It has been too long...sorry guys, I hope a bigger update will again spark some interest in a game that turns out to be very close.
We find ourselves in 700 AD abd are well into the Industrial age. But first some things about how we got there...
At one time, half way during teh last age, Anarres and me where making MA's vs eachother a lot. This also assured some very aggresssive techtrading on both sides. He got a very nice banking monopoly which he used extremely effective, netting him all the remaining obligatory MA-techs but ToG and Mag. He then got one of these and traded it for the otehr with Germany and Holland, exchanging his free tech with Germany's. The techs being Medicine and Steam. I "suddenly" lack: banking, Physics, ToG and Mag. Not to mention the IA-techs!
But naturaly, Hanibal was not sitting by idle during this time. Based on my opponents I decided to head for Music Theory! With Backwards India being the only religious civ (who tend to research it) I got a monopoly on it! Trading metalurgy with the french for Physics and doing a full speed run on ToG after that, gave me some time however to keep MT for myself and at one point:
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This btw led to the Germans switching to Newtons denying it Anarres who had ONE turn to go on it. Rumors say that the Bank in Adrianopolis has an Educative touch on it.
I traded MT around a few turns before completion ond I got all MA-techs. That brought me the possibility to get IA-techs as well!
I was at this point still at war with England and I decided taht this was the time to trigger a GA. I needed it a lot to get close to Anarres again who is undoubtly going straight to ToE.
I "invade" england with two Numidian Mercs, and the result is quite
Impressive:
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and
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I CAPTURE dover with two mercs both defeating a spear!
I make a nice peace deal with lizzie and as she was giving one of her saltpeter away to some other civ, I could give her "mine" that I found near teh hills of Dover!
Then there are teh Sumerians. They are at war with Anarres and are backwards. I gift them all the techs they need to get them into the next age. Starting with Theology and Invention so they got a whole age from me. Their free tech was Medicine and for Nav, chiv, MT, PP and some gold I trade it with them.
I am now behind Steam Power and Miltrad. Next, in my GA I go max on Nationalism(8 turns) because teh Sid game thought me the AI will never trade it in any reasonable way. Also, I am confident that in my GA I will outresearch the AI to it. It works! I get it on monopoly and after very carefull considderation I decide to give it to Germany, who pay the price! I get Democracy, Steam Power and Miltrad, and 16 gpt (max). I deliberately hold back on giving other AI Nationalism, at elast till they got something better to offer then World maps and 2 gold. Anarres is sucking them empty.
This brings us to the date we are now. 700 AD. I am heading for electricity. If I get it before Anarres I am sure I get Toe as well. But a tie could mean a very exiting run indeed. Or, if he gets electricity next turn, I will not make it. probably. My strenght now is my GA! I have science on 80%, with uni's almost everywhere.
The talk of the lands:
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As known, Anarres' island is exactly the same as mine, so the difference in cityplacement is interesting. This is his island:
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Please do note I am industrious, so some less junglechopping on his side is explainable. Nice to see the denser strategy vs the more or less OCP. I remain in doubt which is the best. The OCN is 17 here.
As Anarres held SP several turns more that I he has Railroaded some more. I am catching up using the trait!
As I am not 100% sure this is "the" most accurate version of his TM we should not elaborate too much on it, though I do not think he has mined all mountains yet, for example.
The friends:
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Anarres and I, as written in the Open thread, have peace till turn 220. Which is 34 turns from now. Our "war" is thus phoney. But I do not want him research my cities.
The f11:
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In a GA here!
The minimap:
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The future:
It all again depends on who gets Toe. However, if I miss it, and I estimate chances about 60% that I will miss it, I will get Rep parts before the peace treaty expires. I deem an invasion very unlikely, but not impossible. At least I am still up Nationalism.
The dover alternative: If Anarres and I agree to extend the peacetreaty or if I can spare some forces, England is my target, they are close, have two lux, decent lands and I have a beachhead there! I estimate 20-30 cav to sweep the island, more if lizzie gets Nationalism. We shall see, but again, it is ToE that will decide a lot.
I will keep you posted!