Part 2: the controversial slingshot and the war with France
In 600 BC I complete the Oracle together with CoL, grab civil service, revolt to bureaucracy, and beeline to machinery, for the maces. While building up a stack of maces, I can't see a barb axe that makes it to the gates of Moscow! Alarm! I whip an axe, but could have seen that much earlier . The next turn the axe wins and saves my capital phew.
In 325 BC, I have built a stack of 5 axes and 2 swords, and I'm going to take Paris, so I declare!
I reach the gates of Paris and I find... 2 archers and one spear, while an axeman is guarding a stone quarry near Novgorod, and an archer is going away from the city. Ok, he'll whip something else the next turn, and he does: a settler! Brilliant.
Note that the spear has got two "medic" promotions . I attack, lose at 61%, win at 61%, win at 72%, lose at 71%, clean up the last archer and take the city.
An axe comes and kills 2 of my brave soldiers garrisoned in Paris, before I can kill it, so I'm down to 3 defenders in the city. I complete the Great Lighthouse in 50 AD and prepare for a mace rush. I just need to know against who .
The Russian Cheesy Fish, and the second war with France
By 300 AD, I'm the most powerful around tech-wise, but still I'm not satisfied, so I'm going to found some fishing villages in the back lines, even if there's no food. Why? Because I've built the Colossus. Now, financial + GL + colossus + fishing villages = $$$ (I hope), but this looks really broken to me! More than the CS slingshot, for sure. I use my first great person, a merchant, to gather me 900g in Delhi. And now, watch this screen.
Can you say "fishing villages"? I don't know if it's a wise move, but I figured that it was the best way to use those water tiles. ALL of these cities provide at least 10 bpt, without any improvements. Rostov, the biggest one (south of Moscow), has 22 bpt. If it's a bit cheesy, it's a strong move after all. When these cities will be fully grown...
*After-game analysis* those 6 cities were providing about one half of all the research during the whole game, until the Colossus and the Great Lighthouse obsoleted. This didn't happen until the 19th century though.
In 1170 AD, I find Alex. I decide to declare on France again, as I'm bored. My mighty army of 4 maces splits in half to conquer Nappy... he's so crippled that I could even do it. Well, 2 maces conquer Rheims, then lose it, then retake it in 1240 AD;
I see a big attack outside Paris, which is destroyed with no problems, and counterattack. ONE mace (wood II) threatens Lyon. Odds are 61%, I attack and win, leaving one single defender in the city. I am redlined though, so I have to wait for supplies. At Orleans, you can see the attackers and defenders: I attack during many turns, and units are killed on both sides. At the end, however, I lose the battle because I sent all of my reinforcements north, and exactly towards Lyon, which is conquered in 1360 AD by a stack of 2 maces and 2 cats. I know... it's not much, but he had one spear and one archer. What else could I do?
Oh, I needed to conquer a city fast, because I'm running constantly 90% sci losing about 50 gpt, and I needed some money to fund the research. Why pushing science so hard, you say? Well... we'll get back to it in a couple turns . For now, look at this AI stack and try to explain what the heck is Napoleon thinking now. I'm building my first knights now, and one of them has already reached Orleans, where most of the action takes place. I've brought some forces, but Nappy has longbows now, so it will be hard this time. So, I have to reach my primary goal in the mid-game.
. The next turn the axe wins and saves my capital phew.
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. For now, look at this AI stack and try to explain what the heck is Napoleon thinking now. I'm building my first knights now, and one of them has already reached Orleans, where most of the action takes place. I've brought some forces, but Nappy has longbows now, so it will be hard this time. So, I have to reach my primary goal in the mid-game.