Turn 117 - 50AD
The deal of the century seems to be going well. At this point, we owe Machinery to both Epsilon and Aloha. Epsilon still owes us Literature and Construction. And, we have 11-17 turns left to deliver Construction to Aloha. I've noticed that Aloha is usually pretty quick about turning the save around. This last turn, after us giving them Currency, they took the full 24 to play. Now I may be reading too much into this (there are many reasons to delay, afterall), but I'm going to speculate that Aloha cut a deal with Innovia for Currency. I say this based upon Innovia's jump in score over the previous turn.
Fortunately, though, Innovia
still has not given Meditation to Aloha. As long as Aloha lacks Meditation, they cannot lightbulb Philosophy. My guess is Innovia is holding Meditation until Aloha delivers Machinery. Although, that really doesn't make sense, since Meditation is such a cheap tech. We have 2 turns remaining on our Machinery research and 3 turns until our own Great Scientist is born. I really think it behooves us to hold off completing Machinery for an extra turn.
Anyone else have any thoughts?
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Last turn, I sent a couple of Axemen westward towards that barb city. Our Combat I Axeman has spied a barb Axeman heading east. We've got 70% odds against that barb, so our other (unpromoted) axe decides to give the barb a wide berth rather than give him a choice.
Exploration of the lands and waters out west continues. Our Galley sails into Pearl Harbor for a look around.
Meanwhile our eastern Galley, complete with settling party, sails towards Brilliant. It may be possible for the Settler to slip by Epsilon's (just-moved) Warrior without being seen. Maybe ... it depends on where they end up moving the Warrior.
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Balderdash -> Move a citizen from a mine to the corn fields. The city will now grow in 4 turns, about the same time it will take for HR to take affect.
Hamburger -> No changes. An Axeman has just completed and I queue up another one. I'd really like to get another Spearman trained, as well, but I want to make sure we have enough forces for that barb city.
Treacle Cottage -> The city is running out of food. Fire a scientist. We have 162/200 GS points at +12 per turn. The city is no longer starving at +2 food per turn with 2 food in the bin. We will have 4 food in the bin next turn and can hire that 3
rd scientist back for another turn.
Brilliant -> The Forge under construction receives a +30 hammer forest chop, which means it will now only take 3 pop to whip the Forge. The artist gets fired since the borders have now popped. The city has grown to size 4 and will grow again in 4 turns.
Gepid -> No changes. The city is still undefended.
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[IMG=right]http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/848/mtdgivorymap3tg.th.jpg[/IMG]We need to decide on a location for the ivory coast city.
Do we found on top of the ivory or just to the south? Frankly, both sites are just plain bad. This city has few hammers. And without food, whipping improvements isn't much of an option, either. The grasslands south of the ivory can be farmed for +1 food (pre-biology). However, 1 excess food versus 2 excess food isn't really going to make much of a difference.
Settling atop the ivory, the city becomes a bit of a flip risk, especially if Epsilon lets off a culture bomb on their hill top city. However, it gives immediate access to the +1 happy face of the ivory.
in our favor, I decide to go on the offensive. Our axe takes no damage.
Its a chance, though. We can wait a couple of turns and then give it a real name. Any suggestions?
!
Naaaah ....
... if Epsilon isn't going to culture bomb, then isn't south of the ivory good enough? If we farm the 2 western grass tiles, with a lighthouse, there'll be enough food to whip a bit, and with Taoism in there, it should be fine.
