[SPOILERS-PBEM15] Mansa Musa of the Ottomans

[Piet]

allright, back home.

Proposed T-I a Nap till T125 last turn - it was too long for him, basically - he offered till T100. Answered this one :

Hi Mark,

can understand that.

There is one problem - I have a NAP till T100 with Ioan - and I dont like NAPs with my neighbours (remember, I have basically all four of you nearby) running out at the same time - although I would be surprised if you would ally with Ioan after his interrupt on your expansion ;-).

Nevertheless I would like the extension to another date, prefered at least 10 turns apart from t100 (so 110 up). What do you say ?

Best regards,

Peter

[Piet]

And T68 in already.

No clue who founded Judaism - it is Ioan or TT, so I dont see it.

Library done in Ankh, boosting my GNP another few points. Switched to worker.

Ankh also grew to 8 this turn. Hired a scientist and am working a coast tile atm (would prefer a second scientist, but not working the tile delays the worker a turn). To be replaced with mines / cottages soon - Morpork will whip next turn and free the plains hill for some turns, and I've finally begun to improve the Grass Hill which I intended to mine on T15 or so .

Apart from this, a quiet turn with quite some city growth (3 pop points alltogether).

Between the library and Sugar/Cottage added by city growth, CoL is due in 2 turns now without moving the slider from 60%.

Map of the core :



Note the settler and 2 workers heading to the northern city site (a chariot is already there). Lancre will be founded in 2 turns.

The West :



Ioans scouting chariot showed up at my border with TT.

Arabia :



Not much to see here. Al Khali is a slow-starter without food in its first ring. this will change with caste. Horses are improved and a second worker is transported by ship.

Demographics :



Back from 2-1-3 to first in the big three. Especially GNP has risen by 15 points this turn without touching the slider.

Power Graphs :



Nothing to worry about for the moment. Thats really good - if everything continues to go as well as at the moment, I see some kind of dogpile coming.

Ioans power increase worried me a few turns ago, but his graph was stagnant the last few turns. Perhaps he is building stables after researching HBR - with only 4 cities (as opposed to 6 or 7 from the rest) some kind of rush has to come from him.

[Piet]

Allright, NAP extension with T-I is suspended atm - he doesn't like to commit till T110 - thats unfortunately but understandable. Our current NAP runs to T90 - I am planning to ask again around T75/80.

Additionally, this one

With Ioan :

Hi Peter,

...

On other hand - I want to start an "ultra-secret & confidential"
discussion with you - if you agree about this non-disclosure condition
...

> Hi Ioan,

NAP until T100 would be fine with me - just check the save and confirm the
NAP extension if everything is allright.

About a discussion - sure, why not. I agree to keep its content secret.
You got my Skpe id so we could use the chat there if you like, or just
propose another medium.

Regards,

Peter

Hi Peter,

OK - checked the save ... let's extend out NAP until T100.

Best regards,

Ioan

Hi Ioan,

Glad to hear that - we have a deal then.

Best regards,

Peter

Hi Peter,

That's great !
Now - regarding the confidential discussion : do you have any NAP or other agreements with TT ? Because the NAP between us will expire in 7-8 turns and I don't want to renew it ...

Best regards,

Ioan

Hi Ioan,

I have a simple NAP with TT till T80, followed by a running NAP (cancelable from each side with a 5 turns cooldown time). So if I had ambitions to visit TT, I could cancel the deal at T80 and take a train to Mali at T85 or 86.

Furthermore, I own TT some turns of wheat (already running) and sugar for him not competing for GLH (he was not very cooperative in this, unlike you for example). So if you see me gifting resources to him - thats why.

Anyway, TT has irritated me quite a little bit in diplo, very difficult to make a deal with without a lot of haggling. He would probably be my prime target if I wanted to attack someone.

The big question is if I would like to go to war this soon. I will think about it.

Best regards,

Peter

So thats where Ioan plans to go - Probably he is really building stables atm ;-).

So what do I do ?
- Join in
or
- Stay aside

First, I have not much desire to cooperate with TT, who will be in a world of hurt, as Jkaen also will be incoming at some time (I suppose Ioan even talked to Jkaen already, as they had some nearly simultaneous thread-updates recently.

Second, if we join and we split TTs lands, our position after this will be not so good, as Ioan and Jkaen probably won't have a common border with another, instead bordering us North & South.

Third, if I don't help either side, they will probably split TT between them and might be further cooperating in the future. Unfortunately the next target that borders both would be us.

Thats where my previous experience with Civ is nearly completely useless :-).

I think Jkaen has a slightly longer NAP with TT, as have I. So I will refrain from committing to more than neutrality until I can discuss the situation with Jkaen - which I can do honestly as soon Ioan declared.

But thats only a first idea, you will probably see me changing my mind a lot over this.

[Piet]

T69 in - short report since I played it just before work. Screenshots will follow.

Code of Laws due next turn. Since no one has landed Confu before I have good chances now :-). Anyway, caste will be a boon to my border cities - and I will also try and push the GS in Pseudopolis a bit.

Whipped the worker in my capital to get rid of a coast tile and the specialist. When Ankh again reaches size 8, an additional mine and a few cottages will be available.

Also whipped the settler in Morpork, as planned. Additionally should help in not getting Confu city there, which surely would hurt relations with T-I.

Next turn, I will have to take a look in other potential whips since caste will mean no whipping for 5 turns.

Sto Helit and Sto Lat grew this turn, Quirm will next one. Bananas at Quirm finished, will start working them at S4.

Lancre will be founded next turn, settler and workers are in position. Nice thing is - its food will take 2 turns to improve, just as long as the artist needs for a border pop.

Apart from this, a rather quiet turn.

[Piet]

Screenshots :

Core


And Demographics


Third in GNP, meh - thats thanks to the whip and probably Judaism HC culture. Also, Ioan built the Hindu Shrine this turn.

[Piet]

T70 done.

CoL (and Confu) in .
The holy city is Morpork, unfortunately, which will not be good for my relations with T-I. Sent him a message.

Hi Mark,

heres your save.

As you will see, I founded Confu this turn. Unfortunately the holy city is Morpork (whipped it last turn to prevent this, but to no avail), so you will really have to hurry with your city in the vicinity. Morporks border pop is in 27T atm, so you should still have some time to found the city and get some culture up.

As always, HF&GL,

Peter

Tech path will now be military (hunting/archery/HBR/construction) and religious (Poly/Mono), then its Metal casting probably.

Lancre was founded in the north, workers are starting to get the pigs up.

I checked for whips (none), then revolted to Confu and Caste and hired the following specialists :

- A third Scientist in Pseudopolis, to get the GS a turn earlier. It is due at T72.
- An artist in Al Khali, Sto Helit and Lancre. This will pop their borders in 2 Turns

build queues :
- Ankh : worker > axe, then switching back to civilian builds
- Morpork : Settler > Worker, military thereafter while regrowing
- Lancre : Starts with granary

When the military techs are in, I will have to build up my forces.

some worker details :
- Bananas were hooked up in Quirm, worker is heading to the capital to get one more cottage up.
- The new worker from Ankh went to the West, to prepare City #9. One of the workers currently mining at Ankh will follow next turn.
- the two workers at Al Khali are currently hooking up the stone a little bit, but have to switch to the sheep next turn, to improve it asap when the cities borders pop.
- Two workers began hooking up pigs at Lancre.
- the rest of the workforce is chopping at Sto Helit or mining at Ankh

After starting the new cities, the next targets will be a good road network and prechopping HG. The Hammam in Sto Lat will be able to be whipped as soon as I go out of caste, then it should be no more than a few turns for HG.

the Map for this turn :



And demographics :



Finally, a question. When I am researching the cheap techs, and create a lot of beaker overflow, will they carry over twice ?

An example with made-up numbers :
If I made 100 beakers per turn
and researched a 40 beaker tech (60 overflow)
then researched another 40 beaker tech,
would i have an overflow of
100 beakers (100 from second turn)
or
120 beakers (100 from second turn & 20 overflow still left from first turn) ?

[novice]

Finally, a question. When I am researching the cheap techs, and create a lot of beaker overflow, will they carry over twice ?

An example with made-up numbers :
If I made 100 beakers per turn
and researched a 40 beaker tech (60 overflow)
then researched another 40 beaker tech,
would i have an overflow of
100 beakers (100 from second turn)
or
120 beakers (100 from second turn & 20 overflow still left from first turn) ?

120 beakers.

[Piet]

Good to hear - thank you very much :-)

[Piet]

Road network plans :



Red lines are roads that will be eventually built.

Thick red lines are priority, important for border security.

I marked a piece with a red circle - that piece is a potential three-fork to the Sto's and Lancre - so very vital for the empires defense - and therefore must be connected really well, preferably from all three directions.

The good thing is these critical roads are in the vicinity of the forests to be chopped for HG, so some synergy there.

I will probably use five workers to get this up and forests prechopped/chopped : The worker currently mining at Ankh, the worker built in Morpork atm, the Lancre workers after hooking up pigs & iron, and the worker currently N of Sto Helit. Will make a detailled plan later.

[Piet]

Games running again ! Played T71 just now.

Jkaen built the colossus - sure nice as financial leader on this map.

We discovered *drumroll* hunting this turn :-). Archery due next turn. Then Poly > Mono (to revolt to OR when switching back to slavery) > HBR or Construction.

Builts :

Pseudopolis : Workboat > Worker
Ankh : Axeman (going west) > Hammam

Spread Confu to Ankh this turn, happy cap is at 9, 11 with the hammam. The mine there is finished and a fourth cottage in production.

Pigs in Lancre connected. I fired the artist, will rehire it for the border pop when Lancre reaches Size 2 (in 3 Turns and on my last caste turn), so I can work the pig all the time. Just mustn't forget it ;-).

Djelibeby, my City #9, will be founded soon - due in 2 Turns. Settler, 2 Workers & a chariot are on their way the the city site. City is not really good, but seals the border to TT and Jkaen, and its coastal, so it should pay for itself.

Screenshots will follow. My GNP with 4*discounted research was 141 this turn btw, at 50% - very nice, only I worry if there will be diplomatic consequences.

Allright, screenshots - first the map of the core :



Then demographics - 5th in production is interesting (although this will change very soon I believe, working copper at Pseud and mine between Ankh/Morpork again next turn), GNP difference to second place is also interesting.