Succession: GFC - The Chronicles

[Aemilius XXIII]

Originally posted by DenC
Re: Nova Zembla

1. I've renamed it back to your spelling.
2. Do we refer to the same island in the Arctic Ocean North-East of Murmansk? What was it "special role played in the Dutch history."? Just curious, do not know nothing about. In Russian history huge nuclear weapon tests were done there.

Hi DenC

Yes indeed we refer to the same island North-East of Murmansk.

Late 16th century the Dutch tried (of-course without succes) to find a Northern searoute to the East Indies. After 2 unsuccesfull expeditions the provinces of Holland and Zeeland refused to spend money for a thirth try. But the city of Amsterdam was willing to finance it. In May 1596 two ships sailed to the North. The ships were under command of Jacob van Heemskerck and Jan Cornelisz de Rijp. They got the assistance from pilot and navigator Willem Barentsz. It was his 3rd journey to the North. Far North they got a serious difference of opinion about the best course to sail. One ship turned home. The other under command of J. van Heemskerck and under advice by W. Barentsz set sail to the North-cape of Nova Zembla with the intention to sail from there further East.

End August 1596, heavy ice blockade the further journey. They were able to sail back and arrived at the East coast of Nova Zembla where the growing sea-ice crushed the ship. The crew was able to bring the ship-supply on land and drove away the icebears with flourish of trumpets. The wood of the crushed ship was used to build a blockhut. During the whole polarwinter the men stayed in their blockhut and the most of them survived because the great leadership skill of Willem Barentsz. And the men had the luck that the liveboat with a small sail stayed intact. In June 1597 the survivors set course to the North-cape of Nova Zembla and from there to Kola. After a horribly more then 1200 miles journey, rowing and sailing in their open liveboat, they meet during the end of August near Kola by huge co-incidence the ship of Jan Cornelisz de Rijp. He came back to look what was happened with the other ship. De Rijp didn't expected to see the men of Jacob van Heemskerck back alive. Unfortunly, navigator Willem Barentsz didn't survive the journey in the liveboat back to Kola. If you look in your atlasmap you can see that the sea West of Nova Zembla and North of Murmansk is named the Barents(z) Sea to remember him and this true happened story. Some years ago a group of Russian and Dutch archaeologist found back the remainder of the blockhut at Nova Zembla.

 

[DenC]

Wow!
Aemelius, what a long story you typed in! I'm amazed! Of course, I knew the Barentz Sea, but all my life I was sure that it's in honour of some Russian guy. Propably because it's in Russian waters and first 2/3rds of my life I had seen that name written on Russian on the maps of Soviet Union.
Holland for sure was one of the greatest sea countries of that time which is amazing for such small country. I remember this sail ship docked in Amsterdam in excellent condition and used as museum now. I was amazed during my last visit there! And the harbour where it's docked is marvelous too!
The question is about Nova Zembla name - is it Dutch or Russian? Because Zemlya seems to be the Russian word - it means a lot of things in Russian - ground, soil, Earth. And Novaya - just new, which seems to be a latin word.

 

[DenC]

Hey, everybody.
I made my turn. I would not say know that we are in the best position, but it's Ok, we have the future and the game seems to be pretty interesting.
Ok, first about bad things:
The worst thing for us:
1. We do not have salpeter. It's too bad for production of our Cossacks.
If we wouldn't wait for the miracle when it will appear on our continent, than we have to get it at all cost. It's a top priority for the next ruler, I think. The other miracle could also happen - if Babylonians would build at least one harbour, than we could trade it with them (they have 2 salpeters and we are in peace with them now).
The main plan which I see, however - is to conquer it. It shall be either Zulu or India who have it in our easy reach. India is a little bit more advanced and also if we would attack India, we should stack our troops on their territory an also have to do longer trip by ships for such D-Day operation. It's unsafe.
I would go with conquering of Zulus, they do have salpeter on the border with Germans. Remember to bring the worker or settler with our attacking troops to establish either colony there or sity just south-east of salpeter. Also we would need to have the Harbour in our current only city on the new continent (to establish the trade route for transporting salpeter to our motherland). We could completely destroy Zulus - they do not have even Gunpowder secret for the moment, but we should hurry intil they get it. I just purchased Chivalry (CHEEP!) and started Knight production. We have to crush Zulus with our knight to get this salpeter! We could spend all resources for that, but we need it!

I did not start the war by myself, feel too old already when understand that, so it's in the hands of the next ruler! You could switch off on the Wonders we build now and change it to Knights production (remember to build military only in towns with Barracks!!!)
Also I would go with a Leonardo Worskshop as a wonder rather than Sixtine Chapel. Because we could easily decide unhappiness problem just increasing luxury rate from 10 to 20% and we would spend MUCH more money for UPGRADING of our units comparing to loss of 10% of luxuries. But imagine the cost of upgrading the spearmen to the rifleman! I would say it's about 80 golds, it we save 40 golds from them - we could keep 20% luxury rate for two turns!!!
Also if you would decide to start the war know, you could switch Cathedral buildings to Barracks&Knights. It should be really good time now to start the war!

Okay - the good thing!
1. We are technologically advanced!!! We research one branch of technoligies (leading to Cossacks) and we buy the technologies from other branch researched by our foes. English usually give us the best price. For the moment we have Chemistry which they don't have, and they have Banking which we could buy from them if we want. Also we already have some Universities and Libraries in almost every town - it helps to raise our culture too!

The other things:
I sent one Galley to explore this strange inner sea in the middle of the big continent - let it continue. It's around England, than Babylon and then to the sea.
2. We need to have more mines in Susa - may be convert one irrigated field to the mine?
3. Volvograd is really prospective town in the terms of growth - al lot of good land to the east.
4. The terrain around St-Petersberg should be improved immediately - it's not used on it full potential.

Good luck, and keep me informed.
My cell E-mail: 2504703450@pcs.rogers.com
Only in the text mode, no HTML!

 

[ravensfire]

DenC,

Good job on setting us up for the war. I agree with the Zulu's being the target (hmm, what civ was the beachhead city close too). They are by far the weakest civ on the island. Their UU is essentially useless at this point.

I'm not sure about the Leo vs Chapel though - I much prefer the Chapel. This allows me to keep the Luxuries low and the Science high. Hopefully we'll soon be in the tech lead and stay there. I don't want to play catchup the entire game.

I think we will have a problem soon though - corruption. With the palace and FP fairly close, and on the same island, we have a relatively large core group of cities. However, many cities on the new island are going to be 1/1 cities, limited to the few improvements we capture, and the very few we actually hurry/buy. If we get a Great Leader, we ought to give careful consideration to using it to hurry a new palace in the new island. All of the fighting will be over there, if we don't have a strong precence (production and culture-wise) ALL troops will have to be shipped over. At the pace the game is going at, we won't be getting airports for a fairly long time. Shipping troops to the new land will be a continual process.

We need to start thinking a bit long-term, and come to a group decision about what we want to do. Thus far, we've been acting as mostly individuals (someone starts the FP, no reasons given, someone cancels it, no reasons given, someone starts it again, no reasons, just request to not cancel). We are behind right now - no question about it. Getting a harbor in Raven's Wing is an abolute requirement - we've GOT to have one there, even if just for trade reasons.

But where do we go from there? Is the next plan war with the Zulu (I like this idea!), someone else, or continue the peaceful growth of the Russian Empire? We're not going to be flipping many cities, unless we rush a lot of culture improvements. We're just not going to have the production in our current government with the crippling effect of corruption.

So, what's the next step?

-- Ravensfire

 

[DenC]

Originally posted by ravensfire


Their UU is essentially useless at this point.

What's UU

I'm not sure about the Leo vs Chapel though - I much prefer the Chapel. This allows me to keep the Luxuries low and the Science high. Hopefully we'll soon be in the tech lead and stay there. I don't want to play catchup the entire game.

I would not insist on eithere choice, and I did not switch Chapel, leaving the responsibility to the next ruler.

I think we will have a problem soon though - corruption. With the palace and FP fairly close, and on the same island, we have a relatively large core group of cities. However, many cities on the new island are going to be 1/1 cities, limited to the few improvements we capture, and the very few we actually hurry/buy. If we get a Great Leader, we ought to give careful consideration to using it to hurry a new palace in the new island. All of the fighting will be over there, if we don't have a strong precence (production and culture-wise) ALL troops will have to be shipped over. At the pace the game is going at, we won't be getting airports for a fairly long time. Shipping troops to the new land will be a continual process.
We need to start thinking a bit long-term, and come to a group decision about what we want to do. Thus far, we've been acting as mostly individuals (someone starts the FP, no reasons given, someone cancels it, no reasons given, someone starts it again, no reasons, just request to not cancel). We are behind right now - no question about it. Getting a harbor in Raven's Wing is an abolute requirement - we've GOT to have one there, even if just for trade reasons.

I disagree with FP being the wrong decision - we are so strong now because of it. But I agree, and proposed it before about building the palace on the new conqered land. However I am sure that the palace should be built not in our beachhead town Ravens Wing, but in some of big conquered Zulu cities - it will prevent the FLIPPING of that BIG city and our new capital will be closer to all other future conquered cities. Also we hope to get a Great Leader during the war, just remember to use Elite troops to fight for sure victories only and do not attack the cities with more than one defender left.
Also I would propose to hurry harbour in Ravens Wing ONLY after we will be ready for trade route - it will cost substantially less than.

But where do we go from there? Is the next plan war with the Zulu (I like this idea!), someone else, or continue the peaceful growth of the Russian Empire? We're not going to be flipping many cities, unless we rush a lot of culture improvements. We're just not going to have the production in our current government with the crippling effect of corruption.

So, what's the next step?

I would INSIST that we HAVE to start a World War I and try to establish ourselfes as the Great Nation when we will have Cossacks and nobody else have better military. The Cossacks are the Russian advantage over everybody and we HAVE to use it. Cossack will kill Musketeer fortified in the city EASY, we even fo not need to produce Cannons for city sieges. And to get Cossacks, we NEED to crush Zulus and get the Salpeter. It's our goal. If we will continue peacefully, than we will always be on the 2nd or 3rd place due to the lack of land.
Remember the opening of the game by gonzo_for_civ -

We are very warlike....

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

I am here. I will reassume control of the game and I will play my turns. I was gone for a few days and then the last few days I have been adjusting to a new position at work. Thanks for the e-mail den.

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

UPDATE: I am gonna wait until at least one other person posts their opinion on the war. I say we go to war with the Zulu and take some saltpeter but the decision must be a group one.

 

[ravensfire]

I agree with DenC - thump 'em good Gonzo!

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

Well then, I'm on my merry little way. Shaka's days are numbered. I will start by sending a good amount of troops/settlers just to set up the necessary base and then I'll send some more for the next ruler to play around with. I'll post today, tomorrow, or early the day after.

 

[Aemilius XXIII]

Originally posted by DenC

The question is about Nova Zembla name - is it Dutch or Russian? Because Zemlya seems to be the Russian word - it means a lot of things in Russian - ground, soil, Earth. And Novaya - just new, which seems to be a latin word.

Hi DenC

I think that the key to clear this question is to see de difference between a word in foreign language and a (geographical) name in your language coming from that foreign word but somewhat changed in it's name-form.

I also think that Novaya is a Russian name coming from the Latin word nova. Zembla is the Dutch geographical name for the Russian word "zemlya". Did we created in Dutch a wrong geographical name "Zembla" for the Russian word zemliya? If English speaking people say yes,... then I have a little surprise for them.

In an English geographical name is the Dutch word "zee" for sea changed in the English name Zea. New Zealand got it's name from the Dutch province Zeeland what means "sealand". Zealand for Zeeland is for the English speaking people a correct geographical name.

 

[gonzo_for_civ]

Well, I was playing but I had to cut it short after 4 turns. I had a better summary but this'll have to do now. The only major thing that happened was a rush of the Raven's Wing temple to avoid a culture flip. Other than that I tried to work on barracks. Next time, I'll get a full turn.

 

[Aemilius XXIII]

I believe it's my turn again. You will see my AAR with in the next 48 hours.

 

[Aemilius XXIII]

The situation during the early centuries of the second millennium is still quietly. The new Russian ruler made serious work to finish the old national plan for 3 fleets. Russia need these fleets after the second Russian-Babylonian war broke out. this war is a quit one. No battles are reported yet, but our foe is a real superpower
now. It looks now that our Westcoast is more vulnerable than the Eastcoast because Babylon is located at the Eastern coast of the ocean West of us. At this moment there are three Russian fleets exploring the waters of the Eastern and Western ocean

In the Russian internal affairs there is much attention for the fight against corruption and waste. A lot of cities started the construction of a courthouse. Also new towns are built at the East and Westcoast.

AD 1070: Moscow built the Sixtine-chapel

AD 1100: Russia discover the secret of metallurgy. We trade that knownledge with the Germans for Navigation and the Theory of Music. Lets hope that Germany use the traded knownledge against the Babylonians. The Zulu's finished in Zimbabwe the Sun Tsu's Art of War.

AD 1120: Babylon finished the Copernicus Observatory.

AD 1130: Russia ignored the Babylonion demand for iron. Because that Babylon started the second Russian-Babylonian war. Nothing is happened so far during this war.

AD 1180: The Babylonians finished again a Major Wonder, the Leonardo Workshop. Because that Kiev was forced to cancel this project. At the moment Kiev is building a palace with the intention not to waste the used productionshields untill it can finish a new Wonder.

AD 1200: In Londen is the Smith's trading Company finished. A good reason to start a trade agreement with the English. We export "incense" and "spices" for "ivory"

AD 1220: Again a major Wonder is built by the Babylonians, this time it is the Magellan Journey.

AD 1240: If we find saltpetre we can build our special units the Cossacks.

AD 1250: The end of my reign over Russia.

Good luck and my best wishes for the next president


The map of Central Russia in the year AD 1250.

 

[ravensfire]

Ed, looks like you are up.

Just a heads up to everyone. I'm out of town this weekend, tomorrow morning will be my last chance to play until Sunday evening. If my turn comes up over the weekend, please skip me!

Thanks!
-- Ravensfire

 

[DenC]

Ed did not show for a long time.
Ravensfire is skipped or delayed until Sunday evening.
So it seems its my turn to start a war.
I hope that we are ready to the war with Zuluses.

If there would be no other opinions for the next 3 hours, then I will play this evening.

 

[DenC]

No replies here, so I will definetely do my move tonight.

 

[DenC]

Now we are Great Russian Empire! We established our presence on the Big Continent, we almost conquered Zuluses, in 3 turns we will know the Steam Power and next turn we will have SALPETER!!!!
As we will have SALPETER, we will immediatley upgrade all Knights to Cossacks (we have more than enough gold for that) and then we will conquer some other nation and become the Greatets Country in the World! In his last notes Denys IV suggests that the next tagret should be either India or England. India is rather week, not dangerous but adjacent to our posessions on the land while to beat England would be strategically important as they are 3rd Greates Power and they are just across the straight to our shores - very easy transportation.
Here is THE GAME:

 

[DenC]

"1250 – We found that previous ruler has been ill for very strange disease - Caravelomania. He spent all the resources to build Caravels with unknown reasons. THe are rumours that he was corrupted and received bribes from shipbuilders. As the result those Caravels were scattered all around the world just spending goverment money with no reasons - there is nothing to explore, nothing to transport and it's not military fleet - they did not have even one cannon onboard as we do not have salpeter. They could not be upgraded to nothing except transports, he was defineltely corrupted or mad.

So Caravels production switched in two towns to produce Veteran Knights. As a gesture of respect to the previous ruler Caravels building allowed to continue in Moscow and Kelowna which do have Harbours.
Banking and Theory of Gravity is exchanged with Indians to our extra Iron supply.
Courthouse in our beachhead city is switched to Barracks – much more practical thing during the coming war to Zuluses and ..."

"1350 - Tomorrow we will attack our primary goal - Ulundi. As soon as we will have thiw Zulus town, we will finally reach the Salpeter and then with Cossacks we will establish our world dominance in the next war. I would definetely would like to beat English if I will feel good with my 100 year age. If I would be week, I'll coquer India then.
Ok, here is plan for tommorow - attack Ulundi with Riflemens if Zuluses will have firearm defender there, if they will have a swordsman there, then our Knights would be just good enough. The basic rule which I mentioned during Russo-Zulus war is - firearm is good vs. firearm, sword is good against sword.
We do have more than enough troops around Ulundi - 3 Knights divisions & Rifleman will just kill them. So tomorrow we will conquer Ulundi and then we should establish our colony on Salpeter A.S.A.P. Hope we will capture some workers, if not - then one is coming from Nikolaev. As soon as we will have Salpeter, we will instanly upgrade all Knights to Cossacks (inluding those on the way to the New Continent) and on first we will finish those Zuluses or at least with their capital to prevent flip-flop, and then we have to continue our expansion until our foes have infantry. It's the great chance for our Cossacks."

 

[Aemilius XXIII]

Originally posted by DenC
"1250 – We found that previous ruler has been ill for very strange disease - Caravelomania. He spent all the resources to build Caravels with unknown reasons. THe are rumours that he was corrupted and received bribes from shipbuilders.

Well it's may-be time for a parliamentairy investigation

But under the previous ruler Russia discovered the secret of modern mapmaking as you can see below.

 

[DenC]

So, who is the next? ravensfire who skipped and should be available for the throne now or gonzo_for_civ whose last ruler dyed young.
I would propose that one of them who would post first here will be elected as the next ruler and Zulus killer.

Aemelius, how you did those maps? Especially with Terra Novia there? Parliamentary invstegiation is on the way, by the way, but it's handled by the secret police of Russia.