A New Millenium - 1000 AD to 1010 AD

We were so busy celebrating that all I did this turn was to renew a Trade Route with Ragusa :)

1005 AD: Gao is too far south for decent trading partners so I'm moving a Caravan to Alexandria....

....then I start a Farm improvement near Addis Ababa.

Now this is a good - I'm converting Mecca to Judaism. Wow!

Another Galleass has arrived this time at Carthage - I promote it then start producing a Composite Bowman.

My statistics are looking great - the low Approval Rating is to be expected. I now have the largest Armed Forces of the world :)

The Realm from South to North - love that Jewish Mecca. What worries me is Germany. They have an Open Borders agreement with Venice. That Swordsman is adjacent to my Trebuchet on Sardinia and they obviously have an Open Borders agreement with France too because a Catapult has arrived S. of the French border. Portugal appears to be neutral.

1010 AD: Time for a pre-emptive strike at the Swordsman/Trireme assault group!

This is followed up by a Trireme then a second Galleass attacking.

Next Oran and a Galleass bombard the nearest German Trireme not quite sinking it.

My Trebuchet sinks one Trireme while a Galleass finishes off the other Trireme.

Three of my warships now bombard two Trireme and the City of Hamburg.

I strengthen my coastal defences by upgrading two Swordsmen in Oran and Carthage.

I decide to move another Trebuchet northwards, upgrade a third Swordsman in Rabat then embark a Mandelaku Cavalry for possible amphibious operations.

The Gems which were formerly exported to Germany are now sent to India instead.

I create a new Trade Route from Alexandria to Mecca and ship a new Missionary towards Arabia.

The front at the end of this post. You can see an invasion fleet consisting of a Musketeer, a Knight and the Mandelaku Cavalry approaching the Andalusian coast. Until soon, guys.

Increased Diplomacy - 985 AD to 995 AD

Now that we are researching Astronomy my next major goal, global exploration, is a step nearer. Meanwhile realm development continues. I continue my Trade relations with Lisbon and adjust my troop locations in the south.

I give my friend Attila 5 Gold per turn but he has to keep his spies out of my country.

My Spy is in St. Petersburg and hopefully he will unearth some useful information.

I see that Theodora is in a good mood.....

990 AD: My first Rifleman arrives in Gao which I promote and send northwards. I start building a Caravansary in my capital next.

In Rabat I add three items to the Production Queue.

My Spy delivers info and I share it with Theodora but she doesn't appear to be too appreciative.

A view of the Mediterranean at the end of my turn.

995 AD: Two mini-deals which bring in 9 Gold per turn. I really do need new friends....

My Spy has uncovered a Russian plan to attack Venice.

I share the intrigue but didn't make a demand this time. Time will tell if that was better.

In Sudan I have finished building a Circus which brings 2 Happiness pts. The Colosseum will do the same when finished.

I invest 2000 Gold in making an Ally out of Zanzibar which brings 8 more Happiness pts.

East Africa at the end of my turn.

Diplomacy can be boring - so monotonous.....

That ends my turn - note my Phrophet on its way from Thebes to Mecca. Until next time :)