Round 4: 775 BC to 215 BC [31 Turns] - Dual Wonder Construction
At the start of the round, I found more ways to tease the AI (via the Obsolete method
). I'm still confused at what Peter was trying to accomplish with this city below. I would later find out that the city has no iron either.
When I researched Aesthetics, I checked the trade screen nervously ... hoping I would be first ... and I was!
Also, more stupidity by Peter ... notice that he still does not have Mysticism. I don't either, but I'm Creative and he is not.
One of the round's objectives was to get foreign trade routes. The road on the hill would finally accomplish that. Don't be afraid to build roads in your opponent's cities if necessary, although that was not the case here.
Finally! The first technology trade in the game (for me at least)! I had to research into Alphabet because the silly AI never likes to do dead-even beaker-beaker trades.
A few turns later, I negotiated the first
blockbuster deal of the game! I was able to postpone this trade for a few turns by checking to see what Pericles was offering for Alphabet and Aesthetics together. More turns delayed means more turns I have to my advantage trying to build wonders. Also, I did not live in fear of Boudica trading around Aesthetics because she is the only Buddhist and it is almost like a monopoly technology to her.
This is an advantage of doing the Alphabet - Aesthetics trade, because you can sometimes find 1 or 2 civilizations without either technologies.
But before that, I founded another city, Horsie City. Reasons?
- It grabs my third source of marble (the second of which I will connect)
- It will get my only horse resource (as well as banana)
- It is far enough from Tokugawa and Peter to avoid close borders demerits
- The city would be settled by the AI soon anyway
- If enough culture is in, I can either culturally flip the barbarian city or have visibility in the barbarian city center, so I don't have to waste time putting troops next to the city
- I can settle other cities in my "backyard" later
I have to thank Peter and Tokugawa. Peter suicided a swordsman and a chariot into the city which formerly held four health archers. Tokugawa then proceeded to attack but left behind two injured archers. Meanwhile, I had military by the city, so you can imagine what happened. (Note: I suicided one axeman first, but then attacked later with my more experienced ones, trying to get a 10 XP unit.)
Back near the capital, I had a steadly supply of workers preparing to pre-chop the forests around the city. Notice that I am building research in the capital in order to get the prerequisite technologies (Mysticism, Polytheism, and Literature) out of the way. I kept the mine on the marble in the capital, but I quarried the other two that I had.
In terms of diplomacy, I received some splendid news in 425 BC! Now I don't have to worry about Tokugawa (or Saladin and Pericles ...) attacking me. Boudica, however, has that fist next to her name so she is planning a war. However, a few turns later, she would move out of WHEOOHRN mode. No worries then.
Finally ... I get my academy.
What is with the stupid AI's demands? I ignored it, of course. Do I really want to war against Tokugawa, one of the top civs in this game?
I razed the barbarian city here, as the city would not bring me anything new and was too close to Tokugawa. I was careful to micromanage my attacks so that my most experienced unit would be able to get 10 experience points (IIRC he won a battle that gained him 3 points). Here he is!
With marble and my level 4 unit, I will have the Heroic Epic built in no time. I don't have a good city to build it, so I guess I might put it in "Gold City" since it's pretty close to Peter's borders.
Woo hoo, more AI stupidity! I have no need for copper at the moment as there are no more barbarian cities and no military threat at all. My advice si to always look for the opportunity to sell your strategic resources!
The turn 151 announcement was about land area (again?). I am fifth, which is very good. The other good news here is that the one unknown AI does not have a lot of land area.
By the way, remember that stupid city I showed you at the start of the round? Here it is again, and Peter has
certainly improved a lot of the city.
And he even has a settler going to more jungle area! (By contrast, look at how much better Horsie City is ... and that city was founded much later!)
My goodness ... Pericles just can't shut up!
I can't just cancel deals with my CLOSEST NEIGHBOR!
Due to my massive forest, worker, and marble power, I have gotten through the brunt of The Great Library construction on the first turn after reseraching Litearture. I had to cancel some chops and pre-build roads (see the signs!) in order to align the chops together. This is why worker management is so crucial.
Sorry ... I couldn't resist seeing all that gold Peter had there. Of course it meant correcting yet another one of the AI's errors.
The following trade to get
Calendar is actually pretty important for me, since I have incense, banana, and a LOT of spices in my land. Normally I just ignore Calendar until the Liberalism era, but this is an exception.
And ... here we are. The conclusion of the round. The dual wonder construction is over.
The Parthenon reduced the Great Scientist generation time from 19 to 13 turns.
Aaargh ... all of this work and I'm still second to last in score.
(By the way Pericles is getting murdered by Tokugawa in their war ... I'm thinking of bribing Tokugawa to end the war, but he wants an incredible amount of beakers for that. Mark my words ... Boudica and Tokugawa will be monsters this game.)
I have actually already played a few turns ahead, but I am going to end the round here since I am going to be busy for the rest of the day.
Incidentally, how come I'm not seeing any "Oh it's DMOC the slow player" and "This is DMOC! His ALC took 5 months!" and "DMOC! The guy who never updates regularly!"