Strategy Discussion: Statue of Zeus or Continental Victory

[Provolution]

Statue of Zeus Vs. Early Continental Victory

After looking through the options, it seems we can strike out Team Doughnut very early this game.

IRON:

Continental Superpower with 4 cities
Highest production
Double as much land as Iroq

Military technology: Immortals starting production in 3-4 turns
Can upgrade warrior to immortal every 3 turn.
Can produce catapults in a non-barracks city
Can add spearmen to reduce Immortal losses


IROQ:
Shelbyville, about 100 000 people
Springfield, about 100 000 people
Cruller, formerly 15000-20000 people, now massacred and razed by Iroq

We estimate Iroq got 2 warriors in each city, and will now produce spearmen where they can. They certainly got 1-2 warrior scouts out there we need to handle with immortals in defense. They will gamble on that we are not daring to send a complete immortal stack south this early in the game and they may think we have no iron, which for our part is virtually connected.

If we scrap the Statue of Zeus Plan (costing 100 shields more than it should anyways), we can decisively strike Iroq with all our might and end this war before we meet the other continents. Dancing Banana will provide the additional units necessary to utterly crush Iroq if we change plans.

The idea is to make Dancing Banana produce an immortal every 3rd turn, soon every 2 turn, and manage to prepare a strong force of some 6 upgraded warrior immortals, 8 built immortals and 3 spears and 1-2 catapults within Turn 60. A staggering total of 14 immortals, 3 spears and 2 catapults by turn 60. No way Iroq can stop this onslaught, now that we are already pillaging their lands. I want your inputs, since I need your support to change this plan.

This powerful army and promised victory will be my legacy for the Term 3, where I consider to resign as Shahahnshah. I plan to do the mass upgrade turn 60, on my potential resignation day, so our build-up is kept in the dark from their Military Advisor. I think The continent will be ours around turn 80-85, if you people agree on this deal. This will allow us to focus on Team KISS for Term 4.- 90-120.

Long term, I believe our best chances against Team KISS is to build Great Lighthouse in Carpetbomb and assure we lead the naval race, winning most naval battles with seafaring and the extra move, with using immortals, catapults, spears, archers and a few horsemen for follow up attacks on redlined Gallic Swordsmen.

I know Team KISS think they are some hard ones, let us prove them wrong.

 

[Provolution]

Edit, we need to attack them earlier with a smaller stack.

I will call this "Operation Respiration Termination", in order to take away their breath so they cannot regroup.

 

[donsig]

Hmmm... I think your second post is more to the point. Iroq is weak now. Let's get a force on they way there ASAP. If we need Dancing Banana to produce Immortals instead of pre-build for Zeus then we should do that. We have a war now and must build the forces now that will ensure our victory.

Since we must also look ahead and plan our next war perhaps we should try a revised wonder plan. What do you all think about pre-building a wonder in Carpetbomb? It can end up as either Statue of Zeus or Great Lighthouse as we see fit down the road...

 

[Provolution]

Well, I do agree on keeping our flexibility open, Carpetbomb should do the Prebuild, being behind the front and all, and already upgraded tiles. That extra irrigated cow enables that hill to be mined and so on .

 

[donsig]

We are faced with a couple decisions next turn (#54).

We'll get math and so must choose what to research next. What's going on with the trade talks with the Galls? Any chance we can pick up writing from them? What about the wheel? It would be nice to know where the horses are since the Iroqi's unique unit depends on them.

Our mini-stack of immortals is adjacent to an Iroqi warrior that is sitting atop a mountain. Should we attack and start our golden age? If we attack we have a one in three chance of losing an immortal. I'm inclined to go around the mountain. We are recuiting more immortals that can deal with the Iroqi warrior if he moves north. I see no point in delaying our march to the south. That will only give Iroq more time to make archers. We do have another immortal in Fort Incendiary.

It is time to talk more about our dormant wonder plan. Should we revive it? With our Goleden Age near we should be planning how to best take advantage ot it.

 

[donsig]

We are currently 21 turns away from completing the Statue of Zeus in Semtex. Completing this wonder may take even longer as our Golden Age and production bonus will end in about 15 turns. I have chosen to research philosophy which will allow us to build the Mausoleum instead of the Statue. Here is the comparison as I see it:

Statue: 300 shields, >21 turns, ancient cavalry every five turns

Mausoleum: 200 shields, 8 turns, three unhappy citizens in Semtex will be content

Is that free ancient cavalry worth waiting for? If we build the Mausoleum instead we can then switch to military production in Semtex. In 21 turns we could have the Statue or the Mausoleum and three horsemen (or three immortals) for the war effort. Semtex is currently producing 7 good shields (out of 8) at size five. With the Mausoleum Semtex could be size 6 with one MP and no unhappiness. Throw in another MP it's at size 7 without unhappiness. The two happy citizens there allow it to grow to size 9, easily allowing it to rival Dancing Banana in production (ten shields per turn).

Note that Semtex does not yet have a barracks. We do also have a dire need for garrion units to act as MPs and to guard against sneak attacks by either the Iroqi or the Galls. Semtex could build the Mausoleum and generate regular spearmen for garrison duty while it grows. When it reaches ten shields per turn pruduction it could raise a barracks and then produce offensive units for the war effort.

I'd like some feedback on building the Mausoleum versus the Statue (or the Pyramids or Oracle - or even the Great Library for that matter). I'm leaning towards the Mausoleum so Semtex's production can be put to use filling some of our more pressing needs.

 

[MjM]

Id go for the Mauselloum(sp). 21+ turns and then 5 moer turns for the first AC. And only 1 per 5 turns. While the Mausoleum will make 10spt possible, having a immortal every 3 turns. Since the road is almost done, the speed of the Immortals wont matter nearly as much. I vote Mauselloum.

 

[greekguy]

Seeing at this point we have a strong military without the Statue being built, and we need to keep everyone happy, so we don't have to raise the lux. slider in the future, I say go with MoM.

 

[Gunner]

I guess the Mausoleum would probably be best. Our military can reach acceptable strength levels without SoZ.

 

[Provolution]

I go with Maussoleum too. Besides, it is a terribly poor target, since we have our citizens there.