[PB66 Mjmd] I HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT!!!

[Mjmd]

T149

I'm probably going to be text reporting only this game. And barely at that. How did Plemo know I was going to raze Magics city and happen to have two workers off of galleys to road towards me. Its POSSIBLE they predicted. Possible mind you. So now I'm going to probably resettle Magics spot to prevent him from settling a blocking spot.

I know some people report way after the fact for that reason. I took a whole bunch of screenshots when I was subbing for pitboss 90 that I was eventually going to post. See how well that is going.

[Mjmd]

You all were robbed of a great classical American song, but this one isn't bad. 



I TECHNICALLY have 1 more spot on island by Running Down to Cuba, but don't expect that one for a bit. 

So ya why did Plemo move his settler up before Magics city was burned and load two workers on a galley.   Why does Plemo win so many games besides just being really good. Why did Plemo shark my very first game and say he was a green. These are all good questions. Could Plemo have used those two workers to improve an extra dye to sell to one of the at war defending parties. Absolutely.

T/C had made me an offer of 5gpt for gold right before Plemo war. As I didn't know if I would keep city or not I didn't take the deal. Now that I have 8 turns of peace (last turn T/C had no gpt) I offered for 12gpt. Figure its worth +2 happy at this point. I'm also attempting to sell Vanrober an Ivory for 8gpt. Vanrober really should be whipping more. This is one of those things where I was tempted to ask for more because he is on his way out, but even at 8gpt I kind of feel like I'm taking advantage.

GKC is whipping in the correct manner. A LOT. Probably should have been looking at power graph, but at least fairy sure he will make a good showing of it. I like Gavs attack btw. He is eliminating threat to  his rear before SD is a neighbor and 4 of Vanorbers cities on his border will be his anyways just via culture pressure. Just due to geography and neighbors there is a good chance Gav wins this game. I see him at 34 cities after GKC / those 4 Vanrober cities when all is said and done.

[Mjmd]

T152

From PB59



No one has reported in days. I'm up at 2am, so sure why not.

T/C and I are in a race for Sankore; I believe he is starving Fiiona Vie; hope I win just to save myself from more culture pressure; he took a mine this turn, but should get better in 2 turns when some borders pop.

Gav got Taoism, but has only been making slow progress vs GKC thus far. SD has only taken island cities thus far, which has made me mildly worried about my south coast. He expressed he didn't want to king make in PB64; lets hope that holds true here too. Gavs chances shoot way up if SD goes after me. It looks like GAV doesn't have another GA directly lined up as he switched civics this turn.

Plemo did improve the horse over by me, you know good use of worker turns when I could* just pillage when peace expires. He also looks to be building a fort outside Captain Morgan, which is actually a good use of worker labor. Did offer open borders and fish for fish for 30gpt . I offered back for 40g total. I um may have bluffed in my own thread; those ships don't have troops on them Plemo!

Anyways, since I can't report much on my own empire. Here is Plemo's, since I'm not sure how many people are following over at German forum. I should have been hiding my mini map; Plemo finally realized I've been dumping EPs into him for AGES, but ya I still have complete investigative ability on his empire and I can still outspend 2:1. I haven't wanted to do EP fights with other people, as I don't want to antagonize atm.



I realized I cut off his NE city  (Up here since I've rotated). Its currently building Moai, which feels super late to me to not have done. Plemo is currently in Free Religion, but it looks like the plan is to also hop on the buddhisim train. Sistine is interesting. I can think of some niche uses this game with his layout, but very curious if going to try going for culture. He is getting forges up across his empire. I think he built just enough courthouses to get forbidden palace going. He birthed a scientist this turn, but my quick look around I think he is delaying next GA for a while; Germans like doing that evidently (as I race to get mine as fast as possible). I'm pretty* sure he used his merchant on a trade mission. Anyways, Plemo's food eclipsed mine and will stay that way, he has some truly insane food. I'm super jealous if his lake city. Sure I could have had one, but High Barbary keeping granary was a big deal, so as much as it rankles it was probably correct not to raze.

Its not like peace with me is bad for Plemo. He will eventually decide to conquer the rest of his isolated land I'm assuming. I'm still pissed at Magic. I believe about 1/4 of his current income and probably more in the past is from Colossus. I mean I know lurkers like more horses in the race, but I don't!  So ya that could have been more axes to delay being conquered / maybe provented in addition instead of evacuating units from land Plemo conquered he could have evacuated land I was conquering   . Also, with map information I'm super confused about Magic razing an early GKC city for reasons??? I wonder how much different this game is if GKC is stronger as GKC is also a 1 land neighbor player and I can only wish GKC was in a position to contest Gav for more land. On the other hand I'm really glad Magic also randomly? razed a T/C city as I'm very glad they aren't stronger.

I'm also still pissed at Krill for just randomly giving multiple players 1 neighbor. I mean I know both Gav and I are proving it isn't required, but still wtf. There is more to map balance than capitals (btw with full map knowledge I'm 95% sure I got the worst capital, but the only thing stopping me from saying that 100% is I don't know how many forests people got). I also feel bad for people like Mig. I love how in PB63 Krill went on a rant about different luxury metals being different and then just didn't give Mig any early happy. Listen I was going to balance luxury metals, but doesn't mean I think its required, I've kind of moved to "as long as people have or don't its good enough for government work", but people having vs not having is a big deal. I had a river gems and that did a lot of heavy lifting in my early expansion.

[Mjmd]

Speaking of map making here is a gav quote :

I don't think you need to throw out maps solely because of the quality of capitals, it means much less than the overall amount and quality of expansion space unless an early rush is a possibility.

THIS KRILL!!!

Also, in actual game reporting Gav gave away that he is thinking about going to nationalism by asking about MoM obsoletion (still disagree with how we handle). Now is he going straight there or competing for lib? I suspect* straight. I did send a request to Amica this turn for Marble (you know the turn before I launch my GA, so it isn't too suspicious). BTW speaking of map imbalance stone and marble are AWFUL. I have 2.5 civs worth of land and have 0 of either.

[Mjmd]

T154

Gav took GKCs capital.

I launched my long awaited GA.

Before
 


After.



So lets go over mistakes, because first one is HILARIOUS. So I did civic swaps as you do and it just hadn't occurred to me that serfdom still has the worker speed increase so I totally forgot to cancel actions last turn. I mainly was in it for the marginal value.

A less funny one is for a long time I lacked direction. So I got paper turns ago, but it could have been sooner. If I lose Sankore race to T/C I have only myself to blame. I have a plan now I think* but ya I'll regret this one later. I don't normally build temples without a monk wonder, but currently* I am in hopes. Not a horrible long term investment with org rel GA hammer in any case. I don't have grocers to spam so why not.

Also, a whole host of smaller ones.

I forgot to mention that I did get open borders and fish for fish with Plemo for 40g. See if he sticks to the peace part. 

I also just re upped my fish for fish with SD (and FINALLY got some eyes on him; talk about mistakes I should have fixed sooner). This was on my high list of priorities before switching to serfdom.

Also, RAISE THE MISSIONARY CAP PLEASE!!!! I'm going to keep asking. I believe like 22/29 cities have, but having switched to organized those lost hammers pain my soul.

[Mjmd]

T156

For those wondering why I'm not double playing I'm in a fever sweat and probably shouldn't have even been trusted with this easy of a turn.

A less funny one is for a long time I lacked direction. So I got paper turns ago, but it could have been sooner. If I lose Sankore race to T/C I have only myself to blame. I have a plan now I think* but ya I'll regret this one later.

I could blame myself, but lets blame Nauf instead because I can!

naufragar

So I honestly have no clue how strong a monk economy I could've run. Does anybody have any reading suggestions where people pulled them off? (I seem to remember Mjmd did?)

WAS trying Nauf!

I was so sick I couldn't even leave my bed to change production of Blow Boys Blow when I saw the whip so I got one extra turn of fail gold (in total enough for 1 turn of tech). I BTW Fully expected to lose to a whip and if I hadn't changed into serfdom could have contested, but I need that city up for Taj.



I was worried about those 4 elephants initially as with the garrison in Ak Anon I actually don't have a lot at that border (again I've had to keep my #2 power mostly against 1 neighbor Plemo). Then my fever sick brain noticed the lack of culture on the lumbermill and suddenly Magics two requests for open borders made more sense. Thanks for slowing them down Magic, but as much as I'm tempted to war peace Plemo and go after Sankore they built right on my border it isn't happening. I've had a nice peaceful border with them all game, no need to change that now.

I am curious why Ak Anon instead of their other wonder city down south of hard name to remember. Will certainly take my 3rd ring in the west, but I don't think* will take away the beaver.

Oh BTW I HAVE NO CLUE why Vanrober stepped into SD territory. SD will clean it up next turn. I of course PMed Vanrober about the diplo game  . He had expressed some interest when we were on together at one point. He literally could have starred at SD until Gav stepped in, but maybe he didn't want to do that.

[naufragar]

I could blame myself, but lets blame Nauf instead because I can!

naufragar

So I honestly have no clue how strong a monk economy I could've run. Does anybody have any reading suggestions where people pulled them off? (I seem to remember Mjmd did?)

WAS trying Nauf!

Ah, sorry. I'm a time traveler from a different dimension, and in my universe you succeeded, if it's any consolation.

[Mjmd]

T158

Plemo launched his 2nd GA and honestly I think the timing was a mistake. I don't think there was a pressing time constraint per se. Its possible seeing me launch mine he wanted to? Why do I think its a mistake? There are still some cities finishing modifiers like forges, but one that gets me is he won't finish Moai until halfway through . Why the rush?

Anyways, he switched to mercantilism, so I did some of my own math on that and its not quite time for me to do that yet (I'm getting +40gpt from trade atm), so I think I'm going for one of my favorite techs in Printing Press (libbing Nationalism so I can start Taj asap). Currently* I only have 53 villages / towns that benefit, but there are a lot of hamlets up and coming and in general once you have modifiers in place in your commerce cities it even further amplifies. I do want banks next as some of my cities are running out of buildings to build. But ya I'm going to keep pushing the economy front and going to be relying on drafting to keep my safe. I did realize I should be building some farms instead of more cottages because of eventually drafting needs.



BTW I am building my 2nd! workshop! I have some more planned, but I tried to capture a bit of SD empire in the screenshot to show how many he has. Also, I cringe every time I look at the two cities on the left. One of them should have been commerce and the other production and instead it looks like they both are working some cottages and some production tiles. SIGH. 

Gav is nearly through eating GKC and if I didn't have to worry about Plemo I would go do a dirty little trick, but I'm not ready for a big war and again current army is tied down at Plemo border. Plemo has been peaceable and I've moved a few units away, but I can't move the entire army across my entire empire to stop an enraged Gav  .

[Mjmd]

T158

Plemo launched his 2nd GA and honestly I think the timing was a mistake. I don't think there was a pressing time constraint per se. Its possible seeing me launch mine he wanted to? Why do I think its a mistake? There are still some cities finishing modifiers like forges, but one that gets me is he won't finish Moai until halfway through . Why the rush?

BTW the answer to this was because he wanted to beat me to Taj. He set up a really nice bureaucratic production chain plus you know his GA isn't ending as soon as mine (he would beat me even if mine kept going).

My capital could not have done this I'll note. I am trying to get Oxford in mine, so that is something. My poor capital is SLOWLY growing to max. Meanwhile Jacks capital will be whipping a bank post GA and will probably be in drafting rotation eventually.

Anyways, on my spree of talking about the work needed to get GAs (ie how much easier American UB makes it). I will note my next GP person produced as part of my plan for my 3rd GA was started 45 turns ago . I also changed tech path so I'm assured of the free merchant. I should note I'm running a little risky atm and working 1 merchant in each of my primary GP cities. My 3rd GA assuming I get the free merchant and don't roll a 5% odds is something like 20 turns away. It is A LOT of work (and usually a bit of luck) to do GAs past the 2nd one (and even the 2nd can be). To note I've been doing all mine the hard way as I can't build a wonder to save my life.

Anyways, plan next turn is to change into nationhood for drafting. I want to draft a few cities for a southern defensive army. I'm hoping Gav sees how dangerous Plemo is and he will share a long coastline with so that is all for the good. He also has Vanrober cities to snipe, but still I've been running with no army down south for a LONG time. 

Also switching away from serfdom back into slavery. Make your bets if I remember to do worker actions first! (I have notes). But with drafting at least none of my whips will be for units.

[Mjmd]

T162

Plemo will beat me to Taj by two turns. I just didn't have the pop to whip in my prod city of Blow Boys Blow (BBB), vs Plemos +11 food surplus capital. My capital btw is +6 because I had to give away its best food to my early game copper city (just quick reminder that capital balance is not all about first x turns as basically this has been the case since whenever Plemo got a lighthouse). Now should I have grown BBB more ahead of time? Well I was competing for Sankore there so no. I am going to keep building Taj this turn for little more fail gold.

It looks like Plemo is going for Statue of Liberty. Its stupid powerful on this map. Maybe I will contest if I pop an engineer OR I'll just go for wonder of drafted rifles.

So ya my last turn as point lead; hopefully people think only kind thoughts with me being 2nd. I also did some whips and drafting this turn. I'll probably do 3 turns of full drafting total atm.