Chevalier Takes the Reins

[Alhambram]

Turn 28:

Warrior in north moved 2 tiles but Uluru is hidden behind hills, next turn discover it.
   
This is really nice spot to settle, Australian 3 housing bonus helps here and plently sea food to grow the city.
Production is bit low, forested hill NW is nice, great city for Petra. I might try get first Great Engineer, it is one who can do wonder rushing.

For that I need Industrial zone, a tile that has bad influcence upon appeal, so need to place it outside zone with many appeals, I got one such zone where I can plant it:
   
Between two quarries SW of 3rd city, also aqueduct next it for extra production for Industrial zone. Also mine all hilled tiles without worrying about appeal tiles, minimize chops here.
This 3rd city is going be main naval factory of empire.

Overview of explored land:
   
I did buy tile for future campus at Canberra, normally I would save gold for monuments but God of the Open Sky is covering culture for now, though Hobart might need build a monument.
Turn 30 finish dye plantation and turn 31 finish craftsmanship and swap to Ilkum/Agoge policies, the latter if no more barbs show up.

[Alhambram]

Turn 29:

It took 5 days to climb up desert hill to able see Uluru, I am not first to discover it, Kumasi found it earlier then me.
   
But I got 3 points for first civ to find Uluru anyways and meeting Kumasi first nets me 2 extra per turn which is very nice!
This allows me to match Rome's culture and I have God of the Open Sky Pantheon as bonus. This means that I can get early governors.
Warrior is going to west a while then turn south to defog area between Uluru and volcano to find possible other spots.

And another warrior nearby Kabul keep going to west, turning on continent lens reveals that both Kumasi and Kabul are at different continent than my starting spot!
   
So Foreign Trade boost is as good in the bag.

Next turn builder improve dye plantation and get craftmanship boost, swap to it and finish craftmanship at turn 31.
   
Finished slinger in Hobart shall uncover area south of Hobart and Canberra counterclockwise for more possible good spots.
Next turn decide what to build in Hobart: builder for more improvements or monument since Hobart lacks tiles for cultural pastures.
Maybe builder after all since I am about to get early Magnus thanks all that extra culture, need to research writing after mining and hopefully meet one of other players in short term.

[Alhambram]

Turn 30:

Nothing major things aside improving dye plantaion and getting Craftmanship boost.
   
Not Foreign Trade boost yet, both warriors keep going west till I get it, otherwise 1 turn or longer in State Workforce to avoid wasting culture into Foreign Trade.

In Hobart I purchased tile meant for Government Plaza which is low piority for tile picker, I am doing same as Hungary game in PBEM 16: early two campuses and early Government Plaza.
Started builder in Hobart after all, need chops sooner than later.

TheArchduke's empire score jumped somewhat again and if I am not mistaken, he got 2 cities and 2 Lavra's already. Meaning that he is going be first one to pick religion, need to check GP screen next turn.
I can attempt to go Stonehenge, but it would delay campuses which I rather have sooner than later. My goal with holy sites are to get high yields faith, not religion, so I don't bend my ciivlization now for Stonehenge.

[Alhambram]

Happy New Year everyone!

Turn 31:

Moved southern warrior to west and got Foreign Trade Boost as hoped.
   
And that is yields from Delicate Arch natural wonder, next turn stumble into it for more era points.

Warrior in north turns to south to defog area between Uluru and my core, it found barb scout and something more:
   
There is a city over there, probably another city state judging by distance to my core and lack of loyalty pressure. In that case boost for Political Philosophy is in bag.

Craftmanship completed and swapped policy: God of the Kings policy out, don't need faith since I got Panheon, in Ilkum for builders.
   
I didn't slot in Agoge, I kept discipline. My 2 warriors are at low health and discipline can make difference between barely suriving or getting my warriors killed.
Next turn complete Foreign Trade and start already boosted Early Empire or State Workforce which has yet boosted.
I am doing bit risky play, running around builders and settler unescorted around soon, I did get rid of barb presence around core in beginning, so I am willing to take risk.

[Alhambram]

Turn 32:

Warrior in south stumbled upon Delicate Arch and it turned out that I am not first to discover it and earning meager one era point instead 3 for who find it first.
   
Hovering over tile next river reveals its name: Se Kong river. Looking upon internet it tells that Se Kong river runs in Vietnam or former Khmer, so with other words Pindicator is west of me.
Though I am happy that it isn't rush civs Rome or Nubia, Domrey's can be nuisance. Also I plan to found religion for faith, it might cause Pindicator to swarm missonaries towards me to farm relics which is going be annoying.

In north warrior creeps closer the city state which is a industrial one judging by brown borders.
   
It is nice river valley, but a lot negative appeal due rainforests and floodplains. So found a city here which specializes production with Aqueduct, Dam and Industrial zone combo plus Encampment to crank out military units.

Finished both mining and Forgein Trade, no change in policies. Discipline stays, warrior needs be alive till he meets Pindicator for writing boost. Ilkum for builders, Canberra starts another builder after settler.
Early Empire after 7 turns, put Magnus in Canberra, chop out campus then teleport to other city. Pingala enters Canberra with 1 promotion and soon 2nd (cultural) with Government Plaza in Hobart.

[Alhambram]

Turn 33:

Two interesting situations close city states, first one next newly discovered city state Brussels (Political Philosophy boost).
   
A barb camp close Brussels, one of Brussels warriors is dealing with that camp soon. I might move 1 SE next turn and wait (and heal) till barb spearman is weakened so I can kill it in 1 hit to get gold and 2 era points.
Brussels as city state has normally so so suzerain power, but since I am planning to use wonders for appeal, I might keep this one around. Kumasi defenitely keep around with insane culture trade route bonuses.

Kabul has nice bonus: extra exp for all units in combat that I starts. Useful to keep for eventual wars. Speaking of Kabul it also has barb camp close:
   
This is bit more complicated. I have played enough single player games, I know that city state units keep attacking camp till they are redlined, so Kabul warrior shall attack it for sure in interturn.
Then HP of barb spearman should be that low that I get gold and another 2 era points next turn. But then warrior's HP becomes that low that it can killed by barb scout as revenge for razing camp.
I am threading a dangerous path here, I might delay boosting writing a bit if I decide to heal, but I can afford it.

That is because I did finish settler and start builder in Canberra, it allowed me to plan around a bit:
   
After 4 turns both builders completed, though one of them might get turn delay. Early Empire completed after 5/6 turns and after that 5 turns needed to establish Magnus, so turn 43/44 chop out campus in Canberra.
Then Magnus moves to new city and chop out another campus at turn 48/49. So I can delay writing till turn 43 (I need 5 turns to research unboosted part of writing), so maybe research sailing next turns so it is completed when I found 3rd city to start galley right away.
This also means that deadline to find Pindicator is turn 43, so I can afford to rest warrior a bit after razing Kabul's camp. Plan B: slinger who is scouting in south go to west if warrior is killed by enraged scout.

Hobart worker starts with banana plantation for gold, then deer camp also for gold, I am using those two tiles non stop from beginning and extra income is always nice.
Finally Hobart worker is quicker at campus spot for 3rd city.

Canberra worker shall improve cow tile and culture bomb and Canberra get extra culture from pasture.
Then chop out forest for Canberra's campus and finally improve stone tile at new city for masonry boost. Or improve cow tile at new city if I don't need masonry asap.

After completion of both workers, Canberra starts trader which shall be sent to new city to help grow it bit faster and boost for currency. Hobart starts another builder, need more chops and improvements.

TheArchduke indeed has 2 Lavra's, after 10 turns religion and 20 turns Great Writer for early culture boost, though he needs to build Theater and Amphitheater to store another Great Work.
I am second to reach 3rd civic thanks Kumasi and God of the Open Sky, Cornflakes as Rome already has 4 civics. And I don't see other notable things at score ranking.

[Alhambram]

Turn 34:

Well, things don't always go way that I expected...
   
Kabul's warrior was supposed keeping attacking till he is redlined, not retreating while still yellowlined. I could kill spearman in 2 hits, but scout is nearby which means warrior's death is certain if I do it.

So I decided to move warrior westwards in search of Pindicator and I found this:
   
There is city SW of warrior, it can be another city state or Pindicator's 2nd city which still lacks loyalty pressure unlike his capital.

And what about warrior in north?
   
Brussels warrior decided to attack scout, well I decided to move my warrior NE of camp and he shall heal to max or till he can kill spearman in 1 hit.
And note another scout who has ! above his head, I got bad feeling about it. I shall build slinger after builder in Hobart for safety and possible archery boost.

My settler towards 3rd city should be safe, right?
   
My worst fear was that if I or city state raze barb camp and new one appear at tile where I want to settle. Using settler's long vision upon hill I defog big area to prevent new barb spawn in this area.

In south slinger uncovered more tiles.
   
Tabacco for amenity, otherwise it is just average valley. Floodplains means low appeal along river while forests, especially along coast are high appeal. Sort of hybrid city here, industry along river while campuses, holy shrine and theater are tossed down around forests/coast.

[Alhambram]

Turn 35:

Found Pindicator's borders, next turn make contact.
   
That volcano is active, I somehow have a feeling that it is going erupt when I move my warrior next it to make contact.
But you shall see if I move warrior SE upon floodtile and then upon desert hill to avoid volcano, river shall flood and get my warrior killed without making contact. I don't trust nature's force in this PBEM.
So I just move 2 tiles SW and also get view of his city if it isn't blocked by hill or forest. If warrior gets killed by volcano, so be it.

And slinger in south witnessed a river flooding but he did stand upon hill safely previous turn.
   
This is turning into nice production river valley if I settle here.

Around Brussels barb scout decided to attack my warrior across river.
   
He is going suicide next turn if he do attack my warrior again. No other notable news aside growth of Hobart to size 3.

[Alhambram]

Turn 36:

Moved warrior into Khmer's borders and I see whether warrior get hit by volcano or river flooding next turn, but at least boost for writing is done.
   
City strength of 10, still running around with warriors and slingers, same as me. No pantheon yet and more oddly no faith generation. Probably Pindicator thinks that since there are economically better options for others when they picks pantheon, they ignores his desired Pantheon: river goddess.
This might work but there might be risk that 5th or 6th player who missed out best pantheons, might decide to go after religion and picks this pantheon for themself and deny best one for Khmer.

Looking upon diplomatic screen reveals that Pindicator already met someone. And he is generating 10 gold per turn thanks gems which he has yet to hook up. Also got horse resource inside his borders.
Our science are roughly same, I have one pop more. I got 2 more culture thanks meeting Kumasi. My military is weakest of all, I might build couple more warriors and slingers/archers to prevent making me easy target.
Pindicator already has a envoy in Kabul, must be a easy quest.

Slinger in south explored further and see coast in south.
   
I placed two spots, those two cities upon plains hill are going be front cities against Pindicator provided that I claim this disputed river valley between us first. As Khmer, such river valley is a must to occupy.

Next turn is going be big turn: 3rd city founded and I shall buy stone tile right away for production (60 gold). Start galley when both sailing and Early Empire (to slot in Maritimes Industry) are completed.
Also both builders completed in Canberra and Hobart next turn and start slinger in Hobart and trader in Canberra.

[Alhambram]

Turn 37:

Warrior did not get hit by natural disaster contray my expectations, so he scout lands between Pindicator and me now.
   

Pindicator did settle his 3rd city.
   

I did settle Geelong this turn, making me 2nd player with 3 cities after Pindicator according the scoreboard.
   
After 3 turns start galley in Geelong, with 2x 22 tiles (2nd shall be grabbed in 3rd ring by cultur bombing cow pasture), galley should be completed in 6 turns with 100% policy card.
For now just builder in Geelong to make use of 30% from Ilkum.

Writing take 3 turns to complete after sailing, so at turn 43 with nice timing I can place campus, but Magnus shall arrive at turn 44, so chop out campus at turn 44.