CTIV-1: The Turtle Game

[Scowler]

(0) 1830AD
- Is there any reason why we are still running Slavery rather than Emancipation? Can’t see anything in the rules or turnlogs so I start the revolution (hopefully I’m not having a moment and overlooking something). With a bit of luck it might inconvenience our rivals a little.
- AM: swaps SoL for grenadier
- Calcutta is currently stagnant so I adjust it to start growing again.

(1) 1832AD
- Corporation -> Rifling
- Calcutta: observatory -> cavalry
- Lahore: grenadier -> grenadier

(2) 1834AD
- Monty’s Golden Age begins

(3) 1836AD
- Mansa Musa offers sugar for our silver, but I prefer my tea plain and with a silver spoon.
- Hatty offers Rifling + 30 gold for Democracy. Don’t think so, when we will get Rifling in 2 anyway.
- Delhi: cavalry -> grenadier
- AM: grenadier -> grenadier
- Bombay: bank -> observatory
- Karachi: cavalry -> grenadier
- Hyderabad: theatre -> lighthouse (culture is v. important here, but without a lighthouse H won't grow)

(4) 1838AD
- Bangalore: grenadier -> Buddhist monastery
- Jaipur: grocer -> bank
- Liz adopts Representation
- Hatty adopts Free Market
- I send a caravel to check up on the neighbours. Liz has now grabbed a chunk of the middle island:

(5) 1840AD
- Rifling -> Steel
- AM: grenadier -> rifleman
- Lahore: grenadier -> rifleman

(6) 1842AD
- Workers work: I start changing the undeveloped cottage on the grass tile W of Bombay into a farm, which is needed much more urgently.

(7) 1844AD
- Delhi: grenadier -> rifleman
- Karachi: grenadier -> rifleman
- Isabella declares war on Mansa Musa! Is this the first war of the game?

(8) 1846AD
- AM: rifleman -> rifleman
- Calcutta: cavalry -> grenadier
- Washington adopts Representation; Free Market
- Mansa Musa adopts Theocracy
- Isabella adopts Mercantilism; Theocracy

(9) 1848AD
(minus sugar)

(10) 1850AD

- Steel -> Steam Power
- Lahore: rifleman -> cannon
- Mansa Musa’s Golden Age begins

Notes:
- Is there anywhere we could build Ironworks, bearing in mind the health problems in our cities?
- Wall Street would be good in Madras (except it would take ages to build due to the lack of hammers)
- We should think about beefing up our navy
- Finances need a bit of a kick as our military buildup is currently outstripping our town growth: consider ditching some obsolete units?
- Scientifically we are still holding our own: currently we are only down Scientific Method on Mansa Musa and Isabella.
- Our military is now No. 1, and I’ve redistributed distributed some units so that the coastal towns aren’t quite so exposed (Monty has been sniffing round them with a caravel).

 

[ChrTh]

Roster
ChrTh -- UP
mjj55409 -- On Deck
Dreylin -- Out until 1/15
Ucel
chriseay
scowler -- Just Finished

We're looking good, I'd say. 145 turns left ... I wonder if that'll be enough time for us to get to space? Culture seems very unlikely.

My goals for the this turn is to obsolete/upgrade old units, and also deploy a navy around any workboats and near the cultural borders. I expect a sneak attack any turn now.

Won't be playing until tomorrow, so feel free to look at the game and comment.

 

[chriseay]

I left it on slavery because I wasn't sure about the rules pertaining to that. I then forgot to mention that in my turnlog. Obviously I didn't have a very great night yesterday.

On Ironworks, Lahore or AM look like the best bets, though even they might not do so well with the added unhealthiness. It is 2 unhealthy's, correct?

 

[ChrTh]

Calcutta looks like it might be the best bet for Ironworks, since it's only 7 unhealthy and has production of 17. I'd need to look at the individual cities, though, to be certain. I suspect that Madras, AM, and Delhi can't deal with the health penalty.

 

[chriseay]

I thought Calcutta, but I think, if my memory serves, it won't be able to grow much further, so there won't be many more shields building up. If I'm wrong about this, then by all means that's the best place to put IW. Maybe even if I'm right, it might still be the best based on the unhealthy IW provides.

 

[ChrTh]

Even if there aren't many more shields available for Calcutta, putting IronWorks in there creates another city that is a big builder down the road. So instead of having one megabuilder (by placing IW in a city that has huge hammer potential), we'd have two big builders and that could prove to be more fruitful in the long run. We'll see though

 

[ChrTh]

Have we done anything with our great people yet? If not, perhaps we should stockpile for a GA when Hospitals come in

 

[chriseay]

Excellent point on mega hammers versus two cities with good amounts. I don't know which I like better.....but since we can't build world wonders, megahammers is probably not the best bet. On the GL's, I was saving them up for a GA. If scowler hasn't used them then we should be able to GA at hospitals (if the next one we pop is the right kind), an excellent idea for the health issues we have. It really is amazing how no trading hurts when you are used to trading all the time.

 

[Scowler]

I left it on slavery because I wasn't sure about the rules pertaining to that. I then forgot to mention that in my turnlog. Obviously I didn't have a very great night yesterday.

Don't worry - I wasn't having a go! I just had a slight panic, thinking I'd missed something obvious in the rules.

On the GL's, I was saving them up for a GA. If scowler hasn't used them then we should be able to GA at hospitals (if the next one we pop is the right kind), an excellent idea for the health issues we have. It really is amazing how no trading hurts when you are used to trading all the time.

Good idea. I haven't touched the GLs so you can use them whenever you want.

 

[ChrTh]

Turn 0 -- 1850 AD

Load game. "Snacks are good in moderation"

Delhi is about to build a Great Person. I add a Scientist so that it's built next turn. Hopefully it'll be a Great Scientist.

Calcutta looks to be the best bet for Ironworks, so I start it there.
While Madras would be best for Wall St., it'll take too long. Karachi looks to be the best balance of Gold/Hammers so I'll build it there when it finishes its Rifle.

While I was thinking of upgrading/destroying old units, I decide against it. I figure that in an emergency, they can be useful if we drop science to 0% and do mass upgrades.

Turn 1 -- 1852 AD

Delhi: Rifle > Rifle
AM: Rifle > Cannon

Francis Bacon is born in Delhi! We have the Golden Age Three ready to go! If we don't get into any wars by then, I say wait for the Hospitals push, otherwise kick it off if we suddenly find ourselves attacked.

Turn 2 -- 1854 AD

Liz offers Scientific Method + a little Gold for Steel. I'm tempted to skip it since it'd only take us 4 turns to research on our own, but I'm feeling the burden of running out of turns... I may regret it, but I do it.

Bangalore finishes Buddhist Monastery just in time for it to be obsoleted! Queue up Observatory.

Karachi: Rifle > Wall Street.

We have Oil by AM and offshore by Bombay. Of course, we can't do it with it until Combustion.

Mansa Musa has Physics, but he's not in a trading mood for it (not that I asked)

Turn 3 -- 1856 AD

Washington has declared War on Us!

AM: Cannon > Frigate
Madras: Observatory > Cannon

Frigates and Galleons getting ready to land outside Kolhapur. I upgrade some troops. I drop science to 60% to get us some cash (Steam Power still available in 3) and I get ready to kick some American Ass.

Turn 4 -- 1858 AD

Lahore: Cannon > Cavalry


Defense of Kolhapur! Cavalry takes out Cavalry. Rifle takes out Cavalry. Musket takes out Catapult. Horse Archer takes out Catapult. 2 Cats left.

Turn 5 -- 1860 AD

AM: Frigate > Cannon (anyone else see what's about to happen?)
Hyderabad: Lighthouse > Forge

Catapults assault Kolhapur

Isabella gets a Golden Age.

SON OF A BIT!@!@ ... my AM Frigate is stuck behind cultural borders Oh well, at least the entryway to AM is guarded

Horse Archers clean up the remaining Cats. Wow, they're useful!

Turn 6 -- 1862 AD

Oh. Yeah.



Steam Power is in. Biology or Railroad? I go with Railroad, just because we're at war.

Delhi: Rifle > Cannon

We have three sources of Coal, two of which are already mined

MONTY DECLARES ON GEORGE!!! We're about to be in a phony war.

Science back to 70%, Railroad in 9.


Turn 7 -- 1864 AD

AM: Cannon > Rifle
Bombay: Observatory > Drydock

Turn 8 -- 1866 AD

Lahore: Cavalry > Grenadier
Kolhapur: Grocer > Walls
Jaipur: Bank > Observatory > Granary

Science back to 80%

Turn 9 -- 1868 AD

Liz would like to give me her clam if I ply her with Ivory. I decline.

I pillage some of George's crabs. Sucka.

Turn 10 -- 1870 AD

AM: Rifle > Cavalry

I pillage some of George's clams. Double-sucka.



Ok, well, the war is definitely phony (remind me to send Monty a fruit basket). I have a Frigate and a Caravel over in George's waters. Keep looking for stuff to harass.

Remember, we can't dial up George to ask for peace. So keep an eye on the ol' War Weariness, it might start affecting us and we can't do anything about it.

There's a couple troops I put on GoTo, I apologize, I didn't see how much time was left in my turn. They should land next turn at the latest.

Railroad in 4. Ironworks in 16. Wall Street in 9.

Here's the Save:

View attachment 111644

Roster
ChrTh -- Just Finished
mjj55409 -- UP
Dreylin -- On Deck
Ucel
chriseay
scowler

 

[ChrTh]

I mentioned kicking off a GA if attacked. That really only applies to the countries on our continent, since I knew George wouldn't be able to launch a real war outside of an initial excursion at the current tech level.

 

[mjj55409]

We're are seeing some action in this game.

I have it...

 

[mjj55409]

1870AD
Keep building military.

1872AD
Drop science from 80% to 70%. Railroad still in 3. Now at +66/gpt.

1874AD


1876AD


1878AD
Railroading discovered; research on Assembly Line started. Workers start building railroads.

1880AD
Washington hasn't built too many coastal cities.

1882AD
An Elvis-suited Dante is born in Lahore.

1884AD


1886AD
I've been working on the railroad

1888AD
Wall Street completes in Karachi.

 

[mjj55409]

Roster
ChrTh
mjj55409-- Just Finished
Dreylin -- UP
Ucel -- On Deck
chriseay
scowler

 

[ChrTh]

Hrm, another Great Artist ... maybe we should do a great work in Hyderabad

 

[mjj55409]

Hrm, another Great Artist ... maybe we should do a great work in Hyderabad

I thought about that, but those borders are pretty well established. I'm not sure it would have an effect. It might be best to save all great leaders for golden ages. An upcoming hospital push, and then a space ship building frenzy.

 

[Dreylin]

Hi guys,

I'm back, but probably can't devote the time to it this evening (Monday). Tomorrow evening onwards should be OK, so maybe I should be skipped if someone else is available to take the save....

 

[Dreylin]

OK, I got it - should post sometime later tonight.

 

[Dreylin]

1888AD (Inherited)

OK, taking a long look around before starting....

Hmmmm, over half of our cities are producing Military and we're already losing money hand over fist on unit upkeeps! We're also first in Power and accelerating away from the competition (because George is in a /real/ war with Monty). Briefly consider leading a sortie from our lands to go poke at George but then realise we have no ships capable of transporting units! Decide that my goal for this series will be to build at least /some/ Galleons so we have the option of taking the war to GW.

Also, we could do worse than settling a fishing village here with the sole purpose of grabbing another health resource....

1890AD

Monty, Open Borders - Nope.

Delhi completes Cannon starts on Settler (for the clams).

Workers Railroading


1892AD

Mansa comes looking for help against Izzy ... not going to do that.

Jaipur: Granary->Galleon


1894AD

AM: Rifleman->Drydock

Madras: Rifleman->Rifleman

Karachi: Grenadier->Missionary (to accompany Settler to Clams)

Shuffle new units to the coast, Workers Railroading.


1896AD

Assembly Line completes enabling Infantry, Factories & Coal Plants. Move to Biology as we'll need the extra food once we start Factories and get more negative health modifiers.

Bangalore: Frigate->Galleon

Bombay: Frigate->Galleon


1898AD

Hatty (and her slightly disturbing grin) turn up with this offer:

We accept ... to build the spaceship we'll have to research /every/ tech, so any leg-up is a help IMO. Also jumps us to +3 Trade Relations w/Egypt.

Delhi: Settler->Factory

Lahore: Infantry->Factory

Karachi: Missionary->Factory

With all the Factories queued up, consider setting off a Golden Age, but figure we'd be better off waiting for the Hospital push.

Oh, *&%"!

Well, we don't need that Settler after all. Still, I think we should take advantage of the war and take this from George. Frigate starts bombarding....

Leave Settler in Delhi with our GPs.

 

[Dreylin]

1900AD

Promote a couple of units to Infantry to lead the assault on Portland.

OK, can someone explain this to me!?!?!?

1902AD

Kolhapur: Observatory->Bank

Jaipur: Galleon->Market

Load up three Infantry onto the Galleon and it heads off to Portland with a Frigate escort.


1904AD

Bombay: Galleon->Factory

Upgrade a couple more obsolete units to Infantry and load for the trip to Portland - along with the Missionary.


1906AD

Mansa wants Open Borders - Ha!
Liz wants Steam Power ... for free - Haha!

AM: Drydock->Factory

Calcutta: Ironworks->Factory


1908AD

Biology Completes -> Communism the last tech in this column. A quick check of Foriegn Advisor shows we have a tech lead over everyone, but Washington has Combustion so we may have to start watching out for his Naval units....

Bangalore: Galleon->Factory

The first troops arrive at Portland and meet unfavourable odds:

I decide to wait the extra 4turns until the second Galleon arrives with reinforcements and the Frigates finish off the defences. Unfortunately, my finger slips while taking the above screenshot and ... we WIN!?!? Gosh, our infantry defeats the City Garrison 2 Rifleman with 1.6 health left! For extra I had forgotten to promote the unit too!

The second infantry steps up (Combat1 & Pinch promoted):

and the Turtle claims it's Clams!

I promote the third Infantry to City Garrison 2 and fortify. The Worker moves into the Galleon and starts back towards the mainland with one of the Frigates.


And that brings up the end of my turn. We've made offensive moves at Washington, but probably aren't in a position to push any further - especially with the chances of him possessing a combustion-enhanced Navy. Also, I missed the notice that he and Monty declared peace ... so no more distractions from that quarter! Communism is due in 4turns, and then I think (much as I want to go for Medicine for Hospitals) we have to go Combustion to be safe on the high seas. Reinforcements for Portland will arrive in 4 turns (along with our missionary), and 5 Infantry should be enough to hold.

Workers are gradually Railroading the entire continent, and there is a fresh Galleon in Bangalore which I have left active for the next player to decide how to proceed.

Oh, and I think I missed this when it happened, but Physics revealed us Uranium at Hyderabad!

And the Save....