MLDR003 - NOW in the big D

Originally posted by Coffee
We should stay focused on getting the ToE. If Economics happens along so to speak then sure. Else its an optional tech and we don't need it.

If we get a GL and we have the option to build Smith's, then I'd say go ahead and build it; we're at least 30 turns from being able to build TOE, and if we can't get a second GL by then, then we're doing something wrong.

That said, we should have a prebuild going (maybe started now?) in a river city that can be used for either TOE or Hoover (if we GL to get TOE)
 
@ChrTh - Thats a good point about the number of turns. Lets say for the sake of argument 10 turns per tech and we get Nationalism for free. We need Magnetism, Steam, Ind, Elec, Meds and SM. Thats 60 turns. So 30 - 60t, estimate 45 turns. IIRC the ToE is 300 shields. We should start a prebuild now in a 6-8spt city. The one on the desert tiles comes to mind but that might be too productive. Perhaps rushing a courthouse/temple elsewhere would do it.

Ouch I forgot RP. The desert city is running at 9 IIRC. Hard to say, an 8spt city feels right....edited.
 
750 (0): We take the twofer: ivory, 25 gpt, 4 gold, and WM to the Cathaginians for Economics; Economics, 47 gpt (possible after we hire taxmen in Babylon and Rebel's Reward), 1 gold, and WM to the Romans for Magnetism.

I'm concerned about Wine Tasting, which contains so many knights that if it flips our good work building up a mobile strike force will be largely lost. I get three slow units from Bursa and Konya moving towards WT, and withdraw the two elite knights in the town. I move the elite knight in Bursa so that it can attack Indus next turn.

Three Indian cav units attack WT. One dies, one retreats, and one kills a veteran knight.


760 (1): We take (and shortly after abandon) Indus from two cav, losing a veteran knight (no GL). This is probably the only Indian city I'm going to attack. To lose knights attacking musketmen in size 7+ cities at this point, when they'll soon upgrade to Sipahis, would be criminal.

We pick off the two cav in exposed positions around WT, but lose a veteran knight in the process.

We induce three Indian cav to attack us on the hill two SW of Wine Tasting, which is only two tiles from Delhi. Two die and one retreats.

Iznik knight --> pike. I'll continue to build mostly knights, but we have to do something about our infantry starvation. Absorbing cav attacks with knights is awful.

The Indians land a cavalry unit on the mountain tile between Denizli and Ellipi. Didn't they just do this?


770 (2): We found Urfa on the suggested location one square SE of the ruins of Indus.

I replace the elite knight being wasted on the island with a veteran.

We kill one Indian cav outside WT.

The situation with the Indian cav between Denizli and Ellipi is incredibly awkward. Nothing can reinforce anything, except in a way which would cause us to lose a knight to the cav's attack rather than a pikeman. I decide to evacuate Ellipi, which has no improvements anyway. This way we shouldn't lose anything except Ellipi's accumulated shields.

The Indian cav unit takes Ellipi, stealing one gold.

One Indian cav dies attacking WT.

The Carthaginians demand 21 gold and our TM, which we provide.

Erdine bank --> knight, Izmit temple --> pikeman.


780 (3): The Romans and the Indians are at peace again. We get the Romans back in the war for 24 gpt.

We take back Ellipi, destroying the Indian cav for no loss.

We destroy a spearman and a cav on the Delhi-WT front for no loss, our catapults proving their worth yet again.

Istanbul bank --> knight, Bursa knight --> bank, Konya pikeman --> barracks [!], Iznik switches to bank.

No signs of life from the Indians in their turn.


790 (4): Gratifying Roman-Indian bloodshed, as the Romans fail to take Kolhapur, and then lose two cav and two knights to the Indian counterattack.

Uskudar knight --> galleon. We have to have some ability to reinforce Mugla, especially since the Iroquois are cruising in the area, and they're furious with us.

Antalya knight --> knight, Adana marketplace --> knight.

A forest chop outside Uskudar reveals BG.


800 (5): We destroy two Indian cav outside Kolhapur for the loss of one knight. We get an elite victory, but no GL.

The Indians attack outside both Delhi and Kolhapur. We lose two pikemen and destroy two cav.

Sinop knight --> palace prebuild.


810 (6): We destroy two Indian cav between Wine Tasting and Delhi, without loss.

One Indian cav counterattacks, and it dies attacking a depleted pikeman.

Wine Tasting gets its first cultural expansion--a great relief.

Istanbul knight --> knight, Iznik pikeman --> pikeman.


820 (7): The Romans aren't making much of a showing against the Indians on our front, but in the west they now hold Hyderabad.

An Indian cav defeats a pikeman in WT.

Konya barracks --> pikeman.

The Carthaginians are building Shakespeare.


830 (8): The Romans have taken New Madras in the west. The strategy of letting the Romans and Indians bleed each other while we build up our strength seems to be working well.

We pick off the Indian cav which just attacked WT--an elite victory, but no GL.

Urfa library (rushed) --> barracks.

One Indian cav attacks our hill position overlooking Delhi, and retreats.

Erdine knight --> knight.

The Aztecs are also building Shakespeare.


840 (9): We destroy the cav which just attacked our hill position--elite victory, no GL.

No Indian attacks at all.

Istanbul knight --> knight, Uskudar galleon --> knight, Konya pikeman --> pikeman, Denizli cannon --> catapult [!].


850 (10): I renew our furs deal with the Arabs by sending them Banking. We also get 3 gold and their WM.

We destroyed twenty Indian cavalry units and an Indian spearman this round, for losses of four knights and three pikemen.

Six elite victories didn't produce a Great Leader.
 
THE FUTURE:


We now have 23 knights, with another four due to complete within five turns, so we should have a reasonable force for upgrading to Sipahis.

All the technological action this round was on the top half of the chart, and no one has ToG yet.

We should probably try to have two banks building at any one time, until we have them in all our major cities.

We have five knights south of Erdine, in addition to the one which is Babylon's garrison and the mobile reserve for that area. They're moving south in case any problem develops from the Indian galleon off Uruk.

The two pikemen on mountains in Babylonia shouldn't be moved until there's no further danger of Indian amphibious landings.
 
As India shrinks:

MLDR03_850AD.JPG
 
Sorry about having to fight the defensive side of the battle. I am glad to see that Rome is taking a more active roll this time. You did a great job on getting us set up to have our GA coming during the next set of turns. Sipahi should do a lot better against those muskets and rifles than the knights do.

The hit list:
1) Babylon - gone
2) India - Soon to start our GA!
3) Rome
4) Iroquois, Carthage, Aztecs (Fielders choice)
7) Arabia

NorthernPike
CtrTh (up)
Belisar (on deck)
Coffee
Arizona_Steve
Meldor
 
Yes, great job NP to keep our casualties minimal
Makes all the difference in constant-war situations.
:goodjob:

EDIT: I looked at the save, just a minor thing:
MM in Uskudar/Antalya gets us a knight every 4 instead of every 5 turns in Uskudar. The 13th shield in Antalya is corrupt anyway.
 
Thanks, all. :) Having catapults available to knock that first hit point off the attacking unit about 50% of the time makes a huge difference.
 
Originally posted by Northern Pike
Thanks, all. :) Having catapults available to knock that first hit point off the attacking unit about 50% of the time makes a huge difference.

You wanna go post that in CTR7? ;)


I'm guessing I'm going to have a shot at starting the GA during my turn. What sort of timing should I use? And should I use the GA to build a slew of Sipahi, or concentrate on infrastructure, or try to mix the two?
 
The timing of our GA: we won't get our saltpetre back until your sixth turn anyway, so you won't be able to trigger the GA with a Sipahi until a turn or two later. I don't see any reason to wait longer than this.

Our GA build priorities: basically a compromise between Sipahis and infrastructure, I think. We certainly want to finish building banks in our good cities, and harbours where appropriate. I don't know about universities--perhaps we should have one under construction at any given time?
 
I agree with NP, banks (and at cities that lack them: marketplaces) are the top priority, together with the usual mix of offense/defense units and cannons/settlers in the corrupt south. Maybe a few extra workers would be a good idea too.
When I looked at the save, I noticed that Bach really helped our income-situation. :)

Good luck ChrTh.
 
Guys, I'm falling behind on my tasks for the day, and I don't think I'll be able to play tonight. Coffee, can you play tonight? If not, I'll get the game in asap (will be able to play tomorrow night at the latest).
 
Originally posted by meldor
Actually, you swap with Belisar so often, you just think Coffee follows you... :)

WHOOPS, I had looked at my last turn... Doh!

Belisar, if you can play before tomorrow night, feel free :D
 
I'm at work now, so that's no got it.
If you can play today ChrTh there is no need for a swap, but don't play in a hurry.
 
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