"Coring" Civs

[anonymous4401]

Does anybody use this method? What I have noticed on my Continent maps that civs usually start on or very near the coast. Consequentially, it is likely that their core cities would also be on or near the coast. So, when attacking civs overseas, I just land about 90% or so of my army right near those core cities and start throwing 'em on the defenders. Although the AI tends to defend their core cities better, in my games taking out the 5 core cities is much easier than taking out 15 normal ones. Without the heart of their empire, the enemy's economy will surely fall. Also, is there any penalty for having your capital conquered?

 

[Phantom Lord]

My overseas attacks often take place late in the game. At this time, the defences of bigger cities of a strong civ can be pretty difficult to crack. It also takes more time to lower the population of the big ones to avoid flipping.

I rembember a full force surprise attack against Rome where I used 42 bombers, 5 MA armies, approximately 40 MA and I almost lost the battle. All this stuff was stored in a neighbour city of Rome which I gained early in the game, so the conditions were pretty perfect. The backfire in the next round was also pretty impressive.

Most times I go for the main continent but not directly for the core cities. Usually I try to get a small city to use it as a military base. Then I target ressources. Once the enemy is cut off from ressources I try to wear his modern units down in defensive battles, then I raid luxuries and maybe try to conquer one or two core cities that have happiness or military wonders. If I already have flight, I build airports in my own core cities and airdrop all units I build directly to my operation base. If conqueres cities have many inhabitants left I usually let them build workers until they're down to size 2-3.

 

[anonymous4401]

Well, I haven't really gotten far enough/drawn out a game enough to have the opponent defending their cities with MI stacks. Also, I play Regent/Monarch, so higher levels would be harder. Thanks for the airdrop tip.

 

[Phantom Lord]

I'm "only" playing emperor and monarch as well.

In a few games that reached into the 20th century I had heavy MA/MI battles as well nuke conflicts and spaceship races with the AI, with the spaceship usually being my reason for attacking AI capitals.

Which leads me to a question, has somebody seen the AI starting to build a new spaceship after the first one is destroyed? I haven't yet and I wonder if it does. In Civ 1 it did.

 

[Scyphax]

I have sometimes destroyed road networks arround the capital if it is near the coast.

I mainly use naval bombardment (or bombers if I have them).
And land troops to pillage roads my navy cannot reach.

This increased corruption in the rest of the cities and prevents the most productive city creating any units that require resources.

Mean while the main invasion force is doing its stuff somewhere else

 

[Txurce]

I have seen China start on a second spaceship after its first one was destroyed, despite being reduced to also-ran size.

 

[Phantom Lord]

THX, that's interesting to know when facing a stronger AI civ which may happens on large maps.

On the issue of coring, at the moment I'm playing vikings, and their medieval marine assault uu (berserk) is pretty interesting. You can strip an enemy of his costal towns in no time. Just load teams of berserks and some defensive units (to later defend captured cities) into galleys and go for an oversea raid. This civ really feels like its historical template.