Well I was ready for the big REX. I had the plans of which cities the settlers were going to come out of and where they were to go. It was going to be glorious. So I loaded up the game and did my usual review of the situation. Guess what I found.
This changes everything. Both Qin and myself are at cautious with Biz, so it could be either of us. What do I do? Well I've got two choices. Continue as planned and hope that he is after Qin or assume he's after me and stop the expansion and prepare for war.
There is only one choice, the second. All plans are changed. From the trade screen, I can tell he has horses but no metal, so I queue up spears in all cities and then start the game.
[BTW, the delay in submitting is that after finding out my impending doom, I spent a couple of days away from the gaem to think of how to get through. In the meantime, in RL, I broke my ankle and wasn't willing to play some tricky turns until I was off the painkillers (especially after my variant breaking efforts in ph11).]
So, onwards we go. After seeing Pyramids go in others games, I whipped it as soon as I could and obviously missed the picture as I can't find it but at least I have Pyramids.
I see this barb city and come up with another plan.
Its on the way to Bizzy. If I take it, I can either hold his army up here or let him take it and sue for peace (or even use it as a bribe for peace).
My worst fears are realised when I see this.
Next IBT
He takes the city but won't sue for peace.
I risk settling a city to make sure I grab the iron and again as a last resort can gift it to him.
Eventually he takes peace for Metal Casing, which sux mightily but as he is pleased now, might stop this repeating.
As a side note, not long after Qin founds taoism, so I switch back to no-religion.
Whip the Great Library.
That is all my planned wonders until late game. Let's concentrate on the science now.
I research Music to get the free Great Artist for a Golden Age and for the trade value.
And then realise about 2 turns later that I smoked it big time there as I got my GE from Pyramids and can rush Mausolleum of Mausollos.
So things aren't looking good at the moment. I've only just been able to start the big REX but Qin and Bizzy are already breathing down my neck. I have a settler in place in the south east and another on the way. Was hoping to be able to grab 15 cities, that is more likely going to be 12ish now. We'll see. Definately has ruined my shot at fastest finish but still hopeful of winning.