RBD18 - The Army Game

[Jaffa Tamarin]

I played a while longer than I had anticipated, because, well, I wanted to make sure we had something viable going before handing it on. Anyway...

General Mzilikazi sent his scout up a mountain. "I see the coast, and incense on a hill," reported the scout.

The faithful Captain with his empty army went north, and was taught the secrets of Ceremonial Burial by the Harappan tribe.

The General, being a good military man, recognised the benefits of a strong defensive position. "Let's get out of this damn desert, and settle on that hill between the mountains."

 

[Charis]

Three steps??? Hopefully that won't hurt, but it's something you never truly catch up from. The single step to the left caught
the river, included an equal number of mtns and hills, and the incense, and the flood plains. No benefit I can see from two extra steps.

You get the defensive advantage of being on a hilll but lose the benefit of having a hill to mine. Whether starting on hill or desert, you get the same food/shields no matter where you found.

Ironic too, that in a game with NO worker, Murphy gives us a game with about five flood plains to irrigate and encourages us to walk some before settling.

At least the goody hut didn't slaughter us

Good luck Melle,
Charis

 

[Jaffa Tamarin]

The General orders research into Bronze Working. "We must have troops to form our glorious armies!"

A second scout was trained, and sent forth into the wilderness. Our capital grew, and almost immediately shrank again, as the citizens succumbed to diseases of the flood plains. Oh, ack

The Mauryan tribe taught the secrets of Masonry to one of our scouts.

In 2900BC, we made contact with the English! Attempts were made to trade technologies, but the stingy English demanded two of our technologies, and our entire treasury, for any one of theirs. Piffle. Our might armies will obtain their secrets!

The General finally gets around to forming work parties from some of the citizens, to irrigate the fertile floodplains. He may be a top-notch military man, but this city-management lark is all new to him.

A local tribe gives our scout some primitive scratchings. It's a map, they claim. Our scout scratches his head in confusion.

2710BC, we make contact with the Germans. We exchange our knowledge of Masonry for their assistance in finishing our research into Bronze Working.

Zimbabwe grows back up to size 2, and almost immediately another citizen dies Ummm. If this keeps happening, we're never going to be able to build a settler.

2230BC, contact with the Persians. A scout recruits a warrior from a small tribe! Yay! Our first military unit! The warrior heads back to Zimbabwe for further training.

Zimbabwe finally got up to size 3 in 1990BC. I put 2 citizens on the hills, and left just one on the floodplains, to reduce the risk of any more deaths before we could make a settler.

Settler finished somewhere around 1870BC. Barbarians are spotted approaching our capital from the East. And we still have no defence. Ooops.

I moved our settler and army unit out of the capital while it got ransacked (not sure if they would have been destroyed, but I wasn't going to take the risk), and emptied our treasury buying Alphabet and Iron Working from the Germans.

Finished my turn in 1750BC. The settler is still in Zimbabwe -- I don't want to send him out without military escort, or at least a scout running ahead to look for barbarians.

The free warrior from a goody hut is still on long goto back to Zimbabwe. He's been attacked twice by barbarians, and already promoted to veteran status.

Melle, you're up now, for 10 turns. You should get to found our second city I suggest the red 'X' location, taking the iron (before the English get it). The scout can be used to provide cover (move the scout ahead with the settler following, and if necessary sacrifice the scout to barbarians while the settler escapes).

Note, the settler is fortified and hasn't moved yet this turn.

 

[Jaffa Tamarin]

Game...

 

[Sirian]

This is a pretty rough start, maybe the worst I've seen. All things told, I'd say worth at least a whole difficulty level. It will be like we're playing Emperor now. Are we going to tough it out?

- Sirian

 

[Jaffa Tamarin]

Well, I'm happy to continue with this, but I'll restart if the team wants. (Vote now! Vote often! )

If that settler gets intercepted and doesn't get to found a second city, then yes, I think we should give up on this map.

 

[smegged]

Let's play.

Unless it is clear by AD that we aren't going to have a chance at victory, then I say don't restart.

The jungle to our south-east will provide us with fertile land once it has been developped, and there are luxuries and iron all around the place .

 

[Charis]

1750 BC (0) - General Charis looked over the land, and was nervous.
Disease ate at his homeland, and conditions look far fiercer than
expected. He vowed to try at least a reign to see if he could turn things
around...

Oh my that is one vast expansive dessert to the East of us. To the
further East are LUSH areas near Germany. Closer is at least some
Iron and River and dyes, so let's head there. Perhaps claim the
nearby iron first as well as halt the expansion of England there.
I'll send the settler there, since some folks wouldn't mind a restart.

Interesting strat here - in a known mil game, have almost ALL expansion
around an FP site, then later annihilate anyone near your capital

1725 BC (1) - Wishing our settler luck on his long journey...
1600 BC (6) - Barbarian two steps away from Zimbabwe. We can swap to
warrior from Impi one turn away (and upgrade soon to Swordsmen for Army)
Good timing anyway.

1575 BC (7) - We soundly thrash the barb. Rio Ferro is founded on red-X
on hill, on river, next to Iron.

1550 BC (8) - Mysticism from a wandering Nubian tribe.

1500 BC (10) - That's it. There's a warrior running up to garrison Rio,
and both are set to make workers. Feel free to swap either to settler
or Impi or whatever. Next city to found would be the iron hill to our
south.

I don't think this is a "punt" game myself, although yes, it's a weak start.
Interesting - one would think an army would be a far better first unit than
an army, but not so far!

Rather than a (by now) typical rapid expansion start, a non-corrupt
military and infrastructure start, followed by serial bullying might
work well. Let THEM do the settling?

Roster:
Jaffa
Melle
Charis
Smegged <<< up
Sirian <<< on deck
Ozymandous

Good luck,
Charis


------------
orig msg:

No the title isn't for the start, I think it's "weak" but not a restart by any means.

The title is because I just finished my turn here and was about to post, when I pasted in the roster and saw... it's not my turn!
It's the weed I tell ya!!

Melle, if you've not got it or haven't started yet, let me know and we can swap for this round. If not, my bad, and thank goodness this isn't a bogged down game yet, nothing really lost.

Charis

 

[Jaffa Tamarin]

Post your turn, Charis.

I'm pretty sure Melle hasn't got it yet. The save I posted has only been downloaded twice, one of which must have been you, and I think the other was Smegged, as his comments imply knowledge you couldn't get from the pic I posted.

 

[smegged]

"The save I posted has only been downloaded twice, one of which must have been you, and I think the other was Smegged, as his comments imply knowledge you couldn't get from the pic I posted."

That'd be it .

 

[Jaffa Tamarin]

Roster correction:

Jaffa
Melle <<< up
Charis
Smegged <<< on deck
Sirian
Ozymandous

Melle, are you there?

 

[Sirian]

Um... Charis sneakin some of his Pungent stash again?

How can we have an aggressive start when we MUST be attacked first to get elites, and can only attack cities with our army? We might do some nibbling, but I have my doubts.

Please lets get some workers going!

- Sirian

 

[Jaffa Tamarin]

Originally posted by Sirian
How can we have an aggressive start when we MUST be attacked first to get elites, and can only attack cities with our army? We might do some nibbling, but I have my doubts.

But they don't need to know that ...

Build up our defences, declare war, let them come and attack and train our troops for us

 

[Jaffa Tamarin]

Melle, I tried sending you an email through the forum, but I'm not sure if it worked. If we don't hear from you by this evening you're going to lose your place in the roster.

 

[Ozymandous]

Originally posted by Sirian
How can we have an aggressive start when we MUST be attacked first to get elites, and can only attack cities with our army? We might do some nibbling, but I have my doubts.

Well....

How about this excerpt:

"Units of vet status and below must remain inside our cultural border until they gain elite experience, or get assigned to an army. "

Vet's can't leave our borders unless they are escorting a settler or formed into an army, but we DO have an army, right?

There you go, make three vet swordsmen and send them out to do whatever, that is whithin the rules. Any unit can garrison, but was it ever clarified if any non-elite or army based unit can leave our borders if they are going *to* garrison another city?

 

[Charis]

> non-elite units are allowed to cross neutral (no-culture)
> squares en route to garrison new cities

This addresses the question of getting garrison to new city, and it has a big implication: 'fast' garrison units. Since the non-elites planning to garrison must hang in 'no culture' land just before the frontline, for them to reach the newly taken city they will either need to be fast, or they must be connected by a road and only 3 squares away. His entourage will also include several road/rail workers and hopefully an artillery stack, along with a cadre of elite troops.

Those armies are someday going to have quite an entourage, eh?? Fast garrison units and injured elites will be the "first turn" garrison, along with the army, to start asap on quelling. They will be followed up in the city by "permanent" garrison, cheap, slow defensive units, likely conscripts after nationalism. On turns 2, 3 while the army still helps quell, the elites start to plow forward, getting into position, and weakening any "perimeter" defenders of the city, taking up their positions, and securing artillery bombardment squares. Then on quell, army comes up and, badda-bam, badda-boom, the process repeats.

Addressing the previous post... when does this happen, or what does early combat look like? Well our units sure can (and should) get some training on *barbarians*. Farm them for elites.

As for as war vs other civs, it just will happen outside their city walls before the army is full. I imagine our starting army will get filled with 3 swords (strong both attack and defense) or 3 horse (fast attack and move). They can gain experience inside the army, so filling him with elites isn't needed.

Not sure if we'll have barracks right away, but warriors trained up to vet on barbs can get upgraded to vet swords. Elite ones would be better off non-upgraded to have something that can operate in foreign-culture zones. If we find iron, upgrade 3 regular warriors and shove them in an army, there's nothing that can hold us back!

I think this is a clear vision for an aggressive early start ;ak47: , not pungent stash. Not that I'm known for avoiding the stash all the time!

Charis

 

[Melle]

I've had a busy time with school lately and haven't been able to get any web time at all. I meant to check in about 24 hours ago, but then my sister needed the computer for her school work. I don't know when your local evening is, but I'll take the game now, OK?

 

[Charis]

gogogogo!!



Good luck,
Charis

 

[Melle]

In the year 1500 BC it came to pass that Mzellekazi ascended to the throne of the Zulus, the encouraging words of his abdicating father, Mzilikazi, ringing in his ears. “You get out there and take the throne right now”, he had said, “Or else you are going to get banished!”
After taking the throne, Mzellekazi silently thanked general Charis for covering for him so well up to now.

1500 (0) Mzellekazi looked over the situation he had been handed. He saw that the English tribe had a multitude of cities compared to him, and set out to do something about it. He also saw that the trusty scouts already had explored more land than he could hope to settle in several lifetimes. The only problem was, most of that land was desert. He could either settle along the edges of the desert or go somewhere else. Further inspection showed plentiful deposits of pungent weed far to the east. Since he knew the dangers of smoking the pungent weed, and more importantly since he had already secured a private supply , he decided to forego grabbing up the extra weed.
Then his somewhat smoke-shrouded brain noticed rivers running through the desert not far away at all, transforming them into food pains, eh, flood plains. He also considered the founding of a coastal city to the west, but was unable to figure out the proper placement. Finally he decided to leave such tasks to Ziriankazi the dot-mapper, a savior destined to appear in just a few short generations. Mzellekazi decided to change the production in Zimbabwe to a settler to grab the food pains. He didn’t touch anything else, though.

1475 (1) Scouts scouted. One met a barb camp and rapidly changed direction.

1450 (2) A scout met an Iroquois warrior. Hiawatha was polite and in possession of The Weel, Writing and Polytheism. He also had contact with the Americans and the Aztecs. However, the royal treasury was too small to be located, and no trades were made.

1425 (3) Our cultural border expanded, for all the good it does us. A scout found more iron west of the Germans.

1400 (4) Nothing much

1375 (5) The English established an embassy with us on their turn. Zimbabwe grows, one entertainer needed. Two barbarians show up near Zimbabwe, one mounted, one not: Trouble. Settler changed to Impi. If we don’t get moving we are going to be terrorized into submission by the barbs. Warrior reaches Rio Ferro (Arrgh, if I had only kept him near...)

1350 (6) The Wheel is discovered! The nearest horses are slightly west of the Germans. I opt for horseback riding as next tech, due in ten. Please splatter me with weed icons as needed. Impi produced. Entertainer no longer needed. Barbs draw near. Worker quietly retreats from scene of conflict.

1325 (7) The horsie attacks! He loses a point! The Impi loses a point! The Impi loses another point! The horsie is killed! Whew! The other barb approaches. Worker produced Rio Ferro. That town won’t produce anything more on my turn, so I leave it on worker as a placeholder.

1300 (8) The worker commences the arduous task of connecting the iron. The English starts building the Great Library in Warwick. The pyramids are under construction in London. The running-home warrior encounters a barb, and is prohibited from attacking. But he will be attacked next turn. A scout finds an Iroquois border to the south.

1275 (9) The Impi readily handles the second barb at home. The warrior wins against his barb and is promoted to elite! He is no longer in “running home”-mode. But what am I going to do with him? Well, that’s for the next player to decide. I’ll make him stay put (and incidentally heal) the last turns.

1250 (10) a scout scouts, but runs into another barb camp on his second step. Bummer. Say bye-bye to the scout. :arrow:

Feel free to criticize anything; this is my first attempt at an SG, and I could use the advice

 

[Melle]

here it is