Pong 3: Turns 176 - 182 of Russia

And heeeeerrreee we go!

Diplomacy with Norway had failed. Their demands were the disbanding of the Russian navy and the ceding of the sea to Norway, which we found unacceptable.

We had devoted a good deal of our production and scientific output to attaining a defensive parity with Norway, and could not abide with simply disbanding it. There would have to be war.

Norway immediately denounces us.

This opens up the option of a Liberation War against them, with no Warmonger penalty.

I turned to Tomyris, seeking a joint war against Norway, but the Warmonger penalty scares me off. I decide not to pull the trigger.

I found it odd that you can't combine a Casus Belli with a Joint War. I was hoping to drag Scythia in to the war with me to give Nate another front to worry about, but didn't want to eat any Warmonger penalties. 

I prepare for war with my Policy Cards.

Wars of Religion will give me a small boost to battles with Nate and his heathen navies.

National Identity will keep my ships fighting even after they get injured.

Turns out that ghost ship was real! No idea why I could see it through the fog.

Cyrus snatches the Great Admiral I was looking to buy with faith!

I don't have any Modern / Atomic ships, so it probably wouldn't have mattered much.

More tech thievery! 

I'm still woefully behind in technology, and not doing well at catching up. The upcomming war will only slow things down.

I finish the Cristo Redentor and Nubia comes to tell me that they don't like my wonder-building. 

Nate's fleet approaches. 

While measuring distances, I accidentally fat-finger this move, leaving the frigate armada with no moves.

Terrified of giving him the opening volley on my ships I decide to initiate the war.

The option for Liberation War is still on the table from my friendship with Japan. 

No Warmonger Penalties is good, but it lets Nate off the hook by not making him declare war.

Battle engaged.

My armadas do a decent job fighting Nate's caravels. 

At this point we notice one of the crappier parts of Hybrid Turns. Because Nate moved his ships into position and I declared war that turn, I effectively got two rounds of firing before he can respond.

I'm not sure how we can work around this in future games. Maybe we'll be forced to play simultaneous turns?

I manage to sink two Caravels and a Battleship.

The armadas are doing well enough, even against his modern ships.

Oh, Moo. He has a lot of Battleships.

I had expected him to have a handful of them, but hoped that my Frigate Armadas would go toe to toe with them. 

Frigate Armada: 72 Ranged STR / 62 Melee STR

Battleship: 70 Ranged STR / 60 Melee STR

He was able to get a Battleship Fleet (2-units), plus another 3-4 solo ships, which was significantly more than I bargained for. 

It's quickly becoming clear that in spite of my best efforts, Russia will be unable to hold the sea.

I decide that there's no point in running away, because his ships are faster and have enough range to ensure they catch me.

I destroy another Battleship and finish the attack with an Ironclad, attempting to kill his Great Admiral. I was unaware that in Civ 6 they just bounce to a nearby city.

The above screenshots show the Russian navy being handily defeated by the Norsemen and their metal ships.

Expecting St. Petersburg to fall, we move as many of our Great Works as we can out of the city.

We are forced to leave a great number of our works of writing, as well as our music in Broadway.

Turn 181: The World

Techs and Civics

Policy Cards

Great People

City States

Victory Conditions

St. Petersburg quickly begins to fall.

I have a bunch of land units ready to take it back, but I'm not sure it will be enough.

I have no real way to beat back his navy at this point.

He takes St. Petersburg, and begins bombarding my armies.

The three-range Battleships are brutal.

End of Session

I'm not in a good way.

The current plan is to attempt to re-take St. Petersburg, using faith to buy units wherever I can before switching to Communism, which I've researched. I suppose Fascism would be better for a long war.

I'm feeling a bit rudderless right now, and my being behind in technology is really painful. I'm not sure if I have the power to retake St. Petersburg, and even if I did I don't think I could keep it from being re-taken by the Vikings.