Turn 130, 30 AD

[DeepO]

In reviewing the screenshots once more: is there any reason not to cover the last mountain within GoW's reach on Northern Stormia? Maybe it doesn't do much good, but in blocking it, at least we don't forget it later, when it could become a problem...

DeepO

[Aeson]

I thought that Med Inf was headed there? Certainly is the last tile we want to leave open for a landing.

[DeepO]

Ah, I see... I didn't spot him on the screenshots, as he was covered with the WC...

Actually, I would welcome a couple of cats up there, to deal with possible invading galleys. We're a bit too focused on normal troops for my tastes, our # of cats was halved to 7 with giving those Inchon ones to RP. Maybe a couple of pikes could be changed to cats, e.g. in D-ville, Inchoff, WofC... that is assuming that once we get closer to 10 shields, we pillage a couple of roads up North for warriors.

DeepO

[edited to include a couple of missing words]

[Aeson]

I agree on the Cats. Tempest is at 20 shields per turn, right? It would make a very nice Cat factory once the Great Wall is finished. EotS can also get to 20 shields per turn at size 12 again, given a Fur from Hurricane.

We should also have at least one middle (10) to high (15) production city on Galleys. Hurricane would be my pick once it finishes it's Harbor, as we are going to need ships on the Lego side (to block good landing sites and direct/spot invasion fleets) by the time Lego can get to Navigation (probably 15 turns). More ships up North are needed as well. Capability for an Inchon type landing in the Hills of GoW should be something we aim for in the not too distant future, while not stripping our coasts of defense capable ships.

We should keep a Settler and a Worker factory. Our best 'offense' is going to be planting cities with walls. Make the GW pay off like the Lighthouse did. Use the ZOC of walls offensively, military outposts, and claim every hill. These cities should never grow past size 1, no culture, so they raze if they are taken. We need lots of Settlers for it, and lots of Workers to lay down roads quickly.

Play this like the mother of all attrition wars so we are ready and strong when Lego joins.

[Shiber]

Vulture, could you recheck our odds if we had knights instead of pikes and once again with pikes instead of knights?
We need to determine which are better defenders against riders. Pikes cost less but don't allow retreats, whereas knights cost 50% more but don't allow retreats.

P.S. I suggest to move all combat mechanics-related discussions here. Better than spamming a diplomacy thread.

[Arrian]

Oh, yeah, good point Shiber.

Knights cost 133% more than pikemen (pikes = 30 shields, knights = 70 shields), not 50%.

-Arrian

[Shiber]

My bad, thanks.

[Theseus]

The turn was sent to RP almost 2 hours ago...

(well, I'm friggin' obsessed, eh )

[vulture]

Not sure exactly what you are asking for Shiber, but...

With 14 pikes defending, GoW lose 4.23 riders, we lose 4.76 pikes, 5 riders retreat from combat (average promotions: GoW 1.15, us 0.59, average leaders: GoW 0.014, us 0.016).

With 14 knights defending, GoW loses 8.67 riders to our losses of 5.33 knights (no retreats obviously). Average promotions 1.28 for GoW, 1.40 for us. Average leaders: GoW 0.017, us 0.042.

In shield terms, defending pikes causes GoW to lose 296 shields, us 143 (a ratio of 2.08, difference of 153). Defending knights causes GoW to lose 607 shields, us 373 (a ratio of 1.63, difference of 234).

[DeepO]

Does anybody know when exactly GoW and us declared peace? Was it over 20 turns ago? The reason I ask is that in case it wasn't, they are going to receive a happiness bonus, not us

DeepO

[DeepO]

Something for our turn 131: Nathan, are you planning on galley chaining, moving the galley on WW4, move it 4411, and unload its troops into the galley present there, which can later on unload its new troops into the city we're going to build?

That's two extra troops... if there are any knights on those galleys on WW4, these might even reach Toledo in time (not sure if you took those into account or not)

DeepO

[DeepO]

Could anyone confirm if there are 6 knights in the 3 galleys on NM669, and 2 more (amongst other units) in the galleys on WW4? In rereading the thread, I think there should be... but I'm not sure.

If so, we can relax a little: with galley chaining that should put us in the ability to have 11 knights max into Toledo next turn, not 9 like all the talks have assumed. Or, 8 knights in toledo, and 3 on their way to help RP against ND. Which is quite a different story

(BTW, I'm more in favour dealing with the GoW forces at once, and only then turn our attention to ND. With 11 knights, we should be able to defeat the whole stack in 2 turns, with a little help of the RNG gods. It will cost RP a city probably, but the first rule in an alliance is that you should first sacrifice your ally's troops and population, before sacrificing your own)

DeepO

[asleepathewheel]

With Bilbao gone, GoW might try to make an end run around toledo and hit new madrid. Any thoughts on that? Leave some guards halfway between, then when GoW shows on the radar, w move them to the city?