Making Emporer easy.

[Hauptman]

So it's been a while since I did this, heck it's been a while since I played, and I've seen a few fresh faces on the board, so here we go... A brand shiney new AAR.

Now as an added bonus, we are using the Inca to go along with the thread wich that topic was about, so expect a Quecha rush or two.

Fractal Map, emporer level, HUGE map, 18 civs, Marathon speed.

Let us start with the obligitory start shot...




Now I must admit, I had to restart for a reason I'd rather not admit (forgot that you must let a city grow before you can take it... duh) So I knew to move south a square this time around.

Started by researching animal husbandry for obviose reasons, and went out looking for victims- I mean exploring. Found a hut right close by and got an early christmas.



Explore a little beyond and meat- I mean meet some new 'friends'.



Headed east from there towards someone who I admitadly already knew about (from previose faux pa) and pick up a couple animal kills on the way for a rather tasty upgrade.



Reinforcments arive, and show a little supprise, seems Justinian, in all of his generosity gifted me a nice religion.



So I settle in, and wait for Constantinople to grow (this time) and low-and-behold, someone else was busy too!



As all I'm building is Quecha, no sense making workers that I'm just gonna steal, I build up a nice little force and justinian gives me the perfect moment to attack!



Constantinople was guarded by a single archer, and didnt even require the reinforcments, so I wasted a couple turns moving them closer, but to no real detriment, as niether city puts up much of a fight, the loss of a warrior or two is expected, and no real cost issue there.





I actually lost more warriors on the move north to varios angry wild critters than the battle itself... perhaps it was the upgrade I got on one lucky SOB that won vs a bear, thus giving him cover as well.


Here you can see my little man doing a victory jig at the great news.

[Hauptman]

So I let my boys heal up and head back west with some nice new promotions (cover + CRI). I had 1 quecha head up there much earlier and was scouting the rear of england's lands. Little did I realize how important this was...

I reach England with my main force and wait a couple turns for a worker to make his way towards me, soon as he was on the border, it was party time!



GAAAAHHHHHK!



Just as I'm begining to think The jig is up, Lizzy does something Really really stupid... Misjudging the real danger The axeman comes out to play. Well, maybe I can lure him away long enough for the main force to make it.



I let them sacrifice themselves for the greater glory of the future empire, and my trick Just might work... I am a little scepticle as she built on a hill... but ya never know til you try...





I am victorious! Kinda. I now have 2 badly hurt Quecha to defend vs 1 minorly hurt axeman... Uhohhh...



Silly Girl.


So now we have 4 cities, 2 religious centers, and some nice land to expand into at my leisure. This should be a great game...



Stay tuned as I play this one out!

[Skanky Burns]

Nice! I'm enjoying this so far, and hopefully learning something too.

[wodan11]

Why is it people consistently misspell "Emperor"? I used to work with a guy who did it all the time, except he was talking Star Wars. Anyway ever since then it's jumped out at me (because of him) whenever anybody does it, and maybe it's just me but it seems like it happens a heck of a whole lot.

Just wondering....

Wodan

[Hauptman]

Originally posted by wodan11
Why is it people consistently misspell "Emperor"? I used to work with a guy who did it all the time, except he was talking Star Wars. Anyway ever since then it's jumped out at me (because of him) whenever anybody does it, and maybe it's just me but it seems like it happens a heck of a whole lot.

Just wondering....

Wodan

Nit pickin party pooper!~


Well to continue.

I settle in, Figuring this is gonna be a long one getting my economy on the mend. Crank workers like they are going out of style. Twelve all told. Finish up my worker techs and start improving. As time allows I settle other cities to fill in the area as I have quecha fog busting (wich costs money also) but it doesnt really fix the teching issue. Due to lack of paying attention to the details (E.I. (or is it I.E.?) not clicking on emphasize commerce in all the cities) My units even go on strike. 100+ turns to finish masonry doesn't look good. But I'm not worried.... yet.

After roughly 100 turns, I had settled a couple cities and figured it was time to go play with the Barbar cities that spawned. All these quecha are still useful for something.



Shortly afterwards, the demands start. Now seeing as I really dont want to make the man with the pretorians angry. I happily give in.



After taking the Barbar city, One of the Quecha gained woodsman 2. So I sent him out exploring that wild wilderness to the north. Sent some others south into Rome and west to America. Didn't take long to get a picture of what I'm up against. Taking out those two civs payed off real nice, as I dominate this landmass, if only in color.



Then, as if I didn't already know, the game decided to remind me.



After my exploratory phase, I gather the Quecha for another Barbar city. I was a little dubious about taking this one, It would put me as a coast to coast country, wich although excelent for the circumnavigation bonus, scared the bajeesus out of me due to not giving the Pretorians somewhere else to go.



Well as it turned out, due to a little "bug" on noncultured cities, It gave me the option to liberate it for the americans. Not to shabby, let him support it, and share a border with Ceasar.



The cash from the capture Gives a well needed boost to my research, Getting that all important code of laws much much closer. I gift off a couple Unpromoted Quecha to lincoln, wich makes a cute little sight.



After code of laws, I check out what ceasar's got to trade. I have to gift him priesthood, but that's fine, and he is willing to trade that all important alphabet for it.



Then after a couple gifts to Boudica, I am able to gain Ironworking from her.



Not two turns later, my generosity with Ceasar pays off. He found a playmate in the 'unreligioned' of the bunch. I had noticed his stack heading north. So I am spared... for now.



Of course I know what's coming next. Six turns later, he come knocking. Maybe he doesnt realise my lack of modern military power. I'm not helpless. But far from secure. I aquies anyways, and get dragged into a war I'm hardly ready for.



My only real miltary is down south, guarding against pretorians.



But my northern cities rally and stave off the pitance of a force she sends my way. For the loss of a single archer on my part (she looses 5 units or so) she admits defeat and asks for peace.



She got lucky. you know, cause my super stack was coming....

A streak of luck! A turn after I hook up Thessalonica's Iron, They discover jade! +2 commerce is a +3 for me! YAY!



Every little bit of commerce helps. And that happens to be the city working on my saving grace. Prophets.



Now, Normally after code of laws, I head towards civil service, But i figured it would be more prudent to head for machinery first. I gain windmills (i have alot of rivered hills) and a unit that renders Pretorians Impotant (nearly). I did take a detour for monarchy, needed the happiness from troops as well as some wine squares I control. It payed off better than expected as Ceasar came knocking, beeing the best pal that he is!



That gets me closer to Civil service at least. Being still stuck at 30% in the ADs, I'm getting a little nervouse about tech levels. I figure I should shop around, see who's got what to trade. Knock a few turns off of Metal casting all in the name of friendship and peacful cooexistance (for now).

[Hauptman]

Apparently it was no joke when I called Ceasar pal. Seems he loves me enough to stave off starvation!



Thats a nice little +3 on relations that he had to pay for.

I had settled a city on that eastern peninsula to grab the cows and fish, Built the Mois Statues in it, and not long after one of it's mines spawned a gems! As you may or may not have noticed, this island seems to lack preciouse metals. So thats +2 more happy, and now a darned nice city.



After machinery, I headed towards civil service. Took a little detour half way, as noone would trade for calander making me research it myself. I had begun building plenty of crossbows. Each city had one for defense, and I had a few extras in my 'stacks' in case anyone came to play. Ceasar of course. In his never ending crusade against the hethen, invites me to join, yet again. But at least this time, I'm almost ready.



Very same turn. I get the happy time. My prophet is born. I quickly run him to London, and look for what he gives me.





It's not phenominal, but it sure helps.

Back on the front, Lincolns troops happily give thier lives to give me a chance to actually make military gains in this war.



The weakly held city falls to my massive military might! Netting me both a new city and a great general. She sues for peace, and I force religion on her. I regret that, as it gave a target for Ceasar, but I'm hoping she will spread some of that preciouse cash around for me.





Lincoln asks very politly for monarchy. As he has beaten me to the modern units, I dare not urn him down. Macemen are even scarier than pretorians. And the game continues to feed my ego.


Yeh thats right. I got culture. So what if it's in a petree dish.

Just to remind me of why I click on the "requires complete kills" I have a chat with El-Lizardbreath, and she happily gifts me polythiesm. Better late then never I guess.

[Hauptman]

After Civil service, it was ontoward optics to get that ever important circumnavigation bonus. A few turns before I finish my own optics, Some foriegner with a funny hat appears off my coast. He is willing to share his knowledge of the world for a pittance.



No sooner that I get to enjoy my pretty new map, that that roman stormtrooper of a man wishes to continue his crusade.



I take advantage of his visit, and grab another tech.



Figuring I aught not leave out my other pal, I see what he's got to trade.



Optics finishes and I upgrade my two boats.



Back to the front. I had left my main stack up north this time, as I had expected this. And I move after the next city. My power is great, her defenses weak. Just to add insult to injury, The heros of London join the fray with 90% victory ratios.





She begs for my mercy. Thinkin I was over extending myself I accept.



A quick peak at what was beyond the next turn with a chariot shows me she was beaten and easy pickings. My two quecha could have continues the war alone... /sigh. Live and learn.


And good night for now. Tomarow learn what lives beyond the great water!

[MoonWolf]

Nice story! I like this cartoon Well done, Hauptman

[Hauptman]

So my ships head out east. I must prove to myself that that strange man who wore something on his head was no liar. Alas, just as he said, there did prove to be another island on my world. Occupied by other people, who all seemed to have a strange fascination with things on thier heads.





Now true to the city that it once was knows as (as different from my own constantinople) Istanbul has grown to be a fortress city like no other. The great wall protects it's lands, wich are further protected by a lake wich limits entry to two squares followed by hills and a walled city wich even encompases a massive fortress of some kind to protect thier dead. All of that stone work proves to tasty a target for future conquest. If only I could discover a way to attack from the sea...



As my ships continue on, they discover someone who must not be from this strange island, as there is nothing on his head, So I ponder whether or not it's worth the risk to trade maps with him. I figure it might be safe, as there is the posibilty of trading the circumnavigation bonus on my own turn, may still give it to me. I take the trade and he shows me his lands, but only if I show him mine!



It took me 2 turns to research monothiesm, and Lincoln was willing to part with some very needed fundage for that easy to learn tech. I took advantage and gained nearly $500, wich sped current research to take advantage of some more trades.





It proved to be a good descision, as some eccentric hermit living in a southern province was willing to devote his time to carving ice for a rather large fee.



As my attention was turned towards worldly matters, I was forgetting the regional ones. Ceasar had finally beaten Boudica and this now presents me with possible future problems from my erstwhile friend.



But as I contemplate my own military build up utilizing the latest in military technology, my ships discover a land even more powerful than I could possibly have dreamed. These men rode upon their horses covered in steel, and held sticks wich made very loud BOOMs as they made distant objects break apart. Boomschtichen they called them.



The gretaest men again gather together to compile a list. Amazingly I'm on this one as well. Even though I expected to not be.



I finish my quest, I prove that I can get anywhere by going either dirrection, and with that knowledge, my sea captains gain an advantage in navigation.



I trade that knowledge for all the worlds cash reserves (maps for $$!) wich gives me plenty of money to burn to gain my next quest. Liberty for the masses. When they gain it, they will most definatly reward me with knowledge that they have been keeping secret all these years. Perhaps they can teach me how to attack from the sea. Sure would be nice as istanbul is too fancy a city to let someone else keep.

I leave off with some minot military buildup, again dirrected in the dirrection of Rome. Taking some time first to build trading posts wich should finally lay my finacial issues to rest and rocket me into the future with the power to turn this great empire even greater. Rome willing that is.

[DaveV]

While I appreciate the work that went into this thread, I find the postage-stamp size screenshots add nothing to the narrative, since I can't make out any details. I know including the 800-pixel thumbnails would make the thread load a lot slower for people with slow connections, but it would greatly increase the readability. The alternative for the reader is to click the link for every picture (or just the most interesting ones), taking him away from the story, or just ignore the pictures entirely.

[snoopy369]

That many pics would be too many ... it's thumbnails or less pics

[Krill]

You do know you can click on the pics and full size images will show in another tab...

[Supr49er]

Originally posted by wodan11
Why is it people consistently misspell "Emperor"? I used to work with a guy who did it all the time, except he was talking Star Wars. Anyway ever since then it's jumped out at me (because of him) whenever anybody does it, and maybe it's just me but it seems like it happens a heck of a whole lot.

Just wondering....

Wodan

Well, for me it's an automatic finger chech, like wrer (were) and teh (the).

[Unimatrix11]

Originally posted by wodan11
Why is it people consistently misspell "Emperor"? I used to work with a guy who did it all the time, except he was talking Star Wars. Anyway ever since then it's jumped out at me (because of him) whenever anybody does it, and maybe it's just me but it seems like it happens a heck of a whole lot.

Just wondering....

Wodan

I guess the explanation would go something like this: The guy who does the plumming, is the plummER, the guy who drives, is a drivER, the guy who reads, is a readER, the guy who writes, is the writER... you get the idea... of course there is also the victor, the inspector and such things, but i guess those are rather the exception (maybe based on latin origin ?)... it doesnt really startle me, that people tend do follow their instinct though, swaping the E and O in ´emperor´ so that it follows the common rule rather than the exception...

But i wonder: So at work, you exchange little notes with your coworkers about Star Wars ? I mean to misspell it, it has to be written, right ?

[snoopy369]

But he's the plumber, not the plummer...

I think the -or is Latin in origin indeed...