As the turns are getting quite long now I played 12, to bring us to 1300 and also 2 turns away from the industrial ages. I'm going to use the Sirian trade-marked early, middle and late to describe these turns.
My aim in this round was to exterminate the Zulu and then to consolidate the gains we'd made in the Zulu war. Out next prime objective is to destroy the Otto's, but that will come in due time, and there is no sense in losing the land we've gained by attacking them too early and overstretching ourselves. So I resolve to get a defender in every city, plug a few gaps in our territory with more settlers, and begin the congregation of military near the eastern front.
In the inherited turn I made a number of changes to the build instructions, focussing especially on building libraries in all captured cities to get some Persian culture in them, and beginning to move military units around. I also sold a couple of barracks in Zimbabwe and Ulundi, as we have Sun Tzu's and therefore free barracks. I stopped building Copernicus in Persepolis, instead beginning it in Tarsus (if we go way back, you'll remember my outline for Tarsus as a super-science city, as it has a couple of gold squares and plenty of coast. We built the Colossus there, step 2 is Cop's, and then Newton's).
Checking diplomacy I notice we are well ahead of the bunch in science and power. I also notice there is a length to our peace treaty with the Otto's: one of you naughty rulers has been renogotiating peace, eh?!
Since the Otto's are our next target I do not engage in any lux deals, but I do sell incense to France for WM, 82g and 15gpt.
Early turns: our lux deal with the Celts came up for renewal, and we were forced to give the Celts 4 of our luxes for 1 of theirs! France discovered Chemistry, and pretty soon the Otto's had it as well. A settler was rushed in New Zimbabwe, partly to lower the Zulu population and partly to plug a city gap on that island. We researched economics and started magnetism. To my frustration, on the turn we discovered Economics, the AI's discovered that and Music Theory too! Clearly different AIs must have researched different sciences and then traded in the interturn. Even the Celts have Music Theory. Since we don't particularly need Bach's, I did not trade for it, as music theory becomes worthless once it's been built, but if we do need it (to avoid shield loss on a cascade, for example) we can get it off the Celts for something like Astronomy, which France and the Otto's already have.
Middle turns: the lux deal with France came up for renogotiation, and the French did not wish to continue; when I discovered how much they wanted for their poxy spices, I did not want to continue the deal either, so I let that lapse. Rushed a settler in Ibabanago for the same reason as in New Zimbabwe. Our cavalry finally trudged through the jungle to arrive at the doors of New Intombe to find....it was completely undefended!! Not a Zulu unit in sight!
What a disappointment
I'd brought along plenty of elites to have a pop at a leader, given my earlier luck, and now there was to be no fighting. The militaristic Zulu people were ready to capitulate without any struggle at all.
Little piece of luck: New Intombe grew to size 2 the very next turn, so it was thankfully not auto-razed; the Zulu were, however. Founded Borazjan and Herat (those names sound familiar, though I can't for the life of me recall where I've heard them). We discovered Magnetism and began Theory of Gravity, the last tech we need to enter the Industrial Ages.
Late turns: not a lot happened, every city acquired 1 defender; Dakyanus was founded, and a few muskets are now around the eastern border with the Otto's, preparing for an eventual attack.
Notes to the next player:
Fiddle the military how you wish. Personally I wouldn't bother upgrading units in our core cities, as it is extremely unlikely they will ever be attacked now. Do upgrade units in border zones though, once those cities become connected. We are 2 turns from the industrial ages, which also means 2 turns from nationalism
in other words, rifles and drafting. Don't be afraid to draft some conscript rifles to defend our cities and to increase our military quickly; drafting would also free up most of our cavalry which are currently on patrol/defence duty. With some handy drafting we will be able to take the Otto's on quicker than they will be ready for.
Which brings me to AI science. At the end of my turn the Frenchies and the Otto's had neither Physics nor Metalurgy; therefore they're still 2 techs away from cavalry when we are 2 turns away from rifles. We might as well make this count. If the next players feel like more combat, don't hesitate - go for it, we can pull a quick domination if we focus correctly.
At the moment I've got Tarsus on a starvation diet to get Cop's ASAP (currently 8 turns). If an AI should complete, we have plenty of other wonders to cascade to. After Cop's Tarsus should go straight for Newton's, and then obtain a university. Persepolis is currently building Smith's.
That's about it for me, I think Tiamat is up next, so enjoy it, mate, and let the trumpet blow for the impending turkey sandwiches!
The save will upload to :
http://www.civfanatics.net/uploads3/N1-1300AD.sav
