Our Strategy....You Probably Haven't Heard of It

[Darkmantle]

I believe you can't get circumnavigation on maps that don't include big seas. T-hawk probably knows the exact details for that setting in the map script effects that.

[SevenSpirits]

Needs to be at least 33% water tiles.

[oledavy]

Needs to be at least 33% water tiles.

Me:



Seven:



..............

[WarriorKnight]

Well that sucks. Oh well.

[oledavy]

So, do we want the Kremlin?

If so, we need to commit to a tech path to lead us there sooner rather than later. If nothing else, I'm hoping Team #2 gets it, otherwise.....



(My reaction if Team Spullarise gets it)

Joking aside, I was not aware of just how powerful the Kremlin was until PBEM23 (thanks Seven! ), and I'm not counting on Team #1 being ignorant of its power. In a team game, we're talking about its effects on 50+ cities. If Sulla, Speaker and Sunrise aren't at least considering a run at the Kremlin, I'd be shocked. So, the way I see it, we have two choices:

1. Prioritize the Kremlin
2. Don't prioritize the Kremlin and hope Team #2 gets it.

And if we go with number two we run the risk of Team #1 getting it and killing us all

slowly
painfully
with super-charged whips
and tanks.

I don't like the idea of nabbing liberalism -> SM -> Communism either, to be frank. I'm just worried that not doing so might turn out to be a huge mistake.

Of course, the Kremlin might not be as end-all as I have made it out to be. Seven would be the most qualified to comment on whether or not this would be the case.

What do you guys think?

[WarriorKnight]

I think we should grab it to deny it to Team 1 if nothing else (we do not want to rely on team 2 grabbing it if we don't go for it) not to mention we could always use cheaper rushing. Communism also gives a free GSpy (yes!) and intel angencies which would really help our mediocre EP rating.

Problem is techs needed, PP leads to rifles so it wouldn't be that bad, but SM and especially Lib are otherwise fairly poor techs. On the other hand SM also opens up Physics and Biology, so if we're going for a early SM we may as well pick up those juicy techs. It does delay our planned steel push though, so perhaps we should reconsider our tech path altogether.

[oledavy]

Decision time.

If we want the Kremlin, we go:

Printing Press -> Scientific Method -> Liberalism -> Communism

If we want Cannons & Ironworks, we go:

Chemistry -> Steel

I really do not know which I prefer. Going for the Kremlin would put us in a stronger position long-term against Team #1. Steel would give us a major short-term boost and make it easier to defend ourselves and kill Luddite.

[oledavy]

So, gentlemen, we have our targets:



With Hermitage, Free Speech, and three Cathedrals in each city, they have the potential to reach 350% culture modifiers. I expect they'll be settling the Great Artists as they go along, or saving them to bomb back-up cities in the event that one or more of the capitals fall. I honestly have no clue how long it will take them to squeeze out a culture victory.

Team #1 is undoubtedly going to make a push to eviscerate Lewwyn before this can happen, so our intervention may not be needed to prevent the Cultural Victory. However, taking out Luddite promises enough rewards to make it well worth it to push into his core, cultural victory or not. Team #1 is on the doorstep of cuirassiers, rifles, cav, and cannon. While they'll undoubtedly be focusing on Team #2, I wouldn't put it past them to send some stuff our way if they see we still just have medieval units defending. With that in mind, I'm going to say we should go Chemistry -> Steel. Cannons will make us unassailable for a long time, and allow us to make significant process against our neighbors in the north. IW will be provide a solid boost, and frigates + privateers + drydocks will give me a solid edge in my naval fight with Sulla.

After getting steel online, we can reassess going for Kremlin or not. Or...we could research Constitution :neenernee

[WarriorKnight]

Decision time.

If we want the Kremlin, we go:

Printing Press -> Scientific Method -> Liberalism -> Communism

If we want Cannons & Ironworks, we go:

Chemistry -> Steel

I really do not know which I prefer. Going for the Kremlin would put us in a stronger position long-term against Team #1. Steel would give us a major short-term boost and make it easier to defend ourselves and kill Luddite.

I think I prefer Steel. Communism is twice the cost of Steel and the pre-req's don't really give us that much. Plus the production and military bonuses are too high to ignore. My only problem is that it doesn't really increase economy at all, but in the current state we really need to focus on grabbing luddite's land and we just got observatories so it doesn't matter that much.

[Shoot the Moon]

Yeah, I agree with Steel. I could potentially see PP first, but probably not worth it.