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Woden's Wondrous World of China

Turn 80 Strategy Review

I full on expect war on T81. All of Russia’s movements that I can see point to it. I think I am ready but am not 100% sure what to expect. I will know he will attack if he upgrades all his swords this/next turn. Here is a summary of our armies, my goals for the war, and then where my civilization stands.

His Army
Russia’s military power is 281 and I can see 5 warriors (100), a heavy chariot (28), and 2 archers (50) for a known total of 178, discounting any promotions. I am sure he has another archer somewhere and a warrior inside Astrakhan plus that scout of his for 55 more points. So, that is 233, leaving 48 unaccounted points.  I know he has a promoted archer and 1 warrior but don’t know how that impacts the power. With the remaining points, I think at best he has another archer (maybe in his 4th city) and another warrior or maybe just 2 warriors. If he is thinking of war, everything should be fully healed, so there should be no reduction with that. Let’s say he has 2 warriors for upgrades to swords, he does have the cash. That means I will be facing 8 swords, 3 archers, 1 chariot, and whatever he pops out in the next few turns. His archers will probably stay in his cities but he will also probably switch to Oligarchy when he attacks. 
 
My Army
My power is 314. I have 3 archers at JC, a sword, and will have 2 horseman in the next 2 turns plus a third in 4 or 5 turns. I have an archer and heavy chariot at MS and will have another chariot in 3 (maybe 2). I have a sword near Zanzibar that I am moving to MS. Two archers at SM and a warrior that will be near the city next turn. I have an archer moving down from SM2 and will be going to MS.  I have 2 warriors up by SM2 but 1 will get upgraded and move back to the mountain pass to prevent Gorgo from moving anything in my back lines and the other will hang around SM2 to heal and move where needed.  I also have an archer and warrior that will be taking care of the barb camp, so won’t matter in the short term and may stick around up there in case another camp shows up. So, in total I will have 2 horseman, 7 archers, 2 or 3 swords, 2 heavy chariots ready for action in the next 2 turns plus all the southern cities have walls or will have walls next turn. I am not sure if I want to switch to Oligarchy for this war, we will see. My edge right now is production and I can get 3 military cards rolling with Autocracy. The added strength is nice but I can put out units faster with the extra production. We will see how the war goes and I can switch later.
 
Objectives for war:
#1. Don’t lose! I must admit this will be the first time going up against another human so we will see how it goes. Luckily I have time to think about my movements with hours between turns and I don’t know how experience Alhambram has either but his broadcasting it so far leads me to believe it is not much. I should have the production edge and can put out units quicker and if need be can shift everybody to full out military production.

#2. Take Toronto first. I think my cities are going to be safe and I should be able to take a big chuck of his army early. I will let my archers, encampment, and city walls pick off any units that attack JC. I will build a ram after the chariot at MS and then use the horsemen, chariots, and maybe 1 sword to attack Toronto. They do have a lot of units around, so we will see how much I will have to deal with them or how much help Zanzibar will be.

#3. Reduce Russian Army attacking city. Hopefully I can pick off his swords with my archers or use my horses after injuring them with the archers. I think I got a pretty good set up at JC to easily defend it. I probably should have another sword there but my warriors are a little out of position right now. I want him to attack JC so when my horse completes, I might move it north. IDK if it completes at the end of my turn or the beginning. If it is the beginning, awesome, I can hide the horse.  If it is the end, that is too bad because he will know it is there. Of course, I could hide the second one by moving the first one before the second one comes out. That way he will see the horse and assume it is the 1st one.

#4. Watch out for attack from Gorgo or Pericles. I am going to upgrade a warrior to a sword up at SM2 and after that save up for crossbows. That sword will go and guard the northern pass. In the south, I have a couple of archers and soon a warrior hang around SM1. I will probably keep those units around there in case something comes that way. Those units will give me at least some time to shift my horses around in case of a dog-pile. As the war progresses and I get closer to T90, I probably will shift a few units that way and once Machinery is complete, I will start some Crouching Tigers for added defense. Gorgo should be busy for a while with attacking Germany, so Pericles is the biggest threat in the immediate future.

#5. Don’t fall behind and continue to expand. PC, Aladdin, and SM2 are going to focus on development and expansion to prevent from me slipping behind as I war. I want to get a builder out to improve a few tiles and get some more luxuries going in case I cannot keep the Suzerain-ship at Zanzibar. I also want to get a settler to the horses directly north of MS. That way, I can build horseman everywhere. I also need to get a city northeast of SM2 to block the pass. That city will be a good production powerhouse with all the hills. First, I will need a few granaries to handle the housing crunch and then will start building settlers. I will try and run the 50% card when I can. If the war starts to go badly, I will forget this and start building units everywhere.
 
#6. Take out Russia. Once I can get rid of his attack force and capture Toronto, I am going to push south and quickly capture his cities. We will see how quickly I can do it. If I had to guess, I think he has maybe 20 turns of life left, but we will see. Maybe it will be in time for him to join PBEM3? After that, it will be a push to muskets and knights and see where I can go from there. Maybe if I get in the warring mood, I will just continue pushing east. Hopefully, the eastern 3 players keep fighting each other and I can focus solely on Russia. I doubt it but one can hope.

So, that is what I know about the upcoming war. I think at this point I am going to war as soon as I can. I am not going to give him first shots. I think the friendship will end on T82 because it was asked on T52 and lasts 30 turns. If it ends next turn, I will let him declare, maybe. With that being said, let’s look at my civilization…




This is the core area between our civilizations and where I think most of the fight will be. There are a lot of CS archers in there, I don’t know how that will play out in this war but they are AI and stupid. Like I have been saying, I expect him to try and use Toronto and/or Zanzibar in this fight and attack Vilnius. I can get back Zanzibar and capture Toronto.
Here are the scores from T80…



 
My score is actually 148 because of the wonder, civic, and tech I completed this turn. Oledavy and I are on the same level with techs and civics but I am finishing another of each next turn and we will see if he completes either. He might be working on numerous districts and a few settlers right now and could easily catch up but I may gain 5 cities in the next 20 or so turns. Russia is behind me with 2 fewer civics and techs. He doesn’t have Apprenticeship and probably not Engineering (he has not finished walls and I will have next turn). If he is following the same line as me right now, I should have Machinery about 5 or 6 turns before him giving my extra eureka value and higher science rate plus the overflow from Math and Engineering.

Here is my civic situation…



 
Feudalism is due on T84 but maybe T83 depending on overflow and if my new monument next turn can tip the scales. Mercenaries due on T88 or T89. I need to upgrade 1 more sword for guard duty in the north but after that I will save my money for emergencies or crossbows once I have Professional Armies. With the barb camp, I should have enough money for 2. After that, I will work on the bottom half. With the war, it is going to be hard to pick up the inspiration as most deal with infrastructure.
 
As for techs…




Engineering done next turn and hopefully I will have enough overflow to bring Machinery done to 3 turns, due T84. I will start a Crouching Tiger as soon as possible to get the 50-strength attack on my city walls (if it is not bugged). From there I might do construction quickly and then finish Stirrups or just go straight to Stirrups to get some knights built. I think it will depend on the war. I might stick the 1 turn Sailing in there if I need fishing boats in the north and I also want Harbors soon to build the water wonders.

Exciting times are ahead and the world is going to blow up with war. Should be an interesting read for lurkers. Hopefully I don't screw it up and I come out on top!
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Turn 81

I opened the save to find this...




Russia upgraded all his warriors to swords, added envoys to both Toronto and Zanzibar, and declared war on Vilnius. All as expected. Smart move declaring war of Vilnius, nothing I can do about that. Not so smart...




He built a galley? The only city I have on the coast is Aladdin and it will be a while before he gets there. This means his army is not as big as I predicted. His military score is 283 but he does have a few injured units. So he built something this turn. Most likely a warrior at Rostov-on-Don, its strength shows 28.

I thought about it and I sent an envoy to reclaim Suzerain-ship of Zanzibar. The extra 10% production helps and I want to see how many envoys he has left. He either has 1 or 2. Horse completes at JC and I move it to the city center. If he is paying attention, he will notice the city strength is now 40. Engineering and Theology finish, I start Machinery (4) and Feudalism (4). There was not enough overflow for Engineering to cut another turn off of Machinery. I chop the walls at SM1 and start a library (due next turn). Maybe that will cut a turn off, probably not. I put Ilkum back in place and switch to a builder at MS. That way I can chop a Tiger sooner. Both builders in production are due in 4, just in time to get teh +2 charges from Feudalism.

Friendship will end next turn. I haven't decided if I want to attack or let him.
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Turn 82

Friendship with Russia has ended....




Thanks to all those upgraded swords, his military power is now slightly higher than mine but I did put out a horseman this turn and I think there is a delay the power shown. Does anybody know if Oligarchy's added strength is reflected in the Military Power?




I am not too worried. I decided to wait and not attack. I will let him come to me. Machinery did in fact drop to 2 turns left with the library completing. I looked and Gorgo still has not repaired his campus. Give it another 5 or so turns and I may be able to steal the great scientist. Horseman finishes at JC ans I star another. I also started a builder at SM1, due in 4. I think with 3 7-charge builders I can speed up development of my newer cities and keep up during the up coming war.

In international news...




Germany founded a new city and now has 6 just like me. He is behind a little in tech and way behind in civics. Gorgo gained a civic and has the same as me. He can really keep up with the extra culture from attacks. My culture rate is 10 higher than his but he is in lock step with me.

Feudalism and Machinery are due in 2. The plan is to chop out a tiger as quickly as possible and then upgrade some crossbows when I get Professional Army. Well, this was my last turn in peace, let's see what Russia does. I expect him to declare on his turn, take away my Suzerain-ship with Zanzibar, and take the Suzerain-ship with Toronto. I really hop he takes the Suzerain-ship for Toronto, that will really help me out and delay him a little (if my understanding of how envoys work with city-states is correct, but I will get to that next turn).
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I hear you have some news on the Russian front. What are your plans looking like now?
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Turn 83

I am behind a little bit on the turn reports and probably won't be caught up by the end of the day but we will see.

Open the save expecting to be attacked but




He wants to renew friendship and 30 more turns of peace. I had to stop and thin for a good 20-30 minutes on this. I was not expecting it. He must have realized it was a futile war or I must have been reading the situation wrong and he was just getting ready to defend against me? My decision was also help out with a notification that Pericles attacked Germany. 2-on-1 against Singaboy! While the eastern 3 fight each other, I can continue to build and expand and continue to pull away. I still have like 10 city spots I can settle. I don't know if this is a mistake, but in the end I agreed.

I still will attack Toronto once I can get a ram out but I think Vilnius is screwed. All the more important to take Toronto. Not much else happened this turn, Feudalism and Machinery due next turn.
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(May 28th, 2017, 03:52)rho21 Wrote: I hear you have some news on the Russian front. What are your plans looking like now?

I am not sure of the details yet but I think I might go full on expansion mode. See if I can exploit the eastern war. I have something like 10 city sites I can settle. Maybe finish up the remaining wonders. I will detail something when I can find the time to write a decent post. Hopefully later today?
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Turn 84

Germany comes offering friendship...




No reason not to accept. I am not going to jump into their war besides I think he is on the other side of Pericles and way to far right now to attack. I think I might also try and prop him up if he starts losing, kind of fight a proxy war. If he asks, I will give him my iron and horses. I don't need them right now and will have a 2nd set of both shortly.

Now that war was averted with Russia, I have a few units around that I should put to good use. I will build a ram and attack Toronto and am considering attacking Nan Madol. Both provide access to my capital if Russia were to take them. And he might have eyes on Nan Modal...




he has 3 swords, a chariot, and a ram with nothing to do. I started moving my units to get in position to attack Toronto but might shift to Nan Modal if he moves them that way. Nan Madol would be huge for Russia if/when he decides to attack me. It would give him access to 3 of my core cities. I can't have that. It is proving me +2 culture and with the possibility of losing Vilnius as well could hinder my culture a little but it does have a monument already and would be size 5 or 6, so a net gain in culture.

Feudalism and Machinery finish. I start Stirrups and Mercenaries and also witch policies to the +50% medieval melee/range card, +2 charge builder card and the +50% settler card (I really should learn the names of these cards). I forgot to get a screenshot of them. My immediate building plan is to get the workers out and then start a few settlers while the builders go around and improve some tiles. In MS, I want to get a few districts build as it will grow next turn and I can put down a IZ. JC will still be on unit duty as I want a few Tigers out to defend against Pericles when our friendship ends.
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Turn 85

I found out why Singaboy has been bitching in the organizing thread and why TheArchduke was asking the question about the rule ceding cities. Looks like Pericles razed Frankfurt and Germany lost it source of iron. Well...




Here, have mine! I need Germany to put up a good resistance and keep the others engaged in conflict. I might send him horses too, next turn so he can build them in all his cities. I don't have much gold because...




I bought one of the desert hills at Aladdin. I needed a better tile to work and the tile will eventually pay for itself. Also it brings the iron in to play when I get my great merchant in 12 turns...




Bad news on the scientist front. Gorgo fixed her campus and is now again generating points. She will have it in 6-7 turns and I will not have enough faith to buy it unless PC converts to my religion next turn.
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Turn 86 to 88

A bunch of rapid rounds today. Not much is going on during these turns so I am going to combine them into 1 post. Mainly I am developing my civilization. I am kicking out 3 builders (MS,PC, SM1). Building a ram at JC, a grainery at MCA, and finishing walls at SM2.

On turn 86...




Russia took Vilnius. That was quick but it also did not have walls completed. Oh well, I only lose out on 1 envoy. The other ones were free. Now that he has took Vilnius, I am going to wait and see if he puts a city along the coast next to Pericles (where I have the marker for a city site). It would be nice to have him have borders with another civilization, so if he wants to use his army he could. Since I am top in power it might give him an easier target. If I block him off, I pretty much his only target. 

After the builders completed on various turns, I started a grainery in PC and a IZ in MS. The builder at PC will farm the sugar, go chop and mine the grassland hill, lumber mill the grassland forest, mine plains hill, and chop and mine the other plains hill. Hopefully I can get close to 2 settlers out fairly soon. The builder at MS will lumber mill the river grassland forest and chop the jungle then go up to MCA. The builder at SM1 will put plantations on the tea and tobacco and then go and improve SM2. 

I decided not to attack Toronto first but to attack Nan Madol first. Toronto will give my capital +2 for buildings and districts now and +2 more when the IZ is done. I want to build the IZ, then the Entertainment district and finally a grainery before I take the city. I started move troops are Toronto but then final realized this and now are shift units to the north side of Nan Madol. The ram I was working on in JC finished T88 and I went to finish the Horseman. Once he is done and in position, I will attack. I should have enough gold to upgrade a crossbowman. After the builder at SM1, I started a settler. I want to get a city in the mountainous region before anybody else. If I control this area, I can control access to my civilization. I also want one on the northern coast but I am sending a few units up there to block off access, so am not in a huge hurry for a settler. I will start one at MCA once the grainery is done. 

After some indecisiveness, I decided to send a few units east. I have a horse that is going to go northeast to see where Gorgo is located and an archer scooping out Pericles' land.




The horse has to cut through the hill mountainous middle because Zanzibar has a few units block the pass in the north by SM2. In fact the sword I want to block the coast is taking the long way round because they haven't moved in the last few turns. I think the northern warrior has orders to return to Zanzibar to get upgraded and the southern sword has orders to go north and the archer is stuck in the middle. I find that a big issue with the AI, they get stuck at chock points like this because it can't see the big picture, only the individual units. I imagine that the scripting for the big picture so AI can adjust is no small task and probably relates to most of the dysfunctional AI in SP but Zanzibar is causing its own traffic jam. Hopefully I grab a tile up there to force them to get new orders. 

I researched up to 1 turn left in Stirrups, then switched to 1-turn Sailing. Research-wise, I am going to put 1 turn into Celestial Navigation and then pick up construction and start Military Training. I want to put out a few chariots before I can't and will delay Stirrups until I need it. Civic-wise, Mercenaries will finish next turn and then I will slow research Recorded History to get the great library. After that I am not sure, it will depend on inspirations and the possibility of getting them.

Here is the score at the end of Turn 88...




Not much to say except I am starting to pull away from oledavy. I am up 1 civic and 2 techs now and i have higher rates in both categories plus I will get another of each next turn. Now that I can peacefully build it is only going to get worst. I really haven't decide what my longer turn plans is right now. I just know my short term goal is to get a couple more cities out and conquer Nan Madol and Toronto as soon as possible. I don't know if I want to turtle and build or go and attack someone. I think I can win either way. I will think about it more and let you know when I know...
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Turns 89-90

Another awesome multi-turn morning. Was able to get 2 turns done. I am going to combine them because no much going on. 

Turn 89

Finished Mercenaries and did a policy swap...




I traded Professional Army for the 50% range and melee card just in case Pericles tries anything with our friendship ending on T90. Not much else happened this turn. Builders and units moved into position.

Turn 90




My friendship with Pericles ended and Germany and Gorgo signed peace. Well that was quick. Gorgo's power has really dropped and I wonder if Germany was too much for him to handle. Hopefully Pericles keeps engaged in the war. I think my power is high enough to keep him from declaring any time soon but I will start shifting units soon down to SM1. I should have some gold to upgrade a few crossbowman within the next 10 turns. I will get my merchant in 5 turns and he will provide 180 gold when fully used. 




I also am going to miss the scientist. It wild have been cheap enough and I would have had enough faith to buy it in 1 or 2 turns. I should get the next one. 

I think Russia is going for a religious victory. He has converted JC and is now sending missionaries to SM1. Smart move on his part to use peace to try and convert me but not so smart to focus on me right now instead of the other players. If I were him, I would try and get at least 1 city in each of the other players going. I will be the hardest to convert me and require the most missionaries but if he gets religion going where there is no religion, it would spread naturally and require less investment. Instead, he is focusing on a person that could fight it with religion. If need be I can put a holy site in MS and pull some weeds. 

The score...




Looks like Gorgo settled a couple of cities and built a district. Her empire score went from 57 to 70. I will have to check the city list next turn to confirm. I don't understand why she would go to war if she was going to sign peace after 10 turns and push settlers out. Seems like a waste of hammers even if you have old units sitting around, you still need garrison units and most everything eventually upgrades. Maybe something else was going on over there. IDK.
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