Do you go hunting?

[facistal]

Lately when I start with a warrior I have been going out of my way - just a little - to actually attack the animals if they are on open ground. I used to think it was never worth the risk, but you get more exp for attacking and getting an early Woody II warrior is pretty sweet. First of all it is the ultimate scout, but more importantly it is the ideal worker stealer.

The benefits of getting a free worker and being able to fortify a unit beside and opposing capital that the AI cant remove till it gets an Axeman can be huge.

Anybody else risk it?

 

[Steve the Noble]

I'll usually leave animals alone unless there's a danger to cities, workers or settlers. Warriors go obsolete fairly quickly so the extra experience is only good for attacking other animals or barbarian warriors. But I don't risk hunting in tiles with large defense bonuses. Losing the only unit that can scout early is costly.

Sometimes I'll let the animals attack my first warrior while defending from a forest.

 

[Sisiutil]

I find it annoying to put off my exploration (and potential goody-hut popping) while the unit heals, so I prefer to avoid barb units wherever possible. You also run the risk when you attack a unit on open ground that there's another, healthy barb unit right beside it that won't be revealed until your now-wounded unit moves onto the tile.

However, sometimes when a fight is unavoidable I will attack, especially if my Warrior has no good defensive terrain to which he can retreat.

 

[Welnic]

Animals don't get defensive bonuses. If you attack it is riskier since you are not getting a defensive bonus, but you don't have to worry about whether they are on open ground or not. It is actually better to attack into defensive terrain because that is where you will be next turn so you can start healing right away.

 

[facistal]

Hmm - I had no idea that animals dont get bonus'

 

[svv]

I never attack. I will sometimes sit them in the animal's path and fortify them, hopefully on some good terrain - the animals will almost always go ahead and attack me.

It helps to get 2 woodman promotions on your exploring warrior, or even your exploring scout, so they can go through woods/jungle at 2 squares/turn.

 

[br_casino]

I'll usually leave animals alone unless there's a danger to cities, workers or settlers. Warriors go obsolete fairly quickly so the extra experience is only good for attacking other animals or barbarian warriors. But I don't risk hunting in tiles with large defense bonuses. Losing the only unit that can scout early is costly.

Sometimes I'll let the animals attack my first warrior while defending from a forest.

Animals won't enter your cultural borders and thus will never attack a city or any units within cultural borders.

 

[LlamaCat]

Animals don't get defensive bonuses. If you attack it is riskier since you are not getting a defensive bonus, but you don't have to worry about whether they are on open ground or not. It is actually better to attack into defensive terrain because that is where you will be next turn so you can start healing right away.

why would it be riskier to attack animals if they don't get defensive bonuses? your unit may in fact get defensive bonuses, but that's irrelevant if you're the attacker. I think you have it mixed up or something.. it's better to attack an opponent that does NOT have defensive bonuses

 

[Nials]

I tend to risk it a lot by ending my Warrior's turn in a forest or on a forested/hill. Woodsman is a great early promotion for exploring plus it also further enhances your Warrior's defense when inside above mentioned tiles - more easy XP from barbs.

 

[Welnic]

why would it be riskier to attack animals if they don't get defensive bonuses? your unit may in fact get defensive bonuses, but that's irrelevant if you're the attacker. I think you have it mixed up or something.. it's better to attack an opponent that does NOT have defensive bonuses

It's riskier to attack than it is to sit in the woods and get attacked. But the payoff is greater.

 

[drkodos]

If I sense factors may be in my factor, then I hunt (like the uncouth, vulgar, paleolith I tend to be at that stage of the game when animals are roaming).

 

[svv]

It's really nice when you can get axes early enough that there are still animals around. "Who's afraid NOW Mr. Bear?"