[Spoilers] Woden takes on the World (PBEM18)

[Woden]

Turn 218
Open the save to find all my units survived...



Kaiser must have realized it was pointless to attack and leave his units exposed. He also shifted units around a bit. The artillery has disappeared and I suspect it is hiding in Klyden and the army field cannon in Steve Newton has moved out of the city. If I were him, I would be setting up a defensive line east of Kelly Grayson, south to Klyden, following the mountains and pack the area with units. No sure if this is what he is doing but he did leave an army anti-tank in the open and in range of my airplanes. I start there and kill the antitank crew with my planes. Then, I move the tank on the sheep and pillage the lumbermill he was standing on. Next, I pillage the library at Claire Finn and can finally take the city by shooting it with my artillery and using 1 tank...



Looking at Kaiser's empire, I am going to go after Kelly Grayson and Ed Mercer next, then move on to Gordon Malloy. I hope Ichabod heads south after taking Steve Newton. I think a good split would be Ichabod can have everything west of Talla Keyali, but not sure if I want him to get Talla Keyali. It has some incense and I am going to need all the luxuries I can get with such a large empire. Regardless, Kelly Grayson, Ed Mercer, and Gordon Malloy are Kaiser's best cities, or at least the ones with the best wonders. I did leave a tank southeast of Claire Finn in case Kaiser has plans to try and retake the city. This will stop any direct attack on the city. The tank is in range of an artillery in Klyden but Kaiser will have to have something more to kill the tank, so if he wants it gone, he will have to expose more units in range of my planes. 

Canada came asking for a friendship. I wasn't sure if I wanted to accept, since he still has a few units hanging around watching the action and don't know if he would try and get in the way if I accepted. He has been pretty good at keeping his distance though, so I accept. I have no plans on invading him. Ichabod also came with a cryptic deal. He gave me 1 diplo favor? I am not sure what that means but I did look at the gossip and he did denounce England this turn...



Maybe he wanted to point it out to me and figured I would check the gossip, IDK. I accepted it and sent it back to him. I would only lose it on my next turn, as I am still getting -10 diplo favor for excessive grievance. I am not sure if it is bugged, I still have over 500 grievances with Brazil (him on me) and they don't seem to be decaying, even though we are in a military alliance and fighting the same person. I did look and it seems I got 50 grievances twice for capturing Bologna. At least I don't have grievances for capturing La Venta anymore. I still do for capturing Fez on T86. Anyways, back to what Ichabod wanted. I think he is looking to turn my focus to suboptimal. Maybe he is thinking the same as me, that suboptimal is trying a cultural victory or maybe he is just trying to steer my aggression in his direction. Doesn't really matter. My attention is already on suboptimal. I think he is the only one left to hurt once Kaiser falls. Ichabod is about at tech parity with me but if I get a big chunk of Kaiser's more developed cities, I should be able to pull away. I think Ichabod's best play is going to help with Kaiser, then hope I go after suboptimal, then it will be open for him to go after Canada. After that, IDK, it might be a game between us but that is a little ways away. 

He is my core...



I get my first bomber next turn. I am going to rebase him at Bologna, then can us him the turn after. Also, I have gotten a significant number of builders out and still need a bunch more. Helm's Deep has a bunch of new lumbermills and actually has a decent production for not having an industrial zone. There is still a little work there and then I will start on my coastal cities and Hobbiton. My core cities are pretty much fully developed, I have filled in the last of the open tiles with trees and lumbermills and have made progress at the Black Gate/Moria area. I still do need to get a settler out somewhere and settle oil city, otherwise, everywhere is going to shift to military units once I get the builders out and finish up on the military academies for the boost to Fascism.

The era changes next turn and I will have a heroic age. Loyalty with stabilize at Bologna but I am not sure about Claire Finn. I think I will still need to take Kelly Grayson and Ichabod needs to take Steve Newton before Loyalty stabilizes there. I will probably move Victor down to Bologna to help out with loyalty. The turn after next is the world congress and I am hoping for the resolution to make units cheaper to build, or more expensive. If it becomes a build off of cheap units, I have a pretty nice income to support a bunch more and have plenty of oil to support modern units. I will hook up my first oil platform at The Grey Haven next turn and can hook up some more oil at Porto Alegre when I get a builder over to it. That will bring me to 18 per turn and will have 3 more sources I can work to hook up.

Overall, I think my war against Kaiser will start to speed up with the bombers starting to hit the war zone. I also was able to take out the walls on the encampment at Ed Mercer this turn and will start working on the city walls next turn.

[Woden]

Turn 219
The sun has come across Phoenicia and a new age of enlightenment has risen...



I take all but Hic Sunt Draconses for my dedications. The extra movement over water and additional loyalty would be useful but probably the least useful of the bunch. Ichabod also got a heroic age. Suboptimal and Kaiser are in golden ages and poor Canada is stuck in a normal age.

Looking at the war front...



Kaiser killed an army tank by Claire Finn and a single tank up by Ed Mercer. To do it though, he left a bunch of units exposed. Ichabod also captured Steve Newton. Before I see what I can do about Kaiser's exposed units, I use the free policy swap to change policies...



I change thinks up a bit and go with a little more unconventional set-up. I drop a couple of gold generating policies (Triangle Trade and the 2 upkeep card) and the +2 card for renaissance walls, for Veterancy, National Identity, and the Oligarchic Legacy cards. Veterancy to speed up my military academies and a few harbor builds. National Identity to help fight Kaiser and the legacy card to bring my muskets into the war. With the legacy card, my army muskets beat out an army antitank crew by a few CS. No reason not to use them. I also switch research to Replaceable Parts for future Infantry upgrades. Electricity is a 1 turn and it can wait a few turns.

I start working on Kaiser in the north, where he used an army antitank crew and a single one to kill my single tank. I blast the single one with my injured battleship, killing it. Then, moved up my army field cannon to shot it, followed by a hit from my army musket. Finally, killed it with the injured army tank near Bologna.

Down south, I started the blood bath by killing the lone antitank crew with my army field cannon. Then hit both army antitank crews with 2 planes, my army artillery, the city defenses, and an army tank. I don't remember the order but both died and I have 2 tanks left for the army field cannon. First one should it would kill it with 1-shot but teh thing survived with 1 or 2 health, so I killed it with my second tank.

Here is how the end of the battle looked...



I brought up my balloon to take a look in Kylden and found his artillery, as suspected. My less healthy tank south of Claire Finn might die by artillery fire.

Overall, I killed 3 army antitank crews, 2 lone antitank crews, and an army field cannon. A total of 468 MP, all for the cost of one army and one lone tank, or 177 MP. I am not sure what he built on his turn and since the MP score is delayed until the start of your next turn, not sure how much he has in the fog. His current MP shows 552 but I can still see an army artillery, an army antitank crew and a lone field cannon, which is more than the 96 MP remaining when you account for his loses. Although I have lost a few army tanks over the last few turns, I have been able to take more MP than I lose and that is how you win wars. No, dancing around to protect your units at all costs. No, attack and kill. Just make sure you have more than the other guy.  I do have to start considering having all my cities build units soon. Next turn I should be able to pillage for enough gold to upgrade another army chariot, so at least I can reinforce. I will finish Totalitarianism in 4 turns and swap to the +50% on cavalry units and build as many tanks as I can. I hooked up the oil at The Gray Havens and hooked up the one at Porto Alegres. That gives me 6 sources right now, so 18 modern units, and my stores are full and can support more for a bit, if needed. 

Here is my core...



I chopped the market out at Hobbiton and a builder out at Porto Alegre. No units are being built at the moment but that will change in a few turns. Rohan finished my new toy (a bomber) and it moved to Bologna to start hitting Kelly Grayson. I think 2 turns of bombardment with the bomber and artillery should bring the walls down enough to take the city, then it should only take another turn to capture Ed Mercer. One battleship hit his capital this turn and both will continue to remove the walls until I can take the city. I might even be able to take Gordon Malloy the following turn, hitting it with a bomber, artillery, and 2 battleships. I will need all my tanks though, so not sure. It might take 2 turns. After Gordon Mallory, I will head southwest to take Klyden and hopefully Talla Keyali before heading east. I want to leave Kaiser's eastern holdings until last because they will be covered by suboptimal's loyalty and I will need the ones west of them to be loyal to me before I take them. 

I bought an apostle this turn to grab Crusade. Now that the era has changed, I can fill my religion and Crusade will give me some bonuses if Kaiser able to scrap together a force big enough to retake a city. I have been converting them as I take them. Next turn will be the World Congress.

[Woden]

Turn 219-World Congress
World Congress gathers to discuss free stuff. The 2 resolutions are Heritage Organization and Mercenary Companies. Heritage Organization's options are to double or no tourism for a great works type and Mercenary Companies is the unit production cost doubler or half cost. This could get interesting. There is also the diplomatic points and world fair options. Here is how I voted...
   

I only get my free votes since I have a negative diplo favor rate (nobody likes me   ). I went for no tourism for artifacts, since it will slow down suboptimal's tourism. And I went for half costs units using production. I could have went for double cost to slow down Kaiser's reinforcements but would rather have fun kill units. Also, it will get my bombers out quicker, so I can take his cities quicker. Three turn bombers are better than 6 turn ones. If it passes, most cities will switch to units.

[Woden]

Turn 220
The results of the World Congress are in...



Artifacts won't provide tourism for the next 30 turns, units will cost -50%, Kaiser dumped a bunch of favor for 2 diplo points, and there will be a World's Fair. Sub losing tourism from artifacts is a big hit for him. In fact, I am now making more tourism than him (158 (me) to 133 (him)). Not sure if this is going to change his game plan, will have to track his MP over the duration of our alliance. The discount on units passed means I have to be careful this turn. If Kaiser has a bunch of units in production that are more then half complete, they will all finish this turn. The plan will be to pull back and see if there is a bunch of new units next turn. Here is how it looked at the beginning of the turn...



Surprisingly, he was able to kill 2 army tanks but also left Kelly Grayson undefended. I have to be careful the few turns. I am down to 3 army tanks (4 after upgrading a chariot at Bologna) and one is healing still. I do have a new toy this turn. I have my bomber at Bologna hit Kelly Grayson after the artillery bombard the city...



114 versus 84, these cities are going to fall fast. The bomber took out 84 HP off the defenses. I might be able to take it next turn but might wait another turn to minimize damage to my remaining tanks. Both fighters promote this turn and I kill the army antitank crew in the north. Everything else regroups in Bologna...



My artillery could be lost this turn if Kaiser moves his artillery and has something in the fog to kill it. I started another bomber in Rohan and it is due in 3 turns. In 6 turns, I will have 3 bombers and should be able to reduce walls on a city enough to capture on them in 1 turn. I should be able to conquer Kelly Grayson, Ed Mercer, and Gordon Malloy over the next 10 turns, maybe sooner.

In other news, I placed my first seaside resort for 3 era points...



I am going to place a few of these for gold generation. Here is my core...



I switched Gondor to an army tank. I have a few cities that will finish their current builds next turn and will switch to units next turn. I kept Totalitarianism in for another turn. I will be over the boost limit and waste a few clefts but I would rather get into Fascism a turn early than worry about waste research. I am not 100% if the pillaged military academy at Claire Finn counts towards and I will get the boost once Rivendell's finishes or if I need to wait until Helm's Deep to finish, so either 2 or 3 turns. Osgiliath still has to repair its coal plant, then will build a tank before it can build its aerodrome. I think Gondor is going to build army tanks and everywhere else will build lone tanks. The lone tanks will be decoys to draw Kaiser's units for my fighters to kill while the army tanks go for the cities.

One thing I need to work into my production queues are engineers. Research is going into computers and I need engineers in place when it completes so I can build flood barriers, especially at La Venta and Mount Doom, before I completely lose the tiles there. I don't know if I can save the theater square but I am going to try.

[Woden]

Turn 221
Kaiser only has a small increase in MP (~20) but anything coming out on his previous turn won't show up until next turn, like the army tank sitting in Kelly Grayson when I opened the save. Kaiser didn't attack any units on his turn, so I bombard KG again...



Damage is definitely less due the higher defensive strength of the city. I still think I can take it next turn if Canada moves his unit. I send Canada a trade of 105 for 105, in hopes that he connects it with the city strength and moves his unit. A pretty big stretch but it is the only way to convey my plan. I will need all four attack angles to be able to take the city and still I am not sure if I will be able to take it. I am going to try regardless. It will also trap the tank and I can kill it the following turn. If I take the city, I should be able to take his capital the following turn.

In other news, Ichabod came asking for 15 oil. I give it to him, as I need him to occupy any units down by his front. One thing I have not realized yet in this game, if you repair walls and it takes more than 1 turn, you gain health on the walls as you repair them. I started repairing Claire Finn's walls last turn and the gained a bunch of health this turn even though the repairs are not complete. My first build in every new city I conquer will be to repair the walls and make it harder for Kaiser to recapture his cities if he is able to put together a strike force. Once his capital falls, I should be able to hold the cities I capture. I am a little curious as to why I haven't seen any tanks until now. He has some oil stored and if I were him, I would be producing tanks just to weaken my units. If you sacrifice the tanks, they won't cost maintenance and you would be slowing me down because I would have to stop my advance and heal.

Totalitarianism is over the boost, so I switch to Cold War. I also switch research to finish Electricity and will go for Computers for flood barriers next. I might be able to beat climate change submerging my flooded tiles if I build military engineers at Rivendell and send them to Mount Doom and La Venta.

[Woden]

What was the reason you made peace with Brazil earlier? Your conquest was going well, then I didn't follow for a while, and when I came back the war was over but Ichabod still had many cities. This war also seems to be going well, congrats on the military successes

Thanks!

Opportunity was the reason for peace! I needed to peace out either Ichabod or Kaiser because they had a military alliance I couldn't get one because Canada and England also had a military alliance. My army tanks were getting near equal odds with Ichabod's cuirassiers thanks to the  military alliance and DotF. I needed peace so I could either improve my odds against Ichabod or shift my attention against Kaiser and not be exposed to attack from Ichabod. I asked Kaiser for straight peace and he came back with some ridiculous counteroffer for all my eastern cities. No thanks! I was going to next offer Ichabod peace and give him back Porto Alegre and let him keep Misty Mountains but as it happened, he came asking for straight peace (keeping our spoils of war) on the same turn I was going to send him my deal.

As it happened, it ended the best possible way at the time. Peace with Ichabod, who is a lot better at war than Kaiser, and allowed me to shift focus at a much easier opponent, both is skill and terrain on the approach.

[Woden]

Turn 222
Open the save to...



And...



Looks like the Military Academy in Claire Finn does count towards the 3 needed for the boost. Time to become a Fascist Dicator. Here are my current policies...



Massive jump in science (156.3 to 201.7) and gold (146.2 to 298.7). Looking at the front, no real changes. I check and my tank has movement...



This may be a reason to limit railroads, but I guess the tank does have 6 movement points. Because I can trap his tank in Kelly Grayson, I attack with everything. I start by shooting it with both field cannons, both planes, the army artillery, and my bomber. Then bring up my 4 army tanks (including the half healed one in Rivendell's encampment. Before I attack, I pillage his aqueduct for gold, then hit the city with all 4 tanks and have just barely enough...



Awesome! Ichabod was also able to take Cassius on his turn...



I see Kaiser has moved his artillery to Gordon Malloy. His capital will fall next turn, then I need to decide if I go for Klyden or Gordon Malloy. If I go for Klydon, it opens Bortus while Ichabod works on Talla Keyali. Gordon Malloy is a huge producer for Kaiser so it might be better to attack there first to prevent more reinforcements from being built, but will leave the possibility of Klyden and Bortus falling to Ichabod. I should be able to capture Klyden in 2 turns but Gordon Malloy might take 3 or 4. Not sure how long Talla Keyali will take Ichabod. Maybe I can judge it next turn, when I see what kind of damage Ichabod has done to the city. I can live with not capturing Talla Keyali but need Bortus for the incense and silk. Maybe I will push on Klyden and by the time I shift to Gordon Malloy, I should have 2 more bombers out (1 next turn). 


Also, taking Kelly Grayson gave me another policy swap since it held the potato palace. I slot the diplo card that provides +2 loyalty to cities with Governors. Capturing Gordon Malloy will give me Big Ben and I will have all the wonders that provide a policy slot.

[Woden]

Turn 223
Open the turn to a grip of stuff finishing...



The military academy finishes at Helm's Deep. Tanks finish at Osgiliath and Erebor, both start another one. Rohan finishes a bomber, La Venta finishes a battleship, and Rivendell finishes an engineer. Helm's Deep and Rivendell start engineers and Rohan starts another bomber. Over at the front...



Kaiser moved his artillery into Ed Mercer and almost killed one of my battleships. Those things  are deadly. Good thing he moved it to the city and I can take it out this turn. I hit the city with both battleships. Then bring up my 2 field cannons and artillery to hit the city. Not enough to forgo the bomber, so it bombs the city. Next, it is time for tanks. I move each tank up, pillage the industrial zone, then move into position. I am also able to pillage the aqueduct. Hit the city with 3 tanks, then with my fourth tank...



Capture the city. I also pillaged the campus with my privateer. In total, I pillaged 4X for science and once for gold. The science brings down Computers from 5 turn to 1. Finally, I pop one of Kaiser's balloons he had just west of Klyden with my single tank hanging out in Bologna (a chariot upgrade from a few turns ago). Here is the current front...



Ichabod has not pushed on Talla Keyali yet. He has an army artillery and a biplane (so no Advanced Flight yet). Also seen in the screenshot, Kaiser has a machine gun, which means we can expect anti-aircraft guns soon. I think I will push on Klyden next turn. If Kaiser leaves it unguarded, we might even be able to take it in one turn. I placed an airstrip northwest of Kelly Grayson and moved my new bomber there. It can reach both Klyden and Gordon Malloy. Once I take Klyden, I will place another one on the open grassland tile north of Klyden. Then I should be able to reach the rest of Kaiser's cities.

Also note, all of my recent captures are gaining loyalty to me and will not revolt. I don't even need a governor in Ed Mercer. Unfortunately, I now have 10 cities displeased thanks to the new pick ups. Next turn, I will buy a naturalist at Porto Alegre for 6 amenities. I have places for 2 more once I get the faith. I want to say Kaiser has about 10 turns left but might take a little longer as my tanks need to heal and I will need a turn to reposition my bombers once Klyden and Gordon Malloy fall.

[Woden]

Turn 224
Open the save to...



I slot Combined Arms for the ability to build aircraft carriers and find out where uranium is located. Looking at the front with Egypt...



Ichabod has a General next to Klyden. Not sure if he is trying to slow me down, or leaving an opening for his units if I attack and fail to take the city, or hoping I shift focus if I was planning on taking the city. Too bad I think I still have enough to take it. I figure I need 3 tank attacks and I can get 3 next to the city. I start by hitting it with both bombers and my artillery. Then hit it with both fighters, an army field cannon, and a single field cannon. A new army tank comes down from Gondor and 2 of the healthier army tanks come over from Ed Mercer and...



The city is mine. Three cities in 3 turns. I also decide to pillage the campus at Gordon Malloy with a couple of tanks and my privateer, shaving a couple of turns off of Combined Arms. I did end up leaving on of my army tanks within range of Gordon Malloy's city attack but he will survive unless Kaiser brings his tank out to play or brings up the army antitank southeast of the city. Either way, I may lose a tank but will kill another one of his units and frankly, I don't mine losing a units or 2. I am building an army tank pretty much every turn with a bunch of cities producing tanks. I have noticed that the UI is buggy with all the production bonuses (50% for Fascism, 50% for policy, 15% from golden age dedication, and -50% cost) I am getting. Tanks that say they will finish in 2 turns are finishing in 1 and the bomber at Rohan said 3 turns last turn but is now at 1 turn.

Here is my core empire...



Osgiliath finally reached size 16 and started an aerodrome. I am pretty sure I won't build any planes out of there right away. I want a seaport there and then pump out ships for suboptimal. Rohan can 2 turn planes and I will hit my aluminum limit soon anyways. I am still building the aerodrome for future use. I am also building engineers where I can to quickly get up flood barriers before the seas rise again in 5 turns. I should be able to save the tiles at La Venta and Mount Doom where the tiles that will get submerge and lost for good are located.

Next turn, I start working on Gordon Malloy. It will take a few turns to bombard but I can take the time and pillage all the mines around the city.

[Woden]

Turn 225
Open the save and see that my spy at Gordon Malloy has finished his mission and starts another. Also, see that somebody has stolen a boost at Rivendell. That could be only Egypt or Canada. Looking at the front...



Kaiser has launched a desperate offensive, killing 2 army tanks and an army field cannon. In doing so, he left an army tank, 3 army antitank crews, a single antitank crew, and an army machine gun in the open. I don't think I can take a city this turn, so lets kill Kaiser's army. I start off with taking out both army antitank in the south with my fighters, then move on to kill all the units in the open and still have 2 bombers to bomb Gordon Malloy, taking 102 HP off the walls. Here is where  everything ended...



His military power is only 655 and he did lose Talla Keyali to Ichabod this turn. I think all he has left for military has to be the lone artillery in the encampment and the lone antitank in Gordon Malloy. I finished another bomber and send him to the airstrip north of Kelly Grayson. Gordon Malloy will fall next turn and then I should be able to take a city per turn afterwards, meaning if Ichabod can take Kaiser's city north of Venice next, Kaiser will be out of the game in 4 turns, 5 turns max.

Another note, Canada is blocking Gordon Malloy's industrial zone. I hope he moves next turn so I can pillage it. Ichabod came offering spice and incense for coffee and truffles. I accept. I think I am already getting spice from him but don't currently have incense. It would be nice to have Brazil dependent on me for luxuries, as it will shift his focus on Canada, rather than turning north and we punch it out again. I really want to attack suboptimal next. In fact , I am imagining the game ending with me razing a bunch of suboptimal's cities and then shooting a bunch of nukes at Ichabod's core the turn our alliance ends. It would be an epic end to an epic game...but that is a little down the road.

Here is the current city status...



It looks like all my war wariness is focused on my recent captures, which is good, since my core 4 cities (Gondor, Rohan, Osgilath, and Erebor) have enough amenities from entertainment to not need luxuries and will be content is they have no war wariness. I sure things will shift around but stull nice to know. I do place another national park at Porto Alegre for 6 more amenities. Next naturalist costs 900 and will put a park at Bologna. It will be nice when Kaiser is dead and I lose all this war wariness.

Finally, I have flood barriers going up at La Venta and Mount Doom, with the help of some engineers. I think each engineer charge completes 15% or 20% of the production cost. I should be able to beat the next sea rise in 4 turns and won't lose any tiles. Then, I will work on the next flooded tiles.