(0) 1750BC:
Take some time to look at the situation. There's not a good view to the South, due to the green smog eminating from Babylonian underwear. Seems that the gas clouds have been getting to their troops, as you'll see below.
India has contact with Rome, and will sell it to us for 115 gold. They will also sell us The Wheel for 111 gold. There is no way that we can get Mathematics in less than 21 turns without running a deficit, so I leave science at 10%. Buying contact with Rome would make known techs cheaper to buy, but on the other hand, India may well sell contact with us to Rome.
111 gold goes to India for The Wheel. Might as well see where the horses are. The news is good, there's some right outside Istanbul.
Istanbul build changed to spearman. The archer that was being trained there would be great for killing approaching troops, but would be left exposed after attacking.
Edrine build changed to walls (from spearman).
Bursa build changed to Barracks from granary. With no luxuries and a raging war, we need units, not growth. The city grows in 4 turns, so I'll mine another plain to get it to 5 shields per turn.
I'd like to nail that redlined bowman with the warrior in Istanbul to prevent him from pillaging, but decide against it. I'm almost scared to hit the spacebar, but I do it nonetheless, and...
IBT:
No attacks this turn, and the redlined bowman moves away from Istanbul without pillaging. The babylonians build Eridu next to a second source of iron. We will need to take this city quickly, before they connect their iron and start throwing swordsmen at us. There is also a second spearman/settler pair heading to the coast West of Edrine.
(1) 1725BC
Worker irrigates a second cow at Bursa, starts roading that tile.
IBT:
Again no attacks this turn, although Babylon's units begin to congregate outside Istanbul. A second spear completes there, bring the garrison to two spears (one elite, one vet) and one regular warrior. Walls are started, due in 3 turns.
(2) 1700BC:
Fortify spearman inside Istanbul. Istanbul has grown to 5, so I up luxuries to 20%. I also slow growth considerably to get the city to the magic 10 shields/turn. Walls now due in 2.
IBT:
Babylonian warrior impales itself on our elite spear in Istanbul (no damage to the spear). Babylon starts the Pyramids, well at least it means that they can't build more units in a core city. Two bowmen and a warrior are outside Istanbul. Walls due next turn.
(3) 1675BC:
Bursa worker completes road, and moves to mine a plains tile (to get the city to 5 shields/turn when it grows).
India has sold our contact to Rome (they have over 400 gold in their treasury, compared to Babylon with 1 gold), and there is a two-fer opportunity available.
The Wheel + 40 gold + 4 gold/turn go to Rome in exchange for Writing.
IBT:
Another Babylon warrior impales itself on our elite spear.
Samarra is founded by the Babylonians West of Edrine.
Walls complete at Istanbul, a program of archer-building is initiated.
(4) 1650BC:
Worker begins mining a plains tile by the lake. in restrospect it would've been better to mine the tile by the river to get the extra gold.
We're getting killed for number of cities. All rival civs have 9 (yes, NINE) cities to our three. The good news is that the supply of Babylonian units appears to be drying up, and we might be able to go on the offensive soon.
IBT:
First bowman attack on Istanbul, nothing more than a suicide against that elite spear, who has not taken a single hitpoint of damage yet.
(5) 1625BC:
Nothing to move this turn.
IBT:
First archer completes. The Iroquois complete the Pyramids in Salamanca. A stack of three bowmen are sitting outside of Istanbul. A fourth is ready to pillage a road.
Yet another Babylonian spearman/settler pair comes into view.
(6) 1600BC:
I attack the lone bowman who is threatening to pillage with our new archer. He is no match for our archer, who wins without taking a hit and promotes to elite.
IBT:
Two bowman attack Istanbul, one takes out our veteran spear.
(7) 1575BC:
Take out an elite bowman with our elite archer, losing only one hitpoint.
Realize that Bursa has been making 5 shields per turn, due to the forest there (duh!), so the mine was somewhat counter-productive. Still, I've got this far, so the worker is set to work roading it.
IBT:
Edrine completes walls, starts barracks.
Bursa completes barracks, starts spearman.
(8) 1550BC:
Another bowman is taken out by our elite archer, no hitpoints lost.
IBT:
Second archer completes at Istanbul. A babylonian spearman/settler pair will move onto exposed territory next turn, and will be ripe for picking off.
Another Babylonian city appears South of Eridu.
(9) 1525BC:
Move worker to chop the forest next to Bursa. Once the spearman completes there, change to a temple, to take advantage of the chop (and get our iron online).
Luxuries to 30%, as Bursa has grown to 4, and will riot otherwise.
IBT:
Babylon wants an audience, I tell 'em to shove it.
Babylonian spear/settler pair move onto level ground, ready to be picked off.
(10) 1500BC:
Veteran archer charges out from Istanbul, and takes down the spearman with one hitpoint left to spare. We get two slaves. I will leave it up to the next player to decide what to do with them.
Summary:
We are woefully behind on cities, and need to either start settling or attacking the new Babylonian settlements once they reach size 2. I have cleared up the majority of Babylonian troops, thanks to some good RNG luck and only one spearman lost. Looks like Babylon is gassed, underwear notwithstanding.
Istanbul has been switched to archer production.
Once the spearman completes at Bursa, SWITCH IT TO TEMPLE to take advantage of the forest chop.
The two Babylonian slaves have been left unmoved.
There's no wall graphic at Istanbul in the picture above. Weird, huh?
Go kick some smelly Babylonian butt!!
them to nothing!
