When do we strike?

[Daghdha]

We have come to the point where we must decide on when/if the attack on MIA is going to happen. By the looks of the discussion we have 3 options.
1. Attacking MIA on turn 104 starting a guerilla-type war where we use the speed of GS's to slowly cripple MIA into despotism. We will have our FP up by then a will prolly be able to send troops enough to be a real pain in the greeks behinds.
2. Hold our horses and wait for MT and in the meantime focus on building up on (and beyond) MIA. Then launch the cav storm.
3. Not attack at all.

 

[gmaharriet]

I didn't vote since I'm no expert at warmongering. I would like to see our agreement in place with Dnuts before attacking to ensure that they don't join a dogpile.

 

[grahamiam]

voted "on turn 104" but really meant on or around turn 104. No need to telegraph the 1st move.

 

[barbslinger]

I'm with Grahamiam on this. We should continue build up and prepare but not move in on 104.

 

[Daghdha]

I agree w Gram and slinger and it was clumsy to say "on" 104. What I really mean is "as soon as people with know how say we are enough prepared and our troops are in the right position and we will aiming to get there asap" .
Speaking of right positions isn't it time for the ones actually playing the war turns to make suggestions on where to place what?
I know we have said move all available GS's south, but does that still hold? Should we stash some cash to make investigations before we strike?
What is the best use for those warriors we still have?
What do we do with our 2 curraghs?
Etc...
I could make lots of suggestions but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be the best ones on this team

 

[Bede]

Let them sweat until we can go in force. Given the productivity of our towns I think hitting them @110 should be feasible.

Build up on both flanks then strike hard into the central luxury areas. Taking out their luxes and using the jungels for cover will be to our advantage. It will hurt them badly and we can then roll in from both sides wasting the land and skirmishing as we go.

Of course this depends on the nature of their defenses and the locations, but it will only take a couple of "no research" turns to get the necessary cash.

 

[Crakie]

@Bede: I think they will stack up their defences in those lux cities; I think we should initially bypass them altogether. Some GS are in position to sever lux roads though.

General thoughts. Devote all resources to war, i.e. research to a single scientist, all core cities build military. Wait to see what, if anything, MIA is throwing at us after turn 104. Prioritize severing their luxes, try to raze poorly defended coastal cities, try to trigger GA without triggering theirs. Attack all out when strong enough.

 

[Tubby Rower]

I voted on turn 104. If I play any of the turns, I'd want someone else holding my hand on MSN so that I don't do anything stupid. I tend to get over-ambitious and attack stupidly during a war.

But since this has greater meaning than my SP games, I WILL be more careful... Just don't want to not attack when I shoudl have.

 

[Whomp]

I voted none. I think the element of surprise is gone and 4.2.1 MI with 1.3.1 hops is a war no one will win at this point.

I think the surprise would be taking out TNT.

• Total element of surprise
• They're weak vs. us and as we saw immortals are no match vs. speed.
• They need to focus on economy after one of their core cities was razed.
• We know where their iron is.
• They will likely be in anarchy within the next 10 turns and a republic while we move to monarchy.
• Indirectly it will hurt MIA on the research front.
• We can focus on some boats and they can not.
• Their coastal city near our furs city is empty.

Etc etc

 

[Tubby Rower]

I want war. really don't care who. I don't know if I can take waiting another 50 turns or so before blood is spilled.

TNT would be fine with me. We have a couple of coastal cities on harbor builds and they could be switched to galleys. We need one city to be a harbor since we have 2 curraphs and could upgrade them.

 

[grahamiam]

Attacking TNT will invite MIA to attack us. Therefore, as I see it, either way, we're at war with MIA. Might as well take on only 1 at a time instead of 2.

 

[Whomp]

Attacking TNT will invite MIA to attack us. Therefore, as I see it, either way, we're at war with MIA. Might as well take on only 1 at a time instead of 2.

Not if we negotiate peace terms and they've continually expressed a willingness for this. Chamnix was concerned about fighting in republic so maybe we use this angle with MIA.

The bottom line for me is I'd like to see some of our heavy hitters play some saves. This is when we need you guys.

 

[barbslinger]

I'm in favor of Bede's plan. Crakie may have mis interpreted Bede saying strike luxury areas as being the cities but I think he means wasting the roads out in that area with pillaging. Our skirmishing ability should help save lives and if we can take down a few cities which I am 95% sure will have token defense we should get the immediate edge. 3 GS each on 4-5 single hop defended cities will put the fear of God in MIA.
We should be able to defend with 4-5 GS. Our out skirt cities can have thier defenders peek out for incoming and the GS can arrive in 2 turns.

 

[Kickbooti]

I would be nervous about taking out TNT. It would really leave that whole continent for the Nuts to develop on their own.

I don't think that we would be strong enough to maintain a credible defens on Battle Isle with anything more than a handful of cities. Besieds, depending on what our development plans are, the Forbiden Palace would need to be on Battle Isle if we are serious about having a substantail presence there.

I WOULD be comfortable with planting some defendable cities on that continet. Grab some lux. Be seen. It may even lend itself to stratigic surprise if we talk nice to MIA and they see what appears to be a beach-head forming on the other continent. (The questsion is whether the diversion of resources makes a material difference in our work against MIA).

But IMHO, if our designs on the other continent are anything other than strictly limited it is over reaching.

Besides, we may need TNT in the future. If the game continues into the Industrial Age we might have to make a tech/gold transfer to a smallish, embittered blood-foe of the Nuts.

I'd be fine with helping our new 'allies' with abit of raiding, but if they want TNT out of it, let the Nuts do the bleeding.

 

[Bede]

I'm in favor of Bede's plan. Crakie may have mis interpreted Bede saying strike luxury areas as being the cities but I think he means wasting the roads out in that area with pillaging. Our skirmishing ability should help save lives and if we can take down a few cities which I am 95% sure will have token defense we should get the immediate edge. 3 GS each on 4-5 single hop defended cities will put the fear of God in MIA.
We should be able to defend with 4-5 GS. Our out skirt cities can have thier defenders peek out for incoming and the GS can arrive in 2 turns.

'slinger has it on the nose. I dallied with the notion of taking the towns than changed my mind so the expression of my idea was not as clear as it should have been.

Ro restate: make a feint in strength at the center, cutting the roads and isolating the towns. Come down on both flanks with 3-5 GS stacks, then despoil the lands hoping to lure them out where we can make tactical withdrawals to join up with arrriving reinforcements, doing our best to weaken or kill whatever gets sent after us. Then come in force and pillage and plunder as appropriate.

 

[Crakie]

Ok, thanks for clearing that up, Bede, I'm on board. I will not deny Tubby's notion we really need a war to keep things interesting though.

I don't like the notion of taking on war with TNT, we'd be doing the Nutters' job in the long run and MIA will get ambitious.

EDIT: How are we going to defend OUR lux cities?

 

[barbu1977]

I voted for a Guerilla war. Let's start on turn 104

 

[Tubby Rower]

How are we going to defend OUR lux cities?

Hopefully by killing them before they get a chance to do that.

 

[Whomp]

Latest on the Diplo front in the MIA thread

 

[Admiral Kutzov]

they're splitting hairs. go to war as soon as prudent