Defending against landings or barbars.

[Rosicrucian]

Let's say you're in the knight/crusader/pikemen era. What do you typically have in your cities for defense? I usually have only a phalanx that I built originally. I could put pikemen, but that takes time, as does putting a second unit. When should I spend the time to build another unit in the city? I need protection against barbarian landings and enemy landings. It seems they always land near me and the next turn I lose the city. But I can't put double or triple units in every city, can I? That would take ages.

 

[goodbye_mr_bond]

I never build more than 1 defense unit per city, if any. You're better off keeping a bit of spare cash and a few diplomats handy. Bribe any barbs that come close. If barbs take the city, you can bribe it back easily anyway. That's for non-crucial cities of course. If you're depending on it to maintain offensive units at the front you might want to just rush-build an extra unit (archer for possible attack if the opportunity presents itself) when they get too close.

Another option is to build the Great Wall. It should hold you until gunpowder, and gives you a bonus against barbs.

 

[Rosicrucian]

Damn, really?? You know what, I need to see someone's game, can someone give me a link to a saved TOT Originakl Game during the crusader/knight era? I'd like to see one

 

[Knight-Dragon]

For any of my cities, I'll usually have 2 pikes and maybe 1 knight or crusader (sometimes catapult). Usually I am a monarchy during the pike/knight era so I'll keep 3 units in each city to enforce martial law. When I chg govt to republic, will disband one of the pikes unless it's an endangered city (frontier etc).
When barbarians land, will use the attk units to wipe them out. During this time, any cash I have will be used to rush-build improvements so I will only use cash sparingly.
Get Leonardo's, then your units will be upgraded continuosly. Also build city walls (or the Great Wall but bear in mind will expire).

 

[Archbob]

Walls and Pike work great against pike.

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[starlifter]

posted July 03, 2001 12:09 AM

Let's say you're in the knight/crusader/pikemen era. What do you typically have in your cities for defense? I usually have only a phalanx that I built originally. I could put pikemen, but that takes time, as does putting a second unit.

When should I spend the time to build another unit in the city? I need protection against barbarian landings and enemy landings. It seems they always land near me and the next turn I lose the city. But I can't put double or triple units in every city, can I? That would take ages.

For most cities, I use almost no brute-force city defense, on a large map, deity, raging hordes. A top priority for me is writing, and the diplomats. Cash is king, and an ever-expanding trap is always set.

Instead of walls, I build roads and roads on hills... when barbs land, the pikes ride out the attack on hills, and a horseman/chariot chases down the leader for 150gold. Often, all that is needed is the Diplomat, who bribes everything necessary, and then the leader is killed... thus lots of horsemen for 41 gold each.

I will often have a city defended with only a caravan or diplomat when in early republic, and sometimes even undefended... though my instincts say no, the math says yes.


"Fixed fortifications are a momument to the stupidity of man"
- Gen George S. Patton, in context of the French fortifications of WW I and WW II.