Drachen’s Puzzle

[Drachen]

For any who are interested. Drachen’s musket army has been ordered to Dover and must reach it this turn at any cost. I expect that advanced players will not find this task too difficult but that intermediate players will have to work at it. Open discussion is encouraged but try not to give too much away if you are able to solve the puzzle.

Edit: The posts below contain the answer. If you want the challenge then work the puzzle before reading beyond the first nine posts.

[Drachen]

The Save

[Drachen]

Edit: Delete double post

[Drachen]

I had problems with the zip file so here is a link to the .sav file.

http://apolyton.net/upload/view.php?file=24794_Puzzle1330AD.SAV

[Dominae]

From your screenshot, it looks like there's a Musketmen Army in Dover already. So is there another one in those ships somewhere?

Anyway, I think I know what this involves...

[mrmitchell]

From your screenshot, it looks like there's a Musketmen Army in Dover already. So is there another one in those ships somewhere?

The highlighted galleon has 5 lines, so I assume that's it.

[Drachen]

Originally posted by Dominae
From your screenshot, it looks like there's a Musketmen Army in Dover already. So is there another one in those ships somewhere?

Anyway, I think I know what this involves...

There is only one musket army. The screenshot is proof that it can get to Dover in 1330. I posted this because it is a multistep process that has a great deal to teach to newbies. This is nowhere near as simple as it may first appear. I suggest players post a similar screenshot with a smiley when they get it.

[mrmitchell]

Er, what version is this?

EDIT: nevermind! fixed

[Drachen]

Originally posted by mrmitchell
Er, what version is this?

EDIT: nevermind! fixed

Good luck to you! 1.22 for general info.

[Arnelos]

Ok, even using the exploits I know how to use, I can't seem to solve this one.

My best guess is that you'd have to use some combination of the ship chaining exploit and the double-move exploit together over the turn break.

I'm familiar with how the doublemove exploit can be abused in PBEM, but I'm not quite sure how it works in SP. Also, I don't think it's even possible to engineer the situation such that the musket army will use the ship chain exploit while attempting to follow a go-to order issued using the go-to doublemove exploit. If it is, that's your solution right there... but I don't think that's possible.

I also tried to see if I could use the cannons and the elite cavalry down in the warzone to get another MGL and use that MGL to make an army (and load it with muskets) for the purpose, but I couldn't seem to get an MGL no matter how many times I tried that. In theory (though I didn't check the exact number of tiles for movement), you could move the MGL north, form the army, load it with muskets, move to the boat and then boatchain so it could reach Dover on schedule. Problem is... getting that MGL in the first place.

[Dominae]

I'm not sure the double-move exploit helps, since you need to get the Army over there in the current turn (1330AD).

*** Spoiler ***

Well, I found one solution, but I doubt it's the one Drachen is looking for:

1. Move Musketmen Army North then West into Nuremberg.
2. Disband London. New capital is York.
3. Gift Nuremberg to the Byzantines. Musketmen Army teleports to York.
4. Move Musketmen Army 5 tiles East into Dover.

Edit: Actually, this solution does not work, since the Musketmen Army only has 4 movement points left after moving into Nuremberg. So, another step is needed:

2.5: Disband York. New capital is Coventry.

Drachen did say "at all costs"...does that include losing your capital on Sid?!?

*** End Spoiler ***

[Drachen]

Spoiler...

I never ever would have thought of that Dominae. I didn’t realize that armies were transported to the capital when a city was gifted. I could use a lesson on what all is entailed in these kinds of moves. At any rate, kudos to you for finding the first solution and an alternative to the one I found. There is no reason to move the army to Dover, but the means to do it was found in actual game play as a means to further my aims and you are correct that disbanding London and York probably wouldn’t help me win this one.

[Drachen]

Hey Arnelos;

I'm not familiar with the double move exploit and it seems like yet another oportunity for a lesson. The army in Dover isn't created from a leader so you must find a way to get the existing army a bit further.

***the answer follows***

[zorbop]

I got very far, then messed up by clicking the wrong place, so i dont know if it would actually work, and did not want to go through the entire proccess again, so let me ask you...

***SPOILER***
Capture nearest american city.
Get steam power from them for peace and a bunch of gold.
give aztecs tons of tech so they have steam power and trade them for coal.
build railroads to the city w/ the ship.
move army to ship and then to another ship until you transport it to dover

[Dominae]

Ok, I've found another solution (by the way, the reason I'm not posting a screenshot is that I'm too lazy to download an image resizing program):

*** Spoiler ***

1. Sign Peace Treaty with Americans.
2. Steal Steam Power from Americans "Safely". Thankfully, it works.
3. Look at the map and despair over the Coal situation.
4. Gift the Aztecs into the Indutrial era. Finish by gifting them Steam Power.
5. Trade for Coal with the Aztecs for a pittance.
6. Use Workers around Nuremberg to build Railroads N, E and SE-SE of it.
7. Move the Musketmen Army to Bremen. This only costs 1 (3/3) MP due to the rails.
8. Bring the Galleon in Hammer to Bremen and Load the Army onto it.
9. Ship chain using the other two Galleons with MPs left to bring the Army into Gloucester.
10. Move the Musketmen Army to Dover with its remaining MP.

I know this works, but did you really give all those techs to the Aztecs, or is it possible to trade for Coal from the Portuguese somehow?

*** End Spoiler ***