Turn 124, 200 AD

[UnOrthOdOx]

Ocala:



So...

Sarantium pulled out all the chariots and a spear from Anhinga all to guard Ocala.

This would make an assault on Ocala dodgy. Sheer numbers means we'ld be unable to take it in one turn. And you gotta figure on them making spears there now.

The options:

Attack Anhinga now. Ugly battle, heavy losses, but we should be able to tear it down next turn with the reinforcements from the Lima area. We would most definately lose more troops than Sarantium and a potential exists for being subject to a counter.

Estimated battle would play out: sacrifice 2 ponies, kill 4 units, move axes to guard wounded ponies and block road, move axes and archers from Lima into place this turn.

Next turn, sacrifice 4 axes, kill 4 archers, kill whatever wounded.

Estimated losses 2-4 horses, 4-6 axe.

Now, losses are not all bad. Each unit lost gains us a gold per turn at the moment.

Move North:

Moving the ponies north to attack less defended towns there. (unless my estimates of numbers are completely off base)

This option presents an interesting dilemma on what to do with the footmen. They could move north as well, making for the capitol, or try to pillage the gold.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Sarantium has placed a huge investment in Anhinga. Both in terms of troops and labor.

There is a large part of me that want to tear it down as a statement that no walls will protect them.

There's also something to be said of denying them access to the gold. It's a happy, hell, it's 2 happy with a forge, and it's a huge chunk of gold per turn. If we're taking the city, the time is either now or wait till cats (20 turn estimated research time).

Further, without gold, they're forced to research calendar for happy, obsoleting the stonehenge and powering our creative that much more as a result.

All that said, moving to the north may very well be the smarter thing to do. Less defenders, likely not walled. Off chance of striking the capital (can they be that incompetant?)


I'm gonna have to personally vote for tearing down Anhinga.

They didn't move to defend the north at all. either they feel they can lose the one town (likely true), they didn't see that option, or they are prepared.

I think long term, Anhinga is more valuable a victory. Gold denial, loss of 150 + hammers just on the wall/settler combo. It's loss also opens the door to swift move north later as well.



I'll leave this up for input today, then play tomorrow morning.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Well there were no complaints...

So attacking Anhinga.

Aftermath in Anhinga:



Wounded:



Overall, this went better than planned. Both spears and one of the axes ended up dying.

Expect 4 axe deaths next turn. But might be able to switch that to a couple archer deaths and a chariot death. I'll have to run some tests, but my initial impression is best move would be 4 sacrifice axe deaths, 4 axe wins on wounded archers, followed by some cleanup with the spear, chariot, and archers if things went poorly on the second axes.

Our cities:



poprushed the granary in Jump City (I'm renaming that next turn dang it). Next build there will be a library so it can join in the specialist fun.

16 turn research time for construction. But we get a scientist in 5 turns, so building an academy with him should knock that down a few.

We need to decide on a path after construction. Sailing > calendar has potential. Drama is a good choice for the theaters and eventually the global theater. It also meshes with calendar if we grab the dyes.

Need a settler, but no city to really rush one from. Thinking Lima should go settler next. This would up our gold a bit as it would work the fish instead of a hill, and set it up to be ready to grow once the settler was finished.

We'll get the first forest towards the Heroic Epic next turn. ETA on finishing that is about 4 turns.

Workers should have the iron mined in 3. Since machinery won the poll on the great engineer, will lightbulb it at that time, and first units out of FS will likely be crossbows. This gives us 3 turns to change our minds on that.

Graphs ahoy:

Food domination:



Expect Sarantium to take a huge hit here after they lose Anhinga:



Power. Sarantium takes a hit here next turn. Even bigger one the following turn.



Production. And we're not even maxed out yet.



Another comment of note.

Fort Sierra has taken the #5 slot in top cities, usurping the Horde Capitol.

[OzzyKP]

Looking good.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Except I look at it now and am baffled why I split our stack. Should have just moved all the wounded horse and healthy footmen 6 to block the road...

Reall have no idea what was in my head early this morning there. Shouldn't make much difference, but was still boneheaded on my part.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Well, despite my screw up there, which actually left Sarantium an opening to take out our precious 3 promo ponies, they did not choose to capitolize on it.

Anhinga has fallen. By some miracle, we ended up losing 3 axes in the battle.

We now have 2 full strength axes, 2 full strength archers, 1 full strength spear, a wounded medic axe and a wounded chariot all in the area. The 2 wounded units get promos and can heal up next turn while the archers join into a big stack, and we can send them on pillage patrol, or on scout towards the Sarantine capitol.

pics coming soon.