after trying for a loooong time...

[Snippa]

I finally won on Huge/Monarch/Epic. Unfortunately, I did not win with a leader that I normally like to play. Instead of Augustus, Washinton, Cyrus, or Sitting Bull, I ended up winning with Zara.

While I am happy that I did finally win, I would have preferred a different type of win. If you haven't guessed, I had a Cultural Victory... definitely better than a Time Victory, but I would prefer a victory via military usage.

My first or second attempt with Zara showed me something I didn't realize about Rome... Basically that is, while the Praetorian looks completely badass, it is actually a complete joke against an axeman even when upgraded.
Completely destroying Augustus' Praetorians in one game really disappointed me, since I like playing as Augustus/Rome more than any other Leader/Country.
So much for Praetorians being dominating in the early game...

Well, I have skimmed some threads on this site, and have even been given a bit of advice, which I have tried to add into how I play, but it seems like the only way I can actually win is via culture, since I cannot keep up in techs unless I keep my country small, trade ALOT, get a religion or 2 early and build their holy buildings, but doing that seems to take me off the route of building a strong army.

I have tried running a cottage economy and a specialist economy, and even a combination of the 2, but they don't seem to be able to keep my research up on their own.

Obviously Augustus isn't the right choice to build an army, and Washington is a bad idea since you don't get Navy SEALs until late in the game (while I love the Navy SEAL unit, it actually isn't THAT good at all I don't think.)
So I think I need a new leader to try out for a military victory. Julius does seem like a bit of a better idea than Augustus because he is organized, but I don't think -50% civic costs is really going to help me all that much, since I normally end up running out of money before I can build courthouses or markets... depending on the route I take, and if I can found a religion & build the holy building.

I'm not sure what to do... but I refuse to take buddhism or hinduism as early religions, even though they would be faster than Judaism, Christianity or Confucianism and would allow me to start making money sooner. I don't like the idea of a Pangaea map, it just isn't fun to me, if I wanted to play like that, I would just load up starcraft or warcraft, not civilization. I could care less about how good my score is at the end of the game as long as I can actually win with a military. I also am not one of those people who enjoys playing the same turn over & over & over again to get the absolute best outcome... it makes the game alot less satisfying for me. -just some notes you may want to keep in mind if you plan to suggest anything.

I would like some suggestions if anyone has any. For those of you who read my other thread and downloaded my save (if you read this thread that is), I am sure you noticed how thin and weak my army was. Obviously this was partially due to building so many wonders, but it was also due to the fact that my country was so small and my research was behind.

I really am unsure how to build 6 or more cities and keep my research up while building an army at the same time, or even if I build a strong enough army to fight one of my neighbors, I really have no idea how to keep my economy going once I capture one or more of their cities (assuming its early on in the game). I can definitely destroy their cities and get some money from that, but of course there are cities with wonders that I would obviously want to capture and hold... problem is they're so far from my capitol that they're costing me a fortune. How do I combat these economic issues early on in the game?

I know there are people who have won military victories on diety on a non-pangaea map... so I would really appreciate any help from anyone that actually has had success on Monarch or higher with a military victory.

Eh anyways... yay for my first Victory on Monarch since Warlords was released!

I appreciate any help anyone has to offer.

 

[Joshua368]

Try Asoka, really powerful trait combination there for warring. Spiritual makes you flexible while Organized helps you support what you take. (note that -50% civic costs aren't the big money saver for organized... it's the half-priced courthouses) With Spiritual you can painlessly switch to Theocracy or Vassalage during brief times of military build-up, something I can't really recommend short-term otherwise.

If you want quick successful wars, beeline a key military technology and use it as soon as possible, before the AI will have up-to-date defenses. Easy ones are renaissance units on medieval civilizations... just beeline Steel, Military Science or Rifling (I'd say Steel is best, cannons alongside macemen aren't too bad of a combo) start building your army a few dozen turns or so before the tech. Mass upgrade your army right away (run 0% science for a few turns; use a GM trade mission, economics times well with this; sell off old techs to other AIs) and charge.

 

[Turquoiside]

. (note that -50% civic costs aren't the big money saver for organized... it's the half-priced courthouses) .

In the late game where civics can cost in the 90 gold range, organized saves almost a 10% slider rate of cash, usually a better plus at 100%.

 

[Supr49er]

A few basics (which you may know already):

Keep research up by building Libraries and adding two Scientist Specialists - this lets you lower your science slider.

Run Hereditary Rule, Vassalage and Theocracy civics.

Make (at least) two Military cities with barracks/stables/drydocks.
Put Heroic Epic/Red Cross (in coastal Military City) and West Point (with level 6 unit) in these cities.

Fight Barbs/Animals for XP.

Make Privateers and attack the AI ships for GG (Great General) points. Make GG unit on 10 XP unit to unlock West Point, use next GGs for Military Academies in Military Cities and settle subsequent GGs for XP.

Always attack with combined forces in your stacks. For example, as you have learned, Axeman destroy Melee Units, so have some Chariots to destroy the Axemen.

Make sure to study at the War Academy.

Congratulations on your win.