The New Land

[Inverse Icarus]

For those of you who werent at the turnchat, we believe we foud some new continent, or perhaps the tail end of our own contient.

Apolyton's borders expanded again, and we see a whale and COAST tiles, meaning there's land there. we dont know if it's our own continent, another one, or just an island, but either way we should explore it eventually. the sooner the better, as if it is an island / new continent it would be nice to have a strong foothold on it, or even to control it completely.

two of the science minister canddiates stated that they wanted to "dive for republic". perhaps a brief stopoff at mapmaking would be better?

[Epistax]

You know what I don't see? An enemy zone of control-- at least some of that land is free for grabbing (assuming it's habitable). If this land is indeed usable, then perhaps our palace need not move to another location, it might yet prove to be the center of our empire.

[Sean]

Thanks, for the update. It is all very interesting.

[notyoueither]

Good point Epistax.

[Robber Baron]

I'll second the suggestion we at least consider (poll?) the idea of obtaining mapmaking soon. If we wait to get the tech via trade, would that mean other civs would have a better chance to beat us to the prize? Do we create an advantage by pushing for map making ourselves? (I don't have a good sense of this; I'd love to hear from more experienced players.)
At the very least, should we consider preparing a settler (once our first army has been marshalled, that is) and garrison force. (Call it Plan Terra Incognita?)

[Epistax]

Our entire economy is based off of wealth, and so far it has paid off. I think it will for a while. Switching to map making will very much ruin our trading for tech until map making is done. On the issue of others getting there first, either the area is insignificantly small, or someone started settled on it. So our race is with them. It's unclear if anyone else is working towards mapmaking, and I wouldn't want to be caught with my pants down-- starting map making only to have someone else finish it, then us not having enough money to buy it,.

[Donal Graeme]

When I normally play. I have two objectives in the ancient age: Explore and Expand(I usually leave conquering to the midieval age). However, the situation our great (or soon to be great) nation finds itself in means that we can't dive toward mapmaking. Something I consider essential to forming a great empire. Explorations is a source of wealth and knowledge. However, the costs must be balanced with the expenses. With the upcoming war, we don't have the funds necessary to push for mapmaking. So I say wait until we off the Americans, then go head long for Mapmaking, and explore that area as quickly as possible.

[Inverse Icarus]

indeed. on this huge continent mapmaking may not be on the AI's top 10, but it probably wont be too long anyway.

[MrWhereItsAt]

Our priority at the moment, which we must NOT lose sight of, is the acquisition of sufficient good land for lebensraum. We are currently planning a war to obtain such land, which will be necessary sooner or later anyway. However, we cannot ignore the prospect that the new land may be better than that upon which we started. (Imagine that! )

Thus, where it does not significantly interfere with our war plans. obtaining MapMaking and having a look at this place should be done also - if we can get some good land before or simultaneously with the war, we should bloody well

For our resource-hungry nation, we also cannot ignore the possibility of finding much needed materials there.

[Papa Chubby]

It seems that we are all in agreement, at least all of us that have submitted a post at this thread. Exploring the potential of whatever landmass that is across the straits of Apolyton is of the utmost importance. The question that remains though is whether we should stick to out battle plans that leave no room for making a galley, or should we delay them, or send our forces out less prepered.

[Aggie]

I agree we need to explore, however I don't think map making would get us to that land unless there are places I don't see(and can't until we get a boat out there)since there is sea between us and the land and mapmaking would only get us to the coast squares and can't get to the sea squares.
Aggie

[Aggie]

One more thing, since we are doing no research anyway, we can just wait for mapmaking to come up and buy it.
Aggie

[Robber Baron]

Originally posted by Aggie
I agree we need to explore, however I don't think map making would get us to that land unless there are places I don't see(and can't until we get a boat out there)since there is sea between us and the land and mapmaking would only get us to the coast squares and can't get to the sea squares.
Aggie

It would be a suicide run, with a chance for success and a chance for failure. (Feeling lucky? )

Which would make it all the more costly, since it might well take us several galleys, several settlers, and several garrison units to get planted.

[Robber Baron]

Originally posted by Aggie
One more thing, since we are doing no research anyway, we can just wait for mapmaking to come up and buy it.
Aggie

Yeah, that looks like the way to go, I guess. (This game is teaching me how powerful tech-buying and techwhoring can be, if skillfully manipulated.)

[Edrix]

Originally posted by Robber Baron
Which would make it all the more costly, since it might well take us several galleys, several settlers, and several garrison units to get planted.

Actually, having a few settlers in reserve would help, especially considering all of the possible city sites we've got our eyes on following the War Against the States. We probably shouldn't divert too much time/resources squarely towards the new land, however, until we win. In the event that the land across the channel is not habitable, we could always divert the Galley/Settler elsewhere and settle.