[Spoilers] When Commodore is 64

[Commodore]

How to respond? That's a fun question for him.

Apparently, the answer was “let wounded C2/shock axe go free, push Woodie II axe into barbarian borders”, which I'm fine with. First axe did less damage than might be hoped, but second killed at 43% odds so I'm okay with it. Imperialistic, in my own borders...now we're 22/30 on that first general.

I would KILL to have a third move on that chariot right now.

[Commodore]

How shall I put this? I am:

But most assuredly not:

S'okay, the failgolds will net Currency the old-fasioned way. I am worried that Pin will take CoL and pop Confucianism on the border.

[Khan]

Do you still think you cannot win due to the geography?

I think you have some chance still. Whilst you are most vulnerable, you also have easiest access to all other players. If one falls behind, you could gobble them up easier than some of the others could.

Regardless, thanks for the updates.

[Commodore]

Do you still think you cannot win due to the geography?

Being perfectly fair to Pin, I suspect it's actually more I cannot win because he's the runaway, pure and simple. No sign of Confucianism, so he took Monarchy, Calendar, or Metal Casing most likely. Any one of which is just amazing for the snowball. He's going to be at knights miles ahead of everyone else.

[Khan]

Do you still think you cannot win due to the geography?

Being perfectly fair to Pin, I suspect it's actually more I cannot win because he's the runaway, pure and simple. No sign of Confucianism, so he took Monarchy, Calendar, or Metal Casing most likely. Any one of which is just amazing for the snowball. He's going to be at knights miles ahead of everyone else.

Your thread is the best, if that is any consolation. If betting were possible, I'd still put a couple of pound on you to pull off a victory here.

[Commodore]

Do you still think you cannot win due to the geography?

Being perfectly fair to Pin, I suspect it's actually more I cannot win because he's the runaway, pure and simple. No sign of Confucianism, so he took Monarchy, Calendar, or Metal Casing most likely. Any one of which is just amazing for the snowball. He's going to be at knights miles ahead of everyone else.

Your thread is the best, if that is any consolation. If betting were possible, I'd still put a couple of pound on you to pull off a victory here.

Thanks Khan. I think you'd be losing a few pounds to do that, but we could stand to lose a few every now and then I suppose.

Anyway, the game! Going to be a touch delayed on the Monotheism/Monarchy/Vassalage pile I suppose so we can slow down the scientist (Academy ain't worth 100 precious GPPs, not in this game, no sir). Thunder River, I hereby allow you to grow a bit.

Settler is delayed a touch anyway as need more money for cities.

Actually, everyone gets to grow a bit! Yuri finally overcame some wonky worker geometry to hook up his second gold, so I got him on the horn (again) and offered ivory for gold, which he accepted. So now Pin's most likely knight victim will at least have war elephants and we are a bit taller here at home in the core. Honestly Beyond Borders needs a good 8 more citizens working all the riverside and flat, but religion, HR garrisons, and more luxuries will all be seen first. The Humbolts grow to more awesome tiles too, I think these two cities are competing for my favor (expressed slightly toning back the looting and rapine).

Next luxuries are gems for Furungy furs (IW needed) or incense, spices, and sugar (Calendar needed).

It's a mild net drain while Currency still holds but I did go ahead and settle the second island city. Might as well start growing the second navy base down here.

The circumflex didn't crash it, if you were wondering.

[Commodore]

Ah, there we go. Wetbandit landed the Pyramids, as it looks like he's been wanting to do for a while. I guess it's a toss up between him and Yuri for third place right now, although wet needs to leverage the 'mids a lot more actively to get into contention.

All the ancient wonders of power, accounted for.

[Commodore]

It is the year 600 BC, and here in PBEM 64 Confucianism was recently founded in England. Most of the non-barbarians already have Currency, but the pink barbs are following reasonably quickly. Not sure what the automation code was earlier but finally they seem the be building cottages on all that tragically wasted green grassland. When the human players do pile on and conquer this area it'll be very nice.

Next techs wishlist: Calendar, Monotheism, Monarchy.

I am kind of sad about my geopolitical position here, because damn if I don't like my immediate one. Crop yield is ahead of Pindicator by the usual razor's edge margin, GNP is tied second now and will be close second when Currency finishes next turn (remember, second IC-TR is all ready to go), and my MFG is off the freaking chain as always. But Pin is in an equivalent position and has far better prospects of eating Yuri, so that land area total will only get worse. Still, it is a very interesting game I think.

Drive that approval down to 50%, Commodore!

[Commodore]

Judaism's spread bonus: IT IS REAL, Y'ALL.

Okay location, nothing ideal but good for free spreads.

[Commodore]

We still expand, but that was that...we're done as of this turn. A couple turns ago the Pict Wilds were settled, less for anything useful more for the future utility provided. It's not too bad, honestly...iron working is literally the next tech planned (hope to market the second gems to flugauto for furs), and calendar is on the calendar second or third after that. Bananas, incense, maybe ivory, and plenty of watermills...this will be a fine city eventually. Hopefully it isn't too offensive to Flug and Wet...

So much river, so much jungle-crap.

It's only marginally okay because we're so near Calendar, but here are the Halls of Kull. Sugar and sheep will feed plenty of workshops, brothers. The cottage's day is rapidly ending, if you haven't noticed. Barbarians consider them kind of unmanly anyway! Much better to to embrace hammer and tongs unto chucklenaughts and knights, then capture someone else's hamlets after painting them in blood!

But WHOSE blood?

Well here's the high water mark I guess. At least it's legitimately high; some of this is Genghis, some of this is land quality, some of this is mines/farms over cottages...but I do feel good about being here at turn 100 (almost).

No where to go but down now! Relatively, at least...