Japper leads the Imperium of Man to death or glory

[Japper007]

Pindicators civics score is inflated, as I just knocked my way through the entirity of an unboosted Games and Rec. (finishes next turn), his culture income is the same IIRC, I think he prioritised monuments in all his cities first. Therefore he's caught up to us in culture output.

We are ahead in science still, though our techscore will crash because of engineering taking so long. We are top of the board in raw science output though, and will finish the library in Terra next turn, as well as picking up the Campus Adjacency booster when we finish a Campus in Macragge or Fenris (don't know which is first they are both currently ~13 turns out, but both cities will also grow before finishing them). We are alright on the science front for now. Weaknesses I see right now are more on the gold and military front. Currently both of our neighbours are both stronger and richer, not a save position to be in.

Pind is at 140 to our 100-ish military score (it fluctuates because we have units healing and promoting constantly). Next turn I'm queueing a Legion in the capital when the library finishes, possibly another straight after or another Archer.

I am not aware of any "Religious Tourism" beyond Relics and religious art. EDIT I looked it up and you do actually get some tourism from your Holy city, I was just jumping at shadows, apologies. I never see such a big chunk of Tourism outside of an early Wonder or GWoW.

[Japper007]

Turn 63:

Library in Terra finished, put it on a Legion (only 5 turns away). Campuses in Fenris and Baal are 9 and 10 turns out respectively.

Finished Games and Recreation, starting on Defensive Tactics next. If I get DOW'ed i'll be able to run the fortification policies to bolster my defenses. I am not currently expecting any threats so I'll leave it at 50% completion, it can't hurt to be prepared. In the event of a war, I'll get the boost to finish the civic allowing me to switch to defensive mode immediately.

[Japper007]

Turn 64:



LV's archer died, as the AI still can't think ahead. I can now amend my capture prediction to 3-4 turns, depending on dice-rolls and whether or not it actually gets another unit out.

This makes me want to go Settler after the Legion in the capital, to hopefully contest that final decent spot between me, Alhambram and Kumasi. My army will be out of a job soon, playing zone-defense against a neighbour encroaching on our territory seems a fine use for it.

[Japper007]

Turn 65:



Cleared the barb camp getting 50 gold, a promotion on my warrior and ridding myself of the nuisance



Alhambram attacked Vilnius and redlined it in a single turn, he'll capture it next turn. If he comes after Kumasi, I'll have to move to intercept.

[Japper007]

67:

First the big news of the turn:



I took La Venta! We also pick up the boost to Mathematics, as we have three different districts now (Campus+Encampment at capital, Holy Site in La Venta). We might actually grab the second religion now, which would be nice to pick up for free like this.

I also spotted Pindicators borders to the South of La Venta when I took it:



Plans for the upcoming turns:

Settlers in La Venta (after we upgrade the Warrior there to a Legion and repair the Granary and Monument, I'll chop it to completion with the jungle hill tile there using the second Builder I stole from La Venta this game) and Terra (after we finish the Legion there next turn). One contests the area between us and pindicator, the other the northern spot near Alhambram, escorted there by the Legion we finish in cap next turn and the Warrior we already have up north. After that we should have some nice borders carved out and can start army/infrastructure development in earnest.

[Japper007]

Turn 68:



Legion in Terra finishes, he gets sent north on his planned mission to shadowbox with Alhambram. Terra continues with a settler as discussed.



I upgrade another Legion at La Venta (now renamed Catachan because of the jungle.) It and the Archers get send south to take position north of the river where I want to found that southern city in pindicators face.



Alhambram came asking to renew our friendhip which expired on the interturn, excellent! I accepted and am now guaranteed peace on that border for another 30 turns (so turn 98), by that time I'll have all my archers upgraded to Crossbows, and hopefully have a city planted in his face with an encampment and walls. That'll make those Mamelukes begin to look long in the teeth. (famous last words eh?)

[Japper007]

Turn 69:



Despite the Legions, we are still behind on our opponents, I've switched my empire over to gold producing tiles, to at least get that final Legion upgrade in. Also yikes that tech score, that'll improve once we finish both Campuses though.



We are second in total score though, small victories!

[Japper007]

Turn 70:

I did something I normally wouldn't consider:



I chopped the wheat, growing to 4 (+only two turns to pop 5). It allowed me to zone in a +2 Adjacency Campus. Next turn the Builder moves onto the jungle tile and chops it into a settler the turn after.



Internationally, I really need to get those campuses up, pindicator is at 4.6 GS points per turn. We are tied with Alhambram for 2 GS points per turn.

Also Krill apparently conquered a religious city state or conquered a city of off Jester with a Holy Site, or built a Holy Site, as he is also making one GP point per turn. I'm more inclined to think the first or second here as he seems to have been on the warpath for most of the game now, Holy Site builds don't really fit into that strategy. I'm not going to heavily contest this next Great Prophet with Krill, if he grabs it he does, I'm mostly generating these points by accident anyways.

I'll definitely build a shrine in La Venta if pindicators tasty Choral Music/Defender of the faith (which is his religion btw, also explains how he catapulted himself past Rome in culture yields) spreads there though. At that point a Shrine yields as much as a monument, so it very much becomes a worthwile build.

[Mikeforall]

First of all: congratz on capturing La Venta!

Alhambram came asking to renew our friendhip which expired on the interturn, excellent! I accepted and am now guaranteed peace on that border for another 30 turns (so turn 98), by that time I'll have all my archers upgraded to Crossbows, and hopefully have a city planted in his face with an encampment and walls. That'll make those Mamelukes begin to look long in the teeth. (famous last words eh?)

As I see it, the friendship you proposed 30 turns ago allowed him to plant a city next to you, claiming all the previous contested lands between the two of you. 
And whereas you are now working on legions, which is a great thing, I agree, he can just do his thing with one neighbour less to worry about. This will even allow him to delay mameluks in favour of technologies that are focused more on development and nation-building. 
I think you are leaving an opportunity unmet here, but then again I already argued 30 turns ago you should do some swift attacks on him to at least weaken his civ in general, so you know where I stand in this. 

oh wel, if there is one positive thing about this, it is that you can focus on yet another threat: Pindicator. 

Internationally, I really need to get those campuses up, pindicator is at 4.6 GS points per turn. We are tied with Alhambram for 2 GS points per turn.

On the one hand: yes, you should. Being behind in science is never a good thing.
On the other hand however: If Pindicator has focused on science so early on, he can never have a large or wel-organised army. If you want to early-rush someone, now would be the chance for pindicator. 
Even with his +5 on home continent, Legions can nullify that bonus. Plus such a bonus is not really of use when the enemy is hitting you with arrows instead of swords.... 


So the question is: focus on science or on the war machine? Your armies are in La Venta already anyways... 

Turn 70:

I did something I normally wouldn't consider:
[...]
I chopped the wheat, growing to 4 (+only two turns to pop 5). It allowed me to zone in a +2 Adjacency Campus. Next turn the Builder moves onto the jungle tile and chops it into a settler the turn after.

Clever decision. It is a good campus spot, so better to get long-term extra science instead of long-term extra food.

[Japper007]

Turn 73:

I finish the Campus in Macragge, completing Recorded History civic through the boost.



I switched out Ilkum (30% Builder production) for the 100% Campus adjacency boost card the civic unlocked. I'm not planning to build more Builders for a while, all my cities are working only improved tiles already. My capital needs a boost to housing, but can still build a Granary to add two.



This little push put me in the lead in terms of science. I'm at 29.6, with Alhambram second at 27.4 and Pindicator at 21.1. Excellent, I must have better adjacency then, as Pindicator has more GS points and thus more campuses (could also be running the +2 GS points policy card)



I put Macragge on a settler as well, I need two settlers to contest the river valley between me and pindicator. With the Settler that will be starting the journey north in 3 turns we'll be at 7 cities before turn 100  . After that we'll run out of space (as will our neighbours who are both still ahead of me in military score ) . 

In summary we are on our way to outboom our opponents, and my position is far better than it was in PBEM4