My first overseas invasion

[footslogger]

Playing as Rome on a continents map at king level, I finally launched my first overseas invasion. I've always been reluctant to do it because of the sheer effort and risks involved. Well, I had reached a dominant position on my continent, 4 rival civs either destroyed or reduced to one or two cities. I had a tech lead over the three other civs on the other main continent. Time to go for an invasion and my first domination victory!

It took many turns to prepare but finally I had a large force ready - 5 infantry, 5 rocket artillery, 1 tank, and a protecting navy of 5 battleships and 4 destroyers. A long sea journey and then my assault on the Ethiopian capital.. It was inland, just out of range of my battleships unfortunately and the terrain was hilly all the way. But not much of a military force present and no rocket artillery, so I was optimistic. My tank was killed on landing and my other units struggled over the terrain facing artillery fire and aerial attack from WW1 bombers. Just managed to take Addis Adaba with 2 wounded infantry and 3 rocket artillery left. Success, I thought.

I offered Haile Selassie peace but he said there was still business left undone. Between turns he moved up about 8 infantry and more artillery and I feared I was done for. No chance of reinforcements and the capital in revolt. But then, next turn, instead of attacking Haile Selassie pops up again offering peace (!!!) which I accepted gratefully. I brought over reinforcemets, upgraded units and was soon impregnable. Soon took out the other two capitals, which were coastal, with my reinforced navy and I'd won my first domination victory at king level. It felt a bit cheesey though because of Ethiopia's offer of peace when in a strong position.

 

[Harv72b]

There's a minimum number of turns which must be fought after a DoW before you can get peace, at least with other major civs (city states you can DoW & make peace on the same turn if you want). In this case it was just a fluke of that system & of the one the AI uses to determine military power: it's looking at the total strength of units globally, not locally, and in this case that led Ethiopia to conclude that it was in a bad military position & offer peace.

Also, you really want to have air power handy when you know you'll be fighting an overseas war against an inland empire. If it's too far to rebase aircraft directly from your continent, a couple of aircraft carriers will make a huge difference.

 

[PibbZ]

Grats on your victory! Sometimes you just gotta thank the AI for being stupid and doing irrational things It's a perfect parallel to the real world for a change

 

[Smokeybear]

Also, you really want to have air power handy when you know you'll be fighting an overseas war against an inland empire. If it's too far to rebase aircraft directly from your continent, a couple of aircraft carriers will make a huge difference.

That would be nice, but 2-3 anti-aircraft guns would have done the trick, against WWI bombers... and a lot easier to place where they can be useful than carrier-based fighters, until you've conquered a city to land planes at.

 

[Lakissov]

Also, it could often be a better strategy to start with a coastal city and not the capital. Your 5 battleships and 4 destroyers would be able to take the coastal city in 1-2 turns with no losses, and then you'd have a nice base from where to develop your campaign (and rush buy new units if needed).

 

[nefloyd]

I don't even bother with the land force. A boatload (hurr hurr) of ranged attacking ships and a single melee one is enough to create an opening. A fleet of carriers and bombers with a few protecting ships also works. In either case, and when tech is applicable, some Subs roaming, clearing, and weakening the area also helps.

I normally don't bother unless I'm playing with increased tech costs, though. Otherwise, depending on the map, I might embark with frigates and end up facing battleships by the time they arrive.

Once that first city falls, keep firing with the ranged ships at all the enemy units that try to retake it. I had like a 2000 year war against the French in one game when he and I both had entire adjacent continents. Whatever city I initially captured changed hands like 60 times as I would bombard, capture it with a privateer, evacuate it the next turn and he'd recapture it again, then repeat. Was tough to hold because he had a tech advantage. Eventually the one or two land units I had around earned enough military xp that I was able to settle a general next to the city which everytime I captured it would start ruining his units. Finally he just got his army ground to nothing and when I could spare the ships, I took a few more coastal cities and he caved in offering 3 or 4 others for peace.

 

[GhostSalsa]

I love the new naval system, but I do miss the land-unit based invasions from Vanilla too. The exhilaration of approaching embarked without stacking. Have to bring twelve units over if you want six to land. Just grand, to see four of your units die in one AI turn, and keep slogging for that shore.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Good job on the invasion!

I do have to say you probably should have brought more units; if Ethiopia hadn't diplo failed so hard you would have lost your entire land contingent on the counterattack.

Also, the suggestion to always bring carriers is warranted. I equip them with all GWB's or Bombers if the opponent doesn't have air power or if they do, I will stack 2 Bombers with one Fighter on intercept per carrier. The addition of airpower gives you greater flexibility and if you have enough airpower you can *almost* do away with the land units entirely.

I love the new naval system, but I do miss the land-unit based invasions from Vanilla too. The exhilaration of approaching embarked without stacking. Have to bring twelve units over if you want six to land. Just grand, to see four of your units die in one AI turn, and keep slogging for that shore.

Yeah and I miss how many pathing failures I had trying to move my fleet and land units around because they couldn't stack together and every unit would end a turn in another unit's path.

 

[Slayan]

One of the things I do is get a city state in your pocket with cash then move all your units to its land then declare war on the Civ you want to take out.