#mvemba

So the other day, a friend of mine asked me why the ship with Hojo and Tomyris. I alluded to it in a previous ask, but I figure a few of you might be interest in the full story.

It all began when I first got the game a few months ago, towards the tail end of the summer IIRC. After completing the tutorial and burning down everything that Gilgamesh held dear, I decided to play another small map that was only big enough for two civs. Tomyris has some amazeball abilities so I was sold immediately. The other civ was randomized, so I had no idea who to expect. To be honest, I had hoped it would be Cyrus, just so I could recreate history and have the ultimate showdown between “I Swear to God I Will Kick Your Ass,” Tomyris and “Please Bone Me or Else,” Cyrus. But that was not what happened.

Not at all.

As one of my naval units was traveling, it came across a scout. That scout belonged to, you guessed it, Hōjō Tokimune. Now, personally, I did not expect that much swagger/smoothness from an animated, a-historical representation of a past ruler of Japan, so that caught me off-guard. After exchanging pleasantries and sending/receiving delegations, the game went on for a while and I started collecting some sweet ass great works. Hōjō then proposed a trade of goods, which worked out well for both of us. Then he was all, “You’re country is damn fine, btw.” Cool beans, I’m keeping him happy! He then commented on how he’s digging my scientific endeavors. I guess he like them nerdy...? Fine by me! And then he starts proposing trades of great works, only to give them back and get his originals a short while later, as if we both had our own private libraries and we’re just borrowing each other’s books.

So far, the game feels like its gone from a “out-maneuver you opponent however you’d like,” to something akin to two people becoming interested in each other. But instead of the normal things like catching a movie, grabbing a coffee together, etc. these two are trading artifacts and resources, establishing trade routes, doing science research together, and building embassies. And Hōjō honestly felt like that one guy that you know (you just know) has a crush on someone but can’t say it, so they just do whatever they can to be around that person that they like. But maybe that was just his AI. So I decided to flip the tables and play as Hōjō.

And guess what?

Pretty much the same damn thing happened. Tomyris was a little slower to warm up to Hōjō, but after awhile, every few turns she would pop up and be all, “Let’s form an alliance! Let’s be friends! Let’s establish trade! Let’s do a science project together!”

So I decided to play as a third party, Mvemba to be exact. And guess what?

The same damn thing happened again.

I tried it at different difficulties and yet the two were basically a 4X equivalent to Sickening Sweethearts anyway. I swear, I went looking for a marriage mod just so those two could get a room. Sadly, there are none, and I kinda wish that it did because it could add SO MUCH to the diplomacy system.

Anyway, back to the topic.

And then, for giggles, I threw in those two, plus Cleopatra, Trajan, Philip, Catherine, and Jadwiga all into the same house to see what would happen.

You guessed it, Hōjō and Tomyris were all over each other. If I stop and think about it, personality/agenda wise, it makes some sense. Tomyris is a badass warrior who highly values honor and loyalty, two huge aspects of Bushido and Japanese culture. Hōjō, at the very least, would hold her in high regard for her principles and for defending her people against a powerful foreign invader (Cyrus and his armies). Tomyris would also hold him in high regard due to his values that stem from Bushido, and how he refused to kowtow to the Mongol Invaders.