Dealing with AIs Wall / Castle

[gavenkoa]

I tried Always War game and AIs built lots of Walls.

I tried to capture city on a hill with walls and Longbowmans using Horse Archers. It was instructive experiment ))

Probably at that point I need Trebuchet to match 6STR of Longbowman. Catapults are useless even with 2-3 promotions.

 

[georgjorge]

You are correct: either Horse Archers (who normally go without siege units to profit from two movement) or Catapults are next to useless against Longbows behind Walls.

There are certain points in the timeline when an attack on the AI will succeed. If you use Horse Archers, you have to attack before the AI has Longbows (and not too many Spears either). The same goes for Catapults.

However, there is a large period in Medieval times where building enough Trebuchets can take down enemy cities even with Walls and Longbows. If you can defend your stack against enemy attacks, you can use Trebuchets + support units right until the AI has Grenadiers or Rifles, which is a long time.

Short version:
- tech to Horse Archers or Catapults faster
- choose the AI you attack wisely (shouldn't be too advanced)
- prepare for Medieval war with a lot of Trebuchets.

 

[gavenkoa]

I experimented with WorldBuilder and info from https://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/strategy/game-mechanics/combat-explained/

Fortified in walled city on a hill Longbowman has 50% (unit ability for being in a city and on a hill?) +25% (fortification) +25% (wall) +25% (hill) = 125% DEF.

Trebuchets with +100% against city reduces defense to 125% - 100% = 25%.

If we give 1 City Raider +20%, 2 City Raider +25%, 3City Raider +30% we get

SR1: +5%DEF (4 vs 6.3)
SR2: -20%DEF (4 vs 4.8) - OK for collateral damage & surviving
SR3: -50%DEF (4 vs 3 STR) - good odds!

 

[dankok]

Spies work pretty well to send cities in revolt for a turn. While in revolt, all defenses from culture, walls etc. disappear and the city can be taken.

 

[gavenkoa]

Spies work pretty well to send cities in revolt for a turn. While in revolt, all defenses from culture, walls etc. disappear and the city can be taken.

I tried to go with spies and I had +4 esp/T with total 400 points against AI. But revolt requires 600 points. It is early game and my gold surplus is below 20gpt ((

And after spending espionage I need to regain new points...

Actually I has happy that AI poisoned my cities - that lowered barrier for revolt but still it was annoying to collect esp points. Need to learn how to do it efficiently...

Does anyone play with Spy + mounted units combo? How do you gain enough esp points?

 

[Gumbolt]

Rarely use spies if I go cuirs. Too much effort as the cuirs take down the cities so quickly. Most will go cannons and rifles otherwise. Once you have frigates defences can easily be taken down. Trebs and mace could work but painful vs castles.

Grenadiers will be strong against castles as they have gunpowder advantage so ignore city walls. Building up 600-700 Ep and building spies seems a waste to me. Unless you got a great spy. Even so on most games going great wall is not ideal.

 

[sampsa]

While in revolt, all defenses from culture, walls etc. disappear and the city can be taken.

IIRC walls defense does not disappear. Of course, gunpowder units ignore walls defense anyway.

 

[dankok]

IIRC walls defense does not disappear. Of course, gunpowder units ignore walls defense anyway.

City defense goes down to 0% from City Revolt.

Ignoring walls and castles is why Cuirassiers do so much better busting medieval cities than even Cataphracts.

 

[Deathcrush]

Rarely use spies if I go cuirs. Too much effort as the cuirs take down the cities so quickly. Most will go cannons and rifles .

Or canons and maces.

 

[sampsa]

City defense goes down to 0% from City Revolt.

I stand corrected.