GOTM 46 First Spoiler - end of ancient age.

[EMan]

@megabrainz: Welcome to CFC.

I think the AI Can Pop-Rush more than 1 citizen per turn (viz. It might pop a Pikeman, sacrificing 2 citizens).........But, if it's only popping a Spearman it will only be one!

 

[AlanH]

You can pop rush using multiple citizens, but only one unit per turn. You get 20 shields per citizen if there are some already in the box, or 10 per citizen if the box is empty.

 

[jesusin]

Quote
Equally, I'd be interested to know why cities auto-raze at size 1, as it doesn't seem to happen every time (in particular I suspect it of not happening when I'm in Democracy).

Answer to megabrainz : Only cities size one and with no culture will auto-raze.
I also waited for the city to grow; when I lost patience and attacked there were too many defenders and I lost my whole army. :-(

 

[megabrainz]

@Eman, AlanH: Thanks. I can see why this "bug" exists in the game, because presumably the AI finds it hard to spot an invasion force - but how frustrating that any city, even quite a large one, might drop to size 1 and auto-raze! Mind you, I'd be surprised if the AI sacrificed 2 population just to get an extra pikeman. And, thanks for the welcome Eman!

@jesusin: So, if the city has a culture-producer it won't auto-raze? Or does it need to have expanded its borders? This is yet another bizarre and counter-intuitive quirk of the game. I share your frustration at Barcelona's intransigence; in the end Egypt captured it, only to have it taken by me many turns later, using railroads to strike about a half-dozen cities in one turn!

 

[EMan]

@jesusin: So, if the city has a culture-producer it won't auto-raze? Or does it need to have expanded its borders?

Yes, it needs to have expanded its borders. (viz. City's Culture must be > 9.)

There is an exception to this rule: You have CityA, with expanded borders and lose it to the AI. If you recapture CityA, it will not autoraze because YOU had culture > 9.......even if the AI has CityA at size 1 and culture < 10!