Coffee
Cdn Expat
We can try forts with barricades. About 8t each on grassland. Barricades are new and are suppose to double the defensive strength. They also stop enemy movement, perfect for choke points. Suggest building a Maginot line say 3 deep.
LotR11: Mayan Menace
- Thread starter Arathorn
- Start date
Arizona_Steve
King
I have the game and will play tomorrow mornong...
Arizona_Steve
King
(0) Inherited turn.
I come back to the game to find that only the Greeks, Ottomans and Carthage are left. We have an ROP deal with Carthage that has four more turns to run, so I'm going to use this time to reposition troops at the border. Our Military is deemed to be "average" compared to theirs, in other words, the human player should be able to kick AI butt.
We have a good number of well-populated Egyptian and Russian cities, so I set some of these (population >= 6) to taxmen to increase our income.
IBT:
Many Cavalry and Riflemen complete. I guess Lee did some rushing on his last turn.
(1) 1305AD
Big decision time. I need to get a battle plan together and determine where I need to position troops.
First order of business is to fortify all cities that border Carthage. We're a little short on rifles in our southern lands, so I make sure all cities with barracks are building them, and will rush every other turn. The only city that can be attacked directly from Carthage is Leptis Minor, so this will receive the bulk of the fortifications.
The Northern side is more complicated, as there is a long line of exposed cities, all of which are within range of Carthaginian cavalry. I find a few pikemen to upgrade, every little bit helps. Switch a few additional cities to Riflemen to bolster defence.
Now onto the armies. Since Lee got the Pentagon built, I can add an additional unit to each army. It looks like the cavalry armies have already been dealt with, but there is a 3-unit Medieval Infantry army still sitting in Thermopylae. I will toughen this army up by adding a rifleman.
The many units that completed last turn are moved to their respective stacks in our core.
Looks like Carthage has acquired Communism. We'll beat it out of him later.
IBT:
Carthage finally gets around to starting Smith's.
(2) 1310AD
New Tikai is founded at the end of the former Egyptian landmass.
Hurry a bunch of walls in vulnerable cities. At worst, this will cause Carthage to lose more troops when attacking our cities.
IBT:
Nothing. More riflemen complete.
(3) 1315AD
Shift riflemen into border cities. All cities bordering Carthage now have walls.
IBT:
Carthage appears to be amassing cavalry around Tazumal.
(4) 1320AD
With defence set up, I cancel the ROP with Carthage diplomatically. I note that I don't have the option to request that they withdraw their troops.
They have a number of cavalry next to Tazumal, so I do some calculations, and determine that I should be able to mop up all their troops in our territory. I decide to take the initiative and...
WAR IS DECLARED ON CARTHAGE.
I begin by attacking the Carthaginian city of Oer. Two defenders are redlined with cannon, and the city is razed, relieving the cultural pressure on Mayapan. We get two workers and three cannon in the deal
About ten cavalry around Tazumal are wiped out, we lose three cavalry in the battle.
We have rotten RNG luck against the crusader and two cavalry outside of New Copan. In all cases the enemy unit is redlined and then our guy promptly dies
I then nailed all three with our army, then screwed up and left the army exposed (damn two-move forest squares).
Carthage also has eight cavalry in range of our newly acquired cannon and workers. They can't reach Mayapan during the interturn, so I pull some defenders out of there to guard the units outside. I find another two spare riflemen in Quirigua to add to the stack.
Now I turn to the Southern army, sending a stack of cavalry (including an army) into Leptis Major. We defeat the three rifleman defenders and raze the city, losing only one cavalry. I pick off two stray workers next to our stack.
I hold my breath as I hit the spacebar and wait for the counter-attack...
IBT:
Could be better. Xcalumkin is razed after something like 8 cavalry attacks. Three riflemen were defending.
Hyangsan is also razed, although we were a little unlucky with the RNG, losing three rifles to five cavalry attacks.
Thebes riots, but it has an excess of food, so four taxmen are hired.
Lots of WLTGI days end, as we have lost the silks next to Xcalumkin.
(5) 1325AD
Assess the situation. Yes we lost two cities, but both were razed and can be replaced this turn with settlers. The good news is that none of our offensive forces were attacked (save for one bombardment by a Frigate).
Rush settler at Thermopylae to replace Letis Magna.
Rush a harbor at Byblos. The war has cut off the coal trade route through Carthage, and we cannot build rails in our southern lands.
Clear up stary cavalry in and around our borders.
I attack Hippo with one of our cavalry armies, killing two of the riflemen defenders. It takes two veteran cavalry to finish off the third, and Hippo is razed. We get a free cannon in the deal. Settler moved in to place a pristine Mayan city on the ruins.
IBT:
This time no cities are taken, although I held my breath a few times. Far fewer cavalry attacked this interturn, so hopfully I can get the Carthaginians gassed by the time the next player takes over.
(6) 1330AD
New Yaxchilán is founded on top of Hippo's ruins, bringing in an extra source of saltpeter.
Xcalumkin is rebuilt, on top of Hyangsan's ruins.
New Bonampak is rebuilt, on top of Xcalumkin's ruins.
Temples are ordered in all new cities.
Start with the South this time. I kill a bunch of riff-raff that are infesting the pristine lands around Leptis Minor, then focus my sights upon Utica. I take out two riflemen, but am unable to finish off the remaining crusader. Fortunately all units retreat and I'm able to cover them with riflemen. Then I find a couple of cavalry and kill off a longbow that's too close for comfort, and that damn crusader. But a single redlined rifleman remains in Utica.
I'll probably wait a turn before resettling Letis Magna, due to a shortage of defenders.
Has anyone noticed that pressing "R" repeatedly on a stack of workers sounds like a porn movie?
IBT:
Apart from a few frigate bombardments, there are no counter attacks. A few riflemen move around, that's about it.
(7) 1335AD
Clobber two wandering riflemen with a cavalry army. One of them was covering a settler.
Utica is finally razed. It had been reinforced with two drafted rifles, and a cavalry. We get six workers and two cannon of varying nationality. A second settler is ready, but I'll need to rush a few rifles first.
Core production is biased more towards cavalry, as we are losing fewer defenders.
Temples are rushed in our new cities.
Attack Nora with a bunch of cavalry. Kill two riflemen (one cavalry lost) and capture the city.
IBT:
A slightly more spirited attack by the Carthaginians, they even manage to kill the rifleman I had covering the two workers I had captured.
(8) 1340AD
New Lagartero is founded. Temple ordered.
Start moving cavalry into New Yaxchilán with a view to taking the Cartharginian capital, and linking our Northern and Southern lands.
IBT:
Nothing, apart from the obligatory frigate bombardments.
(9) 1345AD
New Quiriguá is founded. It could potentially be an Iron Works city, once the borders expand.
Usual troop mop-up around our borders.
IBT:
Something I'd totally forgotten about.
(10) 1350AD
I end my turn on a quiet note. All spare cavalry are fortified next to Copan for the next player.
The war with Carthage goes well. I was able to hit most of the first ring cities around the capital, and this should put a big dent in their production. I would go ahead and take out the capital when ready, as this will enable us link the Northern and Southern lands.
And the Save - 1350AD
I come back to the game to find that only the Greeks, Ottomans and Carthage are left. We have an ROP deal with Carthage that has four more turns to run, so I'm going to use this time to reposition troops at the border. Our Military is deemed to be "average" compared to theirs, in other words, the human player should be able to kick AI butt.
We have a good number of well-populated Egyptian and Russian cities, so I set some of these (population >= 6) to taxmen to increase our income.
IBT:
Many Cavalry and Riflemen complete. I guess Lee did some rushing on his last turn.
(1) 1305AD
Big decision time. I need to get a battle plan together and determine where I need to position troops.
First order of business is to fortify all cities that border Carthage. We're a little short on rifles in our southern lands, so I make sure all cities with barracks are building them, and will rush every other turn. The only city that can be attacked directly from Carthage is Leptis Minor, so this will receive the bulk of the fortifications.
The Northern side is more complicated, as there is a long line of exposed cities, all of which are within range of Carthaginian cavalry. I find a few pikemen to upgrade, every little bit helps. Switch a few additional cities to Riflemen to bolster defence.
Now onto the armies. Since Lee got the Pentagon built, I can add an additional unit to each army. It looks like the cavalry armies have already been dealt with, but there is a 3-unit Medieval Infantry army still sitting in Thermopylae. I will toughen this army up by adding a rifleman.
The many units that completed last turn are moved to their respective stacks in our core.
Looks like Carthage has acquired Communism. We'll beat it out of him later.
IBT:
Carthage finally gets around to starting Smith's.
(2) 1310AD
New Tikai is founded at the end of the former Egyptian landmass.
Hurry a bunch of walls in vulnerable cities. At worst, this will cause Carthage to lose more troops when attacking our cities.
IBT:
Nothing. More riflemen complete.
(3) 1315AD
Shift riflemen into border cities. All cities bordering Carthage now have walls.
IBT:
Carthage appears to be amassing cavalry around Tazumal.
(4) 1320AD
With defence set up, I cancel the ROP with Carthage diplomatically. I note that I don't have the option to request that they withdraw their troops.
They have a number of cavalry next to Tazumal, so I do some calculations, and determine that I should be able to mop up all their troops in our territory. I decide to take the initiative and...
WAR IS DECLARED ON CARTHAGE.
I begin by attacking the Carthaginian city of Oer. Two defenders are redlined with cannon, and the city is razed, relieving the cultural pressure on Mayapan. We get two workers and three cannon in the deal
About ten cavalry around Tazumal are wiped out, we lose three cavalry in the battle.
We have rotten RNG luck against the crusader and two cavalry outside of New Copan. In all cases the enemy unit is redlined and then our guy promptly dies
I then nailed all three with our army, then screwed up and left the army exposed (damn two-move forest squares).Carthage also has eight cavalry in range of our newly acquired cannon and workers. They can't reach Mayapan during the interturn, so I pull some defenders out of there to guard the units outside. I find another two spare riflemen in Quirigua to add to the stack.
Now I turn to the Southern army, sending a stack of cavalry (including an army) into Leptis Major. We defeat the three rifleman defenders and raze the city, losing only one cavalry. I pick off two stray workers next to our stack.
I hold my breath as I hit the spacebar and wait for the counter-attack...
IBT:
Could be better. Xcalumkin is razed after something like 8 cavalry attacks. Three riflemen were defending.
Hyangsan is also razed, although we were a little unlucky with the RNG, losing three rifles to five cavalry attacks.
Thebes riots, but it has an excess of food, so four taxmen are hired.
Lots of WLTGI days end, as we have lost the silks next to Xcalumkin.
(5) 1325AD
Assess the situation. Yes we lost two cities, but both were razed and can be replaced this turn with settlers. The good news is that none of our offensive forces were attacked (save for one bombardment by a Frigate).
Rush settler at Thermopylae to replace Letis Magna.
Rush a harbor at Byblos. The war has cut off the coal trade route through Carthage, and we cannot build rails in our southern lands.
Clear up stary cavalry in and around our borders.
I attack Hippo with one of our cavalry armies, killing two of the riflemen defenders. It takes two veteran cavalry to finish off the third, and Hippo is razed. We get a free cannon in the deal. Settler moved in to place a pristine Mayan city on the ruins.
IBT:
This time no cities are taken, although I held my breath a few times. Far fewer cavalry attacked this interturn, so hopfully I can get the Carthaginians gassed by the time the next player takes over.
(6) 1330AD
New Yaxchilán is founded on top of Hippo's ruins, bringing in an extra source of saltpeter.
Xcalumkin is rebuilt, on top of Hyangsan's ruins.
New Bonampak is rebuilt, on top of Xcalumkin's ruins.
Temples are ordered in all new cities.
Start with the South this time. I kill a bunch of riff-raff that are infesting the pristine lands around Leptis Minor, then focus my sights upon Utica. I take out two riflemen, but am unable to finish off the remaining crusader. Fortunately all units retreat and I'm able to cover them with riflemen. Then I find a couple of cavalry and kill off a longbow that's too close for comfort, and that damn crusader. But a single redlined rifleman remains in Utica.
I'll probably wait a turn before resettling Letis Magna, due to a shortage of defenders.
Has anyone noticed that pressing "R" repeatedly on a stack of workers sounds like a porn movie?
IBT:
Apart from a few frigate bombardments, there are no counter attacks. A few riflemen move around, that's about it.
(7) 1335AD
Clobber two wandering riflemen with a cavalry army. One of them was covering a settler.
Utica is finally razed. It had been reinforced with two drafted rifles, and a cavalry. We get six workers and two cannon of varying nationality. A second settler is ready, but I'll need to rush a few rifles first.
Core production is biased more towards cavalry, as we are losing fewer defenders.
Temples are rushed in our new cities.
Attack Nora with a bunch of cavalry. Kill two riflemen (one cavalry lost) and capture the city.
IBT:
A slightly more spirited attack by the Carthaginians, they even manage to kill the rifleman I had covering the two workers I had captured.
(8) 1340AD
New Lagartero is founded. Temple ordered.
Start moving cavalry into New Yaxchilán with a view to taking the Cartharginian capital, and linking our Northern and Southern lands.
IBT:
Nothing, apart from the obligatory frigate bombardments.
(9) 1345AD
New Quiriguá is founded. It could potentially be an Iron Works city, once the borders expand.
Usual troop mop-up around our borders.
IBT:
Something I'd totally forgotten about.
(10) 1350AD
I end my turn on a quiet note. All spare cavalry are fortified next to Copan for the next player.
The war with Carthage goes well. I was able to hit most of the first ring cities around the capital, and this should put a big dent in their production. I would go ahead and take out the capital when ready, as this will enable us link the Northern and Southern lands.
And the Save - 1350AD
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2001
- Messages
- 19,617
Has anyone noticed that pressing "R" repeatedly on a stack of workers sounds like a porn movie?
=====================
Many Cavalry and Riflemen complete. I guess Lee did some rushing on his last turn.
I was rushing like crazy my whole turn. Not to mention massive troop upgrading. Tons of barracks, walls and units were built. That Egyptian cash was clearly the key to winning the Carthage war - massive improved military. Our big advatnage right now - Carthage doesn't have rails and ours are well developed.
=====================
Boy am I glad I caught the nobody building Smith's [dance]
=====================
Well it sounds like our losses were junk cities as the core held. On the other hand Carthage lost well developed cities.
Next play up gets to destroy Carthage capitol, and link the empire. I suspect former Egypt can use plenty of rail work as I didn't make much progress due to lack of workers on that front.
=====================
Many Cavalry and Riflemen complete. I guess Lee did some rushing on his last turn.
I was rushing like crazy my whole turn. Not to mention massive troop upgrading. Tons of barracks, walls and units were built. That Egyptian cash was clearly the key to winning the Carthage war - massive improved military. Our big advatnage right now - Carthage doesn't have rails and ours are well developed.
=====================
Boy am I glad I caught the nobody building Smith's [dance]
=====================
Well it sounds like our losses were junk cities as the core held. On the other hand Carthage lost well developed cities.
Next play up gets to destroy Carthage capitol, and link the empire. I suspect former Egypt can use plenty of rail work as I didn't make much progress due to lack of workers on that front.
Looks like a really good pair of turns, guys! Egypt actually put up a bit more fight than I'd expected. And how did Carthage get to raze a city? Hadn't I warned about blocking them off once Russia fell? We should've had ample units in the area to do that, no? And as for Byblos, it had just been captured, so there was NO fliprisk on the inherited turn, hence the large garrison. I was trying to reduce resisters ASAP so we could move on.
The war with Carthage is going a LOT better than I would've expected. They sound semi-reasonably gassed. Don't forget about the three ex-Ottoman cities they have to our west. Not only could they produce some troops there and trouble us, we'll want those lands for our domination push.
Sounds like we've gone a grat job crushing the Carthaginian core. Their production will be in a major world of hurt now, so they should start falling quickly, I hope. Keep the troops moving.
Coffee -- UP NOW
Belisar -- ON DECK
Arathorn -- will I see the game again?
Arathorn
The war with Carthage is going a LOT better than I would've expected. They sound semi-reasonably gassed. Don't forget about the three ex-Ottoman cities they have to our west. Not only could they produce some troops there and trouble us, we'll want those lands for our domination push.
Sounds like we've gone a grat job crushing the Carthaginian core. Their production will be in a major world of hurt now, so they should start falling quickly, I hope. Keep the troops moving.
Coffee -- UP NOW
Belisar -- ON DECK
Arathorn -- will I see the game again?
Arathorn
Nice turns Steve.
I guess Arathorn just wanted to give us the chance of getting a massive amount of money form Egypt by capturing their cities more than one time
If we let a lot of cities flip and recapture them, this would be nearly a 'cash-exploit'
I guess Arathorn just wanted to give us the chance of getting a massive amount of money form Egypt by capturing their cities more than one time
If we let a lot of cities flip and recapture them, this would be nearly a 'cash-exploit'
Coffee
Cdn Expat
got it.
Coffee
Cdn Expat
Preturn 1350 - 0
I spend a couple a hours fidling with mm's, trying to decide my next move. I've never had great success against a
capital. Theveste is next door and has Sun's. Our stats are good for domination, 51% for area and 57 for population, 66 is needed. The soft Korean targets are high in population. I'm in good shape have 48 cav + 4 armies. It's nice to
choices.
Draft 2 citizens and rush some troops.
I use our standing cavalry to invade old Ottoman and capture 1 city.
Send 1 sacrificial cav to pillage the horses in Carthage. Send 1 cav and 1 rifle to pillage the horses in Anjar.
Hopefully thats all of the horses.
I use two armies to capture & raise Theveste, with Sun Tzu's gone I'm hoping the next Carthaginians are regulars.
Move a settler into position. Thank-you for them.
That semi-isolates the capital and disconnects one saltpeter and one silk.
I send our 3rd cav army against Hadrumetum and capture it. That gives us the silks. Looking for that WLKD.
Our domination stats go to 52 & 59. -> temples. Shuffle some troops and press enter.
Ibt, Greece offers an MPP, I decline.
1355 - 1
Capture Ankara & Cadiz in old Ottoman.
Settle New Calakmul on the ashes of Theveste and spend some cash rushing temples.
Capture P'yongyang. Stats are now 55% land & 62% population.
1360 - 2
Several small battles. Fail to capture Wonsan.
Rush some more temples.
1365 - 3
Capture Wonsan, An attack on Seoul produces a great leader.
Rush some more temples.
The cavalry is regular and the offense is mostly longbows.
1370 - 4
Capture Seoul and get several wonders including the pyramids.
Some border expansion. 57 for land 66 for population.
1375 - 5
Capture Cheju & Paegam
1380 - 6
Several expansions and we get the iron works message.
We lose our coal supply. Capture Taejon. 4% land to go.
Rush two more temples.
1385 - 7
Capture two more cities. Tried for a great leader to rush the iron works.
This should be the last or 2nd to last turn.
1390 - 8
Settle the city of New Lazapa.
Capture Orenburg and misc others (2)
And thats game. Will post the game & ending tommorrow. These were long turns. Thanx to all
I spend a couple a hours fidling with mm's, trying to decide my next move. I've never had great success against a
capital. Theveste is next door and has Sun's. Our stats are good for domination, 51% for area and 57 for population, 66 is needed. The soft Korean targets are high in population. I'm in good shape have 48 cav + 4 armies. It's nice to
choices.
Draft 2 citizens and rush some troops.
I use our standing cavalry to invade old Ottoman and capture 1 city.
Send 1 sacrificial cav to pillage the horses in Carthage. Send 1 cav and 1 rifle to pillage the horses in Anjar.
Hopefully thats all of the horses.
I use two armies to capture & raise Theveste, with Sun Tzu's gone I'm hoping the next Carthaginians are regulars.
Move a settler into position. Thank-you for them.
That semi-isolates the capital and disconnects one saltpeter and one silk.
I send our 3rd cav army against Hadrumetum and capture it. That gives us the silks. Looking for that WLKD.
Our domination stats go to 52 & 59. -> temples. Shuffle some troops and press enter.
Ibt, Greece offers an MPP, I decline.
1355 - 1
Capture Ankara & Cadiz in old Ottoman.
Settle New Calakmul on the ashes of Theveste and spend some cash rushing temples.
Capture P'yongyang. Stats are now 55% land & 62% population.
1360 - 2
Several small battles. Fail to capture Wonsan.
Rush some more temples.
1365 - 3
Capture Wonsan, An attack on Seoul produces a great leader.
Rush some more temples.
The cavalry is regular and the offense is mostly longbows.
1370 - 4
Capture Seoul and get several wonders including the pyramids.
Some border expansion. 57 for land 66 for population.
1375 - 5
Capture Cheju & Paegam
1380 - 6
Several expansions and we get the iron works message.
We lose our coal supply. Capture Taejon. 4% land to go.
Rush two more temples.
1385 - 7
Capture two more cities. Tried for a great leader to rush the iron works.
This should be the last or 2nd to last turn.
1390 - 8
Settle the city of New Lazapa.
Capture Orenburg and misc others (2)
And thats game. Will post the game & ending tommorrow. These were long turns. Thanx to all
Excellent!!!! Very well played. Demi-god is a nice step up from Emperor but not quite as painful as deity. A win during the cavalry era -- not unexpected, but very gratifying nonetheless.
Pumping up the aggressiveness on the game screen definitely does make the AIs seem to fight more -- we were at war pretty much the entire game, as were many of the AI civilizations. It wasn't quite an always war feel, but I never felt really comfortable trusting any front to hold.
Armies are now very powerful and lots of fun to use. I am finding myself building city attacks around these now-very-powerful units -- using them to move in extra spaces, use bonus attack and extra hps and blitz to minimize casualties and the faster heal makes 'em usable again in a couple turns. How cool is that?!? And with all the war, we got to play around with them a fair bit.
What's odd about the gpt bug is that we indirectly benefited from it. Egypt had all that cash because of the bug and then we stole it, along with Cleo's cities. Interesting side-effect.
Twas fun to play with all of you! Thank you.
Arathorn
Pumping up the aggressiveness on the game screen definitely does make the AIs seem to fight more -- we were at war pretty much the entire game, as were many of the AI civilizations. It wasn't quite an always war feel, but I never felt really comfortable trusting any front to hold.
Armies are now very powerful and lots of fun to use. I am finding myself building city attacks around these now-very-powerful units -- using them to move in extra spaces, use bonus attack and extra hps and blitz to minimize casualties and the faster heal makes 'em usable again in a couple turns. How cool is that?!? And with all the war, we got to play around with them a fair bit.
What's odd about the gpt bug is that we indirectly benefited from it. Egypt had all that cash because of the bug and then we stole it, along with Cleo's cities. Interesting side-effect.
Twas fun to play with all of you! Thank you.
Arathorn
anarres
anarchist revolutionary
Another great read - thanks guys!
Coffee and of course the rest of the team.
