Pre-pre-flight I spend a while staring at the map, trying to decide where to put the last city. I do want to put it on the coast, for the reasons I gave above. But I eventually decide that I like Bede's suggestion of moving it one space north of the blue dot, as that gives it three BG's to work instead of one (four if we borrow the sugar at Ceasaria). I still think the southern location will be slightly stronger once we hit the Industrial Age, have everything developed, and can work the full 20 spaces - but we need to get there first. I do tend to be guilty of worrying too much about long-term potential when I'm figuring out city placements. And in the short to medium run, I think a space north will be much better.
Pre-flight As I'm looking over the situation, I notice that we have two (known) competitors for the Colossus. The Hittites are building it in Tarsus, which doesn't concern me too much, as it's a size two city in the middle of a bunch of plains - unless there's nearby fresh water that we can't see, I think we can win that race. But Spain is building it in Madrid, which is a concern. I think if I can get enough money by trading Writing, it would be worth establishing an embassy with Izzy to see whether we have a shot.
1 - 2070 BC 
2 - 2030 BC
MM Ceasaria to pick up an extra commerce this turn (it only needs one shield to finish the curragh).
3 - 1990 BC Ceasaria curragh->worker
Also notice that the three civs we know have all simultaneously developed Iron Working. That suggests that they're all in contact, which isn't good.
4 - 1950 BC
Nicaea founded on the red dot. Set to building curragh, as it has two shields (I didn't realize we'd get the second shield from the furs right away).
Constantinople grows. Set to working the lake for a couple of extra commerce, as we'll build the settler in two turns either way. And Nobby has returned just in time to keep the people content, so no need to raise the lux tax.
Justinian finishes his mining, and I'm going to send him to Adrianople - we need all the improvements we can get there, and Constantinople is about to shrink, so it has enough improved spaces to be ok for a little while.
5 - 1910 BC
Adrianople grows and is unhappy, so we need to raise the lux tax anyway. I wanted to leave the new citizen on the forest for more shields, but he needs to work the second BG (which is on the river) to generate enough commerce to keep the people happy. I still need 40% lux. But fortunately it's not enough to prevent Writing from being due next turn.
6 - 1870 BC Constantinople settler->barracks (temporarily).
Writing comes in, and fortunately we still have a monopoly. Time for some trading...
Writing to Spain for Masonry (which nobody else has), Pottery, and 40 gold.
The Hittites must be in contact with Spin, because their offer for Writing went down. But not the Iroquois - Writing brings in Iron Working, The Wheel, and Warrior Code. Then trade Masonry to the Hittites for Ceremonial Burial and his entire treasury (3 gold).
That reveals that Spain and Hittites have Mysticism, so Writing to Mursilis for Mysticism.
So now we're at tech parity with Spain and the Hittites, and up Masonry, CB, and Myst on the Iroquois. Not a bad haul for only having one tech to offer.
It turns out that we have three horses (one at Constantinople, one that Adrianople will have once its borders expand, and one near Nicaea) and two iron - one at Constantinople, and one where dman's blue dot would get it but one space north won't. But since we have another source, I decide that's not sufficient reason to settle a space further south.
Anyway, back to business. Constantinople can now build a granary, and research set to Philo (currently due in 24). Settler sent to the east.
Unfortunately, we're two gold short of being able to establish an embassy with Spain. We could with the Iros or Hittites, but there's not as much benefit there.
IT - Whoops, never mind. Spain finishes the Colossus
. Spain and the Hittites start building the Pyramids, and Hittites start The Oracle.
7 - 1830 BC
Adrianople switched to the Pyramids for now. Hopefully we can eventually turn it into one of the GL's. But since we only have 25 or so shields invested so far, maybe we'd be better served to build a temple and start accumulating some culture now? I think I would, especially since we're already having happiness problems there. But it wouldn't finish on my turns anyway, so we'll have plenty of time to discuss this.
Our exploring curraghs have both found new landmasses, but it looks like they're both barren islands. No new contacts yet.
8 - 1790 BC Ceasaria worker->curragh (vetoable)
9 - 1750 BC
Varna founded. Set to worker (again, vetoable).
We got off by a turn somewhere, and this seems like a good enough stopping point, so I'll quit here. Here's the current state of our empire:
And one thought I just now had: we should probably send the warrior to do MP duty in Adrianople. That should let us lower the lux tax, since Constantinople is generating more commerce than Adrianople is.
One more note: That curragh is heading for the sea passage to our southeast. Seems like the most promising spot for a suicide run.
Roster check:
eldar
Mach
dman
Minute Man - just played
Bede - up (for real this time)
Tubby Rower - on deck
A-K
Three horses and two irons? Sweet! Although...I don't think there's much we can do to stop another civ from claiming that 2nd iron...
IMO, no. I don't think Adrianople is strong enough productionwise (with only one hill) to make it. Our capital might, but it's probably better that we stick with the worker farm plan. So no 20k.
