1:st warmonger victory on emperor

[fathertuck]

After playing (and cursing) for four weeks now I finally got my first warmonger victory on emperor. I was becoming quite desperate so it was a welcomed victory.

The step from monarch to emperor was bigger that I had expected. I tried many different tactics and used many tips I read about here on the forum, but the turning point was when I started playing as Zara Yaqob. The oromo warrior ownes the middle ages!!! You are not so depended on siege weapons when going on the offensive as you otherwise would be, and you can keep the stack going. Yes, you lose the 2-3 first units when you attack, but after that it’s slaughter all the way.

There has been treads about the oromo warrior and the drill promotion, but I still think that it’s one of the most underestimated and undiscussed UU in civ4. I didn't even play as Zara until very lately when I read the “first strikes seems useless” thread:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=379545

My best tips to anyone out there trying to get his first warmonger victory on emperor is to play as Zara. The pangean map is also a little bit easier to play than other maps.

 

[cbucks]

Darius' Immortal Rush! They eat archers an axmen.

Hopefully you have horses in the original BFC, if not, settle one more city then start whipping and chopping them out

 

[Agramon]

I wouldn't use muskets without cannons, maybe if I'm desperate. I usually do a lib slingshot somewhere on the way to steel. Build globe theater and some trebs. Get nationalism, mass draft with upped slider and mass upgrade trebs and there you go. Minimal losses maximal gain.

 

[fathertuck]

I just had the game of my life, can't believe how good it went. I played as Zara, pangaean map, normal game speed and events/goody huts disabled.

Total gaming time: 3h15min
Score: 224142
Game ended: 1505 AD
Victory: Conquest

I don't know how good/bad a result this is in general, but I'm overwhelmed about this win that was my second one in 24 hours on emperor.

I had 105 oromo warriors when the game was over. Maybe I overbuild them a little? Nooo, no way...

 

[z0wb13]

zara has good traits to keep expanding through war. it is easy to overlook the main benefit of CREative, that you can settle cities wherever you need to pick up resources (instead of having to decide whether to settle next to the food, so you can whip a granary, or settle in the best future location) AND you can settle on anywhere you want that's non CRE non ai capitol as long as you get there first. that isn't very clear, sorry.

but also, organized helps you to whip courthouses in captured cities, so you don't go on strike (you still kill your economy). but cheap early libraries means you can get early great scientists to help bulb along your research.

 

[mariogreymist]

I wouldn't use muskets without cannons, maybe if I'm desperate. I usually do a lib slingshot somewhere on the way to steel. Build globe theater and some trebs. Get nationalism, mass draft with upped slider and mass upgrade trebs and there you go. Minimal losses maximal gain.

I disagree, particularly with Ethiopia or the Ottomans. Trebs are fine accompaniment to Oromos or Jannisaries, assuming you get to them quickly enough to be facing primarily longbows (more LBs than muskets) as defenders.

Darius' Immortal Rush! They eat archers an axmen.

Hopefully you have horses in the original BFC, if not, settle one more city then start whipping and chopping them out

This is really good advice. Cyrus is nearly as strong a leader, and a considerably more effective warrior than is Darius, but managing a large, early kingdom can be problematic with him. It's not too difficult to take down 2-3 opponents with Darius, and if that gets you a large continent to yourself, get ready for tanks by 1700.

 

[Sian]

actually ... it's proven by math than other than a small window (i 'seem' to remember it being between 50-85% defense bonus, against archers, or something thereabout) War Chariot have higher win chances than Immortals

i'd suggest an aggessive Hapstesut

EDIT :

undug the prove

 

[coanda]

Immortals are significantly better than War Chariots against Skirmishers. The window goes up to 155% in that case! So if you're feeling absolutely crazy and just have to chariot-rush Mali, you'd better hope you're Persia.

Oh - and they're less useless against Longbows and Crossbows. For what that's worth.

 

[mariogreymist]

actually ... it's proven by math than other than a small window (i 'seem' to remember it being between 50-85% defense bonus, against archers, or something thereabout) War Chariot have higher win chances than Immortals

i'd suggest an aggessive Hapstesut

EDIT :

undug the prove

Yes, but Darius>Hattty>Rameses, by a considerably larger margin. (and that's not even getting into how much more versatile immortals are than war chariots)