Help With OTTOMAN (Emperor) Game :)

[GZRD]

Attached is my SAV. It is 250 BC and I've just pushed the Americans out of the top right corner of the continent. I have been behind the whole game in tech and have done what I could with trades and war to keep pace. I am thinking this will be a mostly war-based game at this stage, and I wouldn't mind winning by domination.

When I get to this stage I often falter and am never quite sure what to do. The empire is larger and unwieldy, many possible enemies lurk (Scandinavia has been itching to DOW on me for awhile but I have a strong stack of artillery and horsemen ATM).

As I've focused mostly on unit building the cities have few improvements, only a few barracks, and some temples to avoid culture flips.

Could some of you veterans give me some pointers, advice on which direction to go? Overall tactics? Specifically help with the new, less productive cities in the empire.

I have to toe up to Scandinavia soon, before they pull far ahead in tech and while I still have a strong standing army (my catapults did the heavy lifting against Abe). Should I wait for my trade deal to expire and keep building military until the Vikings declare war or demand something? I feel certain they will, soon enough... I have been the aggressor vs America and razed all the cities i captured, so no one is very happy with me

 

[AutomatedTeller]

a few things:

1) You should probably get into Monarchy
2) You need more workers.
3) stop with military builds in your core, build libraries and markets. Lots of libraries. All your infrastructure builds should be libraries and markets for now.
4) Try to get trades for luxes - build roads to connect to people, build harbors
5) Why did you have to pay america for peace?
6) I'd move the army to Sinop and Philly and let seattle be. If the Vikings take it, oh well. But if you can get Arhus and Reykjavik (and 10 cats, 10 swords and 10 horses should be able to do that)
7) Antalaya is building a unit without a rax, which is a no-no.

As for strategy - get to Mil trad, then go nuts. Trade for luxuries to get your cities bigger.

 

[GZRD]

"7) Antalaya is building a unit without a rax, which is a no-no."

What does this mean?


--

Thank you for your help and for looking at my save

I still need to get Literature for the libraries but I can start the markets.

Thanks for the insights, I'll apply them right away!

 

[vmxa]

RAX means barracks.

 

[GZRD]

Thanks!

 

[vmxa]

What he means is that the extra hit point for being a vet, rather than a regular, is going to allow you to win some battles a regular would have lost. In most games you should stop making troops after a some warriors in towns that do not have a rax.

 

[Lord Emsworth]

Looking at your game, I don't think you actually have that many options. For example, you are in no real position to start research big time and to develop a strong empire based on the land that you have. The only government available to you is Monarchy, which does not make research all that much easier. The other government, Republic, is firstly not available to you at the moment (it may be in a short while) and secondly not a real option due to the large number of units that you have.

Where you are good, is military. You have now a decent military comprising of horses, swords, ACs and cats. And your only possible target for a war are the Vikings.

So, now you know what to do. Go to war with the Vikings. And revolt to Monarchy.

The Vikings are no easy target, but they are more than doable. I would suggest you get an alliance with the Indians, who are to the south of the Vikings. As of now you could still use Currency. That way you won't have to fight all alone and you can be relatively sure that there won't be a Viking-Indian alliance against you. Not sure you could manage fighting both of them at the same time.


And those temples ... Stop building them. And sell those that you finished already.

 

[Lord Emsworth]

5) Why did you have to pay america for peace?

I would wager that techs were a part of the peace treaty too.

 

[GZRD]

Yes they were a part of the deal.

I built the temples so I wouldn't get culture flips... how much of a risk are those? I place my own cities (raze conquered ones) but still... I'm always paranoid and unsure of what to do with the outer cities who can't build much.

 

[creamcheese]

Yes they were a part of the deal.

I built the temples so I wouldn't get culture flips... how much of a risk are those? I place my own cities (raze conquered ones) but still... I'm always paranoid and unsure of what to do with the outer cities who can't build much.

You build settlers, workers, and artillery units with the corrupt cities. You also make them into science farms or tax farms (irrigate everything, then assign specialists). Artillery doesn't matter if it is veteran or not, so no barracks is needed, same for settlers and workers.

Important Note: for you as the Ottomans (scientific), libraries are cheaper than temples, and give you 1 more culture. They have the same upkeep, and will help you if you decide to research anything yourself.

Really though you just learn to live with culture flips by stationing units outside cities to take back any that flip, and by taking and nearby cities. They don't happen that often, and in a military game you can just conquer it again easily.

 

[GZRD]

Thanks Creamcheese, that was concise and precise info that really helped

 

[HagiaSophia]

Ottomans?
Give up and die
But I think you should try and build a navy; you don't want any nasty invaders getting in while you're rebuilding.