Thanks for the input guys
Yes, chopping now very much under way. Maybe sooner if I'd skipped AH and not diverted to WH but I didn't want to pre-empt having an actual target to rush - I knew it'd be possible cos I'd skimmed the thread but I felt it a bit gamey to go for Q straight away when I hadn't seen my target. I also first met Musa whose Skirmishers don't look all that rushable which flung a little more doubt my way. Anyway up to turn 75
Once I had Writing I OB with Will, soon saw Amsterdam and decided to go for it ASAP with whatever I had. Had 6 Q in the end and lost another 4 I think. I'd switched out prod to Q at turn 51 so I had some more coming and pushing on to Utrecht seemed a good idea. He wasted his archer and warrior attacking my Q in the woods so it fell pretty easily. I was relieved to be at land's end too. I don't need yet another open border to fog bust - not when I wasn't FBing my others. I beelined priest hood but forgot I'd want masonry to help build oracle so diverted 2 turns to tech that. Oracle was now underway but so quick it'd be finished before CoL was teched. I already had Cuz running 2 boffins but it was still a little difficult to slow Oracle enough. I stopped to rush a Q as well. Probably unnecessary but I'd moved the garrison out to bait a barb warrior into attacking it in the woods and didn't want to risk AI getting lucky. I timed it nicely and I now have CS before 1000bc but was nervous I'd lose the race to the Oracle because of the hold up. I've revolted into bureau. Point taken about Istambul being short of food for a capital. I thought I could farm 4 grass when I got irrigation but I've decided to cottage instead. Besides Ist is unlikely to remain at the centre given I only have E and N as my major direction for expansion.
Tiw spent a few turns and a chop or two on the Mids but I've now transferred it to Ist. Seems cheezy once again to go for mids but there's a lot of chop available, early rep means I can avoid Mon and the fail gold would be just fine too. The odd GE may be handy too. Tiw is now on a CH. Utrecht and Amster are building terraces and I'll start to whip workers once finished. Cuz is on a settler.
I'm not too keen to crash my econ any further but with a border pop spot Z would access sugar, stone for mids and banana. Sure two are dependent on IW and Cal so it's maybe a bit too long term for now. Stone would be nice though. A terrace could be chopped easily enough. There's a plethora of good spots inside my empire too with either or both of the X spots closing up the gap nicely. I'm stuck FB there otherwise I think.
I met Justin just before I was about to convert to Jud which has made me hold back and I was moving my Confu missionary to a Q to go off an evangelise somewhere when I bumped into Fred. He has no rel so perfect to spread Confu to him and have both Musa and Justine hate him. I can then pick to be friends with musa or fred or maybe Justin if he pulls his finger out and spreads Bud to me. Fred looks very much like my next victim. If he has metal I guess my Q will be obsolete but someone mentioned they upgrade to macemen and metalworking and machinery are not so far away. 1ad Macemen should walk all over him.
RIght now I have a GS 3 turns away. Usually I'll bulb Phil for a headstart in the Lib race but with Mach meaning I can't bulb Lib with another GS maybe an academy is a better bet? I'm teching Alpha because i think that bulbing would be waste. I need currency too I think and Alpha will help that. After that I can think whether to go for MC and Mach or divert to Cal first.
I did wonder if Just and Fred have been there all along or have spawned recently cos I've killed two AI already. Can the game do this?
Ta for reading
Yes, chopping now very much under way. Maybe sooner if I'd skipped AH and not diverted to WH but I didn't want to pre-empt having an actual target to rush - I knew it'd be possible cos I'd skimmed the thread but I felt it a bit gamey to go for Q straight away when I hadn't seen my target. I also first met Musa whose Skirmishers don't look all that rushable which flung a little more doubt my way. Anyway up to turn 75
Spoiler :
Once I had Writing I OB with Will, soon saw Amsterdam and decided to go for it ASAP with whatever I had. Had 6 Q in the end and lost another 4 I think. I'd switched out prod to Q at turn 51 so I had some more coming and pushing on to Utrecht seemed a good idea. He wasted his archer and warrior attacking my Q in the woods so it fell pretty easily. I was relieved to be at land's end too. I don't need yet another open border to fog bust - not when I wasn't FBing my others. I beelined priest hood but forgot I'd want masonry to help build oracle so diverted 2 turns to tech that. Oracle was now underway but so quick it'd be finished before CoL was teched. I already had Cuz running 2 boffins but it was still a little difficult to slow Oracle enough. I stopped to rush a Q as well. Probably unnecessary but I'd moved the garrison out to bait a barb warrior into attacking it in the woods and didn't want to risk AI getting lucky. I timed it nicely and I now have CS before 1000bc but was nervous I'd lose the race to the Oracle because of the hold up. I've revolted into bureau. Point taken about Istambul being short of food for a capital. I thought I could farm 4 grass when I got irrigation but I've decided to cottage instead. Besides Ist is unlikely to remain at the centre given I only have E and N as my major direction for expansion.
Tiw spent a few turns and a chop or two on the Mids but I've now transferred it to Ist. Seems cheezy once again to go for mids but there's a lot of chop available, early rep means I can avoid Mon and the fail gold would be just fine too. The odd GE may be handy too. Tiw is now on a CH. Utrecht and Amster are building terraces and I'll start to whip workers once finished. Cuz is on a settler.
I'm not too keen to crash my econ any further but with a border pop spot Z would access sugar, stone for mids and banana. Sure two are dependent on IW and Cal so it's maybe a bit too long term for now. Stone would be nice though. A terrace could be chopped easily enough. There's a plethora of good spots inside my empire too with either or both of the X spots closing up the gap nicely. I'm stuck FB there otherwise I think.
I met Justin just before I was about to convert to Jud which has made me hold back and I was moving my Confu missionary to a Q to go off an evangelise somewhere when I bumped into Fred. He has no rel so perfect to spread Confu to him and have both Musa and Justine hate him. I can then pick to be friends with musa or fred or maybe Justin if he pulls his finger out and spreads Bud to me. Fred looks very much like my next victim. If he has metal I guess my Q will be obsolete but someone mentioned they upgrade to macemen and metalworking and machinery are not so far away. 1ad Macemen should walk all over him.
RIght now I have a GS 3 turns away. Usually I'll bulb Phil for a headstart in the Lib race but with Mach meaning I can't bulb Lib with another GS maybe an academy is a better bet? I'm teching Alpha because i think that bulbing would be waste. I need currency too I think and Alpha will help that. After that I can think whether to go for MC and Mach or divert to Cal first.
I did wonder if Just and Fred have been there all along or have spawned recently cos I've killed two AI already. Can the game do this?
Ta for reading