12-07-2003 18:34									#1
	The Time Is Now, or "Trip, Get Off Your @@@" Full PM-box? Change here!

Well, with 19 turns to go on Republic, we can reasonably expect in 26 turns (or less) we will be a Republic. Our power is ALREADY pretty friggin big. I would propose that maybe our timetable needs to be moved UP slightly. We can say "Hey, just Numidians, y'know" now, but when they see us as a Republic and note our power graph CONTINUES to rise.... we may not only be unable to stay under the radar, we may have a spotlight placed ON us.

To that end, I would like to propose a slight increase in our timetable - at least for hypothetical consideration. What would it take to plan an attack based on impact in with Elucidia in 26 turns? Stripping most of our rear cities and building anything we could - including poprushing - and launching at such time as to hit IMMEDIATELY after we switch to Republic. This might mean a smaller force, but here are the factors making me think:

1) CDG just took one right square in the nose. That will make anyone pause; if they pause long enough to bow out of the war, they might even look around for another target, or at least re-evaluate things.

2) In 26 turns, CDG's Golden Age will have recently ended- meaning they will suddenly have LESS production than they were used to having.

3) People are *already* looking at our power and raising eyebrows. If we crank it up more in Republic and THEN launch our attack, they might do more than raise eyebrows - they might prepare for it. Hitting them while they are still getting a "Funny feeling" is better than hitting them when they are having their blood run cold and streaming units back north.

4) We could run a small risk - knowing that CDG is concentrating south - and strip the majority of our northern defenses, excluding border sites. Yes, it IS a risk, but a counterattack from CDG after they just got a bloody nose, AND see us coming? If our attack failed miserably (it won't) we'd still have a Republican Golden Age to build our defenses back up - and they won't have much to throw anyhow.

Ladies and gentlemen- I propose the time to begin our war if only with our troop movements may in fact be NOW. We already know people's radars are showing a fuzzy spot where we were not there at all before. Let's move before their radars scream "HOLY HELL, THEY'VE BEEN LEFT ALONE TO BUILD AN ARMY ALL THIS TIME?!"

Demon-Fried wants to come out and play.

	13-07-2003 00:46									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

One of the premises of the AltSp is that once we are in Republic, then we are producing unstoppable quantities of units and growing in leaps and bounds while CDG may finally get around to clearing a tile of jungle or two. IOW, it will be too late for them to do anything to stop us, because we will out number them in units, and outnumber them in production by 2 to 1 or more.

That is one of the reasons I have been struggling with our MoI of late over build priorities. We need those cities to go down now, so that they have the time to grow and/or to contribute the workers to the plan.

	13-07-2003 00:52									#3
	Get a bigger avatar today!

NYE is right.

Once we become Republic our forces will outnumber our enemy's by a growing number. After CDG's GA ends, they will have one of the lowest MFG. They will be stuck with the army they have. Meanwhile, we can build our army up to a size of whatever we want. 30 Swords? Cool. 40 Swords? Alright. 50 Swords? Can be done. CDG can't come close to that.

We should watch for a cease-fire sometime soon, but as long as everyone keeps fighting for at least another 10 turns, we will have a production and unit advantage BEFORE we attack.

	13-07-2003 09:05									#4
	Put an end to popups!

Might I just point out that our Civ choice could not be better. I never voted in the Civ poll, so thumbs up to everyone who voted for Carthage. And to think that people thought Carthage was not the civ to come out of Play the World!


Dominae

	14-07-2003 06:22									#5
	Remove this text

I would heartily dispute that, Dom, but the way the NM has been handled here has been excellent.

RE depleting our northern cities' defences: this will be fine assuming we can keep their size down enough that martial law is not needed. Hopefully we will have enough production that they can churn a unit out if they did need to grow, as well. The only risk (apart from loss of the whole attacking force in the frontlines) is a landing, and this could be circumvented with a warrior or two or a Galley or two in positions able to sight any vessels early. There are certainly places at which that this could be done.

But yes I think it high time we got our Swords cranking out and bunching together, mixed only with workers and the odd settler to create further troop factories.

	14-07-2003 06:53									#6
	Support Apolyton, buy Alpha Centauri

quote: Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt I would heartily dispute that, Dom, but the way the NM has been handled here has been excellent.

(Sorry for the threadjack.)

That's the way Mercs are always meant to be played! I hear they're pretty good for disruption too, but I've always thought Carthage is just better off waiting and building instead of rushing.

Which Play the World civ would you rate above Carthage? The Ottomans? I can almost guarantee you that we would have been CDG's first target had we picked that civ. No other Play the World civ even comes close after that, IMO, especially in PBEM games where Jungle or a non-central capital or a sneak attack are unexpected possibilities that must be dealt with.


Dominae

	14-07-2003 07:03									#7
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

To perhaps conclude the threadjack:

PtW civs I'd need to think about, but I have many civs I prefer to Carthage: Americans, Chinese (only recently tried them!), Japanese...

I only meant that I think our civ choice could have been much better than Carthage. I argued against several civs and most strongly against Carthage at the start of all this based only on the early GA horrors. We have avoided this, which sets my mind at ease, but I still don't like Carthage one bit for my own purposes.

	14-07-2003 08:18									#8
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Ah, we misunderstood each other. I was saying that, given our present situation, our choice of Civs could not be better. Clearly our Civ choice plays a part in our present situation, but of the things that are out of our control I do not think we could do better with any other civ right now. I suppose we could use some Culture at some point, and Religious or Scientific would help with that, but I have the feeling this continent will be perpetually at war. And, if my guess is right, it's going to be just us and China eventually, and they have just as much Cultural advantage as we do (i.e. none).

I must say that being China would be pretty sweet at this stage of the game: we could hit The Republic then beeline for Chivalry, getting some pretty good GA timing. But I firmly believe without our Numidian Mercs. (not to mention the threat of Riders) CDG would be heading our way right now if we were China.

All I'm saying is that things have worked out well for us so far with respect to our Civ choice.


Dominae

	14-07-2003 09:09									#9
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

I have to agree here that Carthage is THE best MP civ of all. Incredibly powerufl unit which secures your survival during the early ages, industrious workers, low corruption.... damn, what else does one want in life? (don't answer)