2.0 grams - The Whip and Saddle (C3C)

[barbslinger]

Well, at least monarchy awaits us. That should pep things up a bit.

 

[grahamiam]

@gozpel -> don't beat yourself up over that. we're fine and getting fat, just biding our time to take this island.

scout is up!

 

[scoutsout]

Okay, I'll try to get this played tonight. Had a minor snafu in gram1.1 last night, so I'll have some turns to play before this...

Get some more boats in the water...any other suggestions?

 

[SpikeIt]

Revolting to Monarchy soon, I presume.

 

[scoutsout]

Do you guys want me to go ahead and revolt when we get Monarchy? Or do we want to wait for Republic?

 

[grahamiam]

Do you guys want me to go ahead and revolt when we get Monarchy? Or do we want to wait for Republic?

monarchy is fine with me. we'll probably do a lot of instigating so it'll save us the trouble with WW and we probably only need to research to MT and astronomy, possibly magnetism if there's too much ocean.

 

[scoutsout]

Pre-flight check - scroll through out cities. All is about as well as can be expected with 1 lux. Just about all of them could use some worker turns. Trade routes open to Carthage or Aztecs, no lux to be had.

F10 check - there are still 5 tribes we haven't met...

IBT - Brennus complains about a passing galley. Monarchy comes in, and I revolt. Rome riots. I scroll through our cities, hiring clowns. I hope this is a short revolt, because some of our cities are now starving.

I am relieved to learn that we will have everything under control in 4 turns.

Turn 1 (70 AD)

Check to see if the AI learned anything new for us in the IBT -

Aztecs (in Republic) have Monotheism and Feudalism. Korea has Republic and Monotheism. This is novel... if somebody else gets Feudalism in the next 3 turns, I'm going to have an interesting choice to make here...

Korea is in Anarchy, Celts are in Monarchy. Carthage and Mongols are in Despotism.

Do some worker moves...a settler automoves...

IBT - We learn Republic. And we are quite happy with 3 turns of anarchy. Set the research queue (such as it is) to Engineering.

Turn 2 (90) found Ningpo. I hope that's where you guys wanted it...I'm thankful for the galley... something to do. Aztecs have Engineering.

IBT - I now no longer need to worry about "something to do". The Aztecs just advanced 7 Swords and 2 Spears to the tile NE of Sugar Hill, 3 Swords into some vacan land E-SE of Sugar Hill with a Pike and a sword right behind them... a horse NW of Canton, 3 MDI are right outside the border N-NE of Canton... A pike and 3 swords advanced NE of Tientsen.

Turn 3 (110)

In a move that will either buy us some time or give Monty a rep hit, I give Aztecs 1gpt as a gift. Do the "move or declare" and...

I upgrade 7 Warrior to swords. Dial up Hannibal. The cost of an alliance is not cheap. Horses, Spices, and Republic.

*****Outside Sugar Hill
Lose 1 horse redlining a spear | Vet horse kills reg spear, 2/4 | Elite horse kills reg sword, 3/5 | Elite horse kills reg sword, 4/5 | Elite horse kills reg sword, 4/5 | Vet horse kills reg sword, 1/4 | Vet horse kills reg sword flawlessly | Vet horse kills reg sword flawlessly | Vet horse kills reg sword, promotes 4/5 | Vet horse kills 1/4 spear, 3/4
***second stack
Vet horse falls to reg sword promotes 2/4 | Vet horse retreats to reg sword 2/3 | Vet horse falls to reg sword promotes 3/4 | Elite horse retreats to reg sword 2/3 | Vet horse falls to 3/4 sword promotes 4/5 | Vet horse falls to elite sword now 1/5 | Vet horse falls to vet sword now 2/5 | Vet horse kills 2/4 sword | Vet horse redlines killing 2/5 sword | Wake an elite horse in Sugar hill to take out the last redlined sword in that part of the territory.
*****outside Tientsen
Wake a horse in Chengdu, kill pike 3/4 | Vet horse kills reg sword, 3/4 | Vet horse kills reg sword, 1/4

Lets see... lost 4 horses, and killed... 2 spears, a pike, a horse, and a dozen swords. That's a 4:1 kill ratio by my math.

Wake horses in Rome and Tatung and send them towards the front. Evacuate workers near the border.

IBT - Aztec units advance... mostly pikes moving beyond the fog outside Sugar Hill, I saw some archers... a Galley appears from the south (!) A sword and a pike on a mountain we're not using. 3 MDI outside Canton. We get a palace expansion.

Turn 4 (130)

*****Canton
3/4 horse kills vet MDI
Bubba (now a vet sword) redlines killing an MDI, promotes.
Vet horse dies redlining 3rd MDI.

***Sugar Hill
Vet horse kills pike now 3/4
Take a 4/5 horse and kill the last MDI leaving him exposed... dangit.

Give some units a rest, and do some worker turns.

IBT - Aztecs advance, retreat our elite horse. Chinan Riots, and we become a Monarchy.

Turn 5 (150)

Scroll through our cities, firing clowns.

*** Sugar Hill
Vet horse retreats to reg pike, no damage.
Elite horse retreats, takes 1 hp.
Elite horse kills pike, 3/5

At Canton I have Pike/Sword pairs NW and N of the city. NE is an Archer, 2 MDI, a Pike, and a Spear.

*****
Vet horse kills reg pike 2/4 | Vet horse falls to reg sword. | Elite Horse takes archer's free shot, retreats to pike, no damage | Elite horse redlines killing pike | Vet horse falls redlining vet MDI | Elite horse kills vet MDI 2/5 | Vet horse kills spear 2/4 | Vet horse flawlessly kills archer...

Vet horse kills an MDI outside Tientsin, and I see 2 swords, a spear, and 2 MDI in Aztec territory I'm going to have to contend with next turn.

Build embassies with Korea, Mongols...holy cow... Temujin's got over a dozen units in Krakorum....embassy with Celts reveals an equally daunting target.

Dial up Temujin and get a MA V. Aztec for Polytheism and Code of Laws. (Maybe he'll take Monty's supply of horses on that island to the south)

Mongols declare on Aztecs

Check F4... Celts are already at war with Aztecs.

We need to speed up the research curve on Chivalry...

Dial up Brennus and give him Mono for MA v. Aztecs.

Sell Monotheism to Carthage for 60g.

Cash-rush the market in Beijing for 360g. We need to build some more units. 88g for the Library in Sugar Hill. Stop rushing there...

IBT - Aztecs advance more troops, an Azted Sword falls to our spear 2/4.
Beijing Market>Horse
Shanghai Worker>Horse
Sugar Hill Library>Horse

Turn 6 (170)

*****Canton
Vet horse from Beijing takes an archer shot, kills reg pike 2/4. | Vet horse retreats to reg pike 2/3 | Elite horse falls redlining reg pike | Elite Bubba whacks an MDI | Vet horse falls to MDI | Vet horse kills reg pike 2/4

***Tientsin
Vet horse falls redlining Elite Sword. | Vet horse falls redlining Vet MDI. | Vet horse redlines killing Spear | Reg sword kills Vet sword, promotes | 3/4 horse kills reg MDI | Vet Spear kills 1/5 sword.

Rush the Library in Veii for 72g.

***Sugar Hill
Vet horse retreats to reg pike 2/3

Wake Bluto and use him to clip the archer.
Wake the vet spear in Veii, clip the 1/4 MDI, and promote him.

Sail the galley east out of Celtic waters and find... what looks like another Carthaginian settlement.

IBT - An Aztec MDI is redlined killing Bluto. An MDI kills a spear in Canton. Aztecs advance some troops. These pikes are a problem with horses.

A storm is heard in the distance (a real-life one) so I save my game and screenies, and log on real quick to post the log to this point.

 

[scoutsout]

The storm blew over, but it's getting late. I'll finish this up tomorrow night, if that's okay with the team.

Sorry about the level of detail in the log, I know that's more than you guys want to read. The important things:

We've got alliances with anybody else that could potentially threaten us

We're killing more than we're losing.

I rushed a few builds to get some cities working on building units to replace the losses.

We're in Monarchy.

 

[SpikeIt]

A heck of a start. It was only a matter of time before those pesky Aztecs decided to try their hand at their own Manifest Desitiny. But great job. You really held your own with our army of horses. The next few turns should be interesting. Good luck!

 

[grahamiam]

scout , i can't get to this till Sunday. If my turns come up tomorrow and Barbslinger wants to take a shot at it tomorrow night or Saturday, please go ahead.

I will also be traveling on business next week and expect internet connections to be spotty. will check in if possible.

 

[gozpel]

Go Bubba!

 

[scoutsout]

Turn 7 (190)

Rush the Market in Nanking

*** at Sugar Hill
Lose a Vet horse attacking a reg pike, pike promotes 2/4 | Elite horse flawlessly kills pike | Elite Horse kills MDI.

At Canton
Lose Vet horse to vet MDI | Lose Elite Horse to 2/5 MDI | Bubba (Sword) kills fortified reg pike | Elite horse kills 3/4 MDI | Elite horse kills 1/5 MDI

At Tientsin, Reg sword kills 2/4 MDI.

IBT - Rome Temple>Horse, Nanking Market>Horse, Chinan Rax>horse

Turn 8 (210)

The Aztecs advanced NOTHING on Tientsin this turn, and only 2 MDI towards Canton, a Pike and MDI on Sugar Hill.

At Sugar Hill a reg sword kills pike, promotes. | Vet horse dies flawlessly to Vet MDI, promoting him. | Elite horse retreats to MDI 2/4 | Vet horse dies to MDI 1/5 | Vet horse kills MDI, promotes

At Canton, Elite Horse kills Vet MDI, 1/5 | Vet horse dies to MDI 2/4 | Elite horse dies to MDI 2/5 | Vet horse kills MDI

IBT - Hannibal complains about our galley, Aztec galley drops a Jag warrior off near Tientsin. Beijing and Sugar Hill train horses.

Turn 9 (230)
Sugar Hill - Vet horse kills MDI, vet horse dies to MDI 2/4 (WHY AREN'T THESE GUYS RETREATING?!?!?!!) Elite horse from Canton kills MDI, Elite horse from Canton kills pike... because nothing from Canton can attack the MDI NW of Sugar Hill and safely retreat, I use a 3/5 Elite horse in Sugar Hill in an act of desperation, and...

Vet horse in Veii flawlessly kills the Jag warrior. Remaining troops in Tientsin get a break.

Let's see... K'uang-yin... it would seem silly to rush a FP that's already built... but equally silly to load this guy with the handful of swords we have... even worse to load him with horses when Knights CAN'T be too far off... I send him back to the capitol, make an Army, but leave it empty... who knows? Maybe we'll get another leader before we get knights.

IBT - more troops advance on Sugar Hill and Canton. Shanghai trains a horse. Chengdu riots (sorry team)

Aztecs complete Sun Tzu's Art of War in Tlateloco.

Turn 10 (250)
Bubba kills a pike outside Canton 2/5, Vet horse kills MDI now 3/4

Shanghai horse to Chengdu for MP. Send a horse from Veii to Chengdu.

Vet horse dies flawlessly to Pike at Sugar Hill, promoting him. | Vet horse dies redlining pike | Elite horse retreats to MDI | Vet horse flawlessly kills MDI | 4/5 horse retreats to MDI now 3/4 | 3/5 horse takes out MDI

Send Galley on a suicide run to what looked like sea, but now looks like a rabbit trail.

I spend 48g rushing a turn off a horse in Shantung, and 68 finishing one in Beijing.

We've got an empty Army in Beijing. A sword army would probably skirmish nicely against these infernal pikes, but then again... an MDI army would be better (we have a handful of swords that could be upgraded, if Feudalism ever comes in...) An Army of Riders would be ferocious...

I probably should've paused the game and let the team decide what to do with the leader, but I suspect we will get more leaders....

So, for the next better player: > > The Save < <

 

[gozpel]

Wow, some busy turns the scout And a good job you did with it too.

Army is fine.

Are we researching anything, knights would be nice to have soon.

 

[scoutsout]

Are we researching anything, knights would be nice to have soon.

We weren't researching when I got the game, and with a few turns of anarchy in there, I didn't see much point. We have Monotheism, and Aztecs know Feudalism. I hated the thought of plowing gold into a "known" tech.... but these stupid AI have not YET provided us with Feudalism.

I also spent some cash hurrying along improvments, and wanted the treasury to build a little so we can (eventually) upgrade some horses.

The queue is set to Engineering. We could either research that (and risk dumping that to pursue Chivalry) or set the queue to Chivalry through Feudalism.... and hire a scientist or two... I think Chengdu has enough surplus food to hire one, possibly Sugar Hill as well.

 

[gozpel]

Btw, I don't want knights, I want Riders

 

[barbslinger]

Grahamim ,take it today if possible. I am in the middle of a BBQ wiith friends. If you don't get it by PM I may jump in. Depends on berr intake but after Fri, Sat I am not up to full capacity and liking cold water ATM.

 

[gozpel]

I think G-man is out of town for a few days, yep checked my PM's and:

"i'll be outta town till the 23rd" he said. He might have some connection anyways to the net, but it was shoddy at best.

 

[SpikeIt]

Good job scout. Still pretty much a stalemate it seems, but the Atzecs pulling in Sun Tzu wasn't the greatest thing to happen. Well, just another wonder to take. At least from your turn log it seems the Aztecs are a bit spent, trickling in a couple units a turn. Then again, we don't seem much better. Any ideas on how to get the AI moving forward on tech? Its too bad Korea pulled Mono from the age advancement.

 

[grahamiam]

i am still at home tonight but i got a flight to the west coast tommorrow morning. since i made the oh-so-bright decision to build a home in the sticks, i'll have to wake up around 4:30AM to catch it. barbslinger can take it if he's up for it tonight. i may poke my head in a steal a save here or there this week but it's not likely.

btw, nice skirmishing scout. any idea if we're wearing monty down?

 

[scoutsout]

@'slinger: sounds like you were already over your "berr" limit there, amigo.

@Spikeit: We need more contacts. There are other AI out there. I think I may have actually hosed us by getting everyone we know (except Korea) into a MA v. Aztecs. Mongols, Carthage, Celts can't buy techs off Aztecs...

@Gozpel: yessir, I'd prefer Riders too.