Operation "Backstab"

[sooooo]

EDIT: Crosspost with Soooo. Imperio should land on the flat tile 1N 2E of Constantinople so they can take the copper tile without crossing a river.

The copper tile will surely be undefended, since Templars won't move units out of a city when we have troops nearby.

[Dreylin]

BTW, should we move a force to pillage the Copper tile? It would prevent Templars from Drafting any additional Maces, but would it look suspicious to Imperio.

[MyOtherCar]

No, because then they would see us

[sooooo]

Logistically it's not great to pillage the copper since a unit cannot do it in one turn from where they are. Any mounted unit would need a considerable defensive force with all those macemen in the city. And if we move a whole stack towards the copper Imperio will be able to see it.

I think next turn will be their last time drafting. Their cities are size 6,6 and 5 and surely are starving with all the unhappiness.

[darrelljs]

Can we encourage Imperio to move on Constantinople? Somethink like "we'll park our units nearby so they can't sally from the city" or similar.

Darrell

[sunrise089]

Can we encourage Imperio to move on Constantinople? Somethink like "we'll park our units nearby so they can't sally from the city" or similar.

Darrell

I think there is a decent chance Imperio will head that way, and by telling them anything we risk cluing them in about what we have planned.

Remember, we have a 3-pronged attack, with separate goals of securing Cape Town, crippling their research, and destroying their army. Destroying the army may be priority #1, but it isn't necessarily better than accomplishing the other two objectives.

Like Sullla pointed out, we just have to take our chances. If Imperio marches for Constantinople, they get hit three ways. If they go to Damascus they still get hit 2 ways, we gain a city, and Imperio looses some units. Plus there is even the possibility that we will still be in a position to hit Imperio's stack, for instance if we have combat engineers on hand and they don't. I think that's the best we can hope for.

[Zeviz]

If we see them heading for Constantinopole, should we retreat from the city and delay Operation Backstub by a few turns?

[sunrise089]

I don't think so. First, their likely approach to Constantinople times perfectly with the planned T166 attack anyways, and second any delays risk them either wising up to why we're building galleys and/or deciding to station additional defenders in Mutal and/or Chichen.

[sooooo]

If they head for constantinople however, either we should not bombard the city to hide our units or we should send them an email with the "we'll help you bombard and suicide outdated units in return for the plunder from the city" email.

[Zeviz]

How about an email along the lines of "Are you going to finish off Templars or not? If you don't start doing it soon, we'll just do it ourselves."

That sounds too aggressive, but it does explain the presence of our troops near Constantinopole.

[Swiss Pauli]

We're in the COnstantinople area, so as not to tip off Templars to Imperio's imminent attack, so there's no problem as far as I'm concerned: if Imperio asks, we can tell them exactly that.

[Swiss Pauli]

Looks like we should take Constantinople oursleves, given recent developments. What do we all think?

[mostly-harmless]

Yep, I agree.

We can argue to Imperio, that we see a problem with PAL boosting Templars, with military techs and future gold (true or not true, doesn't matter). And we have to take Templars out as soon as possible to prevent them regaining some sort of strength.

mh

[Sullla]

Let's not go crazy here. Templars are completely tapped out at this point: all cities drafted to the minimum pop, their civ falling apart from unhappiness. They can't even move out of their cities, or the whole edifice of their civ collapses. Even if PAL gifts them up to Chemistry, where are they going to get the money to upgrade units to grenadiers? I don't think PAL will be willing to subsidize them that far...

Definitely bombard down the defenses at Constantinople starting this turn, then wait and see what Imperio does in response. If they continue on with their uberstack towards Constantinople, there's no reason for us to attack the city. Only if they divert somewhere else (like to Damascus) should we engage the city ourselves. Yes, we can take Constantinople, but we will lose units doing it, and we'd prefer that not happening.

[T-hawk]

Even if PAL gifts them up to Chemistry, where are they going to get the money to upgrade units to grenadiers?

psst... in BTS, Grenadiers don't come until Military Science