The Quixotic Adventures of Sancho Panza--A Greek

[jshelr]

Note there was no RoP between Rome and Babylon in the above picture.

Next turn, there was a RoP. Since Babs are on our border, I feared the worst. We bribed an alliance with the Babs, hoping to make the gauntlet Rome has to run a little more difficult. Anyway, if Alex stacks up some arty and lots of units, the Babs will undoubtedly immitate a matador.

[jshelr]

Alex and Rome remain at war with virtually everybody a few turns later. It's time for a long-shot, last-ditch trading strat designed to catch up on tech

i'll trade anything for tech and use units to try to keep unhappiness to a minimum. Never thought I would be trading iron to the neighboring Persians, for example, but why not?

The zero-extra iron should be replaced in a few turns and hoplites don't require it.

[jshelr]

Situation report:

Alex of Rome has an economy that can now both bribe and research. Therein lies our doom.

Emperor Alex has alliances with Egypt, Germany, and the Babs. That = the much dreaded passage to Greece, and he should arrive any time now.

Germanic knights are a pain in the butt, helped by the rng which is, evidently, no longer on my side.

We have scratched and clawed to invention and printing press. Would like banking next. My theory is that you can defend in PBEM under democracy without ever going down to anarchy. I suspect we are not totally behind the curve on tech, but we can't afford to get gunpowder.

There have been fewer chances to buy tech with lux and strat resources than hoped. Too many wars, too few road or sea linkages.

With the Babs and Germanics pouring in 4-attack units, our brave hoplites are finally starting to bleed. The arty stack is not having much effect of late, and we've lost some swords.

[vmxa1]

That is not a pretty picture. The bad thing for about reading these DAR's is that someone is going to start losing and everyone is sort of like a friend.

I just hope it was fun, it seems to be a joy to the readers.

[jshelr]

We remain plucky

[jshelr]

So, last turn our good friend and staunch ally Xerxes suddenly could no longer trade iron with us

Fearing the worst, we sent a hoplite out to investigate.

here's what he found, and keep in mind that we are stretched thin in the north and have responded to Alex setting up the north as the likely invasion route

[jshelr]

Checkmate

However, in pbem, it is the duty of the poundee to let the pounder enjoy a bit of pounding if he so desires.

[jshelr]

Maybe I can fool Rome into a peace treaty

Message to the Emperor of Rome

When our good friend and reliable ally Xerxes no longer could trade iron, we sent a young hoplite out to greet our incoming Roman friends.

I'm sure a little diplomacy can smooth over any differences we may have had in the past.

We've heard that Romans are kind to vanquished foes, absorbing them into the empire.

Take my wife. Please.

Temporary Head of Greece, at your service

[jshelr]

The man's inhuman

not only did he refuse my wife, but he is having sport with us

"if Greek troops manage to defeat a Roman Army, Caesar will recognize the Greek bravery and forfeit his claims on Greece. Rome will retire from the game and Greece will be free to battle the AI to Alpha Centauri"

we will fight him on the beaches

we will fight him in the fields

we will fight him in the streets

we will never surrender

or, something like that.......

Friend Bismark was in perfect postion to stab Ham in the back. And, so it went

[jshelr]

We are now free to conduct a scorched earth retreat to Athens were the barbarous Romans will encounter two armies and tons of hoplites, as well as some arty. we may pick one of his armies off.....only time will tell.

[Theseus]

I'm a dead man too, having also conducted a scorched earth retreat. Good try though, Russ!

[jshelr]

So, we have a bet with the Romans. They believe they can defeat Greece without losing a unit. Failing that, they will disband and let us shoot for the stars alone!

What we should have done is disbanded all cities and camped out with one settler on a mountain with a fort and all our units. But we're not that smart.

Instead, we are holed up in the capital, letting anarchy pay the bills for the defense.

[jshelr]

This impressive stack has pillaged sufficiently so we can't get our arty and one-movers near them.

[jshelr]

Athens can fill it's empty army with 3 offensive units or 3 hoplites. there are lots more units in the capital, but Rome can kill them all one at a time. Only the armies count.

[jshelr]

Our friendly bookmaker quoted one chance in ten if we fill with MI units and go out like men to fight the Romans.