[54 Spoilers] Nothing to see here! Miguelito and Rusten's max score game

[Miguelito]

Cairo has in Santiago: 7 elephants, 3 horse archers, 3 pikes, 2 swords, 11 cats. Plus the stack of 3 pikes and 4 horchers that was on the NE cape last turn and got evacuated. Had he thrown all of that onto our stack 2 turns ago it would have caused a lot of pain, bordering stackwipe.
Good thing he did not expect my tactical foolhardiness and preferred exile.

The best (and funniest) way forward is Cairo holing up in Santiago and then immediately taking Madrid after Vanrober eliminates naufragar.
Just make sure you don't lose the AP city

I've been picturing this as well, but vanrober is bringing a sentry Keshik, so he should see what Cairo has in store for him when he moves forward next turn.... unless Cairo somehow hides it.

Sure going to take care with the AP city, but there's not going to be a huge danger anytime soon: We can block the channel effiently - Cairo lost 2 triremes killing our forward one from last turn's shot, and we have 3 in the area already, and then soon caravels. And otherwise they'd have to build the ships in Madrid, which will at most be size 2 upon capture. Well Cairo could build a channel, have to look out for that (SW of Santiago we'll see easily, but S or SE of it would be difficult to spot. That's actually a good opportunity for him to do some spiteful revenge strike... hm, we could place a ship in the lake NW of Madrid to get a warning... edit: if we still can get there before it gets conquered that is.

[Rusten]

What do we have in KGB right now, BTW? Should probably stuff it with some longbows to stop the other continent from getting any ideas soon.
IMO finish optics this turn and then paper, unless we're in need of the calendar happiness, in which case I'm OK with fitting that in. And on that note, don't bother getting a plantation for all of our unimproved dyes, especially with upcoming golden ages it's better to watermill them. I don't expect we'll be able to trade them all away.

[Rusten]

I don't think you can chain irrigate through cities that are on hills, btw (see your Komintern notes). Unless CtH changed this for whatever reason.

[Charriu]

Rusten is right. You cannot irrigate through cities. Right now in CtH only the Incans can do that thanks do their UB spreading irrigation.

[Miguelito]

report/discussion to follow, but Cairo offered peace.
I did not accept.
It would ease WW, which has 1 citizen unhappy in Mag already and has other cities on HC, so we would not need Calendar now. Actually would not need to rush Optics as much either. We could also relax the vigilance on the channel. Ideally he gets a new objective in his game - establish himself in Spain - which shifts energy towards vanrober.
Otoh it lets him fight over Madrid against vanrober without our interference (well we could still try to burn it if van takes it). We also lose some sight on what he's doing (currently our scout is blocking his iron while watching out).
Offensively my plan was to get some caravels, then establish naval superiority in our channel - that will probably take on the order of ten turns for logistics to start in earnest (first caravel from Riparii probably faster).
In Spain realistically we can be an annoyance and maybe raze Madrid, but we don't have the power there to take over, while having to guard against Cairo's 9 galley fleet.... hm, sign peace with him, declare on nauf ?
Thoughts? I was very reserved at first, but writing this I'm more sympathetic towards peace.

[Rusten]

[Rusten]

In earnest I'm fine with whatever you want, but personally I'd look to simplify into a winning endgame.

[Miguelito]

no proper report tonight after all, but I did not reoffer peace after all.
I'd like the idea of Cairo defending Spain for us against vanrober, were it not for the possibility of a channel for his 9 galleys, effectively forking our core and the English conquest. I'll be curious after the game how sincere this offer was and if a peaceful relationship could have worked.
For now I'll try to save naufragar while we can... not sure yet how willing I am to go to war with vanrober over it though (depends on what is achievable as well).

On your questions:
- We currently have just 3 cataphracts in Russia. I'm sending 2 back from England (at Pkhrana this turn). I also prebuilt cataphracts in Okhrana, FSB and GRU, so in an emergency we can switch into slavery (/PS) and whip those. FSB (former Novgorod) can get a barracks after the courthouse, and then pump units for the rest of its existence. Also important question: can caravels still enter borders without OB? If yes that would make defense a lot easier, both in Russia and in Mayaland.
- The irrigation thing is a bit sad but can be worked around if we move the planned fort 1E and build a plains farm.

[Charriu]

Yes caravels can still enter enemy territory

[Miguelito]

You mean neutral? (Another player's but not at war not OB)