Turn Report
Interturn:
Since I cannot see any other way to get Monty friendly with us, I finish T-Hawks turn with the following deal:
I also give Monty our world map for his birthday.
Scanning around, I also notice we are at our happiness limit in a few places, but we have some birthday deals with Monty to take back if necessary.
I also switch Rome to a knight, and cancel a windmill at Neapolis since I can see no reason to replace the mine at our most productive city. We can work, as far as I can tell, every major shield producing square without needing the one extra food.
I also reset builds everywhere to military. When Spain is a smoking pile of rubble, THEN we can build universities again. Cut.
I also begin shuffling some units around, notably toward Spain and away from our rear borders. Louis is friendly and will not attack; Monty is at war with Issy and should also not attack, so that border is safe.
Turn 1: 1478AD
One small Spanish stack moves in at Ravenna; a horse archer pillages a farm and another HA moves in to threaten one of our iron resources.
In response, I attack (odds aren’t quite accurate…just a rough idea):
Combat 1 Knight Kills City Raider Mace @80% odds.
Shock Praetorian Kills Combat 1 Axeman @70% odds.
Umpromoted Praetorian kills Horse Archer @70% odds.
I cover the iron with an injured Combat 1 praetorian and medic archer.
At Rome, the majority of the Spanish stack remain on the 75% tile, while a single crossbow moves to pillage a windmill.
I choose not to respond. The best odds I can get are 75% from a combat 1 knight, but that will leave the knight vulnerable on the hill. (I can’t remember if the fact that it’s roaded and in my territory will allow me movement to retreat away from the Spanish stack.)
Finally I notice unhappy faces…where did they come from? I take back our only Dye from Monty (for furs), as well as a Spice for Free. I then trade spice for fur and keep the dyes. Still some unhappy faces. :whip:
Turn 2: 1484
The Spanish Horsada continues to threaten and pillage at Ravenna. Our praetorians aren’t the best suited for horse killing, but I manage to kill two more with the loss of naught but a useless tundra farm.
The Spanish stack finally moves towards Rome. I’m confident we can keep Rome with the forces we have, and certain we will lose our camp. But I would like to save the cottage. Damn Horse Archers. I won’t attack on the hill, either. It’s your move, Issy.
The windmill is pillaged, of course.
I whip the knight at Rome and revolt to Thocracy. There are almost no buildings going up anywhere, now. But I decide against vassalage as Rome is providing so much of our commerce.
Turn 3: 1490AD
Issy’s move, and it’s a bad one. The stack moves onto the ice, including the HA which pillages the snowy road. At least the horse archer moves to pillage the camp. The crossbowman pillages the road on the hill.
I respond as follows:
Barrage 1 Catapult dies to a Combat 2 Mace @ 2%, without doing an ounce of damage!!
C1 Knight kills C2 Mace @70%
C1 Mace injured (7.4) City Raider 2 Mace.
Flanking Chariot died to CR1 mace @ 4%, but brings it down to 2.9/8 health
C1 Praetorian finishes the job @ 94%
C1 Praetorian kill the camp raider horse archer at 72%.
Both injured Preatorians move onto the ice, where the archer moves to cover them from the crossbowmen.
Also, if you are observant, you will have noticed the horse archer at Antium, which prompts a worker to flee and a knight to be whipped at Antium. Rome does not have forces to spare!
Finally, two horse archers die to praetorians at Ravenna.
Turn 4: 1496
ARGH…the crossbowman attacks and an injured
praetorian defends…and dies. I wish I could pick defenders sometimes.
The newly whipped knight at Antium kills a Horse Archer, and the knight whipped at Rome gets revenge on the crossbow.
Turn 5: 1502
Spain finally shuts up. Monty has begun wreaking havoc on Issabella’s land, and I think she’s out of attackers. Regroup and Heal. Build units.
Turn 6: 1508
Not much. I’ve begun to prepare stacks to attack Spain. Still no word from Issy.
Turn 7: 1516
Nothing of interest. Oh, Vicky died. Was that interesting? I think Alex ate her.
Turn 8 (my last): 1520:
Nothing much of interest. I give Monty 70Gold for his birthday. Liberalism is due in 2. We have a couple of stacks ready to move on Spain, which are short only catapults. Sorry if we have too many knights and two few catapults, but I didn’t know how many reserves Issy had.
A few final pictures:
The most monstrously expensive map in the game in terms of distance corruption, and what does ‘lil bro do?
But don’t tell him he’s an (adorable) idiot, we don’t want this to change, now do we?
Our stacks, ready for war (while the catapults arrive, and once liberalism is in, may I suggest 100% cash for a while to upgrade some nice city raider nutcrackers, er, grenadiers?
Finally, we have a Great Scientist in Rome, ready for whatever purpose the next leader has for him.
In closing…if he was ever mad at me for forgetting his birthday, he’s clearly forgiven me, after I gave him two presents for his last birthday (eh, Atlas?)
And the save. Of course.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/uploads/35362/Romulus_AD-1520.Civ4SavedGame
But I refuse. And then:
Two more Praets clean up the damaged axe and a catapult.
As a weak excuse, I could tell you that I was away researching how Izzy's city defenses should look like once we've dealt with her:
And the FP saved us 20gpt? Wow, I don't think I ever got out of it as much before - but then I've never had to play with such an odd-shaped empire before either. 
) The rules don't disallow it, and I'm okay with doing it if the majority decides so, but I vote against it.
)
population) that it will be time to build spaceship parts before those new cities get going. The other thing is Monty is going to pillage Izzy like crazy 
, hurting us and himself when he takes new cities.
