How Can I Capture This Fortified City?

[Nlmh71]

Hi, I'm currently playing a Highlands game as the Inca, and recently declared war on my closest neighbor, Spain. My army is much bigger and better-equipped, but Spain's capital city, Madrid, is in a very strategic position, surrounded by mountains with only two choke-points for my army to march through. They have fortified archers, swordsmen and pikemen on the other side of the mountains, which, when combined with Madrid's bombardment, will work as a meat grinder on my army.

Here's a screenshot, which should explain it all: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198024732563/screenshot/559789467920762842?tab=all

I need to take over Spain to expand my empire beyond 3 cities. What can I do to take Madrid without suffering massive losses? America is already at war with them, but is too weak to do much. Cape Town is allied with me, but I'm not sure what they'll be able to do other than provide a distraction for Spain.

Should I just force my army through the chokes, or is there another way?

Thanks.

 

[joncnunn]

I recommend bypassing Madrid; take out Barcelona first. Then for flank security you could take out Seville, but that's optional.
Next take out Cordova.


Then with the city surrounded you can get enough units in a single turn to do serious damage. If you have 2 Trebs in by then; in combo with those Crossbows and archers, it should then fall quickly.

 

[AznWarlord]

Gosh that looks tough. You could bombard with a trebuchet from the top right grassland next to your pikeman. I'm guess you have no access to that ocean, so no galley bombard or any useful amphibious attack. However, you definitely out tech them in military and you could wipe all their unit out in 2 moves, Madrid's bombard isn't going to devastate your units. If I were you, I would take Barcelona first, there's no risk of Madrid attacking you, you have the happiness, and if you don't want the city raze it, it looks useless to me. You can easily set up three trebuchets north of madrid and attack from that side.

 

[AznWarlord]

Also, anyone else think Seville is just the most crushingly useless city ever settled in Civ?

 

[Nlmh71]

thanks for the advice, taking out Barcelona first sounds like a good strategy. Would gifting some units to Cape Town help too?

 

[AznWarlord]

CS's don't generally do much I'm afraid, unless Spain is openly wasting their units attacking them.

 

[Nlmh71]

Just finished taking them out. Barcelona first, then Madrid. Got Seville in the peace deal and razed it. Thanks for the help

 

[TW_Honorius]

take out seville, then barcelona and then go after madrid. by the time you get to madrid, the units protecting it will most likely move to attack your lands or barcelona, where you have the terrain to move your units and properly setup 2 trebbys to fire on madrid. take a lesson from 300 and dont throw all your units into a choke point. retreat and hit seville from the east.