Long Live the Queen – Dream of Mars (Turns 321-330)
Right! *Cracks knuckles* Since it was last my turn, I’ve switched to a new PC and so redownloaded and setup Civilisation VI again. I’m sure I’ll find the odd default setting against my preference I’ll need to change as I go, but I remembered the most important one for this game. Turning off all DLC!
Into the game itself, I’ve spent a fair bit of time just taking stock of where we are. We have taken a clear focus toward a Scientific victory with two spaceports under construction. I actually briefly consider a third, but I think given the research requirements still ahead of us for some of the launches two will be sufficient. … On the other hand, there are 30+ turns before either spaceport is built and we are already slightly ahead of the research curve here.
But the more pressing questions I have are:
- Can we colonise Mars before France wins a Cultural victory?
- And, can we colonise Mars before we hit the turn limit?
France is currently at 35/144 tourists for a win via the Cultural route — Brazil honestly isn’t too far behind at 30/144 and (for now) an ever so slightly tourism rating. However, looking at it more closely — both of these two have fallen a little behind in their pull-power here. In fact, over the reigns of my predecessors we have taken a clear lead in the list of desirable places to visit. But in terms of actual tourists, very well behind due to the late start on this front.
So on a deeper look, it’s possible Tourism victories from our enemies aren’t the most pressing issues. Just something to keep an eye on.
Likely the more pressing issue is one of time. Do we have enough of it? Once my turns are complete, we will have but 170 turns left in this game. By the time the spaceports complete and allow us to start on the Satellite project, less than 140.
So you know how just a mere few paragraphs ago I said 2 spaceports would likely be sufficient? … I’m no longer so sure. I think when the opportunity arrives I might just queue another. Unfortunately London, being surrounded in hills as it is, has no suitable terrain whatsoever. Possibly Birmingham though…
In any case, it does look like should worse come to worst and we fail to complete our aspirations of colonising Mars, that a score victory is ours. But… *wrinkles face* …Least exciting victory type ever, eh? :)
Right, onto the turns!
Dream of Mars
Turn 321
A Victorian Archaeologist makes it to a dig site south of Norwich and finds a Victorian mask from the Ancient Era, beginning our collection of museum artefacts. I see another digsite right next to Sheffield and send our Archaeologist this way.
Cleopatra extends a hand of friendship. I accept.
Builders are trained at Eridu and I can see there is no shortage of work for them here. I move them off toward the nearby woods where a Lumbermill could be produced to help the production of Eridu.
We also lost Suzerain status over Yerevan — another player has matched our envoy’s here.
Bristol requires a new production choice. The housing situation here is at capacity, with 10/10. I choose to kick-off production of a Sewer to allow a little more housing density without things becoming unsanitary. Similar situation is emerging with Eridu so I also instruct them to build a Sewer system.
Turn 322
Gilgamesh demands 4 gold per turn for 30 turns. He tells me that this demand must be met. But I hardly see why, so I send his envoy packing to the sound of our royal laughter. They didn’t like that and told us, ‘We may have to resort to other means to have our demands met!’
Oh no! Oh well.
Urbanisation civic completes. I take the opportunity to take a look at our current Civic policies too. The first thing I note is that a switch to Democracy as soon as we can for additional economic and wildcard policies would be a good thing — but we’re not there yet.
I do however switch out our Wildcard policy slot from +2 Great Engineer points per turn (Invention) to +100% Science from Campus District buildings (Rationalism).
I also follow-up Urbanisation with the Mass Media Civic path — helped along by the fact that we have boosted it’s progress.
Our Archaeologists uncover a Renaissance era Halberd near Sheffield.
Turn 323
Pedro of Brazil denounces us. But I struggle to maintain wakefulness through his ranting. Apparently he is angry that we have more great people than he does but I can hardly fathom how that’s our fault.
Of much greater interest? Satellite research completes and England enters the Information Era.
This gives us the research we require for the first two stages of our mission to Mars. The final stage will require us to have researched:
- Nuclear Fusion in order to launch the Mars Reactor
- Robotics for initial Mars Habitation, and
- Nanotechnology for Mars Hydroponics.
Do do all of that, we will need to get through Advanced Ballistics -> Nuclear Fission -> Lasers -> Nuclear Fusion (26 turns), Computers -> Robotics (14 Turns) and Plastics -> Synthetic Materials -> Composites -> Nanotechnology (26 turns). All of which means we will need 66 turns of research on this, which actually isn’t too bad. I imagine when you throw the project times in there on top of the 30ish turns still required for the ports themselves research isn’t going to be the limiting factor.
For now I target Nuclear Fusion as the first of the sciences we will need to have in place for the third stage of our victory condition.
Adab starts construction of a Campus district. Our Archaeologist continues his trek south in search of more finds and our builders in Eridu complete the lumberyard and move west to start a hunting camp.
Turn 324
London requests new build orders. We’re rather restricted on land here now, any other district would require destroying a key source of food for the city. So instead I instruct the Broadcast Centre to be built which can be positioned in one of the existing districts.
Turn 325
Sheffield requires build orders too. I start a Shipyard within the Royal Navy Dock district, which will improve the production capacity of the city.
The builders in Eridu finish the hunter’s camp and I move them to start work (next turn) on some Farmland.
Turn 326
America comes to us with a deal. An actual honest God deal and not a demand, too. They would like access to our Truffles for 30 turns, in exchange they will open their borders to our units and pay 20 gold as a one-off.
With two of the civilisations in the world out to get us — I feel a little good will possibly isn’t a bad thing and accept, moreso than that. But having open borders (without needing to reciprocate!!) is not a bad thing in itself, either.
Birmingham now requests build orders — and this is a much more interesting decision to make, I think. There is still available land for additional districts. Including the option for a third Spaceport. It would take 75 turns to build it, if I started now however. An Industrial Zone would only take 11 turns, and over the duration of the spaceport’s construction and the projects that follow might be the better long term option. Especially given I can place it adjacent to two mines (one yet to be built though) without destroying anything.
I go with the Industrial District, and will leave it to my successors to determine whether or not a third Spaceport is likely to help us beat the clock or not.
Turn 327
Our archaeologist unearths a Victorian Chalice. It is starting to dawn on me just how powerful the effects of having these artefacts are as well and now I worry for the safety of this unit. While we’re not in any war — our Archaeologist is far from home in the snowy tundra.
I might look to see if I can provide military escort for him. There is a melee unit in Sheffield, but their movement is 2 per turn and would hamper the Archaeologist’s movement greatly. There is a Calvary unit in Norwich, which while further away, provides a better speed match.
I send it on its way to meet up with our archaeologist and buy an AT Unit to sit in Norwich instead.
Turn 328
Research on Advanced Balistics completes, and continues down the chain I set to Nuclear Fission.
Plymouth needs something else to do too, so I kicked off a Research Lab. It’s true that I don’t think that Research speed is going to be our time blocker, it perhaps doesn’t hurt to try and make certain of this. Any time we might be able to get ahead and start a project earlier will be better.
As for Plymouth’s builder which they just finished, I set them to working on the Salt deposit as soon as possible.
Turn 329
Mass Media completes, and I realise I will need to complete Mobilisation as well in order to further the civic path to Democracy. Both are required for Ideology, which then, in turn, will allow for Suffrage (and Democracy).
So! Mobilisation is under way. While no-one particularly concerns us from a military threat perspective, having the option of defensive pacts at least still isn’t a bad thing.
We also just had a military policy position open. I place Military Research, which provides +1 Science for each Military Academy and Seaport.
Our Archaeologist also discovered a scroll written by Brazil — Pedro’s people. We consider it a great work and put it in our Museum. I’m sure there will be no problems here with this.
Turn 330
Plymouth’s builder next gets a farm underway to hasten it’s growth.
And for our wayward Archaeologist — which I just now learns actually has a name; Aidan… Well, I direct the Calvary to meet at the next dig site. They should arrive there first, after which they can link up with Aidan for all future expeditions.
And with that, I place the power back into Rakuno’s hands. Rakuno won’t be able to get us to space — but I have every belief in his ability to pave the way for future leaders to get there. :)
