[SPOILERS] Getting my feet wet in multiplayer

[Charriu]

T78:



My worker near Pushpagiri finished the farm on the corn so that the city can grow as soon as the barracks is finished (I need that culture against WilliamLP). I moved one worker to chop the forest directly east, because enemy units could use it I will be attacked. The axeman is there to cover my worker. I know that this leaves the city empty, but I know that WilliamLP has no horses and can't move in to take the city that way. Hopefully WilliamLP does not interpret my axeman movement as a hostile act.
Down south you see both of my settlers move in to found new cities.

[Charriu]

T79:



Well



Well, there won't be any iron shortages any time soon and yes I discovered Iron Working. That would be at least 5 maybe 6 iron for me. I wonder if Erwin was so generous with the other players. About them I saw that Dark Savant and WilliamLP both have cities founded in iron. Seeing as they don't have iron for trade, they did not discover Iron Working yet. But more important Dark Savant connected his horse, so it's good that I moved a spearman down there. I'm also curious about the terrain north of Taixue. With the newly discovered iron there, there could be an intersting place for a city.
About tech I started Mathematics next. My reasoning is this:

• I still have a good amount of money from the failed Great Lighthouse
  
• The barays will be nice to have, but I don't think I will build any that soon.
  
• I need this tech to go to Construction for the elephants
  
• The wood chop bonus will be very nice, because there is still a lot of wood to chop.
  
• I could use the fort to build canals between the different seas and get super rich with them. No joke aside they are useless for me, but it would have been a nice feature to build canals. Maybe as an improvement which generates commerce and ships can move through just like with forts.
  

Oh and of minor concern there is another barbarian coming from the south. Maybe I will put a warrior there for fog busting until I build a city there.

[Charriu]

T80:



I founded Gondishapur this turn as you can see. Unfortunately WilliamLP's borders popped this turn and our peace treaty is expired. I also noticed that his power graph started to rise. I fear the worst. In good news JR4 offered me an open border agreement, which I happily accepted.

[Charriu]

T81: Not that much happened this turn:

• Some axeman were finished and I produced some more
  
• I grow Academia into 1 unhappiness. Then I will start a settler there. In 3 turns the unhappiness from slavery is gone anyway.
  
• I also grow Lyceum for the same reasons, but I won't produce a settler there next. Maybe a gallery for exploration of the northern sea
  
• Museion will also grow next turn and will produce a worker there next.
  
• My worker near Taixue finishs chopping the jungle on top of the gems in 2 turns and will then build a mine there.
  
• My two border cities are hard working on culture buildings
  
• I will settle the border city towards JR4 next turn. I noticed that JR4 took the city next to me from the barbarians (there's still barbarian culture there)
  
• I noticed that all my neighbors have at least 3 or 4 cities more than me. I could run 50% science with my current cities, so there is still room for more. Good that the next 4 cities I can settle are cities in my back and won't need that much attention on defense
  

[Charriu]

Dark Savant just declared war on me and from the looks of it in civstats, he took one of my cities.

[Charriu]

T82:



So just as I expected Dark Savant declared war on me.   Well that's the point where I will get some war experience in MP. Would have liked to learn it not on the defense. . Dark Savant captured Taixue, but he didn't raze it and I think there are only two possible reasons:

• He considered the city placement as a good one and
  
• more important he does not think that I can retake the city, which is unfortunately correct.
  

I used my worker to get a better view of the incoming force. I could have fled south with the worker, but what for, he won't survive on his own there.

The incoming force contained:

• 2 Archer
  
• 1 Axeman
  
• 1 Chariot in Taixue
  

Good thing is that my spearman arrived in Museion. If I'm not mistaken his troops will need 2 turns until they arrive at Museion. His chariot is damaged, so I don't expect him to do that much with it. I switched Museion to a axeman, together with the axeman you see coming from the road it will be enough cover for now. I will leave the axeman in the forest. I could move it towards Museion, but then he could be attacked on the floodplain tile.

In non-war news. I offered JR4 pigs for corn, we'll see what he will do. I also founded Taehak as my border city towards him.

To be honest things aren't look that good for me now. I was lagging behind in score, which propably was a reason why Dark Savant took the opportunity to attack. It's a good move from him. So loosing a city to him to destroyed any hopes for me to win this game, not that I ever expected this to happen. For me this was a learning experience from the very beginning. I just did to many mistakes and I will do a lengthy analysis when I'm back from my vacation. I would not be surprised if WilliamLP or even JR4 take the opportunity to attack me too in the next turns and I couldn't blame them.

I'm still in a good mood and will do my turns.  I won't give up that easily.

[Charriu]

T83:






Nothing new in the west. I offered Dark Savant peace, because I don't see me retaking Taixue anytime soon. Lyceum started on a settler for the commerce city on the tundra south of Museion. Back on the other side JR4 accepted my offer.

[Charriu]

T84:



This will be a my promised longer report for anybody who might have to take over if I have no internet during my vacation. I think I will get a chance to play another turn tomorrow before I have to leave, but I won't have the time to type a lengthy report. I go through every city:

Museion: The main goal here is defense. Dark Savant killed my axeman on the flood plain, another stupid mistake by me. I killed his chariot in return with my spearman. As you can see I whipped Museion, so I will have another axeman in town. Dark Savant's force on the hill consists of 2 axeman, 1 chariot and 1 archer. It will be a hard battle around Museion. There is a possibility that he will move around Museion in the south, but because of the terrain he will be slower and I will see any attempt at this.
What to do next: Build more troops. Another spearman will come from Academia in a few turns, so more axeman will be good here. Good thing is that he can't pillage my workboats.

Academia: Just came out of unhappiness and is able to finish the spearman this turn.
What to do next: Academia will also produce more units in the next turns for Museion and for itself. Right now there is only 1 warrior stationed there. An axeman and another spearman will be good here. Academia also is the best commerce city right now, so production and commerce will need to be balanced accordingly.



Lyceum: As you can see a settler is produced here right now. Other then that this city won't need any worker attention in the near future.
What to do next: After the settler I will produce a few chariots. Axeman and spearman from here will take to long to move to Museion. If the battle for Museion goes well I would produce a gallery at some time to further explore the north. The settler should move to the commerce city spot south of Museion, if I can defend it. If this is not possible the moai spot is equally good.

Pushpagiri: The worker 1NE currently builds a mine for production. The library will help in the culture war. Currently there are 2 axemen stationed here.
What to do next: After the library this city will need a spearman in case WilliamLP attacks. The worker 1NE can help chop the 2 forests SW of here for as soon as the borders pop. The other worker will move towards Academia to chop some wood and speed up the unit production.

Gondishapur: The barracks finishs this turn thanks to a chop. The worker cuts the jungle and will continue to build a mine there.
What to do next: After the barracks I will need a library here for the culture war. The gems will really help me commerce-wise, so I need them asap. By the time the mine is finished, the borders probably pop and the mine worker can build a farm on the wheat in the south. The worker on the hill will need to build a road towards my new city in the south.



Taehak: My newest city and another city in a soon to be culture war. That's why I'm building a barracks here. I will also need more troops here. Another is already on his way 1W of the "inbetween" sign.
What to do next: Build a library after barracks for the culture. A worker is also desperatly needed and will come from Gondishapur. First tile to be improved will be the pig.

Tech: I will finish Mathematics in 2 turns. After that I queued Construction mainly for the bridges. I have a lot of river crossings which hurt my supply lines.

Other: As you can see Dark Savant did not accept my peace offer. I don't think this will change for the next turns. I hope the other two will stay peaceful.

[Hollybombay]

Long term plans?

[Charriu]

Thanks for the question.

Long term as of now is coming back from the bottom of the score. I don't see me being a contester for the win as of now. As I understand the usual way to win MP is via Domination or Conquest. A culture victory or space race is very unusual. To come back I will need more cities. Seeing as this is a big learning experience as of now. My goal for this game is to manage a successful offensive war against any of my neighbors. To achieve this I want to do the following:

• Fill up my part of the continent with the remaining four city spots that I planned.
  
• Explore the north to see if I can found some safe cities there. The silver would be very lucrative for me.
  
• Explore the south sea with same goal as the last point.
  
• Build up a solid economy to support
  
• Build up and attack.
  

I think the time for my attack will probably be around the time I get to knights.

I know it's not the most interesting plan for you to witness. Overall goal is to learn as much of the meta game and the playstyle in MP, so that my next game goes better.