Pikemen rush?

[largedarryl]

So in my last game, I discovered how easy it is to do a rush game with pikemen. I find it a little strange how easy it is to get them (and to offset even more they are resource free).

So to get them, you need to research Pottery->writing->philosophy, start building the great library ASAP (honestly pretty easy to do with 2 cities), start research on animal husbandry->trapping. Then with the great library free tech civil service, giving the pikemen unit (and a 1 food bonus on river farms).

In the last game I played, I was going a peaceful route, but it didn't seem like it would have be hard to conquer 2-3 neighbors with a few pikemen.

I find this strategy a little unbalancing since the entry into the classical era (or civil service) is a huge jump in research costs, but this tech is easily accessible with a 1 or 2 city civ start.

The other thing with this is the pikeman is a unit that remains relevant for a very long time. I also think it is kind of funny that I am pumping out pikemen without knowing what Iron is.

 

[yangman]

Since you can use The Great Library for the free tech,why not choose Iron Working->Metal Casting->Long Swordsman?It would be much more powerful.

 

[largedarryl]

That one could work as well, but I think the amount of research points required on that path is more (I will have to count).

I also like to point out the benefits along the path I chose. With my path you get trading posts and the civil service food bonus.

 

[Gaizokubanou]

What difficulty was this that you were able to beat all the AIs to the Great Library?

 

[teks]

I think this just shows how powerful a free tech is more then anything else. I always beeline for that great library, and so far I always got it too.

I think pikemen are right where they should be, but it wouldn't hurt to push them back a tech, so they come out with the other medieval units.

I really like how in civ5 spearmen, and pikemen are portrayed as bread and butter units, not counter units, and honestly both stayed on the battlefield well past their due date in real life.

Danm would I hate to be a pikeman in the age of rifles.

 

[Roxlimn]

Pikeman rush? Pshaw. Try it with Landsknecht. Now you're cooking with fire.

 

[Lightzy]

I modded my game so that research is 75% speed.

doesn't work

:>

 

[Thry]

....

for obvious reasons.

 

[Zechnophobe]

A significantly faster more consistent way is to not build the great library, but instead assign two scientist to a library you built instead. 17 turns later, you get a great scientist who can pop Civil Service (or whatever).

 

[Jediron]

in more ways it is easy to conquer an win, you show us another example of that. That precisely why i dislike CIV 5.

 

[Jediron]

double post...