[SPOILERS] Rowain and the USA

[Rowain]

Hello there.

This will be my 2nd civ-MP ever. I doubt I can repeat my last result but I'll try.  

First decision to be done what: civ to use
I get to choose between  America/Roosevelt, Brazil/Pedro, Russia/Peter

Russia is already done in PBEM2 so I won't use it.

Brazil: 20% Refund on GP-costs,
Rainforests provide +1 adjacency bonus for Campus, Commerce, Holy and Theatre-districts,
Unique Battleship,
Unique Entertainment district which gives 1 additional Amenity and allows a project which gives 1 more Amenity and several GP-points( GE  and the 3 culture ones)

America: +5 combat strength on home continent,
earns government legacy-bonuses in half the time,
Unique fighter
Unique broadcast tower
Unique Unit at rifling with the Rough Rider which is a quite powerful Unit (base strength 67 + it gains 10 more when fighting on hills) with 5 movement and only 2 gold upkeep which doesn't need a resource. To compare the earlier Knight needs Iron costs 3 gold upkeep and has a strength of 48. The contemporary Cavalry has 62 strength by costing 5 gold/turn upkeep.  
The big drawback is that nothing upgrades to it so any RR has to be build from scratch.  

I confess I do like the +5 combat strength too. It is basically a GG for free as long as the fighting takes pace on the home-continent. Good to defend against pesky neighbours and Barbs .

The Brazilian jungle-power is a mixed bag I personally prefer to chop the jungles into pop + production. They also give attacking forces nice cover.  But it might make Ichabod look in a different direction


TLDR: Leaning America because of Unit-bonus.

[Alhambram]

To be honest, Brazil and America are among worst picks for multiplayer (together with Spain, France and Kongo (England and Norway are also bad picks on Pangaea map)) .

Brazil depends too strongly upon rainforests, GP bonus is nice, but it yet have make a huge impact in multiplayer aside Great Generals.
Unique unit is battleship, not really to be fearful for it since it is Pangaea map and late game unit. Unique entertainment district isn't really impressive.

America do have a nice 5+ strength bonus, but it depends bit upon luck, maybe your capital is on border between two continents. Shorter legacy bonus seems nice, but it isn't really impressive legacy bonuses as I can see. Moreover to make use of it most effectively, you have to stick with one government as long as possible, maybe you need to switch to Oligarchy for war, that decision is made bit harder thanks legacy bonus.
All other unique buildings and units things are very late in game, so you need to fight uphill battle.

I understand that you cast aside Russia, because it is already in PBEM 2, played by me. But overall it is maybe your best shot for victory. 


Or shall you prove me wrong and win PBEM 3 with America or Brazil. I am looking forward your game! 

[oledavy]

I would personally love to see America. I actually agree that they're stealth powerful, although perhaps not quite as good as Russia, on that Alhambram and I concur. 

Still, given how expansive continents usually are on pangaea, you're more likely than not to have a huge zone of combat bonus, one that applies to ALL units and not just era specific like with a GG.

[Rowain]

Hi Alhambram and Davy

thanks for stopping by

Just pm-ed Sulla my decision to play as America.

@Alhambram: Even if the capital is on a continental border I still will have a full continent with CS,AIOpponents, open space with Barbs to fight where this Bonus will be nice to have.

Ideally I get the first GG and enjoy some conquering with + 10 to some Units. It is just a tad questionable if I can plan good enough to succeed that way.

[Rowain]

As the game will start tonight a bit of pregame ramblings .

My opponents:
Kaiser as Japan: I don't know anything about Kaiser but with Japan he has motivation to tightly pack his cities.
With abundant resources you are more free where to place them so he can utilize this fully. The Samurai has the nice feature of fighting at full strength even if wounded but needs MIlitary Tactics - a deadend tech with a bad Eureka.
The Bonus-strength Japanese Units get while fighting at the coast won't play a huge role in this game.
As he has halfpriced Encampments (and Holy-Sites, Theatres) he will have a headstart for the first GG (or Prophet if he chooses that way).

Bacchus as India:
Bacchus is a rather aggressive player and India is a nice civ. He can grow big cities with his stepwells and the Varu is expansive but very hard to kill and with its -5 to strength of adjacent units a real PITA.
Additional everyone fighting India will suffer doubled Warweariness which can be really crippling.

Ichabod:
Ichabod is a very good civ-player He won 2 Civ 5 games. He is very vulnerable to get attacked in the west while his Army is busy conquering a neighbour in the east. Thats the way most of his civ4-games ended.
He is always in danger to lose focus or motivation. With pindicator as ded-lurker that might be less of a problem.
Chosing England makes sure he starts at the coast avoiding to be in the middle of all civs. He gets a free Melee Unit whenever he founds or conquers a city on a foreign Continent and he also has the Redcoat which is a very powerfull Melee-unit at a time nobody else has a good counter. (On a foreign continent this beast is stronger than an Infantry )


suboptimal as Arabia:

suboptimal is another unknown here. As Arabia he will want to play for religion to get his faith-buildings into play. The Mamluk is a Knight who heals every turn and this is a very nice thing indeed.


In case of war there are 2 Unique Units (Varu, Mamluk) that absolutely need focus fire to get rid off them ASAP.

As much as I like Ichabod (he is one of the nicest guys here) I would love it if England gets decimated early on.
I would also like to befriend Japan early on and fight Arabia/India. In a dreamworld Arab and England neutralise each other early and Japan and America together kill India. But all that depends on the lay of the land and the starting positions.

[Rowain]

The game is on.
And we are sitting right at a continental devide:



Moving the warrior to the west reveals ( in Settler view)



Since the Northeast is coastal I SIP. The governor would like to work the Dyes but I prefer faster growth over faster production.
the capital at the end of turn:

[Alhambram]

Congratulations with your first city!  
Any thoughts about the fact that you are sitting at continental division in particular related with combat on home continent bonus?

[Rowain]

Congratulations with your first city!  
Any thoughts about the fact that you are sitting at continental division in particular related with combat on home continent bonus?

Well I have a full continent to the west where the bonus works. I don't like the lot of desert because that indicates that Arabia might be close by. If Arabia is on the eastern side (no bonus for me) I will play friendly and wait if there is a chance for a 2v1. If he is in the west then maybe I try to attack without any help.

Moving my warrior 2 more tiles to the west revealed that there is someone closeby.




CS or Player I don't know yet but will see next turn.

Interesting note: Bacchus and Ichabod have both not settled on Turn 1.

[Ituralde]

What are the names of the continents? I want to know which are the true Americans, and which are the no-gooders from across the river!

[Rowain]

What are the names of the continents? I want to know which are the true Americans, and which are the no-gooders from across the river!

The great and glorious city of Washington resides on the continent Kazakhstania the land across the river belongs to Gondwana