LotR13 Schizo SGers

[T_McC]

I set the Pentagon prebuild thinking Currency would come quite a bit faster than it's actually doing. I'd recommend a colosseum now, actually, rather than wasting shields to build a temple.

...

We're recovering from the GLib loss, but slowly, not quickly. 16 turns to research at our best rate right now...

Correct on the Colosseum. There are already 59 (60?) shields in the box and I forgot we were Religious. A colosseum also might allow the lux tax to be killed.

I think we're almost at the trough of the transition period. We still need more workers to get our core up to speed, so we probably have a few darker days ahead of us. But I'd guess by the end of Arathorn's next 10 we'll have turned the corner. So long as we can keep the pillaging armies out, and deny our continent-mates Iron, our slow research pace isn't a killer. They'll still be sending Spears and Archers, and we can handle those with the forces on hand.

 

[cpp1]

Ky is right, cpp1 is currently building a reg. Spear. A Temple can pull two whales, and exert more pressure on Iznik. Or if you just want a warm body, you can build a Warrior.

I need a temple too!

 

[Zed-F]

*wonders if there's a Zed in the city list*

 

[T-hawk]

Oh, and regarding Ctrl-R for Kylearan...

The advantage of using Ctrl-R is that the workers apply their labor *during* the turn rather than at the end. During the 360 AD turn, if you keep hitting "W"ait for all the other units in the Aggie area, eventually the game will cycle to those workers and apply their labor during the main turn sequence. So then while still in 360 AD, you can use that road to move units. Grab the save and click ahead one turn to see it in action.

Ctrl-R doesn't mean anything if you have enough workers on the tile to build the road in one turn anyway (the road will just be built when you finish commanding all the workers.) It matters if the road will take more than one turn to build.

 

[Arathorn]

*wonders if there's a Zed in the city list*

By my looking, no Zed or Zed-F has ever actually participated in a LotR game, so ... no. Did I miss one? If not, Care to change that???

Arathorn

 

[SesnOfWthr]

By my looking, no Zed or Zed-F has ever actually participated in a LotR game, so ... no. Did I miss one? If not, Care to change that???

Arathorn

Is there something special about the LotR series? I mean, is it akin to an RBC game with a specific ruleset? Can everyone join, provided they pipe up in time? Or is it sort of limited to a select group? If that's the case, how would one gain admittance to the group?

 

[Arathorn]

Is there something special about the LotR series?

Only in the sense that every game is special. The LotR series has had some firsts and probably has one of the lowest winning percentages of any series.

Can everyone join, provided they pipe up in time?

Yep! The games in the LotR series are generally a bit "out there", though, in terms of difficulty and/or variant and/or other things. So, there's often a lot of overlap. A couple open games provided most of the different players in the LotR series (and thus the city names in this game).

Arathorn

 

[SesnOfWthr]

Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to "pipe up" for the next open one.

I'll try to keep an eye out for it.

 

[Kylearan]

T-hawk, thanks for elaborating on the worker trick! It never occured to me to use "wait" with the other units to see if the workers would finish the road sooner. Neat.

Arathorn, the player city names were a great idea! It's fascinating to see who's still lurking here.

 

[LKendter]

It's fascinating to see who's still lurking here.

Yes it is.


But what I really want to know is will there be a open spot for MY city to show up?

 

[Arizona_Steve]

Well I come home from work today to find the living room completely rearranged, and our 100 gallon fish tank moved into my office, along with two large plastic containers with rocks, fish, anenomes and a sea-urchin in them. Had to run to the store as the tank, although full, didn't have enough salt in it...

So after an hour or so of messing around, checking salt levels with the hydrometer and restoring the aforementioned rocks, fish, anenomes and sea-urchin to their rightful places, I can finally get round to some civving...

So at last, it begins.

 

[DJ Bonebraker]

This is an interesting game to say the least.... Especially where you MUST be in a constant state of war with EVERYBODY, yet unable to send a stack of troops in to give even ONE of their cities the savage plundering and pillaging it deserves.

If I might make just one, tiny suggestion (even though I'm not actively participating in this game, I'm still intrigued by it nonetheless and wouldn't mind joining the next available one). That would be after fuedalism, go for Chivalry so that you can build the Knights Templar. It's sorta like the SoZ, but requires no resources. Furthermore, the Crusaders it produces are almost equal to musketmen in defence, and have an attack that's just short of cavalry (plus the Knights Templar is good up til steam power is researched, and that could be a long way off, depending on your priorities). Not only that, but Samurai will also give you an advantage over other civs limited to ordainary knights (require only iron, same movement, better def, etc.), not to mention a golden age.

But that's just my $0.02

Anyways, great game and keep up the good work (and hoping that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't just another freight train ).

 

[Arizona_Steve]

(0) 350AD
I notice that Space Oddity doesn't have a temple, and switch it's spearman build. It needs one to bring some cultural pressure on Control Freak and hopefully flip it back to us.
Check F3, and apart from paying 43 gold per turn for unit support, I notice that there is not a single settler available, nor are any being built.
Arathorn is switched to Colosseum as it's already running an entertainer. We will lose loads of shields if the Pentagon prebuild is kept for a marketplace.
I make a mental note to adjust Speaker once the flood plains are irrigated. I'd rather see three scientists than one scientist and an entertainer.

IBT
Germany lands a swordsman next to JMB.
Two german swords near Aggie heal, and move onto the mountain next to the city.

Speaker - Library -> Swordsman
Charis - Swordsman -> Swordsman
Bam-Bam - Worker -> Barracks

(1) 360AD
I score two hits on a passing Carthaginian archer with catapults, and take a slight risk, finishing him off with a 2/5 swordsman.
I also hit both the swordsmen on the mountain next to Aggie. They will probably retreat during the interturn.
The swordsman next to JMC is pelted, but the rocks miss. I move an elite horseman up from Reagan to make sure we don't lose the city.

IBT
Zulu start Sun Tzu's.

(2) 370AD
I get a second catapult into JMB and pelt the German swordsman who has now fortified himself outside. We get one hit. The elite horsie at JMB finishes him off without losing any hitpoints.
Switch Aggie over to settler. Due in 2. I would like to get another city in to exert some cultural pressure on Munich.
There's a little pressure at Brewster, so I move some more units (including the wounded swordsman army) in.

IBT
A barbarian horseman impales himself on our swordsman army on Brewster.

T-hawk - Granary -> Worker

(3) 380AD
I get two catapult hits on a regular Zulu archer next to Brewster. Wanting to give the army a chance to heal, I get a little crazy and kill the archer with a spearman.
It looks like there's plenty of Zulu and Ottoman vermin approaching Jack Merchant. I begin repositioning troops.
Gothmog and T-hawk get scientists.

IBT
They move and they wander. And no-one seems to know where they're going. Strange movements indeed by the Ottoman and Zulu archers.

(4) 390AD
Having established a kill zone next to Aggie, I score four catapult hits on the two German swordsmen that are returning there. They are finally dispatched by two waiting swordsman of our own, giving us one more elite.

IBT
T-hawk - Worker -> Spearman (Need to make the city grow to activate the Granary).
Aggie - Settler -> Catapult

(5) 400AD
Bombard a pair of archers next to Space Oddity, yellowlining one of them. The uninjured archer is dispatched by a veteran swordsman (who promotes), while an elite horseman is only able to redline the second archer giving me my first unit loss. The second archer is finished off by a spear.
An elite swordsman next to Antalya (Ottoman) has healed and immediately kills an adjacent Zulu archer.
I send out our settler along with the spear army to found a city next to Munich. A temple there will hopefully deprive the Germans of horses.
Hate to do it, but I have to attack an archer in a mountain with an elite horsie to save some workers near Speaker. We win. I also have to empty some cities to provide spearmen to cover workers. Speaker becomes unhappy, and I have to bring it's specialist quota to three scientists.

IBT
Screwed up and forgot to compensate for moving a spear out of Space Oddity, and it riots. Entertainer hired.
Lose our elite horsie on the mountain, but our workers will be safe next turn.
Germany begins Sun Tzu's.

Arathorn - Colloseum -> Temple

(6) 410AD
Bombard and kill off a Numidian and a German Spear with no hitpoints lost.
Move troops into Space Oddity, and put the entertainer back to work.
At population 10, Arathorn still needs a scientist to keep it happy.

IBT
Ottomans come begging for peace. I tell them where to shove it.

(7) 420AD
Another numidean and German spearman are dispatched with elites, but no leaders so far. Lots of action around Munich.
Zulu archer dispatched by our sword army.
Speaker receives an extra spearman, and a scientist is put back to work.

IBT
I see the first Medieval Infantry. From Germany.
The Sumarian city of Kish completes the Great Lighthouse.

T-hawk - Spearman -> Worker
Space Oddity - Temple -> Library

(8) 430AD
Deatvert (who's he?) founded next to Munich. Temple ordered.
An impi and a Zulu archer are dispatched.
6thGen needs a scientist.

IBT
Things are heating up. Lots of Ottoman and Zulu units to the North and East. Lots of German and Carthaginian units to the South, including a second Medieval Infantry.
Arathorn - Temple -> Swordsman
Charis - Swordsman -> Swordsman
6thGen - Library -> Spearman
Brewster - Catapult -> Settler

(9) 440AD
I kill two Ottoman archers and an MDI, all with elites. Still no leaders.
I have to hire a scientist in Skyfish now.

IBT
A veteran spear fends off two archer attacks, and promotes.

Gothmog - Library -> Spearman
T-hawk - Worker -> Worker
Toecheese3 - Catapult -> Catapult

(10) 450AD
Bring science down to 0% to bring in currency this turn.

Bam-bam is looking precarious. Due to the Ottoman archer swarms up North, I was forced to leave this a little exposed (I did get a catapult there last turn). Space Oddity will be OK though.
The Germans are looking a little ugly. They have at least four MDI heading into our territory. I was trying to bolster the defence in Deatvert so that the spear army there could go on a little pillage in Germany.
I'm amazed we haven't flipped any cities yet.

 

[Arizona_Steve]

Some pictures of the action. Minor incursions by Zulu and Ottoman troops, and a somewhat more serious German MDI problem...

 

[Arizona_Steve]

Note: Had to use the attachment facility. I'm getting errors if I use the upload facility and attempt to link the files.

As you can see, the attachment facility is somewhat unsatisfactory for graphics...

 

[Arathorn]

Roster:

T_McC -- UP NOW
Arathorn -- on deck
Kylerean
T-hawk
Arizona_Steve

Deatvert came in briefly in the LotR8b open Irrational Iroquois game, as I recall. I did some prioritizing but some people/cities got left for later than they deserved... I hope we get through them all.

Looks like a great kill ratio, which is what we need. The library push will probably leave us a bit short on troops for a bit, but we're doing very well.

Once we hit Middle Ages, I think we go primarily off of what techs are known and therefore cheaper. Feudalism looks like a good first target.

Any chance of getting some galleys out from our coastal cities?

Arathorn

 

[T_McC]

I got the game, but will wait until tomorrow to play. So all can take a look and make suggestions.

Agreed that the attachment system is a little goofy. I think if you only have 1 JPG as an attachment, it will display the picture at the end of your post. But once you have 2, or a JPG and a SAV/ZIP, then you just get a link.

It might be nice if the Moderators stickied an explanation of how the attachment system works. (I mean, we are naming cities after them and all ... )

@Arathorn: Little chance of getting Galleys out, we don't know Map Making yet.

 

[Zed-F]

By my looking, no Zed or Zed-F has ever actually participated in a LotR game, so ... no. Did I miss one? If not, Care to change that???

Arathorn

I didn't realize you were only drawing names from within the LotR series. I know we've played together, but it might not have been a LotR series game. Was most likely an RB-series game instead.

As for changing that, well I don't have PTW or Conquests, and don't plan to get them, so probably not. Adding more micromanagement when I thought the game already had too many micromanagement headaches was not the way for the developers to get me onboard. Too bad, maybe Civ4 will be better that way...

 

[T_McC]

LotR13 - Well, I Guess This is Progress.

MM'ing takes over an hour spread over 2 nights.

Net result is Currency in 1 and +31 gpt. cpp1 swapped from Spear to Temple, border expansion nets pair of whales. Swap a couple builds to Horses. Our current ratio is 11 Swords to 2 Horses, and I'd like to get some more mobile MP.

We are paying 40 gpt in unit support, but 26 of that is workers. I think we can cede worker duty over to T-hawk, and know that will be in the 40's soon. I don't mind paying 1 gpt for workers in this situation. Have an internal chuckle thinking about the conniptions I would have caused had the first line of this report read: "We are drowning under unit support, so I revolt us back to Despotism." I will shadow that after Currency comes in, I just want to know what the economic comparison is at this stage of the game.

Deatvert is certainly an aggressive settlement. The cavalry is on its way, and will arrive next turn. We need the German Iron off-line, and I think we have enough units in the south to free up the Spear army to pillage. In fact, I cut the road on the German Horses on the IT, and skedaddle back to Deatvert. May not deny Biz horses, but it does prevent units in Munich from being able to attack Deatvert. The only thing that could attack are NuMercs, and that would just be stupid.

Aggie swapped to a spear, we have a lot of Cats and could use a few more warm bodies. I like the idea so much, I swap Charis to a Spear as well. This one is destined for Skyfish (I think), so we can start working a mined hill. Might as well get to 400 shields on the pre-build ASAP, and I might be able to found a couple of more cities this round and maybe push our Palace up to 600 shields.

I cannot send another unit to Bam-Bam. It is in the hands of the pRNG. We are about a 2-1 favorite.

Other objectives on this round are to stack the workers a bit more, especially near the fronts. And I would like to build a couple of settlers this round. We'll see.

Germans have a settler pair next to JMB. Should be able to grab the slaves. Carthage has another Settler pair heading north. Couple of cat shots should do him.

Bong and kill Impi with Elite Horse, no leader.

<Return>

460 AD (1)
Well, that was interesting. Neither Archer attacks, so we'll get two shots with Elite Swords this round. In the west, the Zulu definitely have their Horses hooked up again. Have to change that.

Currency comes in. I'd like to keep a little money on hand for rushing, so ... Map Making in 6 at +10 gpt with 97 in the bank. I need money to rush the Temple at Deatvert.

Aggie gets hit with disease (will take another point next turn as well.)

Bam-Bam completes barracks, starts on a Spear.

Score Cat shot on Otto Archer, Elite Sword kills.

I'm torn on what to do with the Northern Army. The Sword army in the SW has to defend Brewster and a Worker from Zulu Horses. The Northern Army can either go for the Zulu horses or the Ottos Ivory. It can't really do both effectively. Have to think about it. In the meantime, kill Zulu Archer with Elite Sword, but that doesn't produce any new options.

Rather uninspired bombing on a German MDI. May get attacked S of Reagan next turn.

The Spear army departs in search of the German Iron.

Handy Men backtrack towards Istanbul. Can't let the Ottos have AC. We'll get another Army to hit the Zulu.

Couple of Markets are queued up, space swaps from Library to Sword. I think we need a couple of more units to completely secure that front.

470 AD (2)
Odd series of moves from the AI. I think I have to drop the Spear army back to Deatvert, the Germans have 4 MDI next door.

The 2-turn Worker factory begins at T-hawk. This requires careful watching.

Temple hurried in Deatvert, leaving 3 gold in the kitty.

Three Cat shots at Brewster red-line a Zulu Horse. Our Elite Horse charges in and ... I love it when a plan comes together! Build Army and name it Josie Wales' Outlaws. (PM request from the guy I insulted in my last turn log. ) I'm leaning to Spears again, although I have to find some spare troops. Problem is, our Elite* units are Archers.

Go 0-3 with Cats against NuMerc/settler pair. Get another try next turn. Maybe used up the bad seeds?

JMB building Barracks, as once we get the jungle cleared it will be a good city.

Frag German settler pair, put slaves to work in the jungle.

My artillery can't reach the Otto Archer pair, so lead with an Elite Horse who deftly dodges the defensive bombard and slays the top unit. Then lose an archer on offense. Kill the offending Archer with a Spear.

Score a cat shot on an Otto Archer in the East. Hit 3 of 4 at Deatvert. Now can go on offense with Elite Swords. Kill two MDI. Hit 3 cat shots on Hill near Deatvert, and am in a quandry. Can't attack anything without leaving units exposed. Maybe next turn, these guys aren't going anywhere.

480 AD (3)
Usual miscellaneous wanderings from the AI. Heh, the rushed Temple already gives Deatvert control of 1st ring tiles at Munich.

Cat shot on German Sword redlines it, our Elite Sword moves in and ... wins losing 2 HP. May lose the Sword to a reg. NuMerc on the IT, as two cat shots missed him.

Trade a Sword for a NuMerc at Aggie.

Kill a couple of Zulu around Brewster. Spear army is loaded and heads out next turn. Sword army stays on this front to defend. We need 1 more city to build a 5th army, and we need 1 more Army in the south to be secure. Lots of NuMercs running around, and we're kind of thin in the back lines.

490 AD (4)
Cannot figure out where Carthage is going? Win with Elite Sword on defense on IT. Refuse audience with Zulu.

First Market completes, at Speaker. We'll build 1 Spear then a Settler.

Kill Impi near Brewster, action has shifted to jack. Couple of Zulu Horses can attack, but they'll have to go against the Sword Army. Spear Army heads west to end these Horseman attacks.

Scratch 2 NuMercs in the south. Off Zulu Archer in the north.

500 AD (5)
Win 1 on the IT. Trio of Otto Archers in the NE. Just begging for a leader.

Off a NuMerc in the south, barely kill NuMerc escorting settler but up slave count by 2. Sword Army kills two Zulu Horses. Kill one of the Otto Archers. Make that two. And three. Really doing the MP dance here.

Barb Horse threatens ChrTh. Too late, bucko.

Map Making in 1, have to see how many Scientists I can turn to Taxmen. Well, once again even a single taxman delays discovery of a tech. Do squeeze out a couple of extra bucks, though.

510 AD (6)
Win one on the IT, bunch of other stuff enters killing zones. Map Making comes in, set course for Feudalism in 24 at +18 gpt. Just a couple of turns at that rate, then we can pick it back up. I just want more of a buffer to rush a couple sets of walls.

Would you believe ControlFreak flipped to the Ottos? I don't know whether to or that's so stupid.

Kill Zulu Horse, lose Sword to Otto Archer, then pRNG makes kissy faces and gives me another leader off an Elite Horse. The southern front is now stabilized, once we build a 20th city. Attack remaining red-lined Archer across river with a Spear, and am rewarded with a promotion for my stupidity.

Whack Carth Archer in the south, promote a Sword. Shuffle troops and workers. Have now assembled three jungle crews and a road crew.

520 AD (7)
Win 3 on the IT. Six German MDI are setting up at Deatvert. Very interesting IT coming up.

Clean up remaining 2 Zulu Archers at jack.

Couple of cat shots and kill Carth Archer, just for being there.

The Ottos are being real polite and not even bothering to hook up their Ivory. Doesn't leave the Army much to do. Oh, and the Ottos are two techs behind us.

1 out of 4 on cat shots at Deatvert, lead with Elite Sword and kill 1 MDI. Fortify 4/5 Sword and hope for the best. Rush Deatvert's Walls to drop Treasury to 1 gold. Boy, do we need a 20th city.

IT - Trade a Sword for an MDI at Deatvert, as the pRNG really wasn't kind. Didn't lose the army, though. Win vs. a Barb Horse on the IT. I thought I saw a Red boat. Have to check closely. Turns out to be Carthage.

530 AD (8)
Kill Zulu Horse, Otto Archer, bomb German MDI near walled Deatvert. 10 HP army behind walls should hold, if we don't get such incompetent artillery work again.

Finally, whack Zulu Archer in the east. The Spear army in the west is actually pillaging tiles again, as I suppose I took the scenic route to get to my target.

540 AD (9)
Win vs. MDI on the IT. Zulu are absolutely infatuated with jack. Rubber?

Start a lousy bombardment round, missing 5 straight at various targets. Then hit 1. Woo-hoo!

Kill Zulu Archer around jack. A few things can attack there, but the Army should be healed and have artillery support. Pillaging Army in range of Horses again.

Have Deatvert connected to our empire. Pop out a settler from Speaker. Seriously affects our research time.

550 AD (10)
Only thing happening on IT was a meaningless pillage.

Oh, the Zulu know Invention.

Kill two Impi and an Archer. Bombardment round starts good, ends weak.

Final Notes:
There is a whole lot of trash hanging around Deatvert. We have a leader who can form a 14 or 15 HP Sword Army to play defense in the South, and free up the Spear army to rid us of the German Iron. All we are waiting for is a 20th city. Picture in one of the next posts with a suggested location.

Unless our Palace increases in cost, it may be difficult to sync up our Feudalism research with our pre-build. Not complicated to slow the build a bit, but I'd be very happy if 20 cities is also the trigger for the Palace going to 600 shields.

Since our two biggest cities are cranking out troops, I do like the Granary in Charis. We are now ahead of a 10-turn growth cycle in clearing squares. May also be prudent to build an Aqueduct in 6thGen.

We can be attacked on the IT, but it's all suicide attacks by the AI.

So in summary, I further wrecked our economy. We are now paying 60 gpt in unit support instead of 40. I think the kill ratio was 45-4. Next time, I'll lose more units.

We do have the possibility of founding at least two new cities on Arathorn's turn, and should be able to start pillaging south. We'll have three dedicated pillaging armies and should hopefully be able to reduce the AI to trickles. We are also beginning to make headway on clearing the jungle.

 

[T_McC]

I propose founding a city on the Red Dot. It's on a Hill, and with a rushed Temple puts extreme pressure on Nora. It is also just about the only place we can link Deatvert into our 3-step empire.

The Blue circles point out other interesting things. JMB is also not on our 3-step network, and has but a single defender. Highly unlikely a red-lined Archer can defeat a Vet Spear behind walls, though. The other circle is our Elite Spear covering a stack of 3 workers.

The Settler, Leader, and an Elite Spear are in Jaffa. If you found on the Red dot, you would have 2 Elite Spears, an Elite Sword, and 3 Cats upon founding.