Awn of an Ynasty

[Rodent]

Speaking of Variants, here are a few more suggestions for variants-

1) A variant where you can build ONLY military units

2) A variant where you cant change governments

 

[gmaharriet]

So are you going to go after Entremont with the Pyramids and try to keep it for the third time? Losing it twice had to really hurt.

 

[Aabraxan]

The Pyramids are simply too powerful not to keep, especially since I'm not agri. I certainly cannot afford to let the Celts keep them. Unfortunately, I played pretty poorly in the last update, so it was a long, expensive war and, as a result, I probably will not succeed in eliminating the Celts this time around. They've spread to the south, so it will take at least one more war to accomplish. What I have got to do, though, is eliminate any Celtic towns with borders touching those of Entremont. You know . . . adjust their cultural borders for them.

Edit: Welcome to the Awn of an Ynasty, Rodent.

 

[darski]

Rather a lot of "Luck" happening there; both good and bad.

 

[Tasslehoff]

Ouch. Not one, but two flips. Ouch.

 

[Aabraxan]

Yeah, that was a painful turnset. We'll just have to see if I can recover in time to take down Theodora. She's got Feudalism . . .

@darski -- BTW, nice new avatar.

 

[kingfire87]

Very intriguing. I would not like to be a citizen of Entremont! Conquered. Reconquered. Flipped. You name it.

I know some games look different than others, but what are those blackish buildings next to some of your cities?

 

[Aabraxan]

Very intriguing. I would not like to be a citizen of Entremont! Conquered. Reconquered. Flipped. You name it.

I know some games look different than others, but what are those blackish buildings next to some of your cities?

Yeah, and unless I can eliminate those Celtic cities near Entremont, I feel certain that it will flip again. Here's what I don't know, and maybe someone can enlighten me: If city loses one pop every time it's recaptured, it won't be long before it's down to pop 1, particularly since I put it on a starvation diet every time I recapture. What happens if it gets to size 1 and I have to recapture? It's got 2 Great Wonders and I'm pretty sure that its borders have expanded at least once. It won't autoraze, will it? Will it simply not lose that last pop point?

Those blackish buildings are my mines, by the way. If I were to post a zoomed in screenshot, they'd look like wooden towers.

 

[gmaharriet]

No, it won't autoraze. My understanding is that any town/city which has ever accumulated at least 10 culture points will endure, even at pop 1.

 

[Aabraxan]

Chapter 4: The Coming of the Swords​

It's 400 AD when I return to this game. The last set was nigh-catastrophic. Let's see where we are:

18 Cities (1st)
14 slaves
0 native workers (rejoined them to reduce costs, but I'm going to need some)
21 Swords
4 Cats
3 Settlers
3 Horses
1 Army
207 gold
Feudalism in 17 @ +0 gpt

In 410 AD, I finally get Entremont down to size one after cash-rushing a worker and starving a citizen down.

In 410, the Celts request an audience. I see what he's got to say, but I really, really need to kill off anything neighboring Entremont if I have any hope of keeping the Pyramids.

In 420 I realize that I goofed by trying to build a settler out of Macao. I don't want to abandon the city, so I switch to to a sword to avoid either: (1) abandoning the city; or (2) wasting the 30 shields I've invested. Guess it'll just have to be a Regular. Oh, well, I've got some barbs bothering my southern border that I can use to promote him.

In 530 AD, as I'm attacking Alesia, events turn my way just a little.

By 550 AD, I've learned that Theo is up Feudalism, Engineering and Monarchy. Ordinarily, I wouldn't care about Monarchy, but my poorly-played last set is killing me with WW as a Republic. I'm considering a switch to Monarchy, or maybe the Hanging Gardens, but I can't really do either until I push the Celts off the eastern edge of the continent.

By 600 AD, I am close to that goal. It's been a long, hard war and my research rate has been awful. However, once I knock off Verulanium, I will have reduced the Celts harmlessness and cleared up enough room for me to expand some more. Unfortunately, that left the Byzantines in a position to peacefully build up. The Middle Ages will be tough.

In 630 AD, I make contact with Persia and India. The tech race is not pretty.

Spoiler :

Here's the tech picture overall:

Spoiler :

On the other hand, I get my fifth MGL in 640 AD. Time to build the FP, methinks.

I build the FP using General Tso, but have no luck fishing another leader, at least not before 650 AD, when I make peace with Brennus . . . a-gain.

Spoiler :

I can't allow the tech lead to widen like this, so I go shopping.

Spoiler :

I set my sights on Engineering, but only on Lone Scientist. As I just bought Feudalism, I'll need my gold for upgrades. I know that spending less on science won't help the tech situation, but I hope that maces will.

At the close of 650 AD, here's how the empire looks:

Spoiler :

The Age of Swords has passed. It's time to expand and move to maces. All in all, though, my Swordsmen served me well.

Mine Eyes have seen the Glory
Of the Coming of the Swords
They have trampled through the fields
Where Celtic grapes of wrath are stored

 

[gmaharriet]

They have trampled through the fields
Where Celtic grapes of wrath are stored

Me thinks you need to grow a crop of scientists, rather than cultivating vineyards.

This looks like it will be a hard-fought game. Good luck!

 

[Aabraxan]

I most definitely need to improve my outlook on science, but when I left off, I had used a leader to build the FP out on that NE peninsula near Entremont. It's my hope that I can turn that area into a productive semi-core. I'll continue expanding in all directions, but that will fill up first. Then I'll start laying out science farms to the SW, down towards Theo.

 

[DJ Bonebraker]

I'd have put the FP in Entremont itself, to help further guard against it flipping, but that's just me....

 

[Aabraxan]

That probably would have been a good idea. I was busy leader-fishing and may have gotten into too much of a hurry. I wanted to burn that leader, get the FP ready and fish for another MGL. At any rate, nobody's cultural borders touch those of Entremont any more and the Celts aren't long for this world, so I think it will work out.

 

[CivRulesAll]

lurkers comment:ill be following this one,posting to subscribe

 

[CivRulesAll]

also,how do u get so many MGL's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i usually only get 1 in a game and i have to use the military academy to load up on armies,ur really lucky

 

[Aabraxan]

I have been unusually lucky with MGLs this game. I can't think of another game where I bagged 5 before leaving the AA. At any rate, all I've done is build the Heroic Epic and leader-fish where possible.

 

[Aabraxan]

Chapter 5: Maces on the March​

650 AD:

In 650 AD, I made peace with Brennus and set about the task of filling the areas he had so graciously "vacated." I'm behind in tech, had to empty my pockets to get Feudalism, but I'm hoping that MDI pay off.

In 700 AD, I get a cultural expansion around Xinjian. It scares me, as I am unused to this event. I go in, thinking to sell whatever temple I may have inadvertently built. On investigation, I am reminded that I built the FP in Xianjian.

Looking to the South, there's an awful lot of jungle and mountains between me and Theo. Lotsa cats are about to become markets. By 710 AD, I've built up to about a dozen MDI's that are free to join the attack group.

In 720 AD, I make contact with the Dutch who, like everyone else, is up Lit and Engineering. I'm making a minimum run on engineering, using the gold to upgrade swords to MDI.

IN 730 AD, Henry of the Portugese makes an appearance. He's willing to trade Lit for The Republic. While I'm at it, I relieve him of 86 gold and 4 gpt. Republic may be worth more than that, but there's no one else to sell it to.

In 760 AD, the Byzantines begin Leonardo's Workshop.

I give a Byzantine archer the boot order, but Theo agrees to withrdraw him rather than declare . . . drat.

A quick visit to my Military advisor reveals that compared to:

Persia - Monarchy: average
Celts - Republic: strong
Portugal - Feudalism: strong
Netherlands - Monarchy: strong
India - Republic: strong
Byzantines - Republic: strong.

In 800 AD, I get this:

So Chivalry's been learned. I've been giving Theo the boot order on that one archer every time she steps in my territory, but for decades now, she's just refused to DOW me. I give her one last boot order and she decides to grant my fondest birthday wish:

Spoiler :

I guess it's time to go spank Theo and take this continent. I consider the possibility of allying with Brennus, but he'd be useless and, besides, there are only 4 turns left of peace with him.

In 810 AD, I finally make contact with the Germans, the last AI in the game.

810 AD:
Ancyra falls
The Persians start Sun Tzu's
The Persians start the Sistine Chapel

820 AD:
The Indians begin Sun Tzu's

840 AD:
The Indians begin Sun Tzu's again.
Vidin falls

850 AD:
PT with Brennus expires. DOW.
Burdigala falls.

850 AD:
India begins Sun Tzu's . . . again.
The other Celtic city falls.
The Celts are gone.

In 860, I go ahead and buy Engineering from the Dutch for a lump sum 479 gold payment. My empire is finally, finally beginning to recover from the shift to Republic and I set my sights on Invention. I'll pick up Monotheism and stuff eventually, but it doesn't have to be right now.

870 AD:
Guess who starts Sun's again. . . . Ghandi, the first step is admitting that you have a problem.

Over the past century or so, something is finally dawning on me. I was considering where to put my science farms, and the two candidates were: (1) former Celtic lands; or (2) future former Byzantine lands. I've been trying to work out a way around this, but until electricity, there's not going to be any irrigation of Celtic lands. I've marked out a series of hills and mountains and they completely prevent me from irrigating the formerly-Celtic cows to the east of the red lines. It's a real shame, too, because I can see 3 cows there.

Spoiler :

880 AD:
A Byz town falls, but I forgot to note the name.

By the end of 890, Theo's willing to give me one piddlin' city for peace, but I think I need to hurt her some more.

900 AD:
The Persians complete Leo's at Pasargadae.
The Indians are building Sun Tzu's. :sigh:

I had sent one stack after the Celts and one after the Byzantines. Unfortunately, MDI defend just like spears and after some losses (not that many, but more than I would have liked), I merge the two stacks. Now my attack stack looks like this:

910 AD:
Oh, dear God in heaven, let the pain end . . . The Indians are building Sun Tzu's Art of War again.

In 930, I go ahead and mortage my economy, yet again, paying 350 gold and 28 gpt to the Dutch for Gunpowder. I won't get any units out of it, but at least I'll know where the salt is.

Turns out that I have saltpeter right by Canton, already hooked up. Won't do me any good right now, though.

950 AD:
The Dutch and Indians are building the Sistine Chapel.

And in 950 AD, the Dutch pull the rug out from under the Indians:

Oh, me! Oh, my! Whatever shall the Indians build now?

Oh, yeah. They switch to the Sistine Chapel.

Interestingly, despite all the advice not to build defensive units below whatever level, I'm finding warfare slightly more difficult than my standard game. I had half expected it to be easier. I never build very many defensive units, but I've been reminded on more than one occasion during this game that MDI defend just like spears. A pike or two in the middle of the MDI stack goes a fair ways towards keeping the stack safe. OTOH, part of my problem may be my warmongering skills. Perhaps this game will help me sharpen those skills a bit.

In 960 AD, the Byzantines come to talk peace. Unfortunately, they won't offer even a single city, nor a tech. They only have 33 gold, but hurting them is worth more than 33 gold to me. I decline peace and, in response, they promptly send most of the defenders out of Iconium, immediately next to which my stack stands . . .

970 AD:
Iconium falls.

In 980 AD, Beijing 2 is founded. That means I've run through the city list twice already. Gonna be a bunch of cities on my continent. I haven't even started filling Byzantine lands yet.

I played to 1000 AD, which seems like a pretty good stopping place. I almost succumbed to Just One More Turn Syndrome, but managed to catch myself. I'm still behind technologically, but the Byzantines aren't putting up much of a fight. I'll probably need to make peace once before I push them off of this continent, but their pikes aren't standing up to my sword armies or my maces very well, even without trebs. Now that I've cleared that jungle of Byzantine settlements, I can begin settling it myself, roading and moving trebs down.

Anyway, here's the latest on the empire:

Spoiler :

 

[CivRulesAll]

i'm surprised u didnt get another leader lol

 

[Tasslehoff]

Oh look! Theodora has so nicely moved aside to let your cities get founded! How nice!