And now, the Protective Trait

[InvisibleStalke]

Protective is just fine - its a military trait and ideally works well with an economic trait.

Cheap walls and castles are great. They increase Power so that you are scarier to the AI - I played a game with Charlemagne where I built castles in every single city and ran Nationalism.

- Great XP bonus - 7 settled great generals. Level 5 units in HE city.
- Great Espionage bonus due to castles and nationalism. Stole every tech through renaissance and industrial era.
- Good draft troops - CG1 + drill + pinch is pretty reasonable for draftees.
- Because of my walls and ability to draft troops easily, power was high - AIs were scared of me and vassalized very quickly.

 

[Gliese 581]

How much power do you get from barracks and walls compared to say an axeman?

One thing I love about castles is the castle quest that Sisiutil got in his Gilgamesh game. I got it in my most recent game and it was awesome, +3 relations with everyone forever.. except new colonies. I guess this quest becomes even better with protective.. I'm grasping for straws here people..

 

[noto]

@Civcorpse: hang on a second...you mean you can use flanking to actually kill artillery units? I thought it just damaged them. I almost never use flanking because I thought it was a stupid idea - you attack the enemy stack, and cause damage to their artillery, so that their artillery dies when it attacks you, however, artillery's purpose is to cause collateral damage anyway, so damaging the enemy artillery doesn't save you. But, maybe I was wrong, as you seem to suggest, the flanking promotions actually let you totally destroy the artillery??? Ok, then THAT would be VERY useful and that will probably drastically change my playstyle next time I play a builder game.

 

[obsolete]

Are you sure those + happy faces are always forever? I used to think it was a little too good to believe, and wondered if there was a expiry thing like when you get -1 relations for making a demand on an AI and you just have to wait it out for it to go away.

 

[Gliese 581]

Are you sure those + happy faces are always forever? I used to think it was a little too good to believe, and wondered if there was a expiry thing like when you get -1 relations for making a demand on an AI and you just have to wait it out for it to go away.

No, not sure, though it lasted for the rest of that game, can't remember exactly how long but I think close to a hundred turns or so.
Kmad might know..

 

[CivCorpse]

@Civcorpse: hang on a second...you mean you can use flanking to actually kill artillery units? I thought it just damaged them. I almost never use flanking because I thought it was a stupid idea - you attack the enemy stack, and cause damage to their artillery, so that their artillery dies when it attacks you, however, artillery's purpose is to cause collateral damage anyway, so damaging the enemy artillery doesn't save you. But, maybe I was wrong, as you seem to suggest, the flanking promotions actually let you totally destroy the artillery??? Ok, then THAT would be VERY useful and that will probably drastically change my playstyle next time I play a builder game.

HA's and knights damage and kill cats and trebs. Every single one in the stack is affected unlike collateral damage fromseige units that damage a limited number and only damage up to a certain percentage. Cavalry damage cannons, i am not sure what damages artillery. Perhaps gunships?

 

[noto]

thank you Civcorpse, I'll keep that in mind...suddenly flanking is useful!

 

[vicawoo]

It's supposed to shine once you get gunpowder, particularly with drafting. My games are decided earlier, and it's at best mediocre then.
The best advantage early is the ability to whip walls with 1 pop; at least it made the biggest difference for me. Next maybe is getting drill 4 at 3 promotions, best for pillaging if they don't have horses. City garrison is ok, it may still fall to 2 attackers. Basically, it's kind of situational.

 

[Refar]

No, not sure, though it lasted for the rest of that game, can't remember exactly how long but I think close to a hundred turns or so.
Kmad might know..

The "Previous Events prooven that you are a cool dude" (or whatever it says) and its negative equivalent do not decay, as it seems. But building castles just to - maybe - get the event...

grasping for straws here people..

 

[troytheface]

lol. I read this and had to try it out too.

Played HRE for the Protective/Imperialistic combo and have found it extremely powerful in so far as military. I had two archers from the get go that just slaughtered everyone around them, got promoted quickly- guerilla3 for movement and drill and a garrison , damn.

I have read where people have said this was the weakest trait combo and i can't see how- at least at Prince level the AI sux at military tactics and the military boost with Protc/Imper if anything is overpowering.

I enjoyed the strategies posted-in particular the stack killing defense.

(Someone also mentioned "fewer units neccessary to defend..." and i thought that this combo would be great for a mod -CSA- and the leader Jeff Davis)