How can I conquer highly defended cities?

[rladngus]

The AI always places at least 2-3 ranged units in a city to defend it (if gained enough experience, these units can boost their defensive skills when idling in cities). When I declare war on an AI with archers in nearly every city (early in the game), it's more or less a suicidal war for me. How can I counter this strategy?


BY THE WAY - how do I "whip" a population using slavery??

 

[Martin79]

1. Use catapult to bombard city defenses and send some of them in suicidal mission to weaken the defenders.

2. Use swordsman with "city raider" or "cover" promotion to finish the job.

 

[duende29]

Before Construction, you will need to bring higher numbers. Inevitably you will lose units weakening the defenders first before the rest of your stack can capture the city. If you can't field twice as many units as archers are in a city then don't attack yet and train more units.

After Construction it goes like this: use Siege/Spy to bring down the defense of the city, then you attack with some of the siege to inflict collateral damage. Then you use your city buster units to take the stronger defenders (be it city raider, or anti-whatever-is-defending), suiciding the lower leveled ones first if your strong ones can't get odds of +60%, and lastly you use the units that are closer to promotions or you want to level to take the city. Cavalry make good "last attackers" against non-hill cities because you can either move them in the city or let them defend the wounded (medic cavalry).

EDIT: It almost always goes like that unless your city takers get good odds against the city, in which I save the siege for later or to kill weak defenders for exp.

 

[rladngus]

ah... Thanks

 

[Artichoker]

The AI always places at least 2-3 ranged units in a city to defend it (if gained enough experience, these units can boost their defensive skills when idling in cities). When I declare war on an AI with archers in nearly every city (early in the game), it's more or less a suicidal war for me. How can I counter this strategy?


BY THE WAY - how do I "whip" a population using slavery??

It's even more suicidal after those Archers are replaced by Longbowmen...

But, as others have stated, the easy way to beat them is with Catapults.
With Catapults, there are two ways to use them-- 1) like a normal attacking unit, but the catapult causes collateral damage, or 2) using their "bombard city defenses" ability, which is done by pressing the red target icon.

You can also have some Catapults specialize in collateral damage, and others in bombard damage. The ones with very high experience should get both.

 

[Verge]

Just to reiterate what others have said: siege.

Just to reiterate what I have just reiterated: siege.

And for added emphasis: siege!


A regular warmonger should have no compunctions whatsoever in sending copious amounts of catapults to their deaths in order to take a fortified city.