I have two questions and I am hoping someone here can help out;

When running a SE should I farm and have specialists running in my production cities?

When I want to try and rush someone very early I understand that it is important to get 6-7 units out of the door quickly, so if I am the Mongols, should I use keshiks or should I stick to axemen? Axemen are cheaper but Keshiks will get there quicker...

Thanks,

Ash

1. No. I don't care if you're running an omfwtfbbqE, hammer cities are used to make units or wonders, usually the former. Hammer cities should vary minimally if at all between any version of an "economy".

2. Depends. Keshiks are one of my favorite UUs. If you can field them early, definitely use them. Especially if you can pick an AI without metal (that's just unfair). If you have copper and limited room, nothing wrong with the ole' fashioned axe rush. You are aggressive, after all. It's a judgment call.

Hammer economy! then you have all hammers everywhere!

Hammer economy! then you have all hammers everywhere!

Keeping afloat by building wealth and research, I presume? :p

Keeping afloat by building wealth and research, I presume? :p

Don't forget taking cities.

Hammer economy! then you have all hammers everywhere!

yea go hammer economy! just make nothing but hammers and put a city or two on wealth to keep you out of the red.

yea go hammer economy! just make nothing but hammers and put a city or two on wealth to keep you out of the red.

Just make sure you remember that the hammer to gold/beakers isn't modified by things like Markets or Libraries. However, "failed wonders" can have a bonus via hammer to gold if you are Industrious and/or have the appropriate resource.

Well if you need units to keep up your power rating, specialists would not be advised. If you need a quick economic boost, then it might be warranted.

Axes have a very different timing from horse archers. You want to axe rush before they have enough defense (a lot of their own axes), so you get axes when they're very close. Horse archers, you usually already have a handful of established cities (perhaps a granary in each), and you can usually keep conquering until they get longbows.