Problem attacking cities on island late game.

[MarkJohnson]

I am having a hard time attacking Justinian late game. there's like only 60 turns left and he's building the spaceship and I just can't seem to get a foot hold. I capture one city and I'm good. But as soon as I step foot outside the city he wipes my force within a few tiles.

If I don't attack and build up, he lets me fine. But I've only 50 some turns to attack and don't have the time and being it is on an island I can't get reinforcements very quickly.

I tried to circle his islnd and captur cities, but I soon get wore down and have to abandon the mission and go heal and pickup more troops as I have to dump one off at each city to burn it. I use my carriers to destroy hos resources, but it seems he has enough to build the spaceship anyway.

any hints on a way into his fortress?
-=Mark=-

[Sisiutil]

What about a diversion/blitz combination?

Attack him with an amphibious force in one corner of his empire to distract him and draw his forces and whittle them away. Once that's done, sweep in from a spot out if his viewing range and hit him somewhere else with a fast-moving force of Tanks, air units, Mech Infantry, Gunships, and Paratroopers. Drive this force into his core cities. Don't capture them, just raze them; you're just trying to keep him from winning.

Nukes are also good in this situation...

[MarkJohnson]

hey, that sounds like a good idea. I was just gonna take my other fleet and with two transports and raze the coastal cities while blitzing with my main force across the country side razing everything in site.

also, is there a way to destroy railroads? without sending in my units. I tried with bombers/fighters/guided missles with no luck. I have to sac a couple usints to kill the tracks outside my cities so he can't move up and attack the same turn. That way I can destroy him while he's stuck on stupid. lol I guess I'll have to rename general Honore. hehe

-=Mark=-

[GravityWave]

To make him restart building his spaceship from scratch all you need to do is raze his capital - even if he has launched it. I would personally capture and hold just one city as close to his capital as you can. Airdrop enough Mech Infs to protect your stack of doom then march to and raze his capital.

Bribing other AI's to attack him is also a good way of distracting him from building spaceship parts to give you more time.

Edit - if you've got enough EP's you can also delay him by using spies to destroy his spaceship parts.

[Kranden]

Nuclear weapons

Why do you think the US bombed Japan.

[GIDS888]

Set 100% of espionage to Justinian. Land spys.

He can't see them, send lots (they're cheap!) and hammer his spaceship production.

Then take out a couple of coastal cities - or the capitol, if you can!

[Sisiutil]

Originally Posted by Kranden

Nuclear weapons

Why do you think the US bombed Japan.

Japan was building a spaceship?!? Wow! I never knew that.

[scu98rkr]

I'd say first step, attack each coastal city and raze it on the same turn.

At the very least this will give you complete control of the seas and give you more time to formulate another plan. Plus it will give him considerably less production/research.

[a4phantom]

Originally Posted by MarkJohnson

any hints on a way into his fortress?
-=Mark=-

What I need when I attack a continent:
1. A Great Artist (to pacify my beachhead city instantly and hopefully push out the borders at least one square).
2. Cash to rush an airport (and a ton of airports in my home cities)
3. An ton of heavy bombers (I think BtS caps how many you can put in one city though.)

In your case, since your mission is to disrupt rather than conquer his empire, as others have said you're just going to raze every other city. The first city you capture is for hosting your bombers and air lifting re-enforcements. Put every Garrison unit you can there, because you're not going to defend any other cities on Justin's island. Then make like Sherman and burn everything in sight.

[Bob-san]

I'd say concentrate one city on making submarines, another city on making tactical nukes. In short, load all subs up prior to an attack with tactical nukes, then destroy his cities, invade, and destroy. Yes, nukes can kill units. Yes, it takes a good number to kill all units. After that, prance in after ICBM'ing or Tactical Nuking his cities and SoD. Remember that nukes can also decrease population significantly...

[Kranden]

Originally Posted by Sisiutil

Japan was building a spaceship?!? Wow! I never knew that.

Probably know but you know how annoying it is to Attack an island think of all the micro!

[MarkJohnson]

Originally Posted by GravityWave

To make him restart building his spaceship from scratch all you need to do is raze his capital - even if he has launched it. I would personally capture and hold just one city as close to his capital as you can. Airdrop enough Mech Infs to protect your stack of doom then march to and raze his capital.

Bribing other AI's to attack him is also a good way of distracting him from building spaceship parts to give you more time.

Edit - if you've got enough EP's you can also delay him by using spies to destroy his spaceship parts.

well on my next try I decide to hit hit capital and hold it and force him to come to me. It worked for 5 turns. lol

My second force was too small and his two other vassals were too annoying and were just disrupting my continent and used the second force for homeland security. hehe

I did keep my naval fleet afloat as Justinian didn't have much of a navy and now that the fleet is fortified he can't touch it. He apparently isn't smart enough to build a larger force, instead he send 2 or 3 units in for a suiside run.

Since Justinian was nice enough to destroy all 3 of Kublai Khan's legendary cities, I now should get a cultral victory if I can keep Justinian's Tiles decimated from my fleet.

My second fleet is getting ready to attack the other side of the island and destroy what little resources he has left.

Now Charlemagne is building the space ship, but he need a few more techs before he can do it, and only 43 turns left. I should win at about 25 turns left which doesn't give Charlie much of a chance.


Thanks for all the wonderful advice. I may replay these final turns again and try the nuke version. I've never made nukes yet. But this time Pacal made the UN and I had to kill it as he was interfering with the war effort.

again, thanks for all the replies.
-=Mark=-