LK83 - AWE Invitational, Random Civ, Emperor

[meldor]

550 BC (0)
We have a sword and a warrior next to the gems colony and a Jav next to Chengdu. Can't do much about either so we wait.
(I) The Jav fortifies and the Warrior and Sword split up. One vet Jav and 2 reg Javs appear in the distance. Canton Cat->Sword. There was a massive uprising near Chengdu.

530 BC (1)
Our new Cat misses the sword. One of our swords goes to 1 HP but takes the sword out. Our elite archer takes out the warrior and I cover both with spears.
(I) The Vet Jav attacks the spear with the archer and dies. The others move towards the exposed gem colony. A Byzantine warrior appears from the north. The Jav near Chengdu moves off the mountian. Beijing Cat->Settler.

510 BC (2)
our elite sword takes out one of the Javs and we get a leader. I build an army. The cat misses the last Jav and a sword barely takes it out. This exposes another Vet Jav coming our way. The cat from Beijing pings the Jav at Chengdu and the archer takes it out promoting to elite.

Before I proceed farther, I have to ask a question. By defensive armies, does this mean that we can only load them with defensive units? Or can we load them with offensive units and use them defensively? I need to know before I proceed.

 

[grs]

1) Homeland defense armies only. The armies are prohibited from leaving our borders for even a millisecond. This includes attacking a stack outside borders and moving between 2 cities.

This does not imply we have to put defensive units into the army. In fact I would load ours with swords. For homeland defense a defensive army is close to useless.

 

[LKendter]

Or can we load them with offensive units and use them defensively? I need to know before I proceed.

Grs is dead on. We can load the armies with swords. The word "defense" is a reference to the fact that the army must be used to defend the homeland. No wandering around to pillage, raze remote cities, etc.

Any type of army makeup is valid as long as it stays home, inside our borders, and is used for homeland defense.

 

[meldor]

510 BC (2)
(I) A French sword and archer show up. Next comes a second Vet Jav. The Byzantine warrior moves towards Chengdu and a spear of theirs appears near Canton.Chengdu Cat->Cat

490 BC (3)
New cat dings Byzantine warrior and elite archer takes it out. Spot conscript barb on next hill. Beijing Cat moves towards Canton to await the French. Elite sword kills spear and is coverd with our spear. I move spear back on the gems. The army in Canton is loaded with the elite that produced it and one vet sword, but it will have to heal before it sees its first action. I give Nanking another shield and this lowers the Palace completion by one turn. I have to move lux up to 30% to keep it from rioting. To afford this I have to hire a scientist in Xinjian and drop science to 30%. This gives us Lit in 7 at -1gpt with 11g in the bank.
(I) The Javs stay put and the French move up.

470 BC (4)
Two cats hit the French sword. The army attacks but drops to 1 HP before retreating. The sword from Xinjian finishes the sword off and our elite archer takes out the French archer and produces our second leader. He can't build an army so he will rush a building somewhere.

 

[meldor]

Thinking about this on the way into work, I would like to try and get the army a victory against one of the Javs and then rush the HE in one of the front line cities

Thoughts?

 

[grs]

Yes, the HE so soon would be a blessing.

 

[LKendter]

With having another leader and a few cities this IS the time to rush the Epic. Hopefully the army won't be so lame next time. It sounds like it NEEDS the additional sword.

The extra culture alone would be good for the Epic. Sooner or later we be in cultural conflict with other AIs. Starting to build our culture rating would be a very good thing.

Just remember the leader hording rules. No army at this point, and we need that victory quickly.
2) Leader hording is prohibited. If we get a leader, and can't build an army it must be used to rush a building. We can delay using the leader to get it moved to an optimal city and waiting a turn for the shield bin to get empty.

 

[meldor]

The closest cities to empty shield box in Nanking with temple due in two, but it has Rax and temple, with nothing to rush walls or a unit. If the army can nail a Jav, I would rush HE in Canton or Xinjian, even wasting some shields.

 

[Northern Pike]

I agree--let's rush the Epic.

 

[LKendter]

The closest cities to empty shield box in Nanking with temple due in two

That is still a realistic range. I just don't want a leader sitting around 10+ turns waiting. I don't want to get into an issue with leader turn 2, dead army turn 7 and the leader builds a new army. Once a leader is commited to a building no turning back.

 

[meldor]

470 BC (4)
To prepare for HE, I swap Canton to a worker due next turn.
(I) Three American warriors appear but the Javs stay put. The French build a city on our cow location. Canton worker->Cat

450 BC (5)
Not much, I await the army healing and the Americans to move one square. I add a second vet sword to the army to fill it out.
(I) The Americans try to avoid us.Nanking Temple->Settler

430 BC (6)
The healed army moves out to claim its right. We will have a victory next turn. I have to hire a taxman in Beijing to keep the treasury in the black.
(I) The Jav finally moves now that he has 3 more buddies.

410 BC (7)
Our Sword army takes out 2 of the three America warriors and Sun Tzu promptly rushes HE in Canton. I love when you do things in the right order! Our cats miss all three times but an elite sword takes out the top Jav and we get another leader. He heads for Tsingtao to rush a temple. The healed archer at Chengdu takes out the Barb. Lit dropped to one turn even with science turned off and us with a single scientist. I move it down and fire the taxman in Beijing.
(I) Lots of units move in, things could get hot! We learn Lit and start Pottery due in 6 at +1gpt. We finish the Heroic Epic (not that I need it ). Canton starts a sword. Chengdu Cat->Cat. The Americans start the Great Library.

390 BC (8)
I swap the Palace prebuild to the GL due in 12. The army moves back from the last American warrior as it is out of our borders and therefore it can't attack it. The cats go 2/3 on the first stack of Javs but the second stack is untouched. Archer takes out 1 of the untouched Javs. The leader turns and heads for Beijing. We can rush a library there next turn.
(I) More units move in. Beijing settler->library. The Americans start the Pyramids. The Maya start ToA.

370 BC (9)
Rush the Library in Beijing. Settler starts the journey to the fish. It will pick up an escort in Chengdu. The sword army takes out a Byzantine sword and get an internal promotion. Beijing Library->Sword
(I)

350 BC (10)
Take out a second Byzantine sword. Elite sword takes out American warrior. Second elite sword takes out Jav after the cat go 2/4.

The settler is headed for the hill with the fish. We need more offesive troops.

 

[LKendter]

Lots of units move in, things could get hot!

Actually, for our empire size and number of troops it IS hot. A lot of troops are getting behind the borders with not a lot to kill it with.

The settler is headed for the hill with the fish. We need more offensive troops.

City #8 will be nice for another army.

I hope we haven't used up our leader luck for the game.

Signed up:
LKendter
Greebley
Meldor
Grs (currently playing)
Northern Pike (on deck)

Remember 10 turns per round - STRICT 24 hours got it, total 48 to complete.
It will drop to 5 to 10 turns in the industrial age.

Variant restrictions:
1) Homeland defense armies only. The armies are prohibited from leaving our borders for even a millisecond. This includes attacking a stack outside borders and moving between 2 cities if there is a border gap.

2) Leader hording is prohibited. If we get a leader, and can't build an army it must be used to rush a building. We can delay using the leader to get it moved to an optimal city and waiting a turn for the shield bin to get empty. Once a leader is set for a building, no shifting back to army.

 

[Greebley]

If literature dropped in cost it means there is a very good chance that we will have major competition for it. Is there anyway to get more shields in the city for the build? I am assuming no as it would have hit size 6 by now and I don't think it is on a river. I would even consider further worker merges if it was possible.

 

[meldor]

All of the tiles it is using have at least 1 shield. There is a BG that just got in range due to Beijing border expansion, but I don't think it could come in play for the 10 turns left.

 

[meldor]

Actually, for our empire size and number of troops it IS hot. A lot of troops are getting behind the borders with not a lot to kill it with.

The army took out the two swords at Xin and now can move to stop the Javs. I don't think the horse or warriors are going to be too much trouble. But they are good for leader fishing.

I hope we haven't used up our leader luck for the game.

I left 3 elites that hadn't produced a leader left, of course one is an elite warrior...

 

[grs]

Got it and will play today.

 

[grs]

Pre: Shanghai should have worked the forest for some turns..switch it now to get The Great Library down 1 turn at least. Xinjian still has a scientist and is shrinking? Switch it to produce the catapult in 1.

IBT: A Byzantine dromon appears in the east.

330BC: Diplo check: America, France and Byzantine have literature - The Great Library is due in 8. Shanghai gives a bonus grass to Beijing and now produces 11spt with 88 shields left. Elite warrior retreats redlined american horse. Chop a forest near Tsingtao for a barracks.

IBT: Egypt completes ToA. America and Byzantine switch to The Great Library. French completes Hanging Gardes, Spain the Pyramids. Other civs switch to Sun Tzu's.

310BC: Hangchow founded on the hills with fish (red dot). Though this spot in unconnected yet, moving the settler elsewhere would be worse. Hangchow starts walls. Kill 2 yellow javelins and relocate the army to the southeast to deal with the rest - it will probably be late. Kill the Byzantine archer near Xinjian.

IBT: Many civs start Sun Tzu's (rest of the cascade I guess). Some are still building the Great Wall and we do not know how many shields the others cascaded into The Great Library. Byzantines land a single archer near Nainking; Maya move their 3 javelins next to it.

290BC: Kill the Byzantine archer and 1 javelin. Relocate many spears to cover Nanking - worst case we lose a spear and a warrior in it, but on reg. warrior will remain. Kill 1 American horse and 2 warriors on the other front.

IBT: Mayan javeling flawlessly kills fortified spear in Nanking. The other pillages road and mine on bonus grassland. France shows 3 reg. swords.

270BC: Kill the last 2 javelins. Research set for pottery in 1.

IBT: Pottery - Mysticism. Nanking completes settler.

250BC: Reshuffle spears to keep enemies out of our mountains.

IBT: AI units move around.

230BC: Cats yellow the French swords and we kill 2 of them.

IBT: Not much happens.

210BC: Still reshuffling. Army is healed and back on the front.

IBT: Celts complete the MoM. They were the only ones building it, so no cascade. The Great Library is due in 2.

190BC: Kill a French archer.

IBT: We see 4 barb horses in the north and now are the proud owners of The Great Library.

170BC: Tietsien founded. Kill 1 French sword and 1 archer.

IBT: We get mysticism, philosophy, CoL, construction, horseback, polytheism, currency, The Republic, monarchy and feudalism from The Great Library.

150BC: Cats bomb an american stack of "we have only 1 def please get a leader out of us"-units, but no luck on that besides killing 2 horses, 1 archer, 1 warrior (we did not get a single promotion during my turns).

I would not build any granaries now, imho we need aqueducts first. I would build the three more settlers I started in Chengdu, Shanghai and Xinjian (mm after growth to 5) and start to capture then. A city 3 southwest of Tsingtao looks good to me. There was not single unit showing there, so maybe a city would just stir things up?! You chose.

Tsingtao started a court, because it is above 50% curruption.

The game is (again imho) in good shape now, we can start to advance now with our borders secure. I just wonder who will be the first to me because I left so many cities empty again...well it has been even one more during my turns

 

[LKendter]

I would not build any granaries now, imho we need aqueducts first. I would build the three more settlers I started in Chengdu, Shanghai and Xinjian (mm after growth to 5) and start to capture then.

I realize we are food poor, but I don't want to depend on capturing AI cities. I have been screwed way to may times with a flip on a key defense point that I just don't want to risk it any more. I want to stick with the safer raze and replace plan. In addition, we desperately need some free workers and city razing is a good source. I suspect our culture rating is a joke vs. the AI and that isn't situation to capture cities with.

I don't even want to think about city captures until we are past our core area. I hate having a built in miserable foreign citizen in any useful town.

I noticed monarchy on the list of techs. If the area is empty can we revolt at this time? We will need the lower corruption even if the unit support loss is painful.

Signed up:
LKendter (on deck)
Greebley
Meldor
Grs
Northern Pike (currently playing)

Remember 10 turns per round - STRICT 24 hours got it, total 48 to complete.
It will drop to 5 to 10 turns in the industrial age.

Variant restrictions:
1) Homeland defense armies only. The armies are prohibited from leaving our borders for even a millisecond. This includes attacking a stack outside borders and moving between 2 cities if there is a border gap.

2) Leader hording is prohibited. If we get a leader, and can't build an army it must be used to rush a building. We can delay using the leader to get it moved to an optimal city and waiting a turn for the shield bin to get empty. Once a leader is set for a building, no shifting back to army.

 

[grs]

I noticed monarchy on the list of techs. If the area is empty can we revolt at this time?

Yes, we can do that now while attacking with the forces we already have. In fact it seems optimal to do that now or at least very soon.

 

[Greebley]

I think we should revolt and irrigate some grasslands to give us a city that can produce settlers faster than every 10 turns.