The Succession Game

[CaesarKyros]

I don't think capturing everybody's capital would be hard--We would just sail all of our frigates near someones capital with a couple privateers or caravels and kill them. We are ahead in sea tech after I rushed it, so we should have the strongest navy for a while.

NOTE: When I played I noticed Alexander had caravels.

 

[lokithepunishr]

This has been a great read, good luck against those scumbag Japs and Muricans

 

[Gurra09]

I know I said I would play this weekend but something else came up so I didn't get to it, will play it tomorrow.

What victory to go for is a real head-scratcher. We could go for Science if we aim more directly at the spaceship techs, build universities everywhere for Oxford and get an observatory up in Tsuruga.

Culture would probably be quite hard and Diplomatic depends on how the World Congress counts how many votes are needed for victory. Is it by map size, amount of players, or what? I don't see a lot of city-states on the map...

I'm not very experienced in warfare and while we have 11 opponents using said navy advantage could help us bring down coastal cities, and most cities (and capitals) on this map are coastal.

I say Science or Domination, and I'm thinking to start building up our Science as that would probably benefit in both cases, am I right?

 

[redwings1340]

Science is always awesome to have no matter what you're doing, and we want an observatory regardless of what else we do. The decision afterwards is to either mass produce frigates to conquer stuff or to build up our economy/other stuff with cargo ships and wonders. If we do declare war against America again (or on Siam), we probably want to ally M'baza Kongo. The city state has a sizable military and is very strategically placed near the heart of America and Siam. The militaristic and city state benefits are secondary to that awesome location of a potential ally.

Good luck though! I'm sure you'll do awesomely!

 

[CaesarKyros]

Frigates for life. ♥♥♥

 

[Gurra09]

1550 AD was the year of the great Carthaginian Revolution. Old leader Putchuco was thrown out of Na'Putcha and a temporary revolutionary government formed, their first decision was to rename their capital Nagoya as it had been called in old times.

However, this didn't last long and five years later a stable government was formed with Prime Minister Gurra leading the newly formed parliament. A deamericanization of Boston began and the first step to this was giving it the new name of Hamamatsu.

In 1560 AD, the Leaning Tower of Tsuruga was built and Carthaginian Minister of Culture John Osborne is known to have said "Don't clap too hard - it's a very old building", implying that it was a copy of an already existing tower. The people of Tsuruga weren't pleased and demanded his immediate resignation. In the very same year, the illustrious scientist Charles Darwin opened an academy in the forest outside Nagoya to study the animal kingdom.

In 1570, a Declaration of Friendship was signed with Maria, Queen of Portugal, may this friendship benefit us all! Many leaders of the world were happy about these news, including Gandhi of India and Pacal of the Mayans. Even America were glad to hear about our declaration of friendship.

A Maritime Infrastructure policy was officially declared by the parliament in 1585 which would increase production in all coastal cities of Carthage. Along with this it was decided that a settling party would be sent out from Tsuruga to expand the greatness of Carthage into new lands.

All nations of the world met in 1600 for the First Council of Assur, voting about whether to open a World's Fair and embargoing Siam. The Carthaginian delegate voted Yes to the World's Fair and nothing was said in the Siam case. Both proposals passed, and the cities of Carthage put all their effort into working on the World's Fair.

Siam asked for a Declaration of Friendship in 1605 but given the hostility towards them that had led to the Council of Assur to vote for an embargo of Siam, the Carthaginian government declined. Oda also asked for friendship but since he was at war with Askia, the founder of Islam, the religious community of Carthage demanded this offer to be turned down.

In 1650, the settling party sent out as part of the Maritime Infrastructure plans had reached the peninsula south of Portugal where the new port of Hokuto was built. Land was purchased in the vicinity of the city to claim resources before Lisbon were to acquire them. In the fall elections were held and Gurra was not likely to be elected for another term.

Out of character:
Okay, so the world is VERY friendly against us that it almost makes me a little suspicious. Our friendship with Portugal has been very beneficial as almost half the world has come to me and said that they like it very much that we're friends.

Demographics say we're number 2 in army size now, only Siam has more troops but not a lot more. I had the cities focus on Science, although at the moment they're all on Production for the World's Fair, we might win that for a culture boost and if not we could grab Rationalism opener with the free policy at least. We've gone up in Science, being number 4 in literacy now.

I did went a little crazy with the settling of a new city but that land south of Portugal was so inviting with a Whales resource and some extra Truffles. I bought some land (maybe a little too much, sorry for that), and a Worker and a Work Boat to get Hokuto up and running. Also, if we go domination it will be a good launching point for the Portugal/Maya/India island. This was not as crazy as Washington though who settled a new Boston on a 1 tile island right outside the Songhai coast just to grab some Crabs.

Current state of the empire:

Spoiler :

Hokuto, I would say grab the Whales with the work boat to get happiness on the positive side again:

Spoiler :

Demographics:

Spoiler :

 

[CaesarKyros]

So guys, what's the victory type? I voted domination.

 

[redwings1340]

I'm not sure yet. On one hand Siam looks very denouncable right now, and their capital looks ripe for the taking with our frigate armada, but with the world fair and public education coming up, I also want to improve our science and get all the cultural city state allies right now.

We'll see what I decide to do, but I'm thinking peaceful but denounce Siam and make them our next target for you, Caesar.

I'm glad my investment in universities and workshops is paying off, as we are doing pretty well in production/science at the moment. I think we're in a pretty good location right now.

 

[CaesarKyros]

Wait. So It's redwing's turn now, and mine after his?

 

[Gurra09]

Yeah, I think that's what we decided:

If I may, here's a temporary turn list until Arexander and Pydgie are back:

1) Gurra09 (next)
2) RedWings1340
3) CaesarKyros
4) Putchuco

And I think I'm with redwings on how to go forward, we should probably wait for the World's Fair to finish - I think we have a good chance on getting that first place - and by the time that's done Scientific Theory will be researched and we could get us some Public Schools for more science.

I was also thinking we could use 400 faith to buy a university - Islam gives us Jesuit Education - in Hamamatsu (Hokuto would be preferrable but they don't have Islam up there), to get the Oxford sooner and focus on other things in Hamamatsu?

If we build up our navy on the east side Siam is a quite good first target, especially as some people seem to hate them so much that an embargo was passed in the world congress. People wouldn't hate us too much for attacking.

 

[Putchuco]

Yeah, I think that's what we decided:



And I think I'm with redwings on how to go forward, we should probably wait for the World's Fair to finish - I think we have a good chance on getting that first place - and by the time that's done Scientific Theory will be researched and we could get us some Public Schools for more science.

I was also thinking we could use 400 faith to buy a university - Islam gives us Jesuit Education - in Hamamatsu (Hokuto would be preferrable but they don't have Islam up there), to get the Oxford sooner and focus on other things in Hamamatsu?

If we build up our navy on the east side Siam is a quite good first target, especially as some people seem to hate them so much that an embargo was passed in the world congress. People wouldn't hate us too much for attacking.

In short, I totally agree with you, Gurra.
- let's finish world fair
- drum up city state support, make sure our next victim doesn't have any allies
- keep our science up
- focus on one side and one enemy only
- let the frigates, supported with some privateers, ROLL!

 

[redwings1340]

Hey, sorry I'm taking a while to play. I should be able to do so tomorrow or Friday, and if not, then on the weekend. I'm still here, just a bit busy at the moment.

 

[Putchuco]

No hurry, no worries.

 

[redwings1340]

Did I say Siam was denouncable? Well, apparently I was right. They were very denouncable. Siam now has the position of being universally hated by everyone, and in the process, has unified the entire rest of the world against them. They took a city state, and now are paying the price for that travesty.

In the Carthaginian political elections, one man stood well above the rest, both in the right and the wrong ways. He moved around in weird patterns and overly controlled everyone around him. Those who knew him said he was changed from before, but the fact that very few people knew him before he changed meant that not many payed attention to this. He was a tireless worker, never slept, and kept on complaining about the voice in his head. This voice felt disconnected from the rest of the world, but as he gained political power, one location kept on popping up in his mind.

"Hoenn. The voice is trying to get to Hoenn. 20 turns, and it can get back to Hoenn, and then I'm free."

Hoenn, of course, is an imaginary land, and nobody took him seriously, but his strategic leadership skills, knowledge of the universe around him, and political presence took him to untold heights, and he would create a golden, peaceful kingdom that would become the cultural center of the world.

Diplomacy
The reign of the one with the unpronounceable name was defined by the official 1660 declaration of annoying countries. This declaration defined most countries as civilized and awesome, but also mentioned that Siam was an "uncivilized jerk who likes bullying city states to the point where they give the leader lots of stuff, and an overall annoying country in general that would be better off nonexistent". This denouncement earned Carthage the respect it deserved among other civilizations, and declarations of friendship were signed with many countries during this time, including India, Songhai, the Netherlands, and the Mayans. Open borders would also be shared with almost every civilization, and the world would enjoy a prosperous era of peace, and of uniting against Siam.

City states were also a priority during the reign of the unpronounceable one. In 1655, whales were fished in our new city, and a large sum of gold was given to Antwerp, and our happiness situation changed overnight from -1 to about 25 excess happiness. Carthage would also really the cultural city state in this game, which I'm blanking on the name of right now.

Siam
[OOC] Whoever made an open borders treaty with Siam, you are my hero. This would not be possible without you. [/OOC]

Spoiler :

I think this picture speaks for itself. We can't even use the mountain!! We just stole it! Ah, that was such a fun citadel to make.

Technology
The era of the unpronounceable one was defined by a forward looking thought process of peace and technology. One of our spies stole the secret of gunpowder from Siam, but otherwise, education and electricity were the only two technologies Carthage researched on its own merits. The voice also mentioned the word radio and ideology to our leader, but nobody is currently sure what that is yet.

World's Fair
In the worlds fair, there was the Carthaginian section, and the everyone else section. It took a while, but eventually Carthage won the worlds fair by a dominating margin.

Spoiler :

Between natural culture and the world fair victory, Carthage's tradition was finalized, and the people of Carthage began to get representation in their government. To celebrate this representation, a golden age was started at the height of the world fair, sending our economy and culture through the roof! Immediately after the worlds fair, work was put in to improving an already dominant Cartheginian economy, as Cargo ships were bought, food was sent to the nations capital in our national campaign "Greatness without stagnation", and a bank was bought in the capital. Public schools and a stock exchange sound like worthwhile investments, but as of now, Carthaginians are uneducated and do not have the finer nuances of capitalistic greed figured out yet.

Eventually, just as mysteriously as this unknown person rose to power, he suddenly collapsed on the ground, exhausted, and wanted to run away to a silent place where he could never be controlled again. This created a power vaccum and new elections were held under a representative government of the people.

Current Screenshot:

Spoiler :

OOC Notes:
I accidentally bought a Pagoda in the capital because I didn't realize I could have gotten a public school using faith. Oh well, would have been useful, but shouldn't kill us.

I have manual specialist control on in the capital so that our science and writer slots are being worked. The food trade route is there so our capital doesn't starve while working all of these specialists, but our capital needs to work specialists with all the bonuses specialists get there.

We're about to get a great writer, and since we're celebrating the worlds fair and in a golden age, I would strongly recommend using him for a one shot culture boost. If we finished off Liberty we could get another great person, even a great writer for more culture (and just basically take the liberty finisher for free), but I don't know if that would be better than a great scientist.

Panama City is looking for donations right now. 1500 gold and we could ally the city state. Bratslava, our cultural ally is hanging on by a thread, and you will need to keep that in mind if you want to keep this alliance going.

If you finish radio, we can get an ideology, which at this point is more efficient than building factories, considering there's no coal anywhere in the area. With the leaning tower and a really nice specialist capital, I think freedom would be pretty good, but we could make any ideology work if we wanted to. If we got an ideology quickly and focused on city states, we could also ninja our way to become the world ideology soon, and considering how many people like us right now and how low our tourism is, that would be very useful.

Japan is at war with Siam right now, so don't worry about this decently sized army in the middle of our lands.

EDIT: Oh yeah, Siam got New York in a peace treaty with the US, and burned it down to the ground. That's a thing that happened.

 

[CaesarKyros]

Hmm... so what do we do? Yellowfeet set us (pretty much) on a culture victory and is steering us away from domination by being peaceful with everyone. I don't even know what to do anymore.

I've never even completed a culture victory *whimpers*

 

[Putchuco]

Hmm... so what do we do? Yellowfeet set us (pretty much) on a culture victory and is steering us away from domination by being peaceful with everyone. I don't even know what to do anymore.

I've never even completed a culture victory *whimpers*

I'd say, keep building. And when you get someone to start a war with Siam, ...

 

[redwings1340]

Siam is very ripe for the taking. The worlds fair improves culture, not tourism, so a culture victory is more or less impossible right now. The point of it was to get lots of social policies, and radio is to get an ideology.

I don't think this peaceful streak needs to last forever. Siam is clearly the next target if you want to play militarily. After that, choose opponents based on when declarations of friendships end. I actually think we're in a pretty good position for a science victory at the moment, as an early ideology will help significantly, and out literacy rate is slightly below our science because I'm beelining radio. After we get public schools, and probably a stock exchange in the capital (because our economy in the capital is fantastic), going for artillery/frigates and mass military may not be a bad idea.

Honestly, between Japan's army, our army, and our citadel, we might be able to take Siam's capital right now with a bit of initial gold investment. This would mess up slightly what I'm going for with city states, but it wouldn't be a huge deal. This is why I like succession games, to get in positions we might not normally be in. This is generally how I play. I am really comfortable going peaceful science with a super fast ideology, and you really like combat and war. It will be interesting to see if we can combine these strategies to make it work.

Don't eliminate Siam though. Just take the capital if you go to war with them. Having a commonly denounced civ is great for diplo, and eliminating a hated civ is still unpopular.

 

[CaesarKyros]

Caesar Kyros, the mysterious fellow, was back and crazier than ever!

T260: Kyros examined the lay of the land, and he realized the other Civilizations had more technologies than he last remembered.

T261: The mighty Carthaginians had acquired a might trading vessel. Work started on a windmill in Tsuruga.

T262: Work began on a workshop in Hamamatsu. Cao Xueqin made a great work of writing which was loved across the land.

T263: The World Congress convened and we voted to embargo city-states.

T264: Nothing happened

T265: Naval Tradition policy taken

T266: Nothing happened except piles and piles of bad deals

T267: The people of Nagoya wanted to build a Factory, however they didn't have any coal

T268: Ability to choose free tech. We chose Archaeology for whatever this "Louvre" thing is.

T269: Nothing happened

T270: Started construction of a university in Hamamatsu to increase our pitiful science per turn.

T271: Askia enters the Modern Era before us.

T272: Nothing happens

T273: Nothing happens

T274: Askia DoWs Alexander. We rank 4th in terms of military power. (Who even uses pokey sticks anymore, we have cannon-things). Tsuruga starts training an architect.

T275: Nothing happens

T276: We sign a RA with Pacal.

T277: Nothing happens

T278: More awful deals.

T279: We acquire a spy and send it to Gao (He was the first to reach the Modern Era). Ideology next turn.

T280: The most important turn is the very last everything late-game wise relies on this choice. We take FREEDOM!!! (only because we get 2 early adopter policies)

The quiet Kyros then disappeared to a place called "the bed".

Sorry about the half-donkey writing guys. I don't feel so good.

 

[Putchuco]

Good game, Kyros, we're all positioned nicely and you gave me all the options.

Here's a quick look at the demographics:

Spoiler :

And so it began...

It was deep in the Middle Ages, industry was just lifting it's smoggy head.
After decades of peace the people of Carthage got cocky... and elected Putchuco III.
Oh boy, were they in for ride...

T280: Hokuto: BUYS Lighthouse and Library!
Nagoya: BUYS Caravansery and Privateer!!
Moving all Frigates east towards Siam.
William is at war with Siam, and he is willing to pay us to join...
We realize we need horses, two short... can't fight.
We give 1000$ to Bratislava, they love us, ally, and we got our horses... and much more.
We move our best spy to Siam, may he get a technology for us!

Spoiler :

T281: Archeologist in Tsuruga, send him to the field SW of the city, start Forge

T282: Nagoya builds Louvre, starts Stock Exchange
We invent Chemistry! Oh, that means we make BOOM very soon...
... and start Metallurgy.
William pays us the 6$ per turn to join the war with Siam!
The Frigates ATTACK!
We get the artist Titian ... in the middle of our first war in ages...

T283: William makes peace with Siam!!! Wha?! Ok, so be it...
Pacal demands Pearls! The audacity!
Songhai signs a research agreement.
We bomb the living hell out of the siamese frigates, no, they are not joined at the hips...
Gandhi demands Silk! What is going on HERE?!
Assyria demands Pearls!!!! They can all go ... peeeeepppppp.....

T284: Metallurgy discovered -> we start Mil. Science (for the Knights to become Cavalry..)
Tsuruga: Forge done, start Armory
Frigates chewed through siamese fleet and start bombong Sokhotai.

T285: Approval still 100%!
Sukhotai not so much, more like... red.
Archeologist discovers something, puts it into a museum...
Askia is plotting something? they ALL are! Always!
William signs research agreement

T286: Sukhotai flags the Carthaginian flag!

T287: Can't stop war with Siam, we promised 10 rounds of war... darn.
Askia denounces us.
Tsuruga builds Armory, starts Cannon!
Hokuto builds Seaport (what are these really good for??) and starts University.

T288: Japan and US are plotting against us?
US denounces us??

T289 Scientist helps us to jump start into Mil. Science, we start Rifling.
New Policy: chose Meritocracy and get a great person: Scientist!

T290: Rifling done, start Dynamite!!! YEAH!!
Hamamatsu starts a School. We plot to embargo Japan! They are next on the list...
Denounced by Japan! Now, how did they know?
Denounced by Attila...

T291: We denounce ALL the denouncers! HAH!
Tsuruga builds cannon, starts Academy

T292: The world is turning on us, the big round of denouncement is back firing...ooops.
We better kill #1 in the ranks soon...
Hokuto buils University, starts Windmill

T293: all hate us... and we hate them, more, hah!

T296: Dynamite! Looking good!
We start Biology, annex Sokhutai, buy a courthouse and switch the city to a workshop.

T297: Peace with Siam! (After we killed 5 elephants, 2 Infantry, ...)

T298: Golden Age, nice.
Tsuruga: Mil Academy done, starting Artillery!

T299: Slow prep for next surprise attack.

T300: we get a writer, put him to work.
Hokuto: Windmill built, starting School.


Uuufffffff!. What a few decades!

Here's the current demographics:

Spoiler :

A look at the center of our empire:

Spoiler :

And a look at our possible next target: (notice Bratislava will help a lot here... hehehehehehe)

Spoiler :

A few pointers for the next president:
- I left the options all open, you might want to attack Japan first, destroy their cannons and then take their capital... OR build some frigates and some privateers and go directly after Assyria, the head honcho!
- they all hate us, and might start a collective war against us soon.
- we might get something from the 3 spies out there, but we might surpass everyone on science soon.
- I would suggest leaving the smallest countries for last, chop off the heads from the top before they get too big.
- in theory all options are still open: science, culture, domination, ...
- we might need a frigate and an artillery in Hokuto for a littleprotection...

Just some thoughts, have fun!

 

[Putchuco]

Oh, and if I may again:

1) Gurra09 (next)
2) RedWings1340
3) CaesarKyros
4) Putchuco

Waiting for our beloved two other players, may they return also.