[GS] Early Game - so many decisions... Build orders are extinct.

[OneMoreTurnPerTile]

Slinger is usually my 3rd build, after Scout and Settler, and usually my 4th and 5th as well. I usually play Continents.

Unless you start in a corner, the Scout and Warrior will only reveal about half of the immediate map. Having a 3rd unit gives you a full view of where you really are.

There is also a limited time frame to build them before archers. If you can build/buy 3-4 before Archery, you'll have a nice squad in place by turn 30 to upgrade. An army of 2 warriors and 4 archers at 30 turns gives me a ton of flexibility for attack, or defense as does the additional information on the map

 

[Leucarum]

Slingers seem like a balancing act to me. There are definitely reasons to want a slinger or two relatively early. Getting the archery eureka saves a reasonable amount of time and is usually pretty easy to do. Being able to rapidly upgrade units you can build in very few turns thanks to agoge means I want to end up with a slinger or more before I research archery.

But if you need very early defence then a warrior or scout is an order of magnitude better and I don't know when I would put a slinger at the top of my priority list...

 

[WillowBrook]

Totally depends, not only on the map and neighbors. I use the real eurekas mod that provides a different set of boosts every time. Sometimes building a scout or two or a warrior will boost something helpful; three improvements and a slinger kill don't always provide eurekas. So I get even more variety and decisions in the opening than with the base game.

 

[qadams]

Totally depends, not only on the map and neighbors. I use the real eurekas mod that provides a different set of boosts every time. Sometimes building a scout or two or a warrior will boost something helpful; three improvements and a slinger kill don't always provide eurekas. So I get even more variety and decisions in the opening than with the base game.

I use that mod too. I really like the way it gives the game — especially the early game — a bit more variety and unpredictability.

 

[oPunchDrunko]

I always build a scout first to scope out areas to settle new cities. If there is another Civ close by, I usually go full military and try to take their cities. That usually gives me room to breathe to settle cities and improve my cities.

 

[Ornen]

archer > warrior > slinger
at least when it comes to defense
slingers are a great build because they turn into archers. i usually get one slinger early to try to get eureka, and then build several more right before i research archery

 

[pkaem]

I know getting a religion isn't an optimal strategy (except for a RV), but I just like getting one.

I don't feel like it's that bad anymore. You can greatly utilize that for CV aswell. Maybe the religion itself isn't necessary but going three holy sites, entering a classic ga really kick starts you.

 

[reddishrecue]

scout, warrior, settler. Or as as soon as my capital gets on 2 population get the settler.

 

[Timewarp]

Right now I am trying to play 4 AI Pangea Duel map on Immortal. If you lack military, you get rushed or pressed. If you dont get settlers you get forward settled. A bit tricky when chosing build order.

I am doing the same, except for only on Emperor. I am finding the same issues as you are (no surprise).

 

[ezzlar]

I am doing the same, except for only on Emperor. I am finding the same issues as you are (no surprise).

I am also playing with the Rule with Faith mod which balances out civic/governments. I even tried Real Eurekas before that but the challenge can really sky rocket from there. It's obvious that boosts are primarily a player advantage.

I was thinking about using a smoother difficulty mod which removes extra settlers but retains modifiers.

 

[gozpel]

I play Deity and most often choose scout, then slinger. If a neighbour is very close I get a couple of warriors out and then a settler.

 

[Timewarp]

I am also playing with the Rule with Faith mod which balances out civic/governments. I even tried Real Eurekas before that but the challenge can really sky rocket from there. It's obvious that boosts are primarily a player advantage.

I was thinking about using a smoother difficulty mod which removes extra settlers but retains modifiers.

I'll check out that mod. If nothing else I'll find out what "more balanced civic/governments" are

 

[GKShaman]

I play Deity and most often choose scout, then slinger. If a neighbour is very close I get a couple of warriors out and then a settler.

why on Deity would you build several warriors? Do you prioritize iron working?

Or online is T10 too early for the archery gold upgrade? Super curious.

I figure more slingers/ranged until the game goes to Knights.

 

[Victoria]

I figure more slingers

Slingers are useless for defence, a T15 attack can kill you and your slingers.
This is why some take warriors and yes a sword/musket rush is stringer now than it used to be and knights weaker.Not saying one beats the other, a combination is better.

For me personally I will build 3 warriors so I can get the replaceable Parts eureka

 

[GKShaman]

I mean my slingers turn to archers pretty fast, but I see your point - the warrior is more relevant after field cannon and early on without walls or encampments - melee wins.

 

[Stacked_Deck]

why on Deity would you build several warriors? Do you prioritize iron working?

I tend to find that the majority of AI ancient era attacks are warriors and chariots. Warriors fortified in rough terrain and surrounding your city will quite capably see off most of those threats. But this is for very early attacks, if you find the AI capital within 5-10 tiles of yours then you can expect them to march their 5 starting warriors over to your city and attack, then some chariots will start dribbling in as reinforcements.

If I'm lucky enough to have a viable start on a luxury, then diplomacy, i.e "here's everything I own, let's be friends" is the best strategy.

 

[Archon_Wing]

Incidentally the AI's love of chariots means spearmen can be very effective. If you can get a spearman promoted, then you'll have some good pikes as well.

Especially if Zulu...

 

[Victoria]

spearmen can be very effective.

And there is a key eureka for spearmen now and they are +5 on a warrior when in a city so they are not a total waste of time if there is no CS quest (the other day I had 3 CS asking for a spearman, very long odds)

 

[kb27787]

Slingers are useless for defence, a T15 attack can kill you and your slingers.
This is why some take warriors and yes a sword/musket rush is stringer now than it used to be and knights weaker.Not saying one beats the other, a combination is better.

For me personally I will build 3 warriors so I can get the replaceable Parts eureka

By t15 if you had beelined (animal husbandry to archery) and gotten the Eureka (which is why that slinger has to be out ASAP) you would already have your first archer. A warrior + archer will be better long term than 3 warriors who just sit around defending... The archer can actually kill stuff rather than let AI run their injured warriors away (though sometimes due to bad luck with barb spawns you cannot get the Eureka, the tech is worth beelining anyway... For one thing it reveals horse tiles, which are awesome tiles to work and even more so once improved, and you still might be able to get archers before the attack arrives. Easier if you got some blue CS or some tea tiles.)

 

[ezzlar]

My experience from early rush is warriors that surround (or half surround) your city and suicide against it. After two turns the city is lost. You only get one or two punches. What I usually do to defend is having my 3 warriors protect the city flanks and switch positions as they get damaged. As long as the AI can only attack the city directly with one warrior you are safe. You also need good terrain to pull this off. Straight up on grassland will too much work in AI favour because of early Flanking civic bonus and difficulty setting bonus.

So slinger is never a <T15 alternative for me. But if they delay and you manage to pop an archer early game aggression is moot (unless they have some pesky early UU).