[SPOILERS] - tales of Brennus, famous Chinese warlord

[Zero_1627]

Celts are nowhere in sight. Keshiks (except 2 of more healthy ones) are nowhere in sight. I began Settler in Beijing and consider whipping it. It'll be 2 pop for speeding settler up by one turn, but speed may be essential - a turn earlier may mean ability to whip City Walls before attack... It's risky, but without taking risks we'll safely lose .

Guangzhou cottages are plundered, but not completely (a few hamlets still stand) - probably by Celts , as Keshiks mostly just passed there. Mines (EDIT: 1 mine) and plantations still stand. I moved some forces there to prevent further plunder.

[Zero_1627]

I whipped Settler - plunging somewhat in score, landing below Mayans. But I want to have Guangzhou 2 running ASAP...
A few Celtic Spearmen (and Guerilla III Archer) are visible near Shanghai (on Celtic territory). Axe ordered, just in case.
Celtic Archer found sniffing near Guangzhou, killed by Spear. We'll see whether it'll be killed back (probable) and by what - the tile is in range of some of my units, so we may be able to kill something back...

EoT Code of Laws is in! Next in line is Civil Service, 707 beakers away...

...and next turn Christianity was founded by Celts... That's their 3rd (4th?) religion... They may get a lot of beakers from Monasteries alone...


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Serdoa seems to be focused on giving victory to AT - Military rating of both Mongol and Mayan civs dropped dramatically, a Great General was born and another one died. So talking about killing "red and green" targets was a bit of misinformation (or wishful thinking). At least Mongol civ shouldn't be a threat to me any longer (I hope!), and TT's score stayed the same - so no cities were destroyed.

I decided to take tech detour to be able to build Monasteries - they may be handy and detour is minimal... Guangzhou is now given proper religion, so in 5t it'll gain more territory. About the same time (well, maybe a bit sooner) I expect to whip City Walls there - with Granary and Forge next in line. But City Walls are a necessity, Guangzhou can't provide cultural defense...
Also, in 3 turns there'll be new Great Person in Beijing - I hope for Scientist to rebuild Academy in Guangzhou. Merchant will settle in Beijing, Prophet - probably too...
I stop building military - let's call it a Researcher's Gambit. Mayans and Mogols military is crippled, mine is acceptable if not really respectable, and I won't be able to invade Celts any time soon - let's try to save on military upkeep costs. Beijing started Parthenon, expected completion time: 5 turns (sooner with forest cuts, long overdue).

Also, I got Celtic research visibility. Next turn they are expected to have Music (more Wonders and Great Artist).

[Zero_1627]

2 turns done. Celtic Worker pastured Sheep on my border, under Spearman protection. Said Spearman was not tough enough - he died by my Axeman (Worker was deleted). Axeman saw a Crossbowman 2 tiles away...

After difficult battle Axe (CI Formation) died, but Crossbow was severely weakened - a Chariot swooped in and won easily.

A minor skirmish, sure, but with positive result: I lost an Axeman (and possibly a Chariot) while killing Celtic Spearman, Crossbowman and Worker.


The fact that Celts already have Crossbowmen is not optimistic . Also, previous turn I saw they are researching Engineering - and have 3 turns left... I don't know if it was from scratch, though. Last turn I saw nothing, despite having enough espionage points for research visibility - possibly they completed something small and didn't have new goal set? Graphs say they returned to money saving... Speaking about small techs - we gained Meditation lately (to meditate on Celtic superiority, no doubt).

Also, new Great Prophet was born in Beijing. I hoped for a Scientist at 60%. Prophet can research Theology or be settled - I think I'll settle in Beijing. +5 base Gold is nice, and Hammers certainly won't hurt.
Also, we have 132 gold in reserve - with settled Prophet that should be enough for Civil Service.

As can be seen on screenshots, Mayans built Great Wall. I was somehow sure it was forbidden - but that's my mistake, I checked my notes and there's nothing about it, must have been allowed after all. Should have checked sooner - Great General bonus is very nice to have and I was able to build it.

[Zero_1627]

As can be seen above, Chariot died to a mighty Horse Archers counterattack. In case those HAs try to move forward (and, say, pillage Silver mine) I moved a pair of Spearmen and 3 Chariots in range (and some more Spears to reinforce Shanghai defenses). This won't stop Celts, but at least may cost them a pair of HAs (Chariots are for another counterattack, if my victorious-but-wounded Spearmen are in turn killed). Just a few XP will give me new Great General, too...

Next turn Guangzhou will whip City Walls and start building Granary.

Techwise, I don't have quite enough saved money to take Civil Service - but will next turn. Also, I think Paper after Civil Service may be worthwhile (University of Sankore - better than TGL, actually...) . Celts research Feudalism, I guess they want Knights too! So The Plan is Civil Service->Paper->Machinery->Engineering - and I hope I'll be able to answer Celtic Knights with my own Pikemen. Also, I count on Guangzhou improving soon and increasing my beaker output significantly... I'll aim for another Great Scientist when possible, too!
After some thought, going for Paper may be too much of a delay to get Engineering in time... We'll see.

[yuris125]

I wouldn't go for Paper, wonders should not be a priority at this point. I think Machinery-Engineering, then backfill to Feudalism, then Guilds

[Zero_1627]

I wouldn't go for Paper, wonders should not be a priority at this point. I think Machinery-Engineering, then backfill to Feudalism, then Guilds

I'm afraid You're right... Wonders do call, though . So Civil Service->Machinery->Engineering, then straight to Guilds (or maybe even Banking right after that - if we're still alive and kicking). Somewhere in this path I'll insert Archery - it's a cheap tech now and it's required for Cho-Ko-Nus.

[Zero_1627]

Great Toynbee has written a book of his life, which told us nothing we didn't know:


In last 2 turns At got Great Artist (Music) and 2 Great People acquired by other means: Prophet and Scientist. Does a tech give one of them? Anyway, I expect an Academy...

We broke 100 base beakers research power (again) - and by modified beakers count no one else has CS - we'll be first to something. Celtic HAs disappeared into fog of war, but silver mine still stands . Celtic Military rating looks grand and rises fast - do Celts plan on military conclusion before Knights? Or they're simply building lots of HAs which will be upgraded to Knights in one go when The Moment comes?
No matter - we must endure (and research)... Parthenon completed, Monastery in Shanghai completed, City Walls in Guangzhou completed. Next in line: Monastery (Beijing), Chichen Itza (Shanghai), Granary (Guangzhou). I decided to build Chichen Itza because I really don't want more army right now and there's no really important infrastructure for Shanghai. And 25% city defense is nice, if not breathtaking.
EDIT: Chichen is still not started (it was second in queue, actually, as first was a Spear to replace losses in recent skirmish). But with incoming Bureaucracy it'll be much faster to build a wonder in Beijing, and I'll build a pair of Macemen in Shanghai when they're available...

[yuris125]

Chichen Itza???????

What do you have against more military and why do you think a huge hammer sink is better?

[Zero_1627]

Chichen Itza???????

What do you have against more military and why do you think a huge hammer sink is better?

City defense may be needed, extra +25% is good. More military costs upkeep, and no units I can build right now can stand up to Knights. Or Crossbowmen. I want to wait with military construction for Cho-ko-nus (and Pikemen later). There are no really important buildings right now (in Shanghai, and in Beijing only Monastery).
Hmm... Maybe build science/gold?... Didn't think of that...

[yuris125]

Extra +25% die to Catapults just like any other city defence. Delay the attacker by a turn at best. Totally worthless

Yes, build Wealth if there's nothing else to build. Although I think Spears are still worth building, with opponents relying mostly on HArchers/Keshiks

Edit after checking the save: definitely build more units in Beijing. If 10 Keshiks show up, we will lose it, and it will be a much worse loss than Guangzhou. Built at least 3 Spears + Walls in Beijing, than we can think about building Wealth (but I would prefer to build some Cats as well, even if we're not going to attack anyone, they're good on defence