[SPOILERS] Parkin brings the rain down in Africa: Churchill of Zulu

[Caledorn]

Those screenshot tags aren't interpreted at all by Tapatalk. I wish someone could fix that. I actually prefer people using spoiler tags for that reason since it means I don't have to click Web View just to see the images.

Any idea who I can pester to fix the tag interpretation in Tapatalk, Old Harry?

[Grimace]

Gosh, I just can't please everyone. I'm going to do this one with Screenshots just to see what it looks like to me, then I'll decide which one to do going forward.

Turn 127

First off, got a request for Open Borders from haram (Mongolia). He’s our next door neighbor, and I accepted. I’m curious to see what he sends my way. I’m going to detach a chariot to go check out his territory.

According to the log, wetbandit did a civics change to Slavery and Bureaucracy; I suspect he just completed Civil Service. Seven started a golden age and did a civics change to Caste System and Bureaucracy, so he most likely just completed researching Civil Service as well. Gawdzak also revolted into Slavery.

Gavagai lost another city to mackoti. I started moving a chariot into Gavagai’s territory so I can see what’s going on. Didn’t get far enough to see anything useful yet.




Founded our 17th city, Quail, and started it producing a monument. It’s near the border with haram, and I need to pop the borders to gain access to the clams and the lovely food they represent. It’ll take me a turn to start (because the worker was out of moves this turn), but I’m going to move him onto that forest and chop it to get the monument out quickly, then carry the extra over into a lighthouse.




The weird 1f1h1c hill right there is a hill with a winery on it. Not too useful until I get Monarchy, but it should be pretty nice then.

[Ichabod]

Perhaps you have a missionary to spread your religion to the new city, then you won't need a monument and you can use the hammers for other buildings.

The winery won't do anything when you reach monarchy, since there's no wines there. It's just a preplaced improvement on the map due to the mapscript. Feel free to mine, cottage or windmill over it.

[Old Harry]

Oh and a granary is almost certainly the best first build in every city. Lighthouse gives you +5 food instead of +4, granary doubles your food. The only thing that comes out better is a work boat, but you can build that in another city...

Cal - do tapatalk have a feedback forum for feature requests?

[Grimace]

Perhaps you have a missionary to spread your religion to the new city, then you won't need a monument and you can use the hammers for other buildings.

Unfortunately no. I could whip one, but it would still be a few turns. That's probably a better idea, though.

The winery won't do anything when you reach monarchy, since there's no wines there. It's just a preplaced improvement on the map due to the mapscript. Feel free to mine, cottage or windmill over it.

Ah, ok. I didn't realize that about that aspect of this mod. I thought it would still work with the appropriate tech. That's not too bad, cause I'd rather have a mine there anyway.

Oh and a granary is almost certainly the best first build in every city. Lighthouse gives you +5 food instead of +4, granary doubles your food. The only thing that comes out better is a work boat, but you can build that in another city...

Excellent advice, and this is exactly why I appreciate you guys' help. So, I will go in and change production to a granary...then lighthouse?

And I'll figure out another city nearby where the whip can be used to force out a missionary.

Thanks guys!

[Grimace]

Turn 128

In world news, Gawdzak and wetbandit’s Golden Ages ended.

Produced two War Elephants (Giraffe & Duiker). Started a Work Boat (1 turn w/o whip) in Duiker followed by another Welly. Was pondering the idea of doing a stable after the WB, though – thoughts? It’ll only take 3 turns and give some extra XP to the Wellys, which seems worthwhile to me.




Switched to a Library in Giraffe to keep the culture coming. I have close borders with haram right there and if his city pops one more level I lose the crabs. Added another Welly in the queue after that.




Antelope finished the National Epic and generated a Great Prophet! Time to build the Confucian shrine! It’ll take him a turn to move to Duiker and then I’ll have the shrine next turn. I switched the only specialist it’s running right now to an Engineer, but I can change that…what do you guys think? Think a scientist would be a better idea? It’s currently building a Market, but I was thinking about building the Statue of Zeus which I can do in 4 turns and would make me much less pleasant of a target. Thoughts? Temple of Artemis is also still available, as is the Hagia Sofia and the Parthenon.

Fox finished the Heroic Epic and started on a Welly. Jackal completed an Ikhanda and started on an Impi.
Bonobo is building a Confucian missionary for the newest city, and it’ll be available in 2 turns without a whip so I think I’ll just wait.

In other news, my chariot moved a little further into the war zone. I can see a Longbow and an Axe of mackoti’s, and Gavagai has 2 axes and 3 spears out and about, plus 3 catapults in his capital. He also has a great general there, and he hasn’t done anything with him yet. He’s been sitting in the capital for at least 2 turns, so I wonder why he hasn’t used him?




We’re also now #1 in GNP! Of course, I’m running 100% science…but we’re not too bad in Production either.
I also offered a trade with haram – Deers for Pig. Figured that was pretty neutral but would help keep things stable since we’re neighbors on two borders.

[Old Harry]

Is Duiker only going to build mounted units from now? If so a stable sounds good.

SoZ sounds like a good idea, is the city vulnerable though, because that'll be the first target in a war... Edit: Also a mix of engy and scientist points gives you options and gets the Great Person quicker. What would you do with an Engy?

How many catapults do you have?

[Grimace]

Is Duiker only going to build mounted units from now? If so a stable sounds good.

I was thinking of having it mainly produce mounted units, yeah. It seems like a good idea to have at least one city that builds units with a stable, but I'm not sure what the usual MP recommendations are as far as things like a stable.

SoZ sounds like a good idea, is the city vulnerable though, because that'll be the first target in a war...

Well, it's the capital, so it's going to be a priority target anyway, but it's pretty well protected right now (Welly + 1 just outside the city + Impi + Axeman).

Edit: Also a mix of engy and scientist points gives you options and gets the Great Person quicker. What would you do with an Engy?

I was thinking that it might be handy for accelerating a future wonder, but probably a scientist might be better in the long run for bulbing (or settling). I'll see if I can swing running two specialists (for a scientist & engineer) and let the RNG decide for me.

How many catapults do you have?

None currently in existence, but I have one under construction. I'll be starting production on some more this turn when some other builds finish.

[Grimace]

Turn 129

Haram accepted my trade offer. So a new health resource and a 10 turn peace treaty.

Kudu finished building a welly, and I started on a courthouse there because its maintenance is over 8gpt…Ouch. Finished building an elephant in Elephant and started on a Maceman. A few other builds finished and their queued builds (from Parkin) moved up – a couple of macemen and some buildings. Also queued a couple of cats. Nothing super crazy.

The Great Prophet made it to Duiker and we built the Confucian shrine, which gave us a nice 31gpt shot in the arm. And in other religious news, Confucianism spread to Quail (our newest city) on its own, so it’s generating culture now. Yay!

We completed Machinery and I started on Iron Working which will take 1 turn (at 50% research; binary would take 2 turns, so I figured that even if there is a rounding loss in the long run we’re better off having it in 1 turn than in 2). At 50% research we now have a 9gpt profit.

Does your score decrease if you lose military units? Gavagai’s score decreased on mackoti’s turn, but he didn’t capture any cities. He’s got some wicked stacks running in his territory, though. He has a few Horse Archers, but it seems like his big stack is cats and axes. He also has wellies, but I only see one. I think Gavagai is down to one city, and given where mackoti’s stack is, he has 3 turns to live. I’ve started moving units to the that area; luckily that is the only land access for mackoti to get to us.

Question for the experts: Is it better to continue full research, or to slow research for a few turns to build up gold in order to upgrade units? I still have several warriors and a bunch of axes that would make very nice macemen, but I’m not sure which is better in the long run.

[Old Harry]

Haram accepted my trade offer. So a new health resource and a 10 turn peace treaty.

Unfortunately - unlike single player - resource trades aren't binding here, unless you are at war and sign a peace treaty you don't get enforced peace...

The Great Prophet made it to Duiker and we built the Confucian shrine, which gave us a nice 31gpt shot in the arm.

That's pretty nice, so a market there is worth 8 gpt even at max science...

Does your score decrease if you lose military units? Gavagai’s score decreased on mackoti’s turn, but he didn’t capture any cities.

It could have been an artist bomb stealing tiles, but more likely he took a city you didn't have sight of (which wouldn't show up in the log).

He’s got some wicked stacks running in his territory, though. He has a few Horse Archers, but it seems like his big stack is cats and axes. He also has wellies, but I only see one. I think Gavagai is down to one city, and given where mackoti’s stack is, he has 3 turns to live. I’ve started moving units to the that area; luckily that is the only land access for mackoti to get to us.

I have a feeling you'll need some cats visible to Mack (but out of reach) when the final city falls, just so he doesn't think carrying on would be a good idea. I had a glance back at your power graph and it's a bit worrying - unless things have changed? Have you got an idea of the number of cats and axes he has? That would let us set a target for how many cats you'll need.

Question for the experts: Is it better to continue full research, or to slow research for a few turns to build up gold in order to upgrade units? I still have several warriors and a bunch of axes that would make very nice macemen, but I’m not sure which is better in the long run.

Well as an expert I'd run binary (0%) at this point, then if you think you need cash for upgrades you have that option... What is the next tech target and how long does it take at break-even?