Science:
Guilds, Drama (1400AD-Trade) > Scientific Method (1420AD) > Music (1460AD-Trade) > Communism (1500AD) > Banking (1500AD-Trade) > Nationalism (1500AD-Trade) > Replacable Parts (1515AD) > Rifling (1545AD) > Chemistry (1570AD) > Economics (1590AD) > Steam Power (1620AD) > Steel (1640AD) >
I ran fairly slow science this turn - lots of good techs to grab, but I'm ahead and not heading for a space race... unit upgrades were a bigger priority.
Trade Khmer 40g+Drama for my Theology. Mansa gets Gunpowder for Guilds, Maps and 190g.
I am the wealthiest. Wootles. Blow my money upgrading my collection of CRIII Axes to maces.
On the last turn before Sci Method, I Wham science up to 100% to get max overflow of monastries still working.
In 1420AD, the grand invasion fleet sets sail.
In 1460AD, I steeple my fingers in evil contemplation - the fleet arrives and splits into 2, heading for:
I make some trades now. Philosophy and Compass (Old tech) to Khmer for music and their cash.
My original plan to drag Mansa in won't work as he's not friendly enough with me. I'm suprised, but Wanger is apparantly a vicious backstabber - despite sharing a religion with Survyaman, he's willing to go to war with him for 1 old tech. Nice.
Beachead, next turn, half the fleet heads to home. Half stays to offer tactical mobility. Launch Treb strikes to soften up my targets.
In 1490, I move the war effort up a notch. The Trebuchets blow the defenses off my targets. Haryharalaya falls with no losses. Ankor Wat goes less well, all my Maces win at ~70%, but I lose both muskets at 95%. Ah well, them's the breaks - will finish it next turn.
I generate a GM in Lyons. Coupled with my saved GS, I decide to throw a GA to celebrate the start of state property.
1500AD - With the great spy from communism, I add a spy specialist to Lyons. I buy Banking off Mansa for 115g and Paper. I trade Nationalism from Wanger for Gunpowder, Drama and Paper. I capture Ankor Wat and Maneuver my troops a little.
1520AD - I capture Yasodharapura - including The Mega Shrine - kill 12 units to do so... My GG chariot takes the final kill - against a horse archer at 99.5% odds - could be risky, but it was that or wait a turn. Land a GA and bank him for later. I capture Nagara Jayasri - a good strategic drop off point. I get another GG - Sent to Bullywao to add a specialist - my potential west point location.
IN 1525 I revolt to nationalism - I'm thinking of leveraging spare population in the colonies into units. Justinian gets himself elected head of AP. This could end up hurting. :/
In 1535AD I capture Isvarapura - using galleons to shuttle troops along the coast and deliver the pain for me.
In 1540AD - Ravijahara falls before me.
In 1545AD I have a terrible run of luck - losing 5/7 fights against the new khmer capital (Ankor Thom) - 3 at 75%, 2 at over 90% - it was a mix of muskets and maces that I was ready to promote. Annoying, but thems the breaks. I found Grenoble up in the islands.
As an aside - pleased with Lyons, it generates 2/3 my espionage output alone. Which is quite pleasing from a fairly junk city.
1555AD - up for another crack at Ankor Thom - smash up some units and leave them with 1 heavily injured mace defending. Close, but no cigar!
1560AD - Ankor Thom finally falls. Yay! My shipboard troops prepare to move in on the final Khmer city. The rest gather for a party with Justinian.
1570AD - I trade Education to Wang for Divine Right and cash. Mansa gets Education and Astronomy for Military Tradition. Justinian is about to discover education and has astronomy - so decided to rob him of the trade value/leverage. My combat 1 CR III rifles make an amphibious assault and take Etruscan - capturing 6 workers. War over - duration 110 years. Here is what I captured:
WW ends.
Here are the gains:
Now for Justinian. Constantinople is target number 1. It has the AP and the SoZ - so it needs to burn - those things are far too dangerous to leave lying around. I have set 2 spies in place, hopefully can revolt my way to just marching in. We shall see.
I start to spread the drafting love around - got a massive happy cap and a lot of crappy Khmer cities - now over the 10% nationality to start yoinking rifles out of them. Untrained, but still better than anyone elses top units IMO.
1575AD - this event happens:
Not having my valuable intelligence lost - so I arrange for an accident - how awesome!
1590AD - units shuffeled and in place, many 'hell no, we won't go' in my Khmer cities - time for Justinian to take a beating. I declare.
1595AD - Capture Iconium - no losses
1605AD - capture Adrianople - no losses
1610AD - Pop a 3rd GA with a prophet, merchant and artist - seems the best use for them now... Trade Liberalism to Mansa to get him to declare on Justinian - he's not a great military power, but a busy AI is a happy AI. Can't lure wanger into helping, which is a shame.
1615AD - Capture Laodicia - no losses. The GA is spurring my economy along nicely.
1620AD - get an AP vote to turn over my stone and troop delivery city to the Koreans. Defy it.
1625AD - the extra unhappiness from the AP is annoying, but better than losing a city, I feel. Revolt from OR to theocracy - lots of building finished now - +2xp per unit is sounding more attractive. Here's the results of a defied AP - hehe.
1635AD - Raze Constantinople - unfortuantely destroying the MoM and several other wonders. But importantly removing the AP from the game. Also removes the SoZ - which was hurting with the doubled war weariness.
1645AD - Take Thesalonica - meatgrinder that costs me 4 rifles, a cavalry and a couple of trebs. Take Nicomedia - no losses - spy used to drop defenses, fleet to drop units - love this kinda stuff!