I'm back from work and ready to play. Just so you know, I play all my games to the bitter end. See, for example, how I won by losing TL #9 here:
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=175125
If anything, to really learn, we could split this game into SC01a - where we fight to recover from a failed attack and SC01b - where we call off the attack like I suggested and play both simultaneously.
Enough soapbox.
THE RELUCTANT GENERAL
The bloodthirsty Egyptian government demands to expand and elects poor playshogi to lead them into battle. He moves 2 chariots into position and presses end turn, hoping for jungle to grow northeast of Utrecht, or borders to expand expelling the pillaging chariot. He also notes that Willem's land is inusufficiently explored and there could be more metal in Amsterdam's BFC although unlikely since no roads enter the unexplored area.
T101 - Incredibly, the Egyptian lookout reports that the spearman has vacated Utrecht!
So, playshogi with considerable smugness at his excellent timing dials Willem and declares war!
The Pillager collects 17
for the Egyptian government (no spoils of war for our troops) and two chariots get combat 1, since flanking 1 would be useless when attacking from 2 squares away. It has a respectable 21% chance of victory. He dies, but inflicts heavy damage on the archer. The next two combats are uneventful (i.e. successful) and Utrecht is stripped of 112
and razed. Our scouts note that our chariots would have had less than 1% chance of defeating the spearman. 9 undamaged chariots will arrive in Amsterdam in 3 turns.
T102 - Willem discovers Alphabet. He needs Masonry, Animal Husbandry, and has Fishing, Hunting and Alphabet. As expected the killer of the axe, which was down to 0.2 health was left exposed as a decoy which the spear killed, diverting him away from Amsterdam. The Pillager takes note that currently Amsterdam is defended by just 2 archers. I pop rush a chariot in Thebes and divert 45 overflow hammers into a library instead of another chariot.
T104 - The Nifty Nine chariots prepare to assault Amsterdam, defended by 3 archers. No luck on the low odds combat, but the city is ours. 4 healthy chariots and 2 wounded ones remain. Plus some reinforcements are coming for the final assault on The Hague. I bump science back to 100%. Scouts report that Willem's last city is defended by a single archer, but it's on a hill. The city is size 1 so this should be it, in 2 turns.
T105 - The Hague grows to size 2!
T106 - 2 archers in The Hague, now. I've got 5 fully healed chariots and 1 chariot with combat 1 at 3.5/5 health available. 3 more chariots die, but The Hague and Willem are destroyed. 2 workers are captured. I doubt we could have extorted Alphabet by waiting until he was willing to talk and fishing and hunting now take just 3 turns each, by working the FP cottages and using 2 scientists. After completing the library in Thebes I order up an obelisk. Poly due in 1 turn. Chariots heal up and sent exploring. A forest is chopped in Thebes.
T107 - Start priesthood. It's very possible we can chop the Oracle in Amsterdam. Workers are moved there ASAP. I just noticed that The Hague was controlling gold, however, I think that city would be better located 2N of where The Hague was, so that the copper and fish can be worked.
T108 - Obelisk complete in Thebes. I stick with working the 2 food tiles and run 2 scientists while building a settler.
T110 - Priesthood due in 1 turn. I think production in Amsterdam should be switched to Oracle immediately. I have 3 workers building a mine, which will chop a forest in 1 turn. So far the only wonder built is stonehenge. Timing of Oracle completion for Code of Laws? Or Monarchy (for happiness)? With marble, 4 forest chops will do it. The next tech should be hunting so we get the extra happy from the ivory camps. The next city? I think 2N of old The Hague on the sugar so we can get copper, fish and gold. We have 5 chariots and 3 warriors and the power graph vs. Alex has plummeted while his has grown a like amount!
I move 1 chariot to the capital so he could heal up and explore the southern regions.
Sorry, I can't remember how to make and erase signs.
![[party]](/images/smilies/partytime.gif "Party [party]")
. Begin chopping another nearby forest.
). In that case, I still like my purple site (open circle).
