Cutting off the AI

[Valivator]

I wanted to try a game that i might finish, which would involve me not playing on a smaller pangea map and early rushing everybody (or most everybody). So I decided on a medium and small. I got stuck with William Van Oranje, (or however you spell it, the leader of the Dutch) and i saw an oppurtunity to block him off. But, i am still a new player player (just this game upgraded from warlord to noble), and this is my first time trying this strategy. Therfore, i have a few doubts about this, and a few questions:

1: If i sign open borders with him, will he probably or probably not settle behind my city?

2:When can i expect him to break out of the block?

3:I have iron, so what should my defense in that city be?

4:Should i reload and settle the city somewhere else?

5:Could anyone give me any tips/suggestions on what to do to improve future blocking cities?

-note, this city was settled JUST to block of the dutch expansion.

 

[Fastjack]

Seems like a great city site to me. You need a good military presence there to discourage turf wars, but that is only if you really cut him off - there may be a large amount of territory behind him. This is a tried a true tactic, but it can end badly if you neglect your military. You are also (at least it looks this way) placing that city adjacent to his capitol, which means you want some culture stuff there early or you may lose the copper. With open borders he will eventually settle behind you, but not until he has developed all of the land on the other side of it. just build a second city so that he has to go farther and he will be less likely to do so. After all, maintenence costs are brutal early game. For other blocking cities, you may want to build on a hill as this will be the first city that is fought over in any war vs him, also you don't want to have it overlap onto a capital like that because there is very little way you can get all of the squares inside of your city's radius when facing a capital culture-wise. You may want to reload and settle one square south, although if thats the case culture becomes even more important as without it the capitol will most likely take your copper.

 

[Joshua368]

I'll note that he will not send settlers into your lands to find places to settle, even if you open borders. He will eventually use galleys though to drop them behind your borders, so you may have to close them if you see a galley shuffling across.

Very good blocking spot though, once the borders pop and if you close borders you'll probably have him locked out until either war or astronomy, unless there's another route we can't see.

 

[Valivator]

thank you both for the advice

 

[Airefuego]

The blocking city is in a good spot.

However Willem is Creative and so your city is going to under a lot of cultural pressure fast - more so if it's his capital.

I would suggest using this city not simply as a "blocker" but as the launching point for an axe rush. Kill him fast - he may not have copper yet but he will once his culture takes it from you. Also looks like there is a lot of ocean on the map and if you leave Willem alone for too long on a map like that he will become a monster. You are Portugal and also good on ocean maps - but not as good as Willem - but with him out of the picture your preeminence will be almost assured (unless Ragnar pops up! )

 

[Bleys]

The blocking city is in a good spot.

However Willem is Creative and so your city is going to under a lot of cultural pressure fast - more so if it's his capital.

I would suggest using this city not simply as a "blocker" but as the launching point for an axe rush. Kill him fast - he may not have copper yet but he will once his culture takes it from you. Also looks like there is a lot of ocean on the map and if you leave Willem alone for too long on a map like that he will become a monster.

I concur, that is definitely his capitol, and it will soon be your GP farm. Willy tends to start with a ton of seafood. I bet its a monster.

Once you take out Willy, you may find some time to peacefully build.

 

[Valivator]

ok, so i think i will take him out. it is a little late for a "rush" but swords+axes should do it.

 

[Valivator]

well, he was researching mining by the time i got to his capital, and he had exactly one warrior and one archer vs 5 or 6 axeman and the same amount of swordsman. i lost a whole swordsman during the attack. surprise surprise, holy city of judasim, 4 seafood 2 already improved, one already improved 6 food corn. yeah, this will definitely be a gp farm

 

[Airefuego]

nice work! sounds like a ripper GP farm

 

[Bleys]

Called that one, eh, LOL, didnt think it would be THAT good though. Post us a screenie, I want to see it.

I suggest you get to HR and Caste System ASAP, and get that city to 15 pop as fast as you can, because you can run 8-10 Scientists with that food.