The Emperor Masters' Challenge

[aelf]

[continued from the previous page]

That's pretty much the crucial decision for now. Our situation is looking quite good. GNP:



Power:



Tech comparison:



Napoleon is still quite ahead of us in tech, but that will soon end along with his empire, if the look of Tours proves anything. Our empire is doing fine. Yes, I overlooked the corner city (Kumbi Saleh) and let it exceed its happiness limit in the turn before. I am thinking of remedying the problem by whipping a catapult there for 2 pop. after building it for one turn.

Once again, I need your advice and opinions.

 

[voek]

Offcourse Nappy founded Confucianism, it would be strange if it's was imported from the other continent and Kubai didn't had it.

Don't wait for CS, attack. If he has longbows, you will have maces soon, now capture whatever you can. You have an army, so use it. I would even attack with half of your SoD. You have enough Cats.

Oh and don't get to excited with your pall Khan. It is still a Khan and you have been at war with him and he used to like Nappy. So instead of helping you, he might even help Nappy and attack you in the back.... Just be carefull. I have been surprised much too often with that 'pleased' status and finding myself gangbanged the next moment.

I might be a bit lazy, but I wonder which wonders Nappy has, being industrious? Could you post a screen with the wondersection. Might be important where to strike next, though prob. most will be in Paris...

 

[Sisiutil]

I second Voek's opinon on Khan. Don't trust that guy for a minute. I mean, remember that sneak attack he pulled on the Enterprise?

Oh, wait. Wrong Khan.

Still...



"KHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNN!!!!!"

I NEVER get tired of that. And trust me, you'll feel that way before the game is over.

Anyway, yes, attack and take that lightly-defended city. Take more if you can, or if you meet heavy resistance, sue for peace. The AI is usually very willing to cough up a tech after it loses a city. If not, take another, or pillage like crazy, and try again. It would be nice for you if Nappy coughed up Feudalism. The power graph and the AI seem to really respect Longbows.

As for that jungle city--tough choice. With all those peaks, it kind of sucks as a city site even if it does snag a few resources and have mostly grassland on the other tiles. If you keep on friendly terms with Khan for some time, the city will probably grow to a good size and I'm laying odds he'll build another one on the coast just east of there. Of course, whether you keep or raze, the benefit of letting Khan work that area is that he may clear a lot of the jungle and build a few improvements for you.

You're well-positioned now to pull off a come-from-behind win. It's entertaining to watch.

 

[King Monkeyman]

Nice thread, keep it up!

One Q: Any idea if any religions are/will be founded overseas? The fewer the religions, the more united that continent will be, yes?

-kmm

 

[voek]

Nice thread, keep it up!

One Q: Any idea if any religions are/will be founded overseas? The fewer the religions, the more united that continent will be, yes?

-kmm

Good point, but however will not always hold. If one of the early religions is founded (Budhisme/Hindusime) at the other continent (or in general actual) it can be very dominant if it spreads fast. Other religions founded later, like Christianity, may still be founded (on that continent) but not spread easily and the first one still will control all.

So even if they have found several religions (I think Judism, Hinduisme Aelf?) they still could be united. But still, good point, the lesser religions they have founded they more untited they will be. Just not always the other way around.

 

[cabert]

i think you have a big enough stack to split it against 2 border cities.
I know I would try, since surprise effect is your best weapon here.
Same philosophy, i would move south into KK's territory (you have have open borders, don't you?) so the french city is just one move away. Then declare on the start of the next turn, then march this one step towards holy city
One moving turn attacks are suprises, 0 moves are even better since you attack the units you see, no other will come.
Besançon is a 0 move attack. that's why i would split the stack (maybe you have another stack somewhere?)

 

[aelf]

Oops, I realised I moved the stack to the wrong position. Nevermind. I think I will do the stack division and attack in 1 turn thing Cabert suggested. Hopefully Napoleon doesn't suddenly have a few longbowmen appear in Tours in the next 2 or 3 turns. I think Besancon should be razed.

Good point about Kublai. But I think we should be alright as it is. We have at least one Skirmisher and one spear in every city bordering him and could rush an axe or a spear or something in an emergency.

About the other continent, it's really quite pointless to speculate, but since Judaism was founded there too (besides Hinduism), I would venture a guess that the AI there are divided along Jewish and Hindu lines.

I can't wait to play but there hasn't been many replies since the last round. I see people like malekithe lurking around. Where are they?

 

[voek]

Hopefully Napoleon doesn't suddenly have a few longbowmen appear in Tours in the next 2 or 3 turns. I think Besancon should be razed.

I would count on facing the longbows in 2 or 3 turns. I mean if Besancon already habe longbowmen, then Tours will follow very soon. But you might be lucky. And yes, of course it should be razed. Besides it just has 1 pop. and I think barely culture (?) so you prob. even have the option to capture it.

It's spectulating what the other continent will be, but it will be a huge revalation to the game and your victory. Do you have any information yet of rumours about wonders built, techs founded (first), etc etc to know where you stand?

 

[aelf]

Bah! A few longbowmen won't scare us! Although it would be nice to see an archer guarding Tours like in a few turns ago.

Most wonders seem to have been built on the other continent so far, IIRC, but there doesn't seem to be many of them up anyway. I don't think the other continent is much more advanced than ours. If I am right, that would certainly suggest some factionalism over there.

 

[kniteowl]

Checked your save

Your Financial... AND U HAVE NO!!! COTTAGES!!! THIS LATE IN THE GAME... "sigh"...

why are you farming those flood plains??? War Whipping Purposes??? Because it's definitely not for a GP farm.

I understand the farmed flood plains in your capital are for the gold mines but what about Beshbalik and that city north of your capital (Dejjne or sumfin) those flood plains need to be Cottaged ASAP so you can keep up in tech with your AI opponents your running in the negative at 40% science.

2 Gold mines arnt gonna cut it unless your gonna kill off your enemies really soon.

 

[aelf]

Checked your save

Your Financial... AND U HAVE NO!!! COTTAGES!!! THIS LATE IN THE GAME... "sigh"...

why are you farming those flood plains??? War Whipping Purposes??? Because it's definitely not for a GP farm.

I understand the farmed flood plains in your capital are for the gold mines but what about Beshbalik and that city north of your capital (Dejjne or sumfin) those flood plains need to be Cottaged ASAP so you can keep up in tech with your AI opponents your running in the negative at 40% science.

2 Gold mines arnt gonna cut it unless your gonna kill off your enemies really soon.

Djenne has cottages.

And yes, I farmed those flood plains to whip. The farms in Beshebalik were Kublai's doing, and after whipping I think Beshebalik is better off growing to work that gold mine. I will convert some farms to cottages soon.

 

[kniteowl]

Djenne has cottages.

And yes, I farmed those flood plains to whip. The farms in Beshebalik were Kublai's doing, and after whipping I think Beshebalik is better off growing to work that gold mine. I will convert some farms to cottages soon.

Oh sorry my eyes Must be playing on me... you should start cottage spamming those nice grassland areas in your core cities When you get the oppotunity

btw Whip that Courthouse in New Sarai already They deserve it

 

[aelf]

Yeah, I also think cottages should be the next worker priority.

Anyway, I checked the save. ALL the wonders so far have been built on the other continent. I'm getting a bit worried. It certainly would be to our great disadvantage if there are 4 peaceful builder civs over there, since we are sharing ours with two clowns. I'm at a loss about how to win if that's the case

 

[Murky]

Yeah, I also think cottages should be the next worker priority.

Anyway, I checked the save. ALL the wonders so far have been built on the other continent. I'm getting a bit worried. It certainly would be to our great disadvantage if there are 4 peaceful builder civs over there, since we are sharing ours with two clowns. I'm at a loss about how to win if that's the case

You reall don't need my advice but I would look toward switching to free religon before meeting the other civs. This way they will be more likely to trade techs maybe even become friendly.

 

[Andrei_V]

Build more cottages, especially around the capital, and make sure you work them, so they grow up by the time you switch to Bureaucracy.

You won't get Liberalism by the time you meet the other civs. In the worst case, switch to no state religion, but it will depend on whether there are many religious nuts on the other continent, or not. Many leaders will trade with you even if they have different religions.

Better think of what exactly you're going to offer them in tech trades. My advise would be to prioritize Printing Press and Education, and not Optics/Astronomy, since everyone else will have them before you.

 

[Murky]

I looked at the save while on lunch. It looks pretty grim but you could probably pull it out. I think that you will have to turn on Khan at some point so that you can get those holy cities. Right now they are making him fat and happy but he'll probably turn on you at the first sign of weakness.

 

[pigswill]

In terms of other continent/shared religion problem one thing you could try is flood the non-founder civs with your missionaries to try to convert them thus breaking up the religious cartel; it depends on how far religions have spread.
If you don't focus on optics/astronomy but go paper/education then you may have something to trade when they find you first, maybe even a map.

 

[voek]

Anyway, I checked the save. ALL the wonders so far have been built on the other continent. I'm getting a bit worried. It certainly would be to our great disadvantage if there are 4 peaceful builder civs over there, since we are sharing ours with two clowns. I'm at a loss about how to win if that's the case

Just what I thought that's why I asked, I was worried to, now I certainly am. Brace yourself for a big gap between the other continent...

Cottages a little too late (I can't look into the save at my work) but maybe not too late. Expand and build your empire at the cost of Napy and Khan. Whip your newly conquered city's for granary's/temples/COURTHOUSES. Maybe some chopping too. Again, can't look into your save, but you need lots of workers to work the new city's and cut the jungle. I think you have not enough. Unless you can capture a bunch, you need to build some.

 

[malekithe]

I'm not the least concerned about the status of the other continent. Most of the religions were founded on yours, indicating that the tech situation is not as desire as some other posters seem to fear. The worst thing you could do now is settle down for a long building phase. If you want to wait for maces, that's fine, but you should press some advantage while you have it. Once you have this whole continent to yourself, nothing that happens overseas will matter to you at all.

I haven't had time to take a look at the save file (wrapping up the GOTM), but from the screenshots, you can easily grab besancon and raze tours (as you've indicated). I'd still look to take out Paris (maybe even raze it...), just because you have such easy access. Definitely don't forget about Khan, he still has a fairly large number of cities and has a tech lead over you. You've got him handled for now, but don't become complacent. I don't see a real downside to engaging in a war with France right now. Until he demonstrates he's a threat, continue to pick him apart.

 

[aelf]

Why raze Tours? It's a holy city. I think my next target would be Tours and Rheims. If anything is to be razed, it's Besancon, which can't be captured anyway.

I agree we should just aim to capture our continent asap. When that is done, we should at least be double the size of our biggest rival. That should allow us to equalise eventually. Going to play my next round now.