[PB58] Tarkeel and Amicalola's rule through fear

[Tarkeel]

Turn 119 (100 AD)
I think the event log will speak for itself this turn.


Siege of Mon Calamari




Stand at Ralltiir:
Catapult vs Praetorian, 31.5%: loss, winning 4 of 7 rounds
Catapult vs Praetorian (5.52), 73.2%: loss, winning 1 of 6 rounds (which feels rather unfair)
We have enough bodies that the city won't fall, thanks to AT stopping to bombard.

[Tarkeel]

Turn 120 (125 AD)
I'm starting to think the RNG really hates me in this game:


That's the second time jungle has grown literally in my path. I'll wait for some more bodies before wasting my catapults into that. AT gave up on attacking Ralltiir, and we're punishing some stragglers with our ballistaphant.

In other news, Superdeath built the Pyramids as well.

[Amicalola]

That is absurdly unfortunate...

At least it looks somewhat like he can't take the city.

[Old Harry]

Cruel stuff from the RNG.

Unless... Is AT running Fellowship of the Leaves?

[Tarkeel]

Turn 121-122 (175 AD)
First there was a holding turn where AT's trireme scared away our galleys off Endor, his forces at Ralltiir regrouped across the river, and the main force bombarded Mon Calamari.

The next turn started with a offer of white peace from AT; it's too late for that now. His two catapults at Ralltiir suicided into the Ballistaphant without denting it, and his main stack had turned around for home.

Escape from Ralltiir:
Barrage Catapult vs C1 Praetorian (4.7), 52.2%: Withdraw
Our ballistaphant can only get just above even odds on the spear, and our axes can't dent the undamaged catapult, so we leave the rest be.

Breaking the Siege of Mon Calamari


Catapult vs W1 Praetorian, 0.5%: loss (1 of 5 rounds)
Catapult vs C1 Praetorian, 0.7%: loss (2 of 6 rounds)
Barrage Catapult vs C1 Praetorian, 0.7%: loss (2 of 6 rounds)
Barrage Catapult vs Praetorian, 2.3%: loss (0 of 4 rounds)
Barrage Catapult vs Praetorian, 2.3%: loss (2 of 6 rounds)
Barrage Catapult vs Praetorian, 2.3%: loss (3 of 7 rounds)
Barrage Catapult vs C1 Praetorian (6.7), 7.3%: loss (0 of 4 rounds)
Barrage Catapult vs C1 Praetorian (6.7), 7.3%: loss (2 of 6 rounds)
C1 Axe vs C1 Praetorian (6.6), 22.1%: win!
C1 Axe vs W1 Praetorian (5.6), 38.1%: loss
C1 Axe vs Praetorian (5.9), 45.6%: win!
C1 Axe vs C1 Medic Praetorian (5.4), 59.9%: win!
C1 Axe vs D1 Catapult, 65.2%: win!
Axe vs D1 Catapult, 46.4%: loss
Axe vs D1 Catapult, 46.4%: loss
Axe vs D1 Catapult, 46.4%: win!
Axe vs C1 Praetorian (4.8), 60.8%: loss
Axe vs C1 Praetorian (4.8), 60.8%: loss
Axe vs C1 Praetorian (4.8), 60.8%: win!
C1 Ballistaphant vs Praetorian (5.2), 70.2%: win!
C1 Ballistaphant vs Praetorian (5.2), 72.6%: win!


At this point, AT has 3 full strength catapults that we can't get through with what we have left. The rest of his stack is pretty badly damaged; he should be able to make an escape with them but he might also try to attack back. Fondor produced a chariot this turn (the first of three) that our freshly minted Great General will turn into a super medic, so we should be able to heal as well.

I end the turn with an offer of peace for Endor back; I doubt he'll take it but I'm willing to end it at that.

[Tarkeel]

Turn 123 (200 AD)
We're at something of an impasse here. Currently AT has enough forces to hold Endor, and I want it back. With ballistaphants it should be possible to take it back and/or threaten his coastal holdings, but once I've built that army, why stop at Endor? That's my reasoning for why I should get Endor in the peace treaty, and why I was willing to let half his stack survive in exchange.

We got new pleas of white peace from AT, after he's made some counter attacks. MP-noob that I am, I forgot to turn on auto-promote to heal my forces, but we still killed 2 praetorians, an axe and a catapult at the cost of only 3 axes. I'm tempted to take the new general and turn 4 ballistaphants into marines...





Rout at Mon Calamari
C1 Ballistaphant vs W2 Praetorian ((4.2), 65.8%: win!
Axe vs Axe (3.3), 64.3%: win!
The rest of our forces gets to heal, and with the medic next door they will be at full strength next turn. On the other hand, AT is starting to field some triremes on the inner sea, including two that I somehow missed and got past me last turn. We'll reoffer peace for Endor and see how he likes that my stack is back to fighting capacity.

[Mjmd]

Setup thread has "no city gifting" fyi.

[Tarkeel]

My opinion is that reclaiming cities in peace isn't gifting, and the no city trading option is not ticked. I'd be happy for the lurkers to discuss and come to a verdict if my interpretation is wrong though.

[Tarkeel]

Turn 124 (225 AD)
CodeOfLaws came in this turn and we set a few cities to courthouses, due to be whipped next turn. The overflow will complete Archery for us next turn. We're also setting up some much needed settlers for the border against Ruff/AT in the west, and Jowy/AT in the east.

Rout at Mon Calamari
Shock Axe vs W1 Praetorian (6.4), 43.9%: loss
Shock Ballistaphant (7.8) vs Shock Catapult (3.0), 99.9%: win!
Shock Ballistaphant vs Catapult (3.1), 99.9%: win!
C1 Axe (4.4) vs Catapult (3.1), 95.8%: win!
Shock Axe vs W1 Praetorian (1.0), 99.9%, win!

That's the last of AT's main stack; he still has a few Praetorians in Endor, and the western stack is in full retreat. I offer him peace for what little gold he has on hand, but I'll probably accept white peace. We have 3 ballistaphants and 5 axes left on the main line, supported by sentry and supermedic chariots.

[Tarkeel]

Turn 125-126 (275 AD)
I forgot to post the T125 update, but we finally made peace with AT for some paltry gold and will be focusing on settling some new cities and getting some catapults while we have peace. I don't intend to declare the moment peace is up, but it's best to be ready for trouble.

Serdoa offered his wine to us for 3 gpt, but I offered our incense instead. We'll be improving our second source in a few turns, and we need the happy to feed our whipped cities. As Endor will reclaim it's first tile culture soon we pillage the mine from the hill we're occupying, but we're unable to remove the road. After some discussion we decided to settle our second general in Fondor. Tech-wise we're probably going for Machinery and Optics for the economic boost.

The resettling is under way, Coruscant and Corulag have each whipped out a settler while Kuat and Kashyyyk are slow building theirs. Kessel and Ralltiir will also whip out a settler each over the next few turns. Will be posting an updated empire shot when cities are starting to appear.

War Retrospective

• Roading the pig-jungle at Endor after deciding to defend the other jungle tile was probably the biggest mistake of the war. It let AT hit our retreating forces even though he lacked combat workers.
  
• The upside was that AT's very slow advance slowed down more as he went back into Endor heal, letting more of our catapults and ballistaphant arrive in time.
  
• Landing axes behind his stack to cut off reinforcements seems to have worked out better than I'd hoped for. In general, our seaborne capacity helped out a lot here.
  
• AT did manage to lure away an axe/spear pair in the west to hit them with Praetorians from the dark, I should have kept them inside our borders where they were supported.
  
• Catapults make very effective stack defenders when facing axes.