RK14 - Artist's Block

[Lansky]

A little more pressed for time than I had thought, but I got a short fruitful round in.


Started moving the WB back towards Kublai in anticipation of writing and what do you know... that cheeky bastard.

Obviously open borders immediately and just our luck he has open borders with Gilga as well it seems (or Gilga still lacks coastal culture) as we immediately get a new set of trade routes. Sent the worker back to London and chopped the forest on the grassland river tile. Also 2 pop whipped a galley for max overflow into the wonder - York 2 pop whipped a settler a few turns later.

Have a good feeling that is enough to ensure the wonder so I stop chopping forests. Meanwhile the island proves to be small, but also A GOOD WHIPPING SITE! MUAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Scout around the west before settling and confirm there's a second fish, but we cannot get both fish and the western one requires settling on the sugar. A sugar plantation may be the best improvement we can get out there, so trading it for a plain makes little sense. Decide to settle our new aptly named city with the eastern fish in range.

A nice little event.

A nice little wonder to go with it and right when we learn writing too! Okay I planned that but still. Our bpt at 100% goes from 27 to 43.

And my thought for the next city as well as showing that while the WB is heading around Mongolian territory I have the Galley that dropped off the settler heading off towards western territory.

 

[Lansky]

Okay a few notes:

London will be unhappy for one turn after regrowing its pop point. No intelligent way to delay it, nor any real reason to do so. Recommend saving the rest of the forests for NE, especially if we fail to get marble.

Have a few archers being produced, but to get them quickly would need to whip them directly or overflow another whip into them preferably a worker or monument.

I did not build any more workers. Whipping a WB in Nottingham - it only has two tiles worth working right now anyway Put the overflow from this and the settler whip in York into warrior happy guards. If we keep whipping we'll need them, especially in Nottingham. Could alternatively send one of these guys up north and take a look see, or wait on an archer.

Definitely need Myst next. After Myst is in research should go to 0% until at least London has a library. Also, London needs a library - increase in trade commerce yield as well as those ever so sexy scientists.

Worker put one turn chop into the forest he's standing on, but is has been told to stop that for now. My inclination is to chop out another settler and/or worker.

My reasoning on the next city is that it has access to a few FP, the fish and could actually work some cottages down the line. It is probably our only city that makes any sense to work them and they would help keep up our relatively nice expansion rate.

After we turn research back on we have to decide what we want to do. Backtrack wheel/pottery for granaries/cottage; Aes for trade bait and heading to NE; Alpah because we have no faith in the AI to not suck it up. Either Aes or Alpha should net us IW making the clam/cow/gem city much higher priority.


So writing out what I am thinking about when I play takes more time than PLAYING THE FREAKING TURNS.


Edit - Settling GLHCheese on the plain and not 1E on the grassland so we can work the fish RIGHT NOW was dumb of me.

 

[Glare Seethe]

Man, it cannot already be my turn again, can it?! Well... got it and will play tomorrow. Just need the save!

I think we should get at least The Wheel after Mysticism, and probably Pottery as well. Then we'll see. The Aes line doesn't seem very attractive to me without marble even though I know that means delaying the NE. I just have a feeling we can grab some marble in the hub first.

 

[Lansky]

Picky

 

[Lansky]

Really need to get a unit into that hub area to take a look see.

Why the desire for the wheel? Everything we need atm is hooked up via water - even the jumbos along the river. No point getting The Wheel w/o Pottery.

 

[Glare Seethe]

I just don't feel safe without it... though I suppose barbs won't be too much trouble if we properly fogbust the land bridge to our peninsula. Also I hate it when workers take ages to go from city to city, but I can get over that. If we don't go for TW/Pottery then I vote for Alphabet next.

Okay, so the plan, to be executed some time within the next 24 hours: send an archer from Nottingham up to the hub, chop the settler in York, build archer > library in London (slider to 0% until it's done, but after Myst is in) and send him towards the new city with the worker as well. Nottingham can maybe also contribute a worker, though all cities other than London will probably whip a monument first.

Will try to direct some overflow into warriors if possible although we're still a bit far from HR and we have ivory coming up soon so I don't know if it's urgent. Maybe directing it into settlers or workers would be better?

 

[White Dragon]

With the GLH we automatically get +6 when we settle a city. It's maintenance shouldn't be more than -4 so we should be able to settler spam while automatically staying in the black at 60%. If we go alphabet->currency then we should get another +2 per city then we will definitely be good. Again, would have never played it this way but I can see the power and it is great.

So to summarize, I agree with going alphabet and hopefully trading for IW.

I would say to put overflow into settlers to get our cities up and running so when we get to HR we don't have to waste our whips on infrastructure.

 

[Lansky]

Generally don't overflow into settlers/workers as the city doesn't grow unless its a ton of overflow and they are almost done. I've always preferred to overflow from them. Guess I have never really done anything more than a cursory look at that. If we are feeling good with protective archers we can also just not hook up any metal we find and build warriors until we feel we no longer need to.

If we go alphabet and have relatively nice neighbors (Sury will probably screw this up) could just push right on to currency. Foreign trade routes will eventually die out though since each of our cities can support 4 once we get currency - 3 if you assume GLHCheese will be one of our internal trade routes regardless (base 2C).

 

[Glare Seethe]

IT, 1200BC:

I decide to let the worker continue chopping out the settler, and also whip the archer in Nottingham. As for London, since Lanksy mentioned it's better to whip workers and settlers and send the overflow into other things, I decided to switch to a worker and whip it into an archer. That way we avoid growing into unhappiness as well, though it'd only have been for one turn anyway I suppose.

1175BC:

The archer from Nottingham heads up north, where a barb archer has also appeared this turn:

Overflow is put into a one-turn warrior. I whip the worker in London for 2pop and assign the now-unworked grassland hill to York to take down the settler there from 11 turns to 10.

1150BC:

Pericles offers open borders but I decline for now. When we find his borders we can do it. Also he is Sury's worst enemy apparently.

Nottingham starts on another warrior and London on an archer. It'll be done next turn with the overflow. The worker is sent to chop another forest in York as I kind of want another settler immediately after the monument there.

I turn the slider down to 40% as we can still get Mysticism in one turn but with +11gpt instead of -12gpt.

1125BC:

Mysticism is in. Pick Alphabet next, but the slider goes down to 0% anyway. London starts on a library as the new archer also heads out northwards. The barb is getting closer:

Switch Nottingham and GLHCheese to monuments.

1100BC:

Whip the monument in Nottingham and the settler in York (after the chop went in). Overflow here will go into a monument.

1075BC:

Meet Catherine:

We ran into her workboat sailing around Kublai's peninsula.

She is religion-less at the moment and Pleased with everyone we know except Pericles. Did not open borders yet.

Our new settler heads out of York northwards. The barb archer has vanished into the fog but no doubt London's archer will run into him soon.

1050BC:

Here's the barb situation:

I decide to send the archer 1SE. If the barb attacks him there and kills him, at least our second archer will be able to finish him off as he's only one tile away.York wraps up the monument and puts some turns into the galley that was in the queue. I want it to grow a bit, though the two chops being worked on will go into a settler.

Kubali has Alphabet, but won't even give us The Wheel for Mysticism, the only tech we have that he doesn't.

1025BC:

Our archer kills the barb and stops to heal while the second archer heads north instead. We settle Hastings:

It starts on a monument.

1000BC:

York puts one turn into a settler to get the chop in. I should have timed it so both chops go in at once to minimize the number of turns the city won't grow. Instead it will now have to keep on the settler next turn as well.

975BC:

First worker sent towards Hastings, second worker completes the chop.

950BC:

Christianity was founded inbetween turns. Second worker sent towards Hastings as well. Whip the library in London.

925BC:

Put an archer as placeholder in London and save game. We should decide what our next tech is now that Kublai has Alphabet.

Both workers are on their way towards Hastings though I interrupted them so you can send them back if you want. I'd say chopping out the monument and maybe mining the grassland hill halfway between Hastings and Nottingham would both be useful things to do. Also once York grows it can resume work on the settler. What's our next city?

 

[Lansky]

At work so I cannot view pictures/saves right now but a few thoughts

- If Kublai has Alpha we should divert to Aes and trade for Alpha then IW/Pottery from others (need 1-2 turns of partial research into Alpha to make the trade work). London should whip very carefully if at all until probably a University from here out, and maybe not then even.
- Every other city should be whipped regularly unless it is whipping away cottages/commerce
- After Aes self researching (to keep down WFYABTA) Poly/Priest to open up eventual monarchy trade (might also need some partial research) then head to Lit. Earlier we get NE the better. Tougher choice after this as to head to Music or CoL first, but time will tell.
- Find marble in the center. You can't have that much tundra without marble... hopefully!
- I'd settle the Clam/Cow/Gem city anticipating trading for IW.
- I'd also want to settle at least 2 preferably 3 more cities before 1AD. GLH favors lots of cities and size 1 is the same as size 20. Whip out them settlers.
- Open borders with more people as soon as we start to run out of foreign trade. Each of our cities takes 3, soon enough 4 foreign cities potentially. Right now that could be an entire AI civilization per one of our cities. Need to find out who the last civ is (i know largely luck but would be nice dammit!)
- Mentioned it early but we need monarchy to the capital. The rest of the cities don't matter that much as they have only a few nice tiles and will be whipped to hell and back. London needs to grow up and be ready when we hit Caste/Pascifism/NE

 

[White Dragon]

Got it.

Will switch research to Aes and get the cat-o-nine ready to get those three cities up.

Since we founded Hastings, the original city placement was kinds screwed. Here are my pathetic attempts.

 

[Lansky]

Looks fine other than I'd give up on Gilga's land bridge marble. Being his only possible land target sucks. To add on top even with railroads that is a 2-3 turn move to reinforce the city that is not on a hill. It is a great site, but until we have a mobile army in the middle of the map I just don't see it as a great idea.

At least until we scout the middle area. If there is no marble in the tundra then perhaps the creative/protective bastard will in fact be the first to go down.

 

[White Dragon]

I moved red 1W from original position to work the corn but I don't know if anyone else agrees with the move. Also, northern blue was move 1S per original discussions.

 

[Lansky]

Red 1W is better long term. Just have the short term issue of not having cows/clams in the initial settling area. Really depends what the workers are doing. Can't go wrong either way really. I'd say up to you.

 

[Glare Seethe]

Dotmap looks fine to me as well.

 

[White Dragon]

And away I went. Nothing much to report.

Spoiler :

Turn 123
I hired two scientists in London. MM so is grows in 6 and -1 in 6.

Turn 124
Worker off to chop monument in Hastings.

Turn 125 Z

Turn 126
monument in GLH Cheese. Overflow to WB in queue.

Turn 127-128 Z

Turn 129
Monument completed in Hastings. Some MMing on London & York.

Turn 130 Z

Turn 131
We find Cathy's cultural borders so I open trade routes. We find another of our opponents. They were found in Surry's territory.

Turn 132
Hatty wants OB. I say no until we find her borders.

Turn 133
Aesthetics completed. Set Alpha until tradeable. Will try every turn until completed. Whip a settler in York. MM Nottingham to grow for settler in queue whip.

Turn 134
York overflow into archer. A source of whales is also founded outside York.

Turn 135
First Trade.

Set research to 0% in prep for Poly/PH run.

Turn 136
Both Gilga and Surry want Aes for IW. I decline them.
Made this trade.

Found an Iron in desert per everyone's hope.

Turn 137
Surry demands Aes. I decline.

Founded Canterbury.

Made this trade.

Queued Literature. Great Person in 2 turns, 62% chance of a scientist.

Exploration of tundra area reveals the following. Crappy spot but at least we don't have to read to the middle of nowhere. 2N probably substantially better.

Edit: One thing I noticed is that we need so many workers it isn't even funny. Once we get two or three more cities up, should we focus on worker/granary whips? Also, which citi(es) are going to be our commerce ones? Canterbury, Hastings & Sheep?

Edit2: How can we run Caste when we need Slavery to whip up any kind of army or infra? Or is the plan to whip up to caste/pacifism/Bureau then back to nationhood/slavery for redcoats?

 

[Meatbuster]

Sorry guys, I have to ask for a skip as I owe my teacher 2 papers due by Saturday.

Late EDit: We definitely can't run Caste. I would stay on Slavery and just add specialists as our buildings allow.

 

[Glare Seethe]

We can also settle on the marble itself to get the deer, plus it'd be on a hill for defense and still remain coastal. We lose the silver but we could settle another city 1S of the eastern silver, getting iron and clams and blocking Kublai from the hub. And it'd also be on the hill.

Really glad the last AI was Hatty and not Zara, she's usually not much of a threat. Good set all around. I think we should whip the settler in Nottingham and send him up to the marble, and queue up another couple of settlers. Then workers. Granaries also, of course, probably before the settlers.

I don't think we had a plan to go with Caste System, it looks like Slavery is too important for us right now. And commerce for now will come from the trade routes, though the cities you mentioned can work some cottages if necessary. Also if we settle the silver it'd help.

 

[Lansky]

So I guess I'm up next. I'll take a look when I get home, but some thoughts before I play.

If we can get the Great Artist from Music then running Caste becomes a possibility - just have to time the Golden Age properly to get max effect.

I like settling on top of the marble. Quarries in the tundra take too long to build/road. Probably something dumb like 20 turns on epic once we get a worker up there. Controlling the middle would be huge. A handful of dumpy cities up there as long as they are coastal sounds great.

We need settlers, workers, granaries. I'd say in that order. Libraries up there pretty high as well. Every city we have has an inordinately high amount of commerce for this early in the game.

Other than 1 city I think we should focus on farms, mines, and whipping. Later we can swap over to workshops/SP if we so choose. We do not have the land for a long lasting tech romp. We need to jump ahead quickly and make the world pay for letting us.

If we get a GM we can either send him on a trade mission or bulb currency. I'll do some math and see which one makes more sense when I can look at the save. Depends on how much gold we'll get this early (I'm imagining something around 500) and how many turns of 100% research we'd get out of said gold versus instant Currency. A GS would be an academy in London without question.

 

[White Dragon]

I think we can run like 7 scientists working 3 or 4 tiles in London so if we run caste for a short period wouldn't that be more beneficial for a short Paper/Edu bulb run while we self tech towards rifling than only running two for forever?

Also, wouldn't bulbing Philo for Pacifism, religion, & super trade fodder be more of a benefit than an academy?

I am new to the whole bulbing Philo but in every game it sure turned the tide in my favor.