Welcome back once again. There's quite a few wars going on and we're starting to see the first superpowers in the game. What will they get up to this time?



First off is a shot of Swedish troops marching through Russia, who have recently captured Lodz and Gdansk off the Polish.

Those pesky Swedes had a purpose though - to capture Gdynia off the Poles. There's only one offensive unit I can see which could stand a chance but it's right at the bottom of the picture and likely to die well before getting close to either Gdynia or Lodz. Sweden are expanding neatly in the Baltics to add to their Scandinavian hegemony.

Szczczczczcezin would be a great capture for either Russia or Ukraine being an exclave at the moment. Not sure it'll fall yet though.

Portugal are being carefully deconstructed by their siesta besties, Spain, and there's a dangerous pile of Spanish troops remaining. Portugal has strength in Africa but it looks like the Iberian peninsula is a lost cause. Portugal should've moved their settlers in the beginning!

This is a better view of Portugal, and we can see they're building archers - the second-most basic unit available. It's pitiful and I'm certain their collapse is nigh. Toynbee tells me the Ottomans are pretty pleased with themselves. The mediocre Irish are complaining that they're anything but following the weekend's rugby matches.

Russia nabs it and I never have to spell this city's name again. Dear Polish Language, I dislike you. It's only a short hop to the Ukrainian capital from here - which is why this was a key city for either to take.

The Ottomans are continuing their northern expansion and seek a border with Ukraine. They're fielding Medieval Infantry, replete with mace to swing around, and with 4 attack they're stronger than the pikemen defending Serbia.

And the city falls. Can't see its name from here but it starts with Ske. Podgorica is further away and across the Carpathian mountain range so I'll be impressed if they take it.

The Sistine Chapel is constructed in Paris - it doubles the happiness you get from cathedrals, which is very powerful as happiness is the only thing stopping a city from growing tall.

Lisbon falls but Spain don't seem in a rush to take the Algarve. Maybe they still like holidaying there.

Here's a view of Paris. They've got a nice range of resources and luxuries and at 12-pop is as large as it could be for the time being. Musketeers with 5 defense are great in this part of the game.

Yay, the Irish are awake! They take York from the North of in-game England and storm London. The Gallic Swordsmen are great but the spearmen and horsemen hint at them behind on technology - which tends to happen to island nations as the AI love trading techs once meeting other civs.

The French and Italians look to be invading Bern. The Romans have a lot to gain here, getting another avenue to attack from out of their productive Italian base.

The Greeks want in on this colonising business and take Krakow swiftly. Poland really is disintegrating.

And just like that, Russia takes Warsaw, the capital moving to Poznan in disgrace. Russia is quite large now but starting to stretch quite wide. I worry about the length of the front should the Greeks or Romans eye them up.

The French cheerfully burn Bern. Wrong decision as Rome will definitely settle that spot now.

That's Portugal turfed out of Iberia. Spain is now free to tech up, militarise, and invade France. Portugal will probably stagnate down in Africa but they could still come back.

Canterbury is currently acting as the Costa del Sticky for hordes of Brits who want nothing more than Full English Breakfasts AND the sun at the same time.

London is surrounded, and the French are invading too. It'd be a miraculous snipe if France took London and would not reflect the rugby at all.

But no, the Irish storm Twickenham like they probably will next match. Canterbury is increasingly becoming England's last bastion of hope.

France leads the fight for Cornwall.

This whole area is a mess now, but spot the horseback unit by the minimap in bright green. That's the cavalry, a devastating unit with 5 attack, 3 defense, and 3 movement. It's stronger and quicker than any other unit out there right now, and it can defend better than the Austrians, Russians, French, and Ukrainians can right now. And it's not even a defensive unit!

Unexpectedly, the Ottomans take Podgy city, leaving the Serbs serving one suburb only. Roman troops look ready to take it (if they're at war that is).

Oh wait, the Serbs are out here too. Some mounted units are launching a doomed attempt at siege but I'm glad the AI haven't forgotten these cities like I just did.

Russia now swarms Poznan.

...taking it. Berlin is now the refuge of the Polish - totally not how it was supposed to happen. Greek troops are heading for it though.

The French have landed more troops. Units can't embark but must travel in a boat to other continents - making trans-ocean warfare pretty bad in this game. The French galley takes only two units and the AI only loads boats in cities so it takes a while to restock the offense. That'll probably give the Irish their victory, but I applaud France for trying at least.

France have got most of Switzerland's old cities and are marching towards Zurich. It'd be great if they could take it as it'll solidify their borders a bit.

Belgrade falls to the Ottomans. They're quick turning into one of my favourites and with gunpowder researched they won't be attacked soon.

Ukraine looks serious here.

Novi Sad is sad and the citizens are starving. One Serb city remains.

Leipzig, formally French, is taken by the Greek blitzkrieg. They'd call it something else, but the effect is the same - war that happens flipping quick. The Danish are moving their Berserkers down for some reason. They look to be at war with the Dutch.

Berlin is taken by the Russians. Americans everywhere demand half of it. The Polish did okay, expanding well and building some decent troops along the way, but too many people declared war. Rome weakened them and Russia finished them off. 18/19

We end this half of the part with Ukraine threatening to do a double elimination this part, with Serbia on its last legs.

Both Poland and Germany have fallen. Russia is leading considerably, but remember score is based of land area rather than military might and production. Sweden is riding high right now but they're Russia's neighbour so care must be taken. Serbia must be very happy because they're nearly out.

Denmark are still low down for not much reason. Poland will descend quite quickly now they have no citizens to be happy and no cities with land.

Russia, Greece, and Italy are fast improving, but the Ottomans are catching up to force a peloton with Sweden and Spain. France are pitiful and getting worse now Greece is at war with them.

Greece is reaping the reward for good culture I think.

Well, imagine if this was the start to a part - the Serbs are out! They started badly, settling only a few cities before being cramped out by Austria, Greece, and Ukraine (who forward-settled a tad). Two of their opponents are now fighting to become the dominant Balkan force so it seems only fair that Serbia fell to make room for the others. It was kind, I guess. 17/19

Like predicted, the Romans settle the Milan region and nab some more wine for the troops. They've now got three directions to attack in - north, east, and west. All viable.

England lose England.

Canterbury becomes a gleaming Mecca for the Brits, full of penny arcades, chippies, all-day caffs, and home to the weirdest cuisine you can find. They build a courthouse in case the yobs and chavs start bantering too hard.

France looks set to take Zurich. That'd knock the Swiss out the game too.

Russia is now invading the Greek colonies, taking Katowice. They mustn't overextend themselves. Bigger news is the loss of SWZ. They lost out on their second city to Austria, who settled quicker, then dallied too long. Being next to a powerful Rome did not help. 16/19

Here is Greater France in its glory. Their workers need to hurry to reconnect or the infrastructure won't be there to defend.

Not sure what I meant to show here, so I'll mention the unit in Leipzig. The skin is a Chasqui Scout, the Incan Unique Unit, but here pretend it's holding a gun instead of a club, and that it's called a Line Infantry. It's got 5 attack and 5 defense - a good all-rounder, and doesn't require resources, to give some poorer nations a way to defend against others. However, the Greeks have got it very early on for some reason, and the French will really struggle to beat it. I think I lowered the number of hitpoints to make sure it's not OP and also to reflect the amateur nature of gunpowder units in European history at this point. (It's not really AD390...)

Ooh, the Spanish are on the move. I don't know who they're against, but the damaged Pikeman near Rheims makes me think France is involved.

Also looks like Sweden is at war with Russia. These Swedish cities are not the production base so replenishing these troops will have to come from the mainland, potentially hampering war efforts. Russia could gain a lot here, beating back a nearby neighbour, and allowing them to focus forces on their large southern front.

Newton's University is built in Greece, giving double research in the the city it's in. Turns out it was Ottoman troops attacking southern France, seeking wine probably. The French are strong though and I expect them to retake it soon.

...but not if the Spanish send their best. Basque country is reunited under one ruling government. You can see the Elephant unit here, mimicing the Carthaginian presence in southern Spain.

Graz gracefully accepts Ukrainian dominion. Austria is down to one city.

I think the Greeks and Russians are still at war. A damaged Crusader from the East Mediterranean is trying to invade Western Europe. Nice.

Marseilles, built in Bordeaux's spot IRL, is now Spanish.

Of course, France is busy trying to build a wonder that speeds up ocean travel - something utterly useless on this map, and since the AI seemingly know the map inside out from the very start on this difficulty level, even the AI knows this was a useless wonder. At least the French are working on something...

Lyons tries to make it up by building cavalrymen in replacement. If only Orleans would quit trying to poach JS Bach with his own cathedral (which he never had btw). The Greeks own him now, in Leipzig.

Russia push Greece back, but the Greeks are now in the Industrial Era judging from the chimneystacks appearing over Leipzig.

The Danish languidly capture Rotterdam. They started invading about two hundred years ago so I'm not impressed.

Veii and the Italians poach the greatest non-Italian composer instead. Orleans is losing production anyway from all the invading pillagers.

The Greeks react to Russian stubbornness and send more troops.

It works.

Of course, the small Danish decide to destroy an enemy capital. At least it didn't have a wonder in it. I wonder if the Romans will settle the spot!

The Romans take Vienna, and remove Austria from central Europe.

I nearly spoke too soon, but I looked ahead and spotted this outpost. Klagenfurt will not be the Austrians' saviour but will only prolong their death.

Taking advantage of the razing of Amsterdam, the Irish settle Essex. That won't help their lack of science...

Kilkenny looks cheerful enough, though.

The French are in the Industrial Era too and take Marseilles back.

Esbjerg is placed, and Rome also poaches the English playwright. This wonder allows a city to grow beyond 12-pop without needing a hospital. As the seat of power, and corruptionless as a result, Rome will be a great world city.

Here it is! Building riflemen already. The Garrison down below is what Line Infantry *should* look like if I'd done my job properly. Riflemen have 4 attack and 6 defense and also require no resources.

Is this the fifth elimination this part? I didn't even know Costa del Sticky was under threat! England... trapped on a small island with the Irish and Dutch, they stood no chance. They expanded next to a very militaristic Spain and suffered as a result. Jolly poor show, what. 14/19

The English are quickly removed and sent to the far-off nether regions of the world.

Portugal has been copping it too, with the Greeks invading north Africa with great speed. They've even taken a different English outpost that I didn't even know about, and Groningen, the Dutch outpost.

The Italians want Emerita though, and they navy is large and threatening. These ships have lethal bombardment, meaning they can rid the city of its defending troops and leaving it open to taking.

Like so. The Portuguese simply sucked, and were lucky to not be knocked out earlier. They were canny settling North Africa but not canny defending against Spain. 13/19

Emerita is firmly Italian. Time for the end of the part, methinks, and some stats.

Italy and Greece are marching up the rankings and they expand quickly, their tech advantage really reaping its rewards.

The Dutch and Danish are the only two alive civs to be far down the rankings at all, and the Irish should also be worried.

Russia and the Ottomans are looking quite weak now. Tech up, and get back in the game!

Lastly, Greek culture is all the rage, but democracy has a way to go before its adopted by the civs in this match. Until next time! Thanks for watching.