Turn 350 AD

[Theseus]

Well, people, we are getting somewhere (I think).

I don;t want to play the turn until after we've made some further progress with GoW, hopefully a signed contract.

In the interim, what are our thoughts?

OVERALL STRATEGY
THE NORTH
THE SOUTH
OTHER AREAS
ALLIES
DIPLOMACY
ECONOMY AND SCIENCE

[Cort Haus]

Diplomacy

Following discussions with GoW, they want

1) more land - looking more at a line at the mountains than the jungle - specifically Alamo and Pamplona. I reckon there's SP there. Some of their team are presumably demanding the whole continent - which must be three-to-four times the size of Stormia. We may need to remind them of this, but probably not. Pamplona will probably be a bargaining chip for us to move some zones back towards and into the jungle, of which we might want to take the East.

2) Lego's involvement. They are now more worried about Lego intervening on behalf of ND than Lego getting a foothold on Bob. They are right. We have to get Lego in, possibly by persuading them to back a 3-way power split over a four-way power split. They may actually prefer a 4-way split with Lego and ND being the 2 larger powers and GS and GoW the smaller. We have to get them to fear ND in the long run.

Aggie also has to bring his team with him. Meeting the above will help. The land clause was always the likely 'calibration lever' of the contract - and so we were expecting their response.

The great news is that they seemingly want to buy into the 'Cash-for-Upgrades' scheme which gets the 'foothold on Stormia' off the table, and also gets us Gunpowder.

Perhaps our approach has spurred their marketing department to fish for other clients now to increase their options.
At the least, we've bought some diplomatic capital with them, that may come in handy sometime whatever happens now.

[Cort Haus]

Allies

I'm a bit worried for Roleplay at the moment. If we can't get Lego in on the deal we lose the whole framework for their security and eventual return to Spain. I wonder if Roleplay have any leverage left on Lego from their dodgy 'pre-game deal' - getting preferential treatment in return for not being Carthage (allegedly).

On the brighter side, Aggie & MZ expressed no objections to our proposed status for Roleplay including a possible return. Maybe they figure that Spanish land at our expense is fine.

(What's odd is that for all the SP talk of vasselising conquered states, it's the 'rescuers' or interveners in this game that get to do the vasselising. Now there's a thought for RL.)

We haven't had an actual team response from Roleplay - but we said jump and they have. These three cities can be returned (I'm hoping there were no non-transferable improvements that got smashed) - it's the Palace jump that's the biggie. I feel that they ought make the decision - it's their capital - but it'll hurt them if we handed it over to GoW. So what if we tell GoW that Roleplay will abandon Pamplona, rather than having to see the GoW flag over it? GoW's reaction may tell us something.

[Cort Haus]

The North

Miller Town would be the Roleplay capital, I presume, so would want to get pumped up to 5 or maybe 6 if The Voice were to grow. All only if the deal is on though - unless we want to do it anyway. Damn town's just built a worker, too.

Should Wittlich be empty?

Forces near YK: Stay put I suppose.

[Cort Haus]

The South

Knights near Barca can drive through town to the western defences. The ill-fated 'Fort Liberation' tile has proven hotly contested - and even got a poem from UnO, so we probably want to steer clear of there or any other position which GoW might be obliged to attack.

The Alamo knights will have to take another round of pinging I guess - I see nowhere else for them to go. Hopefully they won't get too softened up.

[Cort Haus]

Lego

Lego are still growing dramatically on the power graph.

[Cort Haus]

Economy and Science

Is it worth researching Invention if we can now get it in the deal instead? Everything depends on that, and that all depends on Lego.

If we intend a Palace jump, then we'd be shrinking down EotS and disbanding it - leaving Arashi the Capital I presume. So, no improvements in EotS if we get the deal.

Was there a second Uni planned for Tempest after its knight?

[Cort Haus]

Overall Strategy

Get Lego onboard.

[Cort Haus]

Other Areas

Vox - I've had no reply to my last PM to Beta, and an acknowledgement but no actual response to the one before that.

Could they be up to something? Would they come and get revenge on us?

[Cort Haus]

Completed builds this turn

Eos : Knight (15spt)

Miller Town : Worker

Bolderburg : Harbor (10spt - but can switch to growth with 6-8 6pt)

Sandstorm : Knight (7 spt)

Whirlwind : Galley (7spt)

Blizzard : Galley (6 spt)

Santa Anna : War Chariot (4 spt)

[Cort Haus]

Military Totals

3 Settlers
27 Workers
3 Warriors
7 Spears
1 Horse
28 Pikes
42 Knight
3 Cats
18 Galleys
7 War Chariots
16 Med Inf

[asleepathewheel]

Re: Other Areas

Originally posted by Cort Haus
Vox - I've had no reply to my last PM to Beta, and an acknowledgement but no actual response to the one before that.

Could they be up to something? Would they come and get revenge on us?

Vox won't do anything without Lego's approval, Velociryx pushed hard for them to work with us in some capacity to no avail.

[Cort Haus]

Production Notes

EotS has a scientist

Bolderburg has a harbor - can now get +2 fpt (coming off the mountain) - and could donate EotS-11 back to EotS for growth in 10 - Unless we plan to disband this city for the Palace Jump?

Sandstorm - can grow to seven in 13 turns - aqua in approx the same time - if we wanted to boost it economically. Grows to six in 3t for 8spt. Alternatively do Knight, Worker to boost Bolderberg.

Blizzard grows to five next turn. It might make 7spt.

Workers are chopping at Typhoon-33 (3 turns) and Cyclone-4 (4 turns).

The settlers are presumably for Spain.

Tempest - Uni after the Knight?

[Cort Haus]

Allies

Gift World Map to Roleplay with Miller Town. They always send us this, I don't know if we do likewise.

We need the NW cities Wittlich and Beta for now - but it would be good if they could eventually be productive for us as Spanish cities. Would they ever be productive for us if we had a Palace on Bob?

[Cort Haus]

Re: Re: Other Areas

Originally posted by asleepathewheel
Vox won't do anything without Lego's approval, Velociryx pushed hard for them to work with us in some capacity to no avail.

Fine. That saves time working on them.