[DEITY] Crossbowmen totally save AI's ****

[er_veneco]

Just a little bit of ranting about: hadn't it been for the crossbowmen and walling abuse, the AI wouldn't survive past Middle ages... at least those on your same continent.

Obviously with the insane Science bonus, the guys can reach and produce Crossbowmen while your people is still trying to reach their cities even on 6 players maps...!!!

And well, the typical rushing a wall when encircled or stealing your wonder when you are 1 turn away from setting it up.

 

[kaspergm]

Crossbowmen indeed feel rather OP when they come online first.

 

[Oberinspektor Derrick]

This is the reason I'm such a fan of early religion with crusade these days.
The +10 combat strengt is a really nice stopgap that lets you take down walls with swordsmen + a battering ram rather reliably, especially if you get the tortoise promotion.
Just relying on the old warrior+archer rush alone isnt consistent enough, likewise with swordsmen without crusade as the AI teching up often shuts down that window of opportunity too early.

To use chess terms:
A simple rush is a gambit, whereas swordsmen with crusade is a reliable opening.

 

[Leyrann]

To be honest if I go for a war game I tend to either do an early horseman or galley rush (depending on map type) or I just wait until late medieval or renaissance era.

Domination victory is too easy anyway, the snowball just keeps on going and even without it no AI can stand up to the player after the Renaissance. And that coupled with domination being rather tedious means I don't actually go for it often. The game is more fun if you play peaceful, imo.