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Ok, I'm looking for advice.
The Situation:
I'm playing a PBEM game with my best friend and my girlfriend. Monarchy level, standard across the board except for sedentary barbs. My gf is apparently stuck on a mediocre island, and is thus not a concern (at least for now) but my friend Tom and I are both on the main continent.
He is Egypt. I am China.
The Ottomans are between us, but he warrior rushed them and took down Istanbul. They have 2 other cities, both of which I plan to hit relatively soon.
While he was doing that, I researched pottery, built a granary, and started pumping settlers from my capitol (not an "ideal" settler pump, in that I am only at +3 food/turn, but still pretty solid).
I have 6 cities built, with a settler team on the move (3 turns until new city built) and a settler under construction (3 or 4 turns to go). It looks like Tom has 4 cities, plus Istanbul = 5 (istanbul is pretty crap, though). My terrain is nice. His looks good, but not as nice.
The Greeks are on the other side of me (I'm almost exactly in the middle of the map). They are weak, due to poor location. Tom will meet them shortly. So, from North to South (with a little East to West orientation as well) it's the Greeks, Me, Ottomans, Egypt.
Tech: Tom and I both have: masonry, warrior code, the wheel, bronze, iron, pottery, alphabet, ceremonial burial, mysticism (I think). I have writing, and so do the Greeks (Tom doesn't). I have been trying to sell it to him for cash, but that deal hangs in the balance while his exploring warrior nears Greece. If he gets much closer, I am considering gifting all tech I know to Greece, to prevent Tom from buying it on the cheap.
Resources: I have two sources of iron within easy reach. I do not have horses. Tom has horses, and they're already hooked up. I don't know about iron (none hooked up as of embassy build, and my exploring warriors have seen none on the outskirts of his territory, but that proves nothing). The Ottomans also have horses next to what is now their capitol. That city lies directly between Tom and I.
My plan is to upgrade some vet warriors to swords and finish of the Ottomans, thus gaining horses and spices (they beat me to a city spot by 1 turn... I built next to it, but they control the tiles for now... I'm not wasting time building temples as China. Well, I'm building one, but nevermind that
).
Luxuries: I have ivory hooked up, wine will be connected next turn. Spices within reach, I just have to whack the 2nd Ottoman city to get them. I know Tom has wine.
Geographical setup: The western 1/2 to 2/3 of the part of the continent that lies between China and Egypt is jungle. Good for me: no war chariots. The eastern 1/3 to 1/2 is mostly flat... desert, with some hills & a mountain next to the Ottoman capitol. That concerns me, of course. Tom's homeland has mountains up north (good cover for a sword invasion), but flattens out down by Thebes.
Miscellanious: I'm gaining 14 gold per turn right now, researching code of laws at 10%. I was going to do that with HBR, but feared getting it too soon (need time after capturing the Ottoman capitol to build some chariots for upgrade). I think I have about 45 gold right now. If Tom agrees to the writing deal, I stand to receive somewhere between 100 and 150 gold (his offer, my counter). *prays for upgrade cash*
Early on, Tom and I made a tech deal (Alpabet + 20 gold for Ironworking) which included a "non-agression" agreement until 500BC. I fully expect all hell to break loose in 500BC.
So, how do ya'll think I ought to proceed? I'm leaning toward shooting for an initial warrior -> sword upgrade of 8-10 units. I would then divide them between the two Ottoman cities, provide the mini-stacks with 1 spear each, and go whoop some ass. This would give me horses.
Meanwhile, my main opponent has his War Chariots, which are cheap. If he gets his grubby paws on iron, he can use all available cash for sword upgrades. I either have to eat the 50% extra cost of building horsemen, or do a chariot -> horse upgrade at 20 gold per unit. Fighting him, which is so going to happen (either I start it, or he will, no doubt about it), will involve a GA for him, with 20-shield 2/1/2 units available. Ouch.
How do I beat that? Do I try strategic defense, until I bleed him dry? Or do I attack? I'm inclined to attack, but if it fails, I'm probably dead. High risk, high reward.
-Arrian
The Situation:
I'm playing a PBEM game with my best friend and my girlfriend. Monarchy level, standard across the board except for sedentary barbs. My gf is apparently stuck on a mediocre island, and is thus not a concern (at least for now) but my friend Tom and I are both on the main continent.
He is Egypt. I am China.
The Ottomans are between us, but he warrior rushed them and took down Istanbul. They have 2 other cities, both of which I plan to hit relatively soon.
While he was doing that, I researched pottery, built a granary, and started pumping settlers from my capitol (not an "ideal" settler pump, in that I am only at +3 food/turn, but still pretty solid).
I have 6 cities built, with a settler team on the move (3 turns until new city built) and a settler under construction (3 or 4 turns to go). It looks like Tom has 4 cities, plus Istanbul = 5 (istanbul is pretty crap, though). My terrain is nice. His looks good, but not as nice.
The Greeks are on the other side of me (I'm almost exactly in the middle of the map). They are weak, due to poor location. Tom will meet them shortly. So, from North to South (with a little East to West orientation as well) it's the Greeks, Me, Ottomans, Egypt.
Tech: Tom and I both have: masonry, warrior code, the wheel, bronze, iron, pottery, alphabet, ceremonial burial, mysticism (I think). I have writing, and so do the Greeks (Tom doesn't). I have been trying to sell it to him for cash, but that deal hangs in the balance while his exploring warrior nears Greece. If he gets much closer, I am considering gifting all tech I know to Greece, to prevent Tom from buying it on the cheap.
Resources: I have two sources of iron within easy reach. I do not have horses. Tom has horses, and they're already hooked up. I don't know about iron (none hooked up as of embassy build, and my exploring warriors have seen none on the outskirts of his territory, but that proves nothing). The Ottomans also have horses next to what is now their capitol. That city lies directly between Tom and I.
My plan is to upgrade some vet warriors to swords and finish of the Ottomans, thus gaining horses and spices (they beat me to a city spot by 1 turn... I built next to it, but they control the tiles for now... I'm not wasting time building temples as China. Well, I'm building one, but nevermind that
). Luxuries: I have ivory hooked up, wine will be connected next turn. Spices within reach, I just have to whack the 2nd Ottoman city to get them. I know Tom has wine.
Geographical setup: The western 1/2 to 2/3 of the part of the continent that lies between China and Egypt is jungle. Good for me: no war chariots. The eastern 1/3 to 1/2 is mostly flat... desert, with some hills & a mountain next to the Ottoman capitol. That concerns me, of course. Tom's homeland has mountains up north (good cover for a sword invasion), but flattens out down by Thebes.
Miscellanious: I'm gaining 14 gold per turn right now, researching code of laws at 10%. I was going to do that with HBR, but feared getting it too soon (need time after capturing the Ottoman capitol to build some chariots for upgrade). I think I have about 45 gold right now. If Tom agrees to the writing deal, I stand to receive somewhere between 100 and 150 gold (his offer, my counter). *prays for upgrade cash*
Early on, Tom and I made a tech deal (Alpabet + 20 gold for Ironworking) which included a "non-agression" agreement until 500BC. I fully expect all hell to break loose in 500BC.
So, how do ya'll think I ought to proceed? I'm leaning toward shooting for an initial warrior -> sword upgrade of 8-10 units. I would then divide them between the two Ottoman cities, provide the mini-stacks with 1 spear each, and go whoop some ass. This would give me horses.
Meanwhile, my main opponent has his War Chariots, which are cheap. If he gets his grubby paws on iron, he can use all available cash for sword upgrades. I either have to eat the 50% extra cost of building horsemen, or do a chariot -> horse upgrade at 20 gold per unit. Fighting him, which is so going to happen (either I start it, or he will, no doubt about it), will involve a GA for him, with 20-shield 2/1/2 units available. Ouch.
How do I beat that? Do I try strategic defense, until I bleed him dry? Or do I attack? I'm inclined to attack, but if it fails, I'm probably dead. High risk, high reward.
-Arrian
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