Advice please - I need to wallop Alex!

[Walter R]

In my current game I decided to play as Genghis, which I haven't done since my early days. I'm chasing a super-strong Alex who has most of the CS as allies (as usual). I can feel a DOW isn't far away. As I'm GK, is my best strategy to thump his CS? If I do will I be able to maintain allied status with my only CS that is of strategic importance?

 

[thegingerninja]

If he is going to attack form up a defense against multiple waves of units. Once you pull through come storming in

 

[Loucypher]

A lot depends on the lay of the land. If his CS allies are on the path towards Athens, you'll want to attack them. If they're spread out far and wide, you can safely ignore them, they won't come actively searching for you.

 

[Walter R]

A lot depends on the lay of the land. If his CS allies are on the path towards Athens, you'll want to attack them. If they're spread out far and wide, you can safely ignore them, they won't come actively searching for you.

Yeah that's just it - some are on my flanks so I need to do something about it. I can't compete with his CS influence. He is friends at the mo (i.e. he's moving his troops for the next round!) My question was really about losing my CS ally if I do, since I've never killed more than one CS in a game (and I don't usually need to kill any), but I know there's a penalty associated with killing two or more. My thoughts are that between him and Siam I won't get any more CS allies, but I don't really want to lose the one I have...que sera i suppose.

 

[szcott]

don't finish them off, just kill all their units if they are close by and maybe pillage some of their land. Keep one horse unit around to capture any workers they send out.

 

[OmniPotent42]

I have to disagree with szcott. Taking out one or two CS's is the right way to go, it will make alex loose the lux/benefit from the CS, and you'll have a close place to his capital where you can rally units and upgrade them, and if you choose to annex can even buy units.

Since you're mongolia, you'll want to rush to chivalry. His UU's will be obsolete by then, and ranged mounted units are OP as heck against the AI, as you can just poke in, attack, then retreat indefinitely, and with the 5 movement points of the Keshik you'll have no problem killing off reinforcements or retreating units. Just make sure to build a couple of pikemen to take the cities as well.

 

[JothHago]

Happened to my initial runaway Alex when I was Rome, start of Industrialization (teching the same), he had at least 10 CS allies by my last count, and AI being AI, gets a near perfect coup each time I successfully coup or buy my way into a CS (even with +104 influence he can coup no problem without death lol). I made a mistake of DoWing him forgetting that my other cities has his CS ally around my border. Suffice to say, I wasted a lot of time fending off CS instead of actually warring Alex.

Since you are on the defensive and not knowing when Alex attacks, your option really is to start pumping units to go on offensive. I suppose as GK you're going for a domination victory anyway.

Best way is to go on offensive, and right before you are about to DoW him, either try to coup the CS or buy yourself into it. Attacking them is just going to negative diplomatic effect and I'd assume since they are under Alex's protection, he'll DoW you regardless.

Out-teching him, and getting advanced units is really the way to go. Else, you would have to suss out a different victory path.

 

[Civilmyzation]

can't go wrong basically forcing him to DoW you, defend his attack using the terrain, while researching upgraded units. the best case scenario is you fend them off, upgrade all your units, heal them the following turn, then counter.

ignore any city states that aren't in the direct path, although I would actually send a few units to harass them and steal workers, pillage and make them think about it. you could also send a small attack squad to a remote part of alex's territory. he will shuffle his troops leaving you with a pretty open path to the important cities.

of course your probably know all of that, but it sounds like the best way to go considering you have GK. and make sure not to lose any of those units, I lost a highly upgraded unit today and its sort of haunting me.

 

[thegingerninja]

The trick to getting past the enemy is to draw them out, smash each unit then heal and continue

 

[bcaiko]

You might also post a copy of your save file, then folks here could give you more specific advice.

 

[Ryoga]

I have to disagree with szcott. Taking out one or two CS's is the right way to go, it will make alex loose the lux/benefit from the CS, and you'll have a close place to his capital where you can rally units and upgrade them, and if you choose to annex can even buy units.

I second this, if you play as the Mongols you shouldn't be afraid to conquer CS. If they have luxuries and resources that you want, just take them. besides if you conquer just 3 CS you should still be fine.

 

[Civilmyzation]

I used to have a policy of not attacking city states, but in the last couple months its like the cpu doesn't care anymore and will just take a city state if its remotely close to it(even if I add in that im protecting it mid attack, they do not stop, and war is not declared either way)

but ever since the cpu started to do that, ive decided to take a city state here or there. as long as its not friendly.

 

[Walter R]

You might also post a copy of your save file, then folks here could give you more specific advice.

Yes I'd love to, but not having much joy in that dept. (see thread on subject). You're right, I do need to resolve this because I hate asking specific questions where the reader has to imagine what the hell I'm droning on about. Anyway, short version: this particular game is on hold as my F12 exploits went horribly wrong.