SGOTM8 - Xteam

[leif erikson]

I am not able to take the game today; I may be able to play tomorrow afternoon, though depending how things go, I may not be able to play all 10 turns. Let me know if you want me to take it.

I am going to give it to you Willow. I don't think there has been enough discussion so far for me to play. Besides, somehow I have come down with an awful toothache and couldn't concentrate anyhow.

I never knew how much one of these things hurts!! No Civ4 for me tomorrow, the dentist's chair instead! ouch!! :suicide:

Amazon hasn't gotten Civ4 here yet anyway.

 

[DJMGator13]

Not only does Gator not post during the day, he is having trouble seeing right now. I had a chalazion surgically removed from my eyelid this morning. But it was infected and causing me too much problems. I've had it since April when I got that real nasty eye infection.

For the game: I'd keep trying the CIA option. We know we can finish it if we turn on research and I think we've past the point of winning the Civ/PTW laurel so we might as well push forward on our Greedy little path. I think the Roman mainland cities are too big for them to give us anymore so our only option is thru propaganda. Japan cities are probably the same. I'd shut off research and pour all money into "black opps".

EDIT: leif I'd much rather have gone to the dentist than the eye surgeon. I heard lots of scotch is good for a toothache, or was it lots of scotch is just plain good.

 

[leif erikson]

Not only does Gator not post during the day, he is having trouble seeing right now. I had a chalazion surgically removed from my eyelid this morning. But it was infected and causing me too much problems. I've had it since April when I got that real nasty eye infection.

Sorry to hear you are in worse shape than I! I guess we'll soon meet in the Geriatric Ward to help each other play Civ4?

EDIT: leif I'd much rather have gone to the dentist than the eye surgeon. I heard lots of scotch is good for a toothache, or was it lots of scotch is just plain good.

Oh man, anything to dull this ache!

On the game, do you know if effects of propaganda are cummulative. If they are random, then, perhaps, we should target a number of cities of smaller size and on the fringes of the Japanese and Roman empires. If the effects are cummulative, then we should target key cities, imho. I just wish I understood how it works and there is no time, or inclination at this point, to try test games to figure it out.

 

[bluebox]

Good gosh! What a coincidence both of you are ill!

What do you say to someone who's feeling ill in in English? In german, it's
"Gute Besserung", Leif + Gator!

 

[AlanH]

Get well soon, Leif and Gator

 

[leif erikson]

Thanks for the concern.

I hope the dentist is similarly kind come morning...

@Alan - Excellent news about Civ4 and Civ3 Complete for the Mac.

EDIT - Sorry Bluebox, In English it is "Get Well Soon"!!

 

[AlanH]

Indeed it is! I just hope I get time to play a bit There's alot to do now to get the GOTM site fit for the new order.

 

[leif erikson]

Yes, new save formats to figure out and php code to prepare. I only wish I were skilled enough to assist you.

Good luck and thanks for all your hard work.

 

[Mistfit]

Avatars & Search Disabled to Improved Forum Speed

Personally I think that they could have achieved the same results by banning the use of smilies on this team alone

Instead they took away all of the pretty art... ah well the forum works faster anyway

 

[Capt Buttkick]

Personally I think that they could have achieved the same results by banning the use of smilies on this team alone

You're just cause you made all the avatars

 

[WillowBrook]

I hope you guys recover quickly!

I'm playing now. Since no one seems to have strong feelings as to strategy, I'll take the Viking city for peace and conquer that island, and keep trying to plant spies with Rome and Japan and once we have spies, subvert cities.

 

[DJMGator13]

Good luck Willow.

Only thing I can add is to definately target the smaller ROM/JPN cities for propoganda. It costs less in a smaller city. But if there is a resource (strategic or luxury) don't bother.

My eye is slowly recovering. Should be much better after the weekend.

Thanks for the well wishes.

 

[leif erikson]

I hope you guys recover quickly!

Thanks for swapping, and well wishes.
Guess I don't rate. Earliest appointment is tomorrow morning... Ouch!!

I'm playing now. Since no one seems to have strong feelings as to strategy, I'll take the Viking city for peace and conquer that island, and keep trying to plant spies with Rome and Japan and once we have spies, subvert cities.

Good luck Willow. Given Gator's assessment of cities with resources, Norwich is going to be our undoing in the end.....

I think shooting for the smaller cities is the way to go as well. I'd still like to know whether it is better to concentrate on *a* city or spread the wealth around alittle?

Have fun...

 

[bluebox]

About Plant spy & Propaganda:

One try per turn per city or spy. No matter how many times you try, result will be the same. You're just loosing money.

It's not cumulative.

 

[leif erikson]

It's not cumulative.

How about over a set of turns. Say that you use propaganda on the same city, once per turn, for 5 consecutive turns. Would that be one random die roll per turn or would the odds increase over the 5 turns?

 

[WillowBrook]

And the short answer is that Norwich will not be our problem!!!!

Summary:
we now have spies in all three civs. propaganda attempts are very expensive v. Rome and Japan. Japan will not give anything for peace. A number of towns are in resistance after a give and take with Rome, and Rome will not talk with us. I took the Viking town that begins with Q for peace, and now have 4 cavs to take the other town on that island. Springfield (next to their capital) flipped to the Vikings, but I decided to wait to take it back. Propaganda finally worked to take Norwich, but there's still Obreo. We are making almost 1400 gpt. Oh, and we have a leader, but I have no idea what to do with him.

Recommendation:
give Vikings a bunch of towns and declare, taking all but their capital and the inaccessible Obreo. Hopefully they'll give Obreo for peace, since it's only size 2. Oh, and make sure you take care of the couple of units on their original island (I didn't see them brfore making peace) - perhaps they'll move or declare if asked to move.
Not sure what to do about Japan and Rome (but at least conveniently they keep blowing each other up)

Details:
Turn 0: 1350 AD
make peace with Vikings for Q-town and PP. Since we're not in a hurry on this island, I'll save a few gold and wait for the first sheild before rushing.

IBT
The vikings kick us out for their territory (cavs by the capital)

Turn 1: 1355 AD
rush harbor in Q-town
attempt to plant spy in Rome and fail
fail in Kyoto
fail in Rome
fail in Kyoto

attempt to subvert Norwich, fail
attempt to subvert Obreo, fail

we now have more culture than the Vikings, and the same cpt as Rome
found New Pittsburgh

disband some uneeded/obsolete units. MM cities (why all the longbowmen being built?). get income up to 1241 gpt

change plans on the empty Island (where Jerusalem was) - build road with slaves, spread cavs over island to prevent landing (other than BZ - but I doubt we'll see any of them).

Japan is "close" to giving us Hakodate. I'll wait to make peace.

IBT
Cesarea flips

Turn2: 1360 AD
Hakodate is still only close
2 spy attempts each in Rome and Kyoto fail
I wonder if it's worth trying more?
propaganda attempts in Obreo and Norwich fail
lets try more spy-planting attempts - I don't care if they get more mad.
2 more failed attempts in each capital

Okay, time to gift/take with Rome again
Gift Orlando, New Houston, New Miami, York, Coventry, Shimonoseki, Matsuyama, Sapporo to Rome after taking all our troops out of that territory (not that our rep matters any more)
Rome is, of course, suspicious ("How kind. I wonder what you are up to?")
I declare war.
I lose only 3 (2 reg, 1 vet) cavs taking back the 9 cities, and Jackson appears at the battle for Shimonoseki!

Found New Oakland

Hakodate is now doubtful - perhaps being at war with Rome has something to do with it (even though Japan's also at war with Rome? )

IBT
nothing (well, some Roman frigate move around)

Turn 3: 1365 AD
propaganda attempts in Norwich and Obreo fail
spy-planting attempts in Rome and Kyoto fail

Hakodate is doubtful and Romewon't talk.

rush cav in Q-town

IBT
nothing

Turn 4: 1370 AD
Rome won't talk, and Hakodate is doubtful
we have slight WW
propaganda in Orbreo and Norwich fails
spy-planting attempt in Rome succeeds!!!!
but fails in Kyoto
propaganda attmpt in Edo (Roman) fails (it's expensive!!!)

IBT
Springfield flips to the Vikings

Turn 5: 1375 AD
Rome won't talk and Hakodate is doubtful
propaganda attempts in Norwich and Obreo fail
propaganda attempt in Lugdunum fails
spy-planting attempt in Japan fails

Turn 6: 1380 AD
Rome won't talk and Hakodate is doubtful
rush cav in Q-town
propaganda is so expensive, I'll just go after Norwich this time. fails.
spy-planting attempt in Japan succeeds!
I try for Hakodate, and fail.

IBT
some Roman frigates get blown up by an elite Japanese frigate

Turn 7: 1385 AD
Rome won't talk and Hakodate is doubtful
propaganda attempt in Norwich fails
New Tampa Bay founded

IBT
nothing

Turn 8: 1390 AD
Rome won't talk and Hakodate is doubtful
propaganda attempt in Norwich fails
rush cav in Q-town
I'm puzzled - our WW has disappeared.
New Orlando and New Tacoma founded

IBT
Nicomedia flips to Rome. It will easily be recaptured.

Turn 9: 1395 AD
found New Santa Fe, New Olympia, and New Hunt Valley
recapture Nicomedia
Rome won't talk and Hakodate is doubtful
propaganda attempts in Norwich and Obreo fail

IBT
our people want to build the iron works!

Turn 10: 1400 AD
New Springfield founded
rush cav in Q-town
PROPAGANDA IN NORWICH SUCCEEDS!!!!!
but fails in Obreo
Rome won't talk and Hakodate is doubtful
propaganda in Edo fails

Edit: here's the save

 

[leif erikson]

Excellent work on Norwich

Makes me wonder if continuing on the same city helps improve the odds?

Its late so I haven't looked at the save, but it sure sounds good.

Roster:
Leif - UP
Capt. - On Deck
Nemesis
Gator
Bluebox
Willow - Just player.

I've got it and will tyr to play tomorrow night (Saturday).

BTW - Durkz is on the way up, and fast.

 

[DJMGator13]

Nice job Willow.

I don't think multiple attempts to plant a spy vrs the same civ works on the same turn, ie. if it fails first time it will always fail. I'm not positive I just haven't seen it in my games, so I'm not 100% on that.

Good luck leif.

 

[WillowBrook]

I don't think multiple attempts to plant a spy vrs the same civ works on the same turn, ie. if it fails first time it will always fail. I'm not positive I just haven't seen it in my games, so I'm not 100% on that.

I expect that's true, but since psy-planting attempts were cheap (~80 g per attempt), I figured I'd try. As for propaganda attempts, they're too expensive to risk more than one per turn (I think Bluebox has verified that once you fail with a city on a turn, it will not work no matter how many time you try on that turn).

As for price of propaganda attempts, I didn't do any careful calculations, but the price is clearly proportional to the population of the city, and appears to be proportional to the culture of the civ. I wish I knew what the relative chances were - after all my attempts, I was about to conclude that it just doesn't happen, but then it worked in Norwich my last turn.

 

[leif erikson]

The sign up thread for SGOTM09 is up. I was wondering if we want to sign up as individuals or as a team?

@Alan - Any chance for a cameo this time round?

Looks like an interesting scenario. Gyathaar sure can dream up some good ones!!

If Alan won't be joining us, then software version is also up for discussion.