A Grizzled old warrior becomes uncaged

[roadcage]

Roadamus the Cagey, aka ssgt roadcage (retired), a hero of the 1st Punic War, cast about his mustering out Land Grant. A modest spread considering his attained rank and 35 turns of dedicated service. He ambled over to his 'faux' war tent next and checked to see if any pigeons had arrived this morning. There were four newly arrived carriers preening their feathers.

Roadamus reached into the pen and firmly grasped one bird and carefully removed the message. Senate of Rome transcript

Having known the both REAL MDCCCLXXXIX and his servant from days of yore, Roadamus wondered how the imposter had succeeded for so long. But Rome has grown fat from the spoils of Espania. Maderia has a way with dulling the senses. Oh well.

Another reach into the pen and another message. A Dark day for Rome

Dark indeed. Another old friend, going all the way back to DG1, cut down in his prime. Dark for Rome, but ....

A third bird is extracted from the coup. Succession

Roadamus, grimaces and wonders if he will survive the upcoming ordeal.

The last winged courier is extracted and .....

I have the Sacred 10 BC save.

A few turns earlier than expected, but I am ready to serve.

Roadamus the Cagey,
aka ssgt roadcage (retired)

[joncnunn]

So after Roadcage, it will cycle back for us to have second terms in office, starting with Modo?

[Donegeal]

Ssgt, your comment way back during the war with the Germans in DG1 about keeping units on the rail network helped alot in this game. Frequently I sacrificed defensive position (going to a roaded grassland as opposed to an unroaded hill) while on the offensive to stay on the roads (4 tiles per MP rocks!).

My point to this is that I think that the two western Celtic cities are unroaded, so ou will find several workers/slaves that appear to be doing nothing. They are actually heading to western Gaul to road up the countryside.

And remember, when the Celts are removed from mainland Europe and their capital is moved to a city on the british isles, the may have access to Iron again as their capital will be reconnected to the trade network via harbors in Whales (the western part of the Island).

[roadcage]

Yes Brittany is under roaded. But the positioning looks favorable liberating the 2 towns there in 1 ad. 10 HC equivalents (1 HC 3 blitz Army, 2 elite HC 5 Vet HC. Should be ample. One town will be roaded in the tween turn 1/5 ad. The other will be a turn or two later

Normandy is even more undeveloped. One town will be visited by 3 legionaries in 1 ad. Hopefully, this will be enough. There is a suitable townsite in Normandy that we will be pre-roading for a convert citizen from one of the local towns.

The main force will be converging on the current capital. 7 HC attacks can be staged in 1 ad. This may or may not be enough. There are 4 celtic workers in the recently captured city sw of the capital. 3 will be positioned with a 5/6 Legionary cover to road immediate during the attack turn. the remaining will be placed as bait for any GS or AR the celts may have in towns.

The last Celtic City on the continent will most likely fall to the Goths before we can get there.

Brittanica linkup is projected for 5 ad. The town across the channel will be switching to galley immediately after the current legionary. I really wish you hadn't rushed that one since the mixed Army currently fortified there inside wonder enhanced walls is more than ample for anything up that way. however I recognize that we have so much free cash flow that needs to be consumed each turn that sometimes we do what we must.

Algeria on the other hand is a very serious problem. I expect our lone galley to become one with the deep during the next Carthiginian turn. That leaves 7*45 shield legionIII's more or less hanging out to dry. Only 3 of them have movement left this turn which is insufficient to attempt a city attack (next turn).

In the mean time we only control 7 of the 20 native tiles for that city. This is a bad flip risk

please discuss

[Donegeal]

Yeah, I did kinda force the situation there. Undoutedly the worst thing I did. I was feeling confident from my victories against the Celts. I guess we can blame it on my old habit of getting my way... I am VERY worried about a flip. One of the Carthage cities should to be taken as soon as possible to try and stop this from happening.

There are two empty armies on the galley heading back to the boot. I left them empty so other Emperors could fill them with whatever they want.

What are your plans in the NW? You said something about building galleys up there. Are you planing on attacking the isles?

What about the Goths? Like you said, great place to leader farm (just look at all those one defense units!!!!), but I did make a lux trade with them because I did not think I was going to run through Gaul as quickly as I did (someone had said it would take several more emperors to take gaul, so i took them at their word...).

[roadcage]

The plan is to found a city permitting a shuttle for units. If and when we decide to take Brittanica. I don't plan to attack, just want the capability for future emperors.

And how did you manage to trade wines to the Goths?

Look at our active trades with them in 10BC...

7 remaining turns we give wines and horses for alliance against the Celts,

and amazingly there is another entry
15 remaining turns we give wines for 8 gpt.

I didn't think this was possible.

If only they would sneak attack us!! They sure should since we are double charging them for wines. But hey, maybe the vikes just over indulge.

Anyway, on the economic front, I plan a huge map whoring episode before I finnish 10bc.

At peace with 5 civs, 2 rolling in dough (Persia/Goths) 2 comfortable (Macedons/Egypt), and 1 broke but with an almost certainly huge map (Scyths).

Potentially several hundred one time gold this turn from a WM frenzy, and looking at our worker situation, maybe 40/50 per turn thereafter of mostly TM nickels and dimes.

For those unfamiliar with the concept of map whoring look here

And the slider. You have 10% lux, micromanaged cities and 707/turn.

If you had Governors in all cities set to manage mood and commerce, 0% lux there would be 759/turn.

This also makes it rather easy to see where the happy and smiley faces are needed.

And based on this analysis, the churches in Aquilea and Genua will be cancelled. Both are working every possible tile with acceptable happiness at 0% lux and no specialists. The extra food here will become tax collectors automatically maintaining the status quo w/o a church.

Still searching for a plan re Polyroman Carthago.

[joncnunn]

The cultural flip risk is actually much reduced because of the much superior Roman culture and no foreign citizens. (Thanks in no small part to ToA giving us Temples everywhere.)

Just cash rush some more cultural improvements in Algeria while it's not connected to the trade network. The 7 Legionary III stack if it keeps together is unlikely to be attacked at all. But I wouldn't recommend trying to keep any more cities that you attack with it, raizing the adjoining one(s) crowding it too closely to the ground. well on a turn that more of them than three could attack on the same turn

Originally posted by roadcage

Algeria on the other hand is a very serious problem. I expect our lone galley to become one with the deep during the next Carthiginian turn. That leaves 7*45 shield legionIII's more or less hanging out to dry. Only 3 of them have movement left this turn which is insufficient to attempt a city attack (next turn).

In the mean time we only control 7 of the 20 native tiles for that city. This is a bad flip risk

please discuss

[joncnunn]

I really like the annexation of the remainder of mainland Celts idea.

We actually have more to go in terms of achieving 50% of the worlds population than 20% of the land, so we need to be building Hospitals in all our size 11-12 cities.

I'm not suprized that 0% luxaries [with taxmen] is a better plan than 10% luxaries. But we will probably want churches for all the cities with hospitals.

[Modo44]

Each citizen gets us more additional population than the previous one, so we should be growing cities big time. Specialists are not an option. Leave the lux slider up, if that is what we need for growth.

[roadcage]

Afrika Corps

Status report as of 10 BC

Polyroman Carthago (ACHQ)

Current Garrison:
2 Elite Legions
5 Vet Legions
1 Vet Warrior

Roman influence within the city work area is limited to 4 of 8 tier 1 tiles and 3 of 12 tier 2 tiles. All other tier 1 and tier 2 tiles are influenced by Hannibal due to high culture in Sabratha and Oea. This constitutes severe flip risk.

Therefore the world renound entertainer, Condomia, best known for her hit "Save a Cavalry, Ride a Legion", has volunteered at no cost to the empire, for a SPQRO tour 'We support our Legions' extravaganza. (The currently worked tile's 3 gold are lost to corruption)

Red 'We support our Legions' ribbons are available for sale at all pubs and inns in the empire. All proceeds will be used to defray the costs of incidental items consumed by this promotion.

Build plan:
Warrior,warrior.... etc until such time as Sabratha harbor is captured, then all upgraded to Legions. The capture of Sabratha is not planned prior to arrival of ACII and ACIII armies in 20 ad.

Organization:
Afrika Corps (AC) shall have an authorized force of 2 full strength Legionary III Armies, 10 free standing Legionaries, 6 Garrisons, in theatre created MGL's, captured Catapults, captured slaves, and 3 Galleys. Generation of an In Theatre MGL shall cause the Afrika Corps Authorized strength to be increased by one full strength Legionary III Army. Additional authorization is at the descression of SPQR. Free Standing Legions filled into AC Armies automatically create openings in the Free Standing Legionary authorization.

Army Shells of the discredited Polyroman SS Div II and Polyroman SS Div III now aboard ClassisChoreae Nubia-Bast will land in Pisae in 5bc. Legions from Padua and Roma will join with to form one member Armies for speed of transportation. After joining, they will fast march to the "toe" of the boot for transport to Messana. Transport will be via the maiden voyage of a new build Galley "Sicilian Queen" out of Messana timed to complete (rushed) in 1ad.

These Armies will be re-named Afrika Corps II and Afrika Corps III. The Name Afrika Corps I is hereby reserved for the first in theatre generated Army. Other pre-existing Polyroman SS Legionary units not committed to Gaul and within reasonable transport distance of the "toe" shall be given preference for enlistment into AC. The act of enlistment shall be effective with the loading into an Authorized Army of AC. Such enlistment shall result in clemency from any and all crimes committed against SPQR during the "dark" time. Due to the restricted organization of AC, Polyroman SS Heavy Cavalry units are precluded. SPQR should consider the eventual creation of a special "Equine Corps" with similar clemency benefits.

A Citizen will be produced from jagjef and sent to the "toe" to found the eastern end of the Afrikan Express. This City (name to be determined by the then current Emperor) increases the "Sicilian Queen" an average transport capacity from 4 to 6 units per turn from Italia to Sicily. The actual capacity is 8 and 4 units for alternating turns. An an overturn stopover for most units will be required in Messana. Offloading at Messana All units will be granted a R&R in Messana.

Mission:
AC shall secure the Moorish, Nubian, and Egyptian coasts for the benefit and enjoyment of SPQR.

Initial Objective:
Relieve the flip pressure on ACHQ.

For the current turn, AC shall carry out reconnisance in force missions for pillaging Carthaginian improvements. Such missions shall be ongoing until ACII and ACIII are in theatre.

Respectfully submitted,
Mark Anthony
SPQR representative
Afrika Corps

[joncnunn]

Or leave the slider down, hire the taxmen where needed, but switch those cities builds to churches and cash rush them after one turn normal build and as funds become available.

Originally posted by Modo44
Each citizen gets us more additional population than the previous one, so we should be growing cities big time. Specialists are not an option. Leave the lux slider up, if that is what we need for growth.

[joncnunn]

And there is the option of intra turn switching luxaries down to 0% to see which cities need the churches and then increasing it back to 10% if specalists are really undesirable. (If churches is such cities are the highest cash rush priority so we stop wasting 10% of our gold.)