Journey of the AWDG Vikings

[ZzarkLinux]

Hey everyone. It seems that I may be able to survive / win one of my AWDG games
So why not blog about my Always War Demigod Adventures ??

Map: 60% water Pangea. Large map.
Topology & barbs: Random
Opponents: Max. Hand-selected to avoid getting every Native American.

Note:
My time to play is limited to weeknights after work and occasional weekends

Note:
Some pictures were hand made; I didn't take screenies of early game.
Labeled NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

---------------------- Chapter 1 ----------------------

This start doesn't look good: No food bonus, and I'm not agricultural.

But AWDG is always about gambling... so I decide to move and settle Linux to see what's up.

Spoiler :

Moving inland. I notice:
- I have a cow in the BFC, but I can't work it immediately.
- I have a river to irrigate, but it is far away.
- I'm not on the coast, so I lose 3? commerce in the capitol.
- I'm not near a river, so even less commerce.
- Bronze working, which usually takes 30-35 turns at start, is now 46 !!

When my settler is on the way to found a second city, I meet China
So my second city GNU goes on a hill.

I worry Chinese pillaging by the warriors / archers.

Phew, no danger after all

NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

Spoiler :

When China tires of attacking Linux, the fog reveals they now attack GNU.
GNU is over the hills-through the woods-across a river...

How did the Chinese get over there so fast ?

NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

Spoiler :

I only have 2 cities. I need to gamble again.
Bronze->Pottery

...

Pottery finishes, so does Linux's granary.

The Chinese are in the east near GNU, so I expand west to found Xorg.

Guess what the Chinese target now?? That's right, my new city Xorg.

This time, China sends !! swords !!

NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

Spoiler :

I have a lot of archers which are doing well.
But I've lost enough games to know that archers alone can't win AWDG.
Pottery->Wheel

I expand west again, settling IBM in the west on a hill.

The chinese planted a city fairly close. It needs to disappear.
Thankfully, GNU has been massing archers.

NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

I finish The Wheel, and for the first time in ANY of my AWDG games, I have a native strategic resource !!
Wheel->Horseback Riding


Lots more to come in a short bit.

 

[ZzarkLinux]

I hate to double post, but the story continues.


---------------------- Chapter 1 (cont)----------------
NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

Spoiler :

I move out (IIRC) 5 archers along the mountain line, plus a spear-archer combo.

All the swords divert from Xorg to kill my attack force,
but not without first giving me Great Leader Helfdane
Save leader for a horse army.

Another risk to push my front forward, away from my core.
Elite spear guarding IBM joins settler to found Sun in the north on a hill.

The Chinese city falls, giving me IIRC 3 gold, and I notice a very nice Chinese road in the north.

That "Industrious" trait would sure be nice for my Vikings,
as "Seafaring" has only helped 1 of my 5 cities...

This picture is 90% real (see note)

Make that 6 cities. I found Novell in the quiet east to grab the Gems.

Now that the Chinese City has fallen, all the swords head to Shiny New Scarely Guarded city of Sun.

Horseback Riding -> Masonry

I desparately need my 10 shield walls. I only have time to fill the army with 2 horses, as Sun needs all the TLC it can get. Those Chinese roads means that extra swords stream in from the fog at any second.

Spoiler :

Sun has 1 archer, 1 3HP elite spear, and 1 Vet spear neaby... I count 5 swords and a warrior next to Sun.
This may be gameover.

I lose my vet spear and archer in Sun, and my elite spear is at 3 HP (he redlined in battle...), but Sun stands !! And I am rewarded with another Great Leader Inaawer

I move a regular archer from the south to go sit next to one of the stacks, hoping to bait one sword away.

Spoiler :

The bait archer did not sacrifice himself in vain !! He falls gracefully, further sparing Sun

My reinforcment spear from IBM arrives at Sun, and now my horse army is full and in the zone.

Whole empire:

Spoiler :

Left side:

Sooooo... What do I do from here??

That warrior due in 1 at Sun is a prebuild for my City Walls that I get next turn.

Masonry -> Mathematics -> Iron -> ??

My full army consists of the horse army + 4 archers... So I need to buff my military again.

My 2 primary cities are about to produce settlers... I need to settle them, but I don't want to expand my front line too much...

Also, which is better for 60 shields?? 2 horsemen or 3 archers ???

In the long term, my armies should also prepare to find the Great Library, whereever it will be built (it hasn't started yet)

 

[vmxa]

I am not so fond of dropping Sun at that time, rather ot be so close to China at this stage. I gree you cannot afford two settler from the best towns righ now, units are need to hurt Mao.

I prefer horses for the retreat, help keep that kill ratio up. Also they can move out of harms way after an attack.

 

[The Professor]

You seem to be building your cities awfully far apart for an AW game. I would plant a city on the coast between your capital and IBM. I might plant a city N-NE of xorg, which would put it very close to xorg, but will allow you to use the river as a defense, regardless of which direction the Chinese attack from.

 

[ZzarkLinux]

I know my city spacing has been kinda weird.
But remember its like that because I wanted to settle on hills (everything but Xorg and Linux is on a hill).

I might plant a city N-NE of xorg, which would put it very close to xorg, but will allow you to use the river as a defense, regardless of which direction the Chinese attack from.

This is a tough call, and I'm mixed. I am unsure because the AI pathing may be predictable:

I don't know if GNU should pop its settler or not.
I only have 6 towns right now, and Linux's settler only be 7 (next army needs 8).
But I need more troops !!

Should Linux's settler go to the coastal forest in the core, or to the spot above? I'm leaning towards the coastal forest.

I will probably play chapter 2 tonight, but the posting may take a day to organize.

 

[ZzarkLinux]

I took enough early risks, and they all paid off.
Things are very easy compared to previous times !!

---------------------- Chapter 2 ----------------------

I think it's obvious to take out that pillage spear that's right next to my army.
But first I review my whole empire.

Scientist in IBM is can work again. Even though there's only 1 MPolice, and lux is just 10%

Change GNU from settler to horse.
I mis-spoke in my previous log, I only have 3 archers total

Thinking ahead, while I'd like a spear army, I plan on my leader becoming a 2nd horse army.

Now I kill off the pillage spear.

IT: I get a good Always-War popup.

And it gets even better by clicking the "What's the big picture button", and changing my
warrior prebuild to walls on the IT

Spoiler :

Masonry -> Mathematics (14)

No attacks now. The swords wait for more swords. But that's okay. Army > sword.

A settler pops from Linux, Maths goes up to 16

Unicode is founded.

Spoiler :

My turns go by REALLY REALLY fast, since I have such few units. And 1 contact.
I hope I'm not on a pangea island (it's happened to me in AWDG before ...)

And now the last sword at Sun impales himself.
I don't see any Chinese units for the rest of this chapter

You know, I don't use CivAssist or any third party stuff.
I always check for riots via F1 screen. It's fast, not hard, and I've had 0 riots all game

PICTURE LOST DUE TO ROLLBACK

I use my horse army to safely pillage roads near Shanghai.
Move->Move->Pillage->Retreat keeps me safe from any danger.

I only have 4 workers (and a slave) !!
GNU horse->worker. Linux settler(Unicode)->settler(going to found Gnome)->worker

Maths has come down to 8. Gems road will finish in 2.

And I'm done.

 

[ZzarkLinux]

From defense to offense... just what the doctor ordered.

---------------------- Chapter 3 ----------------------

What does this mean ??

Spoiler :

It means that I had a slow start (only 3+ food in capitol after border expand),
and because I placed a granary in my capitol after founding GNU (2nd city).

Why doesn't she ever say "Build more workers!" ??

I do understand what this means.

Spoiler :

Linux always needed more money.

I drop my luxury to 0%, but I hope it doesn't stay like this, because I want my towns to grow big!

Army kills spear in Shanghai, then kills sword on the way back. Now army needs healing.

IT another Chinese sword appears
China has been sending < 1 unit per turn...
I wonder why so few units. This is Always-War-Demigod, right ??

Why is China so dang weak ??

Are we really alone ??

This turn I use an elite spear + archer combo to fend off a sword on flatland.

Speaking of it, the AI will only attack when it has ~33% or better chance of winning a battle.
(cities are an exception).
But I don't think AI takes into account defensive bombard.
Is it possible to push "in the field" defense odds to less than 33% for the AI?
If so, archers aren't extremely bad...

IT China sends an archer ????

With the founding of Gnome comes a second army. 1 horse-power so far.

Spoiler :

Army advances, kills spear in Shanghai unscathed, and retreats to safety again.
It's kinda like this:

China sends a pillage spear. Cover my gems and horses with random units.

IT Sword appears. Spear retreats

elite archer > regular sword.
Note that my only elite that hasn't won a leader is a spear sitting in Sun.

GNU, Linux, and Sun have all trimmed workers. Sun looking for another.

IT another sword enters our deadzone.

Spoiler :

I now have 2 full horse armies in the area.

Again, I discover a new tech (Maths), click on "what's the big picture", and change
a barracks pre-build on the same IT. I now have Maths and a catapult.

Mathematics->Iron Working (~10)

I'm thinking of following IW with a trip to Monarchy...
That's a long way, considering I don't have Ceremonial Burial...

Workers work. My horse armies take this time to advance and explore.

Spoiler :

Then I see something new that has nothing to do with my armies (yet)

Spoiler :

So we're not isolated on a pangea island !! That makes it much easier to reach the
Great Library when the time comes. Speaking of it, I don't see it on the F7 screen.
Does a wonder build pop-up show if you don't have the tech for that wonder?

I'm thinking of placing one more city in the north, near Sun, to grab the silks.
Or maybe I can prebuild a temple to grab the silks, to avoid expanding that front line...

I now need to ready myself to greet another military challenge.
The mysterious green people await, as does the secret location of China's Iron source.

My empire:

Spoiler :

 

[killerkid]

You seem to be doing a good job so far. A couple of tips I'd recommend:

1. You don't need a lot of catapults; they won't keep up with your horses.
2. Don't go near the light green border. I don't think it's aztecs, probably Greece or Persia. It's better not to go to war, until you have China almost taken care of.
3. I doubt you are on a pangea island, but if you are, keep China an OCC so that when you get the GLIB, you have that 2nd civ to net the tech from. If China is dead, and you and Aztecs are alone, you won't get any techs from it. Also, maybe think about building the GLIB??

Good luck!

 

[Quintillus]

Does a wonder build pop-up show if you don't have the tech for that wonder?

Yes, it will. Literature usually comes late in the Ancient Age for the AI, though, so they probably aren't building it yet.

I second killerkid's recommendation to avoid the Aztecs/Greeks/Persians if possible until China is quite weak. They could only distract you from fighting China, making it more difficult.

Great Library is a sticky tar pit. If you get it and leave China, China will be weak and while you'll get free tech you'll be behind the other continent (assuming there are only three on your landmass). If you get it and kill China, and don't research education, you'll get a big boost when someone else discovers you (or you find someone else), but will be an undetermined amount behind by waiting at education until that point (thus losing development in universities/banks as well). If you don't get it, it's standard research. Or, you don't get it, stop research at Education, research to Cavalry, save tons of gold thereafter, and then capture it, and get to somewhere mid-Industrial the turn you capture it. Then its massive Musket-->Infantry and Cannon-->Artillery upgrades. But then there's the issue of how do you get to it without a way to cross the ocean? I highly doubt the Great Lighthouse will be possible, unless the Aztecs/Greeks/Persians have conveniently built it.

 

[killerkid]

@Quintillus- I don't think that plan of capturing GLIB before getting Education and jumping to Mid Industrial will work. Since Education will be the first tech you get, the GLIB will go obsolete as soon as you get it, so no more techs.

However, I haven't tried this, so maybe it does work. Once I get back to my home computer w/Civ 3 on it, I will try this.

 

[ZzarkLinux]

I don't think that plan of capturing GLIB before getting Education and jumping to Mid Industrial will work.

It has been done in many other succession games. It is a reliable strategy
I think the technical coding is like:
...
if (beginning of turn AND great library is not obsolete)
{
Scan all civs for technology
Give owner any tech that two civs have
}
...

So when the Great Library "activates", the owner gets all available techs from other civs, since the game only checks for obsolete wonders once per turn.

A common dirty tactic is to build the GLib yourself, then gift the city to a nearby civ. Then just turn off science! Do whatever you want and the GLIB is just sitting next to your capitol waiting for you Just don't research EDU.
Of course, I can't use this tactic because gifting requires peace

My big question is:
"Do I have time to build the GLib myself, or is it too late?"

I can prebuild with Heroic Epic, so it would be a win-win whether or not I succeed.
But do I need units more than a 200+ shield investment?

That's a tough question.

 

[ZzarkLinux]

Will things finally get interesting ??

---------------------- Chapter 4 ----------------------

I steal the worker from Chinese territory, and snip some roads at their capitol.

I change my settler build in Linux to Heroic Epic / GLib prebuild.
Iron due in 7. I decide to not switch research.
To bad my capitol can only grow to size 6.

IT:

550BCE
Send full-health horse army to take a swipe at Beijing. It loses 7 HP killing a spear.
This is why you only send full-health horse armies

Other army cuts some roads.

We are Strong compared to China.

I now notice a Chinese city in the west fog near IBM.
Are they trying to surrond me
Why do they settle so far from their capitol?

Spoiler :

IT: Swords bloodlust towards wounded armies. They'll never reach the armies...

I MM my capitol, and it can (eventually) get 10 SPT, once I mine.
But my shields are not what I'm worried about. It's my research that's holding me back...
Keep on trucking with Iron Working, though.

IT: The swords go east. All targets in that direction are miles away...
Maybe they're targeting walled-Novell, even though my MP spear gets there next turned.
Maybe they're targeting Gnome, but that place finishes it's walls next turn.


I finish walls in Gnome. Spear arrives at Novell.

No threat of a cascade on the GLib. All other ancient wonders are build, and I see
no other wonders in-progress.

I need to slow the prebuild shields. Cow goes to Xorg.

IT: Now the swords head back to Sun. More drama.

Spoiler :

1st Horse army loses 6HP killing a sword.
2nd Horse army loses 5HP killing a sword.
This is why you only send full-health horse armies

Xorg makes me a settler. I'm going to send it into the tundra south of Linux.
I don't want all the AIs to say "LOOKIE, A FREE SPOT", and then I meet every AI civ.

IT: I'm getting edgy about the GLib. About 60 shields invested into Heroic Epic.

Spoiler :

Vet Horse dies against 2hp sword (I need more catapults !!)

Beijing's pop has dropped...

Iron Working -> Writing

IT:

Oh BTW here's my terrain.

Spoiler :

Complete a horse and walls build.

70+ shields invested in GLib / Heroic Epic.

Reg Archer > reg archer. Promotion.

I want to end this chapter, but I'm getting really nervous about GLib.
Nobody has started it.

IT:

My research can't keep up with my GLib prebuild..
Forced to slow shields further even though I don't wanna.

IT:A Mayan galley appears. Headed towards my tundra area...

Settler is on the spot and founds KDE

And the Mayans have begun TGL in Chichen Itza. Remember they get 30% discount.
I've got ~95 shields into heroic epic at 9spt and Writing in 9...

Remember when I said that AWDG needs some gambles.
Well, that's what I get for not dropping IW research when I had the chance.

I've just been pwned by my own self.
This just might have cost me the win.

At least I'll have Heroic Epic !

You don't need a lot of catapults; they won't keep up with your horses.

While I understand your point, remember that horses don't exist when Knights are around.
And I wonder what's on that Mayan Galley besides a settler...

 

[killerkid]

While I understand your point, remember that horses don't exist when Knights are around.

Do you mean enemy knights? Your knights are still 2 MP...

 

[ZzarkLinux]

remember that horses don't exist when Knights are around

I was simply recalling that once the AI gets Knights, my horses are simply wasted shields.
But catapults, like diamonds, are forever

I have been fearing a fast tech rate, since I've always believed that the AI
researches Literature when they are IN the Middle Ages (though this is unverified)

---------------------- Chapter 5 ----------------------

Bombard Mayan galley.

I use the queue and set IBM to pump a settler after the spear.
The settler will move to grab the silks.

Spoiler :

I spot Chinese iron at Chengdu, the city in the east. Will attempt to advance.

Horse retreats from attacking Chengdu.
Elite spear covers. Send another horse, too.

IT: A sword scrambles and an archer appears at Chengdu
Mayan galley knows that KDE was settled, and sails away

Vet Horse > archer. Stays.
Red-line horse pillages where archer was.
Elite spear covers.

I notice Maya has taken at least 4 American slaves.

Workers work. I need to road towards icy KDE soon.

IT: 3 swords move to reinforce Chengdu area.
They won't stop me from cutting that iron !!

Chengdu is now disconnected from the rest of China.

Send healthy horse army to Chengdu area.
While I'm at it, I send my 2 cats, a vet archer, and vet horse that way, too.

Unit support at 7gpt.

Switch GNU to pump a settler as well.

IT:
Fresh sword pops out of Chengdu and retreats a horse.
Maya start Sun Tzu's ! I'm not abysmally behind in tech after all... yet

I spot a lone Chinese settler !!
He is also anxious to join our empire, and prepares to road the silks !!

Spoiler :

That retreated horse may not be salvagable... but we'll see.

Spoiler :

Assault on Chengdu scheduled to begin in 2 turns.
At size 4 with iron, it's a keeper.

Spoiler :

Make that size 3. Did Chendu whip something (like a sword) ??

The Chinese only have 2 more culture than I !!
(1 from my first move w/o settling, 1 cause palace doubled 1 turn earlier)

MM cow away from Linux to Xorg, since another mine for Linux will finish on IT.
Heroic Epic build won't be slowed, and this avoids food waste at full Linux.

IT: Yes, China whipped something, and two swords (not the expected 1) come out of Chengdu.
No those swords don't attack my horse / spear on the iron...
I think 5 swords total are chasing my redlined run-away horse

While those swords chase "lone-ranger", I bring in the armies.

Redline horse has found Hangchow. No wonder why the AI is weak.
It settles in the worst mountain-filled terrain...

"Redline" also waves goodbye as it sees the bombarded Mayan galley sail north

Now the redline snips a key road and further "explores" China...

I decide not to pillage the Chinese iron hill.
It will be mine next turn...

I'm not sure if that is the only iron,
but I do see a Chinese archer scuttling around in the north...

I have 2 armies, 2 cats, 1 archer, 1 horse stack next to Chengdu
The elite spear / horse is also nearby, but may be slain on IT...

IT: Sword uses road to finally kill redline.
I still can't believe they'd send their whole army
across their own terrirory just to kill a redlined horse...

One sword moves to reinforce Chengdu.
Good. I want to kill swords by attacking them anyway.

China lands an archer near Unicode.

Cats go 1 for 2, revealing a second spear.

Vet Horse < Reg spear, dealing no damage.
Retaliate with 1 horse army killing spear and sword.
Vet archer > bombarded spear.

Spoiler :

I get a slave as well as that iron.
I'll have iron hooked up in about 6 turns,
so I guess I should slowly prebuild swords...

And now cash flow is in the positive again

Elite archer > Chinese archer at Chinese main area.

I'm done, yet I only played like 5 turns.
Here's my empire:

 

[killerkid]

Now, that you have iron (or just have to hook it up), will you stop building horses or start on swords?

I don't know which is better in AW, speed or attack value?

 

[ZzarkLinux]

------------- Reflections on Always-War -------------

I see very little use for horses in Always-War

1) The enemies COME TO YOU. Expect your cities to be SURROUNDED by enemy units.
Horses: The killzone is right at my front-door

2) Use catapults because they never need to be replaced, unlike combat units which die.
Horses: If you keep fighting "unit-to-unit", you will lose
because the AI has a big shield / unit advantage.

3) Use catapults to maximize victory.
Horses:
Attack: Retreat doesn't happen if the enemy unit has 1HP ... So retreat doesn't exist
Defense: Never let horses defend !!!

4) You need lots of armies (leaders -> armies)
Horses:
ATT: Horse armies lose more HP than sword armies when attacking.
DEF: Sword armies are never attacked... Literally, the AI won't fight at low odds.
DEF: Horse armies need protection just like everything else.
RETREAT: Never let your armies go to 1 hitpoint !!

5) If enemies are everywhere around you, then you're probably dead...
Horses:
Early game: if you are surrounded, then you're probably dead anyway...
Other times: Horses could defend your coastline... if they could kill pikes / knights

 

[ZzarkLinux]

I keep getting the feeling I'm on a pangea island, all alone with the Chinese.
Yes, there are the green people, but what if they came from overseas
If I am alone, it may be impossible to get the GLib, because galleys are just too costly

---------------------- Chapter 6 ----------------------

GNU gets scientist, settler still due in 1.

IT:
Coastal invader archer fortifies......
Some Chinese advance on Chengdu (iron city), others seem to head in direction of Sun.

And we are at war with France, who send a green galley along our shore.

My turn:
Horse army kills 2 swords wandering towards Sun area
Other army heals in Chengdu.

GNU pops a settler. IBM gets one next turn.
If I stop "filling in the gaps" then other AIs will visit me to fill those gaps.
And more contacts are almost always bad. So proposed city sites in the Northwest include:

Spoiler :

The only reason contacts are good in Always-War are:
1) Reduced research cost for each civ you know that has a given tech
Example: Code of Laws is known by everyone else, so it's cheaper to research
2) It gets the AIs into "war-mode"

Shift MP spear towards GNU & the French galley in that area.

IT:
Coastal archer suicides at Unicode.

Units around Chengdu area are ignoring Chengdu. They're not even going for the iron...
For some reason the AI targets the Sun / Gnome area with high priority.

And Chengdu riots !!! My first riot in the game

My turn:
Catapults redline sword near Chengdu.
A 3/4 hitpoint horse redlines but kills the sword.
(No retreat, cause the sword was at 1HP)

Settlers from IBM and GNU are now headed to NW region.

I stop to ponder where to send my armies next.

Spoiler :

I don't want to raze towns: more land attracts more enemies. China's already weak...
I decide to scout with one army, and use the other for zone defense around Chengdu / Sun.

Writing in 1 at +21 gpt

IT:
France sails along towards KDE.

Maya finishes GLib in their capitol.

My turn:

Spoiler :

Writing->Literature (due in 10).
I decide to go for lit before monarchy, because I want the extra research
for the long run. It's still a tough call.

Horse army explores farther.

And I see this:

Spoiler :

The American settler pair tells me that
THE GLIB IS ON MY CONTINENT
because my Military advisor screen tells me that Maya has taken several American slaves.

IT:
I see French settler pair marching down from the north.

I meet a Russian Galley in the west.

And the Americans moved on without making contact
Remember, you only get contact if an enemy unit is in your vision at the start of your turn.
So no American contact. Just Russia, China, Maya, and France

And there is a Chinese settler pair near Sun again.

My turn:

I move one settler into position (just off screen to the left).

Iron hook-up next turn.

Analysis:
So everyone's sending settlers towards the NW gap between me and Chinese.
I guess that's where my armies are headed.

I haven't seen the "initial rush" from Maya yet. Maybe they've been warring a lot.
I just met Russia. They only built 1 ancient wonder; perhaps they're weak.

I need to build up catapults / swords, to prepare for the hordes that will come.
I gotta cram in Library prebuilds, to. Maybe 1 in my capitol, 1 in GNU, 1 in IBM.
And Heroic Epic will finish in about 6
So I will prepare to leader fish while filling in my peninsula.
Then I send "all the kings horses" and "all the king's armies" and take the Great Library

 

[ZzarkLinux]

A lot of things look good, despite me having 4 contacts.
Let's get this ball rollin'

---------------------- Chapter 7 ----------------------

My turn:
I move my scouting army east, away from the American pair area.
I don't need to fight any more people at this time.

vArcher > bombarded archer

Both settlers are in place to fill gaps near China.

Xorg / Novell / Gnome start prebuilding Libraries.
Novell and Gnome are on rivers.
Xorg will stay large, and is near my capitol.

GNU will do sword -> Library Prebuild.

Literature due in 7.

I start mining my first mountain. It is the gems near Novell.
I use 2 workers, mine due in 9.

IT:
Road on Silks finishes.
Chinese boat moves to the Russian galley party.

My turn:
Change 4 builds to swords.

Right now I'm at -5 gpt

Found Source Code -> walls

Found Subversion -> walls (will be chopped in 3, I prebuild a chop lol)

Hopefully filling the gaps with these two cities will make AI settler / contacts go away.

The silks now falls in my border, so I lower lux to 0%

Income has jumped to +11 gpt

I now have a new front line with lots of workers around it !!

I MicroManage Linux to get an extra trade, Heroic Epic still due in 3.

I now up science, and get Lit a turn earlier at +5 gpt.

My army grabs a settler pair that was trying to get Source Code's spot.
Army takes no damage, but spots some Chinese swords in the area.

Move my cats from Chengdu to Source Code (thanks for the road, China).
The cats will garuntee victories, and hopefully promotions / leaders.

My coastline looks a little pressured, no?

Spoiler :

IT:
One Russian galley goes away.
The French galley kinda goes back and forth.
And I see a sword and archer closer to Source Code. They all going east
(I wish they'd advance so I can kill them).

My Turn:
Since no units are really advancing, I take acher / spear / horse in Chengdu
and send them to pillage a Chinese road.

I have my first sword. He's a regular, though.

Spoiler :

Horse army spots two swords and archer wandering around Source Code area... going east...

And my workers work the front.

Spoiler :

IT:
Chinese archer comes out of Hangchow on said road. He's not going to Chengdu, though... ?
China lands an archer on my coastline, too.
Now all the units near Source Code go west
I build some swords.

My Turn:
vHorse kills landed rArcher. vHorse almost dies (it chose not to retreat)
vHorse kills rArcher near Chengdu. vHorse almost dies (it couldn't retreat, archer at 1HP)
Did I mention I don't like horses ??

Chinese still practice their ancient dances on the front, wandering to and fro.
I now see 5 swords in Source Code / Subversion area. I also see a freebie iron.

Spoiler :

IT:
Galleys give swimming lessons.
Russia start's Leonardo's Workshop !!!
Walls are chopped at Subversion
I build some swords.
And this Epic build:

Spoiler :

My Turn:
Army > archer that actually comes near Source Code.
Army takes no damage

I pillage Hangchow area in NE.

GNU starts library.

Now that I have silks, I see that Chengdu's 1 citizen can work now, instead of being unhappy.
Citizen works mined iron. This gets Chengdu's walls done 1 turn sooner.

Not much to look at on the "fighting side" I guess...
Here's my army:

Spoiler :

IT:
Spot a new French galley coming in from NorthEast.
Now the units near Source Code go east

My turn:
Chendgdu finishes walls. Where Chinese units wander now ???

NE Front:

Spoiler :

NW Front:

Spoiler :

 

[Quintillus]

at the shifty Chinese units. And prebuilding chopping. Good idea certainly, just something I'd never heard of before that sounds somewhat funny.

Interpreted "Found Source Code" as found the CivIII source code - that would've made you a hero here!

Just wondering, your username and empire seem to have a slight Linux tilt, do you play CivIII on Linux? I've heard it can be done (Cedega I think) but haven't looked into it enough to know how well it works, especially on newer Linux distributions. Not that I'm planning to switch to Linux, just out of intellectual curiosity.

 

[Tad Empire_0_o]

Have you noticed the green city? (where all the orange gallys are going)

South of Chengu