Ok, I played. Here's the report.
Turn 105 (250 BC, handed over turn):
Ok, what to do with out ill-gotten gains?
I upgrade our two warriors (garrisoned in St. Pete and Moscow) to swordsmen for 90 G each.
We're good happiness wise, so I change the build in Moscow from a circus to a horseman.
IBT:
Philosophy finishes, Istanbul and Moscow love the king (dyes).
Caesar and someone unknown enter medieval era.
Horse trades finish. Again. And again.
Turn 106 (225 BC);
Istanbul has finished building a library, I set it to build a catapult next.
Since Collosseums are an integral part of the ICS strategy, we'll research Masonry (due in two turns), so that we can go for Construction next.
I intended on attacking Lhasa this turn, but then I took a closer look at the situation:
Two spears and two archers. I'm not really confident that I can take those with the forces we have down there.
For reference: I'll be talking about the different spears we have down there later. I'll designate them "western", "north eastern" and "eastern" spear, obviously based on their position around Lhasa on this screenshot. It might get a bit confusing to read, since there's three spears from our side and two from Lhasa...
So, I decide to buy a catapult in St. Pete (which is closest to the frontlines) for 480 g after all. Both that catapult and the sword that was garrisoned in St. Pete are ordered to move down to Lhasa. I know we didn't want to do this initially, but again, I think we need it.
Also note the position of Monty's and Washington's scouts on the above screenshot. They'll be the cause of major headache soon.
I found Novgorod on the cows west of Istanbul, as discussed in the thread.
We can adopt a new policy, but I refrain from doing so for now. We have the choice between Discipline (double experience for our units) and warrior caste (-1 unhappiness for every garrisoned unit). I'll leave that decision to the group.
IBT:
Nothing happens.
Turn 107 (200 BC):
Nothing happens, expect for troop movements.
IBT:
Wu complains that we are expanding "in lands I feel are mine". I apologize (the "nice" reply") - if only she knew what's coming for her, heh
.
Montezuma wants us to go to war with Washington, I (again) politely decline.
Washington was apparently at war with the city state of Tyre, but they make peace now.
In research related matters, Masonry comes in.
Turn 108 (175 BC):
Research is set to Construction, which is due in three turns.
Our workers busy themselves with building trade posts.
Our catapult and sword continue lumbering towards Lhasa.
The american and incan scouts still haven't moved, grr.
IBT:
Lots of diplomatic messages come up!
Wu dials us up just to insult us:
That hussy! You just wait!
Bismarck comes around and asks us for a gift of 192 gold. Now, normally, I would decline that, but I feel a little bit bad about how we conned him out of his money with our magically multiplying horses, so just this one time, I give in to my bad conscience.
Monty is worried about the large number of our Units (sic) near his borders. Waitwhat? Lhasa's not yours! I tell him not to worry (polite reply).
Also, Wu completes the Great Wall, which, while fitting, won't do her much good in the end, we'll see to that. Eventually.
Turn 109 (150 BC):
More twiddling of thumbs as our units inch closer to Lhasa.
IBT:
A big surprise: Nothing happens for a change.
Turn 110 (125 BC):
I'm staring to shuffle our units around Lhasa a bit, namely I try to get the chariot out of range of the Lhasan spear while still having it in range to fire on something.
The catapult has finally arrived and it takes position behind the spear-on-a-hill two tiles NE of Lhasa.
Those scouts don't move. They just sit there. This is really, really annoying, because they block one of the assault routes to Lhasa
IBT:
Construction comes in. Nothing on the diplomatic front two turns in a row, a new record!
Turn 111 (100BC):
Since we'll want to hook up those whales NW of Novgorod at some point, I put research to Sailing, which'll finish in two turns.
FINALLY, everything's in position for the attack on Lhasa (well, not entirely true, our swordsman needs to run around to the western side because of those BLASTED SCOUTS IN THE WAY).
Our northeastern spearman draws first blood by attacking and redlining the archer directly NE of Lhasa. Our catapult finishes that archer off.
1-0 for the good guys!
Our other units don't attack yet - they are positioned in good defensive terrain - better to let Lhasa attack them instead of running out into the open.
Our chariot archer and sword still "maneuver".
IBT:
Lhasan counter-attack:
Our spears to the west (who shares the tile with our GG) defends successfully against a Lhasan spear. We come out nearly without scratch, the attacker is redlined.
Lhasa bombards our spear to the direct east, 1 damage taken.
One fishy thing: There's a LOT of troops movements by Washington in this area.
Turn 112 (75BC).
Our NE spear moves one tile close to Lhasa, so the catapult can move up on the hill:
Our western spear west destroys its Lhasan counterpart, but is taken to yellow hitpoints by the fight.
IBT:
Second Lhasan counter-attack:
The spear from the SE attacks our eastern spear (which is still on a hill) - and dies while doing negligible amounts of damage.
Our spear closest to Lhasa doesn't fare that well - he's attacked by the garrisoned spear and brought down to one HP. Ouch.
Due to all that combat, another Great General is born in Moscow, woohoo.
Sailing research finishes.
Turn 113 (50BC):
Istanbul finishes its catapult and is ordered to build a Collosseum.
Research is set to Civil Service - both for the food bonus and the unlocking of pikemen. This won't finish until Kylearan's turn, so can still be changed.
Our catapult bombards Lhasa.
I have our two spears on the eastern front switch places - if the one close to Lhasa is killed by the garrison, our catapult will be exposed. Also, just maybe, Lhasa will focus on the fresh spear and give the wounded one a bit of time to heal.
IBT:
Ah, diplomacy!
Bismarck comes asking us to declare war on Caesar - I politely decline.
Ok, here's the reason why Washington shuffled those units around:
Washington declares on Wu
- didn't see that one coming.
Unfortunately, Lhasa does the smart thing and bombards our wounded spear, which dies
- RIP our first casualty in this conflict.
Turn 114 (25 BC):
Moscow finishes our fist horseman and I order it to the front immediately. Since we have a gazillion horses (they keep multiplying because the trades keep "running out"
) I order up another one.
Edirne finishes its courthouse
, and is also ordered to build a horseman.
West of Lhasa, I have our healthy swordsman exhange places with our wounded spear.
IBT:
Lhasa attacks our sword with a spear and fails (spear takes a lot of damage).
And Washington founds Boston directly S of Moscow
Turn 115 (0 AD):
Our catapult does what it does best - bombard Lhasa.
Our swordman takes out the wounded Lhasan spear. This resulting front looks like this:
And that's it for my turnset!
Overview of our empire:
This is the situation:
Lhasa's pretty much down for the count. It has one archer left (west, next to our sword).
Our second catapult and our first horseman are about to enter the scene there as well.
Additionally, three horses will finish in the next turnset (Edirne, Istanbul, St. Pete).
The incan and american scouts STILL hang around Lhasa - I have no idea if the AI is capable of pulling such a move, but maybe we need to be careful that they don't steal Lhasa from under our noses?
One thing I mabye should've done, but didn't is buy the whale tile near Novgorod, but then again, that can wait until we actually have a workboat.
Financially, we're doing good, 30 gpt at the moment. Happiness is at 5. We have 390 horses!
For the near future:
Kylearan should be able to take Lhasa without much trouble.
I'm tempted to let Washingon throw himself against China and then backstab him when he's busy over there. It seems he sent most of his army that way, so with our Lhasan taskforce and our upcoming horses, we should be able to pretty much crush him. He seems to have mostly warriors and archers.
Kylearan -> UP
Aretii -> on deck
SleepingMoogle
Gold Ergo Sum
MuLepton -> completed
).
) a flaw in the AI. I doubt something like this will be implemented, though.
