[SPOILERS] - tales of Brennus, famous Chinese warlord

[yuris125]

Got it, sounds good! Have a nice break

[Zero_1627]

A few more words before disappearing:
I thought about defensive allocation and understood (a bit late...) that in a rush to kill Celtic party I left Shanghai uncovered. If fast Celtic force moves straight for Shanghai from NE, only the Chariots can reach city in time - and they're poor defenders (they are warm bodies that need to be killed though, and that may be important!).
If they do not do so (hopefully...) - I feel 2 additional Spears should be moved to cover Shanghai (eg. Beijing defender moved to cover both cities and Shanghai building new Spearman), and that permanent defeses of Shanghai should be bolstered by 2 Spearmen. (Beijing is deep enough in our territory that Shanghai defenders will be able to reach it in time)

[Commodore]

So what was the rationale for cottaging the jungle center before clearing the food?

[yuris125]

I would imagine it's a desire to get some useful tiles for the city to work. Remember, we researched Calendar only a couple of turns ago, and with enough Workers jungles don't delay plantations by more than a turn

[yuris125]

T80

One thing of note, I changed merchants to scientists in Beijing. City with an Academy should always work scientists over merchants because of the better multiplier

Otherwise followed the plan

[Zero_1627]

Superb! I have the save!

So what was the rationale for cottaging the jungle center before clearing the food?

I wanted jungle cleared anyway, Cottages seemed best on these tiles, and I had no tech to build plantations. OTOH Calendar was expected soon, so I wanted to keep workers nearby. And trying to mine the other gems seemed extremely dangerous proposition.
I could clear jungles from bananas etc of course, but it seemed rather minor gain.

One thing of note, I changed merchants to scientists in Beijing. City with an Academy should always work scientists over merchants because of the better multiplier

I didn't think about it, You're right! I'll remember in the future.

I've played the turn both tracker and mail have shown me - but it's turn 80 (AD200)? So we played the same turn?... I left note (both in tech thread and in mail) to disregard save if TT has received the same year earlier (->from You).
And many thanks for covering my absence!

EDIT: also I see that someone (probably Celtic Pride) got Code of Laws this turn.
And I think that tracker simply didn't recognize your address and shown me as active player - so indeed we made the same turn.

[Zero_1627]

I have new turn!

In the South, Guangzhou is growing explosively - 4 pop EoT. I moved a Chariot to be able to scout south into Mongol territory next turn (and return) - if he sees no more than 2 Keshiks, I'll throw all workers into second Gems, almost finishing them in one turn. Both Bananas are already online and in use.
In the North Marble is finished and Workers (and escorts) move due East - soon we should have access to Iron and Ivory.

I put slider into 100% research - there's not quite enough for 3 turns, but 3rd turn with lower slider will be enough, and Forges 1t sooner are worth losing a few beakers to rounding.
Mongols, judging by graph, have just lost a lot - so it seems Mayans have won a major battle somewhere . Maybe that's Serdoa's I am not really in this game at all anyway - his standing suggests he's playing without much care entire game, though...

Celtic Pride have slightly higher GNP, but are significantly ahead in hammer output and food production (they have larger cities...). Also, graph says we may be equal while teching, but they are significantly better while gathering gold (our GNP is due to Academies, their due to Financial, so more stable...). Forges and more happy should help some (I hope!).
They sniff around Guangzhou, but have not moved in yet. I'll try to avoid attacking them before they send any forces deeper into my borders - unless they leave said forces unsupported (uncovered Dog Soldiers some Chariot could eat...).

Also, in not that far future we'll probably have another Great person (Shanghai says 15t with 3 specialists). I think settling would be best? (Scientist in Beijing, Merchant in Guangzhou). If I run an Engineer at the end, Great one may come in at low odds too - save him for a Wonder?

[Zero_1627]

TT with computer problems and AT on vacations... I hope we'll soon return to turn a day, not a week!

[Zero_1627]

Next turn is in, at last!
AT completed Pyramids. EoT we got Metal Casting )), and I expect all cities (Guangzhou included) to be able to whip Forges in 2 turns.

We have access to Iron, at last , and should very soon have Ivory. In the South we're working on Sugar (one more turn), Spices (turn after that) and another Gems (turn after Spices, hopefully).

Tech plan didn't change (there weren't many actual in-game events lately...), I estimate that Aesthetics->Literature will require 3 turns of 100% Science - about 120 gold. we'll see how long we'll have to save for that... probably 5 turns. But with Forge, Hinduism and liberal use of whip Guangzhou should quickly become very productive - in those 5 turns significantly more than it's now.

[Zero_1627]

In the South I promoted a Chariot to Sentry. Quite unexpectedly it allowed me to see through (or rather around, as I suspect) jungle! Weird optics around these mountains, I suppose :P . Anyway, no threat was detected - so I sent another Worker to complete Gems mine immediately. Sugar plantation was completed also.



Bad news: Celtic GNP went WAY up. Pyramids (culture) + a lot of Science from Representation specialists... Not to mention extra Happy to allow Celtic cities to grow even more (...and run more specialists). With both other players seriously weakened I'll have to rethink my plan of outgrowing everyone.

To gain whatever edge that may be available, I plan to build some Wonders (using Marble access) - starting with Temple of Artemis. In Beijing. With ToA and TGL capital will have 3 free specialists - so specialist total won't necessarily be lower than Shanghai... National Epic location stops being obvious. But if both National Epic and Wall Street go to Beijing, it'll have no production multiplier wonder... So old plan stays, most probably (Iron Works+Wall Street in Beijing, both Epics in Shanghai). I hope that settled Great People will mean something vs Finacial Representation - but a lot of them are needed (...so next in line is Parthenon in Shanghai).