Axe rushing

[noto2]

TMIT you play with Kmod too, eh? Yeah it's amazing. Anyway, OT, "axe rushing" and "choking" are different IMO, but of course related. With so many advantages to the defender in this game rushing is quite difficult without a serious advantage. A true axe rush on a high difficulty level would really only be an option in those rare games when you get copper in the BFC and the enemy capital is practically right on top of your capital. Even still, there are many factors that could ruin your day, such as a protective leader, the city being on a hill, etc.
Choking is different. I would choke if I had a close spawn but wasn't confident enough to outright rush the target. Often when playing an aggressive leader I'll use axes/chariots to pillage the taret's strategic resources, leaving them with only archers. Then I go in with swords for the kill. Except for the capital city, swords usually have an easy time defeating archers, regardless of walls. Horse archers also work wonders for this.
But as many veterans say, play the map. I wouldn't start a game and just set my mind to an axe rush...it's only going to work 1/10 times. You have to play your start.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

You can axe rush low unitprob AIs like gandhi, elizabeth, etc even if they get metal.

But usually it's a bad idea, yes.

Kmod AI just spam too many archers. Hit early and hard or forget the rush because there's just no way to get the 30+ axes you'll need to take 4-5 cities quickly enough without crippling yourself to an extent where straight expansion was better.

 

[BornInCantaloup]

Axe rushing requires a close copper mine and the target's lack of copper, iron or horse. I don't see any possibility of success without any one of the previous condition.

If going for an axe rush, it is highly desirable that the target has horses, because the AI will split its production between archers and chariots. This means it will have less archers and archers only are the dangerous unit.
- Chariots don't receive defensive bonuses. An axeman has an easy time attacking a city defended with chariots.
- Chariots counter offensives are made irrelevant with a few spears.

 

[BornInCantaloup]

Double post.