The rise and fall of the Roman Empire

[DaveV]

After endless pre-production meetings, this PBEM epic is finally underway. The cast of characters:

Romans - DaveV
Carthaginians - Scouse Gits (1)
Ptolemaics - La Fayette
Selucids - Scouse Gits [2]

And, filling out the cast:

Macedonians - the Astonishingly Inept Antigonus
Independent Greeks and Allies - the Appallingly Incompetent Hiero
Celts - the Abominably Incoherent Vercingetorix

We are playing the standard Rome scenario. Bribery of units and cities is allowed; all in-game negotiations between players are disabled. May the best man (or AI ) win!

[Scouse Gits]

Thanks DaveV - once we get going should we post logs and/or games here?

Just a reminder - we (LaFayette & the SGs) are novices at any form of MP so we look to you for guidance ...

[DaveV]

I'm attaching the game file for Scouse Git [1] since Email doesn't seem to be working very well...

[Scouse Gits]

Received and played - could not use Ctrl-N when the 'Press Enter' was flashing so saved anyway and sent to LaFayette by E-mail -- is the Ctrl-N problem anything to do with Julius' NoLimits Patch? or something I have done ...

Game attached as failsafe

[DaveV]

The goal with Ctrl-N is not to end your turn, but to make the AI think you've moved all your units. The best way to check whether Ctrl-N had its desired effect is to open a city screen and click on a unit that hasn't moved on this turn. If you are offered the "activate unit" option, the AI can (and most probably will) unfortify and move units that you really didn't want moved. You should save the game after pressing Ctrl-N, while the "press enter" message is still flashing.

[Scouse Gits]

Seleucidian Admiral in Port Row!

The city of Miletus is next to an ocean tile but no ships may be built.

Game sent to Dave on Saturday.

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SG(2)

[DrFell]

I noticed that myself when I tried playing Seleucids a while ago - obviously they dont want the Seleucids to be a big naval power in the area. You can do it while creating a scenario by building the city inland and then removing land squares to make it a coastal city. There must be some kind of flag that's set initially when a city is build beside the ocean.

[Scouse Gits]

Thanks DrFell.
I think the others are just plotting against me!

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SG(2)

[DaveV]

Originally posted by DrFell
There must be some kind of flag that's set initially when a city is build beside the ocean.

From what I've read, there is such a flag. If the others agree, I think we should hack the save file to turn on the flag for Miletus.

And now for something completely different: a quick note on some little-mentioned differences between MP and SP. In MP, settlers and engineers perform all their work twice as fast as in SP (i.e., settlers build roads in one turn, irrigate grassland in three turns, etc.). Also, if you give the 'F' command to a unit that has some movement left, it will fortify right away, instead of spending a turn digging trenches and building breastworks.

[Scouse Gits]

Originally posted by Scouse Gits
I think the others are just plotting against me!

* Looks up from reading "The Prince" *
Whatever gave you that idea, my friend?

Originally posted by DaveV
a quick note on some little-mentioned differences between MP and SP. In MP, settlers and engineers perform all their work twice as fast as in SP (i.e., settlers build roads in one turn, irrigate grassland in three turns, etc.). Also, if you give the 'F' command to a unit that has some movement left, it will fortify right away, instead of spending a turn digging trenches and building breastworks.

Thanks Dave - I didn't know this - I'm pretty sure it doesn't happen with MPG played as SP ...

I think we are beginning to get the hang of this - we might even get to a turn a day soon ...

[DaveV]

Originally posted by Scouse Gits
The city of Miletus is next to an ocean tile but no ships may be built.

The mighty Jupiter has heard the prayers of the people of Miletus, and granted them the ability to build ships and coastal improvements. Of course, Jupiter is sometimes an all too fallible god; address further prayers to Jupiter's customer service department if the results are not completely to your liking.

In other news, the Ptolemaics have constructed the Lighthouse, giving them more wonders than all other human-controlled civilizations combined. The Romans have sharpened their swords (and their pens) to take the city of Taras, while the Selucids have started the sleaze machine by building a city near Antioch. The Carthaginians, doomed to languish on the western fringes of the world without the benefit of the Lighthouse, have no accomplishments of note.

[Scouse Gits]

It did take me a while to suss just why Carthage was devoting its energies to the production of a Settler - but I got there.

Thanks for the Miletus fix - should keep the Grand Admiral happy.

"Doomed to languish ..." I do hope not!