[spoilers] - Pindicator makes America great again!

[pindicator]

It really is tough to be optimistic about the future with these city names. Rooting for Kasich to do well seems like a good idea by comparison but when comparing apples to apples I need you to whip that city into oblivion to get razed by barbs too. #dumpthedrumpfs

Show me good land on this map and I'll name it appropriately

Another turn!

Turn 093

The barbarians have caught the scent, but with only warriors we can take care of it:



Furs are hooked up! I timed Drumpf to grow to 7 and Clinton to 5 this turn in anticipation of the furs being hooked up. Clinton's whip anger will wear off next turn, but I am on the edge of getting Currency a turn earlier than expected so we won't be growing that city to 6 until after Currency comes in. Right now I'm eyeing end of t95, and that's with Sanders not building Research. So Sanders did start the work boat for out west; and it will likely whip a settler after the work boat to settle the fish on the north of Ethiopia Sicily.

I think it's gotten apparent what I am up to, though:




You should see the spike on the GNP graph. But TBS's power has started to climb again, so when we get Currency done there will be a ramping down on the Build Research/Wealth and we're going to get more units, settlers, everything possible.

I'm amazed that Old Harry hasn't gotten Currency yet. But perhaps his war with OT4E is not a phony one...

[pindicator]

Turn 094

Here's that GNP spike I was telling you about:




It's only going to spike up higher, because I turned the science up to 100%. Currency at end of next turn looks to be pretty solid; I even scaled back some of the more extreme short-turn beaker measures I was taking, mostly firing the specialists in Clinton and Drumpf in anticipation of growing those cities once I get the ivory camped. But I'm really happy with how my commerce has grown over the last 10 turns. Breakeven is around 30%, and Currency will get us another 9 trade routes when it comes in.

Also, I missed this over the weekend, but Old Harry built MoM about 3 turns back. I guess that's why he hasn't gotten Currency yet despite grabbing Alphabet so quick. While that's a bit disappointing it is a good thing to see all the wonders spread out so far. I'm aiming for Aesthetics and Literature next; hopefully I didn't use up too much time beelining Currency like this.

[scooter]

Very nice. Are you thinking get a tech edge over 2Metra and invade him later, or are you iffy on that?

[pindicator]

Very nice. Are you thinking get a tech edge over 2Metra and invade him later, or are you iffy on that?

Yep! This is very much the plan. The timing of when is going to depend on how much land we have available to settle in the islands to the west. But invading with knights seems like a good starting point. 2metra just settled his 5th and 6th cities not too long ago -- so even with the Pyramids I'd say his research is pretty far behind. I also know he's isolated. He's done nothing but put EP into us since meeting us, despite going well over the amount to get graphs on us. Open borders means he'll meet TBS pretty soon -- but I want to get a scout or something onto his mainland so I can scope out his island.

Heck, I could probably do it with HBR...

[pindicator]

Turn 095

Something's going on with Old Harry. He's playing like he's in a turn split. And since I can't see any wars going on that has to mean that if something is going on it is happening with mackoti or REM. I can see mack making a play against Old Harry right now if they border each other; mack is the type of player that will never give an inch.

I almost screwed up Currency this turn. Decided to settle my 9th city this turn instead of waiting until next:




Took some odd tile assignments (de la Fuente is working coast and Rubio is working the fur, among others), but we're getting Currency on the nose. Also, interesting to see if that chariot finds more spots out west.

TBS settled yet another city; he's pretty much filled in the land that I can see. I think he has spot for 2 more out there. But I'm going to have Clinton finish it's galley and pick that archer up, then they're going to go exploring.

Also - someone got Iron Working in the off turn. OT4E already had it, but now 2 people do.

[pindicator]

Yay for Currency! Yay for 3c trade routes throughout the mainland!

Turn 96 is in and we are no longer stuck with Build Research in 90% of our cities. Now I actually get to play the game again and make some choices.

For example, which tech do we chase next? Breakeven is now at 40% and without any Research/Wealth builds we can go after Masonry (2), Iron Working (6), Aesthetics (9), Code of Laws (11), Mathematics (8) ... well, we have some decisions to make. I'm leaning Masonry so I can hook up the stone at de la Fuente. But Iron Working is really tempting as is Aesthetics -- and Statue of Zeus doesn't have a multiplier, so we're not really gaining anything with getting Masonry ahead of it...

Yeah, I'll think about it and then play the rest of the turn. But until then, here are some demos after I've set my beakers to 0% and taken off all the Build Research builds:

[pindicator]

Went with Iron Working next. No idea if that's right - heading straight for Code of Laws to nab a religion might be the right play. Masonry before Iron Working may be better. But my gut says I want to start chopping jungle sooner rather than later.

[pindicator]

Turn 097

Another perk of Currency is getting to see what other teams make in gold compared to you. For example, TBS has 33% more cities than me but makes just as much gpt at max tax. Benefits of not having to settle in a straight line.... god I hate this map.

TBS is also raising his power again and has started dumping EP into us over the last few turns. My border with him is a little light, so I better build up. Also something I just thought of is that with Math, he is just a single tech away from Construction, and catapults could really be a pain to deal with for my tech level. Another reason to go for Iron Working, to field some 6-strength units.

We are also preparing to settle our 10th city on the hill southwest of the Ivory:




Settler will finish at end of turn, and we'll found the city on t99.

I also started a pair of settlers in the south, at Sanders and Kasich. We'll whip both of those and fill in the spots I've seen to settle at Sicily. General plan: the north builds units to keep TBS from getting ideas, the south builds settlers and workers. And somewhere in there I get some boats out for exploring.

[pindicator]

I forgot to mention Commodore. He got circumnav this last turn, and considering his place on the scoreboard I think I'm happy with it falling to him as opposed to mackoti or Old Harry. Commodore has also been asking me fairly consistently for open borders, and I've been consistently saying no because I won't see any benefit to it. More reason to get some boats out and about.

[pindicator]

Turn 098

Quick turnaround!

Took a look at relations this turn, and I can see that Commodore and TBS both have Open Borders. So I'm guessing Commodore got Alphabet recently and is using that to suggest OB wtih people.




Since Commodore is likely giving TBS the majority of his trade routes already I decided to go ahead and offer TBS open borders as well. This will NOT give 3c trade routes to either of us though, as the recent war declaration means we need to wait for 34 turns of peace before the foreign trade route modifier gets to over +100%. (Well, depending on other modifiers it might get to 3c routes earlier than that.) Either way, this gives me a window to explore TBS' lands without having to give him good trade routes. I have a galley finishing in Clinton this turn, and with that in mind I decided to 1-turn a scout out of Drumpf.

Markets are going to be good in my core cities, as I have fur, ivory, and silk all within my lands. But I need units now.

In other news, OT4E built the Hindu shrine.



And we killed another barb.