The Industrial Wars

The Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of a building phase, as between 680-700AD I found Xcalumku (22), El Balam (23), Taxumal (21) and Cozumel (20).  More libraries and Unis complete, and so I shave a turn off of Steam Power, getting it in 740AD.  Problem:  NO COAL!!! China has some near Chengdu, just north of my borders, however.  Time to prepare for war, but I have deals running another 6 turns.  We are now weak compared to China, I have let my defenses go too long.  This may be a bad idea, but I trade China Steam Power for Nationalism, and trade Steam +WM to Germany for Navigation, WM, 60g+10gpt.  With Nationalism, I start to upgrade pikes and muskets to rifles, and draft defenders for towns in the south, and sell my map around, but not much cash available.  I also start research on Military Tradition at 80%, which should get it in 4 turns, but actually end up buying it cheap in 3, as Germany, Rome, and China all have it then.  Newtons completes in 790AD at Chichen, and Heroic Epic in 800AD. 

Bad news, China signs an MPP with Rome!  Too late, my forces are in place, near Chengdu and near New Shanghai, which has been a buried thorn in my side for hundreds of years.  Another newer thorn, New Canton, is razed the first turn, while my main force (w/4 cannons) moves to hit Chengdu.  Only counters are a pair of Riders, this might not be so bad.  I also use MilTrad to buy Carthage in vs. Rome, hopefully keeping them off my back, I don’t want to face a dogpile.  Chengdu is defended by 3 rifles when I get there, but I take it, getting slave 25.  The next few turns involve my march to the mountains S of the wine, where I set up a kill zone, and pushing settlers to fill the gaps.  I also enslave 4 more victims, saving my jav armies to pick off the wounded.  Dzibilchaltun (24) is founded to grab the coal, and New Copan (27) secures a spot near the mountains.  New Chichen Itza (25) is also founded to replace New Shanghai in the west.  Although I had turned down research for a couple turns after Steam, I am first to Electricity in 900AD, and push on to Replaceable Parts, due in 8.  The AI seem to be taking the Communism detour.  I finally see a mini-stack of Romans, a musket, LB, and 3 Crusaders.  I debate settling for peace now, or pushing on.  Reasons to keep going are the alliance with Carthage vs. Rome, the chance of razing another Chinese city and settling to grab a source of wines, and finally, I would like to get Rep Parts and know where the rubber is before locking myself into a peace deal.  Disadvantages are the increasing numbers of Chinese Cav, the stack of Romans approaching, and some WW kicking in. 

I decide to take my chances on the Rubber, and narrow my front by signing peace with China for 180g.  The peace, and a new Wines for Ivory (+28g) deal, boosts several cities into Loving the Great Instigator.  Now I can focusing on killing the approaching Roman units. Although I don’t get any new slaves, my persistence is rewarded by the Great Leader Cauac-Sky, who promptly forms a Cavalry army, enabling the Pentagon. Now I can make peace, as I at least fulfilled my deal with Carthage.  Not that it matters much, as China now focuses on Carthage as well, and they are destroyed in 1030AD.   

Research is in high gear, though, and in 970AD Replaceable Parts is discovered, and I am relieved after some desperate searching to find an unconnected source to my southeast.  Now we push on to Industrialization, and start the factory pre-builds.  I also squeeze in a couple more cities, New Palenque (27) and New Tikal (28).  After Industrialization in 1020, the AI has still not researched Medicine, they are all broke, with China in Fascism, Rome in Communism, and Germany quietly in Republic, but no research help.  This began an unofficial Golden Age of sorts, as I was able to maintain 4-turn research on Medicine (1060), Sanitation (1100), then take a detour to pick up Economics (1140), both to save cash and because everything else was over 4 turns, timing myself to complete Scientific Method (1180) just in time for a prebuilt Theory of Evolution, which (surprise) I use for Atomic Theory and Electronics.   

(Timing the prebuild is a little trickier without using the Big Picture to swap production, so I rushed a university in Calakmul the turn prior, so I could then scroll ahead to Palenque.  I still lost a turn of production, as I had started timing my pre-build in Chichen, with Palenque as my Hoover site, but obviously there’s no way to scroll ahead to the capital.  I guess I have to unlearn some bad habits…)  Hoover’s Dam and Smith’s Trading both complete in 1230AD, and Radio is discovered in 1240 by a Great Scientific Leader, Ah Cacao! 

At this point I already have pre-builds well underway for Universal Sufferage (1270) and Wall Street (1290), so I will save him for the Modern Age, probably SETI in Chichen.  Back to 4-turn research after Radio, getting Corporation in 1265.  My last major concern is answered when Refining completes in 1285, and I can see Oil connected, looks like there won’t be any Industrial-age war (at least not of my doing).  I notice now that my military is considered weak, even after upgrading all my Artillery and Infantry, so I may need to set a few cities building up forces so I don’t tempt my neighbors.  It’s getting close to the closing date (RL) and I want a smooth, peaceful run to Space.  Several cities switch to infantry every other turn, and the rest of the industrial age went quickly, keeping up the 4-turn pace all the way to Flight in 1385AD.