275BC, whatever turn that means (104?)
His techs went hunting, archery, monarchy. Not sure if he got another in, I think meditation or somesuch. Here's my current tree:
We chatted a lot about the game and the starts really did unbalance this game for me. It was pig+cow+crab start against a plain wheat start. Suckage for mauer. We decided that we'd rematch on an even playground but that the winner of this game moves on in the tournament.
I built Pyramids, Moai Statues and Great Wall. A defensive war would thus be all to my advantage. This will lead to plan B.
But here's Plan A. I'm running for Civil Service, got Copper and will try to pull a twin boat drop on mauer. Plan is to unload a modest amount of HA, very quickly, hoping to raze the coastal town he got from the barbs. 1 turn, in and (hopefully, but not mandatory) out.
This would leave room for a more nasty, more decisive stack of macemen that would also be carried by boat, further down his coast. I'm thinking 6-6 but it might become more, such as 8HA, 6 maces and 2 catapults (only for collateral, I have a large spy advantage on him +spy headed his way already so revolts should be easy). I'll do metal casting next just to get a scout trireme out in the water. I'll post him at the exit of Olmec, the barb city (I know because I remember the name from when it was black bannered...)
Plan B is for if this plan falls apart. I'll have a military build-up already, a good tech advantage on mauer and nothing much to lose from a strategic retreat if I see he's defensively overprepared, or if it just goes south out of my control. Assuming I have troops left, I can walk them to Ottoman lands - or better, have them walk unto me. Either way, after Metal I'll do engineering to get those rock throwers. Maybe I won't need that many trebs though because of plan B-B.
Plan B-B is that since I'll have a great spy eventually, as a specialist I won't be able to outspy the ottomans but I can pull a 3000 spy mission on them and gain permanent advantage. With a couple more spies formenting revolts, I shouldn't take too much losses. Spy revolts are good.
Talking of GP, I'll end up with a GPro to boost my Confucian holy city with gold income eventually. This will rock.
Again, thanks for watching and I hope to hear more from you lurkers soon.