SHAEF

[Nakor]

The road network is ok.
I don't have a lot of military as yet.
4 hwachas and a mix of LB's, axes, spears and archers.

[HitAnyKey]

Sucks the hill isn't roaded. I would have back line cities send up some Hwachas. Calcar can 2 pop whip a Longbow into an Archer (use gold to upgrade once the Archer is finished) and then repeat (i.e. 2 pop whip Longbow->OF archer (upgrade)). I'd even consider switching to Vassalage at some point. Ideally, you would want ~3-4 CG II Longbows and ~4-5 Drill II Longbows plus lots of Hwachas. Was a unit pump ever set up? Do we have iron yet? Crossbows would also really come in handy right about now.

A quick note as I'm about to have to head out for most of the morning and then part of the afternoon. I plan to do a big update when I get back.
I just hooked up my iron across the water, though WK has a Trireme with a blockade going which seems to be stopping the trade route of that city (even though from the way it looks the blockade shouldn't be doing so), so I need to send my two trireme's up there to either kill his or at least scare it off. That'll happen next turn.
I also just sent Nakor a LB and will be sending him another LB & Catapult next turn.

This turn I unseated the small stack (Chariot/Axe/Spear) that Lewwyn had sitting in the forest next to the iron city I had just founded. Sacrificed two Catapults (probably could have done the attack without losing the second catapult, but I'm not the best at combat planning) and my other units killed his. I'll start chopping that forest next turn so he can encroach on my city through forests again.
I also have a large number of units in my north for invading WK. I'll post screenies and details of that this afternoon when I can as well. I should probably attack soon, before he does something or gets something that would make it all a waste (still might be).

[TheHumanHydra]

I don't know, that stack doesn't look that scary to me if you can get longbows up. I mean, do what you need to do to do that, whether whipping, whipping and upgrading, or whatever, but I don't think we need to go for broke (whip everywhere) unless they've got more coming.

[Nakor]

No movement yet, so no whipping this turn. Going to secury my own Iron in the ice if possible.

[BaII]

He might just be waiting for more units before he attacks, so whipping some more LB right now seems necessary.

[HitAnyKey]

So when do you guys think I should push north and invade WarriorKnight? Currently up there ready for the attack I have 6 Longbows, 5 Hwachas, 4 Catapults, 3 Spearmen, 2 Chariots, and 2 Dog Soldiers. And I got another Cat & LB or two already on the way, and after next turn I get 3 more LB's and another Cat completed in various cities.

Some other notes, WK just entered a Golden Age this turn and I just got another Great Scientist. I suppose it should be sent over to Nakor for another Academy, or is there a better use for him?

Also, anyone know why my Iron city won't give Iron to the rest of my nation? Is it because the city itself isn't on a coast? I thought having a road to the water would be enough, but obviously not. Do I need to make a road all the way through the ice to reach it? Or can I just make a Fort on one of those grassland tiles to make a canal. I believe the fort-canal is supposed to work, so I'll probably try that as soon as I free up a worker over there. Otherwise making a road will take a VERY long time.

[Nakor]

Getting my defenses in order with more LB's.
Still dead last in power and score.
I'll try to settle an mainland iron soon.

[BaII]

HAK, I think you need to road towards a river that empties into an ocean, and I would prefer if that attack had more "attacking units" such as macemen, but WK is in a Golden Age, so we probably should still go with the attack just to force some whips.

[HitAnyKey]

HAK, I think you need to road towards a river that empties into an ocean

There are no rivers over there at all, let alone any that empty into an ocean. So I guess I'll have to attempt the Fort canal method, and hope that works.

[HitAnyKey]

So I got a question about out best to proceed. I can't move this current stack that is hidden behind the city anywhere within range of going into WK's borders without him seeing them.


Stuff he's been able to see for awhile are the Dog/Spear/Chariot in the city, and the Dog/Spear/Chariot on my Gem mine north of the city. Plus the Spear/Archer on that jungle hill to the NW which I just finished building a road on.
So before I end my turn do I just move my whole stack into the city and hope he doesn't notice it until after next turn? It probably won't make enough of a difference with regards to any sort of surprise attack anyway. Since I can't get close to any of his cities particularly fast no matter what.
And that brings up the next question. Do I send my stack NE to try to capture (or maybe even raze) his city of CellphoneWearer? Or do I head straight north to attempt to take his capital city from him?

The save bet is probably to go after the NE city first, which would mean I move my stack (next turn) onto that Plains Hill Mine of his. And then the turn after, move it next to the city to start the attack. That is, if WK doesn't send a swarm of military at me the moment I step into his borders. I'll at least have all those longbows to keep back any actual attack while I make a decision on if I can push forward.

Next turn I'll be starting a Fort over by my iron city, to hopefully set up trade routes so that I can then send the iron to the rest of my cities for making macemen & crossbows. And hopefully not too late to save my stack.