[spoilers] Dragon Slayers and Warrior Knights, Oh my!

[WarriorKnight]

I dunno, man... congrats on having most techs?

How are your cities doing, aside from the part where you've got four of them? I think I'm basically wondering about the F1 summary here.

You want F1? Here you go.

You seem to think you built a fair number of workers already... I'm not sure whether you think you have enough, but that seems like an argument against IND unless you have your eye on more wonders than just Form of the Titan. I'm just used to thinking of forges as being in "that tech I never research".

Yeah I think your right, IND isn't looking worthwhile. I don't usually build forges, but if I'm IND I do. I currently have 5 workers for 3 cities, but I don't usually think about the worker production bonus for ADA switches since it isn't nearly as important as it is during the earlier turns.

I suppose you could drop the Library in your capital and go sage-crazy while mostly ignoring Adventurers, too... or drop it somewhere else and hope you build up a stock of adventurer points in your capital for when you cast Ardor.

I'm more inclined to go the former. Adventurer's are only 1 unit each, and there are a limited number of good things for them to go.

ORG could help you consolidate a conquest as well as having an economic effect otherwise. I really wish there was a better way to look up traits in this game. I never have them memorized, and always end up scrambling when the adaptive window comes up. Cha is kind of an economic trait, too, if you decide you need a higher happy cap by the time T71 rolls around...

ORG is looking like the best trait atm, if only due to Command Posts. Cha, eh, 1 happy isn't much although the xp bonus might be useful. Probably one of those 2.

[Ranamar]

ORG could help you consolidate a conquest as well as having an economic effect otherwise. I really wish there was a better way to look up traits in this game. I never have them memorized, and always end up scrambling when the adaptive window comes up. Cha is kind of an economic trait, too, if you decide you need a higher happy cap by the time T71 rolls around...

ORG is looking like the best trait atm, if only due to Command Posts. Cha, eh, 1 happy isn't much although the xp bonus might be useful. Probably one of those 2.

Yeah, ORG really is looking like the best option, especially since building command posts relatively early is more valuable than building them later, IMO. I'd bet on the side of you building an army before the next ADA switch, personally.

Those cities don't look too bad in isolation (though that work boat is really going to help...) but it does look like you're still a little below the average on income, so I dunno... especially because that rival worst stat was pulling the average down more than the leader was pulling it up, in the demographics image. How the heck does someone have half your GNP, do you think?

[WarriorKnight]

Those cities don't look too bad in isolation (though that work boat is really going to help...) but it does look like you're still a little below the average on income, so I dunno... especially because that rival worst stat was pulling the average down more than the leader was pulling it up, in the demographics image. How the heck does someone have half your GNP, do you think?

Considering the tech info given on T50 I'm not overly concerned with GNP. I'm pretty sure I was the first to Edu and will get Festivals really soon.

Also, that last GNP is Sian. I guess he didn't focus enough on early commerce, and fell into economic collapse before he could get the tech he needed to avoid it. Strangely he's on 4 cities and CRE, so his tech must be very weak. If he doesn't get WotF he'll be a really easy target, and even if he does he doesn't have enough forests in my direction to give me major concerns. Obviously this is all theorizing for now, I'm still trying to get my civ off the ground and can't afford war right now.


Anyway, couple of good things happened this turn, so I'm in the mood to do another overview:



Switched into growth mode, although I'm running a scientist to (perhaps pointlessly) give me a small chance for a GS, which I'll be able to use much better then an Adventurer right now. Although another Adventurer wouldn't be terrible. Perhaps I should've built the EC sooner...

Anyway, my happy cap is about to go way up shortly with the Khazad road about to be finished, and my 2nd cotton and Dreptus shouldn't be too far behind. Actually growth is currently pretty much the theme of my empire right now. Still, I have to build Dreptus and more settlers out of here with God King soonish as well, so I'll have to figure out how to balance all that.



Now, before I get crucified for working a forest over rice, I only just got my tiles back when I ended turn. Obviously I'll reconfigure next turn, in the meantime I'm glad I got that back. Otherwise once the worker is done I'll want to grow this city as well.

I was originally planning to build FotT here so I could guarantee an Commander once I used Ardor. However, if I'm going ORG with ADA (and I probably will) won't that minimize the usefulness of Commanders somewhat? The only other main candidate is Bone Palace for Engineer Points, although I'm not keen on the idea of teching Philo early and FotT is probably more useful in the long run. Something to think about in any case.



Looking better with 2 food connected. Need that border pop for the second cotton though. Not really sure what I won't to do with this city, but I'm thinking that it will be another production city with at least 6 hills, probably focused more on units then Altair (since I'm planning to use Altair more strategically for Ardor). Also need to figure out how to get food here.



Just settled this turn, and am happy that I can get straight to work on that wheat. Border pop would be nice for the fish but Monument + wb is too expensive for that right now considering this city has no mfg. Will probably have to cash rush both down the line, although it might be a good idea to use some of the forests for that instead. Eventual cottage site once it starts growing.



My MFG lead has disappeared, but I'm hoping that I'll go on a growth spurt and try and get my food off the ground. I'm somewhat surprised I'm first in approval by a long shot, and it'll go higher once I get more happiness connected, meaning everyone else has managed to grow their cities better then me. Considering my pop is around 13% in a 6 player game, I'm blaming that for my weaknesses so far (somewhat understandable considering my weakness in food).

Also TBS tells me that jalepeno is sending units to try and find me. Fine by me, more info on other players would be excellent especially when I don't have to do anything to get it. Now, if only I could find Yell0w.

[Ranamar]

Yay tiles!
Depending on when you plan to attack Sian, you might be able to squeezing him back somewhat if you build a high-culture wonder, of which the Bone Palace would qualify. On the other hand, Great Commanders are actually kinda handy with their +1 strength and +1 exp/attack, if you don't settle them, so they're decent for getting you experienced units faster. Alternately, if you *do* settle them directly, I thought they gave an extra +2 exp to units build there, over and above the military academy. So, great commanders aren't entirely useless, at least if you either want to GA with them or prosecute a war. They aren't really useful for bulbing, though.

I'd say chop out the monument on that last city when you want to start cottaging, since you're going to have to clear the land for most of your cottages anyway... Meanwhile, hooking up the horses will help you a lot for production there, too. On top of the base tile, I think the pasture will give you another 2 or 3 hammers, for a not-entirely-terrible total. It's probably not worth it yet, though.

[WarriorKnight]

Yay tiles!
Depending on when you plan to attack Sian, you might be able to squeezing him back somewhat if you build a high-culture wonder, of which the Bone Palace would qualify. On the other hand, Great Commanders are actually kinda handy with their +1 strength and +1 exp/attack, if you don't settle them, so they're decent for getting you experienced units faster. Alternately, if you *do* settle them directly, I thought they gave an extra +2 exp to units build there, over and above the military academy. So, great commanders aren't entirely useless, at least if you either want to GA with them or prosecute a war. They aren't really useful for bulbing, though.

You can't settle Commanders, you must be confusing them with General abilities. That said, the ability to attach it to a unit could be handy (although by Ardor, I doubt it'll make much of a difference). Probably just going to stick to FotT and Commanders, it's closer to my tech path.

Sian's got FoL now, so I'm not sure if I can go through with an attack even though he's barely managed to do anything else so far.

Got a 2nd Adventurer, nice. No clue what to do with either one so far, but I'm sure something will come up.

[Ranamar]

Yay tiles!
Depending on when you plan to attack Sian, you might be able to squeezing him back somewhat if you build a high-culture wonder, of which the Bone Palace would qualify. On the other hand, Great Commanders are actually kinda handy with their +1 strength and +1 exp/attack, if you don't settle them, so they're decent for getting you experienced units faster. Alternately, if you *do* settle them directly, I thought they gave an extra +2 exp to units build there, over and above the military academy. So, great commanders aren't entirely useless, at least if you either want to GA with them or prosecute a war. They aren't really useful for bulbing, though.

You can't settle Commanders, you must be confusing them with General abilities. That said, the ability to attach it to a unit could be handy (although by Ardor, I doubt it'll make much of a difference). Probably just going to stick to FotT and Commanders, it's closer to my tech path.

Sian's got FoL now, so I'm not sure if I can go through with an attack even though he's barely managed to do anything else so far.

Got a 2nd Adventurer, nice. No clue what to do with either one so far, but I'm sure something will come up.

Yeah, I was mixing them up with generals. I think I convinced myself they must be settlable because they come out of the GPP pool, even though Adventurers aren't, either.

You'll find a use for those guys eventually. The real danger, at least for me, is that I hate expending irreplaceable resources. Hopefully, you'll know when to use them.

[WarriorKnight]

Pretty sure TBS just picked up Writing, so Great Library is probably not an option anymore. Ah well, can't have them all and I'd rather have FotT anyway.

Also HK trade route was secured, and happy trade is complete. With both Dreptus and my 2nd cotton coming within the next couple of turns, I really need to step up the food to fill up the happy cap. Alternatively, it may not be such a bad thing if I want to draft.

[WarriorKnight]

Lot's happened on t57. Got a nice event (only ones I've had so far were pointless) and met the Calabim. Hopefully can go into detail when I find the time.

[WarriorKnight]

Event I got last turn:



Culture is always nice for Agnostic Grigori. The main benefit was allow me to skip a monument in the 2 cities that still need culture, so even though I'm halfway through in both cities it saves me a bunch of hammers. Inflation isn't great but I'll deal with it when it comes.

Border pop also let me meet the Calabim. Didn't have time to send anything other then a simple greeting and got this when he played:

Hey, good timing for your borders to expand! I had vision on their edges from an ancient tower, but would have needed 3 more turns to make contact (which I might not get - ended turn next to a griffon).

Besides yourself, I've met TBS and Yell0w. I've also gotten a peak at the edges of Sian's borders across a lake, but it will be a very long time before I can make official contact. Let me know if I can help with directions to anyone. From your side, any help finding the dwarves would be much appreciated. My bloodpet is 3W of your newly-expanded borders (crabs and rice are the intervening tiles).

All the best,
Jalepeno

Good stuff here. If I can get info on his location and Yell0w's for now I'll be happy. From the message it sounds like he's in my E.

jalepeno seems to be doing a little better then me in all categories, except for GNP where he's ahead a lot. That can partially be explained by the fact he's in Aristo already. He's also the only one I know to have a 5th city. Considering he's the late game threat and already has CoL, that isn't great but considering my distance I probably won't have to worry about it for a while. I'll be getting CoL myself after Warfare and pull a double switch (I know I said City States before but I changed my mind) which should hopefully help me catch up.

[WarriorKnight]

HK has switched into Aristo now too, and the GNP's of HK/TBS/jalepeno are pretty scary. I'm going into Aristo myself within the next 10t, and Dreptus should be finished shortly, so I'm hoping I won't fall too far behind in tech between now and then. I'll also grab Writing after that to get PHI Libraries up. Food/MFG is looking a little better, although I'm still behind the average in both categories.

Now that I have Calabim's graphs, I can guesstimate what the Elohim graphs look like and judge my performance. My pre-game rankings of top 3 and bottom 3 are pretty much spot on, except that TBS is in the top 3 and I'm in the bottom 3. Sian is unquestionably 6th, I have no clue what he's been doing except going for FoL way too quickly. I'm not so sure about Yell0w, but I think I might be beating him slightly in the race for 4th. Hard to know for sure though...

That leaves the other 3. I'm not sure about individual rankings but both Khazad and Kurio's have a eventual growth limit due to Vaults/Sprawling. Not saying that neither is a threat but rather I'm pretty sure given time I'll be able to catch up, and for now at least it looks like I'll be getting that time. Plus I seem to be on pretty good terms with both of them. jalepeno however has no such restriction, and aside from being on the other side of Erebus I'm not sure if there's any upside in that situation. Too early to tell atm.