[Mjmd #60] Why even buy toys for kids?

[Mjmd]

T137

-Plans are in motion as intended if not exactly as predicted. Plan was to do more damage to SD first, but instead I have open borders somehow, which seems very not what a normal SD would do, but I'll take it! He is going for optics as well atm, but army is no where in sight. Is he going over to Amica Lazteuq war?
-Speaking of Amica as I had suggested attacked Lazteuq with one of the weirder stacks I've seen (Commodores longbow stack of doom in PB55 probably takes that). But swords and crossbows; sure? Lazteuq had fallen really low in military. I had anticipated them giving them more of a fight, but hopefully just like when SD was low on army they can equally rise to fight back.
-As mentioned previously my real aim this whole time has been the SE where GKC has been weak for a while due to Jowy Triremes pillaging everything and overall slow development.
-Jowy has been building power forever and JUST declared war last turn (I had expected like 3 turns ago). He doesn't seem to have construction, but I have seen Berserkers as mentioned.

GKC sent me iron for iron last turn (I didn't reply) and asked for 20g this turn. He had not whipped Ardea and left worker to take (very happy about), so I'm assuming I caught him by surprise. Plan is to brute force it and move south pronto. I can at least take up to Arretium I think, which is a pickup of 4 cities. I plan to raze Ardea and resettle as two cities. I'm going to be stepping on Jowy's toes a smidge with the one spot, but it looks like he already took 1 GKC city, so hopefully the war ally thing helps out. I thought about placing 1S, but NAH. He has had ages to place and would create awkward close cities. I'm hoping GKC moves that axe back so I can just go to the spot next turn. For some reason I hadn't thought about placing the western replacement city 1NW so I didn't have a 2nd missionary ready.



Great Library in 2 turns and Parthenon in 3. Having two of my higher production cities taken up by wonders during wars has been fun. My 5 newer cities aren't really up and running yet (some are getting close) and even some of the older ones like 'Forbidden Places'  and 'Logs' aren't really up and running yet, so very glad I got out of SD territory with stack in tact.

I did decide on national epic in Rocks next. I am aware I could go for culture, but where the 3rd city was was an interesting decision along with just getting more golden ages faster. With all its food I was actually considering Logs for the 3rd city instead of capital (and putting epic there), but it just has too long to develop and it has other things it wants to build (I'm actually very torn on whipping the missionary there, but there isn't another good city for it).

[Mjmd]

T141:

I played D&D last night, so wasn't able to report, but man did I have a lot of diplo. Lets see if I can remember it all:
-SD wanted my gems for 7gpt. Granted.
-SD wanted me to go to war with Amica in like 7 turns. I'm at least willing to keep my stack there and worry Amica and tie down some units. I would love to raze that border city. Plus I'm worried about SD, so having a stack there makes sense to me.
-Amica sent me some kind of diplo message I didn't understand about our border cities up there, but not sure what the point of the message was.
-Jowy demanded banana. For now I'm taking him literally and giving him a banana as I obviously want my new city by him. I will have an unhealthy city next turn.

Some catch up: GKC actually ended up with 3 praets in the original city but attacked out with the 2 new ones to kill two axes. Meant I didn't have to spend a cat. Remember that extra missionary I ended up whipping that I didn't want to whip. I  finally got a natural spread after I whipped of course to new city......... Ah well got to use it on Setia.

Tech thread in PB59 reminded me that I don't actually have circumnavigation yet so sending scout through Lazteuq.

This turn both Jowy and GKC got a GG. Amica launched golden age.

GKC evacuated Setia and I was able to win my 67% fight with elephant vs remaining archer.



The crossbows are an unpleasant surprise. I'm not sure if I will be able to push past Arretium especially as I'm having to split forces between north and south. I don't have that many reinforcements incoming. GKC doesn't have cats yet, so I think I keep???? Tile SW will be held by Roman culture.

I do have my own golden age hopefully in 4 or 5 turns (epic finishing in 3). I have a priest currently which is unfortunately highest percent, but here is hoping! As long as Jowy remains at war (and his power is still very high) I imagine I can eventually keep pushing once some units catch up.

[Commodore]

So how was DnD?

[Mjmd]

It was fine. Next game have a big battle. Someday I'll do a DnD naming theme, but I have like 2-3 more sea shanty games first hehe.

I do actually need some more recommendations for names for this game.

[RefSteel]

It was fine. Next game have a big battle. Someday I'll do a DnD naming theme, but I have like 2-3 more sea shanty games first hehe.

I do actually need some more recommendations for names for this game.

My imaginary friend Kestrel suggests Shadows.

I remember a lot of time spent drawing pictures using fingers to part the shag of the Carpet, or with chalky rocks on the Sidewalk. Also, any sufficiently-large space with an obstacle in the middle (for example, the layout of certain houses) was apt to become a racetrack - so maybe just Circles?

[Miguelito]

Don't touch the floor!

[DaveV]

Pots and pans are lots of fun. You can pretend to cook or play percussion (ouch).

[Mjmd]

T142

Thanks for the suggestions, you will see some of those names soon.

My pathetic advance was stopped this turn by a sally out by GKC. I kind of get it as I was about to link up forces, but it was still a good hammer trade /shrug. I of course deleted the forward most axe, but I didn't want crossbow to retreat and heal. I originally wasn't going to which is why the axe and spear are in that order instead of deleting the spear, but more I thought about it more it made sense to not let it retreat. I kind of wonder if this sally out is to give that worker exactly enough turns to chop the forest down (he will have to delete worker).



Jowy took 2 cities, so feeling good about my very pathetic looking advance. So far mainly lost very expendable axes.

Amica either swapped a longbow for an archer in border city or gold upgraded one.

[Mjmd]

T144

I should have retreated my meager stack 1 NW for reinforcements that came in this turn. We shall see how badly I get punished. He only has 2 units in city, but playing his quick turns he put galley where I could see threatening Setia, but also threatening unload and attack, which my morning brain didn't realize until I had already moved some things.......

On turn roll spawned a Great Spy of all things so Golden age is good to go. Rocks is producing 57 great people points per turn....... I'm actually STRONGLY thinking of delaying the golden age until the next great person. Great spy is such a low odds person to get that it would make me not be as anxious about getting bad rolls for 3 person golden age. Plus I'm still in military production mode and would love to get some courthouses up during golden age. Could probably do in 8-9 turns which seems fine.

Got circumnavigation on turn roll as well. I'm still kind of leery on how strong this is.

[Mjmd]

T145

Galley was loaded. Killed a 2 crossbows for cost of crossbow and a cat (I won a fight with a cat which helped it not be a slaughter). I should take city next turn.

I did decide to delay golden age. Growing rocks in 2 turns (took engineer off) and then will probably put 4 specialists on. So should have golden age in 7 turns (two turns with total of 50 per turn and then 5 turns with total of 80 per turn).


Parthenon is doing work. To note I have exactly 16 base hammers which is why I'm working the desert hill atm. It will sadly be 4th person to be assigned as if I assign all 4 coast tiles (once grow) I'll start starving. 


This city along with MoM is basically my economy. I just kind of wanted to highlight it being that I'm industrious and had to go to the top of the tree for this. 

I wanted to comment a bit on circumnavigation giving extra trade route. I kind of want to just get rid of it. It really rewards people for not getting in wars early and just expanding a ton. I think its an to unseen buff to organized (helps you get to it faster) and protective (later). However it is a nerf if you decide to do anything else. For instance I went the top route on the tech tree first and it FELT SOOOO BAD. I got two wonders and epic, they were worth a lot, but I estimate I lost roughly 960 gold!!!! (12 ish turns * roughly 80 gold I increased when I got) Mind you I was building wealth in a couple of cities to speed it up as well so I didn't lose even more. It's just such a win more mechanic at the moment that helps catapults those already doing well further ahead faster.