Good job Lain!
BiC - random thought here - your empire has a 'lower peak' research wise, so maybe in your situation, we should aim for a medieval war, hitting earlier before our research begins to stagnate. With GLH, I have a 'higher peak' research wise, so maybe a later war makes more sense? Gives us more time to develop infrastructure and population. Does this idea make sense, or am I going crazy?
Round 7 -50AD
T100: Make the AH + Poly trade with Sury. I have horses in range. Turn on research, MC in 6.
T101: Pacal demands gold, I refuse. Manage to trade him Fish for Sugar.
T104: My scouting workboat dies to a barb galley right near Sury's borders, LOL. I beg 40 gold from Justin.
T105: MC in. Trade it to Justin for Currency + 55G, as Sury doesn't have Currency yet. Trade MC to Sury for Math + Mono.
GS pops, keeping him idle.
Neither Justin or Sury have Drama or Calendar yet. I decide to research Calendar next, to use as trade bait and open up a possible Optics bulb.
Pacal is super advanced, already has Machinery + Drama + Calendar. GK is somewhat backwards, but still has several techs on me.
Up to 4 workers now, going to get at least 2 more.
Trade Clam to Pacal for Dye, cool that he will trade resources even at Annoyed.
T106: Trade Currency to Sury for Monarchy. Revolt to OR and HR. OR cost an extra 4 GPT, but almost all cities are on infrastructure builds. Need IW really badly now though, lots of jungle to cottage.
T107: Sury got Calendar. Decide to switch to Drama – will take 4 turns. Going to use a Philo bulb.
T108: Justin built AP
I vote for him.
Genghis will talk, wants Mono + Aest for peace. I decide to wait, I don't think he can get trade routes with anyone else while we are at war. I'm trying to kill a fishing boat of his to get some more warscore too.
T109: Justin is researching Philo!
T111: Drama in. Took peace with Genghis the turn before, I decide to OB with him, I have 2 cities with domestic trade routes.
T112: Med in, bulb Philo. Sury already has it as well now though. Trade Drama to Genghis for IW + PH. Want Compass next, cheap Harbours + trading. Need 8 turns though.
T113: Sell Drama to Sury for 140G – I can make it to Compass in 4 now.
T117: Compass in. Stop here.
Round 8 Plan
I can get CoL + Calendar + 55g for Compass. Probably sell Alpha to GK for 90g as well.
Have 7 workers and 8 cities. 9th Settler on the way to Iron site. Started cottaging as much as possible.
144 commerce – 94 from trade routes. 74 expenses, more once I settle last city.
Lots of infrastructure to build, Forges + Hindu buildings. Think the priority is Hindu buildings first, then Forges. Whip away everything but cottages.
Have enough happy now, probably should hook up Pigs to get another healthy.
Tech – I am contemplating a hard beeline to Gunpowder, trade for Engineering, then double bulb Chemistry + self tech Steel? With hindu hammers and lots of food, should have no trouble whipping out a good army to take over my island?
Genghis will be behind, but he should have a lot of production. Not sure he is a better target.
Maybe I could go straight for Engineering instead. Trebs + Pikes would hold up very well vs Knights, plus with Cha and either Vassalage or Theo, I could get CRII Trebs out the gate.
Third plan seems to be Lib – I think I am way too far behind for this race though.
Some input would be great, this is the part of the game where I start to lose control.