Need Advice, Please: War Ally or Techs?

[Apollo XI]

I'm playing a Noble game as the Romans on a Continental map. Beyond the Sword.

I started off on one continent with the Koreans and the Mayans. Unfortunately, it JUST so happened that, despite my abundance of resources, I had NO HORSES whatsoever, while both the Koreans and the Mayans did. So, once I built enough Praetorians, I took out the Koreans, since they were smaller and weaker.

Ever since, me and the Mayans have the whole continent, with me being slightly larger than them, and I've been straggling behind the Mayans in score by about a hundred points. I've been peacefully building infrastructure and city improvements, unfortunately at the neglect of my military (since, during the Korean War, it was the other way around). Recently, they declared war on me. I have tons of money and production, but my military is outdated, and it'll take at least 10 turns to get to a point where I can possibly attack back. So far, I'm being defensive and rapidly upgrading/building new units (Knights, Musketmen, etc.)

Worse is, I knew no other Civ but the Mayans, so I couldn't get help until recently.

Recently, I discovered Gunpowder, which the Mayans don't have, and I met the Zulus, who are right at the same score as the Mayans. I, of course, was dying to have someone else to trade with, since the Mayans were always stingy with giving their techs to me, even when I also had some techs to give them.

So, here are my options.

I have the choice to either give them Gunpowder for about three techs I don't have (Literature, Music, and Engineering), or trade Gunpowder for War against the Mayans.

What should I do? I feel the latter might be wiser, since it'll distract the Mayans, and thus buy me more time--and also wear them down a bit with war weariness, etc.

Any advice would be appreciated. : )

 

[timmy827]

In general, posting a couple pictures and save will greatly improve both the quantity and quality of advice you'll get.

I presume the Zulus are on the other continent. If they don't have Astronomy, they are unlikely to do anything in the war. Even if they do, the AI generally doesn't attack overseas well, and you'll get much less aid than you would from one sharing a land border with the civ you're at war with. Engineering is probably more useful for the war; Literature can also be a key war tech if you have a unit that allows the Heroic Epic.

On the other hand, buying in Shaka will get + diplo points from a shared war.

 

[Apollo XI]

In general, posting a couple pictures and save will greatly improve both the quantity and quality of advice you'll get.

All right. I provided two pictures, one of the whole continent, another of my sole (and dangerously placed) source of horses.

P.S. My research is at 0 only because I had it there for several turns to make money to update units.

 

[Apollo XI]

Could anyone else provide more help, please?

 

[UWHabs]

You're probably better to go for the techs, if the Zulus won't be able to help you out. Were you on the same continent, sure, get their help. But getting pikes, trebs, and the extra movement from eng is probably worth it.

 

[troytheface]

"If they don't have Astronomy, they are unlikely to do anything in the war. Even if they do, the AI generally doesn't attack overseas well, and you'll get much less aid than you would from one sharing a land border with the civ you're at war with."

First thought i had as well. However if you wipe out the Mayans the Zulu may eventually attack you if you go into a building mode to recover. I suggest vassalizing the Mayans.

 

[Soirana]

To start from I did not manage to see Shaka in your save Even in screenshots it has another name, which gives idea how well prepared troytheface advice is.

Trade with Zara. Swip back to slavery and whip all these unhappy into something usefull. (6 unhappy citizens in one city?). Damn, you have university of sankore and nearly no temples?

Stop building wealth. Use your great merchants for bulbing (PP, replacable parts). Meanwhile build some troops and take few extra cities.

good luck.

 

[BakingTheArt]

I dun see any Zulus. Do you mean Ethiopians?

Anyway, I doubt they'll do anything until they get Astronomy. I'd just flat out kill the Mayans.

 

[CreeDakota]

take the techs over the ally

your war seems like a stalemate. you will need some trebs to take some cities, so the trade will help there. Let your economy suffer, commit all out to the war.

I prolly would not vassal the mayans unless they have some island cities that are not worth chasing down.

 

[Apollo XI]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I appreciate it. ^_^

I traded for techs, and I'm currently holding them off well. Will be ready to attack in a few turns. I'll consider switching back to Slavery and using Merchants instead of Wealth (which I was doing to expedite research). I think I'll also switch to Police State, since I forgot I built the wonder that allows all Government civics.

I think I can at least raze a few of their weaker, smaller cities close to me to teach them a lesson. I doubt I'll be able to eliminate them all at once within this single war (like what CreeDakota said), but I'd like to at least do some significant damage to them, to ensure inevitable, future domination over them.

Btw, for the first time in ages, they started to slip in score due to the units they lost to me, trying to attack me. I'm convinced that, with skillful fighting and a good army, I can beat them.

 

[Supr49er]

Don't forget to draft units in an emergency. That can let you hold on until your war economy/civics kick in.

I would have taken the techs also.