Aabra02: Hammy Builds a House

[gmaharriet]

Aabra02 - Babs - Preflight - Switch Glanum from rax to lib, Iron city from Knight to Pike. Switch research toward Military Tradition, beginning with Chemistry.

<enter>

IBT - Lots of Celt troop movement toward Arabia. English begin Leo's and Chinese begin Cop's.

Babylon -> MDI, Glanum lib -> rax.

1) - 660ad - Lob rocks at Arab mace, rl'ing him, but do not attack as he's alone with a spear on next tile. Fortify all units to allow Army to heal.

IBT - 1 Arab mace and 2 ansars kill 3 Celtic horses. More Celtic troops move to front lines.

2.) - 670ad - Lob more rocks at Arab ansars and mace, rl'ing all 3. Attack and kill all 3, move Army and other units forward.

IBT - Arabs and Celts trade units.

3.) - 680ad - move our units forward.

IBT - Celts moving forward.

Iron City pike -> treb

4.) - 690ad - Move our units to hill next to Baghdad.

IBT - Arab ansars move toward us and Celts move to meet them.

Babylon knight -> knight

5.) - 700ad - Check to see if any deals are possible for Astronomy, but nobody will sell.

Battle for Baghdad
trebs go 3 for 5
vCrusader kills 2/3 pike
lose eMace to 2/3 pike, pike goes 1/3
eMace kills 1/3 pike and Bagdad is ours, 1 resister and 3 slaves.
Move Army into city. Start a temple.

IBT - Arabs kill several Celtic horses. Maya and Portugal sign peace. Maya DoW us. Maya begin Leo's. Resistance ends in Baghdad.

6. - 710ad - Troop and worker movements. Celtic units in our way.

IBT - Arabs and Celts trade units.

Glanum rax -> musket

7. - 720ad - More troop and worker movements

IBT - Arabs kill several Celt horsemen.

8. - 730ad -

Battle of Mansura:
trebs go 1 for 4
lose vMace to sword
eMace kills spear
Army kills spear, Mansura is ours, 1 resister. Start on temple.

IBT - Arabs and Celts trade units. Resistance in Mansura ends.

Babylon knight -> knight.

9. - 740ad - move troops to allow healing.

IBT - Arabs seem pretty well gassed by the Celts. Henry called wanting peace...I tried to negotiate peace plus some gold for Astronomy, but only tried as high as 15gpt and he was still insulted.

10. 750ad - Finish roading between Yamama and Baghdad.

Afterturn notes:
We have 628g at +55gpt in the treasury. I wasn't sure whether to upgrade pikes to muskets, negotiate a larger amount for Astronomy, or turn up research. Next player can make that decision.

The Arabs seem gassed and the Celts keep pouring more units toward the Arab territory.

We are now at war with the Arabs, Maya and Portuguese.

We have our own supply of horses at Mansura.

Here's the save:

 

[Whomp]

That's some mighty fine playing there Gram!! It sounds like we should continue to press this war.

I don't think upgrading to muskets is necessary if we don't have to. I'd rather use that cash towards short rushing other units or buildings.

Do we finish off the Arabs?

 

[Aabraxan]

Good-lookin' turnset, gmaharrier!

 

[scoutsout]

Do we finish off the Arabs?

Tough call... Harriet says the Arabs seem gassed... the only reason I see for giving them any quarter at all is if they can kill some Celtic troops. If they can't do that, let's take their cities if we can. If we can consolidate the Arabian side of our continent then we can focus on the Celts.

We need to figure out a way to get peace on decent terms with Portugal, and organize a dogpile on Maya.

 

[gmaharriet]

Roster:

Bede - up
Whomp - on deck
Beorn-eL-Feared -
scoutsout -
gmaharriet - just played
Aabraxan - indefinite lurker status

 

[scoutsout]

Apologies to Harriet - this quote is from a PM, but I think the group needs to read it.

If it's so that the Arabs are gassed, it's due to the sheer overwhelming numbers of Celtic units. No matter how many died, they were able to completely reinforce each turn. The Arabs units were stronger, but just not enough of them.

As I see it, here's the issue:

• Without Iron, Brennus can only make archers and horsemen... when he learns invention we're looking at longbows...which are dangerous enough in quantity.
• These units have a low shield cost...which is compounded by the AI discount at this level.

We're going to have to fight accordingly....

 

[gmaharriet]

Without Iron, Brennus can only make archers and horsemen... when he learns invention we're looking at longbows...which are dangerous enough in quantity.

Well, Brennus doesn't have iron YET, but there's an unclaimed source on the peninsula west of us. In addition, he's built the town of Rutupaie on that peninsula and it has salt which is not yet hooked up. He could become formidable if he ever stops using his resources to fight Abu, focuses on additional settlements and attacks us.

The Arabs have a second supply of horses just east of Mecca.

 

[Bede]

Interesting times indeed. The Celts are in an interesting position. Lack of resources force them to build cheap units, AI discounts make them even cheaper, so the churn them out by their hundreds. Inneresting. The Arabs are building superior quality but are being overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

Unless the vox populi is anti war see no reason to let the Arab live past his usefulness as a Celt killer. So I shall press on.

Got it.

 

[Aabraxan]

As I see it, here's the issue:

• Without Iron, Brennus can only make archers and horsemen... when he learns invention we're looking at longbows...which are dangerous enough in quantity.
• These units have a low shield cost...which is compounded by the AI discount at this level.

We're going to have to fight accordingly....

So you're facing large numbers of low-cost units. Sounds like something with blitz ability is in order. . . . I count 8 towns. That's enough for 2 armies. How's it looking on the leader front?

 

[gmaharriet]

How's it looking on the leader front?

When I last saw it yesterday, we had 5 elite maces and 1 elite sword. One of those maces was garrisoning Glanum and one was wounded at 1/5 in Mansura with the Army.

 

[scoutsout]

BTW - Daghie's got an open SG running as Iroquois... trying to launch a spaceship before Christmas... I picked up a set and the Sumerians jumped off the porch... nobody's had the stones to pick it up yet.

If you're looking for a one-off set to play... pick it up.

 

[Bede]

When I last saw it yesterday, we had 5 elite maces and 1 elite sword. One of those maces was garrisoning Glanum and one was wounded at 1/5 in Mansura with the Army.

I'm real weak on this one but don't we need a few more towns before training a new army?

 

[gmaharriet]

We can have 1 Army for every 4 towns. Last I saw, we had exactly 8 towns:

Babylon
Glanum
Curovernum
Iron City
Yamama
Aden
Baghdad
Mansura

If we don't have enough units to fill an army, that's a different matter entirely, but we can build one if we get a MGL.

 

[gmaharriet]

nobody's had the stones to pick it up yet.

Do the rocks in my head count? I just played 10 in Daghie's game.

 

[Aabraxan]

I'm real weak on this one but don't we need a few more towns before training a new army?

We can have 1 Army for every 4 towns. Last I saw, we had exactly 8 towns: . . . .

I was just counting from gma's last screenshot, but 8 is what I counted, too.

@scoutsout -- I saw Daghie's SG, but I doubt I'll have a chance to play any turnsets, even in my solo games, between now and Christmas. Thanks, though.

BTW, Happy Holidays to everyone!

 

[Beorn-eL-Feared]

How's it going, Sir Monk? No bump or anything, just curious

 

[Bede]

Never fear the Old Monk is here (Grumpy as always)

Our victorious armies march on

almost to the gates of Mecca.

Determined leader fishing got no joy, but there are elites yet to work with so march on.

This poor knight is most likely soon dead

as the Arab is pushing hard at that corner.

The Celts have retreated from Arabia and ended the war. Babylon celebrated by ending the war with Portugal

and began the dogpile on Maya after opening an embassy with Joan

Much wonder cascading went on

The completion of Magellan's means we have access to overseas luxuries but I renewed the wines deal with the Celts to prevent any riots (Aden rioted anyway)

Babylon is configured for max commerce and 4 turn knights with 2 overflow.

In general life is good in Babylonia despite the Arab war. Keep pushing! But watch out for Arab galleys in the corners.

 

[scoutsout]

...and I thought *I* was bad about spending the gold. For the cost of a dogpile, I count:

• 220g to Portugal
• ...likewise to the fickle French woman
• 264 to Liz (she might be easy, but not cheap)

Nice job, sir Monk!

For the benefit of the next better player, is this 'corner' easy to spot?

as the Arab is pushing hard at that corner.

Merry D-Day to all, and to all a good fight!

 

[gmaharriet]

I see we now have two more towns. Sweet!

I also see that China has grabbed up Brennus' only hope for iron on the west of our continent. I hope Mao can hang onto it.


Roster Update:

Whomp - up
Beorn-eL-Feared - on deck
scoutsout -
gmaharriet -
Bede - just played
Aabraxan - indefinite lurker status

 

[Whomp]

Very nice Bede. I like the dogpile!
I see the corner and got the save. I'll try to hit this soon.