[SPOILERS] Ceiliazul's First Dance: Louis of the Ottomen

[Ceiliazul]

Just got graphs on Ad-Hoc, leading to some pretty pictures.

Good news: Catwalk appears to be researching something with 2 pre-reqs... which ain't Priesthood. Alt explanation: he just hooked up silver.

Good news: Ad-hoc appears to be rival least mfg, even with his high pop. That may help in a wonder race.

Bad news: Ad-hoc can pump the beakers at 100% science, and Priesthood is likely a 2t tech.

[Ceiliazul]

After waiting out this:



I got my turn right around the time RB fixed the database problem. No score changes, but Catwalk became the 2nd team to crack the whip. He whipped his holy city for 1 pop, and grew in city 3.

Met Cull as expected, and used the research multiplier to prove he doesn't have Meditation. He's out of the Oracle race!



Also prepping city 4. This will qualify as over-expansion, definitely. It is certainly a strong city site with great long term possibilities: deer, banana and FP on a luscious riverside. For now though, it's mired in jungle and will unable to benefit from deer or banana.



So why do it?

The problem is the mean purple borders I've drawn into that picture. That's the Roman holy city, which will pop borders next turn. It will expand again before t75. I'm making a sub-optimal growth move here, but necessary for military security. If I don't found it now, Catwalk's culture will dominate this region, making my capital and commerce center (Biohazard) open to forks.

It won't be a total loss in the short term either. This city will work gold so that Hazard can grow. Already you can see workers prepping the city site, it founds on t40 on that jungle hill.

[Ceiliazul]

Oh, and at EOT Ziggo completed his early growth arc:



It'll give the pig back to Minion next turn, and grow right onto the copper mine and the FP cottage which will be ready just in time.

[Ceiliazul]

During this down time, I've been talking to AdHoc and Catwalk quite a bit.

Summary:

• Ad-Hoc and Cat are allied to the point of talking to each other about my emails
  
• Both have an interest in trade routes with me asap
  
• Cull seems to be isolated, and likely to be first attacked
  
• Pegasus is feared, and possible future dogpile target
  

NAPs:

• Catwalk: to t100
  
• Ad-Hoc: to t80
  
• Cull: not interested
  
• Pegasus: not met
  

Impressions:

Catwalk is likeable enough, but he's so tied in with Ad-Hoc I fear he'll be a pawn. He's generous with info, leading to me returning the favor. I've been contributing demo and score info, but nothing about my empire. Regarding the city4 plan, we will not overlap BFCs, and he's ok with it. We're even working on a plan to get trade routes by t50.

Ad-Hoc is calling the shots in the relationship with Cat, but I feel good about working with him. He is the more aggressive, so working with him is going to be important. He's very attuned to demo info, which is why I put effort into disguising my p'hood jump. The chariot completed on the same turn as Mysticism, so could have been hunting from his point of view.

Cull was just met in-game this turn, but I want him dead:

• He holds the turn pretty for an average over 12 hours
  
• He's rude in emails (i.e. "grr, I sent it!")
  
• He's Playing a loose-cannon game plan
  
• His demos make him the target of opportunity
  
• He named himself Beiber.
  

I haven't even sent him a "howdy do" email, but need to. Also need to meet Pegasus.

[Ceiliazul]

Oh, is population important? dang.

It took me this long to realize that though my pop is low, no one is working more tiles than me:

Ceiliazul = 9
Catwalk = 9
Adhoc = 8
Pegasus = 6 (but will rebound)
Cull = 6

Go team Green!

[Ceiliazul]

After waiting through this:



Came this:



[SIZE="3"][COLOR="Red"]WAR!
[/COLOR][/SIZE]

Now, I'm quick to point out that Cull's inattention did not cause this war, although it's not making me feel too bad. The main reason is simple: here on T38, Cull still cannot build anything except warriors!

...If my demos are wrong, this will blow up in my face. If my demos are right, Cull is walking dead anyway. (No horse, no copper, no fish, no pig!) If I can get a worker or some gold, I'll take it.

The goal is raiding. Next turn I'll move East to spot his 2nd city. If it's lightly defended, I may attack it. If not, I'll go SE to crest the grass hill (my Ziggo site) and get visibility of his copper. I expect he has a settler down there and probably a few workers too.



My tech progress is seen in the above pic, timed real well with my city 4 settler finishing.

Ad-hoc is in on this war too, but only has warriors to add to the cause. A tertiary benefit of this war is building relations with Ad-hoc as war allies. We'll see how it goes when he gets to the party.

Some notes:

• Cull has not researched anything in the last 7 turns. I fully expect him to come up with AH soon, making my timing perfect.
  
• According to my power analysis, Cull has 3 warriors to his name. I expect to see just 1 guarding the city.
  
• I met Cull last turn but did not send any diplo. If he noticed, he didn't give any indication. I doubt he is heavily invested in this game.
  

Question for lurkers:
How is the bounty from city capture calculated? Is it dependent on the treasury of the victim? According to my demos, his city is size 2, does that have an effect?

[Commodore]

In case you didn't know, I am 110% behind this. Nice job on the (implied?) dogpile, Ceil, and give 'im hell. I think any peace has to include a name-change stipulation...or maybe a minimum turn hold time or else the NAP is void.

In other news, one warrior at strength 2, +25% on hill, +25% city defense, +25% max fortification, and +20% culture, makes for just below a coinflip battle. I'd say it's worth going for, depending on how close your backup is. Mind sending the save my way, I never did get on the tracker.

[Ceiliazul]

Comm, thanks for stopping by! ;-)

The dogpile is still forming, but that implication wasn't a lie. Diplo has been flying with Adhoc and others. In fact, I have finally (finally!) met pegasus, who informed me that our warriors played hide and seek for ~20 turns without meeting each other. He finally marched up to my borders to say "hi".

And now, the main event!

Before Cull got the turn, I sent him a message, and a way out:

[COLOR="PaleGreen"]Cull of the Super Empire,

Greetings from the Ottobot empire, we have finally met in game. Although we are truly a peace loving civ, you will find that our empires are at war for now. I have a chariot ready to attack your desert hill city next turn.

Another Ottoman chariot on the way, and other civs are moving warriors toward your borders. Your Sumerians are safe from elimination against these forces, but you will likely be pillaged heavily, and left badly weakened.

There is an easier path to peace: I notice you are expansive, and likely have a surplus of workers at this time. If you are willing to part with 2 workers, we will leave your land in peace, and offer an NAP.

If you accept this proposal, move 2 workers to a tile within range of my chariot next turn. The grass hill located 2 South from '99 problems' would be the best spot. You have my word, I will leave with the workers, with no pillaging.

We could also agree to a long term NAP, to allow you space to recover. Even as far as t120 if you like, to give you a secure border during rebuilding.

-ceiliazul[/COLOR]

He responded with... well let's call it "bravado":

[COLOR="Purple"]For what? You decide mounting an aggressive move trying to secure an advantage on someone you just met. Don't be silly. Also, why would I follow the words of someone who has proven to be willing to take advantage of a peaceful neighbor? Man up, and if its a war you desire we will war, with the greater empire prevailing. But if you want to play hostage, to think to play hooky and to play advantage of those you appear and act weak, look elsewhere.

I would desire peace. I am at your disposal for the next two hours or thereabout after this email. A nice little chat would be nice. However, if you are to prove unresponsive by midnight my time tonight, we shall dance the greatest of dances.

-Cull[/COLOR]

So, he ain't interested in dealin'

Well, chariot moves SE to reveal one warrior in his freshly renamed city of 'baylife'. I guess when my chariot approached '99 problems', his problem counter incremented and threw an overflow exception.



Anyway, as Comm pointed out, I attack odds were not as good as I hoped.

Options:

• Attack! Risk 20 shields and a pissed off neighbor on 64% odds
  
• move SE to hill... diplo screen shows no 3rd city yet so tis loses luster.
  
• move E to corn, blocking his highest output tile (no AH for pastures yet.)
  

I chose the last option:



Wow. In anticipation for "the greatest dance", he still ordered his settler to start an FP cottage.

Possible options next turn:

• If the worker runs toward the capital, my chariot can catch him.
  
• If the worker runs into the city, it may be worth the 64% odds
  
• Pillage the corn and keep moving.
  

...any ideas how much pillage gold that city would net? I'm wondering what kind of payoff I might get if I decide to roll the dice.

[novice]

I think it depends on city size and city age, at least. Check CFC.

[Gaspar]

Well, chariot moves SE to reveal one warrior in his freshly renamed city of 'baylife'. I guess when my chariot approached '99 problems', his problem counter incremented and threw an overflow exception.