RBPitboss #2 Athlete4life10 & Kalin

[athlete4life10]

E-mail from Greece to CoW last turn:

Greetings CoW,

Here is an update on India's troops on turn 105.
---------------------------------------
Hampton Roads:
1 Archer
1 Spear
---------------------------------------
Chancellorsville:
2 Spears
1 Horse Archer
1 Axe
---------------------------------------
Stack 1SE of Chancelorsville:
2 Horse Archers
1 Warrior
3 Fast Workers
---------------------------------------
Stack 1N of Antietam:
2 Spears
3 Axes
2 Fast Workers
---------------------------------------
Antietam:
2 Spears
2 Axes
1 Archer
---------------------------------------
Gettysburg:
5 Archers
2 Axes
1 Spear
2 Fast Workers
---------------------------------------
Total: 7 Archers
8 Axes
8 Spears
3 Horse Archers
1 Warrior
7 Fast Workers
---------------------------------------

No info on Fredericksburg and Shiloah area, but I'd assume it's pretty empty. I'm not quite sure how the whips mechanics work, but in last five turns India has had it's score decreased 12 times, I'd guess one is from razing Shiloh but rest probably from whips. Tech-wise, I'm 9 turns from Construction while India is 3 turns from Construction.

I fear they might try to reconnect horses, so we might want to stay pillaging near those horses with Dantski's main stack and what's left of mine and Ottoman's first stack. Where do we want to move next? If we don't go for copper and instead stay near horses, then Gettysburg has some big villages and furs resource around it.

We must keep the pressure on and not let them recover. That's pretty much it.

~ Jowy

My response to CoW:

Thanks for the update Jowy!

As mentioned before I believe Mali's mini-stack with the Ottoman
warrior should head to pillage the copper. We could get it
disconnected but dependant upon what Mali's main stack does India will
take the opportunity to raze the mini-stack. As such the main stack
has 2 options. To pillage the land around Gettysburg or to stay put
where it is. If we attempt to pillage around Anti, India will probably
take the time to kill the stacks if they can. The stack needs to stay
as strong as possible and join with the HRE asap as I believe they
should be joining the war now. Or if the HRE join the "copper" stack
that should prevent an Indian attack on that half if the main stack
can keep a threat on Anti.

Thoughts?

Athlete for A/K
Ottomans

HRE to CoW:

Hi all,

Thanks for the update!
Our ministack is one turn behind Dantski's mini-stack. Finally our NAP ends and we'll declare at the start of t106.
We'll join you next turn in the war, but please move forward to the copper. We'll catch up with you soon.
We got a nice stack to keep India occupied around Antietam then.

Our second stack is under construction.
What unit type do you guys prefer we build? Swords, axes, spears or chariots?

Keep up the good work!
Nakor of HRE

Rome to CoW:

Friends and Allies,


Thank you very much for the troop update! That GG Axe is quite scary. If there's ever an opportunity to kill it, we should consider it. I'm doing my best to keep track of the tactical situation from a distance, but overall, I'd go the cautious route to preserve troops, especially with enemy catapults incoming as . . . someone suggested.


As for Holy Rome's second stack, here are my thoughts based on what the Killer Angels seem to be field so far: 1-2 Spearmen to handle left-over mounted units. A few Chariots for anti-axemen duty, and a few Axemen. Swordsmen are good for attacking cities, but I'm not sure how much of that we'll be doing in the near future. On the other hand, they have the highest base strength out of anything you can build, so maybe 1 designed to take the brunt of a catapult attack? Not sure if that would be a good use of the unit, though.


Note: Combat I > Charge (+25% vs. Siege). I'll probably promote one of my Praetorians this way, just in case.


The big question for me is whether Sullla/Speaker will conserve their stronger units, or use them to counter-attack while building archers. I expect them to whip out a few more Axemen if they think the Copper is going to go soon.


To victory,


Whosit, Galactic Emperor

And another e-mail from me to CoW:

Greetings all,

India has played their turn (105) and reconfigured their stacks. The
hill 1E of their horse holds 2 spear, 1 archer and 2 fast workers. 1N
of Anti holds only an axe. 1NE of Anti holds the GG Axe and a spear
and Anti only holds an axe and a spear I believe it is. India is
certainly attempting to reconnect the horse. Their plan is probably
something as follows:

Theory A: We move to horse, they have 2-movers in chance or 1 movers
1NE of the hill they're on that we can not see and they attempt to
wipe the stack and connect the horses. I don't believe they have the
#'s to wipe the stack but they could certainly where it down quickly.

Theory B: We move to hill 1W of horse. They move to horse and attempt
to reconnect. We wipe their stack but are gassed and have only Mali's
mini-stack and HRE stack (and Rome at a later turn). They probably
kill our remaining units within a turn or 3 and reconnect the horses.

Theory C: We move to wheat 1N of Getty and pillage allowing them to
get the horses connected in 2 turns, possibly 1 if they have workers I
can't see.

I believe our best bet is Theory B. And if they don't move to
reconnect the horses I believe a chariot and a scout (I think greece
has a scout) should pillage the wheat 1N of Getty (1SW of the hill we
will be on) along with the road. I'm willing to sacrifice our chariot
to do so though I would love to keep visibility and mali (possibly
greece I can't remember) has an unpromoted chariot that would be
better off sacrificed.

Any thoughts to add on that?

Athlete for A/K
The Rebel Alliance

[athlete4life10]

And a quick note to CoW just now:

Hi Everybody,

A quick note on T106 there have been no new troop additions to either Getty or Anti.

Athlete

[athlete4life10]

Now let me put down some observations.

Whether India divined it straight from the heavens or inferred it through some comments in their thread or are just that saavy I have no idea but I'm beginning to believe they knew quite early they we're going to be attacked by multiple civs. I'm not sure if they knew how many and I'm pretty confident they don't know Rome is coming but they managed to stagger the diplomacy so they could eliminate a 2-civ stack already which will allow them to put some severe pressure on the current mali stack(s) (and now HRE) if it is not co-ordinated closely. Especially with Construction now only 2 turns away.

Also I send e-mails asking CoW for thoughts on tactics and what not and nobody really replies, they'll simply go along with what they see is the best move on that turn. It's making me have to remote in from work just to make sure my 2 units aren't left behind. Perhaps I should just tell my allies where to go and what to do "a la Krill". I'm just not confident enough that my thoughts on the situation are always the best tactically speaking.

The joys of MP I guess.

[athlete4life10]

And a note of to Slaze of the Inca:

Greetings Slaze,

I just wanted to welcome you to the game and thank you for taking over
the Inca. It's very much appreciated from a fellow players standpoint!

Just to update you on our relationship at the moment (I'm the
Ottoman/Rebel Alliance civ ) we've had a peaceful relationship and
currently have an NAP in place that from this point on can be
cancelled by either party. There is however a 25 turn cooldown so if
you announce you are cancelling on T150 no attacks can happen until
T176. Also we will be sending a chariot through your lands at some
point in the near future to defog your cities so we can have trade
routes.

The barb city to the NW of your border is ours by right of our land
treaty and acknowledged by Dsp as well when he was in charge of the
Inca. We will prevent any barbs from heading in your direction so you
have no reason to worry about it being there.

I know not of your relationships with the other civs but obviously we
(along with a couple other civs) are at war with India right now. We
would appreciate it if you could refrain from helping India in any way
shape or form.

If you have any questions and/or concerns I would encourage you to
voice them and I will be open and honest with you about them and
anything I might need to discuss with you. FYI I also have a teammate
ingame right now (Kalin) but he is currently on hiatus due to a hectic
RL and will be back when things settle down for him.

Thanks again and all the best!

May the force be with you,

Athlete for A/K
The Rebel Alliance

[novice]

I send e-mails asking CoW for thoughts on tactics and what not and nobody really replies, they'll simply go along with what they see is the best move on that turn. It's making me have to remote in from work just to make sure my 2 units aren't left behind. Perhaps I should just tell my allies where to go and what to do "a la Krill". I'm just not confident enough that my thoughts on the situation are always the best tactically speaking.

The joys of MP I guess.

And the pains of coordinating an alliance. You certainly seem to have climbed in rank since your Arabian adventures in PBEM1. And you seem to be putting a lot of effort into the game. Good job.

[athlete4life10]

And the pains of coordinating an alliance. You certainly seem to have climbed in rank since your Arabian adventures in PBEM1. And you seem to be putting a lot of effort into the game. Good job.

Thanks! A large part of the Ottomans success is also due to the fact I've had a solid teammate (who's welcome back whenever he wants) and also to lurkers for helping me implement what I learned from PBEM1. Being pointed to articles or having something explained to me has helped tremendously. Of course I've made a few mistakes in calculations and stuff but trial and error you know. By this time in PBEM1 I was well out of it and on my way to being conquered so I'm quite happy with how things are going so far.

[athlete4life10]

1 more note before I hit the hay!

T106 has been played apart from my 2 war units (still waiting on allies ).

This means Operation build a big lighthouse is under way.

Clak'dor VII is founded and a chop has gone into the granary. I'll be ecstatic if we land this!

[athlete4life10]

HRE to CoW:

Hi Everyone,

We declared war and our stack joined the Romalines stack near Antietam.

Nakor of HRE

[athlete4life10]

E-mail sent off to CoW:

Hi All,

I've been able to chat with Yaz for a little bit and as he has
visibility into chance and the tiles that we can not see and it
appears moving onto the horse tile would be suicide. Given the size of
the Mali stack and Greek/Ottoman remnants it appears best we move to
the hill tile 1W of the horse and reevaluate from there depending on
what India does. It is possible India tries to attack that stack but
given that Mali/HRE now pose a threat in the SE I don't believe they
can lose their units attacking that stack and keep Anti.

So I believe it best the mali ministack should wait one turn to sync
up with the HRE stack. This will allow us to move 1NW towards Anti
together next turn, while the majority of their stack is probably
drawn towards trying to reconnect the horses. They will have to choose
what is more important. I believe a chariot will also be able to
disconnect the copper at that point as well.


Athlete for A/K
The Rebel Alliance

[athlete4life10]

Another e-mail off to the CoW:

Hello again,

A quick update. I have moved our chariot onto the hill 1W of the horse and India's been hiding their forces this turn. They have 1HA with combat I and melee, 3 axe, 2 spear both w/ combat I and 3 Fast workers 1SE of the horse. There is also a combat II HA in Chance that can hit us. That means they have 5 workers available and an army of 4 axe, 4 spear, 2HA and 1 archer capable of hitting our stack. Our stack consists of:

Mali: 6 axes, 2 spears and 2 chariots.
Ottoman: 1 chariot
Greek: 1 chariot and 1 phalanx.

They have 11 units to our 13. The hill is our best chance right now to delay the horse being reconnected. Mali I believe needs to keep their ministack held back a turn to synch with HRE stack else it could be wiped by the Indian stack.

Things look a little grim but I believe we can hold out for a couple more turns and depending upon their actions may have a shot at Anti. When Rome comes it will keep the playing field level if we suffer some losses over the next couple of turns and we all need to be on heavy military duty to come with a strong second wave if we really want to see this through to fruition. Personally I think that is best for all of us.

To victory and may the force be with you all!!!

Athlete for A/K
The Rebel Alliance

I gotta say Spulla are incredibly talented at this game. They've found a way to protect everything and still do significant damage to either of the stacks threatening them right now. Our power lays in that we have 2 stacks and if they are able to eliminate one of them this war is basically theirs.