My first decision was what to do with the Great Scientist. Joining him to the city would gain us about 13 beakers per turn at 40% research, our current rate. We're bleeding somewhat at that rate but there would be lots of courthouses coming on line over the next 10 to 15 turns so I expect we can sustain that rate for a while.
Here was the beaker situation in Rome:
Joining the scientist would give us 6 more specialist beakers X 110% yields 13 more by my calculations (somebody check my math?).
Hadrumentum is our second-highest beaker city:
Building an academy here would provide a 50% bonus or 13 (50% x 26) beakers per turn.
So it was a wash. But the academy also generates 4 additional culture per turn which is the same as assigning an another artist. Hadrumentum will continue a culture battle until we deal with Hammy so I decided in the end to build the academy there.
One thing to note: At 191 beakers per turn, Rome was generating approximately 40% of our total 487 beakers per turn. I think our empire is getting to the point where it's time we stop relying on Rome and the Bureaucracy bonuses there.
We ought to consider changing civics to Free Speech which would reduce our civic maintenance, boost culture 100% for our border cities and kick up our Towns by 2 gold per turn each. Something to consider but I wasn't going to make that call on my own. Bureaucracy may not be optimal right now but it ain't too shabby. At the same time, though, we might consider moving our Capital more to the center of the Continent, especially when we start adding Hammy's cities to our empire.
I checked our cities for micromanaging opportunities -- Kai had things running like clockwork and I didn't find anything to complain about.
I sent the scientist to Hadrumentum and hit Enter.
I hit Enter over and over again, ordering a mix of infrastructure and military as builds completed.
It wasn't completely uneventful.
In 1485 our spy got stumbled upon while sitting on an empty hill outside of Athens. Which raises the point: we are running the espionage slider at 0%. The spy couldn't conduct any missions due to the lack of any espionage points. We ought to consider cranking the slider up a notch.
Also, religions spread in our cities either through missionary actions of the AI or through trade routes.
Also, a good random event occurred:
That means some help for Carthage in the western culture battle.
Elizabeth dropped by with this remarkably awful offer:
I refused. Her disappointment was nearly palpable. So was her bosom.
Also, Willum did us a very nice favor:
Also, a not-so-good random event occurred:
Finally, the peace treaty with Pericles expired! Our forces celebrated the event with this move:
It was at that point, I realized the Greeks had founded a new city on their west coast during the IBT just before the treaty expired. In a brilliant move of planning, I had formed a reserve stack near the center of the front to deal with unexpected incursions or happenings. (they're sitting on the Dye in the shot above) They became a western offensive force while the main force headed toward Thebes from the east. I split them and grabbed two free workers.
In the next turn, the western force razed the new city despite having no siege weapons in their order of battle. The Greeks had had no time to establish fortifications or cultural defense. City raiding Macemen were up to the task.
The two Greek Macemen that had been waiting over the border outside of Ephesus were dispatched by a Musketman and Crossbowman as they threated to pillage and the region was cleared of any Greek threat.
The siege and bombardment of Thebes required four turns. Meanwhile, our first Knights began arriving at the front while Pericles turtled up inside his cities once again. When the bombardment was complete, here is the way the assault shaped up:
The outcome was inevitable. We lost only 2 Trebuchetes, the Greeks lost Thebes:
We have several turns of healing to do now before moving north to the final two cities on the continent. A small but strong force is sitting in a jungle at the foot of the isthmus that, combined with culture from Corinth, effectively seals off all threats from enemy units. However, I'd be quite surprised if Pericles were to suddenly start sending a threat in our direction.
Our economy is still hurting. I had to crank down research to 30% in order to move the culture slider to 10% to maintain order in our former Greek cities. Espionage remains at 0% but needs to be cranked up some. Even at that, we're losing 133 gold/turn. We have sufficient cash reserve to maintain these rates for another 12 or 13 turns. Meanwhile, all the infrastructure started by Kai and me will start to kick in and improve the situation some. But we may still end up researching at 0% before this war is over.
There's a new Great General stacked with our force at Thebes. Lacking any clear notion of what to do with him, I played with the idea of promoting one of those Level 5 Macemen to a Slayer of Cities. Those super-soldiers are fun but they usually don't survive for long because they end up being the strongest defender in counter-attacks. I'll leave it for the team to decide.
Rifling is due in 4 turns. I suggest we go after Chemistry next so we can protect our shores with Frigates and convert some of our CRIII Macemen to Grenadiers with which we can slay Babylonians. Hammy doesn't have Gunpowder yet but he can't be far from it. And only one of his core cities is NOT sitting on a hilltop. Sheesh!
Have fun!
