[SPOILERS] Serdoas and Nobles Thread with a little bit of Gaspar sprinkled in

[NobleHelium]

Yeah, since his scout saw us I expected something like that. I expect a few axes to follow. Not sure if this is taotaos standard playstyle but it is mackotis. We'll need a few more archers, a chariot and 2 axes to feel save and be able to attack units he parks on tiles we want to work I think. Not necessarily right now but I'd want to get at least another archer, better 2, up there.

I don't think it's mackoti's standard playstyle to be attacking with axes. Maybe if you don't defend.

I'm on chat. Commodore and taotao have Currency.

[NobleHelium]

Whelp, time to recalibrate our expectations I guess.



Options are as I see them, SE of the cow, SE of the clam, or SW of the fish. Keep in mind taotao is CRE so we're not going to beat him in culture at least for a bit. Although it's only 1 CPT now, he still immediately generates culture whereas we need to chop a monument. It's a definite reach for him but we're not in a position to punish it and he does have units.

[Gaspar]

#getmackoti'd

[Boldly Going Nowhere]

#getmackoti'd

Just checked that hashtag. Not exactly trending. Thanks for the chuckle anyway. I need it right now.

[Serdoa]

Whats really scary is not the city itself, but the number of cities he has now. I'm not sure how much of a reach that city is either tbh. We haven't had units up there, he might have had another city in our direction already.

SE of the cow: When he pops borders we still have no culture, so we will lose the cow for quite a bit I think? At least till we pop borders ourselves. Also we will be open to an direct attack anytime via the cow. Well, we can chop the monument next turn, but still.

[Serdoa]

Wait, if we chop the monument, we get culture as well. If he pops borders, we won't lose the cow because we have already culture in it, more than he puts in. And as it is first ring we won't lose it as soon as we pop borders. He will have always vision on us with the mountain though.

edit: Of course, as long as he keeps his units there, we can't improve that cow...

[Serdoa]

Also, I'm not sure if Donovan being such a weak neighbour is really helping us here. He did hinder our own expansion with his Impis, even though he probably didn't even mean to or realized it. And now he seems weak enough that mackoti doesn't need to fear that border - if there is any at all what I dobut - in the slightest.

I've decided on the hill SE of the cow btw. Not a great city by any stretch, but good enough as a border-city to cement the line. With LBs we should be able to hold there quite a bit. If we get to those units of course...

Also, how is mackoti/taotao up to 8 cities, similar to an IMP-civ? I don't think he saved on workers and he didn't save on units, at least not much, indicated by what he has on our border. Only explanation: Extensive whipping and chopping. We don't have the cities for whipping imo, except Nat Pagle maybe. We could however chop more - it costs worker turns which makes us need more workers of course, but with the land being as it is you need to grab it early.

Well, not anymore. Borders with 3 out of 4 neighbours are more or less done and the last neighbour has tundra between him and us, so I doubt we'll see much expansion from that direction. I could be wrong - again - of course, but whatever.

[NobleHelium]

Probably should have posted this earlier but this is my assessment basically:

NobleHelium
so where would you settle
Gaspar
i think id go with the clam site
NobleHelium
why is that
Gaspar
well id want one of the sites that seals off the area
NobleHelium
ok
Gaspar
but the cow site is a culture battle and that seems like a lot of resources against a cre player
NobleHelium
well there's overlap at the clam site too
cre is 1 cpt in the mod
cow would be first ring at the hill site
Gaspar
yeah fair
i guess it could give you and in to the sw as well
NobleHelium
i don't think we're likely to settle west of that
that's close to donovan as well
Gaspar
whats your opinion?
NobleHelium
kinda prefer the cow site because it's on a hill
i mean i guess on the clam site we might take the second ring
whereas cow site, we never take second ring
if we take second ring clam site is safer
Gaspar
yeah
i think the cow site would be better if we thought we'd see religion anytime soon

I guess the issue with the cow site is getting the pasture done. Other than that it's probably okay.

Also, I'm not sure we want to settle the National Epic city next - we could easily settle the spot north of the capital instead to claim land towards Borsche. If we do that one instead, then we should send the one Blingtron worker 3NE instead of 4E. We can send the capital archer as escort (doesn't need MP until size 6) and probably also one of Overspark's.

Regarding taotao's expansion, he hasn't had to build monuments which helps. One thing I've just realized is that the slavery nerf means that cheap granaries are significantly weaker as well. I don't think he has as many units as we do, ours are just more evenly distributed.

[Gaspar]

First Gaspar/Noble chat on these boards in a year or better and no jokes. I feel like I must apologize to the legions of adoring fans.

I think I'd settle the clam still.

[Serdoa]

We settled the cow. I think having a defendable city is better. Clam I wouldn't be sure how to defend AND it would open up our core respectively he could fork it so that we would have a hard time reinforcing.

Also he could have settled a tile W inland, gaining a pig and a wheat additionally. I think if we would have settled clam, he would have settled another city towards us, probably 1SW of the cow.

I've also offered Donovan Gold for Silver. I doubt he does it, but we don't need it anyway as we have 2 and we need another happy for Nat Pagle.

Also, in 5 turns the stone is in our borders. Forgot that and we have no workers to connect it If you have any idea how to get it done, even if a few more turns, let me know.