Turn 31, 2800BC

[notyoueither]

Turn 31, 2800BC (current plan)

Units
Grog: 2/2, 1/2 Exp. Fortify
Spinebreaker: 2/2 7/10 Exp (W2). Move 6 if clear of lion, 9 if not
Thug: 2/2, 0/2 Exp. Fort in EotS

Worker: Mine

Science
Current: Bronze Working (11 turns)
Polytheism 134/143


Cities

Eye of the Storm (Size 3) WF (4,8,88)
Growth: 3/26
Production: Skirmisher (3 turns)

Diplomacy
None

Other
None

[notyoueither]

Vox moved their warrior back into the Voice. Also a warrior 99 of EotS.

Will fortify Grog, move SB back towards home, and keep production up for skirmisher in 3 (2 if we sacrifce some food).

[notyoueither]

Turn 30, 2840BC

Units
Grog: 2/2, 1/2 Exp. Fort on Vox gold
Spinebreaker: 2/2 7/10 Exp (W2). Moved 6
Thug: 2/2, 0/2 Exp. Fort in EotS

Worker: Mine (2 of 4)

Science
Current: Bronze Working (11 turns)
Polytheism 134/143


Cities

Eye of the Storm (Size 3) WF (87,4,36) for 6 hammers
Growth: 3/26, paused for max hammers
Production: Skirmisher (3[2] turns)

Diplomacy
None

Other
None

See shots in mail.

Vox have just discovered a tech (score from 109 to 116)
We gained 13 beakers at end of turn with 10 beakers from our palace and tiles (31 to 44 of 171). Same rate as last turn. I would say Vox did not complete BW.

[notyoueither]

Vox are most likely going to pump another unit and then come for Grog.

[Randolph]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Vox are most likely going to pump another unit and then come for Grog.

If that’s the case then we have a choice between denying them the gold for a few more turns, or moving on to the forest to make them bleed a little more trying to kill Grog (I assume they'll want to get rid of him regardless). I’d hate to give them the commerce, but the idea of possibly killing two warriors is really appealing .

Edit: what tech do we think they got? Archery maybe? Mining (on way to BW)? AH (would that also be to big a tech)? I’d be surprised if they were researching something without a direct military purpose.

[Arrian]

We'll want him on the forest, I think. Grog forted on forest pretty much cuts them from the gold anyway, but gives us better odds on defense.

-Arrian

[Blake]

Vox score has changed.
Soldiers average has increased by 6K.

Probable explaination is that Vox just researched Archery.

[Harovan]

Could they try a lucky shot with their EotS-99 Warrior at our capital? I'd give the skirmisher priority.

[Krill]

Question: Should go with a settler after the 2nd Skirm, or a third skirm?

Also, Are we going to start scouting around Vox so that we know where their copper is, so we can keep an iron on it? What about considering (Skirm)/scout while growing to size 4/skirm while at 0 fpt.

Also, what is the worker doing next? roading to the front? Irrigating? I know we won't be cottaging for about 20 turns (And consider the implications if someone starts cottaging now), but what are we going to be doing about Future workers? I assume that the 2nd city is going to have to...accomodate itself via building its' own worker?

oh, and...what if the mercs are on this continent/island?

[Randolph]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Could they try a lucky shot with their EotS-99 Warrior at our capital? I'd give the skirmisher priority.

I agree, they know we’re going to have a skirmisher soon, rendering their warrior offensively useless. If I were in their position I would definitely consider taking a pot-shot at ending the game.

Edit: RE: build plans
If they discovered archery, as Blake suspects, we’ll probably need to maintain a force of skirmishers in their area that is >50% of the number of archers they have to be safe. That would means that we should build at least three skirmishers to send over there if we are serious about maintaining a choke.

We're definitely going to start feeling some serious economic drag if we carry out a choke & destroy strategy against Vox. It seems like the best plan, but we do have to accept that we’re going to fall [further] behind the leading teams by following it.

[Blake]

The pot shot odds...

Vox attacking strength: 2 * 1.25 (river penalty) = 1.6
Our warrior defensive strength: 2 * 1.7 (+25 city, +25 fortify, +20 culture) = 3.4

The ratio is greater than 2:1 so the odds for Vox are terrible. If Vox had literally nothing else they could do with that warrior they might take it anyway. But they can in fact engage our skirmisher in a game of chase of the warrior - they could lead the skirmisher up north away from The Voice and thus delay our choke significantly. I think that this is the right thing to do for them rather than taking a really long odds pot-shot.

[Mudhut]

Yeah, we correctly projected this scenario a while back (Vox having a one-turn window of attack across a river before our first Skirm pops) and everyone seemed to be happy to let them take the shot then. At <3% chance, it's a sufficiently long shot (you can't completely eliminate all risk, or you end up playing too conservatively and losing anyway!)

As far as Grog's location goes, I'm keen for him to stay forted on the gold hill. If Vox build an archer next (and I think this likely, given their research path), it'll be 6-7 turns before they challenge him.

And even if they do challenge him, he could run (just as they probably plan to do with their first warrior when our skirm pops). This ties up their army as well as ours, and is complementary to the choke (providing we gets skirms there soon-ish).

[Cort Haus]

I lost a 97% combat last night. If I were Vox after that experience I'd be tempted to take the potshot.

[Randolph]

Ok, I didn’t realize the odds would be that far in our favor (I was thinking it was more in the 5-10% range). Chances are they’ll either avoid the city to lure the skirmisher, or cross the river for a more realistic city assault.

[asleepathewheel]

yeah, it seems like I lose a high 90's% battle once or twice a game. Then again, large, marathon games vs the AI, tyou're going to have tons of battles, so it evens out.

I would do it as well, they probably know they can turtle archers.