[spoilers] OT4E is gonna try something special

[OT4E]

In Russian words "peace" and "world" have similar spelling. I do try to give peace a chance, but the world is resisting.

Honestly I wasnt happy first when notice ipecac's scout so early, more than that I felt some kind of deja vu when saw that it belonged to Old Harry. Ipecac must be seeking for revenge and since he is close he wont put it a long waiting box. Also he has pretty strange aggressive combo Churchill of China. But is it enough to scare me?

Anyway all those thought refreshed me from i-build-all-wonders plan and it is not bad in general. Lets see how mapmaker dealt with cooper and horses to find out what to do.

[OT4E]

T18

I got first war out:


Here are some pics of what I have revealed so far:


The last thing my scout found to the west was rock. It looks like some kind of separator.

[OT4E]

Shall I just pass by this?

[OT4E]

T40

Borsche managed to die. He lost both cities in 1 turn, so it looks like an early impi rush. It seems that everyone has one close neighbor but in general there is enough spacing in the other direction.

On my side wetbandit/ipecac planted in my direction. They started with Mining so I was late with revealing cooper and understanding the whole picture. Anyway I wasnt in mood to throw everything into war yet, though I believe they deserve death for planting on cow.


I decided to go for early 3rd city and strategically settler/worker spam a bit. But next turn I will see horses and will have an option to annoy my neighbor a bit who has no wheel yet.


Also met Nyles few turns ago, but it seems that he is pretty far away to disturb me by any.

Demographics doesnt look excellent but I havent hooked any food with cities #2 and #3 neither grew them.

[OT4E]

Shortly, I found horses:


... and dcodea:


So I was wrong about nation starting positions. I have 2 close neighbors like everyone I guess. The map looks like snaky continents.

[OT4E]

Recent reload gave me time to refresh my thoughts. I have just finished Mysticism and was about to put Polytheism in queue since Hinduism hasnt gone yet. But in fact it would be bad decision, because it meant no cottages for like 15 more turns, while my cities start growing and demand improved tiles. No pottery would kill my economy and tie me to the stone age. It could be ok decision if I went for all military and early conquest, but I doubt it is good idea with such a lushy map. Both neighbors settled to me and I need to focus on stabling borders rather than throw everything to bring one of them down and leave opportunity for another to develop.

It is my common problem, I am commiting to the challenges too easy and do not spend enough time measuring goals. If I grow my economy I will have no problem with taking later religion or keep open for external religion spread. So right now building 10 first cottages has the highest priority. The next one is to continue my expansion.

My plan is to try Stonehenge, I know that it is pretty late to buildi it in 4th city, but in last casual pitboss SH has gone only by T70, may be it is some kind of regularity.

[OT4E]

T51

Civstats says I have got SH. It means that one slowing my expansion down factor is removed. Nothing game deciding though.

My front city will make cultural pressure on wetbandit/ipecac but unfortunately it cant open any opportunity for sneaky attack, because he still has a good sight of area.

I am not decided with attack yet, but I am going to build some chariots and make sure that my neighbors will build proper defenses.

Wetbandit/ipecac has awful city placement: their 3rd city is like 6 tiles to the north from his cap, near the coast (no screens for now unfortunately). So sending a single char there can turn into real disaster and make them build several spears. I have no idea how are they going to handle this, may be with pro-archers.

3 turns to Pottery and main food is hooked so I am ready to build cottages. With the overall strategy I dont have a clear picture yet. I think I make "wish-list" again and try to compare possible goals to put right priorities. Coming soon...

[OT4E]

Metal casting --> forges and Colossus
If I want to get GE as the first great person, I need to hurry with this. Though it doesnt need to be 100%

Pyramids
I havent seen any stone or marble so far, what means that mapmaker intentionally removed it or put in some weird place. In any case with my IND trait I have good chances to get it first. I doubt that it is ever worth to go for it without resource for others, but in casual games people tend to go for what is good in their view despite of investments.

Police state or Representation are both good on this map because of much food and happy. Police state works pretty well with cheap forges. My horse city can build it in reasonable time doing 18 base hpt + 5 chops.

Mathematics
It greatly extend Pyramids path increasing output from 5 chops. Also it itself gives bonuses I must consider gaining. I get happy from cheap hammams, even if I hook ivory in the addition to my furs it will let my cities grow to the size of 6 only. But what is 6 for the city with 4 food? Hanging Gardens are also nice to have with pyramids for GE generating.

Mathematics opens me routes to Calendar for more happy and MoM or Currency. It can also happen that will wish Construction at the some point.

Monotheism and any religion path.
It contain risk of not gaining any. I am not in slavery and it doesnt seem worth switching just one civic. I obviously missed my chance to adopt it while some of the settlers were moving or workers were not done with infrastructure. But whatever. Org religion demands investments and I cant say that its bonus can outweight bonus from forges or police state. Though if I get lucky I can create early shrine and game my close neighbors to be my close friends in faith. If I was Mahatma Ghandi it would be my choice for sure.

Horseback
I have some advantage in expansion compared to both wetbandit/ipecac and decides which I can use to attack their lands to my empire. Though it is hard not to break economy in such situation. And I swear if all I wanted to do was to give a lesson to one of them they have nothing what chariots couldnt have dealt with.

The Great Lighthouse
May be most of you disagree with me but I think it is bad option for me to go for in my current situation. First of all it is pretty cheap so others can be already on their way there. 2 of my cities including my cap are not near the coast and though the map has high water approach and most of my other cities are going to be put near the water I will never get maximum effect from this wonder. I have no discount for lighthouse or much desire to build those building too soon. And finally people will refuse to open borders with me. I also dont see any islands to settle yet. So I would go for it only if I wanted to boat wetbandit/ipecac's 3rd city

Aestetics -> Literature path is stupid, because it gives almost nothing but wonders.

Code of laws is not reasonable now too. Before I get forges and/or ORGREL I cant afford courthouses.

Monarchy -> Feudalism path is weak because nobody needs civic to make people happy on this lushy map.

Iron working is to be considered but I think it is for the times I expand to the gems to west.

[OT4E]

So I have 2 ways to attack wetbandit/ipecac, both have their cons.


Firstly, I can direct hit it from the darkness. Right now it is empty but I can only attack it by T59 and it is enough time to build 2 units. I have to keep in the mind that I will have to attack across river. Also it requires many of wasted worker turns, which I was going to spend to cottage up my core cities and on further expansion. The final thing I do not like in this scenario is that all the preparations can be spoiled if they move warrior or archer to the hill near the lake.

Another way to harass wetbandit/ipecac is to jump on the hill between Beijin and Shanghai. I will have to show workers 1 turn before an attack but I get instantly to the middle of their lands and even if they have enough defenders to cover both cities I can pillage all the infrastructure. Also I can get there earlier but with less chariots, though I only waste few worker turns for this sccenario and can focus on my own improvements and chops.

Anyway, lets see what they do. I moved my axe to spoil their chop in the 3rd city. If I keep my first half he wont be able to finish it and remove worker. May be I should have declared them war to get the first half officially, but for the main actions I'd better stick to the second half. If I only force them to whip a circle of units before granaries it is still positive result of this early pressure. I have a small hope that they misunderstand what is happening seeing my axe and make wrong choice what to build.

[OT4E]

T57

I have to admit, I failed to give peace a chance as I promised. But as Sun Tsi says "If you want peace prepare to war"

Seems like my distracting dance with an axe worked and resulted in this.


Can anyone tell me what was the purpose of keeping axe on the hill like that? Didnt they notice workers? If they were paying attention they could see my horses... Their scout appeared on the hill near my city and they definitely could see extra hammer on the city tile.

I cant explain how could they bring scout to the other side of my empire though. Are they close to circumnavigation?

After killing that axe I found that archer is still fortified on the cooper, though warrior was heading back to the city. I decided to kill archer because in the city it can bring me more troubles.


Weird sight...