Epic Twenty-Eight: Mistress of the Sun


"Flips, Roman-French War, and Sneak Attacks"

In 1330, I get another flip, this time Yamama, a Roman-conquered Arab city.
Mycenae, which the French captured from the Greeks, flipped back to Greece and was captured by the English--meaning more chance of a flip for me.  France is the only civ that has not dropped from a representative gov't.  Now that they are losing lots of units and having their cities lost to the Romans, I expect that to change.

I found another poaching city, Cairo, in former Arabia in 1335 AD.  Another, New Thebes is founded in 1340 AD.  I am producing a settler every other turn out of my max food city, Memphis.  My RoP with Caesar is giving him huge advantages in attacking Joanie, which is my intent.

Of course, then PTW crashes on pressing F3--have to reload from an autosave for 1340AD--grr.  I did not have too many moves, I think I had them all down...and now the reason for pushing the button in the first place--I find out that Joanie has to revolt--she is in Anarchy--YEAH!  Silly warmongers--how uncultured!  France gets their city (Poitiers) back from the Romans.  In 1345, we get the Wall St. message.

Romans capture Poitiers again in 1340 AD.  In 1355, Rome captures Mycanae and Bayonne.  In 1360, Hoover and Wall St. complete, and we are now the cultural leader at 31099 culture.  In 1365, I learn Radio.  Caesar and Lizzie both have Electronics now--should have sold it when I had the chance...oh well.  Culture is 31965 @ 433 cpt, about 150 turns with no doubling and no more culture.   My best guess is that I will get 100,000 culture in 75 turns with the internet, doubling and other wonders.  If the AIs have to get 15 techs for space, and they research @ 5 turns/tech...that's about 75 turns.  I think they are going much slower than that, since even I cannot go that fast on research yet.  I think the issue will be how far they get along before I double Joanie, which is probably at least 120-140 turns away.  I think this one is won--I now have the infrastructure to build up my military, my economy will improve.  I will research on Rome's coattails as long as his has one tech up on me, which will probably only be for a couple of techs more.  Then I will blaze the trail, selling nothing unless I can get close to value for it.  This is going to take forever to play!



Sell Hammi SM for 8 gpt and all his 97g in 1375 AD.  Found New Memphis in former Greek lands same year.  Send AT to Korea for dyes all his imcome of 11 gpt and 12g.  In 1405, I get a third flip--Mycanae--another Greek city taken by many, but Rome was its most recent holder.  I then take refining from Joanie for electronics and 20g.  Radio goes to Caesar for all his income (361gpt), wines, and 201g.  Radio to Joanie for 134gpt and all her 24g.  This gives the AIs parity, but also robs them of almost all of their income.  I investigae Lyons and find Joanie running 30% science, and this city has been drafted/whipped to size 2.  Rome is able to run 70% science--let's see if I can get more of his cash.  England can only muster 20% science--looks like rome is the only tech competition for now.  In 1410, a Roman cavalry army razed a French-owned former Arab city right on my borders, opening up another city site, on which New Heliopolis is founded in 1420 AD.  Romans and English get steel in 1420, allowing me to go lone scientist for my last turn--I get it in 1425 AD.   A fourth city flips to me in 1425--a Roman-held former Arab city--Muscat.  I sign RoPs with Joanie and Lizzie--Caesar is the next in line for culture, so time to put everyone on the same war footing.  Same with Persia.  In 1445, a fifth flip--this time an English-owned former Babylonian city, Lagash.  Combustion is learned in 1460 AD.  In 1470, Lizzie finally puts Alex out of his misery, and Battlefield Medicine completes.  England and Rome have Combustion in 1485--13 turns from steel.  43679 (578/turn). In 1490, I poach another spot in between Roman-conquered French cities.  I have kept almost all of my poaching to make sure my city is two tiles from unexpanded AI borders, or 3 tiles between cities minimum.  On the map, you will see some cities where there is less distance.  These sites were entirely when I was trying to flip cities--and eventually all of them flipped.  I am pushing the grey, I admit, but I did intend to get these cities productive--however, upon further review, I abandon Mycenae, Knossos, and Muscat.  I just do not like the looks of cities two tiles apart.  I get a sixth flip (another Roman-conquered Arab city), Fustat in 1500 AD.  I found New Alexandria near the abandoned Knossos--it is three tiles from any of my cities (45387).  In 1505, I sell MassProd to Rome for 312 gpt, and 70g.  Sell combustion to France for 3g and 104 gpt.  Sell MassProd to England for 25gpt, wines, and 426g.  Persians capture Brest in 1510 AD.  I learn Motorized Transport in 1520 AD.  I renew RoP with England and France--no to Persia, and I will not renew with Rome--time to even things up again.  In 1535, a seventh flip--yes, you guessed it--Damascus, Rome-conquered Arab city.  I learn Flight in 1550, and enter the Modern Age.  England now has Amphibious Warfare in 1560 AD, that is 11 turns since they learned Mass Prod, and Amphibious Warfare is NOT that expensive.

In 1570, I do a little investigating--the English are the only significant researchers @ 60%.  Rome is at 30% and France is at 20%.  In 1590, I learn Computers.  In 1605, Rome learns Flight and sells it to England for AmphibWar.  Ok--looks like England is about to come out of anarchy and is very close to MT, so I will sell to Rome for about all his income (253gpt and wines).  Sell MT to England for 450g.  Rome and England are now modern, and I can sell Computers to England for1850g and 205gpt.  I am going to hold off until she comes out of anarchy.  I get an 8th flip (guess what) in Aden in 1610.  Of course, England is now a democracy @ 100% research.  Looks like it is time to shut off research after I get Miniturization.  A second attempt to plant a spy with Lizzie fails--I have one with Joanie.  In 1635, Miniturization completes, and the palace prebuild will bring the Internet due in two turns--Seti will complete in 5.  I make RoPs with England, Rome, Persia, and France in 1640 AD.  In 1645 AD, The Internet completes, and we enter a Golden Age!  I plant an agent in London, and fail in Rome.  In 1655, Seti completes. 1660 65791 culture, and England has fission--too bad my prebuild will take the UN.  Looks like Lizzie can research in about ten turns @ first.

"Please Read Instructions Carefully"

1665--Roman-French tank battles rage the land.  France loses a great leader to a counter-attack.  How long have these two been at war??!! 66548 @ 757/turn.  In 1670, I get the ninth flip, Basra, another Rome-conquered Arab city.  Fission discovered in 1675--and NO UN? Guess I should have read the victory conditions more closely--oh well...switch palace prebuild to Manhattan due next turn.  Manhattan completes in 1680.  Get a tenth flip in 1685--Brest--the gems city that I tried to pressure several milennia ago--now it flips after the Persians captured it.  I abandon it--its too close to existing cities, and 14 more cpt will not significantly change the end date.  Joanie has finally entered the Modern age.  Genetics learned 1705.  Wang is Modern, and he pulls Fission, and England now has computers.  Deal expires with Caesar and Joanie--so Fission to Caesar for 198gpt, wines, and 64g.  Fission to Joanie for 110gpt and 108g.  Flight to Persia for furs, 28gpt (all his income), and 96g.  Lizzie can research in 9 turns @ second (and computers is cheaper than fission, as I recall).  Longevity completes in 1725 (Longevity--I cannot remember ever building this wonder).  And in 1730, the English sneak attack us??!!  Lizzie razes one our outpost by the French-Roman war zone--ok, you are in for it you [explitive deleted].  I buy Rome's alliance and embargo for 350g.  Joanie goes in for incense and gems--but no embargo.  Persia goes for the alliance and embargo for gems and incense.  Hammi will go for both for saltpeter--done.  Gems and 150g buys Korea into the alliance, but they will not take the embargo.  Coal and salt buy Mongolia into the alliance.  Military Tradition buys Japan into the alliance.  All English units in my territory are bombed and die, with only minor losses <5 tanks.  They only have 2 tanks and 3 cav, but 59 inf and 59 mech inf.  I suspect they will have to send in their mechinf, since they do not have any other offensive unit.  All this alliance will make it REAL difficult to get units into my territory.  IT lose a few cav that I sent on a pillage raid, but took out as many inf and tanks.

GA ends 1740, I attack England's radar towers and exposed units.  On about the sixth elite attack, I get this!  He goes for an army, so I can build the Heroic Epic, Military Academy, and Pentagon.  I redline an English stack that attacked my cavs in the mountain...they are far enough only cavs can reach--I kill one, and then England gets a defensive great leader??  All cavs are woken up and Edward is no more...

X-man takes Sparta.  The English bombers do nothing but go after resource tiles--WEED.  And the Roman/French war rages on.  My war of radar tower bashing, resourse and luxury pillaging, and open unit killing continues.  Let those non-cultured folks attack cities, I say!  It is truly sad how poorly the AIs use bombers.  Persia and Rome ally against France in 1745.  79998 culture 1750.  Persia takes Athens. 1752 80795--estimate 25 turns to 100k.

WW hits harder in 1754, and the Military Academy completes.  Cure for Cancer completes in 1756.  Heroic Epic completes in 1758.  Persia is now in the Modern Age, and Rome and Persia have computers and fission.  Joanie is behind computers.  Investigate London--they are still democracy--and 15 of 24 citizens are clowns, even with 20% lux.  Synth Fibers discovered in 1760, Rocketry ordered.  I immmediatly steal Roctetry from England in 1760.  Mass MA upgrade begins.  I get a second leader on defense in 1762  He goes for another Army, which is formed in 1766, as I build my first army.  Pentagon is ordered up.  These two armies are filled with Modern Armor.  Below is a view of Egypt in 1750 AD.



And here are my cities in former Arabia.  Bagdad, Medina and Mecca will eventually flip.




"Bankrupt the AI"

England is also revolting.  In 1772, France and Rome FINALLY make peace.  Computers in 1772 to France for furs and all her 11g and 68gpt.  Miniturization to Rome for Amphib War, wines, all his 384gpt and 183g.  Miniturization to X-man for all his 902g and 128gpt; to Wang for 280gpt and 848g.  In 1772,  I have doubled everyone's culture except France and England.

In 1784, the grand alliance ends--Japan signs peace with England, so does Rome.  I dial up Lizzie--she has miniturization now, I note.  She gives Ulaanbaatar and Pharsalos, and 7gpt for peace.  You got it Lizzie.  Of course, she is communist.  Abydos founded in a gap created by Lizzies lost cities.  In 1788, only England is not doubled in culture, and we have 95321.

In 1794, the two cities acquired in the English war, and the new poaching city are at full culture.  In 1796, 98715, but the English have still not recognized our cultural status.  England and France make peace in 1798.  I will hit 100k in 1800 AD, but the English are not yet ready to submit to my cultural superiority.  So now we turn into a waiting game...our meager remaining workforce is taught how to manage themselves.  It is 1812, and time to play "Bankrupt the AI" again.  Genetics to Rome for wines 429gpt, and all his gold.  Genetics to Korea for all 570g and 322gpt.  Genetics to England for 134gpt and 1145g.  X-man does not have enough to pay for it.

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