D+2: "The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally posted by Kev
Must be the word program I use, but what's with all those dopey symbols where there should be apostrophies and dashes and stuff? Looks like I'm typing with my face.

I had that on one of my posts as well. I was using MS Word and the "autocorrect" would turn dashes (short) into hyphens (Long) and would make normal quotes into fancy (curved) ones. I guess the website doesn't recognize those characters because they came in looking like yours.

The other possibility is, of course, that you WERE typing with your face.

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

I'm glad to see that Russian Tee is doing it's job so far.

Subs and Battleships will make the seas a bit more deadly for us. That's why it's good that Lauching Point and Russian Tee are within the range of each other for a transport to hop between and not have to spend a turn at sea.

Howies should make our assualts much easier now. Team them with a swarm of Alpine troopers or Partisans (since they don't need roads to move in the terrain) to prevent partisans around the cities and we should be able to just flow through the AI cities. Either that or have tons of cash to buy the partisans up.

Kev, try typing with your eyes open, it may help avoid some of those mistakes.

Have at it Jayne. Teach hem what Howies can do.

 

[Old n Slow]

Looks like things are going well -- but I keep wondering when Murphy is going to show up?

 

[TheViking]

Murphy could show up in some of our cities in the form of AI troops - several of our big coastal cities are still without any units. This should be fixed ASAP IMHO. In contrast, if barbs show up during Jayne's reign they should be easy to deal with this time since we have tanks, spies, lots of $$ and could use a fighter to destroy the 'source'.

Apart from this we are doing very well and have almost 110 cities under our control. However, these Russian cities are huge, some 40+, and the have more than 25,000 gold . Russian Tee is strategically great but we really should build city walls there immediately, otherwise a single AI attack could raze this city (for example units from a transport).

Now we should choose the tech path so that we can get nukes ASAP and have some fun and then getting an army of stealth fighters would be fun.

IMO we should start preparing to capture Moscow: UN+democracy=Fun. Also some of the AI civs have so much cash that capturing their cities is almost impossible unless we stay in demo, otherwise they'd simply buy their cities back.

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

I haven't looked at the save yet, but Russian Tee doesn't have City Walls? That can be bad. Although the AI doesn't know how to use troops, if they get lucky and dump enough units next to the city, they could set us back quite a bit. The hope was that the forts would draw most of their troops to us by land, but with the amount of cash they have they probabaly have enough units running around that they will eventually get some on a ship. All three spots in and around Russian Tee should have a couple Vet Mech Infantry to try and hold their spots.

I agree on a push for Moscow. Doing it by sea doesn't seem feasable with the number of ships they have, so we may need to sacrifice some engineers to get the rail line connected with them.

 

[Kev]

Boy, I just assumed that RT had the walls. I rushed a Mech Infantry there and then also rushed a port facility to heal ships as well. Guess it never came under fire thanks to the forts on either side. The Greeks DID land a cav unit nearby, but that was promptly blasted by the howie I sent up from Spanish Overlook.

Sorry if I missed some coastal empty cities - I TOLD you my micromanaging bites the big one.

I agree that the Russians pose the largest, and possibly, the only real threat to us now. They are still researching auto if I recall, and with all of the AI's in fundy they likely won't have any serious techs despite the D+2 level. I think that making nice, quick work of the Spanish can be done while we continue to build a howie force. There's a nice, fairly defendable area where Spanish and Mongol lands meet where we can set up defense and send the fighting force north to start things with the Russians.

I would wholeheartedly suggest that we continue to produce engineers and send bunches to be with our fighting forces. We may bog down in Russia if we do not have some rail-builders. I'm not too sure what the landscape looks like now (I was only able to explore near Russian Tee and a bit near Moscow with some freight), but with all of their cash they'll be able to move their capital to every last city. There may some cities stuck out in the sticks somewhere, too.

 

[Old n Slow]

IIRC, we are a “two boat” move from Minsk -- a port where we can land & then assault Moscow. This should bisect Mother Russia, give us the UN, and cause a couple of military heroes to appear -- Major Disruption & General Confusion.

The Russian boats were scarce in that southeast sea (unlike the Vikings!)

But yes, the Spanish are probably easy -- the foil there may be keeping in a state of war.

Thus my thoughts regarding opening up a Russian front -- plop two empty transports & a Battleship escort in the mid Russian sea,… then boat chain two boats to take out Minsk -- with only dropping off enough units to take the city. Then move the boat into (our) city & smack the partisans from inside, & fortify & protect the Howies used. Post some Tanks/Jeeps on the perimeter. One to three turns later -- we can assault Moscow.

 

[Kev]

Military heroes? Thinking of Civ3?

Had a chance to test those seas around Minsk there when I delivered some freight there. It was one turn after cumbustion and they sank the transport (after it delivered the freight) and the assisting cruiser with subs. I'm sure we can make the plan work - if nothing else because the AI is just that dopey and has as its best attacking unit the artillery. If the next group of people are willing to try attacking this way, I'd suggest perhaps a few more escorts - including maybe a destroyer to spot the subs. Keep in mind also that we may end up in a Russian cease fire as well.

Another thing that I found when I landed freight in the area is that the Russians have tons of units milling around and generally blocking up all of the rail and roads. This is why I was unable to check out more of their land area. This could be a pain as far as advancing on Russia if we're not careful.

I DO agree that Moscow is too juicy a city to be left too long. The Pyramids are also there.

We need to watch out for culture flip, though

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

Originally posted by Kev
Military heroes? Thinking of Civ3?

I thought that too when I first read it, but then I realized he was just trying to be clever.

The heroes to appear would be 'Major Disruption & General Confusion'. With luck, those heroes appear in any startegy game, but hopefully on the side of the enemy.

 

[Jayne]

Three turns played, hope to play the other two this morning.

So far: 2 cities have changed hands, the UN have been interfering with diplomatic relations, and many units (especially ships) have been commiting suicide!

 

[Jayne]

1861(0) - Change Russian Tee production to walls.

Greeks attack Russian Tee. Russian ships attack Russian Tee and fort. Vikings kill ship near Aarhus. Small group of barbs spotted on island south of Apollonia.

1862(1) - 6 pollution. Population +97million.

Cruiser kills Greek cruiser, battleship kills Greek destroyer. Howitzer kills Russian marine stack (2 units). Greek engineer killed near Rhodes. Spy investigates Rhodes - 4 Alpine

Greeks lose units to our ships (including 3 to a destroyer with 1 hit point left! ). Russians kill the injured destroyer, but lose many more units attacking Russian Tee and fort.

Vikings give Combustion to Spanish and get Atomic Theory in return.
Vikings bribe Odessa from the Greeks.
Spanish develop Automobile and exchange it with Vikings for Economics.

Spanish request audience - Receptive, 1 rifle. Ask us to leave Valencia.

1863(2) - 4 Pollution. Population +98million.

Kaifeng - Launch Point trade €98. Cremona - Shanghai trade €140. Zimbabwe - Sydney trade €179.

Artillary kills R.art stack(3). Howie kills two R.marine stacks(3 each). Cruiser kills R.ship stack(2). Spy ivestigates Magnitogorsk - 5 Fanatic, 5 Alpine, 1 Rifle. Novgorod - 4 Fanatic, 5 Alpine, 2 Rifle.

Greeks develop Atomic Theory. G.transport approaches Russian Tee. Russian suffer loses against ships and fortress. They kill engineer near Roma.

Russians request audience - Enraged, 5 rifles. They demand €1000. We refuse and the war continues.

Vikings lose ships near Jarrow and on attacking Paoting. Mongols aquire automobile from Spanish.

1864(3) - 7 Pollution. Population +99million.

Cruiser loses to V.ship near Jarrow. Foo Yubg - Zimbabwe €107. Cruiser kills G.transport(2).

OPERATION MAGNITOGORSK: Spy investigation reveals same defence - 11 units.
Cav kills engineer blocking rail route. How#1 & #2 kills 2 Alpine each. How#3 kills last Alpine and a fanatic. How#4 & #5 kills 2 fanatics each. How#6 kills rifle and takes city. Get €1591.

Russians request audience - Enraged, 5 rifles. They ask for Mobile Warfare - refused. CF refused, but UN over-rules. Partisans more than €4000 to bribe!

Greeks steal Corporation. Mongols request audience - Hostile, 2 Rifles. Ask us to move from Issus. Mongols aquire AT from Greeks. Russians develop Automobile. Russian tropps build up around Magnitogorsk.

1865(4) - 6 Pollution. Population +110million.

Chinese develop Radio - only offered Adv.Flight.

OPERATION RHODES: Spy investigation reveals still defended by 4 Alpine.
How#1 & #2 kill 2 Alpines each, and #3 capture city and €264.

Greeks request audience - Enraged, 3 rifles. Refuse demand for €50. Refuse CF but senate over-rule. Partisans €1452 to bribe. 3 bribed.

Fort Viking - Bermuda trade €42

Russian break Cease fire. They kill 11 units, take Magnitogorsk, €165 and Mobile Warfare!
They request audience. WSe refuse to give them €450 and the war continues.

Vikings get Corporation from Greeks in exchange for Automobile and a peace treaty.

1866(5) - 6 Pollution.

OPERATION MAGNITOGORSK - part 2! Investigation reveals only one cavalry defending!! Cav kills R.Cav stack(4). Artillery kills cav defender. Rifle take city and €1240.
Russian request audience. Refuse to give Nuclear Fission but sign CF.

Isandhlwana - Russian Tee trade €108

--------

I've tried to start building an airport infrastructure, particularly on islands and near the borders.

Now that the Russians have Mobile Warfare, I'm expecting them to break the cease fire with some tanks pretty soon.

I didn't start building Manhatten Project yet as I thought we could probably do with Laser and SDI defense in some of our key cities before letting the AI lose with nukes!!!

Save

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally posted by Jayne
[BI didn't start building Manhatten Project yet as I thought we could probably do with Laser and SDI defense in some of our key cities before letting the AI lose with nukes!!!
[/B]

Good god yes! We need to get Laser quickly and buy a lot of SDIs. I have a feeling the sky is going to be black with nukes as soon as Manhattan is built and rocketry is available. Some more spies might need to be sent out to sabotage Manhattan production if someone starts it.

I know I could use a refresher on how far out an SDI's coverage extends so we can set up the SDI's intelligently when we get to that point.

 

[Jayne]

iirc SDI's cover any city in a 3 tile radius - but I don't know if that includes diagonals.

 

[TheViking]

Unless Andu shows up soon I assume I play next but I can't start playing until tomorrow (Friday).

It seems it may actually not have been so bad to conquer-lose-conquer Magnitogorsk since this gave us lots of much needed $$. The Russians would probably have stolen some techs from us anyway.

Assuming I play next my highest priority will be Moscow. I doubt I can capture it in 5 turns and make sure the Russians do not immediately recapture it. But the next player should be able to capture it and keep it. I also have some plans that I'm not going to reveal at this time but they do not involve making the world a more peaceful place . Hint: There are not fun times ahead for one of our many neighbors. Depending on circumstances if I am unable to get the Russians to declare war I may also stage a one turn revolution in order to demand tribute from them.

'Mini-mole warning': To make things more fun and challenging I may build the Manhattan Project. Feel free to protest but I have been dreaming of a succession game nuclear war for a long time .

More comments when I have looked at the savefile.

On to Moscow !

 

[Jayne]

Depending on circumstances if I am unable to get the Russians to declare war I may also stage a one turn revolution in order to demand tribute from them.

The Russian gave me one turn of 'peace' last time. I think they break the cease fire next turn if not this. Of course, if we are able to have the first moves of war we'll be much better off.

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally posted by Jayne
iirc SDI's cover any city in a 3 tile radius - but I don't know if that includes diagonals.

That's the part I wasn't sure of as well.

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

SDI does cover 3 squares out, even at diagonals. It's the same for forts and their three square rule for keeping units from creating unhappiness.

I we'll still have a nuclear game, but I would prefer for us to at least get some time to build some sort of defense against it. Otherwise, with the cash the AI has, we'll be blasted into the stone age before we know it. The AI will probably start to use it's nuke and paradrop tactic as soon as it can.

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally posted by Duke of Marlbrough
SDI does cover 3 squares out, even at diagonals. It's the same for forts and their three square rule for keeping units from creating unhappiness.

I we'll still have a nuclear game, but I would prefer for us to at least get some time to build some sort of defense against it. Otherwise, with the cash the AI has, we'll be blasted into the stone age before we know it. The AI will probably start to use it's nuke and paradrop tactic as soon as it can.

Never had a nuke war before, I understand that they are not limited to the 16 moves like we are, right? That is, the Russians could start dropping nukes in our heartland if they wanted to, even though it's out of the reach of the Nukes from their cities.

Can/do they do the same with their paradrops, or do they stay within the paradrop range (10 squares?) for those?

Why do I have this feeling I'm not only going to experience my first nuclear war, but also my first global warming in this game.

 

[Kev]

Did I miss rocketry? Still a needed tech for nukes, correct? I KNOW that those pesky crusie missles would have hit our ships if the AI's had it.

I don't know if the AI will ever get that far seeing as they are Fundy and not moving along all that much. Plus, Russia and others will be losing some of their cities over the next turns.

Technically, we could probably turn off our own science (so rocketry will not be stolen), generate a great deal of cash, and make the world safer for us by wrecking a few civs.

Then again, nukes provide such a nifty little twist - even in the diplomacy contacts where mutually assured destruction is threatened all day long. I think that encouraging nuclear warfare is a pretty good indication that the game is fairly well in hand.

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally posted by Kev
I think that encouraging nuclear warfare is a pretty good indication that the game is fairly well in hand.

I agree it's probably in hand (I've thought that for a while now), but not because there's talk of encouraging Nuclear War. Viking has been like a kid waiting for Santa to bring him Nukes ever since we started talking about this game.