I'm looking for a strategy against Babylon in multiplayer, with a few caveats.

I have opened my big mouth among friends, and unfortunately bitten off more than I can chew...

I have made the claim that it's possible to win a cultural victory against another human player when their primary focus is domination. I knew immediately that it was going to be very, very hard, but I didn't realize HOW hard...

We've tried a number of times: the first time, I was playing as the Celts (poor choice, in hindsight) and they were playing as Babylon. My strategy was to go for a religion-driven ICS and rush as quickly as possible to the sacred sites reformation belief. I thought Boudicca might be the right choice, as it would help secure the best religious beliefs for my goals: pagodas and mosques. Babylon inevitably just grabbed artillery asap and began blowing one city down after another, and the game was lost.

We've now switched roles: I'm Babylon and they're Austria. I can already see that they have had to focus too much on producing units to keep up with my war against them, and it seems that victory is well within my grasp (which is a little infuriating, considering I would like my point proven).

Anyone have any ideas on how to stop Babylon from crushing another human player? I don't want to give up, and I don't want to ban Babylon: I feel like there just HAS to be a way to do it, even if it's really really hard. My next civ of choice might be Korea, or the Mayans: Korea might be able to rival Babylon's science output for a while, and the Mayans can put up a decent religion for sacred sites, and also help themselves with science by using their pyramids.

Anyways, I'd be grateful if anyone could share some ideas or - even better - experiences on defeating Babylon in multiplayer.

Like against any other civs: With a strong and healthy empire.

More importantly, play the map. Too many players use the same(and tight) strategies over and over especially when they concentrates on early wonders too much. Some general starts are stronger than others and are more robust through all maps. Take these paths instead and add some other things that the map offers(kind of cs around, natural wonders, etc) so you can spice the general path a bit with extra culture, cities, etc.

I'm more afraid about strong Zulus, China or England players than Babylon. Don't fall behind production and gold and keep your cities growing.

Hey thanks for talking about it, Tabarnak. Enlighten me, though: you talk about general starts that are "stronger than other" but you do not go into detail about them. I would enjoy knowing if my usual start falls into this category.


Edit: nevermind, I found what I was looking for in your signature.

Piso Mojado said:

Anyone have any ideas on how to stop Babylon from crushing another human player? I don't want to give up, and I don't want to ban Babylon: I feel like there just HAS to be a way to do it, even if it's really really hard. My next civ of choice might be Korea, or the Mayans: Korea might be able to rival Babylon's science output for a while, and the Mayans can put up a decent religion for sacred sites, and also help themselves with science by using their pyramids.

Anyways, I'd be grateful if anyone could share some ideas or - even better - experiences on defeating Babylon in multiplayer.

Click to expand...

Babylon is an OP civ, you can only beat them by being a better player than them. If you play against some one of equal skill level, them Babylon, you some mediocre civ you will get crushed.

They can hit any key wonder they want before you, they can hit any key military tech before you. If they so choose they can get HG on like turn 32 or super early xbows. All you can really do is play a solid build and go early military hoping to take them out before their tech lead gives them too distinct an advantage.

If the Babylon player is actually competent they will out pace you in tech and destroy you because of it. Luckily most people in multiplayer who choose OP civs like Babylon, Attila and Spain are ultra noobs so their OP advantages don't help that much.

Thanks Craig. I think there's some truth in what you've said, but I'm not convinced. I think in light of tabarnak's tradition build, I'd like to try a very tall Korea. I'm thinking with a little luck, Korea can keep up and additionally focus on great people generation beyond GS for the culture. Remember I can't just run then over - I have to win culturally.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

If it happens, it's probably not going to be through Sacred Sites. A bunch of small fragile cities along with having to waste your first six beliefs on Piety just ain't going to cut it.

I would guess that if you are going to win with culture, it's going to be by eking out a strong science superiority and then wonder-whoring/turtling and winning in Modern+.

And doing that against Babylon ... well, good luck, I guess . You did say that it's possible against a human player -- for what you said to be true, it shouldn't have to apply to *all* civs they choose to play, should it? Have the dominator pay Germary or Monte or somethin'.

It's important to understand that being faster by 7-8 turns for a better military tech also involve being able to get out enough units to make it worth. There is a difference between Babylon getting Xbows turn 60 with 3-4 of them instead of 8-9 by the turn 75.

But yeah like Craig said the strongest players have the ability to get the best out of all civs so if they got Babs, at equal stages, it's already a big plus.

You can't win them all of course, but you have to balance production and gold to be able to upgrade enough units to make wars the most shorter as possible.

I have beat a 6 cities Liberty Incans guy with 8-9 Xbows by the turn 73 with only 2 cities. He had 8-9 CBs but he was late for Xbows. I crushed him and jumped to 6 cities 15 turns later.

Lot of players can have Xbows by that turn...but 8-9 of them? I have rarely seen that.