3 grams - Prodigal Son's

[grahamiam]

Regarding the worker-packing idea, I'd hate to waste good workers on such corrupt towns. Better to raze & repop.

M60 means repop with newly built workers, if i'm reading correctly. and this is the most efficient way to go, in terms of food (1 pop = 10 food, vs setter = 2pop but 30 food).

and mapstat substantially cuts down on turn time. in a normal game, you can instantly see which cities will riot and what techs the ai have to offer (we would avoid that screen). it also helps with calculating dom limits, culture, and flip probabilities.

 

[M60A3TTS]

I also rely on F1, and have never used mapstat.

Mapstat is helping me towards my first solo deity win. I highly recommend using it concurrently in non-variant situations like this one. (where we can't use it). It makes your F1 and F4 advisors active rather than passive and makes deal-making far easier when you see what everyone needs and has.

 

[denyd]

My main reason of checking all the cities each turn was to prevent rioting from WW, growth, luxury loss and to minimize the costs via the lux slider. Each turn I would set the slider to 0 and see who was going to riot. If it was only a town or 2, then I would MM those towns by adding a specialist. If there were quite a few towns, I'd up the luxury rate and check again.

I think using MapStat for checking happiness wouldn't change the dynamics of this game. Checking techs that are available would also be nice from a stealing point of view. I stole Replacement Parts from dad because I didn't think that Spain had it yet (no infantry). Earlier I stole electricity from Spain without thinking what I would have done if they didn't have it already. Imagine having spent 1500g to steal a tech, getting lucky and getting the steal and having only sanitation to steal.

 

[M60A3TTS]

Right now most of our core is producing rifles, switch to knights would be fine.

A few knights will do. A few knights and a lot of artillery will do even better.

 

[RowAndLive]

Please don't mistake my statement. I'm not knocking mapstat. I'm only saying that I'm not in the habit of using it.

 

[Admiral Kutzov]

Since we've got SPHQ, one would think we would have superior intelligence gathering abilities. In some twisted way, this could be an argument to use mapstat to see what's available. Re the happiness tab of mapstat, I think it pulls info from the autosave file in the IT. Therefore happy/content are shown prior to the effects of any new trades, lux hook ups etc. The flip risk tab is really nice to help manage what to keep and what to abandon. In this game, I've learned to F1 and scroll as M60 or Denyd indicated. I'm not detail oriented enough to change the sliders every turn to see if we can do better, but I do try to watch for tiny unhappy people. This whole post boils down to "I'm fine with what everyone else wants to do"

 

[RowAndLive]

Got it, although I can't start play until tomorrow.

PRE-PLAY NOTES
1575 – 0
no adjustments, but a lot of research. Note the Byzantines at 6107 culture points, the huge Byz & Celtic force pools which Japan is between, and the territory status of Japan’s cities. I don’t think that she’s as bad off as expected, expect for being between the Celts & Aztecs, with the Byz as an anvil.

Too bad we didn’t get Vidin.

By SP, you mean the one up North near Echigo? Too bad we couldn’t just go after France. We’re going to be locked in peace with Byz for a while. Of course, I don’t see what we need SP for, except perhaps resource denial. Perhaps someone could explain?
A trade deal with Dora for rubber would be nice, although I don’t expect it.

By building a city NW of the bananas near Tattoe You, we could cut Dora's rail link to the penninsula if she declared on us. She'd still have rubber, due to ports, but would lose the rail movement.

IBT: The Celts have at least 3 destroyers. The Byz declare on Japan. We build more rifles. If we think that rubber will be a while, why not guerillas?

 

[denyd]

The need for SP is to allow building of cavalry. There is a pair of tiles unclaimed up north that we could place that city to claim the rubber. Either location would take some tiles from the Byzantines, so prepare for declaration if you do. If she breaks the peace, it's no slam to our rep.

 

[grahamiam]

salt is for cavs, cav armys (with 4 cavs inside + mil academy) have an attack rating of 12! these will be very deadly when combined with artillary, that's why M60 is pushing arty builds now and we want salt for as long as we can have it. also, without salt, we can only build galleons, no decent escorts, which will make taking the french towns hard. if we can trade/steal for Ironclads, then we'd have escorts, but we really need those other techs instead.
i have not seen a screenie or save in 20 turns so i'm not sure where the rubber is. if we want to discuss more, please, can we get more screenies

 

[M60A3TTS]

Here is what I would like to do. When my turn set comes around, it's very likely Theo is going to call and ask to extend the peace. Especially since she is at war with Dad again. At that moment, we need to be in a position to kick this off. Waiting for 20 more turns of peace will just put Theo that much closer to Mech Infantry. We can't afford that. Our push for a domination victory needs to start in about 15 turns.

In all likelihood the Spanish cities we just took have to go. The reason is the key to taking the offensive is marrying up the cav armies with the artillery. We can get the cav armies and artillery to within 2 of Teruel. But once we do that the Spanish towns will be defenseless, as we have no RoP with Theo to reinforce the towns beforehand. That should not be a big deal as we can just raze and replace within about 4 turns. We should be able to control the entire peninsula within 4-5 turns, and have salt and maybe even rubber, but it won't happen without artillery. Please build artillery just about everywhere. We don't need any more rifles for a while. Build artillery. Redlined infantry defending a pop 2 town can be rolled over easily with a cav army. The Byz towns are so close together on the peninsula, they'll fall like dominos as they are all within artillery fire range of 2.

But this is critical. The Cav armies need to be moved NOW. Dad controls Cataractonium, which is the only way through which we can get the cav armies to the one neutral tile 2N of Teruel without Theo kicking us back out of her land without the RoP. If Cataractorium falls to Theo, our armies can't get to within range of Teruel. Then the offensive plan is in the tank. If for some reason Theo culture expands the neutral tile, no big deal. The cav armies can be moved south and will just get kicked back into our homeland.

With the peninsula under our control, we can launch a second phase to take Caesarea and split the Byzantine empire in two. But more about that later. In the meantime, Sala builds armies and every town in the ISSR at 10+ spt needs to build... you know what. Screenie to follow.

 

[M60A3TTS]

 

[grahamiam]

sounds well thought out, let's try it. i would recommend blocking the choke as well so that the byz can't get reinforcements from thier core.

 

[RowAndLive]

D'oh! :shakehead Cav, of course!

I can certainly move the armies south to Cataractonium, and raze the towns (otherwise they'll flip). I would think that someone else will plant there first, but that's ok too. I planned to settle on the ruins W of the SP, and set to rush a port if I can, or build wealth if not. I know we need our money for steals. I can also reinforce, defend by interference, the other Japanese town near France. Blocking the neck will be quickly done, as the rails run through neutral terr. I can fully block soon enough. I will also park on the key tile.

 

[denyd]

Very nice plan. I agree that the artillery/cavalry army strategy should work wonderfully in that area. Adding rubber & SP to our resources will allow us to upgrade the frontline defenders to infantry and build some more cavalry to load the new armies with. By my recollection, you've only got about 3 turns to get those units in place before the treaty expires.

I would imagine the optium steal path is to get to flight ASAP then tanks. We'll need to monitor if anyone starts the UN, though with all the wars so far, it's unlikely that anyone can win a vote.

 

[Bede]

Artillery, cavalry and bombers are good against just about anything.

Cav armies do need a hidey hole with a barracks that is out of reach of enemy bombing runs though.

 

[RowAndLive]

1580 – 1
Note that all Celt shipping lanes cross Spanish or Byz tiles (even though we do seem to be allowed trades), and we don’t want a deal with the Byz at this point, so no rubber trading, unless we want to trash our rep.

Start army moves, and see a Byz inf on the ruins intended for settling, and a Byz cav on the plains that we will need to cross to get to Cataractonium, and a worker on the SP hill. Move on to roaded mountain by Echigo. Start more forts.

Change Vitoria to worker in 2, change all rifle builds to arty.

IBT:
Spain approaches for peace, offering 2 of Corp, Ironclads, medicine, music, democracy or fascism, for rep parts – no, as I can’t get 2 toward flight. But it does give me a steal target of corp.
Japan & France sign peace. Japan fleet of 3 frigates & 1 galleon leaves Logrono to 2N of Poitiers.

Byz kick us out. Wants gems, silks, WM, 37gpt + 807g for Corp. – No, too rich.

2 Celt DDs go back to Zaragoza (Spain). Byz inf joins worker.

Alleghany rax > arty, Rheims arty > arty, Catt arty > arty, Centralia arty > arty, Tyendenaga coal plant > arty (univ tempting tho), Kawauka rax > rifle, Kente lib > bank, Tattoe You temple > arty, Onnontare temple > worker to match growth.
Volcano at Tyendenaga goes active.

1585 – 2
Move workers & rifles to build & man forward line of forts.
Complete rail line through Kawauka in case primary rails on W coast get cut.
Note Spanish fleet of 2 frigates & galleon coming in N of Poitiers.
Plant spy in Constantinople. Didn’t have enough to steal from Spain. Would have been cheaper to buy Corp. from Byz.

IBT: Aztecs enter lone guerilla in NE. France DoW on Japan. 1 DD goes bacl to Toledo. Byz fleet of 4 nears Echigo.
Sala army > army, VFalls arty > arty, Oil Springs arty > arty, Tours temple > arty, Owego market > library, Vitorio worker (resistance ends) > worker

1590 – 3
Complete rails at Logrono tiles. 3 armies reach Cataractonium.

IBT: Celt BB & DD go to Zaragoza, Japanese Ironclad & frigate join other 4, which are outside Logrono, and Byz fleet heads that way to join the arty:
Paris rax > arty, Tonawanda arty > arty, Rheims arty > arty, Catt arty > arty, DTower coal plant > rifle
Byz begin Hoover! Volcano @ DTower erupts. Pollution near Tyendenaga.

1595 – 4
@NFalls, cannons go 3/5 taking guerilla red, cav -0 kills guerilla & returns to NF.
Now I wonder, since we’re already at war w/ Monty, why am I not taking Schuykill?
Bananas roaded & railed, landing party hops on ruins (but galleon is in Byz terr.), 3 armies go to key tile (near Byz rubber), use conscripts to play tile denial at Logrono (vs landings & attacks).

Japanese fleet: 3 frigates, 1 Iclad, 2 galleons
Byz fleet: 3 frigates, 1 galleon

IBT: Dora again asks us to leave, with warning that armies may soon march.
Wants gems, silks, WM, 1380g for Corp. – no, don’t want to risk rep hit for luxes.
Wants gems, silks, WM, 630g for rubber - no.
Celt BB returns to Toledo, while DD heads S, Byz fleet ignores Dad’s fleet of 1 Iclad & heads to S side of France.
VFalls arty > arty, MChunk arty > bank, Tyendenaga arty > arty, Onnontare worker > market.
Pollution at Rheims, Celts begin Hoover.

1600 – 5
I can see from outline, that we won’t get the SP, but found anyway > temple.
Pump research to 90% for Corp in 4 turns at -120g, so as to allow 2 tech options.
Dad will sell 2 Aztec workers for 290g – no, maybe later. Won’t sell Corp.
Try steal from Spain for 1330g (risky) & succeed! [dance]
Change research to steel in 50T @ 0%, +356gpt (can do 13T @ 50%, +4gpt).
4-5 turns to steal versus 13 to build (w/ 20% for happiness).
Change Sala to Stock Exchange in 1, since we have nothing to put in an army.

Army Comparison w/Byz & Spain (due to spy):
Workers: 23 (us) / 22 (Byz) / 1 (Spain)
MW: 1 / 0 / 0
Pikes: 3 / 0 / 0
LB: 1 / 0 / 3
MDI: 1 / 0 / 0
Knights: 1 / 0 / 0
Muskets: 0 / 1 / 0
Rifles: 73 / 7 / 26
Cav: 17 / 7 / 1
Inf: 0 / 102 / 0
Armies: 4 / 0 / 0
Trebuchet: 4 / 0 / 0
Cannon: 17 / 0 / 0
Arty: 11 / 13 / 0
Galleons: 2 / 7 / 1
Frigates: 0 / 14 / 2
Iclad: 0 / 11 / 1

Conclusion: Wish we had some way to talk to the Celts, and better reach Spain.

IBT: Byz & Spain sign peace.
Celt DD sinks Lapanese Iclad near Logorno. Byz fleet sails N again, ignoring Japan.
Celt BB back to Zaragoza.
Sala stock exchange > rifle in 2, Rheims / Catt / Oil Springs / arty > arty, Centralia arty > stock exchange, Grand River rax > library in 9, Vitoria riots (thought it wouldn’t at 1/0/1, oops) > 2 tax
Tyendenaga volcano erupts.

1605 – 6
Stopping here to post for comments before finishing. Was rubber decision w/ Dora right, or no? Everything in position in N except no SP.

 

[M60A3TTS]

Rubber decision was correct. We want to take it, not trade for it.

Sala should build armies whether they can be filled or not. They can always be loaded later. We will have the salt and rubber in short order once we take it to Theo.

 

[Bede]

Play the plan as outlined. So far so good.

 

[RowAndLive]

1605 – 6
Change Sala to building army.
Change Owego to settler in 3 to replace Schuykill.
Begin invasion of Schuykill.

IBT: Japan & Celts sign peace.
Dad’s galleon charges Byz fleet alone, but they head away NW of Echigo.
Celts have taken Zaragoza, and BB is now bombarding Madrid.
VFalls / Tonawanda arty > arty, Vitoria worker > worker, Gayagaahe fcty > coal plant, Gewauga coal plant > arty (need stock exch), Kiohero rax > arty

1610 – 7
@Schuykill, arty goes 0/3, cannons go 2/5 taking 2 inf to 2/3, add 4 more cannons, fort rifles & cav

IBT: Byz fleet turns S for France. Bys DoW on Spain.
Latrobe bank > arty, Rheims arty > arty, Catt stock exch, St. Regis rax > arty, DTower rifle > arty, Owego settler > arty, Tyendeaga arty > arty

1615 – 8
@Schuykill, arty goes 3/3, cannons go 4/7, cav kills inf, vRifle dies, vRifle -2 kills inf, eRifle kills guerilla & captures Schuykill. Pop has converted & is resisting > rax. Settler is available to replace if desired. Unfired ordinance returns to NFalls (2 each arty & cannons).

IBT: Japan successfully defends Catarctonium against 2 Byz (1cav 1?), but only inf goes red, now a rifle showing. 1 Byz inf adjacent.
VFalls / Oil Springs arty > arty, Marseilles bank > stock exch in 100 (no shields), Caughnawaga fcty > coal plant, BLung lib > market

1620 – 9 The Pilgrims found Plymouth
Ganogeh connected to railnet.
Irondequoit founded > temple. Breaks Byz rail connection near neck. Reposition defense, and resume “the wall”.

IBT: Aztecs come calling – they give 112g + 3gpt + TM for peace – OK.
Cataractonium falls (1 ea rifle & inf), killing 3-4 Byz inf. Armies are now in Byz terr.
Tonawanda / Rheims / NFalls arty > arty, Vitoria worker > worker in 4 (grow in 1), Ganogeh harbor > temple in 15 (to grab BG to N).

1625 – 10
15 arty & 3 cavs in grand river, along with empty army.
Check builds in Schuykill, Irondequoit, etc.
2 galleons in Avignon (moved).
3 armies fortified near Teruel & need moving.
All MIL units available for moving.

Please note that if we don’t move the armies, the closest space is NW to the SW of Cataractonium, so they should be moved else we be kicked the wrong way.

Also, I never scrapped the Spanish colonies. Please review.

 

[RowAndLive]

Here's the save: