SGOTM 11 - Fifth Element

[BLubmuz]

Started play.
I printed your post with the build queues and specialists.
Hiring a Eng in Sugar gave us the monastery 1 turn faster, so i did, then started a caravel, keeping the Eng.
I'm starving Bedrock hiring 2 Sci no more, it decays too fast.

For the rest i followed pretty accurately, i think.

Started a Bud. Mis in Dehli.

IBT Zara came asking to switch to Theo. Well, why not? we're planning to do it and i'll switch again in 5 turns to Pacifism. As a result, Izzy is now Pleased.

Unloaded the galley you're worring about, still few roads, but better call it home. Soon it will be a galleon.

Nothing else, i hit enter.

 

[BLubmuz]

turn 244, pretty uneventful.
barb galley spotted near the barb island, 2 LB unloaded there, 2 cats loaded, 0 moves (in Trebiz.).

Zara is researching DR in 13 turns. He shoud have started 2 turns ago.
He also got 190 gold and lacks Optics... what have i to do?

Now i save and wait for 30 minutes

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Started play.
I printed your post with the build queues and specialists.
Hiring a Eng in Sugar gave us the monastery 1 turn faster, so i did, then started a caravel, keeping the Eng.

Once the Monastary is built, switching the Eng for a Scientist gives us a free Flask from the Monastary. But, the Engineer might give us a free Hammer from the Forge after the Monastary is built. So, I guess it's up to you to decide which one to hire after the Monastary is built.

I'm starving Bedrock hiring 2 Sci no more, it decays too fast.

Two should give us an even # of GPP, so that sounds fine.

Started a Bud. Mis in Dehli.

Do you think that any Cities could use Hindu Missionaries? Particularly, what do Crabs and Grt Person Farm look like in terms of Happiness levels?

IBT Zara came asking to switch to Theo. Well, why not?

Ummm, okay then. I guess we're going to try and Please our UN opponent instead of getting more Great People?

i'll switch again in 5 turns to Pacifism.

That would be best.

As a result, Izzy is now Pleased.

Okay, well if and when war breaks out, it might make sense to ask BOTH Justinian and Isabella for a small donation of Gold, if they are both Pleased or higher at the time. However, we want to wait as long as possible to do so, as Justinian may not have "forgotten" the last time that we asked, and if he has not forgotten, it will be an automatic refusal.

As we saw with Toku and Zara, it would better to ask a Gold Gift from the combatants in this order of preference:
Best = Ask from both and have them both agree to give us a small Gold Gift
Second best = Ask from neither
Worst = Ask from one or get refused by one

So, the best bet is to:
1. Wait to see if Justinian will declare war
AND
2. Confirm that both Justinian and Isabella Pleased or higher. If one isn't, then skip to step 5.
AND
3. Make a small Gold request from Justinian. If he refuses, then skip to step 5.
AND
4. Make a small Gold request from Isabella.
5. You are done.

Unloaded the galley you're worring about, still few roads, but better call it home. Soon it will be a galleon.

No need to upgrade it just yet... upgrading boats is quite expensive. It's best to just have the POSSIBILITY of upgrading it for an emergency situation, but it would not be worthwhile paying Gold to upgrade it just to explore a bit.

 

[Dhoomstriker]

turn 244, pretty uneventful.
barb galley spotted near the barb island, 2 LB unloaded there, 2 cats loaded, 0 moves (in Trebiz.).

Do you think that you can upload a screenshot of the area? I'd like to see your troop-shuttling process.

There is a method to give us 100% safety from any Barb Galleys in the area, but you never said that you understood the troop-transfering procedure, so a screenshot would confirm help to that you're giving our troop-transport 100% security.

Zara is researching DR in 13 turns. He shoud have started 2 turns ago.

Great! At Friendly, he will trade us the keys to unlock Versailles and The Spiral Minaret.

He also got 190 gold and lacks Optics... what have i to do?

Wait to trade with Zara until he researched Divine Right so that we'll have something to trade to him, right?

Plus, since Toku is still going to treat Zara as his Worst Enemy for a while, trading a Tech for "only" some Gold is a very, very bad idea. A "fair trade" Toku might eventually forgive, but Optics for just some Gold would anger Toku forever, so please don't make that trade.

 

[Dhoomstriker]

turn 244

Are there any reasonable Tech Trades or Resource Trades available from the Buddhists?

We might want to consider what they have to offer.

After that, we should be able to switch back into Confucianism, right? Or does it take 1 more turn?

 

[Dhoomstriker]

turn 244

Which City did you decide to try to get the next Great Person in first?




Riverdale: If we are at Size 11, can you make sure that we have 4 Artist Specialists hired there? Also, are we building a Theatre there yet?


Three Clams: If we are at Size 10, can you make sure that we have 6 Scientist Specialists hired there? One citizen would stop working the Marble just to become a Scientist.


Sugar Daddy: Have you started to build a Caravel after the Confucian Monastary was completed? If not, can you please do so?


Ivory Towers: Did we remove the Forge from the build queue?


Goldfish: Are we building a Theatre there yet?

 

[BLubmuz]

Yes to all your questions, but no theatres. Monastery in Goldfish.

Also, shoud we stay Buddhist? I think so, in case we can switch once Zara has DR, or some turns earlier. Not in my TS, anyway.

I forgot this question before, i'll wait your answer to finish my TS. 30 minutes.

 

[Dhoomstriker]

no theatres.

So... why did we trade for Drama then? I thought that building Theatres in those 2 Cities was the only valid reason that we could come up with for using up a WFYABTA trade on such a cheap tech. Can you queue up the Theatres to come after the current build items in those 2 Cities, please?

Yes to all your questions

So, does "yes" mean that I'll see a screenshot of the Barb City area and Trebizond, so that I can comment on it before you play the next turn?

Does "yes" also mean that the Buddhists have Techs and Resources that we want? If "yes," what are they? That way, we can consider whether or not to trade for them before switching into Confucianism.

Also, shoud we stay Buddhist?

No, we definitely want to be Confucian ASAP and stay that way until after we learn Scientific Method. The only reason to switch into Buddhism would be if someone requests us to do so.

I think so, in case we can switch once Zara has DR, or some turns earlier. Not in my TS, anyway.

Whatever do we want to stay in Buddhism for? I listed 3 great reasons to switch back to Confucianism. Do you have better arguments for why we should stay in Buddhism?

I forgot this question before, i'll wait your answer to finish my TS. 30 minutes

Which question are you talking about?

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Yes to all your questions

"Yes" isn't really an answer to the following questions.

Please provide answers to these quetions.

1. What do Crabs and Grt Person Farm look like in terms of Happiness levels? (i.e. how much excess Happiness do we have?)

2. Are we able to switch into Confucianism on this turn or do we have to wait 1 more turn before we are allowed to switch?

3. Which City did you decide to try to get the next Great Person in first?

 

[BLubmuz]

the religion switch. now i got my answer. switch next turn.

No, no interesting or possible trades.

Don't worry for the ferry, i know what to do. our troops will not in danger (i load in Trebz with 0 moves left, so i can unload next turn) but our galley can be after the unload. i suggested a trireme to cover it.

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Don't worry for the ferry, i know what to do. our troops will not in danger (i load in Trebz with 0 moves left, so i can unload next turn) but our galley can be after the unload. i suggested a trireme to cover it.

Then you didn't understand how to do it.

The Galley should NEVER end its turn outside of Trebizond. NEVER.

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Screenshot before you end the turn, please.

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Toku and Zara are pleased.

No, no interesting or possible trades.

So to whom did Toku trade his excess Gem Resource?

Because Toku will trade Happiness Resources when he is Pleased with you.

Isn't a Gem better than an Incense when one has Forges?

 

[Dhoomstriker]

our troops will not in danger

I am therefore expecting to see all troops piled on the Grassland square SW + SW of Trebizond. They shouldn't be anywhere else on the Barb City Land Area when my turnset starts.

 

[BLubmuz]

Screenshot before you end the turn, please.

S**T in the tip of land! Now i got it.
Gems? yes, OK. 2 is better than one, even if we lack some forge, 1 is the same

 

[Dhoomstriker]

in the tip of land! Now i got it.

Exactly--on the tip of the land.

No point to move the units 2 at a time across the land by themselves, or else we risk them getting wiped out a few at a time. Let's gather them all here and I'll move them all in one big stack during the next turnset.

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Note that if you have already unloaded Military Units somewhere else on the Barb Land Area, then you might as well give those units Combat I promotions until the Galley can move them to the right spot at the tip of the land.

 

[BLubmuz]

IBT 244-245
Our LB killed a barb axe unscretched. Now he's got drill+shock
Justy DoW Izzy! He's got "make peace with" white, but we can't pay him enough.
Now i switch to Confu.
Zara made peace with Mehmed.

Drill is better.
And they can move by themselves.
Gems traded

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Our LB killed a barb axe unscretched. Now he's got drill+shock

Luck is with you this day, my friend. We certainly have very different understandings of the meaning of the words "our troops are not in danger."

Justy DoW Izzy! He's got "make peace with" white, but we can't pay him enough.

Are we still Pleased or better with Justinian and Isabella?

If yes, then can you ask if Justinian will give us a tiny gift of Gold?

Only if he agrees, then can you ask Isabella for a tiny gift of Gold, too?

Zara made peace with Mehmed.

Hmmm, I will have to remember to bribe him again during my turnset at some point, probably after we've learned Liberalism.

And they can move by themselves.

I really don't see how that would not put them in danger, but whatever. At least you gave a good follow-up Promo (Shock).

Gems traded

Thanks.

Now i switch to Confu.

If you haven't switched Religions yet, ask Justinian for the Gold Gift before switching.

Also, please remember which turn we can switch back into Philosophy so that you do so as soon as we possibly can switch back.

 

[Dhoomstriker]

Did Justinian send more boats from the west that we can now see?

Also, where did Toku's boats go? Did they sail towards Mehmed?