Preflight:
Ok, let's start this session with another interesting example from the world of micro-management. (But then I think, we have dwelled long enough on this topic and will concentrate solely on strategic questions...)
If you open the 750 BC save from the end of last session, you will notice, that Lugdunum is going to grow this interturn. If we would leave everything as it is, it would pick up the jungle tile, not one of the two mountains, as we only have +2fpt. (A town needs at least +4fpt, before the governor prefers a shield-rich tile over a food-rich tile on growth, even if the "Emphasize Production" flag is set!). As the food is wasted on growth anyway, this is of course not desirable, especially, as Lugdunum could reach 10spt this interturn, finishing the GS, which currently has 30s in the box. (In fact, this turn I short-rushed a 30s settler for a handful of coins in order to fill the shield-box in anticipation of what I'm about to explain here.)
So anyway, Lugdunum is currently making 8spt, the mine on the hill SE is about to finish, yielding 1 more shield (the other one is lost to corruption), so if we could make the governor select the mountain for another two shields (due to GA), we would get the missing 10th shield. One way would be to let Gergovia "block" the jungle tile, and then there's only those mountains left for the governor to select. However, then Gergovia would riot due to the missing commerce. So what we do is: let Lugdunum take the jungle, and Gergovia blocks the coastal tile so far used by Lugdunum:
T091, 730 BC:
And as expected, Lugdunum produces the GS this turn...!
America has Currency this turn. Perhaps I can buy it for gpt, shortly before I'm about to attack...
T092, 710 BC:
Cumae has finally grown to size 2. Four GS are ready for attack: the first one takes it. Three more move south, two get into position for an attack on Viroconium, which has grown to 2 as well.
T093, 690 BC:
First GS captures Viroconium and two workers. 4 GS get into position near Neapolis.
The Americans found a town next to the road towards Antium, so I need to sign a ROP with them in order to keep using that road.
T094, 670 BC:
3 GS take Neapolis, one loss. 6 GS get ready for the attack on Antium.
Rome is willing to talk again, and they also have Currency. Good to know.
I think it's time now to start thinking about overseas invasions. Therefore Verulamium starts galley production (at 3 turns per galley). I have 13 GS now operating in the south, 5 more got finished/upgraded in the core, some of which I will send south, while the others start forming the American task force already. I can use my ROP to bring them into position nicely, and then attack several towns on the first strike.
T095, 650 BC:
Antium captured at no losses. 5 GS move on to Pisae.
Trade China Polytheism for Literature. You never know what it's good for...
Russia has 22g, so I sell them CoL. I will soon have to gift them Republic, so I may as well get a few coins out of them...
T096, 630 BC:
Two GS take Pisae. Now only Rome and 3 size 1 towns are left. One of these size 1 towns (Hispalis) is unfortunately next to the silk resources on the west coast, so they won't give it to me. Nevertheless I make peace now. It'll take a while, before I can get Gallics to Hispalis, and perhaps it'll have grown by that time. If not, I will need some time to get a settler there, anyway...
Rome gives Pompeii and Currency for peace. For some reason they didn't give the other size 1 town Lutetia?! (Perhaps there's oil or uranium next to it
)
Three GS can use the road from Pisae to Canton to attack China next turn. Three other GS have meanwhile healed and moved from Neapolis next to Tientsin...
In the north, our GS are using the American roads to move to the north tip of the continent. Once I have three towns covered with 3 GS each, the attack will begin. Actually it's a shame to attack America, because with their total of 9 towns they are building 5 wonders:
Washington: Artemis
New York: Pyramids
Boston: Hanging Gardens
Atlanta: Great Library
Philadelphia: Oracle
Actually, all of them would be worth preserving, but Atlanta, New York and Philadelphia are only small (size 2-3 and some even in the tundra) so they'll probably lose the race to the other continent. (And if they don't, the game will be over by the time they finish their wonder...
) So I'll just preserve Washington and Boston, as these are quite productive and have a good chance of actually completing their project. These are the most important anyway. Artemis for the culture expansion and both because of the extra happiness they'll provide, which is particularly important considering the lack of luxuries on this map...
As I kind of have enough GS for the moment, I start a marketplace in Entremont. It'll need a few more turns before getting to 20spt so would be wasting shields when building GS atm anyway.
Verulamium could actually use a market as well, so I postpone galley production for a moment. Hopefully this isn't a stupid idea...
T097, 610 BC:
Sell Egypt Currency for 98g and 16gpt. Now we are in business!
Gift Russia Math, Currency, Construction and Polytheism. They get Engineering, yes! However, they want Republic, Literature, 235g and 36gpt for it! Unthankful cheapskates! I get them to agree to Rep+Lit+45gpt and then declare war... My reputation with them is busted, but their only contact so far is China, and China will soon hate me anyway...
Now I can finally cross the rivers without loss of time!
Sell France Rep for Monarchy and 8g. Babylon would pay their last 7g for Currency, but they might get Feudalism as freebie, and I don't necessarily want that to be known...
Attack on China! Two GS take Canton, no losses. Now I only need a road between Pisae and Antium, and incense will be connected! Rush a worker in Antium for 32g.
One GS attacks Tientsin, killing the reg spear without losing a hitpoint. Then I get bold and attack with an elite GS: the defending spear goes down to 1/3, and then my GS goes from 5/5 to 0/5!! It's always the same. The last unit in a city seems to have super-human powers! But I have another elite GS and that one captures Tientsin going down to 2/5 in the process... But I don't complain, I had nearly no losses so far.
Now I want to ignore Beijing (as it's currently producing a wonder, so doesn't produce units) and the size 1 towns along the south-western border and proceed via Shanghai to the eastern coast. For this the roads around Rome would be quite useful, and for some strange reason, the Romans are willing to sign a RoP!?!? Well, I take it. Reinforcements march towards Shanghai and will get there from all sides within the next two turns.
T098, 590 BC:
Babylon seems to have gotten Currency now anyway. Fortunately they got Engineering as well.
I join a worker to Entremont, and at size 8 it now finally makes 20spt. I short-rush a library to avoid shield overrun, and the marketplace will complete next turn.
Ok, 3 GS are in place at Atlanta, 3 at New York, and there are 6 American workers I can capture close to my border (one is even inside my territory, next to Burdigala). More GS are ready in the core to march on San Francisco and Philadelphia next turn, so the time is ready...
Attack on America! 3 GS capture Atlanta, one loss, one promotes to elite. 3 GS attack a reg spearman in New York, 2 die, one retreats 1/4! Darn.
3 GS attack Philadelphia, two kill a spear, the third retreats from a warrior. Good luck I upgraded my chariot to a horseman in Burdigala last turn! The horse attacks and takes Philadelphia, capturing a settler. 4 more workers captured. (A little trick worth knowing: if a unit captures workers, then it can still attack the same turn, even if it doesn't have blitz! However, the other way around it doesn't work: first attacking a unit and then trying to capture a worker can't be done.)
T099, 570 BC:
Entremont finishes marketplace and starts 2-turn Gallics production.
Camulodunum is now also making 20spt.
Unfortunately I had to cut Verulamium back to 9spt, but 3 turns before the market completes, I can prune with a library and then give the BG from Camulodunum back to Verulamium.
4 GS attack Shanghai, one dies, one retreats, the other two take the town.
2 GS attack San Francisco, one retreats, the other one kills a spear. Both are at 1/4 outside the town, but I think there aren't any units in it for a counterattack.
T100, 550 BC:
Buy furs from Rome for Engineering. Unfortunately that is not yet enough to lower luxury to 10%. But with the incense that I'll get in a couple of turns, it'll be enough.
