PHAW 1.5: Rise of the Queen Mother Reprise (WL)

[pholkhero]

. . . found my Warlords disc . . .

PHAW 1.5: Rise of the Queen Mother Reprise
Warlords Edition

Civilization: Catherine the Great of Russia
Rivals: 6 Angry Warlords + 2 Ol’ Standbys (Alexander, Augustus, Bismarck, Churchill, Hannibal, Ragnar, Shaka & Stalin)
Difficulty: Prince
Map: Pangea, Natural coastline
Mapsize: Standard, Cylindrical
Climate: Temperate
Water level: Normal
Starting Era: Ancient
Speed: Epic
Victory Conditions: All enabled, but we can only win by Conquest
Variant settings: Always War, Raging Barbs, Blake’s AI 01/08 Build (as far as I know, the most stable, no?) the download can be found here (h/t Zophos)

Roster:
1. Pholkhero
2. Frankcor
3. Ozbenno
4. Ruff Hi
5. Zophos
6. Cabledawg

Start to come in an hour or so.

The last slot is open for anyone, though anyone from the original RotQM will get preference. I'll also need one alternate in case Ruff can't play.

 

[pholkhero]

And the start . . .


I won't be able to play tonight, so at least everyone will have a chance to check in and comment before i play tomorrow night.

 

[Ozbenno]

Checking in!

Pity Catherine lost financial in Warlords as this is a decent commerce city. Pity cossacks are nerfed as well but they were a tad overpowered

Possibly research Archery or Animal Husbandry first, build warrior then worker.

 

[Zophos]

Dusting off my Warlords disc and checking in.

Not the best start I've seen, but livable. I'd either settle in place (trusting Blake's map-gen fixes), or maybe on the hills to the NE for the defense and hammer bonus. Perhaps the Scout could go N-NW to see what's up there (tundra?)

We have Hunting, so we could go worker-first (or warrior-worker) and research BW and AH to get those cows on-line and let us start chopping things. We want to clear out the squares adjacent to our start before the heavy combat starts (and thus before Math), so we might as well get use of those bonus hammers ASAP. Plus it's always nice to know where the metal is.

We want to have the Scout do at least one loop around our start before it heads off into the world. I can't decide if it's better to fully explore nearby (and avoid making enemies too soon), or get a bead on the enemy locations earlier. Guess I'll just wait and blame you if it's wrong.

And please check my logic (on anything) since I haven't played in about 4 months.

BTW, Pholk, how do you have the BlakeAI mod installed? Is it a mod, or directly in the CustomAssets folder? Since we'll all have to match your setup, IIRC.

 

[Ozbenno]

We have Hunting, so we could go worker-first (or warrior-worker) and research BW and AH to get those cows on-line and let us start chopping things.

On Epic speed, we could lose to a wandering AI warrior, we HAVE to build a warrior first.

Good point about BW as well for chopping.

Archery is important in AW and if you get them out early you can cause some damage to the AI.

 

[ruff_hi]

I think you guys have missed the boat
You will have to stop playing by rote
This game is all about reporting in rhyme
To not comment this way is a crime

[checking in!]

 

[Ozbenno]

Actually ruff I think you're wrong
We are not in verse or song
That may be for ROTQM4
Which we keenly wait for

 

[Zophos]

@Ruff -

Our reports in this fabulous game
Should be normal, if it's all the same,
For to write them in verse
Would be SO much worse
Than our usual flavor of lame.

IOW, what Oz said.

@Oz - You're right, I forgot this was on Epic speed. Warrior first then, but I stand behind BW and AH as good first techs.

 

[pholkhero]

yes indeed, this is rhyme-free
that is for Rise 4, you see
right now, it's time just to make plans
and play a game for all-war fans

so no more silly talk of rhyme
we just do not have the time
with loss after loss in previous games
i'd like to win this, if its all the same(s)

~ i agree on settling in place. With all those hills, forest, and flood plains, it looks like a good production city.

Definitely warrior first, then maybe worker-warrior. I also think that, though i've found Bronze is a LOT harder to find near player starts, BW is still the smart way to go for the chops and whips. Then head towards Archery or Husbandry I think, no?

personally, i like to explore the immediate area to find suitable sites quickly, and then head off to meet the AIs and put them on war footing. However, with all the units the AI seems to make with Blake, it may pay to keep try and get the jump on them in any way possible. [btw, I have Blake's installed in my (Ruff) Custom Assets]

 

[berserks01]

This is very tempting,
I just wish I have the right timing,
to join this game now,
but I won't have time til 2 weeks from now

 

[Cabledawg]

Do you have room for me to join?
If I join will I have to pay Ozbenno coin to touch my groin?
Do I have to conjoin a beef and pork loin to join?
Wheres the beef?

 

[pholkhero]

actually, he doesn't require payment ~

you're in!

 

[Ozbenno]

@Cabledawg

@Everyone - stop all this rhyming I mean it

 

[Zophos]

Anybody want a peanut?
[/Fezzik]

 

[GreyFox]

Lurker:
Ha, I actually love the rhyme .... ...

 

[pholkhero]

It is a crime
to be a slime
and rhyme, and rhyme and rhyme and rhyme

'specially when the oz says so
he'll touch it for you, you know
it's only costs a buck fifteen
five bucks more to tickle your spleen ~

played, crafting report now ~

 

[Ozbenno]

The moderators will close us down
Causing all of us to moan and frown
If pholk and the dawg keep up their filthy rhymes
(meet you out the back with your buck and dime)

 

[pholkhero]

Okay, i founded on the spot as I said I would:

Went right for BW and a warrior, too. BW in 20, size 2 in 11, Warrior in 22.

Our scout went southeast and nabbed a goody hut several turns later.

A modest chunk of change, but better than a stick in the eye

He later discovers Greece:


And is seen fleeing Alex's bedroom


Two turns later, the Zulus and Russians show up through the . . .ahem. . . backdoor:


200 years later, in 3670, our scout discovers Germany to our SW:


And then Ulundi to our DIRECT west!

This city site spells trouble, methinks. Trouble . . . if we don't capture it! I propose capturing this as our first strategic goal. The Zulus, esp if they have bronze, are going to be murder. Plus, we're in the middle ~ a poor luck of the draw, but ~ we should take the city to put our back against something in a sense. But that's up for group discussion.

Ahh, in 3400, bronze working comes in:


Well, here's the Bronze:

Make's taking Ulundi a higher priority I think.

Whaddayathink?

A stretch, but . . .

Our warrior was also finished, too. I a little bit b/c i didn't change the production right when we got to pop2, but we got it a *bit* sooner.

**to be continued**

 

[pholkhero]

Now, then, after BW, I went with Archery for some defense if we're going to try for that city. I also spent a couple of turns building a barracks until we got to pop3 @ Moscow. I swapped to a settler at that point to stake a claim if we, these united SGers in congress, decide . . .

Our scout finds Berlin a little bit later, and fends off an attack by a vicious German lion.



Archery comes due in 3160, and I decide to keep with my plan, which no one objected to, nor commented on ~ not very good for a commander-in-chief's cabinet ~ don't make me suspend habeas corpus! 'Cause I will! I didn't drive all the way out here to just listen to bicker about who put what in who's hair, I--

Archer comes due, and I went with husbandry.


Our warrior draws first blood in this epic campaign!


Okay, so it wouldn't be a pholk-set if i didn't screw up so, 1) I played 35 turns instead of 30, and c)I didn't revolt to slavery @ BW and so lost the production bonus for a settler with the whip.

Here's a resource map:


and a culture map:

for a good view of the situation.

Also, notice the religions were founded and I didn't realize it as well

 

[pholkhero]

ahhh...feels good to post a report on this board again, site of some very fun games...if only one would start soon that was really terrific, but I missed out on the first time it was around...oh, well, enough wishful thinking . . .

So, I still think eliminating the Zulu needs to be the first objective, after our defenses, of course. I figure go with 2 archers at least once the settler is done in 4 turns.

Frankcor is up next, but he hasn't checked in yet. I PMed him last week and he said to count him in, so let's give him a bit of time to grab it. He might not that i started it yet!

Roster:
1. Pholkhero > just played 5 too many
2. Frankcor > UP NOW for 25
3. Ozbenno > on deck for 20
4. Ruff Hi > 15
5. Zophos > 10
6. Cabledawg > 10, et cetera unless war conditions warrant otherwise

The Save for Frankie or Johnnie, whichever