Well, 15 turns didn't quite give me time to invade Arabia as proposed, but we're poised to strike if we're prepared to risk it;
If this was single player, I wouldn't, but I tend to err on the cautious side.
... anyway ... back to the beginning ...
550BC - 460BC:
Happy enough with Cabert's set up and suggestions. The Galley navigating the long island to our east identifies it as ocean-bounded on its eastern side. Two chops go to The Pyramids in Beshbalik. Turfan produces an Archer (presumably for Ning-Hsia which had no military presence) and starts on Cabert's queued Obelisk for a pop so we can get the riverside Bananas in time. As also suggested by Cabert, Beshbalik gets a whipped Obelisk on the turn that it grows. Karakorum builds an Axe. The southern Galley spots Mecca - two Archers on a Hill with 40% culture. The Galley pillages Mecca's Fishing Boats for a whopping 7 gold before heading back to pick up the Axes. Barbarians were both pressuring and being pressured on the big continent.
445BC - 385BC:
Unfortunately aside from pillaging, this wasn't much of a period for our Barbarian allies. In 445BC the Barbarian's Seville is recaptured by Spain, and both Edo and Toledo survive Barbarian assaults. One Axe is whipped out of Karakorum, another later out of Turfan, while Ning-Hsia goes with a 'hopefully not too dumb' move of Granary > Lighthouse given the seafood resource. There was an Obelisk in the queue, but it would provide only more Jungle and Coast. Science drops to 50%.
370BC - 310BC:
Four Axes get on the two boats - we will also end up with a fifth Axe by the end of the round. Turfan gets its Obelisk helped by whip overflow. In 355BC Horseback Riding comes in, and next up; Writing. Turfan and Karakorum both get Keshiks put on top of their 'to do list'. We pick up Priesthood 'naturally' from the Barbarian research effect in 340BC. Cyrus loses Gordium to the Barb's, which is razed.
Our island;
Main continent to the north - two Barbarian cities and one lost one;
Main continent to the south - Alexander is 'rexing' to the west which is disappointing as there was a lot of space where I thought the Barbarians might settle;
There's still some movement points left on my last turn for us to determine whether Mecca's capturable with four 4XP Axes or not.
The Save
