[BTS] Need Help on Monarch

[crashmon]

So before I play next 2 turns, trying to list salient points for main stack

• Declare war next turn (23 Cuirs in main stack)
• Send GM to Rome
• Bulb GS
  
• Before declare war switch Zara into Cast by using optics as a trade
• Do not switch to Slavery (but still switch to Theo ?) as will switch the slavery at the point of taking Askum
• Get southern stack in position for attacking Matara

Then attack order

• Take Lalibela
  
• Then head main stack to Askum, send a few units to Gondhar
• Revolt aksum
• Switch to slavery
• Attack Aksum / Gondhar

 

[coanda]

If you're swapping Zara into Caste with an Optics trade, switch to slavery right after that unless glancing through your cities you see one that's very close to generating a GP (I don't think you have any like that right now, but didn't open the save to check). Otherwise, yes, that all sounds correct.

 

[lymond]

Declare now...

guys in south can probably take on those new cities down there as well

 

[crashmon]

Will get to this today hopefully, work again

 

[crashmon]

Turn 174

War is declared

• Lalibela and Matara are now part of the Mighty Civ Fanatics Empire
• Lost 3 Cuirs in Lalibela attack, and 1 in Matara attack
• Next stop will be south to Gondahar and West to Aksum
• More Cuirs are on the way
• will whip when its a 2 pop whip, apart from Cap who is not whippping

Spoiler Maps :

Lalibela and main stack


Matara

Save attached

 

[lymond]

Looks good.

Don't be afraid to 3 pop whip some as well, especially in early stages of war when numbers matter. Like Krikav right now. Gives nice OF into next guy, which can then 2pop the turn after next.

Many cities should 2pop their Cur right now. Adjust for food like in Sampsa after the whip. I don't like seeing these cities working these odd unimproved hills over food. Much of your unit production is coming from food.

Lymo needs fixing.

Myleneburg should whip stable now since you built one (did not actually need one).

Etruscan coulda 2popped LB last turn.

I assume My's caravel will pick up GM 2W1N of its current position. Move there now. It can move into Cumae the following turn, embark GM, and run mission same turn.

That should time will with going 100% on Rep Parts next turn.

I might go Econ before Rifling to get the GM first to send to Rome for upgrades later.

 

[Fippy]

Not hugely important here, but stables before barracks doesn't make much sense
One gives 3xp and the other 2xp while costing 10h more.

With Theocracy stables are a luxury build, you get 2 promos with just barracks + Reli.
What this usually means: only build stables that complete before you can build Cuirs.

 

[coanda]

NZ and Jnebbe Cuirassiers if whipped can probably pick up Harar (it doesn't seem to be heavily defended). Matara Cuirassiers can hopefully get Yeha, although they might need two turns of attacking to do it. Main stack Cuirassiers can get Gondar, Aksum, Addis Ababa, and hopefully that is enough to capitulate him.

Odds are you're about 10 turns away from attacking Charlemagne, give or take a couple turns. So you should start keeping the logistics of that attack in mind as well. Galleons will want to be down south of Etruscan at that time, and some of the more far-flung ones are going to need 6-8 turns just to get there. As soon as you get peace with Zara Yaqob to make it safe, you want those two workers around Etruscan working extending the road from Etruscan to Matara and hopefully save the Cuirassiers a turn or two in transit so you can hit a bit earlier. It wouldn't hurt to transfer one Spy to Charlemagne's lands after they're done in Aksum just to take a look around, since he won't trade you his map - the rest of his spies will want to go there eventually, but not quite yet. A quick map trade with Gilgamesh right now will show you that he's been doing some expansion to the west, although odds are you'll end up just ignoring any cities out there, taking the high-value core ones and capitulating him. You can also shift from putting espionage points on Zara Yaqob to putting them on Charlemagne, as you're definitely going to want to revolt Aachen (hilltop, high culture). And be sure not to make any new trade deals with him that enforce a 10-turn peace treaty which might delay the attack.

 

[crashmon]

Turn 176

• Aksum and Gondhar are now new members of the mighty civ fanatics empire (1 spy and 2 Cuirs lost)
• However Harar was very lucky, I need to send a couple up there to take the city
• Next stop Addis Abba to the west, Yeha to the south
• Will probably also take adwa so I have a costal city to the west for rome war
• Have a GG, so can attach to the cuirs in Thebes for making a great Medic

Spoiler Maps :

Attack so far


Aksum

• Also cashed in GM for 1700 gold in Rome

 

[lymond]

Can't look at save til later.

Make sure you have enough units to take a city if you can. Not sure what faced in Harar, but try to have twice the number of attackers to defenders at least.
(this g

Make sure a cur is on a tile by itself before attaching GG for medic.

You mention a coastal city for Rome war later. For what purpose? I'd vassal Zara the soonest chance you can and hit next couple of cities fast. I assume Addis, Harer and probably one more should do it.

culture east of Aksum should clear up next turn - bit annoying that it slows your reinforcements.

Looks like you can move some guys in position for Harar, unless you already have enough to take it there.

Avoid auto-pathing your units especially near or in enemy territory. Unit movement needs to be precise, and where you need that unit or units may change each turn depending on changing factors.

Unless healing a stack is necessary, prepare to move healed units into position for the next city if you have sufficient numbers. Moderately injured units can move with the attack stack as they might be able to mop up weak defenders if you have bad luck.

Again, send sufficient numbers to take a city. Relying too much on luck can lead to what happened with Harar. I see some units near Yeha. If I recall this was the small stack coming from the S, so I suspect there are not sufficient numbers to take that city. The stack should not have moved there. (granted Zara is in caste so he can't whip but still) Only time you should really do something like that is as a diversionary tactic..but you are not currently in a position to threaten a nearby city.

 

[crashmon]

Am moving 3 more to Harar

• I lost to a Horse Archer at 87%, which meant I could not take it this turn... Have 2 more on way to take it
• Others are on way to Addis Abba
• Just leaving one Cuir in cities I am taking for now, in case they attack with a HA or Chariot
• Don't have enough to take Yara unless I win all three, so will send a couple for main stack to hook up with that stack

 

[lymond]

I added some stuff to last past.

again, as reinforcement, be careful with your units. Each move matters and you must be able to react to changing situations each turn. Do not autopath. Move each unit or stack with deliberation.

One thing you can do with Yeha dudes next turn - other than retreat - is fork Yeha and Addis by moving to 2N of that oasis. That is assuming you have a sufficient stack move in position on Addis as well from the E. (I assume you do)

Forking two cities can confuse the AI, although you will not attack Yeha yet.

 

[crashmon]

And so it was on the hills outside of Addis Ababa, that the Forlorn Zara Yaqob approach the command tent of the mighty Egyption Empire. Coming with no guards and no weapons, he spoke to one the guards

Hail brave warrior, I would speak to your leader, I come in peace from the Noble court of Eithopia.​

The Guard after checking for any weapons, bade Zara enter to the main section of the command tent. He was accompanied by General Lain, fresh from the latest battle.

Waiting for the humble leader of Eithopia, Ramesses sat on his command chair, studying the map with his closest advisors. To the left once again Patriarch Lymond was berating his Pharaoh about the fact some workmen had for the 3120th time ventured into the mines north of Sampsa, whilst Chief Architect's Coanda and Mylene reviewed the home front to ensure that food was gathered in plentiful bounties. Lord Sampsa had sent his grolim's to peform more whipping of the populace as more brave cuirs was needed to bolster the front in the city of Yaha.

Mighty Pharaoh, the leader of Eithopia Zara Yaqob is here to discuss the terms of his surrender as the city of Yaha has fallen announced General Lain
​

Ramesses looked up from his intense study of the map north of Sampsa with the big "DO NOT CLICK HERE" message over the tile containing the mine. He gave the leader of Eithopia a withering look, and announced

Does the leader of Eithopia yield his lands, cities and all riches to the mighty Egyption empire, and will swear on his life and the life of his ancestors that he will become and remain a vassel of the Egyption empire, for all time or until advised by Patriarch Lymond or Chief Artitect Coanda to make thou a colony.
​

Zara looked at the floor in front of the Pharaoh

I Zara Yaqob, do swear to become a Vassal of the Egyption State.​

And so in the year 1200, Turn 180, it came to pass that Eithopia became part of the Egyption empire. The Pharaoh, after personally sacrificing those citizens who had gone to the Sampsa mine, next looked at the bountiful lands of the Holy Roman Empire. Admiral Krikav was waiting with the southern fleet for the trops to come south and board the ships

Spoiler Eithopia conquest :

Save is attached, next stop is to get my army south across the sea to charlie, I already have a spy in his lands.

 

[lymond]

Bring all Curs down. You don’t need then for MP in those cities.

might consider HE in the copper barb city...forget the name. Whip forge into barracks with a chop and be ready to start HE when marble is online to catch any OF. Should be a fast HE. City can build Curs but also some Frigs later.

 

[coanda]

It looks like on your turn-176 save you sent extra Cuirassiers south to Gondar (which had two obsolete defenders the previous turn; 4 attackers sent there on turn 175 would be safe, especially since he's not in Slavery and you'd be okay spending an extra turn letting Cuirassiers get a second attack if need be), then attacked Aksum with your main stack before the laggards or something else went wrong there. As a result you had nothing that could hit Addis Ababa on turn 177. At least a few of Cuirassiers from that main army ought to have been able to make it 1W of the pigs, within striking distance of Addis Ababa, by turn 176. A few other cases like that where maybe you could have been a little faster with the war. When a city is pretty isolated, the defenders are very backwards in tech, the opponent is not in Slavery, and you've already hit a couple of his biggest cities and probably beaten down his main stack, you can afford to not always send overwhelming force if it would slow you down elsewhere - just enough troops to be totally confident that two turns of attacks would take it. With the obvious caveat that random chance can play a role in any attack and if I'd been particularly unlucky I'd have needed an extra turn on mop-up, I played a quick shadow attack out from your turn-172 save with a turn-173 DoW (same as you) and had the seven cities and capitulation by turn 177. Three turns of slippage is significant and a sign that something slowed you down. Even needing additional reinforcements for Yeha (I ended up not needing that in my test, but there's some luck about losses on Matara and troop movements involved), that should have been only a 2-turn delay.

 

[crashmon]

Hey guys, a question on what to do with Aksum and all the forests around there, while the war continues on the other continents.

• I've never build a national park, but would this be a potential city for this
• Although I'd have to tech Biology, and game might be over by then
• Also is the Kremlin a play once I get communism (again game might be over by then)

Just seems a superb city spot with lots of potential

 

[coanda]

Now that I look at the timing victory is approaching fairly rapidly and tech is going to grind to a halt pretty hard soonish. Biology is not going to happen. Physics is probably not going to happen. Communism will be a stretch.

Aksum definitely is an outstanding city spot, and it would look ridiculous with a national park, but it's unfortunately just not in the cards this game. Maybe if the other AIs were teching fast enough that you worried you'd need to have a consolidation period and move into a more modern-era unit composition before you could win. Looks like Charlemagne just got Gunpowder, which is mildly irritating. That'll make the attack on him a little more expensive, although Cuirassiers still work fine as long as you bring large numbers.

 

[crashmon]

Middle of Turn 183

• Do I drop off the cuirs 1SISW of where I am, and get the rest before going in
• Or do I just go in, as Vienna only has 5 def (2 Kinghts, 1 WE, 1 longbow and I think 1 mace). No muskets yet
• I have 15 cuirs on the boats, some however are injured
• I have 11 cuirs waiting for a boat, and 2 cuirs + 1 spy on boat to north
• 1 spy has just entered Aachen

Spoiler Map :

Basically I can take Vienna with what I have on the boats, but will need the reinforcements to take Aachen, so if I do go in, I will need to wait 3 turns for the other 11 to get to Vienna (1 turn drop off,and start to go back, 2nd turn to collect from my island and start way to charlie, and 3rd turn to drop off in Vienna)
Save attached

 

[coanda]

You have an empty galleon, could be carrying 3 more Cuirassiers. Also you'd ideally have that spy already delivered so you could fit an extra Cuirassier into the spot. And loading up the Cuirassiers before they had a chance to heal is going to really hurt - you really want those boats as full as possible with full-health Cuirassiers. There's a big difference between hitting with 15 Cuirassiers, some of them significantly bruised, and hitting with 21 full-health Cuirassiers - the former will take a couple cities, the latter hopefully outright wins the war in 4 turns. Plus you aren't ready to revolt Aachen yet, so you'd have to just eat the extra losses if you went now.

I'd take two more turns on prep. Here's a little Galleon shuffle to get units where they need to be. Get all the injured Cuirassiers back in friendly territory with the Great Medic, while getting the spy ready to move into Vienna next turn. Then get all seven galleons adjacent to the pigs and loaded with healthy Cuirassiers next turn, so in two turns you can attack.

1. Move "Galleon 2 (Lymond)" up to the same square as "Galleon 6 (Lymond)."
2. Offload Galleon 2 (Lymond)'s three full-health Cuirassiers onto the pigs.
3. Transfer the spy from Galleon 6 (Lymond) to Galleon 2 (Lymond). This gets the spy onto a Galleon that has moves left.
4. Move Galleon 2 (Lymond) 2S with its remaining moves.
5. Transfer the three Cuirassiers from Galleon 1 (Lymond) to Galleon 5 (Lymond), to empty a Galleon that has 5 moves left.
6. Move Galleon 5 (Lymond) NE to overlap Galleon 2 (Lymond).
7. Transfer the spy from Galleon 2 (Lymond) to Galleon 5 (Lymond). Spy is now on a galleon with 4 moves, but will only use 3.
8. Move Galleon 5 (Lymond) to be NW of Vienna - not into Vienna, because you need to move it back up next turn and load it with Cuirassiers.
9. Move all remaining galleons to 1S of the pigs
10. Next turn, unload the spy into Vienna. It can head for Aachen the turn after that.
11. Unload the great medic onto the pigs (don't want to send him in the first attack wave, because you don't want to attack with him and risk him dying and you have limited carrying capacity). Then move Galleon 5 (Lymond) and Galleon 2 (Lymond) 1SE of the pigs, and load all seven galleons with a full 21 Cuirassiers if they're not loaded already. If you have extra Cuirassiers around, replace any guys on the boats who are still significantly injured.
12. Turn after that, you're ready to attack. The 5 galleons 1S of the pigs are dropping of 15 Cuirassiers to fork Aachen and Vienna, on the floodplains tile 2E of Vienna. The 2 galleons SE of the pigs are dropping off 6 Cuirassiers to threaten Prague, on the grass hill 1N2W of it. Can capture those three cities on turn-2 of the war (Vienna before Aachen, so any unused Cuirassiers can end their turn in Aachen), and survivors carry on towards Augsburg and Nuremburg. Hopefully enough left to get both, but if numbers are low just pick one
13. Then all seven galleons are heading back towards Etruscan, where they pick up a second load. Drop at least 3 Galleons full of Cuirassiers on Shangian's wheat to threaten that city; another galleon should be grabbing the spare spy, swinging down south to pick up the second spy if it wasn't needed, and heading for Eridu to start preparing to revolt that city in the next war. The other galleons can just carry Cuirassiers to wherever seems useful.
14. Capture Shangian, plus Augsburg and/or Nuremburg on turn-4 of the war, which will hopefully be enough to capitulate Charlemagne.

Since you're a Spiritual leader, you have the option of replicating the trick you pulled on Zara Yaqob - do any necessary whips, flip yourself to Caste System and Buddhism (so he becomes Pleased with you), bribe him into Caste System so he can't whip defensive units, then 5 turns later switch back to Slavery and Confucianism again.

Bump your espionage slider up to 100% for a turn, so you're sure you have enough EPs for the Aachen revolt. Ideally you could get away with less, but you don't know how much stationary-spy bonus you'll have and it could be pricey. This is why ideally you want to get spies into position well in advance; the later arrival might potentially end up costing you 100+ commerce spent on EPs that could have been gold or beakers. Eridu is probably being attacked turn 194-195, so you do want to get spies over there soon to avoid paying extra again.

 

[lymond]

Unload the spy on that one ship and put a healthy Cur in their.

Next turn all ships can drop off Curs 1E of Vienna, which allows attack on both Vienna and Aachen. Aachen does not look well defended.

As coanda said, switch to Bud and then Caste (and Free Market) and switch him to Caste.

Lali should build Culture for one turn - add engineer or mine for grass tile.

Gondar LB can MP Askum. Gondar won't need MP for a long time or at all.

Matara - build culture first

try 50g beg on JC...and beg 70g from Zara.