Body jam strategy

[void_genesis]

Does anyone else use a body jam technique when repelling an invasion?

I've found that deliberately leaving low health red-lined enemy melee units at my front lines is very useful to keep the enemy at bay. They often just sit there, too afraid to launch an attack that would kill them against my full health cities or units, and also seemingly unable to retreat and heal.

The only exception would be when facing Japan, or when ranged units needed to be lured closer to avoid taking damage without being able to return fire.....

 

[JWideman]

I've done it a few times, but usually when repelling an invasion I want eventual peace. Since the AI sees it still has units, it doesn't think it's losing, making peace harder to get.

 

[AxelRhodd]

Hmmm... My experience is quite the opposite. Post patch I noticed that AI is very quick to retreat their injured units - definately not sitting doing nothing. Thats normally on Emperor, pangea.

 

[joncnunn]

Even on Monarch, the AI quickly retreats wounded units post patch when possible.

Sometimes it's not quick enough since I'm fond of using traps the AI isn't smart enough to avoid falling into.

And post patch, Bismark seems to have lost his mind.

It's still in the BC years, and Bismark has already DOWed and lost 3 wars in a row.

First: He DOW me apparently out of the blue with all of One Spear near my borders; the rest of his forces nowhere near the Spear and in fact coming after a different target. He lost those as they came within range of my cites.

Next: He DOWs Darius. That war quickly ends. It was fought outside of range of my units.

A few turns later: He DOWs me again. This time he doesn't even have any units near me yet so I have time to concentrate my entire army around my capital before he arrives. This was a war of maneuver, but the AI occasionally made really bad moves, losing a unit here and there while I don't lose any.

 

[Sir Penguinboy]

Are you sure Bismark wasn't just trying to use the spear as a distraction from the real force and just didn't have enough guys? I don't if an AI would think like that but it seems like something that would happen in real life.

 

[Misterboy]

OP, I don't know if that's a great strategy... only because the AI won't make peace if they think they are at an advantage. And sadly, the AI *always* thinks it's at an advantage on higher difficulty settings because they usually have a huge troop count.

I can see using this technique if you're really up against the wall and need to buy time. But in my experience, it's best to destroy the AI troops so the AI's comparison to you allows them to make a decent peace deal.

 

[chazzycat]

There is also the possibility that if you don't finish them off, they use a promotion to insta-heal. I'm with most of the other posters thinking it's probably not the best idea.

 

[Vo01985]

There is also the possibility that if you don't finish them off, they use a promotion to insta-heal. I'm with most of the other posters thinking it's probably not the best idea.

All they seem to be using is insta heals. If you have a few ranged and you dont kill a unit in two or three shots, better prepare for that insta heal.

 

[ImperialSteeze]

A technique I've come to use more and more is to use the ton of workers you capture when going for domination to block enemy units from attacking my weaker units, i.e. ranged and siege units. If you put a worker between the enemy and your unit so that they'll have to capture the worker to get to your units they won't be able to attack again the same turn.
They're also great as simple scouts. It sucks when you can't see more than two tiles infront of you and your siege unit suddenly gets trashed by a horse unit out of nowhere.

 

[joncnunn]

Possible that the AI thought it might distract, but wasn't enough for me to be considered worth my notice.
The terrain between my cities was open, so my Chariot Archers could rush for one city to the other easily even before the road was built.

I in fact left my army near my capital there and the only unit Bismark "tied up" was one of the 2 Chariot Archers I cash rushed when the war started. (And not for long since I sent it to join the capital forces right after killing the Spear.)

Edit: Bismark was at it again: He DOWed the Persians again. From my newest city at the time I had clear visibilty of this war. Basically Darius handed Bismark's head to him on a stick; they made peace in 1 AD.
Bismark now 0 - 4 in this game in wars; and is clearly in last place on this landmass.

Are you sure Bismark wasn't just trying to use the spear as a distraction from the real force and just didn't have enough guys? I don't if an AI would think like that but it seems like something that would happen in real life.