Cut The Enemy's Legs

[Sashie VII]

I've tested this only on Emperor and Monarch, so don't ask me about DG or Deity

Are you the player who doesn't like to conquer more land after a certain point, but likes to hurt the AI nonetheless?

Are you the player who loves to be ages ahead in tech, without leaving each and every AI as OCC?

Do you enjoy technological and military superiority without actually growing too big that AI's no longer pose any threat?

Then this is for you!

This is done by use of artillery units escorted by an army. It is best to use as many artillery units as possible, so that more damage can be done in less time. Some fast units should come along to snatch workers. Personally, I usually use at least 3-4 dozen artillery units.

The crew's aim is to bombard, bombard and then bombard some more. If possible, it is best to start near the enemy's core, as it would hurt them more. Target tiles, this creates craters which reduce the basic production of the tile. When you run out of tiles, turn to nearby cities. The aim now is to destroy every city improvement and level their population to 1. Note that we do not intend to kill any of the enemy's units, only to destroy tiles, buildings and population. Do this to every city of the enemy that matters, if it's a corrupted 2-pop tundra town then don't bother.

Once we have finished decimating their entire population, burning buildings to the ground and restructuring their lands to look more like the moon, the objective is achieved. The effect is that the enemy is now ruined and have to start from scratch in terms of economy and infrastructure.

i) They have a lot of units that you did not kill, which means they need to pay more for upkeep even after their bonuses. By disconnecting recources with bombardment, they build even more of those cheap obsoletes,which means even more upkeep.

ii) Their workers have to clear all those craters before tile reimprovement can begin. And we know how few workers the AI build with luck, the AI would be bankrupt and cannot afford to build new workers to replace those you managed to capture. So their people will live in craters for quite a while.

iii) They have to begin building all the needed city improvement anew. For some time, their growth would be limited by happiness issues. Furthermore, they'll have less science without libraries and universities and less money (upkeep, upkeep) without marketplaces and banks.

The net effect of this is that the enemy would be slowed tremendously. Doing this to nation after nation would then slow the world. In which time you can run ahead in technology and do whatever you like henceforth.

This is feasible especially on Archipelago and Continental maps.

Feel free to rip me and the thread apart

EDIT: Please note that this strategy is by no means intended to be *the best* option, or that it is foolproof. It's purpose is to add variety and dimension to one's gameplay, and FUN.

 

[Aceman101]

Very good strategy Sashie. However Instead of 3-4 dozen I use about 70 artillery and about 30-40 bombers. Since you don't intend to kill units, bombers might be innapropriate though. That's all .

 

[gmaharriet]

Um, I sure hope you aren't shooting for a diplo victory.

 

[eldar]

You have to be very careful with WW using this strategy. Dozens of units slowly picking their way around an AI's territory is going to get people crazy, quickly.

 

[Sashie VII]

War weariness is an issue, as eldar pointed out. Thank you

That is the reason to use as many artilleries as possible; do your damage as quickly as possible then get out. Since I play mostly continents, I tend to use lots of ships to ferry them around so I guess that should be considered too.

As for diplomatic victory, of course not Since you'll slow the AIs down, you'll get to build UN yourself

 

[Aceman101]

^ Simple answer Switch to MONARCHY and become a king that rules everyone, controll your army around the world happily without WW affecting your tactical decisions. Rule your civ with mighty power and make a revolution to MONARCHY!!!

Who needs Republic?

 

[Sashie VII]

Actually, I've only tried this with Republic and the WW has never got out of hand.

 

[Aceman101]

Well in Monarchy you have 0 WW. 0% unhappy citizens from WW. 0% riots from WW. 0% loss of productivety from WW. Larger army, no war weariness.

I am a warmonger and Monarchy is the best IMVVHO .

 

[Sashie VII]

I'm more of a builder than warmonger btw.

However, the use of this strategy is actually to slow everyone down while you yourself run ahead and take the lead/magnify it. In Monarchy, you get slower than you would in Republic.

Please note that this strategy is by no means intended to be *the best* option, or that it is foolproof. It's purpose is to add variety and dimension to one's gameplay, and FUN.

 

[Aceman101]

Umm, your a builder??? .

In addition to my previous flaws, I discovered something last night during a 100-turn practice game.

I'm too agressive.

Proof: At turn 100, I only have 5 towns. I've destroyed the Japanese, razed half of Spain, and the guys on the other continent have shown up in their galleys.

And I was Korea.

EDIT: And I was not playing 5CC.

 

[Sashie VII]

Yes indeed I am.

I'm more of a builder than warmonger

If I warmonger that much,imagine how much I like to build

And I'd post scoutsout's as well, but I'm too lazy to find it

 

[Aceman101]

So you like to build and conquer? It seems like that anyway.

btw your actually so lazy you don't want to look for an article on the computer? Just when I think i'm lazy.

j/k .

 

[Sashie VII]

In my defense, I'm revising for final exams. But anyway;

You guys misunderstand me. I am actually a builder at heart.

Seriously, I like to build stuff:

* I like to build cities, so that I may build an empire...
* I like to build barracks, so I can build veteran units.
* I like to build roads, to connect my trade network, make some gold, and move some units.
* I like to build markets, for happiness, gold, and unit support.
* I like to build libraries, so I can learn to build better units.
* I like to build MORE cities, for more unit support
* I like to build railroads, so I can move my units really fast.
* I like to build factories, so I can build units faster
* I like to build things that throw rocks and drop bombs, so I can ... kill other civs' units!
* I like to build universities and banks... (see "libraries" and "markets")
* I like to build airfields, so I can move units around really, REALLY fast.

I love civ-warfare, and I like to wage war on the AIs. However once my continent is mine, I don't have that drive to really conquer anything anymore. Although I still like to fight.

I build a lot. In fact, I conquer my continent to build! Since I get all the lux on my continent, my citizens are happy and I can save money on lux tax. Since I've no one to fight or really threaten me (IOW can get to me via land), I can focus on building. I go for space nowadays only to see how far I can push my empire's power with all those fancy buildings in the Modern Age, and that was what lead to this strategy.

 

[Ringo Kid]

Do you attack the strongest AI civ, or the closest, or which? How do you decide? Do you wait for artillery,or start earlier with cats-cannons and such?

 

[Sashie VII]

The one with coastal lux, so that I can have a beachhead and gain a resource. I usually pick the strongest first to slow them down, and then move to whoever's closest.

I begin mass building cannons, and then upgrade them to artillery. I find that artillery, having bombardment range of two tiles away, is more effective. Cats and cannons need to move around more in enemy territory, increasing war weariness. Furthermore, I'm usually still warring on my home continent during the Ancient to mid-Middle Ages. After that I consolidate, and by the end of the Middle Ages/Early Industrial my empire should be ready to take on the world with this strat.

 

[psweetman1590]

Just a thought.... If the AI has bombers, you might be in trouble. Armies are bomber magnets, and they'll eventually be killed. It would help to bring along a group of four flak or SAM to shoot down planes, but this is only a partial solution, as they will not stop all, or even most of the planes. To compound this, your army has to keep moving and so cannot heal.

Other than that, yup, this works. Perfect way to bring a civ from hero to zero status in a matter of two score turns.

 

[Aceman101]

The one with coastal lux, so that I can have a beachhead and gain a resource. I usually pick the strongest first to slow them down, and then move to whoever's closest.

I begin mass building cannons, and then upgrade them to artillery. I find that artillery, having bombardment range of two tiles away, is more effective. Cats and cannons need to move around more in enemy territory, increasing war weariness. Furthermore, I'm usually still warring on my home continent during the Ancient to mid-Middle Ages. After that I consolidate, and by the end of the Middle Ages/Early Industrial my empire should be ready to take on the world with this strat.

I know the solution to that problem...

Just a thought.... If the AI has bombers, you might be in trouble. Armies are bomber magnets, and they'll eventually be killed. It would help to bring along a group of four flak or SAM to shoot down planes, but this is only a partial solution, as they will not stop all, or even most of the planes. To compound this, your army has to keep moving and so cannot heal.

Other than that, yup, this works. Perfect way to bring a civ from hero to zero status in a matter of two score turns.

With the 30-40 bombers I bring I bring about 10-15 fighters for air superiority. They're pretty good for intercepting. And as you said, bring a few SAM's. Nothing better than seeing AI planes falling out of the sky.

 

[Sashie VII]

Urm, part of the timing for this strat is to stop the AIs from getting planes...ever

 

[Aceman101]

No AI planes. Which probably means no new industrial age units. I'l grant the AI's planes and new units, so long as I am still in charge of the world.

 

[Ringo Kid]

By that point in the game, you could switch to commie to lose the war weariness,and lessen overall corruption. Science rate would still be much stronger than the cratered and improvement starved AI. Would that be a good idea?