EVP III: The Diplomatic Persians

[digitCruncher]

Sorry guys for the late updates... I had assignments, which tae higher priority than civ

And then, on the only day I COULD make an update, I lose the power adaptor for my laptop, so I cannot update >.<

However, I have found it (one of my friends 'convienently' took it for safety ), so tommorow I will have an update.

A few things:

#1: I am trying to stave off buildaholic syndrome... Simultaniously fighting off Chinese culture is tough, especially when I have 4 workers for my 6 cities >.<

#2: My power rating is falling... falling ... falling...

#3: Ethiopia FINALLY got 2 more cities... but that first city is a shockingly powerful city already... I fear it has 80% culture already!

#4: I need to balance building soldiers, settlers (but I am finally stopping), and most importantly, workers... and that is tough!

Full update later... including some interesting events! And a war no-one will expect!

 

[digitCruncher]

Recovery
335BC - 415​

320BC: FINALLY get my hands on some metals. The only metals anywhere nearby... copper

305BC:

This is great... +1 commerce on a already nice commercial tile!!

290BC:

This is less great. Paying 10 Gold to conserve a large amount of production.

In this turn, the Chinese finally settle for peace (both sides offering nothing).

275BC: Ethiopia asks for Mathematics.
Now, here is my algorithm for working out if to give a tech or not.

#1: Is there a wonder I want to build. If yes, don't trade it. If no, go to #2.
#2: Is the civilisation one of my 'good mates'? If no, don't trade it. If yes, go to #3.
#3: Is the civilisation weaker than me? If yes, trade it. If no, don't trade it.

I give it to them. They are now friendly with me.

110BC: Taoism is founded. Giggles is the only person who has Philosophy, so it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to say that he has the holy city.

95BC: Ask Ethiopia to return the favor, asking for Polytheism for free (Can you spare this for a good friend). Even if he declines, then I won't get hit with the diplo penalty. And if he accepts, I get a tech for free!! Its a good deal.
(I get the tech BTW)

80BC: Ethiopia's Iron source gets the Jade event, giving it +2 commerce. Unfortunatly, it is VERY outside the Ethiopian BFC.

50BC: The Chinese culture takes a big step forward.

That rice used to be mine >.< My cultural pressure is VERY small at the moment.

20BC: Suffer a -1 relations hit with Giggles. NOT GOOD!!

5BC: Open borders with China.

40: Ragnar asks, for the second time in 2 turns, to cancel all deals with a friend. I say a resounding "NO" both times.

85:

Trade with China. Monarchy is surprisingly poor ATM, as I have TONS of happyness resources, even prior to calander! I lack health, and strategic resources like anything, however.

145:

Another trade. I need the Elephants, as without iron, I have no other anti-Knight units.

160: Adopt Organised Religion (for quick religious spread without having to build monestaries), and Herieditary Rule (for a small happyness bonus)

205: Another trade, with Giggles. More happyness resources!! (-.-)


235: And another trade with Mr. I-don't-need-settlers-before-the-medieval-era. (Who now has a grand total of 3 cities, and 3 holy cities (the capital has 2 holy cities))


265: My scout dies... from the only barbs left on the continent. What poor luck!!

295: Sitting Bull decides to build the Temple of Artemis. Well done Native America!! Now you own a building that gives you 4 or 5 more commerce!! Gratz!! (On a related note: Why does the AI beeline the Temple of Artemis? +1 per trade route isn't worth it IMO...)

340: Saladin completes the Collosus. Thats a wonder WORTH something...

400: After a long period of "nothing much happening". Ragnar declares war.

Who will Ragnar declare war on? Sitting Bull, who he has asked to cancel borders with me twice already? Digit, whom he has demanded, and been rejected, about cancelling deals with a civilisation 3 times already, AND has a slightly lower power rating? Or Saladin, his close, Pleased, nieghbour, a civ capable of defending well against Ragnar, who shares the same religion, and is the only such civ with that ability?

Obviously the strongest of the 3. Ragnar declares war on Saladin (!?). Crazy... why!? Saladin was Ragnars best friend (+5, compared to the nearest compeditor: +2 (China)) Oh well. At least it is not me.

And, no. I do not have iron anywhere nearby. The nearest source is being fought over by a cultural war between Ethiopia and Sumeria! I will have to live with 3 sources (!) of horses, Copper, and Ivory.

 

[digitCruncher]

Vassalage, and not much else
415 - 1080-ish​

445: With 6 turns to go, Giggles, and Ethiopia both research Vassalage... And sure enough, some vassals pop up.

2 vassals... Both China AND Ethiopia both decide to become vassals to Giggles >.< This sudden boost in power bumps Giggles score up nearly 400 points, so much that he is nearly double the score as his nearest compeditor (me)

520: Saladin asks me to join the war against Ragnar. I politely decline. I am not in any position to go to war, even a dummy war, and I am not going to try and impress someone who everyone I like, hates.

535: Ragnar, seeing that I don't want to go to war against him, asks me if I would like to go up against Saladin. Again, I politely refuse. When the power rating is RED (<0.6), I normally don't choose to fight.

550: Begin construction of a more centralised Palace, near my awesome commerce / production city. This, after being constructed, reduces maintanance by a WHOLE 6 GPT. However, as it is closer to China, and more south, new cities will cost less in maintanance. When this is complete, I will show you the new location.

565: I get the greed quest. All I need to do, is fight my way through Giggles' territory, overwhelm his two vassals, and nearly capture his entire empire... -.- And what would I get? At most, 3 drafted Macemen -.-


640: A setback removes a turn of me researching Metal Casting.
This turn, Giggles builds the Mausoleum of Mausollous. This is a wonder I normally prioritise, but this REXing is taking its toll on me.

715: After a stalemate, Ragnar makes peace with Saladin. Hopefully, more wars like this will continue...

This turn, get Theology for Metal Casting and 50 gold.


745: China renounces the protection of Giggles, and becomes a free state.

760: Get the Forty Thieves event. Its a nice-ish event. (That tile now yields 6 commerce!!)


805: Build my first Archery Unit... a Longbowman!! Wow!

835: And my first National Wonder, a Palace, here:

I don't often move my palace, but this time, the maintanance was too much.
I did move it around 10 tiles west, and 1 tile south, however.

850: FINALLY build the Kong Maio, the Confusist Shrine. It gets me, barely, 6 GPT, after multipliers (which I think is only a Market). I will spread it VERY soon...

860: China becomes a vassal state of Giggles. Again. For the second time. Within 50 turns. I wonder how long China will keep this up for??

I also land on my "Maoi Statue" city. It is epic:


950: A fugitive from justice flees to my territory. I want the +1 with Ethiopia more than I want the EP against him...

1060: Well... China renounces the protection of... oh screw it.

Here is a new acryonym which I will probably use 30 times an update:

CRPGNFS: China Renounces the Protection of Giglamesh, and is Now a Free State.

CBVSG: China Becomes a Vassal State of Giglamesh.

In this turn, CRPGNFS

And that is that!! Nothing much of interest...

 

[digitCruncher]

I have run into a sudden... difficulty. I seemed to pick the strongest people to be my ally, and I fear that I have declared war on the wrong person, and too early.

25 turn summary:

Cultural, and Dummy Wars
1070 - 1275​

1070: China expands its cultural borders (Again), and starts making me struggle... Now I have only 3 land tiles in the BFC, and no resources. Just to show how bad it has become:


1080: Research Guilds. With Guilds, grab Civil Service:

And Philosophy:

Then adopt Buerocracy.

1110: Giggles declares war on Native America, Ethiopia follows due to vassalage, and China follows due to being asked politely.

1130: CBVSG. Again.

1170: Declare war on Native America, after being asked by Giggles... that was a bad decision.

1200: Giggles takes a city from Native America.

1220: Giggles builds the AP (That was quick!!). The vote for residancy begins, but I already know the outcome >.<

1230: I lose. Big time.

Also, note: Ragnar declares war on Sitting Bull. There isn't a power bloc that can stand up against the Sumerians >.<

1250: Capture a Barbarian city. It is in a very dry, pathetic location, but traveling 1 North wouldn't be THAT good... Plus, I could add another city (if I wanted to), later on...

1275: End the game. I reclaim my spices, in the cultural war against the Chinese however...

Now What?​

Here is the problem:

The second largest civ (soon to become the largest civ) has 2 (soon to be 3, and possibly 4) vassals. When this happens, it will be impossible to pass even the simplist of decisions without the approval of Giglamesh. And while he is the second largest civ in the game (read: My Rival), I cannot win a diplo victory.

Which means, somehow, I have to destroy the Sumerians (unless you guys have a better idea). Which is going to be nigh impossible.

I need to find a friend against the Sumerians. Native America is a good choice (Shared Religion), but that is going to go away after Free Religion, and also, I have the whole "You declared war on us" which NEVER goes away -.-

The Vikings are a good shot also. This war gives me shared war bonuses, however, the fact he has declared war on all other civs means that he is likely to side with Giggles... possibly even become a voluntary vassal!! It will be hard directing the Vikings against thier friends, the Sumerians...

Finally, we have Saladin. As a spiritual religious nutter, the negative penalties of religion are going to be a pain. But, if I play my cards right, I should be able to push him into Free Religion, and thus, have a very happy day. Unfortunatly, spiritual + Holy City + Shrine (I think) = very hard to push into Free Religion. However, with no other permanent negative modifiers, I think Saladin is my best bet.

Ultimately, however, I would like to win this game WITHOUT vassalising Giglamesh... is there a peaceful way to make civs cancel the vassalage agreement? Somehow? Even if it means a temporary diplo hit?