I played 15 turns, building valuable infrastructure and military units, made some trades, initiated an expedition and revolted, stifling yawns the entire time.
I took Liq's advice and had a couple beers.
Inherited Turn (625 AD) I implemented some of the changes I suggested above in my micromanaging review before beginning this round. I switched from working the Silver mine at Ravena to the Copper mine to ensure the Granary would complete prior to the next population growth. I also interrupted the Worker building a Cottage at Cumae and sent him to build a mine north of the city.
I didn't make any changes in Antium at this point, waiting for the
to fade from the previous whipping.
Finally, I moved the fog-busting Praetorian east of Ravena 1 tile south to provide better coverage,
then pressed Enter. (the first time I pressed Enter, BtS crashed ugly. It must have been a fluke or maybe it had something to do with me having about 25 other open applications running at the same time. Anyways, it only happened that one time.)
Turn 1 (640 AD) Neapolis finished a Lighthouse. Now that they had light to read by, they started a Library.
Carthage finished a Library. Now that they could borrow stuff to read at work, they started a Forge.
Turn 2 (655 AD) Hammy offered a healthy trade:
He was willing to trade Mathematics but wanted Literature and Code of Laws so I declined.
Cumae finished a Praetorian. He looked lonely so they started another.
I whipped the Forge started in Carthage last turn for two population points.
Turn 3 (670 AD) Rome finished a Forum. Now that they could buy stuff to read at work, they started a Forge.
Carthage finished the whipped Forge. WTH?!?!? I missed the picture, but I got hit with my first random event in an SG -- a careless worker started a fire in the brand new forge. The top option would have cost over half our treasury, the bottom one would cost us the forge, so I picked the middle one. This was a
because it cost 11 gold and we still lost the forge. The option didn't make it clear I would lose the forge. ::sigh:: So I shot the worker and started another Forge.
Aristotle (Great Scientist) born in Rome. He could start a Golden Age or lightbulb Mathematics (601 beakers). I joined him to Rome instead. He added 16 beakers/turn and we'll break even on that in under 40 turns.
Turn 4 (685 AD) Pericles offered a good deal:
I jumped at it. He too was willing to trade Mathematics but also wanted Literature and Code of Laws, so I declined again.
Turn 5 (700 AD)
IBT: A barbarian city was captured by the Greeks. Our northern exploring Axeman had just glimpsed the borders of the barb city.
Turn 6 (715 AD) Cumae finished the Praetorian ordered up to keep the other one company. I sent the couple northwest on an expedition to seek out a possible barbarian city in hopes of giving them some experience points. I kinda got them interested in my notion by starting rumors about wild barbarian women living up that way who could not resist Italian men. There's a large corner of the continent there that appears to be unsettled. They'll meet up with our exploring Axeman when they arrive. Cumae started another Praetorian.
Ravena finished a Granary. Now that they can store their snacks, they started a Library. They can't grow past size 3 without a border pop so they really need the culture.
I interrupted the Courthouse at Antium and started a Forge as proposed above. So now we have a Courthouse and a Praetorian stacked up there (too many chefs?). I also have dispatched more workers to the area to start chopping for the Colossus. Mathematics would be really handy about now.
Turn 7 (730 AD) All those freakin' Libraries are starting to make our Scientists smarter and smarter:
Crossbowmen will provide some good protection against counter-attacking Macemen for our Praetorians.
I continued the beeline towards Optics by selecting Compass(5) next.
I whipped the Forge started at Antium last turn for 2 population points.
Turn 8 (745 AD) Rome and Carthage each finished their Forges and started to construct Barracks in hopes of encouraging their growing populations of Italian thugs to join the Army by giving them cool places to sleep. The workers at Carthage were a little more careful with fires around the forge this time, having observed the treatment applied to the careless worker the last time.
Antium also completed their Forge. Wishing to feel wonderful again, the people agreed to start the Colossus.
By now, the chopping was due to be completed over the next two turns. I rang up Pericles and offered a cheaper trade for us:
He took the deal. Knowing that he'd go straight to Hammy, I beat him to the punch:
Turn 9 (760 AD) Neapolis finished it's Library and in keeping with the established trend, began a Forge.
Turn 10 (775 AD) Cumae trained a Praetorian and started another. I sent the new one in pursuit of his comrades to join my grand expedition. The rumors are spreading.
The mine I started at Cumae is finished. They can now train a Praetorian in 3 instead of 4 turns.
S.ilver was right -- Cumae is a warmonger's dream HE city. I suggest chopping the hill north of that mine to speed up the forge that's being built there now.
We're growing well:
Turn 11 (790 AD) Carthage finished their Barracks and started training a Crossbowman.
Chopping is complete and I whipped the Colossus at Antium -- we'll be revolting to Caste System soon and they'll forget the whippings after a while.
Turn 12 (805 AD) We can find our way, now!
I continued the beeline to Optics by selecting ... er ... Optics(8).
Rome Completed their Barracks, started a Crossbowman. Why he's cross is beyond me.
The Antiumites are feeling Wonderful again:
(wierd, the movie stopped before the end. I had to click to get the interface back) Colossus picked us up a half-dozen gold/turn -- whoop-dee-doo.
I let the Courthouse move to the top of the queue.
My final whip was the Forum at Hadrumetum.
Turn 13 (820 AD) Antium completed the Courthouse and went back to training that Praetorian.
Cumae finished a Praetorian and started a Forge(8). We can speed that up with a chop.
Hadrumetum finished the Forum, started a Barracks(38).
I revolted to Caste System and we had a good random event in Rome.
Turn 14 (835 AD) Anarchy
Turn 15 (850 AD)
We're now running at 60% research with a positive cash flow. That knocked a turn off Optics, now due in 5 turns.
With all the building going on, I'm surprised to learn that we actually gained on the power curve:
We're at .7 ratio with Pericles and Hammy.
We're in 1st place in GNP and 2nd in production which may have something to do with our ability to pump out units while going on a building-binge.
We're lagging in food production but have plenty of happiness available. I suggest we discover Civil Service after Optics and start chain farming. CS will take 8 turns at our current rate which means we're cranking out almost 3 times the beakers that Hammy is right now.
We caught 2 spies on our border with Hammy. What does that Spy logo next to Hammy's name mean? I suspect it means we need to train some spies.
The save is below:
are nothing compared to what Greyfox would give you!!
/turn. I'd switch back to silver when the Granary came in. Ravena needs to chop some space for a farm desperately.
s only. We can finish that cottage after we own this continent. Does anyone mind if I place signs to remind everyone what the next improvements (2 mines and a farm) are needed there?
