AU 601: Theseus' Greek DAR 2

[Theseus]

I discovered the northern island in the inland sea.

I am keeping the war going against Carthage, at the following costs:

Germanic Tribe: 11 gpt
Egypt: 7 gpt
Persia: 7 gpt

Haven't gotten the Celts into yet, as they want 14 gpt.

Desperate to get a branch tech lead; I am assuming that Nathan is all but giving away tech to the AI civs to my detriment.

[Theseus]

Added Celts, 9 gpt, to the alliance against Carthage... every civ is at war, except Rome. That, and an increase in power, has me worried: Will I be facing a Nathan-special juggernaut SoD soon? We shall see. Given the shaking up I've given to our world, though, I think he must maintain his own defense first.

I am working on developing a second iron. I am considering trading it to ( :GASP: ) the Persians!

One turn away from taking the second Bab city, I think, and then we shall see what we can negotiate for in peace.

I have completed four uni's in my best core cities... hopefully that will help in catching up in tech. I tried buying Feudalism from the various civs, with the thought that gpt deals could be useful in other dimensions... waaaay too expensive though. I need a tech lead!!

[Theseus]

MGL from the Bab War!! It'll slow down my capture of that NE Bab city, but I withdraw all troops except the Sword* (who tragically dies defending the retreat) in order to bring the Leader back for the HE. I choose that rather than an Army, as the world has passed by Feud, and I'd rather upgrade my Swords than put them into an Army. Heck, if anything, I might pull another MGL outta the hat with my remaining elite Swords... Babs have no iron, so I am facing LBs and ACs.

/me LUSTS for a 2xMedInf+Hoplite Army at each of the NE and SE borders.

[Edit: What the heck am I talking about? In my excitement... So, yeah, the MGL is made into an Army. Not sure what to fill it with yet.]

[Theseus]

Legions are just waaaay high on the STCOMM.

NATHAN'S Legions, no less.

[Theseus]

Interesting happenings in Nathan's Neighborhood...

[Theseus]

In 640 AD, I capture Nippur, the NE Bab town, and negotiate peace, Printing Press, and an MA against Carthage for 6gpt.

Everyone except Rome is aligned against Hannibal. MWAHAHAHA!!!

(We'll see how this grand strategy works... )

[Theseus]

The good... and the bad.

[Theseus]

(I don't even have Feudalsim yet fer chrissakes!! )

[Theseus]

Friggin' Nathan has been handing out tech like candy to the AI civs. In 680AD, I researched Econ, only to find that everyone suddenly has it. :grr:

The good news is, Rome decided to get into the action against Carthage (that's everybody), and thus did not trade them Econ. Breaking all of my MAs, I was able to negotiate peace and trade Econ and ultimately 108 gpt for Feudalism, Astronomy, Invention, and Gunpowder. Carthage only has two cities left, so I am obviously hoping they get taken out SOONEST. They just started building Bach's... that should get'em killed. Everybody else is furious with me, of course.

I task one Scientist in Athens, and start Chemistry at a 50 turn pace... I need all my cash for upgrades.

[Solomwi]

Captured Nippur, T? I didn't think that was allowed, but can understand... old habits and stuff.

[Theseus]

Nathan and I are playing with variant rules:

* We are allowed to capture two cities from each AI civ induced into an MA by the human opponent, each time (hasn't happened yet).

* We are allowed to capture two cities, total throughout the game, from each AI civ that declares war on us (so, I'm permitted to keep the two Bab cities I've captured, whereas Rome may not keep any Carthaginian captured cities as Rome made the declaration).

* We are allowed to keep cities 'captured' via CF (Nathan has one city this way).

* Raze & rebuild is effectively the same as capturing.

[Edit: One more thing, we are obligated to inform each other of all events relating to the above.]

It makes for some interesting strategic decisions. For instance, we have yet to declare war on each other and enlist AI civs via MAs, so that opportunities for expansion via city capture have not been presented.

However, I have just realized that it is now an opportune time for me to start such activity, given that Carthage is down to two cities anyway, and I'm dying to see them eradicated due to the gpt I owe for another 18 turns. [Edit: It strikes me as funny that Carthage itself has the Knights Templar, but that Nathan will surely beeline for Steam Power now that he is in the Industrial Era... nyaah nyaah, useless GW!]

The only problem is that each of Persia and the Germanic Tribes have captured cities contiguous to Rome... hmmm. On the other hand, Rome capturing those cities, which are not strategic to either AI civ, will piss them off, and hopefully make them more likely to do damage to Rome directly.

And I know that they have some serious troops in the area.

[Theseus]

Nathan, btw, seems to be doing something smart which I will be copying. When at war with a neighboring civ, he is being very aggressive about planting tightly spaced (2-tile?) forward cities in their territory to capture resources. I will be doing this to capture a NE ivory just inside Bab territory in the next few turns.

[Solomwi]

I should have known you two would have allowed for some mode of conquering. I've got to say, though, if I were weighing SP against a couple of crusaders, I'm not sure I wouldn't beeline for it, too.

[Theseus]

I took a tight look at the wording of our rules, and unfortunately, I think that my joining Carthage in an already extant war against Rome would NOT qualify as an opportunity for Rome to legally capture Carthaginian cities.

D*mn.

And Persia just went to peace with Carthage. Double d*mn.

Hopefully the Germanic Tribes will take them out.

[Antrine]

Oh, that fine print, gosh guys, next time just 'do it' as a free for all!!