[SPOILERS] Scooticator and Pindooter give a sporting try

[pindicator]

It would be a shame to lose that CR3 zerker, but i think we can hold out at Jets until Frigates arrive. They aren't too far away, really. And neither are Zerker -> Grenadier upgrades

[pindicator]

Research projection and upgrade projection over the next 6 turns:

t177 - Finish Chemistry, 950g left in the bank
t178 - Upgrade 4 triremes -> frigates (140g ea, 560g total), run max tax.  End turn with 1350g
t179 - Max research into Mil Sci.  Estimate: ~2000/5737.  1000g in bank
t180 - Max research:  ~4000/5737.  650g in bank
t181 - Max research:  Finish Mil Sci, 350g in bank
t182 - Turn off science.  Upgrade zerkers to grenadiers (110g ea)



I think we'll want 2 turns of raising money for upgrades at first.  That should be enough to upgrade ~20 berserkers into CR1, C1, amphibious grenadiers.  I think that makes a good first order: we can send 9 against bacchus and the rest will be for the islands against Mackoti.  I switched a lot of builds to Berserkers last turn, and we have 24 berserkers as of last turn, so we'll have plenty to upgrade when Military Science comes in.  We probably can't keep up that rate of berserker production, but we'll always want them being built somewhere to take advantage of the free promotions.  (Think of it as spending 110g for buying 2 promotions and saving 40h.)

After we upgrade, what to tech next?  I'm thinking steel is too good to pass up:  cannons for defending the mainland and drydocks for the seas.  Then its probably time for Corporation?  Or Physics for airships?
Also something to keep in mind: we're going to be able to fire off a golden age in about 15 turns.

[scooter]

We probably can't keep up that rate of berserker production, but we'll always want them being built somewhere to take advantage of the free promotions. (Think of it as spending 110g for buying 2 promotions and saving 40h.)

Definitely on board with this. I did this hardcore during PB5 - building Zerks when I was even further up the tech tree than we are now. It's lethal. We can do extra wealth building to make up for it, too. Using hammers on build wealth isn't so bad when you're converting that gold into production anyway.

After we upgrade, what to tech next? I'm thinking steel is too good to pass up: cannons for defending the mainland and drydocks for the seas. Then its probably time for Corporation? Or Physics for airships?
Also something to keep in mind: we're going to be able to fire off a golden age in about 15 turns.

Steel I think is very likely our next priority, if only for the Drydocks alone. I think we basically are gonna need to have those in a couple cities. After that is hard to predict now because I don't know where we'll be with mackoti (I'm particularly concerned about him eventually overwhelming us with his general edge on coastal production), but I'm tentatively thinking Corporation. If things get tougher on the waters, the airships may become a necessity for us. The extra trade routes makes our smaller cities even more instantly profitably, and anything that is a per-city bonus like that greatly favors us considering we have the most cities currently. (Speaking of, it sure would be nice if we can slip in another settler or two somewhere. I don't have a suggestion on where, though, because our current things are all more pressing.)

Generally, we may end up just wanting to diverge from whatever Mackoti does. If he goes Physics ahead of us, we probably can't beat him to the scientist, so that may make us want to aim for a different tech. I've been kinda hoping he would switch to a few things towards the top of the tree instead, but that doesn't seem likely right now.

[scooter]

Mack ended turn. Quick preview of what's up.



Yeah, he went for the trap play. I'm not sure we really have a great play other than hang tight and wait for our own Frigates to show up.


I've titled this next picture "Why Bacchus is going to give us Seahawks and cash back."



Those garrisons are lol-worthy. Last pindicator and I chatted, we decided we're going to give him one option - give us Seahawks and cash/prizes for peace. If he rejects, we'll burn one/more of these cities. Then we'll see if he reconsiders. Ideally this means we don't lose any of the buildings we built in Seahawks if he quietly gives it back to us.

We could just burn stuff for the capture gold if we wanted. That might not actually be the craziest idea? By the way, looking at this really makes me wish we could afford to invade Bacchus. If it wasn't for mackoti on the other side demanding the bulk of our military attention...

[NobleHelium]

Make sure to unload the units if you're holing up in Jets...

[Mardoc]

We could just burn stuff for the capture gold if we wanted. That might not actually be the craziest idea?

It would be very thematic for your civ

[pindicator]

Make sure to unload the units if you're holing up in Jets...

That's another great part about our move advantage:  With the west port of the city unblocked we will be able to scout out with our galleons and spot if he has any transports of his own in range.  Well, I guess he could have a nav-1 galleon, so we can't bank on it.  Darn.  Still, what we can do is send a galleon with zerkers on it 3NW and see if he's moved anything into the copper city yet.  With 2 zerkers loaded, hopefully we'll capture the third Black Sword city.

Need to figure out where that northern privateer went to.  And then how fast we can get a stack of Frigates to Jets to lift the blockade.  As soon as we sink the first frigate it's going to force him to stack his ships or risk us picking them off.

For Bacchus, I think we can upgrade the eastern zerkers to grenadiers on t183 and then ship out and declare that same turn.  I think we'll have 7 zerkers in the area right now to upgrade; that should easily be enough against longbows.  I put 1 trireme over there already; we'll want more Frigates out west too to help us bombard city defenses.  Need to double check when our forced peace is over.

How close are we to our next GG?  I have an idea for him

[NobleHelium]

Make sure to unload the units if you're holing up in Jets...

That's another great part about our move advantage:  With the west port of the city unblocked we will be able to scout out with our galleons and spot if he has any transports of his own in range.  Well, I guess he could have a nav-1 galleon, so we can't bank on it.  Darn.  Still, what we can do is send a galleon with zerkers on it 3NW and see if he's moved anything into the copper city yet.  With 2 zerkers loaded, hopefully we'll capture the third Black Sword city.

I'm saying that if the situation drags on, sooner or later he's going to come in with some units of his own and recapture the city if the units are staying loaded. Keeping the units loaded makes sense if you think there's an opportunity, but either there is one now or there isn't, and if there isn't that's not likely to change until you bring in more galleons with units on them.

[pindicator]

Yeah, i agree with that. Probably will see a cannon too, bleh

[scooter]

Need to figure out where that northern privateer went to.  And then how fast we can get a stack of Frigates to Jets to lift the blockade.  

Sorry, forgot to mention this. It's up right by Expos. Next turn we upgrade that Trireme to a Frigate (which will have 2 more movement than the Privateer), so if he doesn't start running next turn, we should be able to sink it.