Freaking Alex

[Bandersnatching]

So I've been trying to play on Immortal recently, and have had (what I consider to be) bad luck with neighbors. In the past few games I've started relatively close to Alexander - sometimes also to other aggressive civs - and no matter what I do, if I try to expand into what I consider neutral zones I get attacked by massive armies.
In fact, the only time I've done wellish on Immortal, I started off next to nobody at all.
Perhaps I'm just not building up enough military units; I typically have 5-6 composite bowmen defending the city he attacks, which just gets zerg rushed by Companions, Hoplites, archers, warriors and catapults to the point that I simply cannot defend. It's nice to see an AI using its military effectively, but it sucks just dying to the onslaught.
Basically, aside from totally destroying my chances of winning by spamming quickly-obsoleted military units, does anybody have some particular tips vs. aggressive, early AI's that will help me from getting smashed? Something more than "lots of archers, put the city in a hilly area?
Also, I only get attacked once I expand, but I'd lose by not expanding. So information regarding that particular hurdle would be nice.
Thanks in advance.

 

[The Pilgrim]

Something more than "lots of archers, put the city in a hilly area?

Have a cookie?
It's kinda hard to give advice if you're not allowed to give the only reasonable advice possible. Hills and archers work for everyone else, which implies there is nothing wrong with the idea and you probably fall short on execution. Alex specifically is a pain to deal with early, but it's far from being impossible. His units get obsolete much faster than CB's. You may build/buy a couple of spears to counter CC, other than that - archers and hills. And Construction sooner rather than later. Post a save and/or SS to hear more of the same.

 

[Bandersnatching]

You may build/buy a couple of spears to counter CC, other than that - archers and hills. And Construction sooner rather than later. Post a save and/or SS to hear more of the same.

Yah, I've thought about spears too - in one of the games I had a spear; it was pretty good at surviving attacks and archer barrages. Not having enough tough melee units is probably my main problem, actually. I'm just used to five or six ranged units being enough.

I'll try out having those six CompBows plus three spears. That seems excessive as a defensive force to me, but then again, this is Immortal difficulty. You know, at that point, is it better to just build six Spears/three CompBows and gear up to attack the aggro AI instead? Because melee units have way more surviveability than those squishy archers.

At about what time do you think researching Construction is ideal? I tend to go "Resource Tech >> Writing >> Construction"; is going for two out-of-the-way techs before Construction hindering me too much?

 

[sufficiency]

I am interested to see exactly how bad it is post some screenshots/saves?

 

[Bandersnatching]

I am interested to see exactly how bad it is post some screenshots/saves?

Um, I'm still trying to figure out how to add screenshots. And the only save I have is where I made the genuine mistake of settling way closer to Alex than was really appropriate; I felt that six CompBows would save me, but the terrain sucked, and I was far away from my other cities. In that fight I killed three or four Companions (and got so close to killing all of his melee units (ONE warrior, with less HP than would've survived a full round attack from my archers, BUT NO THEY ALWAYS LEVEL UP MIRACULOUSLY and heal, seriously two Companions, a warrior and a catapult?), but the overwhelming numbers got to me in the end.
I built that city because it had access to three plains salt tiles and some river+grassland to the south; it was probably the location with the most potential, and I thought that the river would slow him down enough for me to stabilize.
In that situation, on Emperor, I would've won. But Immortal armies are like twice as large as Emperor armies.
Interestingly, it turns out that Ethiopia was moving a settler to that same location, even though he already had Salt.
I'm going to load a somewhat earlier save, settle less aggressively (and not get access to salt) and see what happens. I like my capital enough, and I think I can take alternate-universe revenge on Alex when I get my Longbows.

 

[Maxym]

If you know you will fight early, skip writing. You can make up lost sience by taking his cities. Declare on him with just one archer, scout and warri, and steal a worker , settler or two then. It won't be your real war, but it will slow him down and get you at least white peace. He will come at you later or if you militarize quickly you might have to go looking for him. This first war i find really throws their game and gets you going faster. Atbturn 10 -20 he can't take your cap and you can kill a lot of warriors.

 

[sufficiency]

If you know you will fight early, skip writing. You can make up lost sience by taking his cities. Declare on him with just one archer, scout and warri, and steal a worker , settler or two then. It won't be your real war, but it will slow him down and get you at least white peace. He will come at you later or if you militarize quickly you might have to go looking for him. This first war i find really throws their game and gets you going faster. Atbturn 10 -20 he can't take your cap and you can kill a lot of warriors.

To expand on this, if you play on Immortal and meet an AI very early (like Turn 5~10) and that AI is something nasty like Alex or Monty, you should try to steal his worker. It will slow him down and give you an early worker you can't get otherwise. Generally, this is safe to do because that AI will sue for peace after 10 turns, demanding either half or all of you gold as tributes. You can sell your gold to a neighbour for gpt then accept the treaty, and Alex usually won't hold a grudge against you.

Of course, you can do this against any AI. However, some AIs will hate you a lot if you dow them once, which may not play into your advantage later on (unless, of course, you plan to kill him completely). If you dow Gandhi once you can kiss any chance of you becoming friend with him goodbye.

 

[The Pilgrim]

Yah, I've thought about spears too - in one of the games I had a spear; it was pretty good at surviving attacks and archer barrages. Not having enough tough melee units is probably my main problem, actually. I'm just used to five or six ranged units being enough.

Well, 5-6 archers, not even CB's are usually enough if you use the terrain to your advantage. I know people fond of early Construction, but on defense it's almost redundant. On offense it's obviously helpful.

Because melee units have way more surviveability than those squishy archers.

Squishy archers are not supposed to be exposed to melee attacks. Kill enemy units first, progress towards cities later.

At about what time do you think researching Construction is ideal? I tend to go "Resource Tech >> Writing >> Construction"; is going for two out-of-the-way techs before Construction hindering me too much?

Only if you wait for Construction to build your first units. If you buy/build several archers in the meanwhile, you shouldn't face any unsolvable problems.

I am interested to see exactly how bad it is post some screenshots/saves?

Me to.