ST4 - Emperor Tweak

[jmansell02]

I'm not too sure about the tactic of pillaging the iron, its just the teeniest bit exploitive. May I refer you to http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/message?forumid=189557&messageid=1029199070 and its replies.

Thoughts?

Edit: Yay! Page 8!!!

 

[Dark Savant]

I do think that deliberate resource disconnection is borderline exploitative, but only borderline, since you can in principle trade away your only source of a resource and achieve much the same effect. And it's not explicitly listed on RBCiv as an exploit (unless I missed it), although I'm well aware it'll attract a glare or two, especially since we secured Leonardo, which greatly increases the strength of resource disconnection.

If the team wants to avoid the question entirely and just build cavalry and muskets the hard way, it's not a big deal, although we'll have to keep China isolated from trading for us to have enough time to amass a cavalry assault force sufficient to make decent headway in China.

 

[Sirian]

The only reason pillaging your own resources is not off the table at RB is because of protecting yourself against resources that move around randomly, as well as disconnecting items you don't intend to trade so you don't get threatened.

Trying to make a rule that allows for something to happen if your intent is one thing, but not if it's another, was too confusing. The rule is not worth the damage that would be done. That should not be confused with the sense that no boundaries are needed on the issue.

Deliberate abuse of this for cheap upgrades will certainly draw a stern glare. Especially since I would have doubled the upgrade costs (to make them the same as cashbuy costs "per shield") for this mod if the editor had any way to allow it.


- Sirian

 

[jmansell02]

Im glad Sirian said that. It saved me having to write all that stuff...

Therefore...



Thank you

 

[Dark Savant]

Thanks for the clarification, Sirian. I'm still kind of new to this, and different people do have different ideas of just what is exploitative, but it's better to adopt a standard and stick to it, and I'm willing to adopt yours.

OK, next player (Puzzlinon, you're up next) should reconnect the iron as soon as possible. I haven't actually built any units at the lower prices; right now I'm just building infrastructure.

 

[Sirian]

Delaying hooking up a resource or acquiring the applicable tech, so you can accumulate more "upgradable troops" is fine. That happens once, then it's over, and there are tradeoffs to be made. No tradeoff to the "disconnect-reconnect" mechanism.

Thank god riflemen require no resources. Otherwise, just about everybody except RB players would be "disconnecting" whatever to build spearmen and warriors in the industrial age.


- Sirian

 

[Puzzlinon]

Just a got it.

I can play tomorrow night. I can't play before then.

If anyone gets impatient between now and 7PM friday PST, go ahead and play, I won't mind in the least. Just kick Mao's ass, that's the only condition

 

[Puzzlinon]

Hi all.

Awfully sorry about this, but I have to take myself off the roster for the time being. "Circumstances beyond," and all that. I'm on an unexpected work roadtrip that's playing hell with everything.

 

[Sirian]

Woops. Good luck on your trip, Puzz.

Who's up next? This fine game seems seems to have bogged a bit this week. Still some game left to be played, too.




- Sirian

 

[TedJackson]

As far as I can tell there are only 3 of us left playing at the moment

How about mothballing this game until Snaproll resurfaces?


Ted

 

[jmansell02]

Hmmm, Ted, If you want to play, play. If not, I might take it. Ill also try and get into contact with Snaproll to see when he might be back. According to his 2 week reported absence he should have been back on Sunday. Well, we'll see. It would be quite nice to have a few more people. If we can't, well, Sirian, you want to play 5 or 10 in place of Snaproll and admire at how bad we all are? Just a thought.

 

[TedJackson]

Hi JM,

It's not that I don't want to play. It's just that it could too easily tail off with too few players.

That's why I suggested that we wait for Snaproll to return. Perhaps then we could recruit a couple of new players to take the game forward.

I don't know how DS feels about this idea but perhaps he'll check in soon.


regards

Ted

 

[Dark Savant]

I personally think that 3 people works ok in a SG, although 4 or 5 works better. I'd go for either putting this on hold or pressing on with just the three of us, but I'm inclined to keep playing. I do want to check out how well cavalry work against the new improved musketeers.

Would it really be that hard to get a 4th player?

 

[TedJackson]

Hi DS,

How about posting a "situation vacant" in the registry thread.

In the meantime consider this a "Got It" and I'll play tomorrow.


Ted

 

[TedJackson]

Pre-flight checks... OK

Press button...

1 - 700AD
Workers work...
Arabia & India have Economics

IBT
One of our Galleys sunk by Chinese
Russia starts Bach
Arabs start Bach

2 - 710AD
Workers work...
India will sell Economics for 310gp + 20gpt - I wait 1 more turn

IBT
Spain & China sign Peace Treaty

3 - 720AD
Workers work...
Buy MA vs China from Spain for 17gpt - greedy bastards
Buy Economics from India for WM + 126gp + 27gpt
Orleans switches to Smith's Trading (23 turns)

IBT
Arabia & China sign Peace Treaty
Russia starts Smith's
Indians start Bach's

4 - 730AD
Upgrade Galley in Poitiers
Workers work...
We buy MA vs China, WM, TM, Wines, 6gp & Saltpetre from Arabia for Ivory, Incense + 55gpt (worth it to build some Muskets & get our GA on the road )
Trade buggered - we lost the gold but didn't get the goods - reload form last turn
The trade opportunity still shows up in the Trade Advisor screen but I'll ignore it this time
We buy MA vs China, WM, TM + 9gp from Arabia for 23gpt
The Trade Advisor now shows trade unavailable ???
Upgrade Galley in Poitiers

IBT
Avignon Barracks - Bank
Bayonne Courthouse - Barracks
China lands lone Rider NW of New Canton

5 - 740AD
Upgrade Galley in Poitiers
Vet Knight attacks vet Rider - dies red-lining Rider
Reg Knight attacks vet Rider (1/4) - victory
Upgrade elite horse in Port St Louis

IBT
Paris Bank - Knight
Rouen Harbour - Court

6 - 750AD
Workers work...
Rapid Reaction Force reformed on Southern island

IBT
Japan & China sign Peace Treaty
China lands 2 Riders on Southern island
Rheims Court - Knight
Marseilles MArket - Barracks
The people love me
India starts Smith's

7 - 760AD
Catapults bombard Riders - failed to hit
Vet Knight attacks vet Rider - victory (1/4)
Vet MDI attacks vet Rider - dies, Rider elite (4/5)
Vet MDI attacks elite Rider (4/5) - dies, Rider 2/5)
Vet MDI attacks elite Rider (2/5) - dies without landing a blow
Reg Knight attacks elite Rider (2/5) - victory
Well that was pretty costly, I knew there was a good reason for clearing the Jungle on that island!
Port St Louis switches to Knight & hurries for 216gp
China is now in Democracy
Buy MA vs China + 1gp from Japan for 13gpt

IBT
Renew MA vs China with India - they give us 7gpt instead of us giving them 15gpt
Renew RoP with Russia
Chartres Temple - Court
Port St Louis Knight - Temple

8 - 770AD
The remains of our RRF reforms in the centre of the South island
Workers work...

IBT
Renew RoP with India
Renew RoP with Japan
Dijon Market - Barracks
Bayonne Barracks - Knight

9 - 780AD
1 Knight and 2 MDI arrive on South island to join RRF
Workers work...

IBT
Paris Knight - Knight
Strasbourg Harbour - Market

10 - 790AD
Start workers re-mining around Marseilles

Notes
China revolted into Democracy - then immediately lost 2 Riders
There is a longbow 1 step away from Poitiers and another S of Grenoble - I was going to use these on the South island.
There is a small team of workers still clearing jungle on the South island - to deny defense bonuses to invading Riders.
Our production capabilities are pitiful - but there's not much we can do until Nav comes in and we can conquer more territory.
On the bright side our economy is quite healthy, although we're not spending anything on research at the moment.

The save is
> here <


Ted

 

[Arathorn]

Trade buggered - we lost the gold but didn't get the goods - reload form last turn
The trade opportunity still shows up in the Trade Advisor screen but I'll ignore it this time
We buy MA vs China, WM, TM + 9gp from Arabia for 23gpt
The Trade Advisor now shows trade unavailable ???

What's happening here is that your trade route to Arabia goes through Chinese waters and/or a Chinese port. You can trade with Arabia until they're at war with China, at which point the trade route to them is broken, since it can no longer pass through Chinese anything.....

Arathorn

 

[TedJackson]

Yep,

I figured that out but forgot to jot it down. My notes are made as I play rather than afterward.

Thanks for taking the time to explain.


Ted

 

[Dark Savant]

jmansell02, you're up. As long as we have 3 players, I'd like to keep this game going.

- DS

 

[jmansell02]

At the moment I have no time and I cannot see a window of oppurtunity opening for the next week, so take the game. I'll shout if I see time coming up and hopefully Ill be able to pick up the game then.

 

[Dark Savant]

I hope this doesn't die for lack of players, but I'd like to try to keep going.

Snaproll is now up, but who knows where he has disappeared to. I'll wait another day for a possible claim, then I'll pick it up myself and play to keep this game going. (I can't play tonight anyway.)