[SPOILERS] Serdoas thread

[Serdoa]

Turnreport: Turn 4

"A.E.I.O.U"


Imperial council

Report:

1. Building Projects
   [noparse]
   [/noparse]
   • Austria: Worker
     
   [noparse]
   [/noparse]
   
2. Research
   [noparse]
   [/noparse]
   • Agriculture
     

Evidenzbureau

Report:

Nothing new to report.


Minister of Military

Report:

Inca: 1 Warrior
Maya: 1 Warrior
Ottomans: 1 Warrior
HRE: 1 Warrior

[Serdoa]

Turnreport for the turn I've played today in the morning will come in the afternoon. Demographics have changed slightly but I had no time to go over it.

For now (as my reports are obviously so boring that nobody even wants to comment on them): If somebody can tell me the meaning of A.E.I.O.U he will get a cookie. If he can do it without using the internet, he will get even more. And if he does it without the internet AND guesses the meaning I meant... well I am certain that nobody will.

[Serdoa]

Turnreport: Turn 5

"A.E.I.O.U"


Imperial council

Report:

1. Building Projects
   [noparse]
   [/noparse]
   • Austria: Worker
     
   [noparse]
   [/noparse]
   
2. Research
   [noparse]
   [/noparse]
   • Agriculture
     

Evidenzbureau

Report:

Maya received Agriculture.


Minister of Military

Report:

Inca: 1 Warrior
Maya: 1 Warrior
Ottomans: 1 Warrior
HRE: 1 Warrior

[Serdoa]

Turnreport: Turn 6

"A.E.I.O.U"


Imperial council

Majesty,

we found today the lands of a civilization, calling themselves "Ottomans". Their leader is Twinkletoes. We have not yet contacted him, but will soon do.

Yours respectfully,
<unreadable signature>

Report:

1. Building Projects
   [noparse]
   [/noparse]
   • Austria: Warrior
     
   [noparse]
   [/noparse]
   
2. Research
   [noparse]
   [/noparse]
   • Bronze Working
     

Evidenzbureau

Report:

Ottoman received Pottery.


Minister of Military

Report:

Inca: 1 Warrior
Maya: 1 Warrior
Ottomans: 1 Warrior
HRE: 1 Warrior

[Serdoa]

Ok, so something weird is going on. Ottomans received EOT6 a tech. Now, that would not be weird on its own, but looking at their figures for the past turns:

EOT 0: 12 beaker
EOT 1: 12 beaker
EOT 2: 12 beaker
EOT 3: 12 beaker
EOT 4: 12 beaker
EOT 5: 13 beaker
--------------------
Total: 73 beaker

That would be enough for Pottery right there, but they did not receive a tech EOT 5. So I assumed that they are going for AH. Now, AH is a 92 beaker tech, so it would take them 2 more turns. Unfortunately (for me) they have received a tech EOT6. That gives 85-86 beaker. No tech does have that cost associated with it. So, did TT change his tech? It has to be a change from Pottery to AH (as those are the only 2nd tier techs he can research and he would not have gotten extra beakers for it otherwise), probably after the first turn as I cannot believe that he would research a tech for some turns, then change it for one and then go on with researching it. Now, why would he do something like that? It cannot be to make it harder for people who look at the demos, because AH would have

a) taken a turn more and
b) changed his soldier points

So, if that isn't it, what is the reason? He probably started with AH for one turn. AH would have taken till EOT7. Now, as he has Agri and the Wheel his worker would have had something to do (oh yeah, I forgot to tell: everyone started with a worker it seems) between EOT5 when he is finished and EOT7 - did he change because he has no AH-resource in his BFC and could also not see one nearbye (as it is the case for me)? Did he misclick?

Hard to tell - but there is one good thing about it: I can ask him, because I found his borders:

[Serdoa]

So, first diplo message for me this game sent. You can read it below and so that you don't have to ask yourself afterwards what my ideas are, I have posted my already existing draft for them below.

Hi TT,

It seems my warrior stumbled upon your borders last turn. So, this is my greeting message

As this early contact indicates we are not far off from each other. So please forgive me if my question is a little bit direct, but as you seem to have scouted in the other direction, did you already meet someone else to your north or west? As I do not want to ask for something without giving first: I haven't met anyone except you so far, but my feeling tells me that if you are that close others will be as well.

That also leads to another point: Even if we only have met and this being a NTT, we still should start to talk about where we want to head - or at least if we want to head together in a certain direction. Working together might prove useful, especially if the others are as close as we are. And not only for that reason. I have some ideas in mind but I would need you first to agree to hold them confidential.

Kind regards,
Serdoa

PS: As you might know English is not my first language. So if something sounds "silly" or unfriendly, please ask me directly if I really meant it that way, ok?

- you are charismatic and might find stonehenge useful therefore. If we find a way together, I could assure you that I would not compete with you for it. As the others are Creative or have a Granary with +2 culture, they will not be as interested in this wonder anyway, so without me competing you could be pretty sure about landing it. And don't get me wrong, I would like to have this wonder (and be pretty sure to get it by turn 20 latest, whereas you will have to research Myst first), but I would be ok with not getting it as I can see that it would help you much more

- with charismatic you might consider a religion (I can see how nice it would be to not have to go for Monarchy right away with a happy cap of 8 with only Cha, Monument, Temple and religion) - I know that Inca is the only one who could be going for one right now, and I doubt that - in the end all others then use are (semi-)creative and do not need culture; it should be possible for one of us to land one and spread it to the other (and yes, also here I am not inclined to be the one who is the owner of the religion and therefore of the shrine - if you rather want it for the shrine, I would be happy to spread it in my lands and also help you get knowledge about if somebody is researching one)


I really would like to work together on those points with him, as I have realized that we are to close together to even get each one city next to our capitals and each other. So we really have to find a way to coexist. And I rather be friendly and give him some bonus (like not going for SH even though I would win, if he wants it) as to fight him.

[Serdoa]

TT answered my message and we chatted a little bit today. I will not post all of it here, but give a short summary.

I told him my two ideas I posted above but he told me that he would not compete with me either for SH nor for a religion. Well for the religion was pretty clear, for SH I am wondering a bit. Anyway, that led to a not so good situation, as I had one other point for which I wanted his agreement. This point was about settling. We have a real big issue here, because our capitals are 9 tiles from each other, what is really awfully close and the best-cottage site for me is exactly in that direction. I have told him that I will settle there, probably on turn 18. That means that I will probably border his capital with this city fairly soon. We have finally agreed that he will scout in my direction to get a idea how it looks like (as we are not allowed to trade maps till paper).

I am not really sure if that was the best decision on my part. He certainly could decide that he does not allow it or ask for more then what I am willing to give. Or he could think about attacking me. On the other hand, we ARE that close that we either have to find a way to coexist now or get a quick solution. Otherwise we both will be dragged down for a good part of the game. Let's see what the next turns will bring.

What I am still wondering though is how the map looks like. If my assumption about the landtiles is correct, there should be nearly 300 for everyone of us. Now, still our capitals are that close. That probably means that we are all close together on a smaller continent and that there are either islands or islands and continents out there. That would mean that scooters decision to go for fishing first (certainly helped by having Agri from the start) could get him in a really good position if he starts scouting. Well and if he is able to and we do not need a unit which can go over ocean for that.

One last point TT told me was that he did not change his research for Pottery from the start. Now, that means that he has got 12 beakers a turn (10+2 pre-req with wheel/agri if I understood the calculation right) for 0,1,2,3,4 and as everyone except for HRE had a foodyield of 5 at EOT 5 he worked the corn the last round and got 13 (11+2). 5 rounds each 12 + 1 round 13 gives 73 - which is exactly enough for Pottery, so he should have got it EOT 5. Though he only got it EOT6 and he told me when I asked that he was short a beaker or so. Something which is not possible by the data I have. I will have to think about that. He either does lie to me or something with the data is messed up. If it is the first, then things could go sour soon. Not because I want to, but because if he is lying about something I knowed already (and he knowed that I knowed) then he might also lie about other stuff.

[Serdoa]

I am struggling with Demos and I think that is due to somebody doing some "interesting" stuff. Lets take a look at my table:



The cells in green are the ones which I am sure are right. I have gone over the demos for those turns several times and I have screenshots for every combination necessary (as example if the demos tell me that highest GNP is 18 and lowest ist 16, I have screenshots for my own GNP of 16, 17 and 18).

Turn 6 is where it is starting to get weird. I know from the demos that we had an average of 4, with 5 highest, 4 lowest. I am ranked 4th with 4 food, so somebody is behind me with 4 who is not HRE (as the go before me when it's a tie), and 3 are in front of me, means at least 2 have to have 5 food and only HRE could have 4 or 5. Now if I change to have 5 food, I am ranked 1st, so HRE does too not have 5 food. That gives 5, 5, 4 (HRE), 4.

Doing the same with the MfG gives us 4, 4 (HRE), 2, 2. That makes sense as it means HRE and another player are working the forested ivory. The other two working the wet corn (or another food source which gives 3 food, 1 commerce - that can already be seen on the turn 5 demos, where everyone except me and HRE has gone for that tile).

On to the GNP. Best 19, Worst 17, Avg 18. We know that HRE has 18, as I am ranked 1st with 19 and HRE with creative has to have at least 18. When I change my GNP to 18, I am obviously ranked 3rd. We have for sure 19, 18 (HRE), 18, 17. I can not be 19, 18 (HRE), 17, 17 as that gives an average of 17.75. I still have set my GNP to 17, only to be sure, and I was ranked 4th, so only one with 17.

That leaves us for turn 6 with the following to distribute

1. 3/0/1 - 19 GNP (Cre or Prereq-research)
2. 2/0/2 - 18 GNP (Cre or Prereq-research)
3. 3/0/1 - 17 GNP (Neither Cre nor Prereq-research)

Now that is the point where the fun starts. Ottomans have got there score increase for a researched tech EOT6, so that means the have finished Pottery with this research. Pottery would give Prereq-research, so they can not be the one with 17 GNP. Maya is creative, so they also cannot be the one with 17 GNP. That only leaves Inca. But Inca has had a GNP of 19 on turn 5 and 18 on turn 4 - that is a prereq-research. Why would they change after 2 turns of research? That is the same weird stuff as Twinkle not getting the tech finished on EOT5.

I could believe that TT has changed his mind after a turn of research but scooter too now? Already at the start of the game? Really, that does seem wrong. Yeah, TT could have put one turn research into something different (or saved gold for whatever reason). And also scooter could have forgotten that his worker will have nothing worthwhile to do at EOT 10-11, depending where his wet corn is. But why would he not think about that after he researched Fishing?

Last possibility would be that the others also found out how near we are to each other (yes, I assume that TT and I are not the only ones right next to each other) and scooter changed therefore targets from Sailing (?) to Hunting -> Archery.

Well, it is also possible that scooter saved gold for one turn and TT is the one with 16 GNP on turn 7 - I forgot to ask him if he is researching Writing now. Maybe I should do that, for soon to have open borders.

Anyway - either I am screwing up here completely or I am doing everything right with the demos and somebody else screws around. No clue.

[Serdoa]

Ok, turn 8. Maya (SleepingMoogle) got a score increase. Has to be either Hunting or Fishing. As he also got a increase in soldier points of 2000 I am not able to tell that yet.

For now I gave him Fishing and a warrior.

Other then that, everyone finished a worker, is building something and the GNP weirdness is still not explained.

TT did not say anything, but he has now a warrior in his cap (I was on the SW diagonal tile of it with mine). I moved away to not freighten him - and landed next to his worker. Could have known that as that is the spot where my corn is too.

Anyway, I guess as I will do no harm he will maybe see that a sign that I am really try to be friends. Or he is already plotting war against me, who knows.

Last point: I am building a warrior and waiting on BW.

I guess thats it. If somebody wants to know more, ask.

[Serdoa]

Scooter and TT received a tech. So I guess that means (without checking demos now) that everyone researched one of the starting techs? I will have to recheck my numbers it seems. Well, but not today, I have to go to bed. So only one thing if you are wondering: I refrained from taking TTs worker. I could and I probably would have been able to set my warrior the turn afterwards on a forested hill, but I decided against that. As I said, I want to work with him and I think it does not make sense to anger him, even if it would have put him in behind quite a bit.