Pacal of the Indians: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Fast Worker

[oledavy]

So now we need to decide where to settle/if we should use the GA somewhere else. If we want to do it in the same area, I think the best spot is 3E of Baoding as it is a city site that is actually viable and should still get us the all important horse tile. WK and Dave, thoughts?

I say go for that back-up location, it still looks promising.

Also, in what order do we want to end turn? We have something like 30 beakers left in gunpowder. I don't need it this turn so I should probably end turn before Dave. However, do we want WK to end first to partially fund me (I assume you don't have 200 gold expenses Dave) or have me end turn first so WK can utilize gunpowder a turn earlier?

Unless WK wants to start on a musket or two this turn, I say just go WK -> Shoot -> Me. However, it wouldn't really hurt if Shoot ended turn now at break-even, as you could just run at a higher percentage next turn with two turns of partial funding from WK (btw, WK, I need 180 gold to run 100% science this turn).

Also important: What tech next? Before I end turn I'll need to select a new research target. So, what's it going to be:

1. Chemistry
2. Astronomy
3. Printing Press
4. Constitution

My vote is Astronomy or Constitution

[Shoot the Moon]

I'm pretty strongly against const at this point. It's just too expensive for a tech that would require anarchy from 2/3 of our team to utilize. Also, PP would give a similar tech benefit and is also on a tech path we will want anyway (and is cheaper and has already researched bonuses from other teams).

I would probably prefer chemistry or astro in that order. Better to keep our cities than research const or PP and lose them.

[WarriorKnight]

So now we need to decide where to settle/if we should use the GA somewhere else. If we want to do it in the same area, I think the best spot is 3E of Baoding as it is a city site that is actually viable and should still get us the all important horse tile. WK and Dave, thoughts?

Agree, that seafood tile (whatever it is) should keep the site viable long term and it's still 3 tiles away.

Also, in what order do we want to end turn? We have something like 30 beakers left in gunpowder. I don't need it this turn so I should probably end turn before Dave. However, do we want WK to end first to partially fund me (I assume you don't have 200 gold expenses Dave) or have me end turn first so WK can utilize gunpowder a turn earlier?

No rush for me to have gunpowder, I'll end turn first.

Also important: What tech next? Before I end turn I'll need to select a new research target. So, what's it going to be:

1. Chemistry
2. Astronomy
3. Printing Press
4. Constitution

Not const, it's just too early for that. PP can similarly wait. I'd prefer astro more than Chem but am fine with either.

[Shoot the Moon]

Sounds like Constitution next then.

Not a whole lot to report this turn. I'm moving my knights that just captured Hangzhou over to support the new GA bomb city.

Also, after ending turn I broke 500 beakers/turn at 100% research (262 at break even). Seeing as only 5 turns ago I had broken 400 for the first time, that's not too shabby

[Shoot the Moon]

I think the turn for me can be nicely summed up in one picture:



If I had had two more workers in range I could actually have captured Baoding this turn (defended by only an archer) but seeing how indefensible the city is doesn't particularly matter. Luddite's northern city has a mace, pike, archer, and cat in it, while there are three pikes 1N of Baoding. Hell, Baoding may actually flip naturally -- I have over 50% culture on the city tile itself. I used two workers to chop the forest NW of my new city (which I renamed Marlo. I had been only doing Barksdale characters for my naming theme but decided to move on).

Also, here are the land and pop statistics after doing so:



Team 2 had been up to 15% land just this turn, but got pushed down to 14% (obviously rounded down from 14.xx%).

Finally, saw this with the bomb:



Nabaxo's borders. Interestingly close. Dave, any speculation on the map makeup there?

[oledavy]

Dave, any speculation on the map makeup there?

It's the Damme mirror location - a 2-3 tile island about halfway between the Chinese and Equestrian Capitals.

We can gather from this that Nabaxo has put some effort into naval exploration, and Luddite, by comparison, has not. Additionally, there is a good chance he has settled the Aboukir Bay mirror as well.

It's a rather aggressive plant, probably with 0-2 defenders. Given our naval tech edge, if you ever wanted to build a canal, our galleons would have complete dominance over that sea. Seizing or blockading that city would also sever a lot of intercontinental trade routes for Team #4. It wouldn't cost a significant hammer investment to go do so either. However, given Team #4's overall backwardness, it would be questionable from a meta-gaming stance. At least not until later, when we're ready to move North in force.

[Shoot the Moon]

I seem to have forgotten to take a screenshot, but after the turn rolled I gained cultural control of the tiles 1N and 1S of Baoding.

I should get a catapult or two to that area as well seeing as I can hit Baoding with one movers

Also, going to send a LB to that forest hill 3N of Baoding. He doesn't really have anything to get it off and it provides some nice vision and takes away the logical road route for him. Will also probably through my senty knight on the tile as well.

[oledavy]

So, Shoot, how do you feel about getting my upcoming scientist for a golden age?

I feel it would be the strongest use of the great person, especially since India needs to catch up on infrastructure and build Oxford.

[Shoot the Moon]

So, Shoot, how do you feel about getting my upcoming scientist for a golden age?

I feel it would be the strongest use of the great person, especially since India needs to catch up on infrastructure and build Oxford.

Yeah, I think that does make sense. It would also be nice to be able to switch into Theocracy right around the time steel comes in

Two notable things from this past turn. First, Luddite moved some of his units out of Macao and it is now only defended by a pike, mace, archer, cat. I moved up knights in range to attack even though it makes them visible to him. I have 5 in range so it would probably be too close of a thing to really want to do, but might be something to consider. If luddite loses another city by forgetting that I can chop forests in his land, well

Second, Omar *finally* came out of revolt after I ended turn. I switched around tiles to make sure it wouldn't starve (although it does have three unhappy faces I needed to get rid of with HR units). Anyhow, it coming out of revolt made me the #1 crop yield in the game:



Also notable there is that with Dave's gifts of musketeers I am now also #1 in soldier count.

[Shoot the Moon]

Well luddite is sure putting a lot of military in his two cities. 2 maces, 3 pikes, 2 cats, and an archer in Macao, and 3 pikes, two archers currently in Baoding. Also has a small reserve stack of 2 maces, a pike, a cho-ku-nu (spelling?) and a cat. Not really sure if Baoding is even worth it though...it is literally working unimproved grassland right now.

Good thing I'm going to have somewhere around 15 knights and musketeers combined (and a couple of catapults)

Also, WK feel free to end turn for me after gifting gold =)