DaveV explores the dark [elf] side

[DaveV]

I was the first to grow to size 2, and I'm #1 in GNP and crop yield, #6 in manufacturing. I'm happy with those demographics.

An ancient tower in the east let me map the juicy offshore island. I won't be building there for a while, but it's kind of sad that the only way to avoid orphaning a fish is to build on flat land. I'm debating whether that's worth it, or whether I should go with the hill plant.

   

[DaveV]

The game has been chugging along at a turn a day pace. It's turn 8, and I've pulled back my explorers since animals spawned in the barbs' turn 7.

Here's a shot of the demographics screen: so far, animal husbandry is paying off nicely. This is at the end of my turn, after I grew to size 4, so it's very misleading in my favor. Still, I figure I should flex while I still can, right?

Other nuggets of information: only Aurorarcher has water in his BFC (five tiles' worth). 6000 is a very low soldier count; did someone lose a unit to animals/barbs already?

   

[DaveV]

As usual, the start is slow. I've finished Education, Mining is next. The payback on the gold mine is pretty long (200 beakers/6 extra beakers from the gold mine), but the extra citizen from the +1 happy could be working a cottage for more foodhammers and beakers, or some specialists eventually. The payback is a bit better than that because of pre-req research bonus, plus the extra hammer from the mine is useful.

I've finished my first settler, as shown in the mouseover in the lower left. I'll revolt to Apprenticeship next turn while the settler is moving and build a couple Combat I scouts. The Svarts are probably the best at animal capturing, with their scouts being 3 on attack vs. 2 for everyone else. They are also just as good as warriors at picking off barb warriors and goblins, with better movement but worse defense.

Next city will go NW of my escort stack, with horses and wheat, taking advantage of elven forest movement (but losing the hammers from the forest chop).

   

[DaveV]

Second city is planted; I appear to be the first to this milestone, but then again, I have the first move in turn order. That also means I need to turn down the research slider to offset increased maintenance.

I forgot to rename the city, but that's the least consequential thing I could have forgotten.

   

[DaveV]

Good thing I posted the demographics while they still looked good. Now I'm tied for last in two of the three most important categories, despite finishing and working my first cottage (on the forest tile W of Bat).

In the far left of the screenshot, you can see an incoming barb skeleton. I'm trying to herd him to the horse tile, where I can attack him with my C1 scout in hopes of earning a subdue animal promotion. Edit: I knew something hostile was out there because my workers woke up between turns.

   

[DaveV]

The skeleton is moving as I planned.

I got one of the worthless temporary happiness events.

   

[DaveV]

I sent my CI scout in against the skeleton at 75%, in search of a second promotion, and lost

Then I sent the unpromoted newly built warrior at 99%, and won, but he's now only at 4/2 XP. These early combats are so swingy, and have huge consequences for the game. Now instead of having an early animal capturing scout, I have a barely better than average warrior. And I need to replace the missing scout. This kind of invalidates my whole tech path. Sigh.

   

[DaveV]

Third city founded, just as a scorpion clan goblin is trying to be annoying. If he keeps moving toward Bat, I'll have another 75% shot at a promotion. If I lose two of those, I'll be bitter indeed.

Note the animals taunting me north of the new city (which I renamed to Crow after taking the screenshot).

   

[shallow_thought]

I guess in an MP game you gotta try to chain those 75% chances and see. It may work out yet. Have fun.

[DaveV]

The goblin advanced on the diagonal toward Bat, as expected, and my newly built scout (barely) killed him. Now the scout is injured and poisoned, so it will take a while before he can charge out to add a few animals to my army.