Ok I think I have fixed the problem. I have posted an updated Biq file On post # 3 of the completed scenario thread located
HERE
Well Guardian (I played all the Ultimas), it wasn't a problem for me. As you stated earlier, the only way to advance in this game is to cash rush what you need. The
ONLY way to not run out of gold is to keep delivering bonus' to the Capital. Delivering bonus' to the Capital gives you the VPs. VPs are the only good thing I seem to be gaining in.
At this point, I can build Marines and Dragoons in the Capital. But they are not transportable. Oh yeah, I can alo build those great City Defenders, but they are not transportable either. So my Capital is very well protected, but my colonies are not. I can still build a lot of the inexpensive matchlocks, but they are pretty useless. I feel lucky when they win over a 10/4/1 pirate. So expansion in the West will primarily be Settlers on any good land. Now comes my point...
I have increased my VPs to 20,000 (nearly double what I had 10 turns ago), but I am still 500 points behind the British. I have been settling cities as quickly as possibe, but keping up with the British is difficult. So a domination Victory doesn't look good.
I have taken Tortuga, killed Mad Jack and am now attacking the next Pirate Island. But this second offensive is not going well. My Matchlock guys are pretty feable. I have to land around 4 of them next to the Pirate city on the only piece of land available. That's like throwing meat into a grinder. Even though I Bombard the city to redline (get back to that in a bit) the Pirates totally heal and pretty much dessimate my troops during the in between. Because I can't transport any worthy troops from the Capital, I have to wait fo my Western cities to build more Matchlocks. This means no Ports or anything useful in those cities as we need to train these worthless natives. (Or wait for our newly created babies to grow up into men so we can send them off into the slaughter.) If I don't leave enough of the Matchlocks in the cities, these low level Pirates come and capture the cities, destroying everything that WAS built (which you can't afford to replace). So when you finally get enough Matchloscks for another offensive, you take them over on the ships, bombard the city to red and land the troops on the only piece of land available. The Pirates heal and kill or redline your troops in the IBT. Fun, fun, fun. ..... But my Capital is very well protected.
EDIT: Oh yeah, now I have 29 towns and 2 cities, which means I should get 37 free units. I only get 35. I guess two are taken to guard the Queen's dog...
Now, back to that bombarding to red bit. The first things that get bombarded in the city are the only things that make taking the city worthwhile. All the City Improvements get destroyed first. I'm suprised the Pirate city didn't lose the VP oblisk because of bombarding. So now I have basically worthless Pirate city to attack (next door to my island) that is basically invincable. Maybe if I spend the next 20 turns spending all my gold on Matchlocks, I can land enough of them on that piece of land where the meat grinder won't matter. Unfortunately, my other Western cities won't get the buildings they need to keep them from rioting because of this meat grinder. But hey, life is supposed to be difficult, right...
For me, living with all these heavy restrictions (from the Worker job lengths, to the non-transferable units, to the low level units, to never gaining any on my 500 point deficit on the British, and on and on) is not really living. But they game was a challenge. Now, you want to prolong the game by taking away the VP Victory. I would think that would make a very monotous game. I'll just finish up this game. Probably won't d/l the update.
