The MOI takes the government - new turn thread

[Kev]

PART I


1525.

It was supposed to be a great moment in history for all of United Fanatica. The civilization was growing. Great achievements were completed. The people were among the most enlightened.

This is why the Minister of Interior was all the more shocked at walking into a palace devoid of its leader.

Word had reached the idyllic coastal capital of The Holy Duck Pond that United Fanatica was bursting with 4,000,000 citizens – all counted by hand. Yet, amazingly enough, leaders were disappearing almost as quickly as the civilization was growing.

An empty palace. The vice president-turned-president was nowhere to be found. Much like the vice president-turned-president-turned-science minister-turned-missing leader before him. Curiosity turned to fear and turned to near panic as a parade of messengers filtered into the unoccupied study of the palace.

“Mr. President?” one of them offered.

“I’m not the president, I’m sorry,” was all the MOI could muster.

The bold messenger looked to his colleagues as if for support. He turned back to the MOI and said, “Look sir, I’m sorry too but there are decisions that need to be made NOW and you may as well give some if the president can’t be found.”

What was Kev to do? United Fanatica, with all of the beauty and wonders, was an empire in turmoil. What could he do? What he must!

“What is your message?”

Smiling and eager – with a new purpose finally at hand – the messenger spoke quickly
and louder that he needed to.

“I bring word from the outlying land of Dukeshire. Sir, we have no defense and can smell the odious Roman military and can hear their men shriek as they rape one another. How shall we defend ourselves?”

It became apparent from this issue, and the issues brewing in the many messengers behind this so eloquent one, that this was a situation that was not to be trifled with. Word went out to those who would join him and advise at the highest levels. For the time being, though, he would have to make the best decisions he could.

A cursory search of the president’s papers – strewn about as if he left in a great rush – showed some of the decisions that his and other offices had suggested. He would follow these to the best of his ability and hope beyond hope that he could guide his beloved Fanatica to greater glory.

With great fanfare, the people put out some lovely fur rugs in what was to become an awe-inspiring throne room.

1530 (1):

The settler connected with THDP boards a ship (that was FORTIFIED in the city for some odd reason) and heads to an island ripe for settling. The MOI also decides to ship the settlers near Dellville to the island of Viroconium to create yet another city.

Pikemen move into Dukeshire and are supported by this city. All over the land newer cities begin to take responsibility for the soldiers that are defending their city.

The settler near Unknown City has nothing more to improve. The MOI sends it to the other side of the island to possibly settle that portion. By contrast, the settler near Joespaniel begins to mine a hill.

Word reaches the MOI that the Romans have begun to build Leonardo’s Workshop. These same Romans make a pact with the evil Mongols to contain the (perceived) aggression of Fanatica. Bah, contain THIS.

Word then reaches the capital that the GERMANS are building Leo’s Workshop and they are almost finished with Sun Tzu’s War School. GERMANS? Where did THEY come from? With such a wonder race, the MOI decides to visit the rushing of caravans soon.

1535 (2):

The brilliant thinkers of Fanatica have discovered University. Torn between gunpowder, democracy and the theory of gravity, the MOI chooses the last as it was due next in line before his time. Hoping to end the current wars while he waits for gravity and then for gunpowder, Kev sends word to the British. The meeting went as follows:

Kev: Can we stop this war, please?
Hank: Sure, just give us invention and we may decide to spare you.
Kev (hiding a snicker): I see. Why don’t you take that crumpet and {SENSORED}
Hank: Prepare for war.
Kev: We’re already at war, idiot.
Hank: Then prepare for MORE war.
Kev: Yeah, whatever. Like you’re some Kenneth Branagh or something.

During this time, Leipzig builds Sun Tzu’s. Given that we didn’t even know they existed until now, I don’t think they’ll be launching attacks anytime soon.

Spycatcher builds a caravan and switches to a diplomat. Would like to send it into Chinese territory for some knowledge.

1540 (3):

The city of Marl Downs is built well south of Brighton with a crusader for support. The transport ship heads back to Mpondo for additional troops. It would seem that this is a fine area to settle and there seems to be no enemy troops nearby. Still, Kev worries and will send the crusader regiment out on constant patrols.

Rushing 4 caravans still leaves us with 331 gold. Nice. We’ll have this Worshop build before any other.

Zulu crusader wandering about the city of Viroconium and 2 Zulu caravans are spotted as well. They seem to be carrying dung for trade.

 

[Kev]

PART II


1545 (4):

Two new cities are built in this fine year of growth. Spice Haven is built between Viroconium and Dellville and Becka-Becka is a lovely island city NE of THDP.

THDP rushes a caravan and makes it wine for actual trade. Demanding cities include London, Beijing, Karakorum, Samarkand, Fort Pornstar, Aleppo, Sixchan, Kabul, Dukeshire, Kevholm, and Becka-Becka. THDP now starts on a university.

Dukeshire trains a pikemen group and now has two defending the city. It begins a diplomat.

1550 (5):

Mpondo creates a caravan, and along with the one from Spycatcher will help complete Leo’s. It also begins a diplomat in training. Hope to put two on a ship and wreak some havok. Where is our caravel anyway? I thought we had one of those.

A pikemen brigade is rushed in Spice Haven. Troops from the home island are sent to Becka-Becka and Kevholm and “rehomed”. Kev likes that his namesake city is so close to a city named for a female. Kev then decides that he must be working too hard and needs a social life.

1555 (6):

The crusader patrol from Marl Downs discovers an English diplomat hiding in the grasslands. The crusaders trample the oily snake and entertain themselves with dragging him around the countryside. Fun.

To further the dastardly deeds of our rivals, the Zulus attack the city of Viroconium without provocation. They will pay for this injustice.

The smart people of Fanatica finish throwing everything that they can find into the air. They conclude that EVERYTHING eventually comes back down – even people. They call this phenomenon GRAVITY and decide to possibly build an entire university with this principle.

Kev: Whatever. At least you didn’t experiment with my dog.
Smart People: We could if you like.
Kev: Um, no. Just get me some cool exploding stuff so we can finally use these guns.
Smart People: Can’t do it. Wouldn’t be prudent. Not at this juncture.
Kev: This bites. Well, it IS a democracy here. Let’s discover THAT!
Smart People: Okie Dokie.

{The above translates to “gunpowder was not available”}

It would take 174 gold to bribe the Zulu crusader, so Kev gives the order for the crusader stationed in Viroconium to attack. The crusaders approach and say, “What’s that behind you?” and slay the sloth-like Zulus as they look to see. They then kill the dung caravans for good measure.

A Roman catapult is seen fairly close to Dukeshire. Contact with the Romans generates extortion. They desire 450 gold to end hostilities. Guess we’ll just have to kill ‘em.

A pike is rushed in Marl Downs and an archer is delivered from Mpondo. Soon, we hope to give them guns.

A Zulu crusader is on the outskirts of Cornmaster.

1560 (7):

With English ships loaded with God-knows-what nearby Marl Downs, the time has come to eat a bit of crow – which is an improvement over the English cooking. Kev decides to give invention. The Romans, Germans, and Chinese have it for sure, so it’s only a matter of time until they get it via trade anyway. Also, we were blocked from gunpowder, so this can buy some time to get that tech and Leo’s. The English and Fanatics have a cease-fire.

Exploration shows that the city of Dover is near (to the north) but not overlapping Marl Downs. There are some English units about (catapult, archer, warrior) and a Mongol legion north of the city. Dover is in a perfect “choke” spot and can even be a “canal” city. This would be a great city to bribe!

Two more caravans are rushed. With delivery time we can have Leo’s completed in 4 turns.

The Chinese come calling in this year. They want to let everyone know how clever they are to have discovered Steam Engine. Fine, go build the Eiffel Tower and leave us be. Kev is a bit worried however as there are so many coastal cities that we would NOT like to be visited by any ironclads! They announce as well that they’ve decided to change their Adam Smith program to Leo’s. This is dangerous – don’t know HOW close they’ll be to Leo’s. The possible good thing is that if we build Leo’s first, they may decide to build the Awful Tower instead of going back to Adam Smiths. Well, I can at least hope.

The Chinese next ask us to declare war on the Mongols and promise an alliance for doing so – though nothing else. Kev is tempted. Perhaps they will trade technology if we were allied. Yet, he is just not ready for such a commitment and tells Mao that they should just be friends.

Crusaders from Dreadtown slay the Zulus outside of Cornmaster. The citizens there watch the show from the ramparts and call for encores. Zulu ears are distributed as prizes.

That’s it fellow Fanatics. There is much to decide before I move on:

- What to study next
- What to do when Democracy is discovered.
- Next wonder
- Trade caravan
- Shall we start warring a bit?
- New cities
- New queues for city building and possible change orders
- The Roman catapult is still one square away from Dukeshire
- Exploration is continuing
- Bribing Dover later on
- Renaming any cities – I tried to be good. I thought Becka-Becka sounded like Bora-Bora and could be a nice tourist paradise.

I’m sure there is plenty I forgot.

I’d like to play some additional turns either Sunday or Monday. Probably Monday to give the people who surf the net at work a shot at things.

That is all.

 

[Kev]

... And here is the uploaded game.

If someone could post some screen shots, that would be great.

Let me know if anyone needs the file zipped.

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

Roman Catapult. Two Pike and a Diplomat in Dukeshire (building Dip - 12 turns remaining). Crusader back in Viroconium (building Caravan - 14 turns remaining)

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

English area. Pikeman and an Archer in Marl Downs (named after me? How nice. ).

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

World Map.
If someone else could do any specific screenshots, that would be great. Even these small pictures take forever to send using my dial-up connenction.

 

[Kev]

Thanks for the help with the screenshots Duke.

Yeah, Marl Downs is your namesake. Tried to fit Marlbrough Downs but the name was too large.

 

[duke o' york]

Thank you to you both for this excellent work to keep the Fanatica Empire alive.

I am very glad to see the healthy state of things and although we're not in the clear yet, and the next few years could be vital for Leo's in particular, we have spread across the world very well and are looking very good to take precedence.

I'll try to set up the appropriate MOI polls for you then Kev and we can get some more turns in. I hope other departments can be quick to post.

 

[Duke of Marlbrough]

New Turns Played