Any way to survive this start?

[Disgustipated]

In addition to tactics: if you see more than one enemy unit near one of your cities in the earlier game, prepare for war. That often gives you 3-5 extra turns.

This is very important. I notice they are stationary/fortified maybe and if you see them not move from your border several turns, time to switch from whatever you were building, and switch to military units if you don't have some. Move your exploring units to the threatened city.

Yeah, one Slinger probably doesn't cut it, a lot of the time.

Slingers suck for everything. I NEVER rely on these for defense. Their only use is to try to get the archery Eureka, that's it. I don't even like to build more than 1 slinger (for inside the city), warriors are more versatile.

 

[EgonSpengler]

Slingers suck for everything. I NEVER rely on these for defense. Their only use is to try to get the archery Eureka, that's it. I don't even like to build more than 1 slinger (for inside the city), warriors are more versatile.

4 Slingers + 280 gold = 4 Archers = "But there they lay, sprawled across the field, craved more by the vultures than by their wives." - Homer, The Iliad

 

[Trav'ling Canuck]

4 Slingers + 280 gold = 4 Archers = "But there they lay, sprawled across the field, craved more by the vultures than by their wives." - Homer, The Iliad

If you're playing peacefully, i.e. don't conquer your neighbour after you beat back their Warrior rush, those 4 Archers then also upgrade to Crossbowmen, which are pretty much all you need to beat back the subsequent AI Knight rush, as long you've got a good place to position them where they can kill one attacking Knight per turn. If I don't have Iron, I'll usually keep my Warriors safe in cities while Crossbowmen and city attacks deal with the attacking Knights.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

While inferior to knights, xbows promoted as such and benefiting from GG can still trivially strip city defenses. Even at ~60 strength you can still take cities w/o losing units if your stuff is sufficiently battle tested.

 

[EgonSpengler]

If you're playing peacefully, i.e. don't conquer your neighbour after you beat back their Warrior rush, those 4 Archers then also upgrade to Crossbowmen, which are pretty much all you need to beat back the subsequent AI Knight rush, as long you've got a good place to position them where they can kill one attacking Knight per turn. If I don't have Iron, I'll usually keep my Warriors safe in cities while Crossbowmen and city attacks deal with the attacking Knights.

Yeah, Crossbowmen are deadly.

While inferior to knights, xbows promoted as such and benefiting from GG can still trivially strip city defenses. Even at ~60 strength you can still take cities w/o losing units if your stuff is sufficiently battle tested.

Right, that's another great reason to build an army of Slingers early: It's (usually) child's play to get them that first XP promotion, just by fighting Barbarians, which you'll want to do anyway.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Yeah, Crossbowmen are deadly.


Right, that's another great reason to build an army of Slingers early: It's (usually) child's play to get them that first XP promotion, just by fighting Barbarians, which you'll want to do anyway.

On deity you need a couple warriors first, then slingers to upgrade into archers. You really want defensive terrain + fortification to avoid getting early capital or 2nd city put in a surround and pound situation. Not having this will often mean dying to 6-8 warriors + more a couple dozen turns into the game.

 

[ezzlar]

An archer with the garrison promotion defeats most opposition early game. That is if you survive the early rush. And for that warriors are needed.