LK160, CCM, AW, Turkey

[LKendter]

Summary:
That is excellent news on horses and all the workers grabbed in Kyoto.
My worry is the big worker stack heading south without escort. Getting the large number of workers will be big swing for us. The key is we need to keep them.

It is time for Greebley to get some military production going. The emphasis need to be some spears to protect our big worker stacks. We can't win AW without more troops.


ROSTER:
LKendter
Jersey Joe
Greebley (up)
Elephantium (on deck)

 

[Jersey Joe]

We have an Enslaver and Archer right next to that stack. I figured next turn they could hunt the invisible unit using the workers they will be escorting to make it visible. Kyoto and the new city will free up some cash flow so we can start building troops again.

 

[LKendter]

@Greebley - was there an official got it there?

 

[Greebley]

I have got it.

I am in agreement on some turns of strong military. That will be my emphasis.

 

[LKendter]

It may be time to road to the luxury on the mountain. Burn one of the non-native workers to make the colony.

 

[Greebley]

980 BC: Kill the Enemy Enslaver

940 BC: Build new city

900 BC: Another Enslaver appears next to us fortunately without attacking.
We attack but he retreats with 1 hp.

860 BC: 2 Gallic Warrior appear. I cover the city and the workers, the Enslaver will be back.

820 BC: Kill the first Warrior with the Archer. The Enslaver retreats doing no damage. Finally the last 3 hp Enslaver kills it and goes to Elite. Another Worker gained
Chariot is heading North.

780 BC: Not much

740 BC: No sign of Enslaver. Lux to 20%, Science to 60%.

700 BC: Approach Osaka. Silver colony built. We also got a useful Supply Shipment.

660 BC: Capture Osaka with two Elite Enslaver attacks and gain a Worker. We got some gold too so science is 70% at a deficit.

620 BC: Heal Enslaver. We have Iron outside of Pig and Cow (2 south so just outside radius.

580 BC: Advance Healed units.

540 BC: Turn 80 so stopping here. Archer appeared and was killed by an Enslaver. Advance to outside a town with expanded radius. Osaka isn't happy with only one defender.

Notes:
We have 6 units that could advance on the next city or wait for the Spear and perhaps more Archers.

Been covering workers, but made a mistake last turn so roading stack not covered. We may want to move an Archer back. Also sending units to cover both Pig and Cow (the City) and the Stack nearby but they are not there yet. Stack near Osaka is new and will need a defender as well. It is 'behind' Osaka so likely safe for now.

We may want an Iron Colony so sending a Foreign Worker that way would be good.

 

[LKendter]

Glad to see we got another city up north.
It is great news that we have iron.
It looks like we made good progress getting roads south from Kyoto. I can't tell if we have hooked that into our main road network yet.
My worry continues to be troops. Osaka's defender is an enslaver?

ROSTER:
LKendter (on deck)
Jersey Joe
Greebley
Elephantium (up)

Sad that TheRat still hasn't asked for a slot. He was the inspiration to try this idea.

 

[Greebley]

The injured Enslaver will also move back into the city, so two Enslavers and maybe the Spear.

I am think we may be close to the Capital, Osaka and Kyoto are some of the first few and the city north has a border expansion. However, they are also losing to the French so it may not be well defended. I am unsure if we should advance now with 5 units or wait for the Spear, Archers and latest Chariot.

I do think we should remain ready in case the border becomes blue. I also think we should continue with the units and attacks since both known civs have depleted their units, it continues to be a good time to try to take as many cities as we can.

 

[Elephantium]

I've got it.

Pre-turn: Look around.

We're in Despotism, 1.7.2. We have 151 gold @ -6 gpt.
Researching Riding in 9 turns.

Istanbul (11), 5 happy, 5 unhappy, grow in 14, Eastern Archer in 2.
Osaka (1), 1 entertainer, no growth, Turkish Flag in 7.
Edrine (8), 3 happy, 3 unhappy, grow in 1, Eastern Spearman in 2.
Bursa (5), 3 happy, 2 unhappy, grow in 2, Temple in 6. * Change BG to forest; grow in 2, Temple in 5.
Pig and Cow (2), 2 happy, grow in 2, Eastern Spearman in 10.
Kyoto (1), 1 content, grow in 4, Walls in 8.

Military: 1 Worker
5 Eastern Warriors
4 Eastern Spearmen
9 Eastern Archers
5 Enslavers
6 Turkish Workers
2 Mideast Chariots
8? slave workers

Most are vets, but I saw 3-4 regulars and at least 1 elite.

Plans:

Get Osaka hooked up to our road net
Get Iron roaded.
Irrigate some of the food resources
Continue building troops, switching to Horsemen once Kyoto's borders pop.
Seize Japan's last city towards the end of my set (it will take 5-6 turns to get the reinforcements on the road into Japan's territory).

Questions:

1. I'm inclined to wait for reinforcements before pushing further into Japan. OTOH, if their next city only has 4-5 defenders...it might be worth pushing now.
2. Is the Iron site worth a Colony? It will be two border expansions for Pig&Cow to get it (maybe 40-50 turns out if we build a Temple).
3. Where do we want to put the next city? I'm thinking E-SE of the Wheat - it's on a river, with some hills in range. OTOH, there's another cow NE of Pig and Cow - with lots of plains nearby, a city at the edge of the fog could be good. Maybe it's worth peeling off an Enslaver or the new Chariot to scout?

 

[LKendter]

We also have a debate about a plains city near the silver. It won't be that productive until some irrigation. However, it will close a big gap between the north and south parts of our empire.

 

[LKendter]

I vote iron colony. Make sure to sacrifice one of the foreign workers.

 

[Elephantium]

What do you think about these three spots?



Blue is an excellent long-term site; yellow needs some scouting (4-5 turns of my set, I think). Red has game available for its early turns (after the border pop, that is) along with some mountains for long-term shields. Also, it's a riverside site that already has road access. Actually, now I'm starting to favor red. We can settle blue with the next settler.

Worker priorities, as I see them:

1. Connect Osaka.
2. Road to Iron.
3. Colonize Iron.
4. Road into our next conquest from Japan.
5. Irrigate food resources at Bursa, Pig and Cow, and our new city (Red dot or nearby).

 

[LKendter]

I vote for red. I really like filling in that cap. The deer ensures some food will be irrigate the plains. The river for commerce in a few tiles makes it that much better.
Please park a spear on the silver colony. I don't want an AI surprise pillaging that and playing havoc on happy.
We need to limit scouting. Right now we are doing great fighting Japan. France so far quite. I don't want more civs showing up. If they come from different directions, it can get rough fast.

 

[Elephantium]

What would we like to research after Riding? I'm thinking City-State to improve our unit support, Writing -> Mathematics for the Siege Workshop, or Mounted Archery for better attackers.

 

[Jersey Joe]

I vote for the Red Dot also and a colony on the Iron. (I still like my F city for some time in the future when we are close to learning Monarchy.)

After Riding, I like Writing (Academies) -> Mathematics (Siege Workshop in Pig and Cow). Then what ever techs we need to get to Monarchy.

The Red border northeast of Osaka should be the last Japanese city. Not sure how settlers will work for Japan. I killed their last settler and do not know if the 20 turn counter for settlers resets when they get a new Capital or if it continues to use the old count.

 

[LKendter]

IIRC City-State was a dud in a previous game.

I think writing also puts us on path to Monarchy, our long-term government.

 

[Greebley]

Thinking on the advance, I think that may be their capital and we will need more than 5 units to take it out. Take the Spear, 2 more archers and the next chariot I think. 9 should be enough.

Note that I do not really expect Monarchy to be a challenge for us; I think ThERat might have been on demigod?? Not sure though..

Edit: Red seems good, the big gap could be an issue.

 

[LKendter]

The game turned out with a really big gift with our first two contacts fighting each other. The odds of that with another start are very low.

 

[Elephantium]

IBT: Palace produces a Clan.

T81 (500 BC):

Wounded Enslaver confirms that the red borders are Tokyo.
Enslaver kills French Archer -> elite, no slave.

IBT - French Archer forces wounded Enslaver to retreat

T82 (475 BC):

eEnslaver captures French Archer.

T83 (450 BC):

MidEast Chariot kills a wounded Japanese spear that came out of the fog.

T84 (425 BC):

We spot TWO Enslavers next to Osaka! Fortunately, I have two Enslavers available:
We kill one and capture one. Osaka is safe.

T85 (400 BC):

Japan has an Archer next to our attack stack.
Enslaver retreats...
Chariot kills it.

Edrine grew to size 10 and is now cranky. I hire an entertainer rather than upping the lux slider; it can build at 10spt with the clown.

IBT - Iron road completes.

T86 (375 BC):

Build Uskadar on the red dot.

Siege of Tokyo:
Archer kills vSpear
Archer is repulsed by rSpear
Archer dies vs. Spear, no damage

Start some Forges to allow 2-turn Swordsmen.

IBT - Riding > Writing

T87 (350 BC):

Siege of Tokyo:
Archer kills Spear, promotes, takes the city
Japan is no more.

T88 (325 BC): Two French Archers come out of the fog near Tokyo.

IBT - Enslaver kills eArcher
Another French Archer shows up. Gulp...
Kyoto loses a citizen to disease.

T89 (300 BC):

eArcher kills Archer
rArcher kills Enslaver

IBT - Instead of attacking Tokyo, France attacks our wounded rAcher in the field. He promotes!
... but then France kills him with an Enslaver. Drat.

T90 (275 BC):

eEnslaver captures enemy Enslaver!
eEnslaver captures French Archer!

Tokyo is safe...for now...

 

[LKendter]

275 BC (0)
I almost missed the Japan died in the last report.
I would have done more than a quick one line mention.
We got 3 cities, our first coastal city, horses, and plenty of bonus workers.
I caught something significant in our worker stacks. We have a Scandinavian worker. It must have been captured by Japan or France. We don't have contact yet, but there must be another civ on our land mass.

I change nothing on builds.


250 BC (1)
We just got a supply shipment. That gives me enough money to save a turn on writing.


225 BC (2)
(IT) France wants to talk. Like that is going to happen…


200 BC (3)
(IT) The next research project is math. Siege Workshop would really be nice to have.
Istanbul makes enough commerce that I will slip in an academy.


125 BC (6)
I finally have some military action. Our chariot barely kills a French spear. (1-0)


50 BC (9)
Two enslavers kill 2 French archers. We picked up another worker. (3-0)

I just found Scandinavia. One of their archers was near Pig and Cow. We declare war. We kill the archer. (4-0)
I divert a couple of troops to hangout near P&C.
(IT) Our next research project is code of laws. It can't hurt to head toward monarchy.


25 BC (10)
Pig and Cow starts the siege workshop.