CHRONICLES

RBCiv Epic ThirtyNine

These new-fangled trebuchet units seem to be a fine addition to the game: balanced, effective, plugs a gap. I like them.

I made a grab for Elephantine, which was size 6, but the dice broke against me and I came up a single hp short on the last defender.

I had signed alliances with Egypt, Portugal and Rome, so I had to wait those out. Only two turns left on those. Carthage was gassed, so even though I was now also out of gas, they weren't able to counter.

Here's the situation at war's end.

Now I've got to decide on a game plan. Methinks Carthage will not leave me alone in peace. If I have to take them out, might as well take em all out.

Hmm, Communism now has a universal six-per-settlement unit upkeep bonus? Ugh. That's, like, not going to give me any extra support come hospitals? Not sure what to think about that.

I'm in a burn-em-down mood at the moment, anyway, so let's give this Fascism thing a spin. Don't have to worry about that whole "no culture until natives outnumber foreigners" thing if I raze everything in sight. The pop loss to my cities on the switch shouldn't matter, if the switch is made at or even prior to hospitals. Especially this variant, Food Galore (TM). And the fast workers will help speed my rails, max this food out quickly. Plus the large unit support...

Yeowch! Nobody said anything about losing TWO pop per city!!!

Worse, my size 13 cities lost THREE pop per city? Um... that doesn't make a shred of sense. Is size 10 the max size allowed after a swap to Fascism? Cities parked at 12 had full food boxes, but cities that had grown to 13 no longer did. I got penalized for building hospitals! What kind of design decision is that?

I get the sense that any AI who swaps to Fascism as a result of war pressure (as opposed to selecting it by choice and then staying there all game) has just shot itself in the head. Or am I reading too much into this here?

My civ recovered before too long, but I really do have to wonder at this whole pop-drop mechanism. Players can handle it. Can the AI? This looks like a mechanism handed to the AI for it to harm itself and make the game easier. No? Yes?

OK OK I'm fessing up. Part of the reason for the switch to Fascism was the zippy workers. Less micromanagement for me to be doing. (Did I say that? Heh. Cy would be proud).

I been workin on the railroad... all the live-long day. ... Oops. Done already? Wow, that -was- quick.

| Back to Chronicles | Epic ThirtyNine - Part Five | Return to the Main Repository |