Fun game Jake but too bad we didn't see any direct action. I did have a super start w/Phoe taking a berry patch then a quick wood pit, and than another pit by 2 phants which later served to get me to an 11:35 tool w/30 real vils("blank style ") and bunch of FB's from 3 docks. I built a forward rax on the roman at 3 ( me being at 12 w/allies(FWH's) 10 and 8) and added a stable w/the two forward builders(worth slowing bronze for 25 sec build if your tool attacking) ..clicked my bronze upgrade button at 12:06 and then added forward ranges making no more FB's. I sent my first clubber unarmored (to see if he'd counter attack and bring more vils over)into three woodies and killed one before he got boned. LOL as he then tried to gang bone the next two( now armored w/tool working)By then I had several bowmen and more upgraded clubbers and my scout found all the rest of his peons. I killed many and cut off some at the shallows but a few got away in to enemy Hitt territory at 4:30.(Someday I will learn to offensively wall that escape path !!)I was bronzed at 14:26 w/31 real vils/25 FB's(none made after I tooled) 11 tool age units and 2 dead tool age units ! I guess having made 69 units by 14:26 is OK !! If I had that map every game, I might actually be good ! (Fast berries, easy wood pit, 2 phants)
I then queued up a few more vils, got wheel, IB, and FS and was mining gold and making more military buildings at home and in the conquered Roman territory. Rarely do I go compie w/Phoe but I wanted the option for more and cheaper fire power since I feared a Hitt counter attack. I only go compie if I plan to make alot of them since I dislike spending 500 on upgrades for them ! Here is where(as you mentioned) I should have snuck a scout ship or two down the Roman coast, and docked there to extend fishing and sea control. However, I poured all I had into what I knew would be a winning bronze age land army ! The hitt had walled my tool age militia out. However, I hacked thru his wall but they did little more than distract him while I made enough CA's & compies & camel and crossed another shallows and after some fighting I had more than he could stop. My Shang ally had earlier fended off your slingers and beaten up your FB's and he and the other ally were moving on you. All then resigned.
Your point that I could have built TC's in the conquered Rome area was valid but I didn't because I was using all my food for the army.Thus I didn't need more TC's. I had enough vils working at home to supply my military needs. However, near the end I needed to move my docks faster and perhaps add farms or more FS since I did have some surplus wood. At no time was I worried about the safety of my fishing so I did not worry about defending it. I had tooled the only guy that could pose any nearby naval threat and hurt him badly so defeat at sea was the least of my worries. However, I should continue to try to expand and exert control over more of the map. I simply try to do what it takes to win but, can relax too much when the victory is clear. When I have the jump on good iron civs during my dominant time frame in early/mid bronze I don't want to release the pressure for one second !
It is very, very hard to severely damage that kind of fast boom in a 3v3. A couple of scout ships will damage but probably not cripple my fleet before my defensive ships arrive. A roman tool rush at 10 flat will have to be VERY strong to cripple a 30 real vil economy. I still would have little trouble running and getting to bronze. Remember that it is 3v3 and I have allies who can counter attack in the tool age Roman town w/bronze units and the same allies can trib me a bit to bronze and/or re-establish myself. I am not denying that a full scale land tool rush at 10 or even 10:30 combined with several scout ships could mess up that big, fast boom. However, I takes a great spot to do all that to anyone that quickly in tool!
Fun game Jake.. let's play on Med sometime.. you get 2 good allies and so will I... neilkaz ...
[This message has been edited by neilkaz (edited 03-26-99).][This message has been edited by neilkaz (edited 03-26-99).][This message has been edited by neilkaz (edited 03-26-99).]