[Spoilers]Auro is prepared: You shall not pass!

[Aurorarcher]

T43-45.

Found a nice preplaced gold mine by Ref, well done there! I might put a settlement nearby but other than that I won't be able to enjoy it more than the happiness.



I also found Copper.



Scout found a dead end, the mountains (and Skeleton) block his way.



I'll head back to scout #3 spot, hopefully I can stay away from the nasty C3 spider.

Capital eot45.



Just got my first Centaur, I'll build settler probably next. Notice I'm grabbing Hunting next. I had already put 80 beakers into Writing but changed my mind (I'll grab Writing later). I need Hunting to improve Deer next to my #3 city. Also, I'd like to capture that Spider to settle it as a Silk... Wait, that actually requires Animal Handling. Ah, well, probably not going to then. But I think I'll also go FoL. Being able to change my empire's forests into Ancient Forests (for free) is pretty good, it gives extra food and hammers. I also need more happiness to grow my super capital. Do the forests inside my border change to AF only after I revolt to FoL? I think so but just making sure...

Rivendell will produce my next GP.



It'll likely be a sage in which case I might save it and bulb something later. But in case it's a Prophet I'll use it to bulb Priesthood. I think I might actually remove the sage specialist next turn, it'll make my next GP take 16 turns but I don't need it too fast anyway.

Also the #3 plan.



The 'x' spot gives me a hill for good defense against Illians + it'll grab Deer, Incense and also Spirit mana + riverside Grassland tiles. The only problem is does this spot have enough food? It has only Deer and obviously some grass farms are needed. Can't cottage them all. The spot grabs a lot of land which is good.

I am going to fire my WS once the #3 city is settled. It might piss Brian off but we shall see.

I'm starting to like the idea of Culture Victory for some reason ... more on that later.

Still unsure of my east.



This area looks so dry so I find it very unlikely that there would be a better #3 spot. Hopefully I'm right. Definitely want to grab that Wheat with a settlement for +10% commerce in my capital. Wait... with my WS I'll be grabbing that in "4th ring" I think! (EDIT: tested that, nope it's not in the 4th ring, it'll be 5th...)

[Aurorarcher]

So... the culture plan. Is it even possible?!?

For reference. I need 25 000 culture in 3 cities, so three legendary cities. The culture border expands at 5-50-250-2500-25000 (quick speed, multiplied by 10 every time).

Buildings that boost culture (%): All religious temples (+20%), Carnival (+20%), Syliven's Perfect Lyre (+100%, can be moved), pagan temple (+10%), Grand Menagerie (+20%) and The Dragon's Hoard (+100%, not in the game). So in theory the maximum +% is all relgious temples (120%)+Carnival+Lure+Pagan Temple = 250% (not counting Grand Menagerie, so unlikely). Add to that adjusting culture slider, so another 100%. Some civics add +% to culture: Religion (+10%), Liberty (+100%, requires Mercantilism), Republic (+20%, requires Taxation). So maximum in theory should be 470% if I didn't miss anything. Even this is not easy to obtain (all the temples for example + those late game civics).

Buildings that boost the base culture input: a lot of buildings, some wonder give a lot of culture obviously but they are expensive. For example Hall of Kings (+10 cpt and also +2 per specialist). Not going to list them all... more thoughts later.

[Qgqqqqq]

How had I missed your theme?

Is the third city Erebor (Moria?), Fornost, or Edoras?

Also, my math doesn't put 50->250 as x10

[Aurorarcher]

Edoras definitely. It’s a well-suited city of riders (centaurs) of Rohan (Kuriotates). 

Looks like my brain doesn’t work very well when making plans at midnight. So, thanks for pointing that out.

[Aurorarcher]

Settling 3rd city has been a bit of pain... Finally this turn I moved in, first with scout (saw the Spider, decided to move in) and then followed up with Centaurs + worker + settler. And here's the situation:



I knew the Spider was nearby, obviously I was hoping it had moved away from that tile. Also the bears have been annoying. Spider is C3 so it has great odds against my Centaur (8.00+1 first strike vs 6.00, 83% odds to beat me) but I should be able to clean-up afterwards hopefully. I moved warrior next to bear in hopes of that it will attack there instead of my settling party. In the worst case scenario Spider kills Centaur flawlessly and also bear kills my Centaur. If that happens I might need to panic settle in place. Hopefully I don't have to do that...

Next turn will definitely be interesting. Also I'm 1t away from FoL.

In other news I met Luchuirp (coldrain), more on that later. Next turn will be crucial.

[Aurorarcher]

T52 opened with great news!



It went almost as well as it could. I won 17% odds against the spider (got 4 xp). Bear killed my warrior (bait), unfortunately flawlessly so I couldn't kill it this turn. I moved the stack to 'x' so I can settle the city next turn.

Also, I got FoL.



I have seen almost all animal types near my borders (Gorilla, Bear, Wolf, Tiger. No Lion though. Grand Menagerie maybe? Going to build Hunting Lodge and few Hunters for sure.

[RefSteel]

Just realized how far behind I am in replying here:

Found a nice preplaced gold mine by Ref, well done there! I might put a settlement nearby but other than that I won't be able to enjoy it more than the happiness.

Indeed! And in case you're interested in their story...

The steep, twisting paths climbing into the mountains from the ruins and surroundings of the long-lost trade city below lead up over wide-spanned stone bridges and narrow stairs to the high mines of Zarakh-Din, shaped by the hand and will of ancient dwarves. Though their builders departed long since, even modern peoples who never learned the secrets of digging nuggets from the veins of these dwarf-cut caves can profit handsomely from their existence, selling supplies to the endless stream of gold-hunters who seek them out in exchange for their labor and coins - but the spectacular wealth that may be found there is no mere fantasy: For those who know the mountains' ways, enough gold may be wrested from Zarakh-Din every year to satisfy a national luxury industry. The mines' steep and winding approach, up and around the faces of sheer cliffs, render them completely impregnable to armies marching from below, but by exactly the same token, those who cannot imitate their dwarven builders by living in the mines themselves are deeply vulnerable to all of those rare enemies who are able to get above them by climbing the high peaks or approaching from the air: A single hostile griffon on the wrong mountain peak could isolate the mines, so that no more profit could be had there, though skilled miners trapped within might still find a way to sneak just enough ore out to supply those of their people who demand the greatest luxuries while smuggling in enough supplies to keep themselves alive. Should anyone with the ability and will go so far as to start a rock-slide from above though, to bury the cave entrances and block access to the bridges and narrow stairs, it would take centuries of labor to restore what is thereby lost, and unless dwarves of the underhome return through the mountains' roots, the mines would be closed forever, persisting only as the rumor of golden riches just out of reach in the mountains there.

Great to hear that your forces survived the Endless Monstrous Assault largely intact, and that the third super-city was established as planned! I'm looking forward to seeing how you make use of future Settlements and how you lead the Kurios from here!

[Aurorarcher]

Haven't found much time to report but finally here's some pics from turns 53-60.

Found Dave and some interesting news. He has been running an artist to get a Great Bard (with help of his CRE he built an early Carnival fast). Then he used the Bard to bulb Drama for another Great Bard. Nice play there, man.







"Spiders being a pain" -theme continues. Not a big deal but annoying still.



My second great person was about 50-50 between sage and prophet. I was hoping for prophet but...



Oh well, I'll use it for a second Academy. This time in Rivendell. Usual plan is to bulb Alternation but as I am not planning to kill anyone in this game I don't think I'll need it.

Here's my cities as of T60.

Minas Tirith.



I will build National Epic here starting T62 to boost GP production. Then also Great Library once I can get the 3rd required Library in Edoras.

Rivendell.



Heroic Epic here once marble is connected. Should be T62.

Edoras.



Still young. Library here before I'll switch out of Philosophical would be ideal. I guess the switch of my trait is on T71 or T72 with quick speed. Need to test or does any lurker remember the turn?

World overview now that I have met everyone.



I don't know where coldrain's territory is but other than that I have a pretty good knowledge of opponents locations. I hope coldrain is not east of me but it seems like the most logical "empty" space so he is quite likely there. Definitely want to find out sooner that later where he is.

I am the only player who has met everyone. Two players (Dave and Brian) haven't met anyone else beside me. Poor scouting luck I guess?



Demos as of T60.



Keep in mind that about 20 of that is culture, still very happy with my situation.

Some potential ideas where to go from here, how to get Culture Victory attempt going? Here's the tech advisor.



After Warfare...

... I could grab Philosophy + Military Strategy for free Great General. I would settle it as a Command post for +2xp to my units. That was I can get some needed free xp without needing to revolt to Apprenticeship. Quite handy. Also, now that I have met everyone I can track each turn if Philosophy has been researched. With my tech edge (at least currently) I can easily beat anyone trying to beat me.

... or I could take Sailing + Trade. Trade I want eventually to switch to Foreign Trade to boost my cottage development (FT gives +100% growth to them). Sailing allows me to settle that island next to Rivendell. It has an dye (I will settle on it). Then I can build Tailor to boost my commerce by 10%. Would like to find Cotton and Silk as well for another 10% each. Not that I write this I also should settle that Wheat next to capital for extra 10% commerce as well.

... more long-term tech plans. I want Feudalism (1400 beakers). CoL is a bit useless tech on the way but not it's cheap. Feudalism unlocks couple nice things. Hall of Kings (wonder), +10 cpt (c referring to culture) and +2c per specialist in all cities. It also gives me access to Caste System civic (+2c per specialist, +1g per specialist), also allows me to use gold to hurry my production and workers are +50% faster (not that important but nice still). The reason I want to go here is that I think the trick to get enough cpt is to use specialists. With this civic + wonder my artists could produce 8 cpt (not taking any multipliers into account).

... even more long-term plans. Mercantilism (3400 beakers). Requires Mathematics (950 beakers + not very useful for me) + Currency (900b, Guild of Nine could be handy) + Taxation (1600 b, enables better towns by tech and also by Republic civic). I mean this is a lot of beakers, not sure how doable this is. The plan my change later a lot. Anyway, Mercantilism on it's own allows some very nice civis. Liberty (+1 free spec... bard per city, +100% culture, unlimited bard). Mercantilism civic allows +2 free specialists per city. The best combo for culture from civics point of view could be like this:

Republic, Liberty, Caste System, Mercantilism. This gives me 3 free bards per city, each producing ~18 culture per specialist (taking civic multipliers into account) --> means 54 cpt per city (not taking into account other multipliers from temples etc.). And remember this is free. When into that I add unlimited bards and other multipliers... it could explode.

Anyway, that's a long long way to go. And I also need to defend my empire somehow .

[Aurorarcher]

I also noticed I have not made analysis of my other opponents (coldrain, Dave, Bing). No time to do that now either but here's # cities to you as a starter:

Me: 3
Dave: 3
Brian: 5
Coldrain: 4
Bing: 4

[Qgqqqqq]

Really appreciate the update and plans! Not sure we've ever seen a CV on FFH2 MP so will be interesting to watch.