Now THIS is a bad start!

Yea, you should be starving Corinth down to size 1. I think you've had a few turns already and it's still a size 11? Should have it down to size 8 now and heading down. Each time you starve it down a size it also takes away 1 resister so you are killing two birds with one stone. Get that city down to size 1 with a temple in it and you shouldn't have much of a flip issue. Could be too late though...

 

You could possibly rush some workers into Corinth to add to the population. More troops to queel the resistance, then afterwards, rush a settler, after that, disband the settler.

 

Why a settler? I think it would be better to rush workers if anything, so you at least get the slave worker units out of it. It's one less population point, sure, but think about all the work they could get done over the next millennia.

 

Why? This is totally counter productive. It's only the number of foreigners that's important, not the overall number of citizens.
Having free upkeep workers is worth millions in accumulated gold...

 

You can take out diety AI's eazsily like that I destroyed one with about ten archers very early

 

Take over the whole old world. Then finish off Babylon.

 

Hi you all!

I see the "Corinth affair" is generating more debate... alas, the reality is that i cannot do nothing about it
First, some reply. Yes, it's vanilla, and yes, foreign workers (and foreign settler) are for free. About this:

Sadly, it's true. A size 1 city with 1 foreigner is exactly the same as a size 20 city with 19 nationals and 1 foreigner, for the culture flip formula. Personally, i consider both the formula and the whole mechanism badly flawed. Not only for that reason, but mainly because it generate absurd results when it calculates the number of garrisoned troops needed to prevent the flip.

In Corinth, things couldn't have gone worse. In the first 2 turns, not only a single resistor has been quelled. Unlucky rolls, i guess. And since:
- resistors don't consume food
- resistors don't generate shields
- where there are resistors, things cannot be rushbuilded in any way
i'm stuck with 1 shield per turn. 10 turns only for a lousy worker.
Unless i garrison a large amount of troops in the city for several turns. But i would be at risk of flip anyway, and losing 20 or more troops now would be disastrous.

Then what? I think the only possible thing to do is to leave 1 defender in the city and park 3 or 4 legions just outside it. Then wait for the flip, then recapture it. The city will lose 1 pop every time it's conquered.

Now someone could ask me why i haven't razed it or why i'm not abandoning it. The answer is that i cannot. The set of extra rules i'm using (a small variant) forbid me to do such things. And intentional starving is forbidden too. I can only pop out foreign workers or settlers. Here are the rules:
- no city razing
- no starvation unless:
- 1) the governor is active and decide to do so
- 2) it's necessary to avoid rioting.
- only cities size 1 can be abandoned
- only foreign settlers can build cities.
- turn reload is allowed if there are at least 2*n troops and the city flips, being n the number of citizen. This factor is raised to 3*n if there are resistors or if the city is in civil disorder.
This variant has not been implemented from the start, but after i popped a foreign settler from a conquered city (i hoped it was a national). It was about 900BC.

To lessen the flip threat, i need to take Sparta ASAP. Moving away the enemy capital will help. And that's exactly what i'm going to do

No update yesterday i went out with some friends, we had "some" wine and, well, i went home a bit alcoholic... so i wasn't in the right mood to play hehehe. Don't worry, i'm playing a few turns right now

That's exactly what i intend to do . Any bet on the date?

 

610AD - Operation Santorini, phase two

My plan for assimilation of Greece have been changed in accord to the new strategic scenario. I couldn't afford a combined strike of multiple objective, so i choosed a single target a concentrates my forces on it. I took Corinth, but that damned city is giving me more troubles than else.

Now, capturing Sparta is paramount. Defenses will be formidable, but at least the city is built on an open terrain and not in a damned hill! Muskets defending at 7, Hoplites at 5. It could have been worse.

With a projected defense force of 8/9 units, casualties are very likely to be enormous. I plan to toss in the fight 25 legion companies, supported by a pair of pikes and some archers and some catapults. Pikes and archers will wander around and try tu lure eventual attacking units, like swords or longbows, into leaving the fortifications of the city.

My combined forces, at the moment, are short of 5 legions and some catapults, but i cannot delay the attack too much. Reinforcements are on the way, in the meantime the skirmishes continue. A longbow killed a legion south of Heliopolis, but was disposed by another legionary. A hoplite tried to infiltrate in the grasslands west of Athens, but was welcomed by my artillery. Big things are coming.

620AD - a longbow from Thermopylae kill another legion, but it's later sent to hell. Now i can drop the blockade. Two horsemen have arrived in Heliopolis, and now i can let those pesters to enter my territory. Mountains are still blocked so harassers have to invade the plains, where they can be weakened by catapults and dispatched with horsemen.

Some greek units have left Athens for the north. My pikemen fortified on a hill NE of Sparta spotted a longbow, a hoplite and 2 muskets. Strange. I guess Monty is giving Alex some real pain. The relocation may mean that Alex is falling short of troops and he's already feeling the effects of war weariness. Exactly what i want.

I decide to move my troops.

The first Roman army cross the border from Corinth. 10 legions and 4 archers reach the fortified pikeman on the hill. 3 legions are left just outside the city to deal with an eventual flip.

The invasion from Athens is even more formidable. 12 single legions, a division of 3 legionary companies and 3 catapults. They reach the hills just south of the 1st army and prepare to invade the open plains. Big things are coming.

In the interturn, another hoplite venture into the hinterland of Athens. More work for our catapults and horsemen.

The important news is that American have discovered Navigation and are building the Magellan Voyage. It's time to share with them my maps of the New World and have them meet the indigenous populations, since they would gain this knowledge anyway in a few turns. There's a chance to get a tech from Abe. Invention would be perfect, since it would allow me to extort Gunpowder from Alex once i finish beating him. Let's go.

Abe, i'm happy to share with you my world maps. And i'm glad to introduce you Bob of the Iroquois, Jason of Babylon and Mario of the Persians. In return, would you like to give me knowledge of Invention? What? You also want gold? All right, you damn leech! Here's 300 bucks for you, but you have to toss in YOUR world map. Is it ok? Agreed.

Now let's go dealing with Aztecs. Hi Monty, i've heard from our spi.. er, diplomats that your fine scientists have just discovered Chivalry. Would you trade this tech for the knowledge of Invention? You say ok? Of course it is ok, you rotten arsehole, you're gaining a lot with this trade. Anyway, the deal is made. Now pick your machete, free myself from your stinking presence and go back chopping some jungle. Damn sucker.

--------------

Pause now, it's lunch time. In today's shot, my new battle plan for the conquest of Sparta. Blue lines are the "good" ones. The yellow path at a first glance seems better (more protection for the invading troops), but actually it's worse, since i would have to attack Sparta after crossing a river. Amazingly, Corinth is still mine.

--------------
EDIT: the two dates of this post were wrong. They are 610 and 620, not 620 and 630. Corrected now.

 

Not true. Settlers are a high value target for the AI and you can use the settler to play games with their units while they're coming towards your base. Thats what I do anyways. If you rush away the foreigners the city will be less likely to culture flip. If this is something that is an immediate concern then you want to get rid of as many of them as possible. Maybe you don't have 2 or 3 turns to rush a few workers and one worker might not be good enough. A settler diminishes the city by 2 in a single turn and that could mean the difference between whether or a not city flips or not. Afterwards, you put your own workers in and grow the city with your own people.

It may seem counter-productive to you, but to me its a matter of whether or not keeping a city is worth it.

 

I'm curious to know why you haven't occupied the wine outside Pharsalos?? If he's in war weariness and loses those wines his cities will go into chaos!!

 

Someone has caught me pants down...

Because i'm dumb. I was so deeply concentrated about culture flipping chances, plans for the attack, placement of troops, micromanaging, trading maps, looking for techs discovered by AS and so on, that i overlooked that stinking wine tile in the greek territory for several turns.
Second serious mistake of the game. I hope it's the last.
-----------------------------------------------------------


630AD - Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!

Little things happened during the interturn. Another hoplite ventured into my land. Two longbows are stationed in the hills north and south of Sparta. My troops are moving toward the greek capital. I've given my troops some last-minute orders, another little change from the original battle plan. The main forces of the 1st army have moved east instead of SE. Why? A sort of further insurance. In case the 1st attack fails, i can at least send some troops north and NW to block possible reinforcements from Delphi, thus easing an eventual second attack. But i REALLY hope it won't be necessary...

Two extra legions from Athens have been sent invading the irrigated grassland SE of Sparta. I hope to lower its population and lure some greek pukes into attacking them. For the same reason, a pike and an archer have been sent harassing some other fertile territory NE of Sparta. We'll see quite soon if it was a wise move or not. A last legion is now fortified into the mountain NE of Pharsalos. He'll be useful to track greek movements from south.

In the meantime, the harassing hoplite has been redlined by catapults. A legion is sent to deliver him the final blow. All my horsemen were upgraded into Knights. Lots of money, but well spent. They'll be quite useful in the upcoming battles. And finally, Corinth is still mine and is due to complete a worker this turn. Will i manage to avoid the flip?

I hit enter. As expected, the longbows around Athens attack my harassing legions. One of them kill without even losing an hit point. Another one attacks and fails. A third one kill my second legionary.
Good anyway. Two units less defending Sparta. Longbows are 4/2/1 in this game, they would have defended at 3 if garrisoned in the town.

To the south, an other longbow venture out of Thermopylae and dare attack a fortified legion on a mountain. The legionary survives and get promoted.

I got a pop-up warning me that Jason has started building Bach's Cathedral. Music Theory for Babylon? Nice thing. Hi Jason, i've heard that your lousy empire has finally managed to discover a new tech. Would you award me with Music Theory in return of Engineering? Oh, how nice! Thank you very much. Now go to hell. Oh, mighty RNG gods! Please bless humble tR1cKy and let him poop a leader in the next battle...


640AD - My troops charge toward Sparta. Catapults manage to weaken 2 defending muskets, then legions charge. Sparta is captured, but once again my casualties were enormous, even worse than i was expecting. Seven veteran musket companies were defending Sparta, and they fought heroically 'till death. Of the 25 units attacking, only 8 managed to survive. 17 legions killed, including my newly formed batallion, 3 coordinated companies under the command of General Scipio. Legends about the valor and courage of Spartans soldiers were not told in vain.

The Hanging Gardens and the Sistine Chapel are in my hands now. WLTKD in several towns next turns. And Sparta has functional barracks and a marketplace. Money for my coffers and a quick healing for my wounded troops. Good.

Corinth is still mine, and has finally pooped a worker. Greek, of course. RNG gods have screwed me a lot in the battle of Sparta, but have been merciful with Corinth. Now its cultural pressure from Greece is quite loosened. Obviously, i'm now facing the very same problem on Sparta. 8 tiles under foreign control. It's now a battle against time to prevent the city flipping. I need to strike at Pharsalos as soon as i can, and then go conquering Delphi. But now the remnants of the greek republic are cut into pieces. Communication lines are no more, except for naval ones. If i strike quickly, Pharsalos won't have a chance to get reinforcements.

I can have 5 knights, 4 legions and 1 catapult ready to attack Pharsalos next turn, and the city is on a grassland. I don't expect more than 4 defenders garrisoned. Should i gamble? Next turn, 2 more catapults and some extra legions would be available. I decide to move the troops to cut out that wandering hoplite outside the city, then i'll decide.

In the interturn, a longbow from Pharsalos attacks a legion and dies, but the legionary is redlined. He'll be left where it is as a bait. If there are other longbows in Pharsalos, they'll probably try to finish him. But nothing happens.


650AD - Pharsalos. What should i do? I think that losing 1 or 2 units trying to estimate the enemy forces wouldn't be a tragedy. I can always stop the attack and wait for reinforcements if things go bad.

The visible defender is a veteran musketman. The catapult bombards and fails.
The first knight is sent to attack. Losing only 1 hitpoint, it kills the musketman. Now a regular musketman shows up.
The second knight is sent. It retreats redlined, and the musket is at 2/3 now. Another regular shows up.
The third knight attacks. Once again, redlined, and musket at 2/3. But the damaged musketman remains visible!!!

These are great news. No more that 2 musketmen at 2/3 are defending the town, and there are no hoplites at veteran level or above. But i can't tell if there are some weaker units inside. I think the situation is worth spending at least another knight...


The 4th knight charges, and is killed. The musket is redlined.
The 5th knight charges. Same as above. But the redlined musket is still visible.

No hoplites then. And no longbows at well. Those 2 redlined muskets are all that remains of the city defenders, and i have still 4 legionaries ready to attack, 3 veterans and 1 elite. Chances are on my side now.

The elite legion attacks and kills the redlined musketman.
A veteran legion attacks. It's redlined but gets promoted... and walks into the town! Pharsalos is captured! I guess i've been a little lucky this time...

There's still a hoplite wandering in the plain just outside Athens. Catapults redlines it, and a legion completes the task.

Workers are sent to road some strategic tiles. Next turn, optimal routes between Sparta and Corinth and between Athens and Pharsalos will be available.

My next target will obviously be Delphi. I've not finished the turn yet, i need to readjust production is some cities and dispatch the remaining free troops. After a pause, a coffee and a smoke. I need to enjoy myself sometimes

In the shot, my northern territory in 650AD, after the successful battle of Pharsalos.

 

A former lurker shows his face You're doing great on this one, dude. Interesting - I learn a lot.

 

Roman patriots have secured an additional source of wine for your beloved citizens to drink and make merry. A source of iron appears safe and secure and will fuel the ironsmith's sacred art of fashioning swords, shields, and eating utensils. Danger still looms for the enterprising Roman people... what is this mysterious power that make the Greeks such fierce defenders... theoreticians regard it as saltpeter and have yet to discover its properties and locations...

Obscurity surrounds an underground group of rogue philosophers and inventors who are designing something called the printing press. civil disobedience is on the rise as faint whispers are being echoed on the street about a new form of government called Democracy...

 

@kenScott: good style! It fits perfectly with the story. You are welcome to contribute whenever you feel inspired.

@Fjonis: thanx! And don't miss the next update. You can learn another lesson, about the possible consequences of a reckless attitude toward a fight...

I'm writing the log right now, and i'll post it in a few minutes. But first i have to bang my head on the wall for a little... Stay tuned folks!

 

660AD - Operation Santorini, phase three

In the interturn, another lousy longbow has popped from Thermopylae and attacked a fortified pukeman on a mountain... go figure. In the northern front, a musketman is sent harassing my wheat floodplain tile NW of Sparta. 4 catapults weaken it, then a legion delivers the final blow. Alex is willing to waste the few troops he's left with. Good for me.

I secured the golden mountain two tiles west from Sparta. It will be the route for my invading troops. I used a longbow, in the hope to lure some attackers in Delphi into trying to recapture the tile.

I did nothing else, apart from building the planned roads and moving some troops toward Sparta. Reinforcement are still coming. A new knight company has just arrived, and the survived ones are healing. In the New World, Mario of the Persians has just lost the city of Arbela to the Iroquois. And no conquered Babylonian cities are willing to flip back to Jason.

Monty has lost control of its iron supply and consequently he's unable to build more jags. Good for me. There are 9 turns left of peace with Aztland and, obviously, they will be my next target once i get rid of Greece. Alex has founded another colony, far away in the middle of the ocean. This means that i can grab Thermopylae too before signing peace. I'll consider the idea.

Troops in Sparta still need to regain full strength. I'll face the risk of cultural flip and have them garrisoned for another turn. I cross the fingers and hit enter... nothing happens.

Another stinking musketman come to harass a hill north of Sparta. Alex, you would better keeps all your troops defending Delphi... anyway, if you're so dumb good for me.

At this point, i don't feel the need to be too cautious about attacking Delphi. I need to take that city ASAP, and a failed attack wouldn't be a disaster. And then, it's quite unprobable that Delphi has a strong garrison like those in Athens of Sparta.

Legions in Sparta have healed and it's time to move them. An "emergency team" of 2 legions, 2 longbows and 3 catapults is parked on the wheat tile NW of Sparta. They'll be used in case the city flips. A lonely damaged legionary is left into the city. The rest of the troops is moved on the golden hill hold by the guarding longbowman. Every other unit at full hit points that can reach the gathering point in time is sent there. 7 legions, 5 of them elite, 2 longbowmen, 3 knights and 6 catapults. There is nothing left to do but end the turn.

Another longbow from Thermopylae attack the very same pukeman, and this time it manages to damage it. The pike is moved into Elephantine where it can heal quickly. A garrisoned legion is sent in its place. The musketman north of Sparta don't pillage my hill nor it try to return home. It moves on a unroaded hill north instead. Mysteries of the AS.

Useless to say, my troops are moving toward Delphi. The emergency team outside Athens, 2 longbows and 2 legions, is sent on the golden mountain. Other troops take their place. A knight from Pharsalos join the party. The whole army previously amassed there advance on the open plains and prepare to deliver the blow. Next turn they'll be marching into Delphi.

690AD - Troubles never come alone

Something bad has happened. Athens has gone into civil disorder and in some cities the WLTKD has ended. I check and see that i no more have a supply of spices from Monty. The trade route between Rome and Aztland is interrupted, and so is our alliance against Greece. Probably a greek pester has pillaged a road in Aztland... no problem. I'll readjust the production and be fine.

I finally concluded the research on a Printing Press technology, but those American pukes have already discovered it! No premium tech to trade, then. I start to research Banking, but i don't count too much on being the first to discover it.

My valiant soldiers charge toward Delphi.

Catapults deliver their lethal blows. Not too letal this time. 2 veteran muskets are damaged, but another one shows up undamaged. There are at least 3 of them.

A knight charge and kill the third musketman, losing only 1 hitpoint. But a fourth veteran show up. I toss in a longbow. Killed. The defender lose only 1 hitpoint. And the count isn't finished yet: a fifth musket, veteran and undamaged, is there to welcome my soldiers. I send the 2nd longbow. Same story. Attacker killed, defender at 3/4. But this time no other muskets show up.

Five veteran musketmen defending. Worse than expected. One is killed, the remaining four are all at 3/4 hitpoints. Troops left for attack: 3 knights, 7 legions. I feel that i could have been too temerarious this time.

I order the remaining 3 knights to charge. The outcome is disastrous, all 3 killed. On the greek front, 1 musket is redlined, another one lose an hp but is promoted elite. There is a not-so-little chance that i'll lose this fight.

The first legionary charges, and kill a musketman. 3 stinkers left, for 6 legions. 28 hitpoints for me, 7 for the muskets. I decide to toss the remaining troops into the fight. And my decision turns to be wrong. At the end of the slaughter, one elite musketman still resists in Delphi, redlined but alive. And next turn it will be again at full hitpoints. For the first time in history, Roman attackers have been repealed.

I send reinforcement for the next turn. 1 knight, 1 legion and 2 longbows. Two more units will be able to sustain a second attack. And i still have those 6 catapults. But those 3 knight companies lost won't be easy to forget.

What to say more? I think i simply had a streak of bad luck. First with research, then with the supply of silks, and finally with the fight. Ok, i could have been more careful. But now it's too late to say it.

Today's shot is self-explicative, i guess...

 

@kenScott: 30 shields will either get you three workers free of upkeep, or one foreign settler, which can found a flip-prone city. To me that's a no-brainer, YMMV.

 

700AD - Operation Santorini, phase four

The surviving musketman in Delphi is bombarded by catapults and weakened to 3/5 hitpoints. Then, finally, a knight charges and kill it. Delphi is mine, at least. And now i own the Great Wall, the most useless wonder in the game.

A Greek great leader was killed. I'll never know if it would have rushed a wonder... to hell with such nonsense! I've captured Delphi and that's what really matters. A greek galley has pooped a longbow on a mountain near Delphi, and a veteran musket is on the road. Next turn it would have joined the defense. Now it will be dispatched by my troops. Catapults bomb, and an elite legion finishes the job. A second regular musket has materialized on the hill south of Sparta. I haven't extra catapults to bomb it, so i'll let him pillage. Next turn i won't be so merciful.

5 turns left before peace with Monty expires. In the meantime, i can go to knock at the last important city of the former Greek Empire, Thermopylae.

I'm going to use knights and longbows to capture Thermopylae. Excess legionaries will be amassed in the northern towns of Sparta and Corinth, ready to invade Atzland. Surviving knights are moved to Heliopolis, and more are being trained. Legions garrisoned in Heliopolis are headed north, where they'll join their fellow comrades.

An elite legionary is moved on the mountain 2 tiles east of Thermopylae. He will be useful to monitor greek troops around. That city has at least one veteran musketman into it. I'm glad they are the last ones.

I'm building 2 settlers in Sparta and Pharsalos. They'll be useful to grab some extra land from Aztland before war is declared. The advance in the aztec territory will benefit from two temporary forts on the frontier.

In the interturn, nothing worth reporting happens. Next turn the harassing musket is easily dispatched. Troops relocation proceed as in the schedule. A lazy turn, the first from centuries. I hit enter once again.
The last of a countless number of greek longbows attack a fortified legion on a mountain. The attacker is killed, the legion wounded but promoted. Alex needs to be lectured about defense bonuses, i guess...

My battle plan is simple. Move catapults, longbowmen and the pikeman from Heliopolis to the mountain tile in the greek territory, now controlled by the elite legion. Next turn advance into the open plains, while knights fro Heliopolis will move on the mountain. Third turn, combined strike.


720AD - The final blow to Greece

The attack begins. The 'slow' units move to the mountains. To the north, i kill the last greek longbow still wandering around Sparta.

Next turn the slow units advance on the plains and knights ride to the mountain tile.

In 740AD the Roman Army delivers its final blow to Greece. The catapults weaken 1 veteran musket. The mounted units charge.

Our knights suffer heavy casualties. 3 killed, 3 redlined. But the 3 defenders in Thermopylae are all redlined. 2 longbow and 1 legion left. 3 attacker for 3 defenders. The defenders are stronger, but the attackers are 1 elite and 2 veterans at full hitpoints, while all defenders are at minimum strength.

My recklessness has costed me a failure on Delphi, but hey! This in not a good reason to turn into a coward! Roman soldiers, for the glory of our Empire, CHARGE!

The elite legion attacks. Hitpoints go down and down, while the valiant defender still resists. The legion is redlined, but finally it kills its opponent. Two defender left.

The first longbow attacks. It loses 1 hitpoint, then kills the musketman an get promoted. A lone defender left, with a measley 1hp.

The second longbow attacks. It gets some damage, but wins and walk boldly into the conquered city. Thermopylae is mine.

All that remains of the once great nation of Greece is Knossos, a worthless town on a small island in the middle of nowhere. Now, let's offer peace to poor Alex.

Hello, Alex. Your days as a great ruler are gone forever. Your once great empire is no more. Your ex-citizens are going to become loyal servants of the Roman Crown. They'll give their contribute for the greatness of our Empire. Are you happy? You aren't? Whatever. I'm here to offer you a generous peace treaty between our nations. The terms are simple: you give me everything you've got, and i let you live for now. Do you agree? What? These are your premium techs? I know it, and that's precisely the reason why i want them, you moron. Hand them over and we'll be fine. WHAT? You cannot hand them over for nothing? Ok, what if i send you a dozen legion companies to your lousy island, is it a fair price for you? Money? Holy crap! All right, my coffers are overflowing and i cannot be bothered sending a punitive force half world away to teach you properly who's strong and who's weak. I have more important things to do. 45 golds per turn, or my legions. Choose quickly, i'm a busy man. You say you'll take the gold? All right, the deal is made. Now disappear from my sight before i start kicking your butt, you worthless puke. What? This is your house? All right, i'm leaving then.

I come home with the knowledge of Gunpowder and Astronomy. I have two sources of saltpeter on my lands. Good. I think it's the time to craft a battle plan for the incorporation of Aztland. Monty's land is still for the most part, a disease-ridden jungle. I think i'm doing a favor to those losers if i take over their land. They will be living better under the Roman Crown.


Now it's time to tour around to see how my opponents are performing. In the New World, the Iroquois have conquered Susa and Ashur. Persia is being seriously beaten by the overwhelming forces of Bob of the Iroquois. And Babylon is stuck with those 2 cities. Surprisingly, not one of the former Babylonian cities conquered by the Iroquois has flipped back.

All 3 of them are backwards. Bob still lacks Engineering, and all the techs above Education. Persia is in an even worse shape. He lacks Engineering and Theology. Babylon lacks Invention, Printing Press and Astronomy. It's a long way to go before having musketmen. Persia and Iroquois have iron, so they can build knight and pukeman (and immortals, for Persia). Babylon lacks iron so it's still stuck with bowmen.

Egypt and Greece aren't even worth considering.

Aztland. As i said, still a disease-ridden jungle. They must have suffered heavy pillaging from the Greeks, since a good part of their "clear" territory is unroaded and undeveloped. They haven't reconnected their souce of iron yet, and they lack horses. They're stuck with spearmen and longbows. No jaguars, no knights. I think it's the right time to attack them.

What is worrying me now is America. Seven centuries ago, i described them as a people with a marginal role in history. Well, they are no more. They have iron, horses and saltpeter, and this means knights and musketmen. They are leaders in technology. With Navigation, they can trade with anyone in the world. And with Chemistry, they're only 2 tech away from mastering Military Tradition. When we'll meet again in battle, i risk to face american Blue Coats. Then, they own Sun Tzu in Washington and Copernicus in New York. Veterans units everywhere without the need of building barracks and a good science outcome. And their culture is significant and growning. Conquered towns will be at high risk of flip.

What to do now? First, every pikeman company will be upgraded with muskets. Second, troops will be re-deployed. Some knights will be sent north, a few others will be left in 2 key points of the southern empire, to deal with eventual Aztec pesters coming from their galleys. A few naval units will be built. And some cultural buildings are also required. But my main spending is still on the military.

It's 740AD now. One turn left for the expiring of peace treaty with Monty, but i'm going to delay the invasion for the turns necessary to build the two forts on the border and move legions to their gathering points. I'm at peace with everyone now. I don't remember the last turn i wasn't at war with someone... anyway, these peace times will not last long.

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In the picture, a collage of 2 different screenshots. Top image: my battle plan for the conquest of Thermopylae. Yellow lines are the "slow" troops, blue lines are the knights. Numbers represent the turns. Bottom image: the last remnant of the greek empire, an island town in the middle of the ocean.

More big things are coming. Stay tuned for Operation Cortès. Seeya dudes!

 

I like the pukemen!

Congrats on crushing Alex!

 

Egyptians still alive???

 

Yea, knock that last Egyptian city out so they are out of the way.