[Civforum PB90] Cornflakes Ventures Out of the Realms Beyond, and into the Unknown

[Cornflakes]

We landed 3 axes an a chariot on the German homeland this turn, blocking silver (which will be pillaged next turn).

   

Germany is 2nd in turn order and could theoretically whip an axe and then whip a spear if he has 5+ hammers invested in each already. He can also transport a spear in via galley from the southern continent. The defenders in Koln could come down as well, but not without leaving Koln vulnerable. The likely outcome is that I end up pillaging silver > pillage deer > move the stack 1E of Berlin > load back onto the galleys 1S of Berlin > Land all 4 units on on copper. Then work on assembling a force of axes sufficient to overcome the remaining German resistance (probably including archers by the time I can gather critical mass).

[Cornflakes]

The Germans have whipped enough axes to hold my initial force at bay, but at the cost of delaying Metal Casting by probably 5 turns. My blockade is now secured isolating their capital from copper, gems, and overseas trade. Reinforcements have been whipped but are still a few turns away. My plan now is to concentrate my forces and reinforcements and pick off either the capital or mainland (whichever looks easier first), then regroup with further reinforcements to take out the rest. We'll see if I can pull this off. If the Germans to for Archery they may still be able to produce enough units to prevent me from taking them out.

[Cornflakes]

I am thoroughly enjoying this France/Germany duel and I think that there is a real possibility that we can eliminate Germany and claim moral victory! After pillaging at their capital my raiders re-embarked on the galleys and landed on their copper, which was also pillaged! Mr. X attacked out and we exchanged equally, but I was able to clean up his spear in my counterattack with my chariot winning the 60% and then withdrawing into the galley.

   

The XP was enough to promote-heal on the following turn and get a 90% battle against the sole axe defender ... VICTORY! We plundered 100 gold which will keep our armies paid for another 10 turns We now outnumber German metal units 2:1, but half our units are freshly built and will require 5 turns transportation to reach the front. Meanwhile what I do have should be enough to clean up their continental holdings and then concentrate the full weight of our armies on their island.

   

Unfortunately TR appeared with a stack of about 5 axes and a few skirmishers so I had to give up horses. I offered 30g to Empirate for his horses. I don't want to give up too much gold given the ticking clock towards Strike. But it would be nice to have a couple more chariots for mobility and for their bonus vs. axes since Germany can't build spears for cover anymore.

[Cornflakes]

Mr. X used his axe to take out my chariot that had razed Hamburg last turn, which left Frankfurt defended by a single spear. Thanks to my combat worker roading the ice I was able to load up the axe last turn, give me the option for ...

   

A 50/50 amphibious attack against the spear. If I landed the axe I'd have a 50/50 axe vs. axe battle next turn anyway so I pressed forward hoping for at least enough damage that my archer + chariot could clean up ... Result: VICTORY! ... which allowed for this follow-up:

   

95% chariot vs. axe ... WIN! Also in this screenshot is the combat log from the amphibious axe attack. This battle could easily have gone the opposite way with his spear barely getting scratched instead of the actual outcome with my axe getting barely scratched. I plugged that scenario into Vodka out of curiosity and we would have had 78% chance of victory if the spear had only taken 1 hit, 22% chance of major setback. Here's a glance at the military advisor showing Germany's remaining forces. I'm pretty sure that he also has a pair of axes loaded on the galley.

   

   

And this is the end-of-turn shot. Munich is undefended and has grown to size 2 so we'll be able to keep it. If he completes a warrior next turn I'll move up my axes rather than risking a 50/50 with my wounded chariot. Victory in this duel is all but assured now. Is there a sliver of a chance that we could claw our way back into this game?

[Cornflakes]

TR sent me an empty trade window. I'm not sure what that's about so I'll ignore it.

   

After promo-healing the chariot with C1 the odds vs. newly completed warrior at Munich were 90% so I took the combat, and ... VICTORY!!! Just barely though, one hit away from losing. But the chariot earned another promotion so I'll take Medic 1 in order to get back into action quicker for the remaining battles. It will also help heal the wounded axe on Hamburg's ruins, as well as healing my stack up after storming the capital.

I earned a Great General recently which I used on 2 fresh axes which will give 3 promotions each. With City Raider 3 vodka is showing 79% odds vs full fortify axe behind 40% culture. Safe assumption is that one of the 2 defending axes will be killed and the other wounded enough for a follow-up axe to get decent odds T113 is the battle date.

   

Goal for the next few turns is to persuade Mr. X that there is a legitimate threat vs. Koln in the north so that he doesn't bring those axes down to the capital where they'll get the 40% defensive bonus. Mr. X is still researching Metal Casting and at this point I don't think he has time to get archery and build any archers before the capital falls. And I don't think he'll be able to build enough triremes to break my blockade.

There is no rush to capture Koln since it has no culture and no good tiles at all. Plan is to heal up the (hopefully victorious) CR3 axes after storming the capital and use them to break Koln as well. If it takes a few extra turns it's not a big deal.

[Tarkeel]

TR sent me an empty trade window. I'm not sure what that's about so I'll ignore it.

That usually means a deal that was legal when it was sent, but no longer is. So could be a resource trade/demand for resources no longer hooked, or war/peace on someone you've altered state with.

Good going on the revenge! Don't think I have much to contribute to those plans, but it looks great.

[klops]

nice capturing
what's the unit count for those final battles? Do you have enough for some unlcky rolls?
and... ist that a general on the island? Could be nasty

[Cornflakes]

He has 4 axes, 2 spears, and starting archer, against 10 axes and a chariot. And yes he has a Great General but I don’t think he can do anything creative with it. The best thing for him would probably be to sprinkle it on all his axes for shock. That might cause some trouble.

[Cornflakes]

Mr. X will get archery in time for an archer dry-whip unless my CR3 axes attack amphibiously. This is going to be extremely close. If Mr. X just concentrates everything at the capital and abandons Koln then I don't think I'll be able to overcome that with my current forces. If he remains divided then I should be able to to conquer piecemeal.

[Ramkhamhaeng]

I once tricked a player who was researching archery: I've quit the blockade of the copper allowing him to build metal units for two turns. Then, the blockade was restored, the whipped units were not finished, and no archers was build