LK175, South Africa, AWE

[LKendter]

One final thing: I think the Indochina rush of units may mean we need to fall back as they will have their fast units including Elephants. Finding a new civ like that was a fairly unfortunate result that will delay any advance.

We still haven't even seen the slow stuff from Carthage and Turkey. Another civ to deal with is unreal.

However, if we don't advance a loss is guaranteed. Stronger and stronger units will show up and overwhelm our small civilization. I have seen this a lot in losing AWE games. This one is likely a loss but we should play it out to see how CCM3 AWE turns out (Edit: At least until it is very clear playing more is pointless).

I agree failing to advance is a loss. I've felt bad about this game since I had to put cities on wealth. That meant not enough early fighting.
It isn't bad enough to call a loss, but I feel our odds keeping getting worse.

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

 

[Jersey Joe]

I got it.
We learn Construction this turn so my tech path is going to be: Republic (for Elephantium's Cataphracts) -> Philosophy (Academies) -> Religion (School of Divinity, missionaries and acts as a barracks).

I am planing on building a coastal town in the grassland just south of the Anchor.

From what direction are Maghreb troops coming from? The northwest like the Turk, or through Indochina?

If the Maghreb care coming in from the northwest, I would concentrate on conquering Indochina. However, if the Maghreb are coming through Indochina, I would concentrate on attacking Turkey.
I would prefer to go after Turkey first since they have fewer cities than the Maghreb.

 

[Greebley]

I haven't seen many Magreb yet so it is hard to tell.

Likely either straight south or through Indochina, so your idea of going for Turkey will work if the have a city near enough.

 

[Jersey Joe]

Continuing 1370 AD: Drop the research slider to 50% and we are at +22 gold cash flow Construction still due in 1 turn. Do some MM. Change some builds prep to build aqueducts.

IBT: Numidian Mercenary killed by Indo-Chinese Camel Rider (0, 1).
Numidian Mercenary kills Turkish Medieval Infantry (1, 1).

1380 AD: Chariot kills Indo-Chinese Camel Rider (2, 1). Chariot kills Turkish Crossbow (3, 1); Swordsman kills Crossbow (4, 1).

1390 AD: We find Turkey’s border.

IBT: Numidian Mercenary killed by Indo-Chinese Camel Rider (4, 2).

1400 AD: Enslaver kills Indo-Chinese Camel Rider (5, 2).

IBT: Numidian Mercenary kills Indo-Chinese War Elephant (6, 2). <blink>
Numidian Mercenary kills Turkish Crossbow (7, 2).

1410 AD: Swordsman kills Indo-Chinese War Elephant (8, 2).
At Bloemfontein, we lose 3 Horseman killing a Berber War Elephant (9, 5).

IBT: A Numidian Mercenary and a Swordsman are killed by an Indo-Chinese Chariot (9, 7), Swordsman killed by War Elephant (9, 8).

1420 AD: At Bloemfontein, Numidian Mercenary kills a Berber War Elephant (10, 8).
At the front, Swordsman kills Indo-Chinese War Elephant (11, 8); Horseman kills Chariot (12, 8). Enslaver kills Berber Catapult (13, 8); Swordsman kills Berber Spearman (14, 8). Chariot kills Turkish Trebuchet (15, 8).

IBT: 3 Numidian Mercenaries are killed by Turkish troops (14, 11).

1430 AD: Near Iznik: Swordsman kills Turkish Medieval Infantry (15, 11); Horseman kill5 Crossbows (20, 11).

IBT: Numidian Mercenary kills Berber War Elephant (16, 11).
Near Iznik: Numidian Mercenary kills Indo-Chinese Crossbow (17, 11); Mercenary killed by Crossbow (17, 12); Mercenary kills Crossbow (18, 12).

Our Golden Age ends, Zimbabwe riots, ( hire two clowns there and check the rest of our towns hiring clowns if necessary and don’t have any more riots.

1440 AD:
Near Iznik: Swordsman kills Berber War Elephant (19, 12); Swordsman kills Heavt Archer (20, 12).
Attacking Iznik: Horseman kill 2 Indo-Chinese Pike (22, 12); Horseman killed by Pike (22, 13); Chariot killed by Pike (22, 14); Chariot kills Pike (23, 14); Horseman killed by Camel Rider (23, 15); Horseman kills Camel Rider (24, 15); Horseman kill 2 Archers (26, 15). The city is captured along with 777 gold (which really helps our research).

1450 AD: Workers work. Troops heal.

IBT: Swordsman killed by Berber War Elephant (26, 16).
We learn Philosopy and start researching Religion.

1460 AD: Cataphrat kills Berber War Elephant (27, 16).
Cataphrat kills Indo-Chinese War Elephant (28, 16); Horseman kills Chariot (29, 16); Swordsman kills Spearman (30, 16).
At Iznik: Enslaver kills Berber Heavy Archer (31, 16); Enslaver kills War Elephant (32, 16). Swordsmen kill 2 Turkish Pikemen (34, 16).

IBT: At Iznak: Swordsman kills Berber War Elephant (35, 16). Swordsman killed by Turkish Crossbow (35, 17).
Swordsman killed by Indo-Chinese Chariot (35, 18); Cataphrat kills War Elephant (36, 18).

1470 AD: At Iznak, Chariot kills Turkish Crossbow (37, 18).

No Screenshot this post.

Notes and Suggestions:

• There is a roading crew building a road to the Silk where a Slave is standing waiting to build a Colony.
• I am using our gold to research faster and haven’t upgrade as many Horseman as I could.

 

[LKendter]

Got it

Have we seen any troops yet around former Germany?

 

[Jersey Joe]

Have we seen any troops yet around former Germany?

The only foreign troops I saw, came by boat and I killed them. I still have extra troops there for that reason.

 

[Greebley]

Was checking our front line. A narrow front that will help with defense.

Here is a picture:

 

[LKendter]

I've confirmed the land above Germany is a dead end peninsula. The only action we should see on that front is landings.

 

[LKendter]

1470 AD (0)
We have just 13 cities to Carthage 12 cities. Getting the Turkish city helped, but we still have a lot of work to do.
The good piece of news is Indochina is behind us in tech.
We really need to get more of Turkey's $4076 to keep us in the tech race.

I switch Zimbabwe to academy. We need to research better. Once some of these academies are done, we need to get back to troop production. Zero troops being built during AW is not good.
We are bleeding too much cash, so I reduce science.
(IT) I lost 1 cataphract. (0-1)


1480 AD (1)
I spot some Indian units near Iznik.

The assault on Edirne begins. I kill 3 pikes. (3-1)
I pillage $429.
Dome of the Rock is ours. A free Hebrew and Islamic community in every city. That will really help with border expansion as we push forward.

I grab a lose worker from Turkey.

I kill Indochina: 1 catapult and 1 spear. (5-1)
I kill India: 1 siege crossbow, 1 crossbow and 1 pike. (8-1)
I lost 1 cataphract. (8-2)
(IT) I lost 1 sword and a cataphract. (8-4)
The cataphract was covering the stolen worker, so I lost it.
Oceania completes World Religion Christianity.
The Indians are building Holy Book Printed. That means the have printing press. We are 10+ techs behind.

 

[LKendter]

1490 AD (2)
The assault on Konya begins. I kill 2 pikes and 1 crossbow. I lost 1 cataphract. (11-5)
I pillaged $398.

I kill Turkey: 1 crossbow. (12-5)
I kill invisible: 1 enslaver. (13-5)
I kill Carthage: 1 Numidian Mercenary. (14-5)
I lost 1 enslaver. (14-6)
I gained 2 workers.
(IT) I kill Indochina: 1 elephant. (15-6)
I lost: 2 cataphracts. (15-8)


1500 AD (3)
I kill Turkey: 2 crossbows and 1 bucket. (18-8)
I kill India: 1 MDI. (19-8)
I gained 1 worker.
I lost: 1 cataphract. (19-9)
(IT) I kill India: 1 elephant. (20-9)

 

[LKendter]

1510 AD (4)
I kill Carthage: 1 eastern ballista. (21-9)
I kill Turkey: 1 MDI. (22-9)
(IT) The next tech is naval warfare. The starving Turkish scientist are enough to complete it. An excuse to build up cash is always a good thing.
Arabia completes World Religion Islam.


1520 AD (5)
I kill Indochina: 1 spear. (23-9)
(IT) I kill Indochina: 1 chariot. (23-10)

 

[LKendter]

1530 AD (6)
Our front lines just got easier thanks to Dome of the Rock. I don't have to worry about units going between our two main Turkish cities.

I kill Carthage: 1 Numidian Mercenaries. (24-10)
I kill Turkey: 1 crossbow. (25-10)
I kill Indochina: 1 spear. (26-10)
(IT) I lost 2 Numidian Mercenaries and 1 Cataphract. (26-13)
America completes Sacred Music.
[End of session 1]


1540 AD (7)
I kill Indochina: 3 elephants and 1 camel. (30-13)
I kill Turkey: 1 crossbow. (31-13)
I kill Carthage: 1 heavy archer. (32-13)
(IT) I lost 1 cataphract. (32-14)

 

[LKendter]

1550 AD (8)
I kill Turkey: 2 crossbows. (34-14)
I kill Indochina: 1 elephant and 1 catapult. (34-16)
(IT) The next tech is seafaring at 10%. Thank you starving Turkish scientists.
I got a suggestion I will pass on with School of Navigators. Most of what is offers is useless.
Edrine has finally stopped resistance. There are still 20 citizens to starve.


1560 AD (9)
It is so weird to keep watching the number of turns to complete tech go up after the IT. Those Turkish scientists make a huge difference.

I kill India: 1 crossbow. (35-16)
I kill Carthage: 1 elephant and 4 heavy archers. (40-16)
I lost: 1 Numidian Mercenary. (40-17)
I had to try my luck with it being elite versus a regular crossbow.
(IT) Turkey is building Holy Book Printed. Glad to see one of their cities tied up on wonders.
I just destroyed that stack of 5 Carthage units by Edrine just to see a fresh stack arrive from India that is even larger.

 

[LKendter]

1570 AD (10)
I barely clear the troops by Edrine. If we get another large wave next turn the only answer is to flood the city with defenders and pray. Almost every troop is injured.

I kill Carthage: 1 elephant. (41-17)
I kill India: 1 camel, 5 crossbows, 2 pikes, 1 harquebusier and 2 spears. (52-17)
I kill Turkey: 1 archer and 1 MDI. (54-17)
I lost 2 cataphracts and 1 sword. (54-20)
I gained 1 worker.

[End of session 2]

 

[LKendter]

The worker stack is underneath several swords. We really can't afford to lose that large of a worker stack. I've been using that stack to make movement near the front easier. It already put some missing roads down by Iznik.
My next suggestion is a road toward that mountain below to bypass the river and speed up troop arrival. Better paths toward Edrine will also be useful.

The arrow is the suggested path for the stack of fast units building up by Iznik. I would wait at least *1 or 2* turns to make sure Edrine is stable before going forward. If another large stack shows up some of those will have to go to Edrine. I think the next Turkish city is very close the the end of that arrow.

 

[LKendter]

Keep starving those Turkish cities. They are paying for a good chunk of our science. In addition, we really need to reduce the flip risk. Edirne still has 19 people despite me starving it since capture.

Iznik and Erdine are both very important to us. Iznik is our only tobacco source. Erdine has Dome of the Rock helping us with border expansions. Right now, it takes a long 5 turns. That still beats 20+ turns to build a culture building and wait for the border expansions.

I have workers near the gold colony getting ready for our next clan. 2 Numidians are already sitting at the spot to settle. At this point it looks worth getting some of the back filling done.

I feel better about the game than after my last set. We are at least moving forward. Turkey is still flooded with cash, so getting another from them will really help. It is still slow going. I gained just 2 cities. One of those must have been the newest Turkish city at size 2.
I hope the next set can gain one or two more Turkish cities.

Chivalry is a while away. However, we want to plan to build Royal Tournament. The AI civs never seem to build this wonder. Free Knights of the Realm and counts as barracks is very useful.

 

[LKendter]

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

 

[LKendter]

Another reason I want to settle the gold city is resources. With all those hills and mountains a decent chance of coal once that opens up. We need to be ready for for the other later resources that are only on hills and mountains.

 

[Jersey Joe]

Another reason I want to settle the gold city is resources. With all those hills and mountains a decent chance of coal once that opens up. We need to be ready for for the other later resources that are only on hills and mountains.

It looks like you mean to settle in the spot where the 2 Numidian Mercenaries are, and get the gold in the fat cross, is that correct?

 

[LKendter]

I have workers near the gold colony getting ready for our next clan. 2 Numidians are already sitting at the spot to settle. At this point it looks worth getting some of the back filling done.

It looks like you mean to settle in the spot where the 2 Numidian Mercenaries are, and get the gold in the fat cross, is that correct?

Yes. Read my comment from above