[SPOILERS] scooter, pindicator, and Huayna Capac try some fast Zulu cuisine

[scooter]

Ok, I have two other pictures from other parts of the turn, but I'll do this update solely for the battle. So here's where we were pre-turn:



Those top 5 defenders aren't too trivial, but we've got stuff we can do here. As I said, the plan is to promote the cats both to CR1 and attack, then we do the same with our two 1-moving axes - CR1 for each of them. After those 4 attacks go through, we pause and evaluate where we're at. So let's go step by step. I didn't screenshot every single attack.

CR Catapult - 13% loss

Start off with a loss. That's fine, did some nice damage. Second catapult promotes to CR and attacks:



CR Catapult - 35% WITHDRAW

Whoo, withdraw! 35% is the winning odds by the way, I didn't make a note of what the withdraw odds were, so I'm guessing overall survival odds were closer to coin flip territory. From here, I sent in the CR axes who get to go against slightly wounded (collateral) archers.

CR Axe - 62% WIN

Yes! So far so good. Send in the second axe:



CR Axe - 65% WIN

YESSSSS. Now, that leaves us with Impis and Chariots. I could have sent in our GG axe with odds in the low 80s, but that was too low for me to risk such a valuable unit. So I'm left with a lot of middling odds stuff. So, I pull in the trailing chariot, promote to C2, and take a swing:



C2 chariot - 40% WIN

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From there, it was a romp. It was just cleaning up warriors and heavily wounded defenders. Unfortunately this attack was the last chance to get 2xp on the GG, but like I said, I deemed it too risky. So I figured we'll adjust our strategy and take the 99.9% shot now and just get the 26th XP in a similar fashion:



GG Axe - 99.9% WIN

I didn't bother taking pictures of the next two attacks, but whenever possible I was basically picking units that were 1XP away from promotions.

Shock Chariot - 97% WIN.
C1 Impi - 96% WIN
C1 Wounded Impi - 90% WIN

And the final battle:



Impi - 99.9% WIN



Look at those finances! Only losing 1gpt right now. Hooray for GLH. The only unfortunate luck of the entire turn was the total lack of non-GLH buildings in FoF:



All things considered, I will not complain. So next is the setup for next turn. I took a glance up towards his horse city to see if any 1-movers were in range of FoF:



No. So the only unit that could hit FoF would be a chariot, so we're safe to just leave a strong Impi behind. They're whipping archers instead of chariots anyways (you would too vs an army of Impis), so we're good. So let's glance at Crabs Galore:



I think we can handle that. So we're looking at 2 archers + 1 warrior, and the archers don't really have a fortify bonus (he'll just have 5% on the one). We'll lose a couple units blitzing with our 2-movers, but it'll be worth it as opposed to waiting for our 1-movers. So here's how we stand for next turn:



A LOT of units there with promotions available as you see. Barring some sort of miracle, we'll be holding the Hindu holy city next turn too.

Fun turn . So here's your final combat log:

catapult - 13% loss
catapult - 35% withdraw
cr axe - 62% WIN
cr axe 65% WIN
c2 chariot 40% WIN
GG axe - 99.9% WIN
shock chariot - 97% WIN
c1 Impi - 96% win
c1 wounded Impi - 90% win
Impi - 99.9% WIN

So that means our final losses was: 1 Catapult.

A TON of you got really close. We'll have to consider how to rule on this one. Anyways, I'm extremely happy right now - we've taken two cities including the big one with a loss of just 1 catapult. This is going about as perfectly as we could have scripted it.

[regoarrarr]

So that means our final losses was: 1 Catapult.

A TON of you got really close. We'll have to consider how to rule on this one. Anyways, I'm extremely happy right now - we've taken two cities including the big one with a loss of just 1 catapult. This is going about as perfectly as we could have scripted it.

Scooter's luck redeems himself as he only loses cat(s)

I claim victory!

[scooter]

So that means our final losses was: 1 Catapult.

A TON of you got really close. We'll have to consider how to rule on this one. Anyways, I'm extremely happy right now - we've taken two cities including the big one with a loss of just 1 catapult. This is going about as perfectly as we could have scripted it.

Scooter's luck redeems himself as he only loses cat(s)

I claim victory!

I say you hedged. You technically predicted two possible outcomes with "loses only cat(s)" so I think that disqualifies you. :P

[Krill]

Technically Bacchus got closest hammerwise, then me, then Fintourist, then Pindicator. And rego is DQed.

[Fintourist]

Technically I got closest unitwise, then everyone else, then Krill

[Bacchus]

This is an excellent if unlikely result, congratulations! I was happy to see that the chariot had the lowest odds of all the non-siege units, I wondered when you would throw it in and on what terms.

[scooter]

Ok, 3 other pictures. First, I did remember to whip White Castle:



I did it first thing upon logging in. I actually did not move ALL the galley straight west. I loaded up 4 axes on the two galleys, and then I set us up to chain the axes 4 tiles apiece next turn:



The two signs on the left denote galleys that have 2 axes on them, since it's so hard to read the horrible Zulu sign colors. Anyways, I think the goal here should be to gun for CC, then hit GA with a follow-up galley that has the Impi on it. We also badly need to pick up that archer on the island and get him into IW. I'm fine with leaving that settler by himself for a few turns if we're crunched on galley space btw - if some lucky fool stumbles upon him and steals him, that's life. We have 5 other workers to pick up, and we're going to have a tricky time grabbing them all before Commodore hits us.

What turn does the enforced peace run out by the way?

Also, we got ourselves quite a bit closer to a great general:



Still pretty far away. I imagine we'll get one before this war is over, though.

[MindyMcCready]

Wow. I am impressed with your rand,...er military brillance.

Seriously guys. The sheer unpredictably of this move,...the element of surprise. Picking the right target. Making it happen. Congrats on your success so far.

[scooter]

Noble: uh dude
for siege
withdrawal odds are the winning odds
siege can only withdraw
scooter i was wondering how long it would take for you to chat me about some minor nitpick :P
i can't believe it took you over 20 minutes
Noble: well i didn't get a chance to read it until now :P
scooter well that eases my mind
if that's the worst thing you can find in the turn, that makes me feel pretty good
Noble: well i only read up to that part :P
scooter oh alright then, bracing myself for more

(this is pretty typical)

[Cyneheard]

Nice! I needed a mid-day piece of good news.