[Spoilers] Alhambram Comes Back for Moor, playing as Arabic-Moorish Civilization

[Cornflakes]

That is good to know on the formula, thanks for confirming! Divide by 5 and add 5 is easy enough to remember

[Ituralde]

Nice reporting on the war turns and a lucky break with Almeria. That Privateer was finished just in time after all!

[TheArchduke]

Rooting for you as the clear underdog in this war.

Almeria was a close one.

[Mardoc]

I just want to add my voice to the chorus: I really appreciate the solid reporting!

[Alhambram]

Thanks everyone for comment and support, I really need that last one now!

Turn 166:

Firstly situation around Almeria: Pindicator withdrawn his frigate fleet to fetch caravel. Other option for him was to pin down my privateer in Almeria so it can;t escape, likely it shall cost one of his frigates.
I had Mamluk put that area for barb defogging task and he took a peek at coast and I found his fleet:
   
But I couldn't do anything about it, so I evacuated both field cannon and privateer and Almeria shall fall next turn. I sent my privateer to southeast, towards estimated position of Pindicator's privateer, I try to sandwich it between my privateer and caravel.

Al-Majrit has fallen as expected and my science, culture and score has fallen and I am ranked at 4th below CFCJesterfool now. And Weedy Movement was removed, not by proselytizer apostle because 25% of my religion would remain, instead it is completely gone which mean inquisitors. Nothing that I can do about it now and likely Al-Majrit is going convert to Manifest Destiny next turn.
   
I thought over several tens or hundred scenarios and unfortunately I came to conclusion that I can't do anything here, I am powerless alone to deal with Pindicator now.
Pindicator don't attack with army only but also with navy and religious units, the art is to use those three different aspects for warfare together and Pindicator has done that well with Al-Majrit.
So to avoid further casualties and possible last stand around my core I retreated my army behind Tangiers and Coimbra leading to this situation. 
   
And thus I didn't activate crusade as planned, just keep Pindicator guessing for now whether or when I am going use it. There is little point to have crusade activated if Pindicator carries inquisitors along his army.

Analysis of Tangiers and Coimbra, can both be saved? I did swap all tiles from Al-Majrit to both cities previous turn and it didn't miss important strategic factor: Pindicator can't use DotF powered bombards to shoot at city walls because his lands are 4 tiles away from both Tangiers and Coimbra. 
Tangier's encampment however is likely toast, bombards need to move one turn and then shoot next turn. So encampment is safe for one turn at least I think, then it need to be evacuated too.

I did use word evacuation this turn often, maybe you lurkers might start to think that I am a coward. But I ask you, what would you have done here? Rush with army and lead them to slaughter afterwards so Pindicator can steamroll remaining cities of my empire in less than 20 turns and put this PBEM at end?
I realize well that this situation is due how I did play from beginning which wasn't always ideal. I just do what I think that is best this situation with my current and available resources. 
I am buying as many time as possible, not only for Steel, but also faint hope that Krill is going wake up from his sleep and do something at turn 187. Pindicator has thrown everything against me, so his border with Krill should be fairly empty.

I think that it is clear for everyone now that Pindicator is going be winner of PBEM 5. If Krill do happen offer concession at public thread, then I guess that there would be little point to continue. 

In pictures it is stated 4 turns to Steel, but I managed to shave it with one turn after another round of tile shuffle in my empire. Though with loss of Almeria next turn it likely is going be definitive one turn delay.

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

Damn, pin must have sniffed out the Crusade ploy, or he just wants DOTF as soon as possible. 

It looks like on top of his religious bonus, he's got an edge in his unit composition - the monstrous balloonbards can blast apart your defenses without you having any ability to reply, and his army then clusters around those and defends. The ranged advantage he has almost seems like the biggest edge he has over you - your army can't operate in range of his without being blasted to pieces, so you're continually forced back. 

Did anyone watching ever play Advance Wars? Remember how the best army composition in that game, particularly in multiplayer matches, was often just a wall of artillery units covered by cheap infantry and mechs? Pin's army reminds me of that. 

I'm sorry, 'bram, I feel like I've done a terrible job lurking you in this game. Haven't been able to give it the same attention i had for PBEM4, when that was the only thread I was following on the whole site. I should have caught the Wats thing, or pindicator's army set-up, sooner, since I don't have to worry about as much as you. Well, nothing for it but to soldier on. Let's at least try and make this war interesting. Is there any way at all we can find to hit back? You have a faith advantage over pindicator, or should, as Arabia - maybe it might be time to put the religious warfare mechanics to the test? Flipping cities with the warring Crusade/DOTF bonuses is huge right now.

[Alhambram]

Damn, pin must have sniffed out the Crusade ploy, or he just wants DOTF as soon as possible. 

It looks like on top of his religious bonus, he's got an edge in his unit composition - the monstrous balloonbards can blast apart your defenses without you having any ability to reply, and his army then clusters around those and defends. The ranged advantage he has almost seems like the biggest edge he has over you - your army can't operate in range of his without being blasted to pieces, so you're continually forced back. 

Did anyone watching ever play Advance Wars? Remember how the best army composition in that game, particularly in multiplayer matches, was often just a wall of artillery units covered by cheap infantry and mechs? Pin's army reminds me of that. 

I'm sorry, 'bram, I feel like I've done a terrible job lurking you in this game. Haven't been able to give it the same attention i had for PBEM4, when that was the only thread I was following on the whole site. I should have caught the Wats thing, or pindicator's army set-up, sooner, since I don't have to worry about as much as you. Well, nothing for it but to soldier on. Let's at least try and make this war interesting. Is there any way at all we can find to hit back? You have a faith advantage over pindicator, or should, as Arabia - maybe it might be time to put the religious warfare mechanics to the test? Flipping cities with the warring Crusade/DOTF bonuses is huge right now.

Chevalier, I don't blame you anything. I am the one who should have noticed Wats and Pindicator's army. I agree that Pindicator's army got much better composition, he was fully prepared for war while I wasn't completely prepared for it, just doing what I could. My army is mainly cavalry which is good for offensive but less for defending cities. Moreover front line around Al-Majrit is placed around hills and mountains with narrow paths which gives ranged units edge over cavalry. 
Tangier and Coimbra shall be same, Lledia and Seville however both got terrain which benefits cavalry more and moreover they are more centrally at land, so little intervention from navy.

That last sentence of you about religious warfare did light up a thing inside my head. Remember apostle that I am saving up for crusade, he got Proselytizer promotion! So with other words I need to save up faith for another apostle while sending current one to front line and try surprise Pindcator with it. Which mean I need to give up GS plan and allow Jester grab next GS.
Currently my best production cities are still producing builders for 2 more turns, then I switch to military units to soldier on.

[Chevalier Mal Fet]

That might work. You could also divert some units into an amphibious strike? How much naval presence does Pin have on the outer ocean - could a strike force of units slip over it and get loose in his rear? We've never seen that sort of thing in civ, so I don't know how viable it is.

Also, I forgot to mention it, but well done on Almeria! At least you bloodied his nose there!

[Alhambram]

Turn 167 and 168:

Turn 167 Pindicator did raze Almeria, instead capturing or liberating it into Vilnius. And as expected Steel got delayed, 3 turns to complete.
Around Coimbra I killed frigate and redlined other frigate with fieldcannons, I expected Coimbra to hold out one more turn.

Turn 168: It turned out be miscalculation since Pindicator somehow was able to take Coimbra. This means that my army is very badly positioned, especially after another round of inquisition, converting and buying walls with faith.
   
In exchange I did pillage some Coimbra's tiles to earn some science and killed one of Pindicator's musketman.
And I start rather hastily retreat, if I do nothing then Tangiers become deathtrap. Problem is that I didn't rearrange tiles due miscalculation so my retreating army are in American lands which mean DotF.
So Pindicator got opportunity to kill 1/3 or half of my army next turn. At this point I an basically ready for concession.

[Alhambram]

Turn 169:

4 units of me got killed by Pindicator and I decide to change my mentality: I can't win anymore, so only reason for me to play is to prevent Pindicator winning.
With that in mind, I did suicide attack with 2 cavalry of which one was redlined against Pindicator's Musketman who was standing at razed encampment and killed it to inflict so many war weariness as possible.
   
   
Remaining units retreats to Lledia, next turn Steel complete so I can make a stand there, Steel likely shall be one turn too late for Tangiers.
I won't sign peace with Pindicator ever unless he accept that I get Al-Majrit, Tangiers, Coimbra back plus McDonalds as compensation for razed Almeria. Lower offers I don't accept for peace.
Me inflicting so many war weariness at Pindicator as possible starts to take effect: his science and culture per turn is now lower then Krill's, or Pindicator did make policy swap due warfare and war weariness. 

So, I am willing now to help Krill win. Question is: does Krill still believe in his chances or not? If Krill don't believe in his chances then it is little point to continue.