MODA status 1550 AD

[TheViking]

The message from MODA is simple this time:

Keep tax/sci/lux as it is now for 1 or 2 turns, depending on what things look like 1 turn from now. Then set lux=20% and sci=70-80% (80% was the outcome of the vote but the science advisor prefers 60-70% and some flexibility is neceassry anyway).

Follow the build queues and rush (buy) the RB items but sparingly.

Improve terrain according to the terrain improvement plan. A few notes: (a) Road the wine near BBF. (b) Maybe make more farmland S of LC once we have discovered refrigeration. (c) Transform the hill Dou is built on to plains but chop down any trees near Dou first since it is easier. (d) As indicated in the terrain improvement plan, no squares should be transformed for now, except for Dou's city square.

Since it was voted to start action against the Zulus, the Dou build queue needs slight modifications:
(1) Build/rush 4 crusaders/dragoons/cavalry there now. Exception: If it becomes possible to build a commodity caravans do so and rush it. (2) No barracks are necessary, the units built will lose the veteran status when they get upgraded and the Zulus are also very weak. (3) It might be a nice idea to build/rush one additional cavalry unit in Suggestions once the galleons are close. I like attacking with overwhelming force and to have some 'safety margin' when conducting peacekeeping operations.

 

[RedBull]

Minor minor correction to build plans in Doughnutia: We'll only need to get 3 of those mounted units from there. The 4th is sitting idle near Nemoville, which we can move toward the east coast there while we're building the rest. This probably means that 4th unit being built out of Doughnutia should definitely be a caravan.

And about the extra unit as a safety net: We're sending all 4 of them at the first city (Ulundi would make the most sense), and then building out of there. If I never made it clear, I was meaning to go full force at Ulundi and not spread out the 4 units right away.

EDIT: Typos, horrible horrible typos...

 

[TheViking]

Makes sense. Looking at the map I notice that it would be tempting to put alpine troops on the mountains next to Bapedi and Hlobane at the start of our invasion. This would probably weaken the Zulu defenses since they would (unsuccessfully) try to kill them. We must beware of bribes though once we leave democracy since the Zulus have lots of $$.

 

[RedBull]

Those bribes are why I think once we do start the action, we go full-bore to make the war as short as possible...shock and awe, if you will...and no engineers should touch the land, let alone touch land period, until the Zulus are confined to one city. Fewer turns without democracy means fewer chances for those clods to try to bribe us. Good military thinking, especially for the domestic affairs office!

Sounds to me like everything's comin' up shields (as opposed to roses )