futurehermit
Deity
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2006
- Messages
- 5,724
I've finally settled on a warmongering strategy that I really enjoy. Not claiming it is original, just that it is fun. It allows for a lot of social policies (vs. ICS) and will still be doable after the patch. I played out a game as China and am working on one right now with Japan--two civs that work well for this strat (due to their UAs).
Basic strategy (works for me on immortal):
1) Warrior or horse rush a close neighbour. Puppet all cities (no razing). Build 0-1 cities. Focus on the honor policies early.
2) Sword or horse rush next closest neighbour. Puppet all cities. Build 0-1 cities depending on need for strategic/luxury resources. Continue focus on honor policies until tree complete.
3) Do what you have to do to keep above 0 Coliseums, luxuries, etc.
4) Once military and techs are ok, prioritize culture techs (temples, monasteries, etc.). Also, culture CSs (maritime not as much a focus here).
5) Try and get a GS to bulb Steel or Chivalry in order to upgrade units to pursue next opponent. Puppet all cities. Avoid building your own cities to keep culture requirements low in order to keep getting SPs at a good rate.
6) Once honor is complete, move on to commerce. It finally clicked to me that commerce has good synergy with warmongering. The left side of the tree helps with navy (I only play continents) and adds production to coastal cities (good synergy with order coming later). Right side provides more which you can always put to good use (and good synergy with autocracy coming later).
7) Once you have your continent cleared, don't worry about ICSing it. Just annex a ***couple*** high production cities to help with wonders (e.g., Forbidden Palace) and troop production. Beeline rifling-->artillery (no need to rush to renaissance or industrial because you are focusing on honor then commerce early).
8) Your many puppets combined with culture CSs should be cranking out a lot of culture, so you should be getting SPs in a timely manner.
9) Get a caravel and start exploring for your next opponents. Get navigation so you can get a navy going (if you don't have a coastal city under your control then annex one that has good production). Upgrade to rifles, build rifles in order to attack next opponent.
10) Find a beachhead and start invading overseas. Don't worry about renaissance SPs (I know they are powerful and perhaps even more optimal, but freedom is bypassed due to autocracy and rationalism is avoided in order to focus on autocracy and order).
11) You should finish out commerce SPs around the time you hit industrial. Start in on autocracy and order policies (choose them in the order that you need them).
12) Win via domination. (If you are in a drawn out game and SPs permit, after order/autocracy, I would go for oligarchy.)
Again, nothing new or earthshattering here, but I've found this to be a fun, effective strategy that will still be very viable after the patch when SPs are nerfed.
Basic strategy (works for me on immortal):
1) Warrior or horse rush a close neighbour. Puppet all cities (no razing). Build 0-1 cities. Focus on the honor policies early.
2) Sword or horse rush next closest neighbour. Puppet all cities. Build 0-1 cities depending on need for strategic/luxury resources. Continue focus on honor policies until tree complete.
3) Do what you have to do to keep above 0 Coliseums, luxuries, etc.
4) Once military and techs are ok, prioritize culture techs (temples, monasteries, etc.). Also, culture CSs (maritime not as much a focus here).
5) Try and get a GS to bulb Steel or Chivalry in order to upgrade units to pursue next opponent. Puppet all cities. Avoid building your own cities to keep culture requirements low in order to keep getting SPs at a good rate.
6) Once honor is complete, move on to commerce. It finally clicked to me that commerce has good synergy with warmongering. The left side of the tree helps with navy (I only play continents) and adds production to coastal cities (good synergy with order coming later). Right side provides more which you can always put to good use (and good synergy with autocracy coming later).
7) Once you have your continent cleared, don't worry about ICSing it. Just annex a ***couple*** high production cities to help with wonders (e.g., Forbidden Palace) and troop production. Beeline rifling-->artillery (no need to rush to renaissance or industrial because you are focusing on honor then commerce early).
8) Your many puppets combined with culture CSs should be cranking out a lot of culture, so you should be getting SPs in a timely manner.
9) Get a caravel and start exploring for your next opponents. Get navigation so you can get a navy going (if you don't have a coastal city under your control then annex one that has good production). Upgrade to rifles, build rifles in order to attack next opponent.
10) Find a beachhead and start invading overseas. Don't worry about renaissance SPs (I know they are powerful and perhaps even more optimal, but freedom is bypassed due to autocracy and rationalism is avoided in order to focus on autocracy and order).
11) You should finish out commerce SPs around the time you hit industrial. Start in on autocracy and order policies (choose them in the order that you need them).
12) Win via domination. (If you are in a drawn out game and SPs permit, after order/autocracy, I would go for oligarchy.)
Again, nothing new or earthshattering here, but I've found this to be a fun, effective strategy that will still be very viable after the patch when SPs are nerfed.