How to garrison a city?

help how to effectively prevent attackers fron invading city with only 1 unit?cant stack like civ 4

Put melee units around it and fortify. You can also prepare with forts around cities before the invasion if you get the time.

Whilst the enemy try to break your lines you can come around at their rear and flanks funnel them and pick them off while they are queueing up to attack your city.

No, you don't need forts or melee units. All you need are 4-6 ranged units of the appropriate era. Then bombard and target melee/siege, killing 1 per turn. This works on all difficulties against anyone, even Shaka deity.

Undefeatable said:

No, you don't need forts or melee units. All you need are 4-6 ranged units of the appropriate era. Then bombard and target melee/siege, killing 1 per turn. This works on all difficulties against anyone, even Shaka deity.

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This even works on the Korean scenario as Korea on Deity.

A wall and ranged units in backstage. Later a Gatling/Machin guns belt around you city and a cannon/artillery/bombers inside.

Also, learn how to manage health bar of your city. You can let some AI melee units lose health by attacking your city.
My first targets are ranged units, then or if need before melee units. You can resist a long time, if you can destroy each melee units. So AI will not able to capture your city.

Undefeatable said:

No, you don't need forts or melee units. All you need are 4-6 ranged units of the appropriate era. Then bombard and target melee/siege, killing 1 per turn. This works on all difficulties against anyone, even Shaka deity.

Click to expand...

Yeah I forgot to say put ranged units behind them.

Melee units hold the line better vs other melee units.

Memoryjar said:

A wall and ranged units in backstage. Later a Gatling/Machin guns belt around you city and a cannon/artillery/bombers inside.

Also, learn how to manage health bar of your city. You can let some AI melee units lose health by attacking your city.
My first targets are ranged units, then or if need before melee units. You can resist a long time, if you can destroy each melee units. So AI will not able to capture your city.

Click to expand...

And remember ships can also be melee units that take cities!

I want my capital back..

If you really only have one unit, and cannot bring in extra units, then here are some ideas:

The city should be on a hill (defensive bonus).
The City might need walls. (i dont build these often unless I am certain its needed)
1 Ranged unit in the city.
If coastal, build a ranged naval unit in the city as well. with this you get 3 attacks from the city. One from defenses, one from the ranged land unit, one from the ranged naval unit. This is often enough to turn away a whole army. You can even build a naval unit when adjacent to a single lake tile I believe.

Its better to have a river or two or some mountains, or a lake tile. this will slow down the approaching units. Gives your ranged units more turns to fire on them. The AI LOVES to jump into lake tiles so you can destroy them without defense.

Leave forests adjacent to you city un-chpped if you can. this makes it harder for enemy ranged units to fire on you sometimes. Very situational but it works. Obviously chopping can help you out, but if you dont need to work those tiles right away, they can block archers/catapults. This bonus ends later on when artillery shows up, but until then its a viable defensive position.

I like to use a mounted unit that can move after combat as garrison.

Undefeatable said:

No, you don't need forts or melee units. All you need are 4-6 ranged units of the appropriate era. Then bombard and target melee/siege, killing 1 per turn. This works on all difficulties against anyone, even Shaka deity.

Click to expand...

This USUALLY works. If Shaka sends 20 Impi after you, your six composite bowmen are going to have a tough time of it.