[SPOILERS!] Pericles of Babylon. Kyan, Twinkletoes, Whosit.

[Whosit]

I snapped this. It's of limited value, but you can pass it on to Mali? I think. Or do you need the original image file?



I think that I will head north to scope out the city up there? Or would it be more valuable to go south?

OK, shame that Communism is ways off, but it will still be valuable once we reach it. I do think that it would benefit the entire coalition, though. Even without it, Workshops are still pretty decent, though hopefully we'll be getting to Chemistry sooner rather than later to get the most out of them.

And, yes, we need more Workers, but we've just whipped out about five of them, and we need to get some other stuff done first. Tomorrow, or most likely Saturday, I should have the spare time to take a good look at things and make a build/Worker plan. I'll see where we can squeeze out some more Workers.

[Whosit]

Turn Report: T129

First, I've renamed all of the Workers. All hail Wikipedia (and thanks to Strike700, too)! This will help when I write up Worker plans and such.

Gladstone and Chamberlain (I'm trying to remember if TT vetoed that name before, but he's not here anymore, so :neenernee) are going to head south to prepare the ground for Samuel. I ended up 2-popping the Settler in Genesis because getting the Settler out next turn will work with the schedule much better. Fortunately, we get some decent overflow, which will go into a Bank.

Now, for something a little different.

Whosit's Domestic Affairs Report

Here I'll go into a little more detail about what our Workers and Cities are doing. This is basically a rough-draft of my eventual Worker Plan.

Genesis currently has no Worker attention, but since it has just been whipped, it can regrow into already improved tiles, anyway. It will build a Bank next, both for the income boost and to start preparing for Wall Street.

Exodus is working on troops. While there is still some infrastructure the city could use, we desperately need to reinvigorate our armed forces. Pikemen are going to be a priority, because the enemy will certainly have forces of Knights. Trudeau (who is Canadian, not British, but it's not like I care) is 4 turns away from completing the city's watermill, and the city is 6 turns from growth, when it will stagnate by working the completed plains-hill mine. +5 base hammers, total (+12 with modifiers).

Leviticus is a few turns away from whipping its University. The overflow will go into a Garden because the city needs more happiness and health. A Theatre will probably follow (while the Mayan Ball Court might have been superior, I think that the Garden has been working out pretty well for us). Disraeli must clear the jungle and build the remaining cottages alone.

Numbers is going to finish slow-building its University (7 turns). It is 4 turns from growth and Macmillon will complete a new farm in 4 turns. I will probably have the city build a Worker next because there will be no more improved tiles to grow into, although it could hire 2 Scientists (on top of the 2 free ones) which may be something to think about since the Great Library will be obsolete relatively soon. This city needs a lot more Worker attention; it especially needs roads to the north to facilitate troop movement.

Joshua has several Workers at the moment. Livingston and Eden are finishing up a plains-hill mine/chop, but will then proceed to complete a new road network directly linking Joshua to Exodus. It will cut down travel time from 3 turns to 2 for one-movers. Pearson is building cottages, and I have assigned MacDonald to build mines and workshops. We need to balance commerce with production here so that Joshua can help Exodus build our military forces. After the Forge here is complete (I am not sure if we'll whip it or not), we'll build a Barracks and crank out some troops before resuming infrastructure.

Judges is developing slowly, but with Major finishing a farm and Churchill finishing a mine, we should be able to speed up its growth. It is slowly working on a Forge, but when it grows into some Hammer tiles, things should speed up. Production is the focus here.

Ruth is still working on the Granary. As soon as it hits size 4 in two turns, we'll whip the Granary and start on a Forge, I think (to maximize our whipping potential). Thatcher is currently assigned to the city, but I do not plan to allocate more until our core cities are adequately developed. I will continue to build cottages, but I do want to mine the desert hills and/or watermill a few flood plains so that the city has some production beyond sacrificed citizens.

Right now, Numbers is the only place I figure we'll build another Worker in the near future since we want the rest to grow. Might pop another out of Leviticus, though. Our many of our core cities are underdeveloped and none have reached double-digits in population. I will continue to try and remedy this.

That concludes the Domestic Report.

Whosit's Military Report

What can I say? We're not doing very well militarily. Most of our units are hopelessly obsolete and even Barbarians are continuing to cause us headaches. Since we cannot even adequately secure our borders against unorganized rabble, I believe that even a half-assed invasion of our lands by one of our rivals will spell our doom.

Rome's Sentry Horse Archer continues to probe our borders at Ruth. I've moved a Pikeman (our [/i]only[/i] Pikeman, I think) down there as a show of "force," but we need a lot more, especially if we want to "pressure" S--nake. I am extremely concerned about the SSS Empire's actions, and I recommend that we bring Babylon to Yellow Alert, Mr. President.

Exodus is currently our only military pump. Judges is still undeveloped, and Joshua is likewise underdeveloped, despite having been founded for quite some time.

Our "spy" in Incan lands shows that a Longbowman is moving north:



And a Horse Archer I sent out to fog-bust has discovered a strange gathering:



Is this a meeting of our enemies, or just a coincidental gathering? Well, you know my answer . . .

Our lack of roads around Numbers is making it extremely difficult to defend the city from Barbarians. I have had to move out a Catapult to intercept a Barbarian Archer. It will probably survive because it has greater strength, but we need roads for internal transportation. In fact, many road projects of critical importance are still unfinished. Once Livingston and Eden have completed the Exodus-Joshua pass, I will assign them to build roads across our empire so that our cities are better connected and better able to reinforce each other in the event of invasion.

That concludes my Military Report.

I would very much like a Diplomatic Report, Mr. President, as well as your perspective on these matters.

[Strike700]

Trudeau (who is Canadian, not British, but it's not like I care)

You never specified a nationality for the prime ministers... :neenernee

[Whosit]

[SIZE="3"]Turn 130 report[/SIZE]

Using a new tile-identification system based on a numbered grid with Genesis as the origin. Should be easy to understand, yes?

City/Worker Actions

Genesis (0,0): Cottage dry grass tiles. No Worker currently assigned. 2-3 tiles to grow into.

Exodus (-5,1): Grow into plains hill mine and stagnate. Trudeau will complete Watermill on Turn 132. Reassign to: Numbers to help connect Silks more quickly.

Leviticus (5,-1): Working on University. Whip on Turn 132. Grow into Cottages, build more. Disraeli currently assigned. Build cottages forever and more.

Numbers (2,4): Working on University. Grow into Farm, then hire 2 more Scientists (possibly work Lake for extra commerce, so grow 3 times) to get the most out of our Great Scientist points here. Macmillan currently assigned. Finish Farm Turn 132. Move (2,5): Road. Move (2,6): Road. Move (1,7): Build Fort, Road. Needs military protection. Slow-build Longbowman in Numbers?

Joshua (0,-5): Building Forge. 2-pop whip T136 for max overflow. Barracks next? Currently assigned Workers: MacDonald & Pearson. Pearson is on Cottage duty. Current cottage finishes T133. Move 2N (1,-5): Chop Jungle, Cottage. MacDonald will build hammer improvements. Currently chop/mining Grassland hill at (-1,-3). Next, move 1E (0,-3): Build Workshop on plains tile. Consider preserving forests so that lumbermills can be built.

Forest + Jungles could actually be preserved, but may not be best use of site. Far north has potential National Park locations.

Ruth (-2,-10): Thatcher currently assigned. Cottage building, for the most part, but Roads are needed, as well, to improve mobility along the tiles immediately adjacent to the city.

Judges (-3,4): Build Forge. Churchill and Major assigned. Completing Farm and Grassland Hill Mine Turn 131. Turn 132, both move to desert hill (-3,5). Turn 133, both move grassland hill (-2,6). Turn 134, begin mine.

Roving Workers: Livingston & Eden. Build road network between Joshua and Exodus. Desert tile will put them off-sync. May just have off-sync Worker "wait" for ease. After this road network is finished, they will travel around our territory, completing other road projects that are unfinished, including the Genesis-Numbers-Leviticus Triangle.

Other news

Pictures to be put up later, 'cuz I need to get to bed.

Carthage made peace with Inca, but you probably know that already. Inca have 2 Longbowmen in north city, 1 Quecha. Third Longbowman on Gold nearby. Worker seems to be building a road to the northeast of gold.

Forgot to bring Sentry HA back, but discovered that the Indians are expanding to the west. We may have to make claims to territory to our southeast.

Sent Axeman north to scout/fogbust. In forest, but adjacent to Barb Axeman and Archer. Seems to be endless supply of Barbarians up here. Need additional troops, but there are no reinforcements currently available. As mentioned, may need Numbers to build something to help pacify the area, especially as the Workers move into hostile areas.

Make sure to let me know when we should begin teching again. Hope to have more Universities and Libraries built by then.

[Whosit]

Here're the pictures:









Hopefully they do not need further explanation.

[Whosit]

Played turn. Spotted a Roman Worker moving east, outside their territory. Gift to India?

Samuel founded. Horses should be connected in . . . 3-4 turns. Exodus will produce one more Pikeman, then a Stable, then some Knights.

Move units. Moving a Warrior from Exodus to Leviticus for extra Military Police (no need in Exodus due to small size).

DID NOT END TURN. Kyan, you may want to look at things.

Gave some gold to Havelock and Manicat. Hopefully that was intended.

[Whosit]

Pictures from the turn:

Our new city.



Wandering Romans.



Incan capital is under-defended. Either they don't have much of an army, or it's all somewhere else . . . . Mali should be interesting to know this.



Axeman barely survived!

[Kyan]

Speaker has been gifting units to Byz. Don't nelieve they're that close to india.

Moved research to gunpowder.

My latest message to PAT:

Hey all,

Ok, Babylon will move to Gunpowder. Are we being funded or self funding?

100% = 230 beakers (a further GScientist due in 7 turns and 2 more uni's coming in before then so this will be improving)
Costs = 86g per turn.

0% = 65g per turn.

Gunpowder = 7 turns at 100%.

Requested 20g from Krill to tide me at 100% for this turn.

=====

I'm thinking we'll get funded so leave it on Gunpowder for now please mate.

Ok, i think this is risk it all time. Babylon are falling behind, thanks to me and my poor micro earlier, and i would request sincere permission to launch operation Farmer's Gambit.

I will ensure, to the best of my abilities, that we're safe via diplomatic avenues. I will connive and do everything in my power to ensure nothing attacks us. In the mean time, military is purely for barb purposes. Don't build any more than that.

I think we need another big bout of settlers/workers. Infra is simply going to have to wait. There are two sites to our north and two to our south that i think we should get yesterday. We're just going to have to sponge off of the alliance for a little bit. Without expanding NO, we're doomed long term. We're already behind and other civs just keep expanding whilst we've stopped to catch a breather.

The four sites minimum i think we should settle ASAP:





Put simply, going forward, if we DON'T expand now, we're fecked. Orange dots are, in my opinion, priority sites. Yellow is a filler 5th. I'd actually emphasize going for all 5 but i appreciate i'll likely get screamed at for suggesting four.

Yes, we need to grow our cities. Yes, building settlers and workers prevents growth. Right now, we have no other options. I vote Exodus continues churning out military for barb watch and all resources are diverted to this task including fogbusting as much as possible.

Everything else, after it's current builds, priorities workers and settlers til we have those set up and running efficiently.

*dons flame proof suit*

[Whosit]

Well, I'll see what I can do on the expansion front. I think I will have to build and dispatch more troops to the north before we can safely expand there first, but I should have the spot near England secured soon.

I think that yellow should go to the ? spot because it dumps some desert tiles for useful tiles that Numbers will probably never work.

I'm sending a maceman north to clear the rest of that black. Will want to finalize spots after that.

Southwest dot is probably stronger 1 tile west, but that puts it even further away from the core, so perhaps not. Southeast? I think we might as well be bold and try to pick up some of those flood plains that are not yet under Indian influence, because that spot . . . just so much desert. I really don't think it would be worth the maintenance costs. We have to be very, very careful; reckless expansion will only hurt us. This dotmap is a good start. Not sure if I can come up with anything better, but I'll see if I can.

[Whosit]

Just a quick update to say that I've played our turn. More later. Sleep now.