In my 11 (just had to play one more, you'll see why) turns, I turned on Greece, accepting an Alliance with Zulu. It worked out pretty well, as you will see:
(0) I look around for techs, and this is what I get: Rome will give us Theology for Territory Map and 390 gold. They originally wanted WM and 2xx gold, but I decided our WM is too valuable. I consider this idea for a while, but decide against it, because Theology isn't that valuable to us right now. Caesar won't talk about Invention, so we sit tight. I switch our tech from Invention to Chivalry, because Invention is pretty wide-spread, while no one has Chivalry. I hope to use that as trade bait.
(1) A Galley is built. I load a Pike onto it, and a settler is ordered from Perseopolis for two turns. Sidon riots (oops) and we discover that Rome is building the Sistine Chapel. Hamadan is built in the Bactra/Tyra island. I look around the map, considering spots for our FP, and I figure that the Balkan island (immediately to the west of the main island) would be a good spot. If we conquer all of it, it could fit 4-6 cities, which isn't bad. Various worker production, and our galley is almost to the northern island.
(2) Settler built in Perseopolis, worker in Gordium, and Sidon finally stops rioting. I unload the pike from the galley back onto Perseopolis, because I still think we could go to war at any time. Something funny happens: The Zulu want Iron. Of course I decline, but they HAVE IT IN THEIR TERRITORY!
I decide to send this galley to the island to the south of Bactra/Hamadan/Tyre (we REALLY have to get names for these places). Interesting news: Shaka has decided to go to war with Japan. No wonder he wanted Iron. I feel bad for the Japanese---they have one city and no colonies.
(3) Our GA ends, forcing us to go min sci at 9gpt (ouch!). A pair of Zulu archers move into our territory through Rome, with two more trailing behind. THey could be going to Greece, or to us. To play it safe, I move an Immortal onto our workers. If Zulu wants to fight, I'm ready. We drop a settler on the horse/cattle island.
(4) Shaka offers Alliance vs Greeks and ROP. I add Invention and 275 gold (a discount rate), and he is willing to talk. I decide...war with Greece! This is our chance to get Invention for cheap, and Greece is very weak. So I don't mind. Shaka means buisness! A stream of archers and horsemen start to come through our territory. I wake up some Immortals (their blockade is useless now) to pillage some land by Athens. I also decide I will load up some Immortals onto a Galley and take out that southern island. Ergili founded on the horse/cattle island.
(5) Our ROP with China ends (why did we have an ROP???). Caesar offers 1gpt for Incense. We is willing to budge to 2, but I decline. It would be a one-sided deal, anyway. The archers knock on the gates of Athens. 1 turn until a Galley is built, 2 turns until the Immortals get there. Unfortunately, Zulu have already landed troops by Sparta, so we'll see if we even need this Galley. We begin pillaging Athenian land. Various worker production, our galley continues to the southern island.
(6) The Zulu archers are defeated outside of Sparta (yes!) and the win one, lose one against Athens. Our galley is built, we load Immortals onto it. We pillage more Greece land. Almost the entire Zulu attack has been repulsed, on the island and on the mainland. We land our Immortals on the Sparta island. Rome is still overcharging for Theology, and since it isn't a very important tech, we won't trade.
(7) Zulu and Japan sign a peace treaty, and most of the Zulu troops retreat. Both our Immortals lose to Hoplites (!!!) so I decide we will pull back, build another galley, and try again with four. This annoying Zulu archer is fortified in our territory, probably to heal. Mine is built by Antioch, a little micromanagment reveals that we are stuck at size 6 there, and yet have 3 extra food/turn. We move a pop point to the iron tile to get maximum shields.
(8) Dariush Kabir built on the southern island. We are putting major pressure on this outer island, I don't know why they aren't flipping (minor note: we CAN accept flips on the outer islands). Crap! A slip of the finger makes our galley end a turn in the ocean! I pray it doesn't sink.
(9) DAMN IT! The galley sinks. That is really annoying. We load the four Immortals onto ship and send them towards Sparta. It seems the Zulu have given up on this war. Theology is still highly inflated, so I don't trade.
(10) Who has been micromanaging? Susa has been stagnant when it can grow! Sheesh. The Zulu archer is fully healed and ready to attack Sparta. Hopefully they don't win so we can. I have just discovered that there are Zulu archers fortified outside of Athens. Weird.
(11) I'm going to play eleven just so I can see if we can take Sparta. The Zulu archer loses outside of Sparta, and archers and horses keep attacking Athens. Yes! We capture Sparta and make an Elite Immortal! Zulu bring Japan into the war (like that will do anything) and Greece is now just one city. I'll keep these Immortals on guard duty just until the resistance is over and I can bring some pikes in. We want this elite for the front lines. This is it for me.
And the save:
Okay, little more to do. I'm building Marketplaces everywhere but I think everything would go better in Republic.
Keep up the good work, everyone!
