SGOTM 08 - Geezers

[Harbourboy]

I play with Shaka all the time, and the one thing I can guarantee is that he WILL declare war on us very early, even more so in BTS, where he's smart enough to show up with enough numbers to win as well.

Stealing his worker will slow him down materially, probably by enough for us to gain the upper hand. He'll agree to peace so long as he's not overwhelmingly more powerful than us.

I agree that we need to make moves like if we are going to score well. I guarantee that the medalling teams will worker steal.

 

[Sam_Yeager]

I agree that we need to make moves like if we are going to score well. I guarantee that the medalling teams will worker steal.

I see NZ is another of those countries that use nouns as verbs. Let's take the chance and see what happens.

 

[Misotu]

There'll be snow up there already, then. Winter comes early in the Northern Tundra.

It's a bit nippy. I can 'andle it.

If we steal the worker then I vote a) settle pig site pronto and b) early wheel and c) bulb maths so we still have a chance of CS for seriously enhanced military production in our capital and d) erase Shaka. Probably in that order

Can we do all that, my warmongering friends?

 

[erikthecelt]

Our critical path to the CS sling is still the tech. If we include wheel before CoL then we delay the CS by ~5 turns. I would take the chance that we can stall Shaka long enought to finish the sling. He will likely build up before starting through the jungle. I would say Wheel after CoL unless Shaka actually makes a move towards us.

 

[Harbourboy]

I see NZ is another of those countries that use nouns as verbs.

The verb in that sentence is still 'steal'. "Worker" is either the object, in which case I should have said "will steal a worker" or it is a modifier, in which case I possibly should have hyphenated it to "will worker-steal".

But I don't see how "worker steal" is much different to verb modifiers like "mountain climb", "marathon run", or "back rub".

Or are you referring to the use of the word "medalling"? The Oxford English dictionary cites the first use of this transitive verb in 1822, in the context of conferring a medal to someone else. The intransitive form, which is technically what I used, is more recent, dating back to only 1966.

If you want a grammar debate, bring it on!

 

[Sam_Yeager]

Or are you referring to the use of the word "medalling"? The Oxford English dictionary cites the first use of this transitive verb in 1822, in the context of conferring a medal to someone else. The intransitive form, which is technically what I used, is more recent, dating back to only 1966.

OE or not it still sounds awful.

If you want a grammar debate, bring it on!

I can't think of anything less appealing.

 

[Sam_Yeager]

I would say Wheel after CoL unless Shaka actually makes a move towards us.

Rubs jaw in thought. It's not just a case of getting Wheel. We would also need to run a road to the copper before we could even start building axes.

I think it really comes down to how long is it likely to be before Shaka attacks us. Or is he more likely to send a pillaging party? Mind you our warriors are unlikely to hold back much. I'm still inclined to take a chance on stealing the worker.

 

[AgedOne]

Hmm. A little practice sparring going on.
Harbourboy and Sam_Yeager have loaded up a training program.

...down in the tube station, HB beckons SY on. He knows Kung Fu. "Hear that, Mr Yeager? That is the sound of inevitability. The sound of your doom"




Shaka will never stand up to our terrible word onslaught.

 

[erikthecelt]

OK fellas, break it up, move along, get a grip ...

The current discussion is about where in the tech order to insert Wheel. We are currently learning how to write. Our wise men are very dilligent and should be able to pass that skill on to HarbourBoy very soon. The plan then has us learning CoL and Math while completing the Henge and Oracle. The suggestion has been made to schedule wheel after writing in order to hook up the copper and to be ready to produce some sharp slicy things for encouraging Shaka to vacate the premises. This has the added advantage of allowing the gold to be hooked so that our population will continue to be fully productive. I am of the view that it can wait for the wheel but both Misotu and Hawk are advocating the early insertion of this revolutionary technology.

 

[AgedOne]

I think we are going to need our copper hooked up fairly rapidly, if we are definitely in favour of this warlike option. We don't know anything about Shaka's military, but we know he will emphasise military above most things. He'll come at us as soon as he's tooled-up, and that could well mean a bunch of axemen.
The big question is whether we think the insertion of Wheel early on will delay us the crucial 4-5 turns that means us missing our sling-thing.

The last time we discussed the sling, some of our more efficient members had got it down to turn 72-75 iirc. If we lose 5 turns, we should still make it, but it'll be close enough for a few lost fingernails.

I think it's still worth the shot at worker-stealage, and I am opting for the early wheel.

ps. My war is all mongered ready

 

[erikthecelt]

ps. My war is all mongered ready

 

[Misotu]

...down in the tube station, HB beckons SY on. He knows Kung Fu. "Hear that, Mr Yeager? That is the sound of inevitability. The sound of your doom"
...

Shaka will never stand up to our terrible word onslaught.

You're ... you're planning to introuce a horrific self-replicating agent program to take Shaka out?
Is that allowed? If it is, then that one definitely gets my vote

I think ... well, I know that I am panicking about wheel because I've only ever played against Shaka once. In that game, he went from friendly to DoW in 1 turn and minced me. It was heart-wrenching, but I have to say he stayed friendly for ages and ages and ages before the minceage. As The-Hawk didn't say, no-one in their right mind includes him in HoF games, so neither of us has that much experience of how he behaves. We could be overreacting?

Of course, if we bulb maths (ahem) we get to put wheel in but actually gain 3 or 4 turns on where we'd be otherwise, coming in at maybe 71-73. Which is actually plenty close enough for me to have serious finger-nail damage, thanks very much*

Have we agreed on the stealage then? Or do we wait to have an agreed tech plan before mongering?

* The best I have seen the test AI do so far is turn 74 - and this lot are researching faster.

 

[AgedOne]

* The best I have seen the test AI do so far is turn 74 - and this lot are researching faster.

What do you mean by 'this lot are researching faster'?
Have you picked up on something they have done earlier than before?

ps. We really are a very chatty bunch (not always on topic ).
We are still 28 posts behind Smurkz, but way, way ahead of every other team.
Go Geezers! Champion yakkers.

 

[Harbourboy]

Just to close this out, I actually have to agree with Sam that "medalling" is not the most elegant turn of phrase ever. I will aim for loftier heights of wording and sentencing in the future.

As for this worker steal, another thought to consider is whether we can even get away with it at all. What are the chances that Shaka has a unit ready that can take out the warrior and worker in the next turn?

 

[erikthecelt]

No guarantee at all, there's a lot of fog but we ain't here to gather roses or gramatick awards.

 

[AgedOne]

As for this worker steal, another thought to consider is whether we can even get away with it at all. What are the chances that Shaka has a unit ready that can take out the warrior and worker in the next turn?

I would have to say that our chances are good for getting away with it.
This is turn 34 (?) of a game at Monarch level.
Shaka will have prioritised military above growth, but we know he built a worker. He hasn't had time to build a lot of military.
That worker's on a hill and (unless really unlucky) across a river from Shaka's units.

 

[Harbourboy]

no-one in their right mind includes him in HoF games

Except me. I seem to always end up with him in my HoF games. He's cool, because he techs so slowly and is so predictable. Note that the BtS Shaka does not mess about with pillaging. He'll bring 3 units to take out the 1 that you have guarding the capital.

 

[erikthecelt]

Henge has been built in a land far away.
The worker is being escorted back to civilization (they are tied together so the worler does not get eaten).
A WB is ready in the capital and it's about to grow to size 4.
We have learned how to write.
We have a small overflow for the library and there is one hill pre-chopped (there is a sign in place).

I think if we want the Oracle we need to chop it out now and take CoL.
I have set us to learn Wheel and build a library.

Didn't bother with a turn log because not much more happened.

Shaka will talk to us but will not agree to a ceasefire yet. He should in less than 10 turns.

Over to you HB.

 

[Harbourboy]

Hmm, who usually builds Stonehenge that early? Hope it's not that painful Asoka.

 

[Harbourboy]

Any ideas for next turnset welcome......