*looks at map, jaw drops* You know... over the course of this game I had somehow fallen under the impression that the Ymaryn civilization was fucking huge. A few things fueled this assumption. First of all we were always growing as a population, mostly through immigration, yes, but it was a good, steady growth. Second, we've annexed a truly astounding number of other civilizations over the centuries, at least, it certainly felt like suitably a large number. Third, whenever we've won a major war we've expanded, sometimes explosively, and that made our civilization feel properly big. And fourth, but certainly not least, our method of warfare has always been based around the assumption that we outnumber the enemy, sometimes massively, and we almost always seem to. The sheer amount of manpower we seem to be able to throw at our problems has always given off the impression of a massive, sprawling civilization, with all that that image entails.
I figured that we were probably the biggest civilization on our local landmass *turns and looks back at the map* and now I see we're practically the smallest. Pardon my French, but how in the blue blazes did that happen?!
Square footage doesn't get a vote, basically. Population matters most of all. Expanses of land matter only in as much as you can extract resources from it, and defend it.
Well...
Possibilities I can immediately think of:
Intrigue network in HK has a Ymaryn Sympathizer.
HK intrigue network and Ymaryn hidden network in intrigue combat.
Intrigue network in HK at that time was against the HK King's policy of stealing Ymaryn iron.
So, options. Which means if we do have a internal Ymaryn network, it's a skilled one.
Alternatively, a sufficiently inventive or sneaky third party hostile to both the Ymaryn and the Highlands is seeking to instigate conflict between them.
Yes and no. Wonders and legacies are unique to the civilizations we have contact with or know of. So of, say the not!Inca do something it has absolutely zero effect on us until we make contact with them. However, if the Khemetri or Highlanders gain a legacy or build a wonder (Like the Pyramids) then we can't do it.
@Academia Nut if we absorb or kill a civ are their legacies or wonders available again after a certain amount of time?
Hey, have some subtlety!
Try "If a civilization just so happens to accidentally trip and fall on a knife three dozen times, while we were minding our own business nearby, would their legacies be available to any completely innocent passers-by?"
They're*
That is so rediculous it verges on nonsense. Let's look at the American Mafia of the the twenties and thirties. They did a lot of community good such as food kitchens, youth programs, and community outreach. They also murdered people in their beds, ran protection rackets on businesses, and participated in human trafficking.
Legalizing crime because it is easier is the height of stupidity.
To be fair, though, it is a very old solution. More than a few brigands were recruited into nobility. Changing careers from protection racket shakedowns and highway robbery into officially recognized tax collection and highway toll collecting was not that big a stretch, for some enterprising rogues. A few generations later, nobody can tell their descendants apart from any other noble family.
Mostly, it is the realm of desperation, as no better option is available.
As for this vote, personally I'd rather take smaller golden age bonuses every turn for many turns in a row, instead of spending big and ending it right away. But a genius would probably be very useful, for several turns, so its not terrible.
I'd really prefer not to spend the entire Culture stockpile on it, and so the specified focus upcharge isn't worth it, IMO
For the free city issue, I'd rather ease into it. Do a small test case first, see what goes wrong and what we can do to prevent that.
While we do need roads, and I wouldn't be upset if that does win, I think applying diplomacy to the Trelli is a more immediate issue. I have zero desire to spend this Golden Age in a war, or near war conflict.
[X] [GA] Gain random genius (-15 Culture)
[X] [GA] Random culture tech upgrade (-8 Culture)
[X] [FC] Redhills
[X] [FC] Just one FC
[x] [Diplo] Talk with the Trelli (Main Trade Mission - Trelli)
[X] [React] Continue work on the Place to the Stars (5/7-8 actions completed)
-[X] [React] Kick project (ISoO already triggered this turn)
