Rat 07 - English Role Play

[pindicator]

France is right across the straight from us. How perfect is that?

India shares our island and is a ways to the south. Spain and Russia are both far to the south on separate islands.

I played 21 1/2 turns because there was a barb (came from the NW) that popped nearby and I figured if he attacked, killed our warrior, and sacked our capital then we probably wouldn't want to play the start. He just attacked and was defeated the last IT and nothing's yet been moved for turn 22.

We currently have 1 warrior, 2 curraghs, and a settler with a warrior in queue.

4000BC (1) - London founded on spot.

3550BC (10) - Meet India. They are up WC & BW. No trades available.

3250BC (16) - Meet France. They are up Masonry & BW and down Pottery. No amount of Pot will get us Masonry , so we settle for trading France Pottery for BW + 35g (all).

3100BC (19) - Meet Spain. They are up CB on us and 100g won't buy it.

3050BC (20) - Meet Russia. They are up WC and down Alph.

Trade Russia Alphabet for WC + 10g (all).
Trade Spain WC for CB + 1g.
Trade France WC, CB, & 27g for Masonry.
Trade Spain Masonry & 37g for Mysticism.
We are now tech leaders!

3000BC (21) - During the IBT the barb warrior attacks and loses to our warrior.
London: Settler -> Warrior

 

[ThERat]

good start and trading, now this looks playable and if I am not wrong India is encroached by jungle, that should slow them down a little.

Roster:
ThERat - up
MeteorPunch
Vol
pindicator
still open

Rules:
we met France at turn 16, thus need to declare war on turn 46

 

[Vol]

Excellent start. Great trading. 1910 BC is our magic date with France. With them so close, this will definitely not be a cakewalk.

 

[pindicator]

So the big question to propose is where exactly to place York. We have no visible fresh water source, but plenty of wheat. I think I would put it 4SE of London to pick up the one wheat and to serve as a canal for a soon-to-be glorious navy. The town after be used to pick up the other wheat while York can use the wheats to pump our settlers. Of course, it gets a lot easier if we find fresh water.

 

[MeteorPunch]

4SE of London sounds good, and build a granary there.

 

[Vol]

Sure, why not. Definitely want the ability to pump out settlers and workers much faster than we had last game!

 

[ThERat]

save

Pre-Turn

IT no attacks, but unit moving into our territory

1.2950BC
move settler south
it looks to me as if we share a big archipelago with Russia as well


2800BC found York
2710BC explore the north a little with 2nd warrior and spot furs our 2nd lux (there are 5 furs)
2590BC curragh in the west survives a 2 turn cuicide run Spain now knows the wheel
2550BC spot a blue border in the west, we will meet Germany soon

in an old SG fashion, leave trades for next player, but we can get the wheel +52g from France for mysticism
we could also wait 1 turn to find out what Germany has to offer

I did not move the warrior, we could attack the barb camp or leave it
London is on rax, York gets a granary supported by forrest chops

Roster:
ThERat
MeteorPunch -up
Vol - on deck
pindicator
still open

 

[MeteorPunch]

2550
warrior fortifies.

2510
again, we meet the dreaded Germans. We are up 3 techs on them and they have the Wheel. Trade them CB for 82 gold. Trade France Mysticism for the Wheel and 52 gold. We have 2 horses nearby - nice.

2470
Masonry to India for 61 gold.

2430
Alphabet to Germany for Horseback Riding and 25 gold.

2390
The Wheel to Russia for 50 gold.

2350
Great, now there are barbarian horsemen.

2310
2270
2230
2190
Mysticism to India for Iron Working and 57 gold.
Warrior defeats barb horse.

2150

- no Iron, but lots of Wheat.
- my curragh navigators have been smoking crack. They got lost and went the wrong way for awhile.
- I would consider jumping the Palace from London to a future city SE of York.
- Is it really 1910BC for war with France? I know they won't have map making by then, and maybe not for the entire 30 turns. It would be bad if they ever get an alliance with India or Russia.

 

[pindicator]

Dang, lots of wheat! And three luxuries within grabbing range.

All we need now is fresh water...

I like the palace idea. But what if we just build the FP southeast of York and then rush the palace later on for a second core?

 

[ThERat]

I think we should stay historically accurate, the English capital has always been London.


Roster:
ThERat
MeteorPunch
Vol -up
pindicator - on deck
still open

ruleset:
we must declare war on France on turn 46 and make peace on turn 76
we have currently 2 cities and 3 units

thus, I suggest to build a settler from London after the archer. we want to expand south, don't we.

 

[MeteorPunch]

okay, keep palace in London. Another thing of historical note: we should stay in Monarchy for the whole game. Of course, we will be AW from the start of the middle ages until modern times, so I guess communism would be the only other option, and that one not fitting at all.

Expand south and grab those wheats!

 

[ThERat]

yes, good remark and very suitable to be a monarchy for the whole game. We are lucky this time to share the Island with both India and Russia whom we have no obligations to. By the way, both have iron I saw. We need to grab that sooner or later.

 

[zyxy]

Looks like an interesting game! I would like to join, if I may.

 

[ThERat]

welcome zyxy

Roster:
ThERat
MeteorPunch
Vol -up
pindicator - on deck
zyxy

 

[Vol]

Got it. Will play tonight.

I'm really not sure about Monarchy. We don't need the unit support, we can't use the MP, and we have plenty of luxuries nearby. I think a Republic would be superior.

 

[Greebley]

And Greebley, you should join as member #5

I would have if I was sure I was going to have the time to play. Maybe the next one though.

 

[MeteorPunch]

Republic is definitely superior, but the war weariness would become a burden. I'm inclined to think that continuous war from the middle ages through the industrial ages would eventually lead us into enough war weariness that we would be forced to revolt once or twice so that the benefits of Republic would be lost. We would certainly have to raise the luxury slider a couple notches at the very least.

Depending on a lot of factors though, Republic could be doable. My thinking was that Monarchy is better for the Roleplaying aspect, and perhaps better for the game. Granted we could debate the merits of each for awhile...Example, lets say we go with Republic, quickly secure our island from India and Russia, and with our home island luxuries and trades, have 6 or so luxuries for ourselves. If we just sit out on our little island with military alliances vs. France/Spain/Germany, 1 or 2 at a time, we could probably kill them fast with few losses, or absorb their attacks with almost no losses. I know lost units and cities cause war weariness, but I'm not sure about whether time does. If time does, then I would be 100% for Monarchy as we will be at war for a long time.

 

[Vol]

Hmm. The Age-long wars and the resulting weariness are a good point.

 

[pindicator]

Hmmm... maybe a look a feudalism is in order if we are considering tying ourselves to historical accuracy.

 

[ThERat]

Feudalism? Hmm, maybe we had better defined the governemnts we should be in during the game. An oversight on my part.
Should we just stick to monarchy for the constant wars we are in? Remember France is oscillating war as well
46 war
76 peace
106 war etc etc