Charlemagne has, in fact, settled exactly where I needed to go. I’m left with zero options now. Production on the settler is paused and shifted to an archer which I rush through. He only has one warrior guarding the city. It’ll be autorazed but maybe that’ll be a lesson to him.
Just outside the settlement of Prague, the Dutch settlers wait to be given the signal to put down their equipment and found a new city. Meanwhile, the three archer divisions have crossed the border. One worker was destroyed in the attack but the other one was merely captured. They will be sent back to the settlers to start as soon as they’re settled on building the pastures and corn farm.
This is assuming, of course, that the archers do succeed in their assault. It’s a three against one, I have superior units, but you never know when it comes down to the roll of a dice. We have to take this chance now or never.
A success! But not without losses. One of the archers was killed in the assault. Nevertheless, Prague is no more and Utrecht has taken its place. German scouts watch the war go on from the forest outside the remains of what was Prague. Perhaps they’re afraid the Dutch archers will confuse them for being Holy Roman!
One of the archers, the slightly injured one, stays behind in Utrecht to guard it. The archer that was at full strength is moved up to a hill overlooking the main territory of the Holy Romans. A second archer moves to join them from Amsterdam. The question is, can we build up enough units to storm Aachen? Or will the Empire strike back?
As the build up of our forces on the hill continues with a third division of archers, Victoria appears out of the blue. Due to a rush in Amsterdam, a third work boat was created to be sent down to the crabs, finally completing our trinity of seafood procurement.
On the serious topic of the war, however, there’s an uncomfortable aspect that I have to deal with. Charlemagne is generally considered a weak leader because protective (free bonus to city defense) is generally considered to be the weakest trait in the game. In this highly specific circumstance, however, it’s exactly what Charlemagne needs. Without that bonus, I may have been able to take Prague without any full losses on my side. With it though, it becomes a much bigger challenge for me.
If I am able to destroy Charlemagne, not only would I gain a massive amount of space to grow into, I would also grab the holy city of Buddhism. It would be massively to my advantage. It would save my game...
But I just don’t know if it’s possible.
The odds are just too against me. The archers in Aachen have a +95% defense bonus. They aren’t going anywhere. This means I’ll have to seriously reconsider my strategy. There is, perhaps, a saving grace. Iron Working completes and iron is revealed next to Amsterdam. Is this what saves us? Swordsmen and axemen?
Another surprise appearance out of the fog. It’s Joao of Portugal! And he’s the founder of Hinduism? I guess it’s no stranger than Charlemagne founding Buddhism. In any case, that only leaves one outstanding Civ to meet and that’s whoever founded Judaism.
The first of the axes and swords are ready in no time thanks to some rushing. I hate to decimate my population over and over again, but it’s the only way I can even begin to produce quantities of these units to try and overwhelm the much larger Holy Romans.
A small engagement takes place on the ruins of Prague. Charlemagne’s chariot caught me by surprise, but my newfangled spearmen make quick work of him. Things are looking up for us now!