This is a Spoiler thread - Dreylin, PB28

[Dreylin]

t74 -

Another short update:


That's the Western border secured. It looks like Whosit was heading for that hill anyway, so likely no hurt feelings. I hope so, because I guess I double-moved him without previously knowing about that settling party. Regardless, he couldn't have moved closer and founded this turn, so if he was aiming closer I've actually done him a favour in that regard.

It seems that all his Warriors are named "Diplomat" and all his Archers "Acupuncturist" so there's that. I also stumbled across this in Commodore's PB22 thread (some very interesting reading in those threads now I've been freed to catch up):

... But I've been thinking Boudica of Zulu or somesuch would be fun if I ever get the time or courage to join another game.

So there's that as well.

Also note my explorer ranging along someone's backlines without having made contact yet ... guess they're settling similar to me (or it's the Jowy/Mardoc warzone over here).

[Dreylin]

t75 -

No new city this turn ... well not mine anyway:


Whosit's new one doesn't quite seem to fit with the naming scheme, but whatever. Also note the blue borders visible in the fog that have to be Jowy's ... I wonder if I can meet him, or if he's too far inland.

In other foreign news, civstats told the tale of a Yuris city falling to wetbandit ... i.e. 2 more island partners confirmed. (now I've seen the linking setup, I doubt anyone is fighting over that yet.

Oh, and I abused the resources bug to find a couple more cities:


That's definitely more than one to have all 3 resources connected. I suspect it's one of Whosit's and the missing Grimace forming a nice, tense border. I'd like to get a unit over there to confirm, but it's a long way to send and Axeand I want to keep my Scout available to be dropped off on the Southern linking island when the Galley is ready.

[Dreylin]

t76 -

Grimace finally planted his 6th city; I really hope it's not this one:


If this was 1N and these are popped borders it would make sense. He also has an Impi roaming in the East, but it won't affect settling next turn. I'll have a second Axe in the area shortly to cover the worker.

[Dreylin]

Is this getting too far from "Casual" do you think?


I'll need to check in-game, but I expect that the Settler will be coming from Granite in the NE; Gneiss is picking up more Cottages while Breccia is Hammer-heavy and therefore more suited to pumping Workers.

Whosit's borders did indeed pop a turn before Arkose's that will set them for a while, although a turn of Anarchy on his side would be all it would take to reverse that. However, I have started to work towards an overflow chain here for when Maths / Masonry comes in.

[Dreylin]

t77 -

Quick update:




Based on this I decided to whip the Axes out of both Granite and Breccia and then start the Settler and Worker respectively. Going to need to be especially cautious in the East with Grimace's Impis. I may need to get the SE city down for the Horses sooner rather than later...

[2metraninja]

Hello matey, will follow you. From time to times .

[Dreylin]

Welcome! And good timing as I've just managed to meet Jowy:


Yeah, this was supposed to be a picture of his trade screen, but I guess I mistimed that. Summary is 7 cities; first 3 and last names seem to be eastern European / Russian (?) city names. The other 2 are dinosaurs ... so I'm going to go with Adrien/Mardoc running a Palaeontological theme, AKA natural allies for a Geological theme.

I offered Jowy a map trade, which would let me assess how to proceed with the Workboat. It should be about to sight the next linking island and make way for the 3rd* starting island, or if it looks more worthwhile, it can continue round this island to meet one or both other residents for KTB.

* per Dreylin's Map Theory (Patent pending)

I was awake early this morning and managed to turn it to some good by playing the turn soon after it rolled; this allowed me to fix a risky move I'd made last turn in the East, as well as advance another Axe into the theatre to cover for potential Impi shenanigans. Since I have no intention of initiating a war with either of my neighbours, I don't believe this counts as a double-move although it has significant defensive benefit to me. I did however screw up a move in the West when I pushed the new Axe North towards Arkose (which is well defended) rather than West to Greywacke ... so that's 2turns or reinforcement / fortification wasted which I hope don't matter.

Tech-wise, it looks like I should overflow enough from Maths to be able to 1t Masonry, however I don't have the bankroll to support that so there will probably be a single turn of saving gold in between. No-one has Currency yet, nor Horses.

[Dreylin]

t79 -

Well, Wetbandit finally landed the Oracle kind-of hoped our unknown Hindu friend would have made an effort to beat him to it if only to stem the seemly inevitable Incan snowball. <as an aside, perhaps PRO-Inca is a little bit broken, no?>

But that is Yuris & Borshe's problem since I have confirmation of the Islands:


Here's the zoom-out:


That little "tick" at the bottom has to have been Fenn's WB exploring with a previous map trade to Jowy. So I'm going to head the WB that way to try and meet him. If that SW linking island is one blob then it could be as big as the starting islands. It also looks likely that it's between me, Whosit, Fenn and maybe Jowy. I'll see about drawing some ideas in paint....

Back on #1 island, Whots and Grimace were quite happy to double-move me back, with both of them taking consecutive turns of ~5mins each. So it doesn't seem like there are any nefarious plots being hatched against me yet. Still, I want to maintain a safe deterrent! I'm considering diverting the Galley for half a turn to drop an Axe on the SW linking island to have an explore.

[Dreylin]

Something like this:

[Dreylin]

I wonder if Whosit & Fenn have met each other? Re-logins tonight may suggest so.

I logged in to find Grimace's seventh city; turns out it's here:


This is either a very good sign, or a very bad sign: good because it creates a nice wide DMZ between us (no contested tiles!), but bad because he may object to that. He knew where my cities are well before he planted, so maybe an adjustment of dotmap could have been in order?

Right now, with no-one else expanding into the middle yet, I'm thinking more and more again about grabbing that "Central City" spot. I've also re-jigged my SE dotmap some and will now settle the support city 1S of the Copper - it's a tile off the coast, but there's only 1 wasted coast tile in the BFC and the SE filler becomes a lot stronger.

Galley sailed this turn and I'll whip the Settler next. I'll start a Settler after the 1t WB from Serpentinite, and probably another in the Capital in 2t after it grows to Size7. Granite will regrow after the Settler Whip and then probably make another. Breccia is churning Workers until it has a few more improved tiles to grow onto, while Arkose is still working on that overflow chain for the Hanging Gardens. Outer ring cities are now working improved tiles and getting ready to chop/whip Granaries.

Oh, and I decided to send my exploring workboat further West across the top of Island #3; should let me meet Adrien/Mardoc, but also is the quickest route available to Island #2 without sending out another explorer. Shame I probably won't have met Fenn, but perhaps he'll appear around Whosit.

Still thinking / running numbers as to whether I should divert to Alphabet before grabbing Currency. I'll put the overflow into the latter, but then will have a bit of time while saving gold to decide. I'm also toying with grabbing a 1t Archery to diversify (& cheapen) my defenses ... maybe once I see one of them get Horses online.