to sustain the attack).
One minor note, looks like a couple of cities are about to grow to unhappiness. Unless we plan to whip, we should stop growth in them.
So here is the problem. In a normal game, I would fund my deficit war by city razing. However, in this game, we can't raze. Every city we take must be kept, adding to our maintenance. Good cities will break even, but crap cities will be a drain.
Hatty's cities will add about 20 in maintenance each. Our 3 target cities are all commmerce poor, but have good prod. If we build wealth in them, they might just break even. So I am all for carrying on the war with Hatty (leaving her alive in Satsuma as AP insurance).
Hams cities are much crappier. I'm guessing his closer cities will add 15 maintenance each, the further ones 20. Even building wealth, Opis, Borsippa, and the two island cities will lose 5-10 gpt each (ignoring the trade route impact). Dur-Kur is good, the real prize is Babylon. Can we assume there are a couple of cities tucked in between Borsippa and Dur-Kur? If so, we will need to capture all of them on our march to Babylon, unless we want to try a very, very risky naval attack.
My swaggy math:
Current deficit: -25
per Z, adding foreign trade: +30
Add 8 Hams cities: -40
GLH if we get Babylon: +35?
Total deficit: 0, but we will be building wealth in 75% of our cities.
Other factors that will impact the economy:
- We are still growing pop, this will increase maintenance and civic upkeep (unless we whip).
- Once we move our stack into Ham's land, we will pick up more unit supply cost.
- As we build more units, our unit upkeep cost will increase.
- As we lose units to Ham, our unit upkeep cost will decrease.
Bottom line for me:
- Continue war on Hatty until she is down to one city.
- If we are going to war with Hams, then no half measures. Whip units everywhere (which will help our economy), then go for Babylon. I would not attack the island first, they are not a threat to build units. We can pick them up later with a second wave. Our plan should be kill his stack then head straight into his production core so he can't replenish his army.
- If we are able to accumulate a decent amount of gold from captured cities, then we can research CoL. This will allow us to eventually whip CHs in the distant captured cities (although we might need to whip units in Ham's cities first to sustain the attack).
One minor note, looks like a couple of cities are about to grow to unhappiness. Unless we plan to whip, we should stop growth in them.