Obviously, the focus was continued buildup of troops and ships for the Crusade to Jerusalem. After re-reading some of the discussions, I focused on Knights and Longbows, depending on the production of the cities. I also cranked out more catapults, to help whittle some of the defenders down and/or weaken any who win a round, so they are easier to kill before they promote. I also included some Inquisitors, so we can see the assassins, and in case they draw their attacks (I dont know if the AI is programmed to go after them or not, but it seemed worth a shot, and they are cheap for a 4 attack). I didnt waste much time on Pikemen, since I expect most of his attacks to be with Assassins, who can chose their target.
A related note, I dont know if the AI will select the relic-carriers, but it shouldnt matter, as long as other units are there to pick them back up. However, I would make sure that their galley is well covered, as if the ship sinks, I think we lose the relics for good. I purposely put them on a regular galley, so it should be the last defender in a stack if we somehow get into a war on the journey. I have renamed all the galleys, to make it easier to identify what is loaded on each one (Knight Galley, Relic Galley, etc.).
1263 (0) Renamed ships, transferred loads so each ship carries one type of unit if possible. Load the relic-carriers and the army. Switch Orleans, Chatres to Longbow, Clermont and Boulougne to Inquisitor. I also check around on tech, there are four available: Education, Mercantilism, Professional Armies, and Milling. Only Prof. Army helps us at this point (Swiss Mercs) but it would cost us 85+gpt, which would take our galley rushing money away, so I dont do it. I would like Advanced Siege, but no one has it yet, and we are 26 turns away.
IBT Settlers move toward Italy, Poles attack and kill a Celt settler. I am a little confused by some movements, until I realize that Castile and Poland look very much alike!
1266 (1) Paris Knight-Knight, Anger Kn-Kn, Marsailles Galley-Gal, our second Iron source is exhausted! (Looks like we are OK, didnt have any deals with it). A bunch of worker moves, and rush a Galley in Avignon.
IBT Castile and Turks sign peace. Fatamid and Abbasid sign an MA against Byzantine. Our Dye deal comes up for renewal, the price goes up from 29 to 30gpt.
1269 (2) Orleans Longbow-LB, Bordeaux Knight-LB, Boulougne Inq-Inq, Cleremont Inq-Inq, Metz LB-LB, Lyons Kn-LB, Chatres LB-LB, Avignon Galley-Gal. Abbasids start Hanseatic League. Load more ships. Rush galley in Marsailles, more worker moves.
IBT Abbasids go on an alliance spree, buying Poland, Bulgars, and Castile into MA against Byzantine.
1272 (3) Paris Kn-Kn, Anger Kn-Kn, Ghent Pike-Cat, Mars Gal-Gal, Strasburg Settler-Set, Amiens Wall-Temple, Antwerp Pike-Cat, Rheims Pike-Cat. Hurry Galley at Avignon, move settler from Strasburg 3 NW (toward the ruins).
IBT Germany + Bulgar ally vs. Byz, Cordova & Magyar make peace, Denmark and Abbasids MA vs. Turks, Cordova + Abbasids MA vs. Byz (Dogpile, better Theodora than us).
1275 (4) Orleans LB-LB, Bord. LB-Cat, Boulougne Inq-Manor, Cleremont Inq-Inq, Lyons LB-Cat, Chatres Civil Disorder (sorry), Avignon Galley-Gal. Germans complete Magna Carta (FP+Town hall in every city!) in Naumburg. This time I hurry in Ampurias, which is cheaper, since it has put some shields into it.
IBT Quiet.
1278 (5) Paris Kn-Kn, Ghent Cat-Cat, Anger Kn-Kn, Bord. Cat-Cat, Amp. Gal-Gal, Basel Pike-Pk, Lyons Cat-Cat, Tours Pike-Pike. Build Cherbourg (Temple) between ruins, hurry galley at Marsailles.
IBT Poland offers WM for WM+16, but I am running short on cash anyway, I see he needs horses or quarry, I sell quarry for his 110g and WM, and include an ROP (so he can hopefully get to the Celts sooner). I dont quite make enough to rush a galley per turn, so this will help get me through the next few turns.
1281 (6) Orleans LB-LB, Bord. Cat-Cat, Cleremont Inq-Inq, Lyons Cat-Cat, Rheims Cat-Cat, Chatres LB-Kn, Marsailles Galley-Gal. Hurry at Avignon.
IBT Bulgars and Poles make peace.
1284 (7) Nantes Kn-Kn, Paris Kn-Kn, Ghent Cat-Cat, Bord. Cat-Cat, Angers Kn-Kn, Metz LB-LB, Lyons Cat-Cat, Avignon Gal-Gal. I am still building cats, that wont make the ships, to put at our borders, we should be able to get Trebuchets soon, so we can upgrade (I have been checking tech each turn, but no one has it yet). The same for Pikes and Knights that wont make the ships, I want to leave a solid military behind in case we get sneak attacked. Rush at Marsailles this time.
IBT Poles get another Celt settler, Magyar and Danes make peace.
1287 (8) Orleans LB-LB, Bord. Cat-Harbor, Lyons Cat-Pike, Antwerp Cat-Cat, Marsailles Galley-Gal. Abbasids start Hanseatic League (Again?). Hurry at Avignon.
IBT Bulgars make peace with Turks and Magyars.
1290 (9) Valencia Barracks-Town Hall (Not sure if it will help here). Paris Kn-Kn, Ghent Cat-Cat, Angers Kn-Kn, Rheims Cat-Cat, Avignon Gal-Gal. Hurry at Ampurious (running low on money again, unit support is hitting us hard).
IBT Castile finally takes the city of Cordova (been attacking for 5-6 turns). Cordova them promptly allies with the Abbasids vs. the Turks?
1293 (10) Orleans LB-LB, Bord. Harbor-Pike, Ampurius Gal-Gal, Basel Pike-Pike, Lyons Pike-Sheriffs. I moved a few units to fill up ships, two galleys have moved for the turn, everything else is waiting for the next leader. Our armada is set, just off the coast of Avignon. We have 11 Knight Galleys (44 Knights), 4 Longbow Galleys (16 Longbow), 4 Catapult Galleys (16 Catapult), one Pike Galley (4 Pike), one Inquisitor Galley (4 Inquisitor), an Army Galley (the Knight Army), and our Relic Galley (2 Knights w/ Relics and 2 Inquisitors). The journey to Jerusalem is 11 turns, (although as I said, two ships have already moved this turn, so I would wait until next turn to set sail).
The 4 techs are still out there, we have 123g +96gpt, so we could probably buy one and turn it into a 2fer or maybe a 3fer deal, but it would take most of our income. We still have 16 turns on Siegecraft (trebuchets) with our scientist, but no one else has it yet. WE do have a settler due in 2, I was thinking he could go south to settle in Italy W of Amiens, or save him if the Poles ever do take the Celt city out. Otherwise, I have more or less ignored infrastructure, so it may be time to switch off of all the unit production and get more buildings, at least to stop adding to our unit support costs. Good luck to the armada, I look forward to following the progress of our Crusade!
The Armada