Impressive analysis kenScott, considering the scarce info at your avail (screenshots and some description by mine). BTW, you probably are too pessimistic, or i'm too optimistic. I don't think that the technology run will be an issue, unless i screw up with the invasion. But i'll leave the agreement with Abe as a "plan B" in the case i find myself unable to wage the invasion on the iroquois land as i'm willing to do. A deity superpower, although broken, is not to be taken lightly.
The tech pace is quite slow now. It tooks a huge load of turns for America and Iroquois to master Steam Power. And i don't think that things are going to change. Bob is quite broken, and Abe cannot spend more than 100% of its income per turn in science, even with 3500 bucks in his coffers.
I agree with you that Abe is better left alone for now. But in a few turns after the invasion begins, those tiles owned by him can help in reach the domination limit, thus an assimilation of America is not to be excluded, even if in the long run it would be better to keep it as a possible source of science. There are good chances that the game will be decided in the
short run.
About moving the Palace, this time i disagree. I have a good core territory that is cranking up units at full efficience, and moving the palace would wreak havoc on those productive cities. So it's better to leave the capital where it is now and deal with possible flips in the usual way.
Thanks for the continue interest you're showing in this story. Your point of view is always useful. Keep reading!
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1375AD - The attack begins
Next turn, 9 galleons will be ready at full movement. But now, 7 of them are ready at least at 4/5 movement points, enough to reach the invasion point in 4 turns.
It's worth the money to spy on Persepolis again: 1 veteran cavalry, 1 regular knight, 1 veteran pike and 2 spears, a regular and an elite. And 3 ships: 2 frigates and 1 galley. But the rest of the picture is even more revealing:
The city is still starving. It will be size 3 on arrival, and 2 after conquest. It has 120 culture points, but no cultural improvement available. Bob is
really broke. He's already sold all the improvements in the city, and there's the possibility that some of the defenders will be sold as well. Amazingly, Bob isn't using the luxury slider. He's still spending 30% of its deficitary bugdet in research, and the rest is going into cash.
Here's the shot of the investigation on Persepolis:
Now let's investigate Pasagardae: 1 cavalry (veteran), 1 rifleman and 1 pikeman (both regular). And absolutely no culture. They didn't even manage to build a cultural improvement. But barracks and a courthouse are in the town. They would be useful for me once the city is captured.
Probably, i must expect 1 drafted rifleman extra in both the cities. They'll have 1 turn for reinforcing before the attack on the two cities take place. While still in Republic Bob can draft 1 unit each turn. Although drafting would put those 2 cities in civil disorder, my troops should be prepared for the worst case.
Seven galleons. 28 units. Likely enough to conquer those 2 lousy towns anyway. I'm sending 4 galleons toward Pasagardae and 3 toward Persepolis. The landing sites are very close each other, and an excess cavalry force outside a city can be employed to strike at the other city as well. What i really need is to define the right number of slow troops.
Pasagardae: there's the need to withstand a probable initial skirmish by the Iroquois. 6 rifleman and 4 cannons.
Persepolis: those 2 attackers are a little worrysome, but 2 riflemen should be enough to resist to them. 4 cannons will be deployed there as well.
Free slot remaining: 12. They'll be filled with cavalry units. Two stacks of 6 units, one for Persepolis and one for Pasagardae, with the option to come in aid of the other stack if necessary.
Two other galleons can sail for Persepolis and Pasagardae next turn. They would arrive when the cities are already conquered, and unload the troops directly into them. 8 more units with full movement available (probably the 2 combat settlers + 6 units).
Before taking a definitive decision, i deal with the non-critical tasks. Slaves are sent to work, production is checked in the cities. Taking into account a possible invasion on Oka and Kahnawake, i set Roma and Memphis to build 2 extra galleons. Remola and Thebes will train 1 extra rifleman each. Cavalries will come from the north.
Now the last issue of this turn: the trade treaty with the Iroquois has just expired. I'm giving them wines, spices and 2gpt in return for incense. I could negate Bob those 2 vital luxuries now and, perhaps, give him the lethal blow, but i prefer not, for the moment. An immediate denial could bring a general state of civil disorder, and this could trigger that moron into holding a revolution and switch to Monarchy. My troops would have to face a monarchic Iroquois nation, and this means 2 drafted riflemen each turn instead of 1, not counting the end of war weariness. Better keep this supply alive... strange situation
The die is cast. Galleons are loaded with units and sent east, escorted by frigates. That idiot of Bob is still toying with that clowny war with Persia, but the
true war has just begun.
Amazingly, the preparation has been quite short. Only 18 turns have passed since the end of the war with America, and in the meantime i disposed of the last Aztec settlement and assimilated the Greek city-state, which i donated to Persia later. In 1320 (11 turns ago) i estimated 60 turns to reach the domination limit, and i was wondering if it was an optimistic view.
The image: the roman fleet with its lethal cargo has just set the sails toward the Iroquois land, with "mixed" feelings...
Lots of debate around, let's solve something, from the easy to the difficult:
