Kim Jong Carpathia smashes the foolish capitalists of the realms

[Nicolae Carpathia]

A few shots of my land. A reminder to myself: move that selected worker first. That way, minimise time moving. Also, in general, work max food in Kim Jong Il, it has a low surplus.



My southern territories. Elkad is probing me with a warrior: I will be completing an axe next turn. KIS and Pyongyang are both growing ridiculously fast (+9 food surplus at max configuration), I'm gonna have to whip the crap out of them.



Here are my demographics working max science into Masonry. Elkad and DTG both have higher GNPs than I on the graphs... but it's not "real" GNP, much of it comes from Culture. So in general, I'm near top on research this game. My crop yield is mediocre compared to the fucker who waltzed into Borsche's capital, but it's not bad.

The question is, what going forward? I'm beginning to reassess what is best to set myself up for the midgame. Right now, I've been chasing Monotheism, but is that a good idea? Masonry isn't a wasted tech btw, it's required for construction.

Option 1: Chase Monotheism
My current path, would give me my own religion, and a 25% hammer bonus on infrastructure. Would give me some precious culture this early in the game. The downside is, we already have 2 religions in our landblob, and it is quite possible for me to simply conquer Elkad and take his holy city for my own.

Option 2: Pyramids
Very strong for SPI. The problem is, very expensive. I would need to go for Masonry-Writing-Mathematics to complete the chops. I have 4 2nd ring forests (120h) and 2 3rd ring forests (48h), meaning I'd need to make up 332 hammers elsewhere. I can get in the range of 14-20 hpt depending on mines and such.

That an insanely long time to take my capital out of commission. And what do I get out of it: Representation, when I already have the advantage of a bunch of cottages being worked and meeting my research needs. If I really wanted Pyramids, I would have positioned myself for it many, many turns ago. I think my window for this has fallen.

Option 3: WAR!
Similar tech path to Pyramids, going Writing-Mathematics-Construction-HBR, and eating my weakish neighbor.

Option 4: Chase Code of Laws
Good for rapid expansion, and again a similar path, and sets myself up for early Bureaucracy. A safe pick.

Now, will I need early culture or not (options 1 and 2). Lets look at my potential dotmap:



I don't really need early culture: I can position most cities so that resources are in the initial ring. Though it would be nice: early culture would allow me to move yellow and purple 1W (the former is more defensive, the latter grabs the crabs.

Also, note that all these cities are coastal, making Great Lighthouse a strong option. However, that has been nerfed to 1 trade route (and open borders is less accessible this game).

What about Colossus? Actually, that is a very very strong option. Unfortunately, no synergy with SPI and abusing caste. And I'm sure someone else has noticed that. I'm expecting OT4E to be aiming for either of these two coastal wonders.

In any case, I've dropped down to 0% science again, Masonry is no longer an early priority, even if I want to power to Monotheism, I'd need to save gold.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

A spy! With help from some brave workers, he has been captured and shot.



Meanwhile, a new city has been founded. It will be fished in 2 turns. Note that DTG was kind enough to spread Buddhism to a city of mine.



DTG's borders have popped. In hindsight, it was probably a better idea to have gone Monument before Granary. But Monument is next.



Another settler has been whipped from the capital, and he will be settled to the north, bordering Chumchu. I daresay he has more to worry about in the form of an ascendant gsorel, than someone like me.



Sailing recently came in, which was how Buddhism originally spread. DTG has been settling aggressively, especially for the ivory. Methinks he wants to elerush as well. Chumchu settled earlier than me.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Elkad's borders gained control of the deer, ahead of schedule. My sentry warrior will now oscillate back and forth to maintain vision on all the danger tiles. If it looks like Elkad is going to chop my deer (an extremely hostile act), I'll occupt the tile and tell to to back off.



Settling up against Chumchu. He's had a warrior fortified there (25% defense): why? Is he going to settle there? City will be founded T71.



My core.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Next city is in position to be settled.



Unfortunately, I made that axe move before I noticed that Elkad had moved his Vulture (with a promo!) to this tile. And there's a worker in range. So I am in no position to occupy the Deer tile. I'd have to hit the C1 Vulture with a pair of axes to dislodge it. And I don't want to go there, because it's going to take me off economy, and chopping someone's first ring tile is an obscenely hostile act that will earn gamelong enmity.

Alternatively I take it in stride and fucking demolish him with elephants in 30 turns. Because a shithole civ baiting a contender civ with stupid fucking economic terrorism is precisely what he wants to do. Like fucking expand, the only reason I'm even floating the idea of early conquest warfare is because he is so damn weak and has such poor mid-game prospects.





Meanwhile, I've offered some trades, to signal that I don't want to fight right now.



The warrior that will be moving back and forth sees nothing of danger.



My power graph typically lags behind Elkad and DTG's, but I will have a pair of axes popping out next turn.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Elkad has accepted the cows-for-cows trade. Good. And he has not been so foolish as to move the worker onto the deer. Moving onto the grass hills tile is acceptable.



I've settled up against Chumchu. Having a choice between a defensive and slow-starting city, and a fast starting city, I have chosen the latter. May it work out well, and may Chumchu be distracted fighting the capitalist GSorel for all time.





Spotted a Chumchu settler. It looks like it's journeying to the west. I may have accidentally double-moved Chumchu: but I would have beaten him on any settler race anyway.



Core.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Elkad has bought in one more worker, though it has not moved onto the deer. I have some chariots in queue.



My core. Switched to Buddhism, because it gives a little happiness in Kim Il Sung, and it starts running down the timer in case Hinduism spreads to Kim Jong Un and gets culture in there. I really should have done this earlier. Now watch as Hinduism spreads there next turn.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

An imbecile provokes a war that he has no reason to occur.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

I've decided to 1-pop whip a worker from my capital. This lets me gang bang the vulture with 2 chariots and an axe.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Nothing in range to reinforce the vulture next turn.



We go to war next turn. 2 chariots + 2 axes available, a bit overkill, but I don't like to take chances. Probe with the chariots afterwards (will get vision of their city across the lake).



Scouting Chumchu's cities. Making sure to not threaten his workers.



Also check out this massive land blob near Chumchu that is walled off from his western neighbours by peaks.

[Nicolae Carpathia]

Only had a chance to take a screenshot: Elkad hasn't promoted the vulture.