Turn 110, 370 BC

[nbarclay]

I'm delaying the attack due to lack of time. Sorry about that, folks, but it's a fairly close call which choice is better (and a lot depends on our luck with cats next turn).

[nbarclay]

Turn sent.

[Shiber]

Note: until we build a temple in Inchon and its borders expand, we will be vulnerable to a surprise attack by a Voxian galley coming from Inchon-777 and attacking Inchon-1. So, I suggest that we don't park any galleys at Inchon-1 at the end of their turn before the borders of Inchon expand or we set up a scout galley to see a few tiles ahead.

[zeit]

I think we should focus on a breakout- anywhere it is possible. What I fear is that we'll have to few offensive units in place to keep Vox from hurrying their Pikes and Immortals back to their core.

The mix of forces going to Inchon sounds good to me. I just hope it'll hold long enough...

[nbarclay]

I just realized that I forgot the walls in Inchon. Sorry about that; I shouldn't have spent so long on my draft message to Vox to break the bad news to them. (We used 23 hours and 58 minutes for the turn, by the way.)

[nbarclay]

Originally posted by zeit
I think we should focus on a breakout- anywhere it is possible. What I fear is that we'll have to few offensive units in place to keep Vox from hurrying their Pikes and Immortals back to their core.

The mix of forces going to Inchon sounds good to me. I just hope it'll hold long enough...

Vox would need a miracle (or a lot more troops than we've seen) to take Inchon against ten pikes, even without walls. And even if they pull back to their core, we'll have ample forces to take them on. Our biggest problem has been the need to divide our forces to defend against multiple threats and still have enough power left over to mount an attack. But if almost everything Vox has is north of Inchon, we can use our weight of numbers decisively.

[Aeson]

I think we'd do well if we bring up major concerns before the turn, and when the turn arrives, Nathan just plays it out as best we've described (and fills in the gaps with his wisdom). Our turns are taking far too long IMO.

The things we should be taking consensus on are the big things, Leaders, Wonders, general diplomatic, military, and economic policy, which for the most part only need to be addressed occasionally.

We can rush the walls in the production phase next turn. That cuts out 3 cat shots that Vox could have had at them if we rushed them this production phase anyways.

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So for next turn, the two major possibilities are that Vox masses for a strike at Inchon, or they keep units moving N to protect their core.

If they don't look to be headed to the Core, maybe we should land a few of the Med Inf and a Pike to take one of their Core cities, instead of putting them in Inchon. Vox has to pay if they are going to be defending with Warriors. Even if Vox gets Iron and does mass upgrades, we can at least evacuate our troops back to Inchon, as their Immortals don't get to attack after upgrading.

[Arrian]

Aeson has a good point there. Maybe it's worth a shot.

-Arrian

[Dominae]

Could I ask what may be a silly question, since I've not been following too closely lately?

Why do we have so many troops still stationed in Arashi, and fortified on the mountain next to it? There are no Voxian troops around. Are we fearing an invasion, or are all those units healing (or both)?


Dominae

[Shiber]

I don't know, but I think that they should move forward to Monsoon-99, along with workers to road that tile (both for military use and to connect a second source of iron).

[zeit]

I think some of the troops back home should stay there "just in case"- if any Bobian nation tries a sudden invasyion. Some of the others are waiting for a pickup- and should be moved to M-99. The others could be used to lay siege on D'ville- a symbolic force will do. Every Pike standing on those mountains instead of protecting an Immortal stack or a Voxian core city is a blessing. I say we send 2 Med Infs and 2 Pikes to the mountains, perhaps along with a few horses (not so symbolic anymore, but we could also do with only a minimum of 2 Meds + 2 Pikes). That force will just intimidate the Voxians, and force them to keep their defenders around. If they choose not to, These forces could just as quickly board a galley.

[nbarclay]

Until a couple turns ago, we needed heavy forces in Arashi in case Vox made a play for Monsoon (possibly with a simultaneous move on Sandstorm). Now it's mostly just a convenient, central place for troops to stay until they're ready to go somewhere else, but I do want us showing pikes so Vox won't get ideas about a last-ditch effort to hit Arashi in an attempt to get at least a little blood from us before we defeat them.

[vulture]

I'd like to push once agani for rushing a temple in Inchon. In the long run, even if it destroyed almost immediately, it gives us Inchon 8, and the ability to sit on the hill betweem Inchon and Elipolis switches hands. That is a fairly big tactical gain, more significant than the few hp saved by having walls in Inchon.