Cyneheard's PBEM10 Thread

[Cyneheard]

T40/41 Full Update:

Someone built the Oracle on T40. It was NOT Qin, because the Top 5 Cities reports that Henge and the Oracle were built in different places. Genghis's score went up by 23 points, so I'm betting it was him (Twinkletoes). Makes sense: Fast Priesthood is a good idea as Sumeria anyway. We'll know NEXT turn what tech TT took. I assume it will be MC, because I assume that TT knows what he's doing.

Tech Path:
Pottery EOT41
Mysticism, likely EOT43
Writing EOT47, I think.
Metal Casting is probably the next tech. Assuming I get TGL, this should come in fairly promptly, like T60 or so (possibly slightly sooner, no earlier than T56-57). I'll see if I have a city capable of knocking out 214 base hammers for Forge + Colossus (167 @ 125% = 134 base) in rapid fashion. Since TT just grabbed the Oracle, we'll see if he was wise enough to take MC with it. COL is a poor tech for him, since he can build Ziggys already. Monarchy's solid, but on a water map MC is too important to skip.

My cities are from T40, except for Crazy Cow. I was in the middle of doing this update when the next turn came around.

Capital:


Crazy Cow:

EOT41: 50/134; 1/19 food (size 4)
EOT42: 59/134; 7/19 food (adding another grass mine)
EOT43: 68/134; 13/19 food
EOT44: 90/134; 0/20 food (chop for 13h) (size 5)
EOT45: 102/134; 5/20 food (adding the 3rd GHM)
EOT46: 127/134; 10/20 food (Chop)
EOT47: Likely 139/134; 15/20 food, and then on to a granary.

Can't Cops:


Calling Cathy:

I'm knocking out two quick workboats here to go exploring (the chop will finish this workboat, and I'll whip the next one soon after). I may get lucky and grab circumnav. If nothing else, this will let me get contacts and trade routes.

Demogs (T41):


#6 in pop, #1 in Crop Yield. I love it.

[Cyneheard]

I think the upcoming technological decisions are a little complicated.

So, once I get Writing in, I'll have several immediate choices.
1) Metal Casting. Forges, Triremes, possibly the Colossus (but I doubt the latter).
2) Mathematics. Better forest chops, and the Hanging Gardens would be awesome. By the time HG would be finished HG, I should be at 8-10 cities.
3) Iron Working. There's no copper on the triangle, so getting iron is obvious. And to Kyan if he didn't leave us either metal.
4) HBR. Numids would be nice...if my opponents had any metal units. That seems doubtful.
5) The religious line. This can lead to either Theology or Monarchy.

Theology is an interesting tech. I do want a religion at some point, and Theocracy is going to be incredibly helpful. Ships can't get barracks XP. And I'm Charismatic, so if I double it with Vassalage (and my capital's not going to be all that great. FIVE cities will be sharing tiles with it), I get 2-promo ships. Heck, I get 2-promo land units WITHOUT BUILDING BARRACKS. Since on average, half of all units die before gaining any XP, the biggest reason to build barracks in that case is to pair it with stables for 3-promo mounted units.

Hm. I'm leaning towards assuming that TT is going to grab Colossus. He'll have a 15-20t head start on me. There's no way I can make up that type of deficit. So, I think I'll be grabbing Math first, and getting HG for 8-10 pop (I bet I can finish HG before T70 without too much trouble. Math would come in around T55. I'd need 268 hammers to build HG + Aqueduct, and I'm sure with 5-6 chops, and some mines and whatnot, I can do that in 15t). Then teching MC, run up the religious line and get Theology. The religion would be an added bonus. I'll need Currency as well. Currency will pay for itself very quickly, so I might even get it right after Math? We'll see.

Military priorities:
Galleys. I need 2, one for each island.
Triremes: Can't put off MC for too long. Especially if TT's a neighbor. If TT's a neighbor, then MC probably HAS to be teched ASAP so that I can get some triremes in the water for defensive purposes, unless I can talk him into a NAP of some sort that last through at least T75.

[Cyneheard]

Or...not.

Well done.

"The Great Lighthouse has been built in a far away land."

[Cyneheard]

Ok, so how did that happen?

I goofed.

Boudica built Stonehenge.

Qin built TGL. ARGH. The only civ that I knew could beat me there. At least I'll get 50 failgold. ARGH.

[Cyneheard]

Got this today:

Aye Laddie the drinking can start now

How goes the running of the CCC empire? it has been a lonely life so far in the Drenai empire and you are the first people we have met. Have you had contact with any others yet?

may peace last until the red is finished

Ad Hoc

My immediate response was a "I'll give a full one when I get the save".

Open the save:



Oh goody. He's already on the island. I check the diplo screen:
He has 3 cities to my 4.
Resources hooked up:
Horse, 2 Fish, Pig, Fur.

I have:
Horse, Corn, Fish, Pig, Wheat, Fur and Ivory.

Sent this response:

Was wondering who was to my SW. You've seen the west tip of my triangle, and I see you've already started exploring this lush island between the two of us.

I have a workboat 4E1S of your chariot. I assume if I follow the island clockwise that your chariot is on, I will find a trade route to your lands, so we can sign OB and gain in the bountiful trading rights that offers? 3N2W of your chariot is a river grassland; I can tell by bleeding that 1W of there is also grass. For those two longitudes, that's as far north as the island goes. I see two gems in jungle, 1 3S3E of your chariot, and the other one your chariot can currently see.

We should discuss how we want to split this island; the land is too valuable to not share, and we can avoid a Yaz/Ruff conflict that sends both teams far behind (PBEM2: They had an Ancient Age war, and Yaz eventually died because of the damage he took, although that was a bit of a dogpile by the end. I wouldn't say Ruff's done all that well since, he's not a leader, that's for sure). I'm on EST, and am free most evenings. For chatting, I'm using my normal gmail account, *REDACTED*.

Cyneheard, Consul of Cyrus of Carthage.

I'm not ready to commit to OBs yet, since he'll get the trade routes and I won't. Definitely am volunteering map information, but it's

Math --> Currency is my plan, then MC and IW. It's a gamble, but I don't see how I can fall behind economically by putting off Currency on this map when I'm spamming cities and Qin's already got GLight pumping his economy.

[Cyneheard]

Ad Hoc's response:

i just came ashore 1W 2NW 2 turns ago, my galley is now cruising round the north (which is as you described with one further grassland to the W) of this land and as such that it is 5W2N of your worker [which was on the wheat 1W of Can't Cops].

my "triangle" ( i guess everyones got the same shape) is upside down and i've got land to the east and south but i don't know if they're connected. if your workboat continues west it should go round a southern headland at which point you should see the borders of mighty Drenai.

My current plan is to move the galley 2E which will show any seafood to the north of this new land and then turn it round to pick another chariot up to investigate the lands to the south. my chariot on the new island will head SE for more scouting.

i agree this land is too valuable to argue over and we should be able to come to some mutually satisfactory split on the island, an early war won't help either of us

Ad Hoc, Battle King of the Drenai

Interesting. My guess is that his E and S are not connected, and that the E is the FP/silver section that we all got visibility on. We should be able to come up with an equitable split of this land; I can get a galley loaded with a settler and a chariot in 5t if I don't do any whipping, 3t if I do. I think I'll avoid the whip in this case.

Either correct me if I'm wrong, or a lurker could ask in the IT thread (so no one knows who's made contact) if screenshot trades are OK? I think so, but I don't remember if we even discussed it.

[Cyneheard]

Lurker beg:

Does anyone know if culture can cross landmasses?

Example:
Ad Hoc proposed this dotmap. This is an awful dotmap. But trying to figure out how to divide this island peacefully and using all the land...joy.



Note: The black tile is claimed to have a forested deer on it.

[T-hawk]

Culture can cross to landmass B if the tile in question would be reachable by a city on landmass A. So culture extends up to a knight's-move away from a landmass. It will not extend 2 tiles diagonally or 3 tiles in any direction. Remember that's from any tile on the landmass, not just actual cities; example, the wheat 4N of your teal dot can be claimed by culture from teal dot.

[Cyneheard]

Sent this to Ad Hoc, and he agreed:

Interesting. Here's my counter-proposal:
I settle 1E of the cyan dot; this nets me the crab.
I settle a city on the western tip of my triangle. Culture only spreads in the BFC of that city onto the opposing landmass, but I don't see how my second ring can compete with the first ring of a Creative civ.
You get two cities on the island: Either at Yellow Dot or 1S, at your discretion, and a city 1W or 1NW of the northern gems.
We sign a NAP: T75 minimum, 7t cooldown (10t is about right for Normal Speed, this is Quick), 43EP maximum on one another (which means no missions). OB would be part of this. Unless it's necessary for Trade Route purposes, or agreed to, no land units may cross into the other's territory (including spies, if they get caught). I handle diplomacy such that if one part of an agreement is violated, then I will act as though the whole thing is null and void. I've seen too many people feeling hamstrung by a NAP when the agreement was violated in other ways (See Pitboss 2, Sullla vs. Lots Of People).
I receive the rice in trade; you're getting the majority of the lands, and I want something in return. This would have some time frame (like 30t or something like that; this can be separate or attached to the NAP/OB deal). My lands are filled with corn and wheat, but have no rice (and will gladly send a surplus resource in return, although I'm not sure which of those exist and you lack; none of my happy resources are doubled on the triangle).

I'll be playing the turn sometime tomorrow, and my settler can settle that site if you agree. So, let me know.

I couldn't see how grabbing the northern site was going to happen without a war. Fighting a Creative civ culturally = bad idea. Fighting a Protective with no metal yet = bad idea. So, I was more than willing to concede the second city, and make it seem like I'm being friendly. I actually think that 1E of Cyan is a better site, because I can grab the deer from a quasi-fishing village on the tip.

The rice will be nice, the less I have to worry about health, the better. Especially if I rely on scientists for teching, and need large cities: Can't say I'm terribly thrilled with the idea, but it may be the best option. That would require the Pyramids, which means I'll need the stone. Fun.

[Cyneheard]

Interesting. Meatbalz just informed me that he lost a city to TT. While my response was supportive...the more the other end of the world fights, the better.