I play on warlord and I always have a problem going to war because it takes a long time for me to get a good sized army together (including siege units) and even longer to regroup after I take a city. Is there any way that I can speed up the whole process?
Heres the thing , I think people focus too much on micromanagement . I know that used to be my problem . I used to see the consequences of war take a toll on my civ economy , cities , and everything domestic .
Building armies means YOU HAVE TO GO TO WAR or at least you should . You can't have all those troops around if you build them and not do anything with them since they incur expenses . I was hesitant to go to war when I first started playing because I lacked strategy . The War Academy on these forums helped me tremendously , I suggest you give it a gander .
For early to early-mid wars incorperate the slavery civic . If your going to war the likelyhood of your early cities incuring unhapiness penalties is high . With slavery , you can just ' whip' them out which cures unhapiness and produces a unit faster . Don't really worry about the PP drop since it will grow again pretty fast .
Im usually pretty fast with my workers before I go to war . I shoot for oracle so I can slingshot to construction for those catapults ( some people axerush I don't) For early cities , only build improvement you know you'll need ( i.e. tap resources and build mines for faster production of troops.) Early cities don't need THAT MUCH food . Once you get your those improvements you need and a building or two to boot , just click on your troops in the building option serveral times and let the cities do their thing . Chop rush a barracks / oracle for construction . Have at least 3 cities already built and let them produce away . Before u know it , in several turns you'll have a formidable army .
Go to war with catapults and troops . Take out a neighboring civ , then regroup , build up a little bit , and keep your focus on going to war with the next civ of your choosing , preferably the next closest to your border. By the time your able to build Trebs , you should get set for the next invasion . Keep some catapults around since they are ALWAYS handy in the early-mid game . Pop up a few more cities , keep a couple constantly producing troops and only buildings that are neccessary . You can combat unhapiness and unhealthyness with whipping them with slavery .
Might I suggest also diplomacy . Check to see how other civs feel about your next victim . Might not hurt to pop out a few missionaries and convert the cities of a civ farther away from you , perhaps on the other side of your next victim civ . Make sure no one is friendly with the victim civ and make sure you keep your relations with the victim civ at CAUTIOUS at best so you can make war . If another civ ( say on the other side of your victim civ's border) is friendly with that civ , then when you tear up your next victim civ , they might become a vassal to a more powerful civ and now your at war with 2 civs . Basically make sure no one is friendly with the civ you next plan on conquering/dominating .
Civ4 is all tactics , its not just crazy stacks like Civ3 . If you don't think ahead , you'll get mauled , even on warlord .
PS : If your worried about the money situation , either pick a civ with the FIN trait or pillage ( best for pillaging are mounted units) . If you pillage along your path of destruction you'll get some money in return . Priority in pillaging are always key resources ( metals , horses) but sack a cottage/hamlet/village if you can for some decent money returns .
