Best way to deal with an early Loki on deity difficulty?

[Horatius]

- about using animals:

playing the Svartalfar, I actually open up with calendar and worker first but after finding the freaks close by (they have been following me lately) I then decided on animal husbandry as my second technology to see if this strategy is feasible.

After leveling up my first scout with a lion and two goblins I went with him and a warrior against a giant spider. I offered my warrior to the spider and then captured it as an overwhelming favorite trading a unpromoted warrior for a combat 2 spider which helped me against Beeri's warrior rush against me. I captured the spider at turn 48 a little before my first settler.

Loki went after my third city as it was building a monument. He casted the puppet, entered my city and my spider nailed him there before disrupt.

 

[Tasunke]

@ Horatius, why are you afraid of a big bannor on diety? Is their Crusade a truly fearsome sight on Diety rather than the pointlessness of it all (for the AI) that is on easier difficulties?

 

[Horatius]

@ Horatius, why are you afraid of a big bannor on diety? Is their Crusade a truly fearsome sight on Diety rather than the pointlessness of it all (for the AI) that is on easier difficulties?

I should have been specific that I am afraid of diety Sabathiel with Tholal's mod.
It just seems one of the better AIs at making war and getting a good combination of units.
it's not unusual to see him conquering the civilization that spawned next to him and start snowballing from there.
When he hits crusade he already has many cities. If he summons the mercurians then it is just a grind.
command posts, temples of order and charismatic helps the deity bonuses in production and promotions. cottages that grow back up stupidly fast helps as well.
Crusade also stops the AI from making many useless buildings during war (they do that even if they should not).
it's just the fact that Sabathiel makes war a little better than most.

I said that in relation to the freaks. I don't feel that the freaks are that good at making war in the middle game despite the fact that they can grow big (by stealing cities) very fast.

 

[hzf]

I managed a deity win with the Svaltfar (that is 3 races now!). I did manage to get a bear and use it to kill Loki. I am wondering if it was needed though when I could of just used my world spell. Saving the world spell until Posions is nice ofcourse, but probably not necessary.

 

[hzf]

I just had Loki again ...

If you have a HN unit 1 tile from your city, he does not cast a puppet before moving in. You need to keep your animal 2 tiles away and have a road. At least that happened in my previous game.

 

[Horatius]

I just had Loki again ...

If you have a HN unit 1 tile from your city, he does not cast a puppet before moving in. You need to keep your animal 2 tiles away and have a road. At least that happened in my previous game.

That's weird. Did you try to reload and confirm that out?

 

[hzf]

That's weird. Did you try to reload and confirm that out?

Yes.

I also tried it in a completely seperate game. Loki did not puppet again. I reloaded, moved the lion away 1 more square and he then cast a puppet before entering the city.