Mongol Horde Succession Game

[Old n Slow]

Yup, your choice -- I think that nine cavalry are within range. I just wanted your name to be the bloody one.

[-Jrabbit]

Have big fun, Julius!!

[Julius Brenzaida]

So it was up to me to make all the bloody wars and the shameful deeds !

1778ad Revolution, we declare war on Carthaginians. Caralis captured, we own Magellan. (it’s tough not to build riflemen to protect it) Speaking of protection, many of our own cities are undefended. I decide to protect all of them with a cavalry before sending more units to attack. Maybe I am too careful, maybe not. My feeling is that we have time enough …
1780ad We build JSB and go fundy. I plan to make all the science through trade with the Zulus. 198 gold with caravan to Basra. 138 in Ngome. We go for the big cash and start buying many units.
1782 ad. Barbarians capture Amiens. Zulus build Women’s Suffrage. 276 gold in Mpondo. We take heavy casualties but capture Panormus (impossible to sabotage its city walls without diplos).
1784ad. We kill some errand Carthaginians units.
1786ad. We discover electricity, refining next (aiming for mobile warfare and its armors). 172+210 gold in Ngome. We capture Cartenna.
1878ad. Counterattack from Carthaginians, they can’t take back anything. 152+154 gold in Ngome.
1790ad. Zulus build Eiffel Tower. New meaningless counterattack from Hannibal. 240 gold in Mpondo, 245 gold in Ulundi, 146+132+158+172 gold in Ngome. We capture Malaca. History should deem 1880 a good year, and not only for red wine.
1792ad. We discover refining, combustion is next. 176+284+385+184+354 gold in Ngome.
1794ad. We make a cease-fire with Carthaginians. 100+318 gold in Mpondo.
1796ad. We discover combustion, electronics is next. 270 gold in Mpondo. 172+178+168+176+146+154 gold in Ngome.

[Julius Brenzaida]

Here is the saved game.
Carthaginians are down, and with all the horses near their city, the next wave of attack should start very, very soon. And we are rich too, very rich my friend : 5495 gold. My successor shall decide if we build many factories (combined with Hoover ?) or if buy cavalry directly. Watch out to spend quickly before the Zulus demand tribute.

Oups, I was forgetting : there’s a food caravan in Aleppo (for a future wonder). And barbarians near Karakorum should be taken care of (2 cavalries already there). Umtata demands dye and Tugela beads.
Have fun !

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Yowza, my turn again. I'll get 8 turns played in the next couple of days, I expect.

[-Jrabbit]

Yowza yowza!

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout!
Great turns, Julius!

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Thousands of pounding hooves thunder across the Carthaginian plains... the great Khaness has sent her troops abroad to secure additional stocks of lime for her poolside margaritas...

I see we're not Spotless any more... is that a problem?

Lots of incremental buying of units. There's nothing much else to spend it on.

Eine frage - are cannons/artillery/howitzers allowed? At this point, I'm not planning on building any Cannons since we have Cavalry. Artillery will be very handy when we get them, though, since we can't remove walls with Diplomats. I'm assuming they are allowed, because:

There is only one rule:

If it doesn't have four legs, wheels, tracks, floats or flies - it's not allowed.
(Since when did a Mongol walk!)
Only exception Settlers and Engineers are permitted

Cannons have wheels, and so do Artillery pieces.

1796: More rebels revolt near Khorasan.
Communism cancels Marco Polo. Naturally, we have no embassies with anyone (no Diplomats!).

1798: We demand tribute from Carthagines > war. Carthage captured, 193 g. Utica and Sun Tzu's War Academy captured, 91 g. We advise the Carthaginians to get lost when they ask for parley.

Dye>Umtata, 480 g.

Carthagine Frigate attacks our Destroyer, and sinks. Wood Frigate vs Steel Destroyer, one would think the outcome would be predictable

1800: Electronics discovered; choose Communism next so that we can build the UN later. This is a big map; the free embassies will make it easier to hunt down the last few AI cities.

Beads>Tugela, 216 g, Silver>Isandhlwana, 445 g, Salt>Isandhlwana 138 g, Gems>Isandhlwana 326 g, Hides>Isandhlwana 158 g, Gems>Isandhlwana 132 g, Beads>Isandhlwana 260 g.

Tax rates adjusted to 5.5.0 and 1 elvis hired. We'll try to squeeze out some more celebrations if we can.

Tacitus determines that we are the most advanced society in the world

1802: Hoover Dam in Karakorum.
With the loss of 3 Cavalry against the walls, Rusicade is taken from the Carthaginians.

Gold>Mpondo 240 g.
Kerman founded.
Science rate tweaked up a bit to get a tech next turn, thus avoiding having to delay Freight deliveries that turn.

Celts start UN.

1804: Communism discovered, researching Steel. Science rate readjusted.
We provoke a war with the Celts by demanding tribute
Gades captured from Celts, 61 g. Girba captured, 131 g.
Naples founded.

French start UN.

1806:
Coal>Ngome 845 g , Salt>Isandhlwana 236 g, Hides>Isandhlwana 136 g, Oilx2>Isandhlwana 236, 230 g, Coal>Isandhlwana 136 g.

An executive decision in reached poolside; 'Isandhlwana' will henceforth be shortened to 'Isa'.

1808: United Nations completed in Ormuz. Others abandon it.
Steel discovered, researching Automobile.

Coal>Ngome 198 g.

Leptis Magna captured, 138 g.

Railroad gifted to Celts and we decide to accept a peace offer, for now. Considered giving them more techs to get their maps, but they demanded Conscription, and that was a bit steep.

RR and Industrialization/Invention gifted to Egyptians in exchange for maps. Now everyone has RR... hopefully this will make conquest easier.

Issus founded. Cunaxa founded.

Zulus learn Amphibious Warfare.

1810: Wine>Tugela, 400g, Silver>Isa 440 g, Gems>Ngome 972 g Celts politely leave when asked for tribute

Barbarian Frigate sinks one of our shipchain components (unloaded, La Fayette! Definitely unloaded! ) offshore from Zulu lands.
Peasant revolt near Naples.

Celts steal Chemistry>war. A couple of units killed by Celts.

1812: Automobile discovered, researching Mass Production.
Tara captured, 50 g.
Hides>Isa 150 g, Salt>Isa 158 g.

French learn Steam Engine, Egyptians learn Medicine.

1814: Gold>Mpondo, 258 g, Hides>Isa 150 g, Salt>Isa 240 g,

Cardigan captured, 38 g, Iona captured, 58 g, Rhayader captured, 32 g.

Celts bribe Iona from us! and take Metallurgy.
Zulus learn Corporation.

1816: We angrily rebuff Celtic peace emissary
Gold>Mpondo 384 g, Gems>Ngome 384 g, Oil>Isa 240 g.
Iona liberated from Celtic tyranny.

Carefully positioning Cavalry to avoid further bribery, STYOM returns the ceremonial towel to the poolhouse and retires.

We went from 43 Cavalry, 20 cities and 'Strong' to 71 Cavalry, 34 cities and 'Supreme'.

We still have lots of cash, so my successor may want to do some incremental buying before pressing enter. We have a lot of Engineers poised to build RR's through Celt lands and knock them off entirely before they can learn Conscription. Good luck!

Oh, and Mass Production should arrive next turn. I was aiming at Robotics.

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

the save..

[sirsnuggles]

Oh no

Is it my turn ?

Dare I venture a turn, or two, or eight?

Am I allowed to come out?

I'll make my feeble attempt as soon as I can muster the next limp to my computer.

[Julius Brenzaida]

Nice work STYOM
Now we're back on ... tracks... with the true Mongolian way

[Old n Slow]

AAWwwwwRiiiight!

[sirsnuggles]

1816: Snuggles, winner of the horde-wide Mongol Idol Search, catapulted to instant stardom as regent.

We are producing 24 cavalry, indicative of an aggressive militaristic agenda.

Military inventory:
71 Cavalry
2 Destroyers
2 Cruisers
1 Battleship
1 Submarine
10 Transports

34 cities; 9,380,000 persons reside in the empire.

No ship chain exists, we possess only 1 freight, and only 2 freights are being built. Tax rate is at 50-0-50. Out of 34 cities, only 2 possess libraries. Tsk, tsk, tsk. That means that at this very moment the advance of science has ground to a complete and utter halt. The torch of science sputters in our hands. Oh wait…I see one Einstein producing 4 beakers at Karakorum. What a corker he is to produce the entire scientific output of an entire nation. Woo-hoo!

Hmmm, this sounds like a situation that proves my arguments concerning trade. At the current tax rate, even with 13 cities celebrating, our gold revenue is 712, and our lone brave scientist will discover a new tech every 448 turns! What a corker he is, a man to be admired. Now, I will adjust the tax rate to 50-50-0, which will garner 642 revenue in gold (no cities celebrating), and 147 science beakers (every 10 turns). You guys truly over-estimate celebrating under fundy. For your trouble, you gain 70 gold, but lose 147 beakers. Tsk, tsk, tsk. In fact, I would prefer communism right now, which at the same tax rate would garner 376 gold revenue (losing tithes) and 277 beakers. In fact, if we followed my policy of having libraries and universities (even if we only put them in our top 14 trade producing cities), our income would be 376 gold revenue (with an additional 65 gold in cost), and 439 beakers (3 times our current rate). That’s a lot of beakers. And, if these improvements did indeed exist, we could continue to follow our militaristic agenda of producing 24 cavalry without the resultant desolation of scientific progress caused by a dearth of freights giving way to military units.

I will recommend a fortnight reading my upcoming articles on trade routes, and the effect of improvements.

Purchased superhighway in Karakorum, which will significantly improve that cities gold and beakers. Our gallant scientist was fired.

Switched construction of 5 cavalry to 4 library and 1 university, to be followed by superhighways. These six cities (including Karakorum) will constitute our entire science output.

To fulfill the last will of my predecessor (STYOM) 8 cavalry are purchased, in veneration to the Gits 2 freights are purchased, and for kicks 2 engineers are purchased. Methinks, a waste of money. (Sigh), Yet, the importance of the people’s happiness is paramount to a succession game.

“Enter” pressed.

1818: Mass Production discovered compliments of Sir Snug’s predecessor (thanks!), Mobile Warfare pursued.

With the construction of a superhighway in K, science output is doubled in that city! The empires production now stands at, 670 gold, and 164 science.

3 failed assaults by Celt units (2 musketeers, 1 knight) upon cavalry.

Hmmm, foreign report exposes the existence of a remaining Phoenician city named Carthago Nova. Investigators sent in search of the fabled stronghold.

Okay, the remnants of a ship chain does exist, but will need to extend it to Phoenicia.

Trade route between Khorasan and Ngome established, producing 176 gold (interesting, our science rate produces 166 beakers per turn).

Girba resource screen connotes the existence of a Celtic city further to east, appears to be harvesting the wheat resource (perhaps Carthago Nova?).

1820: No military response from the Celts.
2 libraries and a university completed.
Tax revenue: 675
Science beakers: 177

Hmmm, an OEDO year. What shall I do? Isn’t it obvious?

Battleship in Zulu waters becomes a grizzled veteran while defeating barbarian vessel.

Hmmm, Phoenician crusader impinging upon Caralis territory, hence Carthago Nova must be nearby to the west.

Dinas Emrys discovered to the west of Girba.

At the expense of several cavalry Kells captured and 77 gold plundered. Partisans pop-up all about the countryside! In addition, enemy canons encircle the city.

Celtic suits for peace rebuffed.

1822: Literacy program achieving monumental gains: 2 more libraries and 1 university added to the empire.

Celts cannonade Kells, annihilating the beleaguered garrison, oddly the Celts eschew entry of the city. In reprisal, the horde destroys 4 Celtic units at the buffalo spot, 8 units slaughtered elsewhere within the city radius. Emergency fortress, christened the Kells Line, constructed at the buffalo spot to protect 3 cavalry and 4 engineers stranded in the area. Emergency MASH (barracks) units scrambled (rushed) in Kells.

Celt diplomatic plot uncovered and dealt with to the southeast of Dinas Emrys.

Celtic Naples (to the northeast of Cardigan) razed to the ground.

Mongol Empire becomes communist. Sir Snug dubbed premier.

Celtic city of Rhymney forced into submission by the horde, 57 gold plundered. Emissary ignored.

Aberystwth discovered to the northwest of Rhymney.

Carthago Nova discovered; siege efforts empty city of defenders.

Negotiations with Persian Emissary lead nowhere.

1824: Celt partisans slaughter Rhymney garrison, and liberate the city.

Aberystwth taken. Rhymney retaken.

Various Celtic units spotted and destroyed throughout the front.

1826: Garrison at Aberystwth slaughtered!!!
Sneak attack by Zulu’s!

Ormuz constructs superhighway. Don’t worry, SG, the Phoenician region and the city of K are simultaneously constructing freights.
Revenue now at 430 gold, and 380 beakers (tech per 5 turns).

Celt city of Merthyr discovered.

Celt catapult, canon and musketeer slaughtered outside of Kells, as the Kells Line continues to hold against repeated Celtic assaults.

Zulu ironclad sunk.

Horde troops occupy Dinas Emrys.



1828: 2 additional universities completed. 2 cavalry units slain near Dinas Emrys.

D-day for the Zulu’s, 7 Cavalry units disembarked near Zimbabwe.

Revenue now at 425 gold, and 389 beakers (tech per 5 turns).

Partisans slain near Gades.

Military outpost of Timur founded on the fringes of Zulu land.

1830: Discover Mobile Warfare, will pursue Machine Tools (aiming for computers: SETI).
Revenue now at 425 gold, and 389 beakers (tech per 5 turns).
Zimbabwe taken, Amphib discovered, barracks constructed, Zulu government escapes to Ulundi. Zulu’s sue for peace, offer accepted in exchange for the withdrawal of Zulu troops.

Celt partisans defeated outside of Aberystwth.

Horde occupies Armagh, plunder 100 gold.

1832: Canons destroyed outside both Kells and Armagh.

WITH THE CAPTURE OF CARTHAGO NOVA THE MONGOL HORDE ERASES PHOENICIAN CIVILIZATION FROM THE MAP!

For the gifting of four techs, including mobile warfare, combustion and tactics, Persians reveal the location of their empire—far to the south. Visiting ambassador appalled by the degradation of the great Persian slums. Looks like a weak and pathetic civilization (1 rifle).

For sixteen years, the idol of the Mongols ruled the land, however, with the extension of time his glamour faded, and search was initiated for a new star. And their search led to La Fayette!


Military inventory:
68 Cavalry
1 Armor (15 in production)
2 Destroyers
4 Cruisers
2 Battleships (1 in production)
1 Submarine
10 Transports
13 Freights (12 in production)

42 cities; 11,630,000 inhabitants.

8 new cities added.
3 new techs added
Tax rate: 50-50-0
439 Gold - 191 cost = 248 profit
397 Beakers (per five turns)

[La Fayette]

I should be able to play today

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

OK, I couldn't resist, ss...

1. If science has 'ground to a complete halt', how is it that during my turns, we learned 5 sciences (counting Mass Production, which only required 1 beaker to complete) and learned only one (not counting Mass Prod and Amphib, which was stolen from the Zulus) during your turns?

2.

You guys truly over-estimate celebrating under fundy. For your trouble, you gain 70 gold, but lose 147 beakers.

And get the extra trade arrows which vastly increase caravan payoffs... that's the point. Caravans are where our money and science has been coming from... add up the beakers and coins from my log Also, the shipchain was there... in the second last turn, one empty ship was sunk by a barb frigate. No big deal - incrementally bought, we could get a new one for under 100 coins.

3.

Methinks, a waste of money.

What else are we going to use the money for? We can't bribe cities. OTOH, in most cases I could incrementally rushbuy a Caravan for a lot less than the cash payoff for delivering it (city producing 10 shields/turn= caravan in 2 turns for 75 g). Plus the beaker payoff. Sounds like a good deal to me. And a lot better than rush-buying libraries/universities (bigger up front cash expenditure and much smaller immediate returns). And rushbuying military units is a good way to keep the offensive rolling.

4.

Trade route between Khorasan and Ngome established, producing 176 gold (interesting, our science rate produces 166 beakers per turn).

Don't sound so disappointed I see that after all the building of science improvements, you got us up to almost 400 beakers/turn. That's good, BUT - in 3 separate years (1800, 1806, 1810) we were able to gain 4 times as many beakers from trade deliveries. and in 3 other years, we were well over 400 beakers. To say nothing of all the cash we generated for rushbuying purposes. It would take a very, very long time to grow our cities to the point where we would even generate 800 beakers/turn internally, let alone 1600. And once the cities were that size, we could probably produce 4000 beakers from trade

I don't mean to sound like I'm sniping - I used to build a lot of improvements (libs, markets, banks, unis, etc) and now I'm almost completely won over to an all-trading style. You will join us too, I expect, someday... Just take a look at the Freight payoffs in the Barren Burbs game... several individual freights on their own, produced 1400+ beakers and coins... that's double what a Super Science/Trade City can produce. Many others were in the 500-1000 gold range, turn after turn...

Gabba Gabba, we accept you, we accept you, one of us...

[-Jrabbit]

I was wondering who would rise to the juicy bait sirsnuggles posted...

I, too, was a babe in the woods of Trade when I started doing sxn games.
Much detail still to learn, but my landing/conquest dates in my own games are pretty conclusive -- clearly a superior approach IMHO.

Well stated, STYOM.

[Old n Slow]

I think that we need to run a succession comparison game -- same start where one team of four builds temples, aqueducts, sanitation (maybe) & can trade. No markets, no libraries, no SSC (per se -- wonders OK).

The other team of four uses infrastructure but no trade (camels & trucks can help out the wonders).

Race to the stars?

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

I'd be up for that, O&S.

I think for the trade-only game, we should limit the science wonders (no Newton, Copes, or SETI... not that we would build them anyway )

[La Fayette]

LF comes to power and looks at the horde:
To make it short, we have a nice shipchain to Zululand, that we are going to use as our main research center, and we have a nice war against the Celts (newly discovered armours against valiant riflemen).

1) Research:

1-1) Deliveries:
1834: 390 + 462 + 116 = 968 beakers (and gold )
1836: 252 + 192 + 792 + 120 = 1256 beakers (and gold)
1838: 520 + 204 + 210 = 934 beakers (and gold)
1840: 720 + 168 = 888 beakers (and gold)
1842: 612 + 162 + 190 + 116 + 104 = 1184 beakers (and gold)
1844: 150 + 262 + 282 = 694 beakers (and gold)
1846: 180 + 148 + 196 + 120 + 112 + 122 + 98 + 152 + 120 = 1148 beakers (and gold ).

1-2) Results:

1836 = Machine Tools
1838 = Espionage
1840 = Theory of Gravity
1842 = Miniaturization
1846 = Computers
1848 = (mistake = short of 30 beakers to Robotics)

Message to sirsnuggles:
I don't criticize your investment in Libraries and the like (this is a succession game, and any player is free to play as he likes).
Just remember that you managed to achieve 5 turns/tech, and look at what a 'trading research center' provides: almost 1 tech/turn.

(to be followed next post)

[La Fayette]

2) War

LF decides that no barracks shall be built (Mongol vet spies are going to be in action very soon, and it will be more fun to fight the valiant Celtic riflemen with non vet armours).

1836: Rhondda is Mongol
1838: Zulu sneak attack and kill 3 Mongol cavalry in Zimbabwe (curiously Zululand is our main research and trading center, and one of the previous leaders had the strange idea to conquer their capital )
1840: Mongol defenders destroy 5 Zulu units to make them keep quiet (high walls built in the meantime).
Mongol armours in Caernarfon, Cardiff, Merthyr and Cork.
1844: Llauntanig and Caerphilly suddenly switch to purple (+ some other cities later on that I forgot to write down
).

3) Notes to my successor:
There are ferries between our 3 main islands (don't forget to study them before building others).
I suppose that the remaining Celtic cities are to be found on the eastern island, North East of Swansea.
There is a boatload of armours ready to take care of them.
Robotics is to be discovered next turn: you can build a few howies, just for fun. But, if I were you, I would mostly build transports (30 or 40 of them), because, even with Magellan, we are going to need them badly on this HUGE map.

[-Jrabbit]

Excellent demonstration of the power of trade, La Fayette. Also, excellent defense of sirsnuggles' right to play his turns as he darn well pleases .

Now let's see,,,

1) SG[1] - 8 turns
2) SG(2) - 8 turns
3) STYOM - 8 turns
4) sirsnuggles - 8 turns
5) LaFayette - 10! turns
6) -Jrabbit -
7) SCG -
8) Old'n'Slow -
9) Julius -

OMG I'm up! OMG I'm up!

[-Jrabbit]

Alors! Une probleme!

La Fayette -- see your PM.

[La Fayette]

You are perfectly right, Jrabbit.
I play my turns again at once.

[-Jrabbit]

Bien. Merci beaucoup.

Now can I have my 5 hours back?

[La Fayette]

I guess there won't be many changes.
You should have Robotics immediately, since I won't research Espionage, and you should also have many barracks, since I don't wish to take walled cities with non vet armours.
I plan to finish tomorrow before 12.00 GMT.

[La Fayette]

To make it clear to all, here is what happened:
Before starting playing his 8 turns, Jrabbit did what I should have done before playing mine: he reread the rules and noticed that it was clearly written NO DIPS, NO SPIES.
That's why he asked me to replay my turns, according to the rules (just before jumping onboard the most direct train to The Institute).

The main difference was that I skipped researching Espionage:
1836: Machine Tools
1838: Miniaturization
1840: Computers
1842: Robotics
1844: Guerilla Warfare
1848: Theory of Gravity

Rhondda (unwalled) became Mongol in 1836, but I waited for howitzers before attacking the remaining walled Celt cities:
1844: Caernarfon + Merthyr
1846: Cardiff + Llangollen
1848: (forgot to write down)

The Zulus decided to sneak attack in 1846 (one submarine sent 2 of our (empty ) transports to the bottom). Well, we don't wish to destroy them at once because of our nice shipchain to Zululand, but they will pay the price later.

The ferries between our islands are:
Cannae - Malaca
Rusicade - Rayader

The shipchain starts in Ormuz.

Sorry, my train to The Institute is about to start...bye.

[-Jrabbit]

Cownload domplete. Playing PASA.

Berci moucoup, Fa Layette! Ayez un bon visite a L'Institute...

-Rjabbit
(deeling a fit byslexic today)

[-Jrabbit]

It's 1848. -Jrabbit accepts the post of Minister for Homeland Security and steps into the Situation Room. He calls for reports from all advisors, learns that we are a Communist regime of 49 cities, serving the needs of 15.22 MM ppl with a tax plan of 10-60-30 (a net loss of 147 GP/turn. We do have a decent treasury (over 1000 iirc). We seem poised for war with a mighty army of vet Armors and Howitzers (mostly on Celtic lands), but will soon lose the Wonder that is the War Academy, as we seem to be studying for Mobile Warfare. We are at war with the nearby Zulus and Celts, at peace with the distant civs. There are plenty of freights and transports about. We stand 2nd in pop, and 1st in GNP, land area, manufactured goods, and productivity. Our homeland continent is a treasure trove of production, with many factories and engineers improving the land.

Comradess Borthei, of course, remains 1st in the hearts of her countrymen.

We have a dispirited and nearly useless naval fleet, wandering the hinterlands of this huge map, doing nothing more than exposing coastlines and the occasional hut. Several are recalled to join the mighty war machine. Excess freight units are loaded onto otherwise superfluous transports to continue exploration and pop huts.

After some spirited discussion, the sliders are moved to stop the fiscal bleeding and promote general happiness. General -Jrabbit implores Borthei to continue the current conflicts and accede to our manifest destiny of World Domination, starting with the northern hemisphere.

She agrees...

No worries of OEDO requirements, so we call for REVOLUTION!

1850
Zulus learn Electricity, trade it to the Persians for Mobile Warfare, and sign peace treaty with them. Egyptians learn Metallurgy.
Our population = 15.32 MM
Our government = Fundamentalism.
Silk to Umtata 510 GP, Oil to Ulundi 176 GP.
Celtic Wars -- We take Caerphilly (12 GP), Llanelli (3 GP ), Swansea (4 GP).
Zulu Conflict -- We take Amatikulu (90 GP, plus Women's Suffrage and Genetic Engineering).

1851
Faders settle in at 40-10-50.
Population now 16.34 MM.
Rush buying galore -- fighting units, temples, and barracks..
French get Magnetism.
-- We get Labor Union (b'bye Sun Tzu ) and ignore Atomic Theory, espionage, and Recycling in favor of... Flight!
--We The High Shamaness Day celebrated in 22 cities.
-- Deliveries -- Gems to Ulundi 242, Silk (456) and Gold (98, 170) to Mpondo, Silver to Panormus 92.
-- Zulu Conflict -- Naples and its 22 GP taken.
-- Celtic Wars -- Take Abergavenny 12GP, find and take Dinas Powys 10 GP

1852
Zulus near Cure for Cancer. We decide to let them complete the job.
Persians and Zulus trade techs -- amphibious warfare and refining for mass production and guerilla warfare.
Persians and Zulus sign Umtata Pact to stem High Shamaness aggression.
Two more cities decide the the High Shamaness.
Infrastructure -- 4 more Temples, 3 more Barracks.
We also build a Manufacturing Plant in the Karakorum so it can produce a Mechanical Infantry unit per turn.
Homeland Security Act passed, decreeing that all Cavalry units be sent to the front and replaced by Mech Inf.
Hut = 100 GP.
-- Zulu Conflict -- Offending submarine tracked and killed, but our Cruiser then finds another... Ibabanago captured (79 GP).
-- Celtic Wars -- City of Maesteg uncovered and captured (14 GP).

1853
Ulundi builds CfC.
Population = 17.12 MM.
Egypt discovers Leadership.
Hut = riflemen. They have no wheels, wings, hooves, or hull , and thus are disbanded.
Hut = Advanced tribe of Capua (2).
Hut = Fanatic (disbanded).
-- Zulu conflict -- We take the capital of Ulundi for 190 GP and CfC. Government escapes to Ngome. The Zulus counter-punch. Sub kills our sitting-duck Cruiser as we build another. They attack and raze Naples, taking some tech or other, I suppose.
-- Celtic Wars -- We take Darrow (18 GP). Can't seem tofind their capital (Illauntanig)...

1854
Zulus learn the secret of Steel.
Pop = 18.97 MM.
More barracks, temples and units of mass destruction.
WTHS celebrated in 14 more cities.
Huts = 100 + 100 + 100
-- Zulu Conflict -- Mech Inf units infiltrate 2 fortresses deep in Zulu territory.
-- Celtic Wars -- We find and capture Neath and its 5 GP. Excess units are gathered onto freights steaming toward Egyptian lands...

1855
Pop = 19.12 MM.
WLTHS +1 more recalcitrant city.
More units, more infrastructure.
Huts = 100, barbs, 100, 100.
Deliveries -- Silk (678) to Ngome.
-- Zulu Conflict -- Take Tugela (52 GP + factory). Take Isandlhwana (49 GP + Copernicus). Take capital of Ngome (46 GP, gov't in exile ). Take Hlobane 44 GP.
Discover cities of Issus and Bapedi. Zulus have 11 cities left, 9 of which are located.
-- Celtic Wars -- After another turn of searching fails to uncover Illauntanig, we parley with them and they are receptive. Peace agreed. We offer them Tactics and Sanitation, making them properly Worshipful. Maps are exchanged, with Illauntanig revealed to be right in our midst on the former Celtic homeland (just far enough from the rail lines to remain unseen).
Illauntag attacked and taken (78 GP).
Celts destroyed. Celtic Wars end.
Our Reputation is now Atrocious.

1856
Egyptians now have engineers.
Population = 21.05 MM
We discover the art of Flight.
Huts yield 200 + 100 + 100 GP.
New infrastructure includes Offshore Platform for Ormuz.
Two cities cancel We The High Shamaness celebrations, but 3 more start.
Delivery -- Gold to Swazi 608 GP.
-- Zulu Conflict -- Cities taken: Mpondo (61 GP), Umtata (63), Cunaxa (12), Issus (18), and Zunguin (61 + Adam Smith's).
Five Zulu cities remain... All have been located.
NEWS FLASH -- Homeland Security intelligence report notes that the Egyptian civilization, with capital in Thebes, is a Republic of 21 cities currently studying The Corporation. It is further reported that the egyptians are building weapons of mass destruction and may be harboring cells of Celtic and Zulu expatriates.
High Shamaness Borthei issues a statement that "This outrageous situation can no longer be tolerated." Freights full of peacekeeping units steam eastward.

1857
French discover The Corporation.
More cities the High shamaness than ever before!
Huts = 100 GP, Barbs, Adv Tribe of Turin (3), Barbs (freight lost), and 50 GP.
Factories added in Caerphilly, Kells amid continued Festival of Rushbuilding.
Pollution in Ulundi and Karakorum.
-- Zulu conflict -- Zulus fight back, taking out a few units. We take Swazi (150 GP), Bapedi (58), and Umfolozi (56 + La Tour Eiffel.
Only Intombe and Isipezi remain...

Epilog
-Jrabbit steps down from his post, leaving a legacy of destruction in the name of Homeland Security. The High Shamaness, loved by all, approves.

Population = 24.32 MM.
Cities = 74.
Treasury = 1,111 GP
Tax Plan = 40-10-50.
Income = 1212 - 280, net of +932 GP/turn.
Tech rate = who cares?

The nomination of SCG as the new Minister of Homeland Security is put before the High Shamaness.

[Old n Slow]

Nice work.

[-Jrabbit]

Well, it took some time, but it sure was fun. The combination of Armor, Howitzers, and Mech Inf is awesome. Who needs spies when you have a buddy named Howie?

We are now 1st in all demographic categories
-- except for Pollution (5th), Literacy (4th), and Military Service (2nd).

Rather than build a shipchain to Egypt, I decided to just load up a bunch of transport with our deadly arsenal and send them as an attack wave. Even if we lose a boatload or two, we will have plenty of units to work with. Once their cargo of death is delivered, our Transports can then form a chain toward the Persians and French, who remain lazily complacent in the sunny southlands.

Here's the zipped save...

[-Jrabbit]

SGs --

I haven't seen SCG around in awhile. It may be that this needs to move on to the next in line -- Old n Slow, I believe.