All-naval conquest, can it be done?

[CivilizedPlayer]

So I'm currently playing a Carthage game on an archipelago map, and I'm trying to go for a domination victory using pretty much only my navy. I'm just wondering if anyone's ever managed to win a domination victory (or even just play an aggressive, warlike game) relying on their navy? Are naval units too weak, or are there some tricks I can use? I have about 500 quinqueremes and galleasses currently, but my conquering is going rather slowly and I'm having difficulty stopping my tiles from being pillaged by land units. So basically, my question is, how can I most effectively go about warmongering using my navy?
For the record, I'm pretty new to GaK, so the whole "naval units conquering cities" thing is pretty new for me.

 

[ense7en]

So I'm currently playing a Carthage game on an archipelago map, and I'm trying to go for a domination victory using pretty much only my navy. I'm just wondering if anyone's ever managed to win a domination victory (or even just play an aggressive, warlike game) relying on their navy? Are naval units too weak, or are there some tricks I can use? I have about 500 quinqueremes and galleasses currently, but my conquering is going rather slowly and I'm having difficulty stopping my tiles from being pillaged by land units. So basically, my question is, how can I most effectively go about warmongering using my navy?
For the record, I'm pretty new to GaK, so the whole "naval units conquering cities" thing is pretty new for me.

Absolutely.
It's the easiest way to win via domination, far easier than land maps domination.

You should still have some ranged land units to protect the homeland, but basically you want to get to Frigates. (So make sure you can secure or have lots of iron.)

Once you get the Frigates train rolling, especially once you get the +range promotion, you can bombard cities, units, everything without even getting touched.
Then you swoop in with Caravel/Privateer/Ironclad (especially Ironclads!) to take the city.

Later on, you can upgrade those Frigates to Battleships and the melee ones into Destroyers.
Not to mention submarines to clear out any enemy navy

I personally like to play tall initially on island-style maps, build up my cap and other main cities, and once decent infrastructure is in place, i start cranking out the Galleases.

Try to save gold so you can mass upgrade when you hit Navigation.
Once you get to Frigates (and even before sometimes), you'll be fine for taking out cities pretty easily.

Barracks/Armory/Heroic Epic are usually worth building in the city you are making most of your units from as it'll get you to the range and supply promotions sooner, which you want
Honor is a really nice tree i find for heavy war games too, though it slows down initial growth.

 

[Tachii]

MadDjinn's let's play videos with Carthage on Deity was a fun watch if you want to learn how to fight naval battles efficiently.

But lolwhat, 500 ships? Are you serious?

 

[CivilizedPlayer]

But lolwhat, 500 ships? Are you serious?

No, not literally Although it did feel that way.
And thanks for the tips, I didn't see that Lets Play actually. I'll check it out.

 

[ahawk]

Naval units are spectacular at the later stages of the game.

Even on Pangea, I'll still usually develop a reasonable navy once I know what ports I can build from and still manage to reach open water. After all, by the late game, a good navy is also a good mobile platform for bombers, atomic bombs, and more. At mid- to early-game phases, navies may seem lackluster depending on the situation (especially on Pangea... I play Pangea to the exclusion of all other map types, so I usually wait to build a navy until late), but certain situations are perfect, and Archipelago is a great map for navies.

Dido's free harbors and naval UU are great. However, I'd also give the Ottomans a try (capturing ships early on is a great way to build a potent navy), or try the Netherlands (Sea-Beggars are phenomenal). As always, there's also good ol' England for naval dominance, too.

 

[ArnoldI]

I usually play on Continents and naval warfare is my favorit kind of conquest.

I prefer ranged naval in the place of siege units as although they inflict less damage to cities they're more mobile and I can station a lot of them near the city and bombard it to the ground in one turn.

Late-game naval is wonderful! Battleships are amazing, Destroyers can easily finish a bombarded city, and Carriers arealways a a danger with the stationed aircrafts.

For naval Civs I'd go with the Bizantynes, Dromon is a great advantage fo me, Ottomans, because some Dromons can't resist against a horde of Trirremes and Galleys, Carthage, because of the UA and the Quinquerreme, or Netherlands, Sea Beggars are awfully good.

 

[black213]

It is possible and, in my opinion, a lot of fun! Playing as Spain on large islands/archipelago/small continents is fun as you colonize islands with natural wonders or take them by force.

 

[kamex]

Yes, I've won an Archipelago by domination without building a single land unit (not including the free starting warrior of course) - This was on Emperor

 

[Hammer Rabbi]

it relies on all caps being on a coast but i think archipelago has every cap on coasts. ive won with England several times. the Ships of the Line are just so powerful. With +1 movement UA, Great Lighthouse, and Commerce left side you can mobilize your units to the next cap extremely quickly.

 

[wannabewarlord]

@CivilizedPlayer: Inspired by your thread I played exactly this yesterday evening. An Immortal Archipelago map with Carthage. Oh my what fun it was. Complete and utter domination with my navy and a win as early as rarely ever. It seems way too easy with melee ships being able to capture cities.

Granted, I had a lucky start with 6 sea based resources so God of the Sea Pantheon was a no-brainer. Coupled with Tradition I had one super city and only one. I didn't crank out a single settler and simply went to capture and puppet the others. Frigattes and Privateers were all I had in the end, I was done around the time I got Ironclads.

So yes, it is definitely possible and in my opinion way too easy.

Edit: Speaking of which. I noticed odd targeting behavior of my +1 range Frigattes. They basically had to have a straight line to fire 3 hexes. Little islands (flat lands) and "corners" in the 3 hex line of sight were not possible. I don't have a screenshot unfortunately as it didn't bother me much, but it seemed odd.

 

[Browd]

On 3-range targeting behavior, this post may explain what you are seeing:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=11575472&postcount=17

 

[wannabewarlord]

@Browd Thanks, great find! So it's buggy behavior, just what I thought.

It doesn't matter much, a Frigatte that has range plus an additional attack can simply move in, attack, attack and move out, making place for the next Frigatte if line of sight becomes a problem.

EDIT: Which I just note is odd as well, as you shouldn't be able to move after firing... but let's not get too much off-topic

 

[VenGyr]

I've played quite many naval domination games since G&K came out with England, pretty much always using this strategy, wich should work up to emperor (usually play small continents, all capitals start by the sea).

There are basically 2 requirements for this to work: You need to get the brandenburg gate and 6 iron.

When this is done, and you got a barracks, armory and military academy in the same city as brandenburg, get 6 SotL and 2 privateers and you are pretty much set (obviously get the + 1 range for SotLs/frigates upon building/buying them, this is key). Then just start teching for battleships and destroyers in case you haven't won by the time you get them.

As for policies: Finish Honor (after liberty or tradition) and get the + 1 movement/sight for naval units from mercantilism, along with the free great admiral. Building the Great Lighthouse is a nice bonus.