Pong 7: The Spanish
¡Bienvenidos a la Pong 7!
We did another draft for this one, and my choices were Spain, Sumeria, or Macedonia. I thought long and hard about Macedonia, but ended up deciding on Spain. I was really interested in the Conquistador abilities, and the bonus to fighting heathens.
Session 1
Pretty happy with this start. Hills, lots of mountains for a Holy Site and Campus.
Man! That could have been a sweet canal city :(
Going for an early pantheon! Not fighting many barbs, so I'll take the bonus scout XP for now.
I was pretty excited to find the Giant's Causeway. Extra strength for my land units! I found Nubia the next turn, and sure enough they've settled pretty close to it.
A few of Spain's bonuses are related to different continents. It's a bit far away, but I can probably settle some colonies there, build missions, and get some trade routes up eventually.
Nubia is having a time.
When picking a pantheon, I looked quickly at my land and picked one with resources I had a lot of. Goddess of Festivals. I very quickly regret it, as the bonus food isn't really that great.
Stone Circles would have been a better pick.
I finish Stonehenge on turn 28.
Founded my religion, El Toro.
I like Zen Meditation too much, I seem to pick it all the time.
As the first religion founded, Defender of the Faith is available, so I grab it. Doubling-down on yhr holy war angle.
Making friends with AI Nubia.
Settler View is pretty bleh. The city states near me are blocking a lot of the decent spots with fresh water.
I didn't see it until I got close enough to settle, but the I've got the Galapagos Islands! Pretty decent science boost there! I push the settler as far to the coast as I can, to get as many tiles as I can reach.
My neighbors in AI-Nubia have founded a religion. How will our different faiths get along?
I plop Renya in the new city to grab tiles faster.
For my first government, I choose Classical Republic, and I start preparing for some settler spam.
... What? A Player?
Golden age!
I chose Mounmentality, planning to buy workers with faith before Apostle wars started happening.
Early workers are pretty cheap! I could have probably saved for the settler instead, but my land needs some improvement.
Not great, but I'll take it.
I find (human) Germany's borders, but haven't met him yet. I have my scout head south and go the long way around, so I can meet him from the other side.
And on the other side are the AI Aztec!
The world.
Tech-wise, I wanted Harbors. Fell a bit behind otherwise.
Civics, I grabbed my government and am just filling things out.
Not in the running for any great people (no districts!)
Gov Squad
History
City Stuff
Session 2
The first Nubian missionary arrives. Barcelona has already been converted. I will have to resist them earlier than I had hoped.
I don't even have a Holy Site at this point to buy Missionaries or Apostles with, so I begin working on one.
Human Germany (Tel) is attacking the AI Aztec.
From what Tel is saying in Discord, the Aztecs have gobbled up a bunch of city states, leaving none for him to take.
I decide to take Aquaculture, something I don't normally go for, mostly because of the Galapagos Islands. I'll make those tiles even better, if I can!
Seems like Tel is having a bad time in his war. The Aztecs have a war machine.
Meanwhile, I'm picking off small bands of barbarians in the mountains.
I need those Missionaries NOW!
Oh, I don't have the faith because I spent it all on workers. :(
Another Player has been defeated.
The Discord chat claims that Zar's Poland has conquered Pete's Greece and Nate's China.
I need more faith!
Nubia is starting not to like me.
More faith!
Hrm... I need three points in ten turns to get a normal age.
My borders aren't close enough to Nubia for the loyalty penalties to really matter, I guess.
Splendid. A normal age it is.
Pass.
I've been a declared friend of Germany since we met, and I renew it.
We're far enough away that it doesn't much matter, but it's a good show of faith, and prevents any silliness with sneak attacks.
The World.
Tech-wise, I wanted Industrial Zones and Crossbowmen.
Civics-wise I'm a little rudderless at this point.
I'm really bad at Great People this game.
Govnahs!
History
Reports
Session 3
At the start of this session, Nate respawns as the Aztecs, and Pete as Nubia.
My Normal Medieval Era will see the construction of a lot of districts, so I again choose Monumentality.
I enhance El Toro with Mosques.
Looking back, I regret this. I don't end up spreading my religion much. It's better to be fighting heathens!
Since I fucked up my own canal, Berlin is interesting to me.
For now, Germany is a friend.
Nubia has been sending Missionaries, but I chatted a bit with Pete on Discord and he agreed to stop trying to convert my cities. Our two religions would coexist.
After Nate takes them over, the Aztecs and Germans become fast friends.
The faiths of the world.
Settlers! Builders! Faith!
It seems like Nubia doesn't know anyone but me. Interesting!
The Aztecs know the two unknown civs left in the world, which include Zar's Poland, and AI Indonesia. They've got to be somewhere behind them.
Agh! I'll have to sponsor that one.
Decent gold from trade with Germany, and getting some trading posts over there will let me trade further into the continent.
I finally meet Poland! He's way ahead in everything but military, where the Aztecs reign.
I don't see Indonesia, and I'm much too far away to do anything. I decline.
Well, the Medieval Era seems to have gone pretty quickly. I'm 7 short of a normal era with 10 turns left.
There's Indonesia!
Settler train! Choo choo!
Colonizing the other continent.
Nubia and I become allies, with an emphasis on research.
I don't have any trade routes with them currently. I've got a few to Germany on the other continent, and a handful of internal ones for production and roads.
Slowing down on the settler spam in favor of Campus adjacency bonuses.
The land on the new continent is not so good. My home continent spreads pretty far south.
I eke out a Normal Age, and once again go with Monumentality.
Theocracy Time!
Tech-wise: I wanted the Venetian Arsenal, and now I want Conquistadors.
Civics-wise: I dove for Theocracy, and have otherwise been filling things out evenly.
Faiths of the World.
Yeah, I fucking SUCK at Great People this game.
Govs.
History.
Reports.
Germany's cities are having an impact on the coast of the continent I'm planning to settle. It's not too bad, and I should be able to combat it with governors. As I fill in the cities behind the coastal ones, it should get better.
Barbarians surge in the southern Tundras.
Nate's Aztecs succeeded at the Religious Emergency against them.
Poland denounces the Aztecs. Dark times must be coming.
I see Aztec-Islamic religious units here and there, and recruit a slew of Inquisitors, but nothing substantial ever comes my way.
Islam essentially run roughshod over all the civs other than Spain and Nubia.
I'm having housing problems!
Frick! Zar has field canons! I don't plan any land wars, but I'm easily 12 turns behind that, and that's not good.
Indonesia is tiny, not sure what Zar wants from this. Maybe just solidifying his empire or grabbing some resources?
Nate's Aztec-Islam only ever sent this one Missionary into my territory. Our Inquisitors obliterate it.
The Germano-Aztec friendship has blossomed into an Alliance!
Zar's Poland founds Taoism. Real late! Lets see if he can shake off Islam!
He's beating it back rather quickly! He must have had a lot of faith saved up.
It seems like the Barbarians are itching to settle down!
Germany has Ironclads? Not good for my coastal cities. We just renewed our friendship, so I've got some time to catch up.
I checked a few things and confirmed they didn't have Steam Engine researched or Coal hooked up, so it seems like these two ships came from a Great Admiral.
Pete couldn't make it to this session, and the AI took back over Nubia.
With his absence came a resurgence of religious squabbles. Fortunately, the preparations I made for the Aztecs are still at the ready.
Science-wise, I got Frigates, got Industrialization to the Eureka, and have been trying to catch up with my land weapons.
Civics-wise, I'm interested in Colonialism for the different continent bonuses to my latest settlements.
The faiths of the world
Still pretty terrible with Great People, but at least in the running for some!
Govs.
History.
Reports!
Pete is back this session. Our Alliance is renewed, as is his vow to not convert my cities.
Tel's Germany is building up along our border. Combined with the navy I've seen earlier, I begin to worry. I will build/buy units soon.
A Barbarian settler seeks amnesty from the German navy in Spanish waters. Soon after, we take it.
Tel would later use this to justify the war he had already been planning for.
The inter-continental internal trade routes from my colonies aren't as good as I had hoped! Not terrible, though.
Aside from repelling a few conversion attempts, I haven't had too many uses for faith. I've got a bunch saved up to start a small army. Conquistadors and Field cannons!
Zar uses Amani to wrest Antananarivo from me.
Zar would later ask me why I didn't conquer them. Their Suzerain bonus is far more useful to him, and once I lost control I probably should have.
In general, I feel like I could benefit from being more aggressive with city states.
Whatcha doing, Germany? I'm trying to get a navy going to resist him.
The Southern Tundra barbarians are getting out of hand. A bombard?!
Germany goes to war with Antananarivo!
... and Poland goes to war with the Aztecs.
I watch as Germany tries their hand at conquering. Their Frigates prove to have a rough time on the walls of the city.
El Tiempo del Oro! Time to reform the coinage. I net about 40 gpt from it.
The Germans flee from the City-State. They did not bring enough firepower.
Meh. Pass.
I settled Zaragoza a while back for the Jade. Looks like Nubia did the same.
We're still best buds, but I start walls anyway.
Poland is WAY AHEAD in civics if they've got third tier governments already.
Also pictured: The German retreat.
The Germans offer their terms of surrender to the vastly superior forces of Antananarivo.
Another impressive piece of naval technology! The Nubians have a Frigate Armada!
Beaten by my ally to the Forbidden City! UGH.
My friendship with Germany expires, and as expected Tel refuses to sign a new agreement.
That same turn, right at the end of the session, Germany declares a surprise war against me. Nubia, our allies, are pulled in as well.
The Nubian Frigate armada happened to be passing through the area, and the German ships encircled it like a frenzy of sharks.
My own navy is just barely taking form, empowered by the Venetian Arsenal. The first of my Frigates move in to engage, while Caravels defend the coasts around my colony.
Science: I got Ironclads and Factories. I want Battleships next, and am only ~7 turns from that.
Civics: Dove for Nationalism, now I want a 3rd tier government.
Great People
Govs.
I picked up Victor for the war with Germany. I still think he's pretty crappy.
History
Reports
The first turn of the session began with my two Frigates moving in and destroying one of Germany's two. One of my caravels attack while one hangs back to be upgraded to an Ironclad. He retreats with most everything else. I have bought enough time to truly turn the tide.
After the first turn, I slowed down a bit, and let Germany make most of the first moves. I held back and let him move a ship within range of my Frigates, while two ironclads come from the north.
I poke his encampment with my Conquistadors, and find that with all my bonuses* it's pretty easy to knock down.
I'm waiting for those Frigates from Murcia, and in 6 turns I'll have Battleships.
(*Defender of the Faith, Spain's Strength vs Heathens, and the Conquistador + Religious bonus)
Germany does some poking with a Privateer. My field canon bashes it up good.
Building Frigates in two cities up here.
I was waiting for Battleships, but my Frigates and Ironclads were enough to take Nuremberg with minimal losses.
Germany has a decent number of coastal cities, and the majority of their important ones are within Battleship shelling range.
I passed again.
I didn't think much of it at the time, but I think I actually passed on the majority of my Great Scientists.
It two two turns, but Hamburg fell too.
With Steel, my Frigates would become Battleships.
Germany wants peace, and is willing to give up a bunch of their smaller cities. I won't hear it. This war will be quick and decisive.
It seems like Germany's troops were a bit out of position, with few roads. He ended up having to move his troops from the south to try to retake Hamburg, and I got a lot of shelling in before they made it anywhere.
He actually killed one of my religious-empowered Conquistadors with a Field Canon Corps!
At last, that canal city will be mine!
Oh my. Another pass. I really am too picky :X
Not sure what's going on there! Poland declaring war on Nubia?
I didn't get pulled into this one, the way Nubia did when Germany declared war on me. I'm not sure why. Maybe because Nubia was already at war with someone? Or maybe Zar used a Casus Belli?
The Spanish are not a snow-loving people.
I've lost track on how many GP I've passed on.
Between the slow start in getting points and all my passes, I wonder how few I actually recruited.
[Insert my usual gripe about how overpowered Steel and Battleships are]
That's a lot of gold, Indonesia!
Look how far ahead Zar's Poland is. It's obscene.
Great People
Govs
History
Reports
Zar's Poland is already starting the Space Race, and I don't have planes or electricity.
I knew while fighting with Germany that Poland was leaving us behind, but the sheer scale of his advances this session surprised me.
I talk with Nate and Pete on Discord, and we openly worry that it's too late to stop him, even if we all combine our efforts.
Tel conceded and Pete couldn't make it, so the AI took over Germany and Nubia for what would be the last session.
I lamented on Discord. AI Nubia would be at best worthless in a war against Poland. I spent the week between sessions wondering if our three great powers could challenge Poland at all, but we would not get to see that.
I mop up Germany. He gave his other cities to the Aztecs, and that's fine with me.
Looking at Poland, I'm sad to find they have so few coastal cities. The core of their empires, including the two capitals they captured so early in the game, are all firmly inland.
I decide to head for his west coast, which would turn out to be something of a mistake. Poland's only spaceport is in Krakow, and I really should have focused on the east. All in all, it wouldn't matter much, but more on that later!
LOL, mech infantry armies.
AI Nubia begins denouncing me. I don't have much in the way of a defense on that border.
The Southern Tundra Barbarians are some of the baddest asses in all the world. Here you see them piloting a derelict German Ironclad.
Zar was ready with eyeballs at sea, spotting my antiquated troops moving across.
Zar declares war and starts picking off my helpeless troops.
His space race progress is outstanding. The Royal Academy helps a lot.
Nubia sends Apostles at me, on top of everything else.
Destroyers and Submarines will eat my Battleships and Ironclads alive. Not that there's time to do much, anyway!
To Arms!
It was a long shot, and probably wouldn't have helped much, but both Nate and I were trying to blow up his Spaceport. We all failed.
The Spanish Armada's last stand. We come from the south!
Being pelted by Submarine fire, I landed some troops north of Poland, forgetting that Bandar Brunei was his ally.
He launched a nuke just because he could!
The world unites against the spacefaring nuclear state.
My navy barely scratches his city walls, and he nukes me again for even trying!
Yeah, he's got this in the bag.
I have a little bit of fun killing subs and destroyers.
Woe is Spain!
Session 4
Germany's cities are having an impact on the coast of the continent I'm planning to settle. It's not too bad, and I should be able to combat it with governors. As I fill in the cities behind the coastal ones, it should get better.
Barbarians surge in the southern Tundras.
Nate's Aztecs succeeded at the Religious Emergency against them.
Poland denounces the Aztecs. Dark times must be coming.
I see Aztec-Islamic religious units here and there, and recruit a slew of Inquisitors, but nothing substantial ever comes my way.
Islam essentially run roughshod over all the civs other than Spain and Nubia.
I'm having housing problems!
Frick! Zar has field canons! I don't plan any land wars, but I'm easily 12 turns behind that, and that's not good.
Indonesia is tiny, not sure what Zar wants from this. Maybe just solidifying his empire or grabbing some resources?
Nate's Aztec-Islam only ever sent this one Missionary into my territory. Our Inquisitors obliterate it.
The Germano-Aztec friendship has blossomed into an Alliance!
Zar's Poland founds Taoism. Real late! Lets see if he can shake off Islam!
He's beating it back rather quickly! He must have had a lot of faith saved up.
It seems like the Barbarians are itching to settle down!
Germany has Ironclads? Not good for my coastal cities. We just renewed our friendship, so I've got some time to catch up.
I checked a few things and confirmed they didn't have Steam Engine researched or Coal hooked up, so it seems like these two ships came from a Great Admiral.
Pete couldn't make it to this session, and the AI took back over Nubia.
With his absence came a resurgence of religious squabbles. Fortunately, the preparations I made for the Aztecs are still at the ready.
Science-wise, I got Frigates, got Industrialization to the Eureka, and have been trying to catch up with my land weapons.
Civics-wise, I'm interested in Colonialism for the different continent bonuses to my latest settlements.
The faiths of the world
Still pretty terrible with Great People, but at least in the running for some!
Govs.
History.
Reports!
Session 5
Pete is back this session. Our Alliance is renewed, as is his vow to not convert my cities.
Tel's Germany is building up along our border. Combined with the navy I've seen earlier, I begin to worry. I will build/buy units soon.
A Barbarian settler seeks amnesty from the German navy in Spanish waters. Soon after, we take it.
Tel would later use this to justify the war he had already been planning for.
The inter-continental internal trade routes from my colonies aren't as good as I had hoped! Not terrible, though.
Aside from repelling a few conversion attempts, I haven't had too many uses for faith. I've got a bunch saved up to start a small army. Conquistadors and Field cannons!
Zar uses Amani to wrest Antananarivo from me.
Zar would later ask me why I didn't conquer them. Their Suzerain bonus is far more useful to him, and once I lost control I probably should have.
In general, I feel like I could benefit from being more aggressive with city states.
Whatcha doing, Germany? I'm trying to get a navy going to resist him.
The Southern Tundra barbarians are getting out of hand. A bombard?!
Germany goes to war with Antananarivo!
... and Poland goes to war with the Aztecs.
I watch as Germany tries their hand at conquering. Their Frigates prove to have a rough time on the walls of the city.
El Tiempo del Oro! Time to reform the coinage. I net about 40 gpt from it.
The Germans flee from the City-State. They did not bring enough firepower.
Meh. Pass.
I settled Zaragoza a while back for the Jade. Looks like Nubia did the same.
We're still best buds, but I start walls anyway.
Poland is WAY AHEAD in civics if they've got third tier governments already.
Also pictured: The German retreat.
The Germans offer their terms of surrender to the vastly superior forces of Antananarivo.
Another impressive piece of naval technology! The Nubians have a Frigate Armada!
Beaten by my ally to the Forbidden City! UGH.
My friendship with Germany expires, and as expected Tel refuses to sign a new agreement.
That same turn, right at the end of the session, Germany declares a surprise war against me. Nubia, our allies, are pulled in as well.
The Nubian Frigate armada happened to be passing through the area, and the German ships encircled it like a frenzy of sharks.
My own navy is just barely taking form, empowered by the Venetian Arsenal. The first of my Frigates move in to engage, while Caravels defend the coasts around my colony.
Science: I got Ironclads and Factories. I want Battleships next, and am only ~7 turns from that.
Civics: Dove for Nationalism, now I want a 3rd tier government.
Great People
Govs.
I picked up Victor for the war with Germany. I still think he's pretty crappy.
History
Reports
Session 6
The first turn of the session began with my two Frigates moving in and destroying one of Germany's two. One of my caravels attack while one hangs back to be upgraded to an Ironclad. He retreats with most everything else. I have bought enough time to truly turn the tide.
After the first turn, I slowed down a bit, and let Germany make most of the first moves. I held back and let him move a ship within range of my Frigates, while two ironclads come from the north.
I poke his encampment with my Conquistadors, and find that with all my bonuses* it's pretty easy to knock down.
I'm waiting for those Frigates from Murcia, and in 6 turns I'll have Battleships.
(*Defender of the Faith, Spain's Strength vs Heathens, and the Conquistador + Religious bonus)
Germany does some poking with a Privateer. My field canon bashes it up good.
Building Frigates in two cities up here.
I was waiting for Battleships, but my Frigates and Ironclads were enough to take Nuremberg with minimal losses.
Germany has a decent number of coastal cities, and the majority of their important ones are within Battleship shelling range.
I passed again.
I didn't think much of it at the time, but I think I actually passed on the majority of my Great Scientists.
It two two turns, but Hamburg fell too.
With Steel, my Frigates would become Battleships.
Germany wants peace, and is willing to give up a bunch of their smaller cities. I won't hear it. This war will be quick and decisive.
It seems like Germany's troops were a bit out of position, with few roads. He ended up having to move his troops from the south to try to retake Hamburg, and I got a lot of shelling in before they made it anywhere.
He actually killed one of my religious-empowered Conquistadors with a Field Canon Corps!
At last, that canal city will be mine!
Oh my. Another pass. I really am too picky :X
Not sure what's going on there! Poland declaring war on Nubia?
I didn't get pulled into this one, the way Nubia did when Germany declared war on me. I'm not sure why. Maybe because Nubia was already at war with someone? Or maybe Zar used a Casus Belli?
The Spanish are not a snow-loving people.
I've lost track on how many GP I've passed on.
Between the slow start in getting points and all my passes, I wonder how few I actually recruited.
[Insert my usual gripe about how overpowered Steel and Battleships are]
That's a lot of gold, Indonesia!
Look how far ahead Zar's Poland is. It's obscene.
Great People
Govs
History
Reports
Zar's Poland is already starting the Space Race, and I don't have planes or electricity.
I knew while fighting with Germany that Poland was leaving us behind, but the sheer scale of his advances this session surprised me.
I talk with Nate and Pete on Discord, and we openly worry that it's too late to stop him, even if we all combine our efforts.
Session 7
Tel conceded and Pete couldn't make it, so the AI took over Germany and Nubia for what would be the last session.
I lamented on Discord. AI Nubia would be at best worthless in a war against Poland. I spent the week between sessions wondering if our three great powers could challenge Poland at all, but we would not get to see that.
I mop up Germany. He gave his other cities to the Aztecs, and that's fine with me.
Looking at Poland, I'm sad to find they have so few coastal cities. The core of their empires, including the two capitals they captured so early in the game, are all firmly inland.
I decide to head for his west coast, which would turn out to be something of a mistake. Poland's only spaceport is in Krakow, and I really should have focused on the east. All in all, it wouldn't matter much, but more on that later!
LOL, mech infantry armies.
AI Nubia begins denouncing me. I don't have much in the way of a defense on that border.
The Southern Tundra Barbarians are some of the baddest asses in all the world. Here you see them piloting a derelict German Ironclad.
Zar was ready with eyeballs at sea, spotting my antiquated troops moving across.
Zar declares war and starts picking off my helpeless troops.
His space race progress is outstanding. The Royal Academy helps a lot.
Nubia sends Apostles at me, on top of everything else.
Destroyers and Submarines will eat my Battleships and Ironclads alive. Not that there's time to do much, anyway!
To Arms!
It was a long shot, and probably wouldn't have helped much, but both Nate and I were trying to blow up his Spaceport. We all failed.
The Spanish Armada's last stand. We come from the south!
Being pelted by Submarine fire, I landed some troops north of Poland, forgetting that Bandar Brunei was his ally.
He launched a nuke just because he could!
The world unites against the spacefaring nuclear state.
My navy barely scratches his city walls, and he nukes me again for even trying!
Yeah, he's got this in the bag.
I have a little bit of fun killing subs and destroyers.
Woe is Spain!
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