Mediterranean AI - Part 3: How Not to War

Heyo, welcome back to the Mediterranean AI game, I'm still u/porkpot, and I shall continue to be your host. We look at this sweet tile-by-tile map that u/SeroSedSerio has made again. You can see the growth of the Iberian and Egyptian empires, and the decline of the Visigothic, Ayyubid, and Hittite empires.

Fewer votes this week means a more skewed result. of the 13 votes, Egypt received 5 votes meaning that people have confidence in their ability, which they've used to take two Ayyubid cities. The Golden Horde, Moldova, Byzantium, Albania, Croatia, Burgundy, Iberia, and the Guanches all received 1. Too bad for everyone else. On to the game!

We start this part with the Ukrainians building the Great Wall. They start off with a good defensive location, so this will only make taking them out even harder.

In northern Africa, the Tuareg and Numidians make peace. Nothing has happened in this war, so it isn't anything major to report.

In Libya, the Libyans are attacking the Berbers, who are attacking the Garamantes, who look like they may lose their capital sometime soon.

In the Levant, Iraq has declared war on Phoenicia. Too bad the Abbasids (who have just taken Tyre by the way) are in the way, they would have made a much better target for the Iraqi's aggression. Nabataea is still at war with Israel, and Tel Aviv is taking small but steady damage.

The Umayyads have managed to hold on to Damascus long enough for another citizen to be born, and have a decent defensive force to prevent the Kurds from retaking the city.

To the Djalla's great sadness, the Libyans have been unable to prevent the Berbers from taking their capital. Having done so, Dihya sees no reason to continue to go to war with the Garamantes, and so makes peace.

In then north-central Balkans area, the Cumans have joined the Moldovans and Croatians in declaring war against Hungary. The Croats are the only ones doing damage to Hungary at this point, as Esztergom takes some damage.

We view Iberia, as Spain builds the Parthenon and the Moldovans enhance their religion.

Esztergom falls to yellow as the Cuman horde moves closer to actually doing damage to Hungary.

The Vandals have their UU, the Trihemiolia, a trireme replacement that starts with extra promotions at an increased production cost.

Seeing the Alans fail at taking out the Golden Horde, the Hetmanate/Ukraine and Georgia decide that they'd like a piece of action and declare war on the Alans. I doubt that much will come of this, as geography constrains both of these new participants.

In the southern Balkans, Sparta decides that Albania doesn't have enough leg strength, and decides to violently introduce the Albanians to Leg Day.

In Cyrenaica, Ptolemy has declared war on the Ayyubids, done nothing but move his army into place, and now makes peace with them. You tried Ptolemy, you tried, but you failed.

Wonders are pretty spread out across the world, except for Ludwig, who is greedy and has 2.

Return to Iberia, the Cordobans declare war on the Portuguese. Things look different this time, as the Cordobans have a larger army than the Portuguese. Maybe this time we'll see some actual progress.

Algeria is still at war with the Tuareg, and has reduced Aghat to yellow health. That religious message is Israel's UA, which may be a little OP. We'll see how that affects the game later.

A war of nothing ends between the Berbers and Libya. Thanks for attempting to try to save the Garamantean capital from the Berbers Qaddafi...

Israel, luckily, makes peace with the Nabataeans. The Nabataean army is large, and could have inflicted some serious casualties against Israel.

To the north, the Abbisads make peace with the Phoenicians after taking Tyre and Sarepta. The Umayyads are still at war with the Phoenicians and are attempting to take Sidon.

The Ayyubid capital is in the red, and Egypt has the forces to bring it to black. Too bad they forgot the all important melee unit to capture the city with...

Hungary, instead of building an army, has built a settler and settled a fifth city. Meanwhile, the Cumans and Croats are getting closer and inflicting even more damage to them. Serbia has their UU, the Gusar. It is a pikeman replacement that is pretty much an earlier lancer/cavalry-specific great general. If they use it well, Serbia could make major gains.

We don't even leave the region to see that the Cumans have taken Debrecen. Esztergom is now in the red.

Aghat has fallen to the Algerians, though the Tuareg look like they might retake the city next turn.

The Turks finish the Great Colossus, which should give them some much needed money. You can see an Israeli scout in northern Turkey, is this the start of the great Mossad?

While the Golden Horde and Ukraine do nothing, Georgia is taking the assault to the Alans, attempting to squeeze an army through a one tile passage through the Caucasus Mountains.

It looks like the Bavarians aren't the only ones capable of settling cities in foolish locations, as the Bosnians follow suite with Jajce. Hungary is still at 4 cities somehow, as the Croats forget how to capture cities.

Return to the Caucasus to see that the Golden Horde-Alan war is over. Nothing really happened, except that the Alan army was made weak enough for the Georgians and Ukrainians to declare war on them.

The Tuareg have managed to recapture Aghat. The city may flip a few more times, which will only serve to continue the attrition. The western Umayyad army is going somewhere, maybe to attack the Tuareg again?

Porto is looking a bit surrounded. The Cordobans have yet to fully cut it off, though if they capture the city it will be of great benefit to them.

*sigh* Damnit Piedmont-Sardinia, that was the one place you could easily expand to, and yet you did nothing. I'm sure that the Romans will appreciate Corsica for all of its... Corsicaness.

Whatever, we ignore Piedmont-Sardinia to return to Iberia to witness the start of a Spanish-Cordoban war against the Iberians. Hopefully Cordoba doens't get distracted from their war with Portugal, as they need to focus on one opponent at a time.

I forgot that the Iberians and Visigoths were still at war, but I guess they aren't any more, so that's cool.

The Albanians, despite their weak undertrained legs, appear to be holding off the Spartan advance. Spartan forces are clearly on the offense here though, so Skanderbeg needs to watch out.

Aghat flips back to the Algerians, and the Umayyad army falls back to... Umayyadia?

The Rashidun, unsatisfied with the results of their last war (even though they took Bostra), declare war on the Nabataeans again. The Rashidun force looks a bit stronger, but it could go either way.

Sidon holds strong against the Umayyad attack.

I thought Hungary was in trouble from the Croatians, but apparently I thought wrong. The Croats have made no gains against Esztergom while the Cuman force is spreading out in an attempt to take 2 cities on at once.

Attaturk appears to be on a wonder quest, as he builds Petra. He now has both wonders for extra trade routes, so his money situation is pretty much set I would say. Also, a Cypriot ship has discovered that the Aegean Sea exists. Progress.

We return to Greece to see that the Albanian army around Tirana has been all but killed. In the background, Bulgaria declares war on Hungary.

In Iberia, the Cordobans make peace with the Portuguese, which is a shame. No progress was made in this war.

The Vandals declare war on the Tuareg, though I presume that is mostly for moral support, as they are far from the front.

Not content with only taking on the Nabataeans, the Rashidun declare war on the Abbasids. Too bad Iraq is in the way, or it could have actually amounted to something.

So that's what that Umayyad army was doing. The Umayyads have declared war on the Tuareg, as have the Moroccans. Is this the beginning of the end for the Tuareg?

Sidon falls to yellow health, and it doesn't look like the Phoenicians can do anything about it.

More importantly, while the Cuman army is distracted with the Hungarians, the Serbians have declared war on both of them. The Serbians might just take Debrecen if they act quickly, and Cluj-Napoca looks pretty undefended.

The Kurds make peace with the Umayyads, after taking and losing Damascus. They probably should have kept going, as the Umayyad army was distracted with the Phoenicians to the south.

Things are now going pretty badly for the Swiss, as both Luxembourg and the Romans declare war on them. They have nothing to fear from the Romans, but Luxembourg has a direct route to their only remaining city.

Wanting in on the anti-Hungary action, Bosnia declares war on Hungary. I'd be surprised if much occurred as a result.

Apparently the Trypillians took the Great Wall as a challenge, as they've declared war on the Hetmanate. The Ukrainian army looks, and is, small though, so perhaps the Trypillians will be able to make some gains.

Remember how Egypt and the Ayyubids are still at war? Yeah, well neither do they. Egypt keeps sending their army piecemeal, so the Ayyubids are safe for now.

I know that the Numidians have had their UU for forever now, but I just thought I'd give you its name. I can't tell you what it does as I have no idea, though it is probably a horseman or pikeman replacement like the Serbian Gusar. Aghat is currently Tuareg, and the Umayyad army is approaching Oran.

The Serbians have successfully taken Debrecen, while the force attacking Cluj-Napoca looks weakened since last we saw it.

Aghat is Algerian again, and the Umayyads have returned to the tried and tested Kidal Meat Grinder technique of conquering the Tuareg.

Somehow, despite its excellent defensive location, Fortress Sidon falls to the Umayyads. That's rather unfortunate for the Phoenicians.

The Rashidun army has formed its battle line, now to take the offensive to the Nabataeans. Where is what comprises the Iraqi army? Do they even have one?

Oh, there it is, looking like its going to attack the Abbasids, but actually trying to get to the Phoenicians.

Somehow, the Albanians have repulsed the Spartan attack on Tirana. If Skanderbeg could make peace, that would really help the Albanians out.

A sneaky Cuman has retaken Debrecen, but I think the Serbians will be able to retake the city soon. Szeged may fall soon to the Cumans though. Cluj-Napoca takes damage, while the Ukrainian army defends Dnipropetrovsk.

Ptolemy, now that his army has been in place for many turns, declares war on the Ayyubids again in an attempt to show the Egyptians how to fight.

We take this moment to pause for a commercial break from Kartuba, newest spa and beach resort of the Iberian empire. Or are they a kingdom... Despotate? Whatever, the Balearic Islands are being settled.

The Cumans have taken over Szeged from the Hungarians, though the Serbians have yet to retake Debrecen. They are doing some damage to Cluj-Napoca though.

The Egyptians, Isralis, Guanches, and Nubians, seeing that Ptolemy has joined the fight against the Ayyubids, suddenly all find themselves busy with other matters and make peace.

The Umayyads appear to have somehow accidentally surrounded Oran and ignored Kidal. Good plan mates, now take the city.

The Luxembourgians aren't really attacking the Swiss, which is a bit of a shame. Also, are the Lombards and Venetians at war? I forget, but some of their units are damaged so I'm inclined to believe that they are.

Seeing as the land based attack on Tirana failed, the Spartans appear to be trying to take Durres by sea. They're still trying to take Tirana by land, but they're trying something new, which means progress.

Georgia has their UU, the Khevaur warrior. It is a swordsman replacement (which means they've had it for a while) that gets double movement on hills and gets combat bonuses from rough terrain.

The Serbians have finally made the big push and taken Debrecen and Cluj-Napoca from the Cumans. This leaves the Cumans with two small cities and a decently sized new capital, which will hurt them in the long run. The Moldovans have their UU, the Lefegiu. A longswordsman replacement that doesn't require iron, can build forts, and obsoletes at rifling.

Napoleon has decided that he can't stomach the Visigoths and decides to attempt to rid the world of them. It is doable, but it'll be pretty tough as there is a one tile wide passage between Toledo and Numantia.

Oran is in the yellow and is squeezed between the Umayyad and Algerian armies. We may actually see the city fall some time soon.

A war we knew wasn't going to amount to much ends, as the Iraqis make peace with the Phoenicians.

We end this part with Durres in the yellow. The Spartans aren't doing as well as their reputation would have them do. Oh well, maybe next time.

Thanks for reading, here's a poll. Please vote! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1E5Ml6GlfKu1SxBaYzT3CvW6xLCO3Fl878P03RgmvU1M

Those wonders really helped Turkey jump in the score, though the graph and score listing appear to be saying different things. Hmm...

The Ukraine is the first to 3 million population, while Trypillia is getting rather close.

At the bottom are the Hittites and various other civs in the desert or with 1 city.

Iberia leads production.

And somehow Cyprus, with their 6 production, built the Great Lighthouse last part. Now that's dedication.

The Moldovans pass 100,000 soldiers first, though Rome isn't far behind.

This was expected.

Bavaria leads the science game.

This was also expected.

Thanks for reading, see you next time!