Best way to save my as*?

[godot]

I am playing King w/5 civs on a medium map for world conquest. I have control of one large continent and the Mongols have control of another. The Japanese and Chinese are spread over a few small to medium islands and are not real threats.

The Mongols are VERY aggresive although I have the UN now so they've toned it down a bit. They currently have 30+ citys and a powerful civ most of which they stole from the Japanese and Chinese (both of whom I'm on good terms with). I had gone Fundamental to allow military buildup to counter the Mongols' attacks (mostly just butting against my coastal fortresses with occassional forays into the interior). I have a small foothold on the Mongol homeland; a size 5 city I stole with a Spy.

NOW, I'm a little behind in science (but not badly) with about 6000 in gold and am looking for some guidance in deciding on my next strategy.

(1) Try and take over a nearby medium island which has Japanese, Chinese and 1 Mongol city to give me a stronger power base and to keep it from the Mongols.
(2) Start bribing Mongol cities in their homeland to begin reducing their power base.
(3) Do back to Democracy and sit tight for a little to build up more money, trade and science.

 

[Leowind]

With 6000 gold, I would go with #1 or #2. If you sit back and wait they'll just keep coming after you, unless you use the waiting to get ahead in tech and then roll over them. If the island with 1 mongol city is not in a position to be a threat, by inclination would probably be to start eating at the Mongol empire from your stolen city. Bribe nearby cities to strengthen your position, and send all units you can spare to that beachead and start expanding outward. Others may have better ideas...

 

[Andu Indorin]

If you're a little behind in science, I'd employ option 1; but only if the nuclear option has not been achieved. Further, I'd raise the tax rate to maximum in order to rush build a mighty force, while building up the treasury; and set science to a minimum and, using spies/dips, allow the Mongols to do your research for you and then steal the latest from them. In about 10 to 20 turns you should have a sizable military force with which to knock out one of those islands, and use it for a springboard for a full-scale invasion of the Mongol homeland.

 

[Mao Tse Tung]

i dont have much to say except when i tried domething like #2,i cost me a lot of units and that was for a little city.i say never attck mainland till u've gained some sort of ground in the area,cuz when i attck mainland they launch a full attck on that mainland city and take it.if the chinese city/japenses cities r near the mongol city take it.make the chinese and japs wage if not already at war with mongols.then send ur units with their forces to attck and steal cities.
i guess i did have a lot 2 say.this may not work for every 1,it worked in my currnet game as the romans allied wit eygptains and greeks agaisnt the babolonyans.

 

[greenie]

This is just my opinion, but as long you are on good terms and you arent near the time that everyone turns on you, then I'd go straight for the Mongols - just work on taking one city at a time, or going through with defensive units liek Partisans, Fanatics to pillage or hold off their strong points, even put strong defenders in fortresses or mountains or hills to have the Mongols waste resources.

And never forget the simple pleasure of building spies non stop and destroying a city through sabotage.

If you destroy the City Walls, Courthouse and happiness improvements, a city will be much easier to bribe.

Good hunting!

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- Greenie

" Let us take by
cunning what we would
take by force"

 

[BlueMonday]

I say take out the weaker civs first, you don't want the annoyance of them while your taking out the Mongols. Then, turn your attention to the Mongols. With 6000 gold, use 75% of it steal their cities and your army to take out everything else. Don't switch back to democracy, it's time wasted. Crush them now, build up later.

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<FONT COLOR="blue">I take every day one beer at a time; every beer one sip at a time.</FONT c>

 

[Simon Darkshade]

It depends whether you want a quick victory, or an interesting and fun one to remember.
Don't know what tech level you are on, but I assume industrialized, but not yet mech inf and armor.
1.) Defend your own territorial heartland, and industrialize and build up a large combination of mobile units, artillery/howitzers and riflemen. Fanatics are not really that useful, but Marines and Partisans are.
2.) Hold and fortify your beachead in Mongolia, and reinforce with Marines, Engineers and Spies. Use UN to keep peace.
3.) Go on a bug cash saving spree for several turns, and catch up with science.
4.) Build a navy, both to control your seas, the sea lanes to their continent, and as an invasion fleet.
5.) Either ignore or destroy the Japs and Chinese, or even better, use them as cash cows with rtribute and trade.
6.) Send out a fleet, mainly with Marines and other Infantry, and make some diversionary landings and bridgeheads. Meanwhile, send a large fast force to an isolated part of their land and wait just off shore, or hide inland. Use plenty of Partisans, and add some Spies for good measure. Discover their transport infrastructure, and recce their force deployments regularly.
7.) When time is right, attack from as many sides as possible, EXCEPT your hidden force (Operational Maneuver Group) While Mongols busy either breaking themsleves on your positions, or wiping out your sacrificial troops, attack their rear zones. Go for their capital as a main goal, so you may schism them. Use spies to take out cities, and bribe units. Destroy them as an effective opposition in one or two rounds.
8.) Divide and conquer. Your enemies that is.
Ignore using island as spring board, go for an unexpected angle, even if you have to sail around the world to get there.

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Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you.
- N.S.Khrushchev

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

One thing to consider when deciding who to attack: You said you are behind in tech, so use the Mongols' (I assume you are ahead of the others) knowlege against them. If you send one spy to steal a tech, then another to buy the city you can get the techs you need very quickly.

However, remember that big cities can be VERY expensive to bribe especially before taking the capital.

Personally, I would set the tax rate as high as possible and start rushbuying your forces and/or inciting cities to take out the Mongols. Money makes the world go 'round!

Don't mess with the little civs since they are not a serious threat. Even if the Mongols go after the other civs, it just means they will be fighting on two fronts, making your job even easier on their homeland.

Remove your biggest threat whenever possible.

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DEATH awaits you all...with nasty, big, pointy teeth.

 

[cichlid221]

Here's an idea:
Make peace with them, but not an alliance. Since you have the UN, this will be easy. While they openly attack the Chinese and Japanese, who will probably be hard to take because they're on islands, secretly give the island folk minor techs, and, in effect, make them a puppet nation. Now, here's the fun part. For as long as you think you can, build up on units. I assume you're pretty far along in tech, so don't worry about it unless you're way behind. Have all of these units stay just behind the Mongols' border, build roads to a few fortresses there, and defend your seaside cities.
When one of two things happens, it's time to attack. The first is that the Mongols either discover your troops or start doing very well against the island nations. The second is if you feel that the Mongols have lost many troops, and that you now have a sufficient advantage.
Before you break your treaty, see if they will do it for you. When you talk to them, they'll probably say: "We are busily crushing our evil neighbors, the Chinese. We request that, by the terms of our treaty, you come to our aid." Say no. Then, they'll probably demand something else. Say no. They'll say, "Had you not that accursed UN, we'd gladly teach you a lesson." Now, demand tribute. If you're lucky, they'll either pay up, or declare war. If they don't do either, or if they pay you, declare war. They'll be too surprised to attack back, because all of their forces will be with the island wars.
Try to fortify lots of forces around any city that's too strong to take right away, and cut off their resources. Their ships will attack your coastal cities, but that's all right, because they can't take them over. With lots of luck, and many spies, you should be able to take them out in about 30 turns.
As for the Chinese and Japanese, all you will have to do is either build your spaceship, which will be easier, or attack with your leftover forces, which will be next to impossible.

[This message has been edited by cichlid221 (edited June 22, 2001).]

 

[godot]

This is all good input. Thanks. As an update: I ended up losing to the Mongols, and BADLY. I made a lot of mistakes, but after all, I'm just a freakin' newbie.

I have a save at the point I was when I stated this thread and I will try to remember to post it when I get off work.

I'd be very interested (and probably humbled) to see what some of you good players do with it.