So when and how are the Romans going to break out of their pocket?

They just did that Beam.[fdevil]

What was it in civ2? "Hawk Party derails!" Or something like that.

I traded Magnetism on Monopoly around and got, besides some cash, the last tech of the MA I needed, Banking. This got me to the next age, with Babylon and Persia. The babs got Nationalism, Persia SP. I set research on Medicine (estimate 8 turns).

Now this means Erikk lacks Banking, Physics, Magnetism and ToG. He may however get Miltrad next turn to equal things out again. That is of no concern to me though. I declared war immediately and Erikk should be a bit angry. WE agreed peace till the IA though, so I broke no treaty.

http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...9298_138f4.jpg
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There, done.
Now we strike.


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...26_138bari.jpg
53.89KB

Precious Bari. Once flipped in my Anarchy a single Roman citizen remains. Very happy to be liberated from these half-naked monsters.


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...aanvalland.jpg
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Three cities were taken in this corrupted land, 4 are now under direct Roman siege.
Of course a hawk party like this is sometimes planned far ahead. The same turn 12 units land in Erikk's core.[evil]

http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...landincore.jpg
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I can strike 3 cities from here. I am clueless whether he can strike me with his Knights/cav but if he cannot he may lose 1 or even 2. I see no way he can defend all.

My lands in the meantime keep making Knights! This core is quite productive, though no Domestic horses (import Persia) and No SP at all make it hard.

http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...29_138core.jpg
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Very curious as to what will happen from here, I'll leave you with the redecorated minimap:

http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...3637_138mm.jpg
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[goodjob]

wow!


great to see my map is giving you fun ;)

Some of the AI are hugeish. Are mass-MAing allowed? If so, I would gang up on you if I was him [hmm]

Are these cities empty or have you "show units over city" disabled ?
I hope for you these cities are empty, I hope for ErikK the units don't show.

I think the cities are empty, 'cause Napoli shows a Med Inf and Milano shows a Legion in the last picture.
I think Erikk got caught with his pants down.... [eek]

I have no "map tricks" like Units over cities disabled on (had to check what it was first...). Roma and others are indeed emtpy. Why would I need units there?

next turn!



http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...middleland.jpg
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[:o]

Erikk abandonned 4 cities!

And...

http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...39erikland.jpg
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He even abandonned a core city, Camuludonum, while Gergovia shows a vet Knight. I guess he had little choice as the capture of Camuludonum would have allowed me access to Alesia, his second city. An email from him confirmed that "with his pants down" is indeed the right expression.:D

I take my time for this turn as I need to decide. If I regroup I can master a formidable attack on his eastern flank, yet that would also mean getting the troops in Erikks core out. I could sail further with them creating confusion with erikk. Another option would be a chaotic, and risky, all out attack on him. I chose tyhe latter.

I attack Gergovia with all 4 units on the Mountain, 1 knight and 3 Anciant Cavalry. There were two Knights in teh city and I won, odds favored me a 60-40 so it sounds fair:


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...goviarazed.jpg
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Nice sideeffect is that Erikk now has lost his only source of Silks! We may even see some riots next turn.[fdevil]

The other 8 units went straight for Alesia, all in the open.

http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...riklandnew.jpg
85.98*KB

While this stack of Knights (4) and AC (4) is extremely vulnerable to Erikks attack he has a small problem at the frontdoor as well...


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...iklandoost.jpg
79.57*KB

9 units ready to engage here (7 Knights, 2 AC). This group too is not defended in any way and could suffer heavy losses, I however see no way that Erikk can attack both groups.

The 3 captured cities were not abandonned so they may flip. there are 3 knights standing by to retake:


http://www.civ3duelzone.com/forum/up...strenoland.jpg
62.13*KB

so far so good.

EDIT: confusing Spellingmistake.

Wow, excellent progress [goodjob], Erikk must be really furious!

Rome is good, me likes Rome... [estwing] [hammer]