MW might be waging a huge disinformation campaign ... but if not, then the opportunity to finish better than they did gives me new life in this game!
I feel like all of our best laid plans have run into roadblocks at every turn in this game ...
In hindsight, my guess is that teams that headed due west right away, occupied WestIsle and the west tip of the large continent, and just poured troops in that direction at the outset may have achieved early victories.
We have a GProphet in Karak, the Artist in Athens. We can get another GP in Athens in five turns if we run two scientists ... maybe a 60% GS shot ... would he bulb part of Astro?
We can get astro to be 38 turns away at 50% sci and -31 gpt if we max commerce in all cities for a while. If we launch a GA now with the Prophet and Artist, we can cut into that, and if we get a GS, and if he bulbs some of Astro, maybe we are only 15 or so turns away?
I think getting Astro, giving us freedom to attack where we choose would be very valuable ... might even go get that pest Qin before tackling Izzy or Toku.
It is only five turns before we know if we get a GS or not, so maybe we launch the GA, (could wait until one turn before the new GP, so that if not a GS, then use the GA on hammers, or maybe better if not going for Astro ( not a GS) then revolt back to Christianity for the extra happiness before the GA to max its use. So perhaps the GA decision waits until after the new GP.)
Other choice is to hit Izzy ... which I think may be another brick wall with her conquistadors. I think that has the risk that she invades us! Maybe better to stay friends with Izzy and Cyrus, kill Asoka and Qin, then go from there.
dV
edit: well, GS has to get through philo, paper educ before Astro ... and artist has to get by Divine Right and Philo also (I think) ... so does not look like we will be bulbing Astro. Is Izzy building up for a war with one of her neighbors? Should we see if she moves on someone in the next few turns before we declare on her (if we are deciding to do that)?
I don't recall when she and we shared a war ... but that will die out before brothers of the faith goes up I suppose?
Here is a desparate idea ... if we give her WestIsle, would that make her happy enough for OB? We can always take it back pretty easily later. If I were sure it would give OB, I might make that choice.
dV