[SPOILERS] Scooticator and Pindooter give a sporting try

[pindicator]

Turn 179

I'd offer Mackoti peace for Czechoslovakia but I think he'll just come back asking for Poland in 10 turns.

Yeah, I trust him exactly the same with a peace deal. Pretty sure that the only thing a peace deal buys us is letting mackoti hit us next at the time of his choosing. I'm certainly not going to pay him 1000g for that privelege. Debatable giving him back those 2 cities for it, but I really like keeping the pressure on him by keeping war going as long as he's at war with Old Harry. We don't have to give a knockout blow, just keep him under pressure.



Those two galleons were the triremes we upgraded from Expos. They're close enough from the tile they're on now to hit the northern frigate by Jazz and then move into Jazz for cover. Hurray for 6 movers! Also, the frigate in Jazz will finish this turn - it was just chopped out. Mack will have to cover his privateer or run it away, both of which I think are good for us.

I'm also starting a fort 2E of Jazz. Not the most ideal spot, but maybe it will give us some flexibility later on.



Here's where the fun will happen next turn. Our galleon loaded with knights is inside Thunder right now (oh please oh please don't let him have 2 galleons in range of Thunder right now -- in fact, I've just scared myself enough to move the galleon back to the stack with our frigates and gimpy. Shit, it only has one move. Well, let's hope I didn't just screw up )

The plan is that if nothing changes on the interim (Jets holds and mackoti doesn't move the frigates) then we'll attack the center frigate. Gimpy is there in case we get a chance to give it a cheap 5th xp for Nav-1. We can also bring the frigate from Jazz south if we think that will help out.

If we can hold out for 3 more turns then we get to upgrade our zerkers to grenadiers. So I want to keep him focused on Jets as long as possible.

I moved a lot of cities that finished builds over to Wealth. We are getting 129gpt while those are on Wealth builds, which will probably be until Military Science finishes. It also means we'll have about 600g in the bank to use for Grenadier or frigate upgrades. I thought to include a shot of our builds:



We have 27 berserkers and 2 in production. How does 20-some grenadiers in 5 turns sound?


Now, i know all the fun is out west right now, but it's about time to start planning our retaliation against Bacchus. Here's a blank slate:



There is 1 galleon and zerker inbound from the mainland, and another zerker at Packers, plus one finishing at Wolverines in 3 turns. I'm hoping to start the invasion in 4 turns with 9 zerkers, 3 galleons, and at least 2 frigates -- but we may not have the gold to upgrade those triremes quite yet.

And that's all for this turn, hitting enter, rolling the turn...

[pindicator]

And after hitting end turn, Jets came out of revolt:



Maybe it doesn't last the turn...

[pindicator]

So we got a GG at the Interim. Do we use him on a caravel for a free frigate upgrade? Do we use him on a warrior for a free zerker upgrade (and then grenadier in 2 turns)? Or combine one of those with a bunch of units to spread 2xp for a promotion over a lot of units? Need a reply within 6 hours

[Cyneheard]

So we got a GG at the Interim. Do we use him on a caravel for a free frigate upgrade? Do we use him on a warrior for a free zerker upgrade (and then grenadier in 2 turns)? Or combine one of those with a bunch of units to spread 2xp for a promotion over a lot of units? Need a reply within 6 hours

I think for non-medic GG land units we're better off spreading the XP around - 5 CR II promotions is better than 1 super-unit.
And we still get a free upgrade for our trouble, so we still save gold.

A SuperFrigate ~= 2 Drydock Frigates in value IMO; you kill a Frigate at 70-80% odds, heal, and 4-5 turns later get to do it again, but only if the Frigate isn't left out in the open and gets 2:1ed. If that's going to turn the naval tide, then do that. But I don't think it will.

[antisocialmunky]

A Frigate might be the best choice since he has galleons and him landing on your big(ger) island would make things complicated.

[pindicator]

Yeah, i think the best way to keep Utah safe is to win naval superiority. But I'm not convinced a super frigate is going to do that -- we're going to be seeing SotL very soon. Do you think it'd be worth saving the GG for our first SotL and just get a super one of those out (30% withdraw and combat3, i think?)

[pindicator]

Turn 180

Those of you who have looked at CivStats already know that mackoti took back Jets last turn.



At least we killed a cannon and a knight, which is honestly better than what I feared we would do.

Don't worry, the RNG found ways to make up for its generosity later. I knew mackoti had a privateer north of Utah in the fog, and I had the frigates to hunt it down. I didn't know i would need more than 1



I had to step away for a bit after that particular piece of b.s.

So here's my thought for defending the south. Right now mackoti has numbers but we have maneuverability. He's got 8 frigates showing; we have 6. We've seen 3 galleons, one of which is nav-1, and we know he has at least 1 cannon and 5 knights.





I hired 2 artists in Thunder so we can get a little more sight in the south, including sight into Jets.

If he lands that at Utah, it could spell problems. So while all our coastal cities are building caravels and frigates, in the meantime my plan is to use berserkers if he tries to land those units. Rather, my plan is to use grenadiers and our move advantage to amphibiously hit any stacks with Combat-3, Amphibious Grenadiers. We'd have odds on any unit mackoti lands (except grenadiers....) I also am going to get some catapults onto Utah, just in case he lands Grenadiers. So that's what I think I wnat to use the GG for - to get 2xp on a bunch of 3xp zerks, and let us get Pinch+C2 or C3 grenadiers that can amphibiously hit anything he lands. And we can move units to set that up next turn:



The axe is going to get the GG promo so he can free upgrade to berserker (and get the free C1 & free amphib) next turn; then he can free upgrade to grenadier the turn after next after Mil Sci comes in. I'm really tempted to give him Leadership too. I mean, it's a bit of a lark, but at the same time, if there's ever a time to give a unit Leadership it's a unit with only 2xp. I think you pull even on promotions with 8xp gained, and then it's all gravy from there. Of course, this is more just to do it than 'best play'

And that's about that

[pindicator]

After I posted that I noticed I had a note from scooter to save the GG for a SotL. I could go for that, I just am a bit obsessed with finding a situation for Leadership to not be awful...

[Ceiliazul]

I'm really tempted to give him Leadership too. I mean, it's a bit of a lark, but at the same time, if there's ever a time to give a unit Leadership it's a unit with only 2xp. I think you pull even on promotions with 8xp gained, and then it's all gravy from there. Of course, this is more just to do it than 'best play'

This must be done!

[pindicator]

I forgot the tech update. I think a couple of these are corrections from missed oversights before:

• azza got gunpowder
  
• WilliamLP got Paper
  
• Ichabod got Printing Press
  
• plako got Theology and Nationalism
  
• dtay got Banking
  
• mackoti got Military Science
  
• lewwyn & bigger got Banking and Printing Press