Scorched Earth Succession Game

[Old n Slow]

Sparrowhawk -- I'm back, but up in Lazy & Silly, so why don't you go ahead & play as claimed.

Also, would you be kind enough to please leave some forces and $$ for me to acquaire a city ?

Thanks -- I'll do the same for you next time.

[Old n Slow]

Somehow I got the feeling that it is close to my turn, but...

If I don't hear anything I'll jump in on Sunday for a quick 8 turns.

[Old n Slow]

We have 6 cities, are Inadequate (but Spotless), and are five techs behind the rest of the world… Hmmm we only have two ports?? Somebody should have founded another port (oh yeah, we did, but…) We have rifles, cannons, and crucs for waging war, but it is an even up fight -- not the best of odds when our 6 cities stack up against the 57 targets currently in place in the world…

Looking at the toggle, we’re about 40% towards the next tech (Mag,) but since it is freely available elsewhere…So we embark of rushing a few dips, camels, & boats to our cause.

1786 (1) (The Greeks buy our Rifle (what a way to start out our new presidency of a DEMOCRACY -- watching our defensive forces succumb to bribery.) We greet three new Dips, a camel and an Ironclad.

Buy back our Rifle (NONE) and as he smacks a Greek cannon, he becomes a vet. The French want $200 (no) -- WAR! so we steal Sanitation from Chartres.

1788 (2) (Egypt discovers Industrialization & starts Woman’s Suffrage. they lose a frigate, then wound an ironclad slaying an engineer of the east side.) Greek goes Fundy & Keno blows up. We steal Magnetism from Rouen -- upgrades the Caravels; toggle to 7.2.1

1790 (3) (French discover Industrialization & start WS. A Greek frigate wounds our new ironclad, but makes it a vet as it slowly starts back to Sad KJ for repairs. opt for chivalry over AT, Elec, Fund, RR, & Theo.) Steal Chivalry from Hali (which Egypt also gets.) A crux slays a Greek knight, and we buy another for $244.

1792 (4) (Opt for Leadership over AT, Elec -- want to upgrade our mobile troops to the modern era. -- Crank up the science a bit.)

1794 (5) (Lose an empty boat to one of two Egypt ironclads in the eastern sea.) Steal Fundy from Herakleia. discover that we’ve already stolen tech from Pi-Ram but drop off a couple of camels (KK Coal (d) for 430 and Pax hides (n) for 150) anyway, safely navigating from a more northern route. Price of Pi-Ram > $3K

1796 (6) Learn Leadership, Opt for RR over AT, Elec, Theo. ( Git’s hole blows up) Egypt convinces our Senate to a cease fire (of course it may be due to our dip outside Thebes (which CAN be stolen from in the future.)

1798 (7) (French discover Theo, start JSB & abandon WS.) Smack Hali down to size 2, emptying out the town. Buy a Greek rifle for 278.

1800 (8) Raze Hali. (get RR -- now we have 49 techs.)

Only smacked one city down, but on the other hand we picked up a half dozen techs and ALMOST have a reasonable crew to go smacking for a while. We’re still a couple of techs behind (Ind, Theo) and there are a few wonders out there to pick up as well. Or we could build sewers. Some $$ is available for the next player.

[Bloody Monk]

Nicely done, OnS. Very effective research policy.

Monk

[Old n Slow]

Thanks -- since we picked up Fundy, we may want to continue the heavy $$$ and do a little more tech acquisition (and produce lots of those CHEAP fanatics), but there was only a couple of my turns left, so I leave that choice (sewers/WLTPD vs. Fanatics and Charge vs. camels & wonders) up to the next player.

[Sparrowhawk]

/me steps up to the plate........
and turns for the sign from the dugout (peanut gallery )

I have played in all sorts of games, but this one has me feeling strangely apprehensive

When I play SP, even if I screw up, I know that I can make up for it later against the AI

When I play MP, I half expect to lose, and doing so doesn't bother me

When I am involved in Demo games I offer my opinions often, and they are acknowledged or ignored, sometimes revised, sometimes enacted, but I worry not about offering them.

I am in a PBEM Game, and while my Ally depends on me, I am essentially on my own, and not at all worried about losing, or about being the cause of the loss.

However, this game, my first succession game, has me downloading the game (and I have done so twice since Christmas, and started to play a few times, without actually doing any more then surveying the empire).

Old n Slow suggests three courses of action above, and I think each has their merits, but find myself unsure about what direction to take us in. I welcome advice from any who care to offer it.

Once again I find myself apologizing for the delay, but this type of game (which though not a new concept, is still fairly new to me) has me worried about being a part of cause of the first loss suffered. Once this game is complete, I intend to return to the sidelines, but I don't want to hold this up any longer then necessary...please recommend.

/me

Three options:
Sewers/WLTPD:
Remaining in democracy, favourable economy and tech rate, minimal warfare

Fanatics/Charge!:
Changing to Fundie, favourable economy, minimal tech rate, all out warfare...against the Greeks, razing as many cities as possible

Camels/Wonders:
Staying in Democracy? Combining this option with the first (City growth)??, What wonders do we still want? (My last set of turns I set out for Leo's as it is a wonder I want in all my games...in hindsight I think it has limited value in a game with a small number of cities...what wonders do we still wish to build?

I look forward to your opinions, robust criticism and/or disdain.

[Bloody Monk]

Sparrowhawk,

Reading your heartrending cry for help, I am torn between responding with "I feel your pain," or suggesting you surf over to getapair.com. (note the smiley,please)

It seems your fear of being, somehow, wrong has paralized you into inaction. All you need to think about is "come on in; the water is fine". And forget disdain. Nobody is going to feel disdain. And drop the talk of slinking away to the sidelines.

But, nobody will have the joy of giving Robust CONSTRUCTIVE Criticism until you post your log and save. So, check the rules, check the map,etc, and decide on a plan. Then, just play. You will learn and it will be good.

One last thing. In a SXN game, when your turn comes, you are the god of the moment. Try to keep in mind that even a bumbling god is still a god.

Have fun....

Monk

[duke o' york]

Why would sparrow need an aupair?

Sparrow, just go with the flow! There's nothing to worry about really, and the worst that can happen is for SG to direct some RCC in your direction. As long as you have a plan, and that you follow it, and can explain and defend it if demanded, then you'll do fine. No-one can have a go at you if you follow the plan you have set yourself, even if they would have followed another plan. They will be well aware that their choice of plan would not have been that chosen by everyone else, which is the point of SXN games. You have to adapt to what you have been given by someone else, and hopefully leave a situation that will allow your successor a chance in the game. Do what you think is fit, and don't worry too much about the RCC. It's almost inevitable (well, unless you can win the game in the next 10 turns) from some quarter, so just do what you want.

Oh, but since this is a game of razing cities, then try not to use ships to attack cities.

[Scouse Gits]

To paraphrase the code of IBM salesmen for the past millenium ...

"Say what you are going to do
"Do what you have said you will do
"Say what you have done"

and all will be well.

DoY - I have been many things to many people in my past - but a buggaboo to scare kids must be the lowest yet!!!

To absolutely avoid criticism from this seat - go fundy and kill

Stu

[Old n Slow]

I've already "offered" my 2 cents. There are merits for the options I recommended -- but as to choose? I'd say go with whatever style you feel most comfortable with, as that way you will have the greatest chance to shine.

[-Jrabbit]

Because obliterating cities is far more time- and resource-intensive than normal warfare, I recommend Fundy.

This will allow massive troop construction and treasury growth. The treasure can be used to bribe (WoW-containing) gateway cities on other continents that will house said troops.

Plus, we need to allow for a new home city for OnS. Demo-growth in the homeland is secondary IMHO.

Now you've had plenty of advice. BOOT UP AND PLAY!!!!

[duke o' york]

If you don't eat all of your sprouts then the Scouse Git will come and get you with his vicious crooks and evil 'clads.

There is nothing to fear but MPx2x1!!

[Scouse Gits]

... and (it appears) sprouts ...

[Bloody Monk]

I'm guessing, not hungry....

Monk

[Sparrowhawk]

We didn't lose any cities this time

I am just posting the save file for now, I hope to post the log tomorrow (it is 3:30 am here now and I just spent the last couple hours agonizing over every decision The log will take too long to post right now).

A quick summary however:
We are now in Fundamentalism
New Techs: Industrialism and Electricity (and almost done researching Tactics, but the Egyptians are also researching, so perhaps we wait for them? )
We have 4105 Gold which I was tempted to use...

But decided against it.......though the diplomat still has a movement point left. She could move back to the boat, or take the city. I leave that to my successor.

I was not able to raze any Greek cities, but we have units in place or moving in place for this purpose.

I retook Six's Torch (for STYOM). I consider this to still be his city, and I think his rules (posted somewhere above) support this, let me know if I am wrong.

I apologize again for the LONG delay in playing, and hope your RCC is about my game choices, not about the amount of time it took me to play.

/me