116 (230BC) - My deal with the Babs is over and I declare war. Of course, because I was giving them Iron they can now no longer replenish their forces.
Take Uruk and Niveneh, losing 2 Ancinet Cavs and a Knight in the process. I am up against Pikes atm, and I've seen Med Inf around before, so maybe they are down south fighting the Zulu. The two cities I have just taken are very close to my capital and have made many fringe cities ultra-corrupt, including several that were previously salvagable near the FP.
I give the Ottomans Spices and Ivory for 14 gpt and 27 gold, and establish an embassy with the Zulu.
117 (210BC) - Take Ashur losing a Knight.
118 (190BC) - Take Eridu losing a Kinght and Ancient Cav. The Ottomans have
finally researched Invention, I will wait for them to sell it around before buying.
119 (170BC) - Research Printing Press.
120 (150BC) - Take Babylon and with it Sun Tzu's. Auto-raze Samarra.
121 (130BC) - Capture Elipi, there are only 2 Bab cities left. My GA has ended and the drop in commerce is painful.
122 (110BC) - Take one Bab city and auto-raze the other.
hehe. My only galley was wandering around the coast and found a fleeing Bab galley. I attack it and win, wiping out their last settler.
In a bid to get the Ottomans and Zulu depleting their forces I declare war on the Hittites. The Ottomans and Zulu both take contact with the Inca for an MA.
124 (70BC) - Research Education. Persia now have Invention and will sell it to me for Theology. Next I give the Ottomans Lit, Theology and contact with the Iroquois for 300 gold and 24 gpt. Sell Printing Press to the Ottomans for 45 gpt and 20 gold.
126 (30BC) - Give Silk and Gems to the Ottos for 11 gpt and 48 gold.
129 (30AD) - Research Astronomy.
131 (70AD) - My peace deal is over with Persia and I declare war. They only have 1 city left and I take it, but they don't die.
138 (210AD) - I've got patch 1.13! This was started in 1.12, and 1.13 has increased effect from courthouses.
Research Gunpowder. Sell the Ottomans Banking for 86 gpt and 84 gold. Shit! I have no Saltpeter!! But on checking I have one in a very corrupt city that needs connecting, and another when I take my first wave of Ottoman cities.
139 (230AD) - Persia build a city in the Babs old lands (I have left these clear now so I don't hurt the FP cities in rank). On reflection I am glad they were not destroyed. Now they will be very useful for promotions and gifting techs to hit the industrial age.
141 (260AD) - Sell Astronomy to the Ottomans for 165 gold and 88 gpt. The Zulu now have Gunpowder and also a Saltpeter next to their capital. I will have to make sure they can't get any money for upgrades...
142 (270AD) - Research Chemistry.
I am free from my MA with the Zulu against the Hittites and I declare war. My poised forces auto-raze a brand new size 1 city, take Isipezi, Hlobane, Mpondo and Intombe.
I pay the Ottomans 13 gpt and 2 gold for an MA against the Zulu, and I also cancel the MA aginst the Hittites with them.
Make peace with the Hittites and get a city from their only spare cty for it, which turns out to be on a little (mainly Ottoman) island.
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143 (280AD) - *Somehow* the Zulu got cash and Ngome is defended by at least 1 Musket. Fortunately there is only 1 Musket there and a Pike, and I only lose 1 Vet Ancient Cav.
144 (290AD) - Build an Ancient Cav, this is my last one as I am 1 turn from Metallurgy. It's served me very well, and in 3 turns will be bringing in 10 gpt in tourism.
Ulundi is defended by a Musket, 2 Impi, a longbow and a trubchut. Amazingly I lose an Ancient Cav to it, with 4 other hose units retreating. The Zulu's cities are quite far apart, so I can't get any further this turn. I do however converge units on Swazi, my next core city to take.
Sell Chemistry to the Ottomans for 98gpt and 13 gold.
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145 (300AD) - Swazi has a Musket, a Pike and a Longbow defending, and again I only lose 1 Ancient Cav taking it.
Again the cities are far apart and I have to move my units in place to strike next turn.
146 (310AD) - Research Metallurgy. Ottos complete Leo's.
Tugella has a Pike, 2 Impi and a trebuchet defending and it costs me an Ancient Cav taking it. Zimbabwe has a Musket, a Pike, 2 Impi and another trebuchet. Amazingly I manage to kill all but the Pike (which is on 2HP) for no loss, and AT LAST I have another MGL! Phew - it's been a loooog wait since the last one.
147 (320AD) - Take Zimbabwe and keep it due to the Temple of Artemis. Shame it is obsolete, but at least I get the tourism. Now the Zulu have no Saltpeter or Horses.
I make an army with my MGL and hol dit for Cavs.
148 (330AD) - I appear to be meeting the Zulu forces returned from crusing the Hittites. There are about 10 foot units around Ugarit, here is the current front line (note that Tutub was built last turn):
FUCK!!! I managed to kill a Musket and and 2 Impi, but a single fucking Pike held off 4 Knights in a row.
Still, I get the shitty consolation prize of Bapedi instead.
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149 (340AD) - Wow. Not only do I lose another 2 Ancient Cav taking out the single Pike at Ugarit I also click the wrong button and keep it instead of razing it!!!!
Oh well. I abandon it and build my only city 1 tile from it's location. I need this to get to my next Zulu city next turn - their last productive (old core) city.
150 (350AD) - Research Military Tradition.
I take Isandhlwana and Umtata, there are only totally undeveloped Zulu cities left now. I am also in the first stage of WW and I set lux to 10%. I can upgrade 20 Knights, another 4 can be upgraded next turn.
151 (360AD) - With my Cav I sweep in to 2 more Zulu cities (ex-Hittite cities) and start finishing off all the Archers and Med Inf. Taking out a 1 HP Med Inf give me my third MGL, from an Ancient Cav!
I also fill up my first army with Cav and take out some more Zulu stragglers.
152 (370AD) - I take the new Zulu capital with my Cav army (it's sooo powerful!), and make peace getting 4 cities, and leaving the Zulu with just an isolated capital.
153 (380AD, AI turn) - The Ottomans declare war on me. They take a corrupt city (Sidon) and also kill 2 Muskets and a Pike for no loss.
154 (390AD) - Research Physics.
I take Sidon back, and 2 Cavs that had entered Otto territory last turn take 2 Pikes from one of their core cities. Here is the border:
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Now I head in from the South and take Harran, getting another MGL! Shit. I get loads in a game where they aren't desperately needed and none in other games where they are essential. I turn him in to my third army and start a build for the Pentagon.
There are about 10 Otto foot sholdiers around near my Cav stack in the south and I can take them all easily. OMFG!!! The very next elite attack after my last one and I generate another MGL!!!! Well, I guess this happens 1 in every 16 times, but still...
hehe, taking out 3 Kinghts and 10 foot soldiers sends my military strength from average to strong.
I move my army and Cav out of Sidon so there is no chance of my army being lost. Even if they raze it I think I can still get to Erdine in one turn.