I'm in a bit of a sticky situation...

[TheShahMaestro]

So I just started my first multiplayer game with a couple of friends. I'm Mongolia, they are Germany and Babylon. The map is made of two continents. Me and Bsbylon are on one continent and Germany is on the other.

So the game started and as Mongolia I steam-rolled the AI one by one so that it was just me and Babylon (my friend) left on the continent. I didn't want to kill him off too early because I wanted him to still be a part of the game (big mistake I know).

Instead I sailed over to the other continent started taking the AI on there. Having taken them all, all that is left is me, Babylon and Germany (2nd continent).

Thinking that Babylon won't attack me as we have good trade (and because I was under the impression that he had inferior science - another mistake) I go ahead and attack Germany who have the second biggest empire (after me). I manage to gain two of f their cities and am hard pressed to take a third. He is fighting back and it's all I can do to hold on to the two cities.

The problem, is that back home on my home continent, my buddy Babylon have just finished the Hubble Space Telescope. Meaning he is near a science victory. My forces are stretched thin as I'm sprawled all over the ocean heading towards the German continent. I don't know whether to attack Germany or Babylon. And if I try to attack Babylon, how badly will I get beaten? He has the tech advantage but only one city! However, he keeps threatening me with nukes if I attack him. Not sure if he has any but he sure has better units than me. I'm currently on artillery and Great War infantry/cavalry. I can't build bombers because no oil.

So how can I win? Try to take on the city of Babylon? Can I enter his territory and just pillage to cut his science? I could really use some advice on what to do here, thanks!

Ps: it's turn 250 I think, we are in 1930s era on quick speed

 

[zarnivop]

Well, my two cents for you is that you can tell if he has nukes by clicking the small number that denotes aircraft in his city (and carriers, if he has any). Off course, if his carriers are off-sight you can not be sure.

 

[zarnivop]

Oh, and did I mention I hate nukes?

 

[Mesodius]

If he is nearing science victory then it looks like you already have your answer. The good thing is that he only has one city. I'd get some artillery, withdraw your military from the ocean and attack and try to take his city as quickly as possible. Germany is on the other continent and since you've taken two of his cities, I presume you're winning and he'd have to rebuild his army/navy before coming after you. If you suffer a lot of damage from Babylon, you'd have a little time to recover before Germany could mobilise and attack you.

Honestly, I'd say you made a mistake in not wiping out Babylon first, especially since they are OP for a science victory.

 

[TheShahMaestro]

*Thanks for the nukes tip zarnivop

The only thing about Babylon us, as I advance my artillery, he's going to see them coming and start churning out more advanced troops to take them down and possibly attack my cities with. Is this just a risk I'm going to have to take?

Also maybe I'm wrong but I thought attacking cities doesn't affect production/science output until they're taken. So is there anything I can do to affect his science output aside from attacking Babylon? (Pillaging?)

 

[Sclb]

You will not be able to kill him if he has good air units, and he certainly has the tech for them if he aims for SV, so good luck. Only way to stop a science victory is to capture his capital and eliminate him from the game. Pretty sure if he plays well, he will win within very short number of turns after completing Hubble.

 

[BigChiefLizzy]

If you have Uranium build a couple of nukes yourself and attack first, if he has only one city attack first and you will wipe out all nukes and aircraft he has in the city? However if he sees you build Manhattan project and does have nukes himself he may strike first, I would

Place a spy in the city to see his forces and try and make peace with Germany (for now).

If he does has access to Uranium hope he hasn't got nukes in carriers or subs off your coast as zarnivop mentioned. Otherwise it's going to get messy Can carriers carry nuclear bombers anyway? I thought you had to use a nuclear sub + nuclear missile?

 

[TheShahMaestro]

I don't have uranium or Manhattan project yet. Do you recommend I wait till I do before I strike, or just attack ASAP with artillery and infantry?

I don't think he has much of a military...yet. He's been very focused on science buildings etc

 

[The Disciple]

Alternative to Nuking is sabotage. Research technology so that you can see the Uranium deposits (but don't get Manhattan Project). Then sneak Paratroopers, or Cavalry/Tanks onto those tiles and pillage that same turn you declare war. Also, pillage Aluminium. That should prevent high tech units being sent against you. But you must get the uranium first.

You need to strike quickly, and for this you need tanks. So acquiring oil should be your immediate priority. So that you can turn all your veteran Keshik/Cavalry into tanks (you did keep them alive right?). For a low tech fast assault against a technologically superior opponent, your MO will be tanks covered by ground AA.

The great thing about him using Nukes as a deterrent, is that he is less likely to use them on his home ground. So make sure that the fighting is done in HIS territory. You need to be fast, brutal, and close. Expect high intensity combat, with high casualty rates - and strike without warning.

As for Germany. Don't make peace, because, that could tip off Babylon to your real intentions. Just adopt a defensive footing, with minimal troop investment. Keep a couple of Artillery, Infantry, and AT guns stationed at frontline cities. Send everything else against Babylon.

 

[beetle]

Good luck OP, let us know how it goes!

I think the only reason you have a chance is the Babylon has a single city. Pillage his mines, no more uranium, so no more nukes. (Unless he is getting some from Germany or a CS). Same goes for oil and aluminum (except for a recycling center).

One city means one unit and six planes (but no oil, so you might be okay). You can take him!

With one city, the SS victory will take some time. He can only build one part at a time, and without trade routes, his gold will be pretty limited for SS procurements.

Then sneak Paratroopers, or Cavalry/Tanks onto those tiles and pillage that same turn you declare war. Also, pillage Aluminium. That should prevent high tech units being sent against you. But you must get the uranium first.

If you pillage every tile, you need not even see the uranium. So, no need to delay for research!

You need to strike quickly, and for this you need tanks. So acquiring oil should be your immediate priority. So that you can turn all your veteran Keshik/Cavalry into tanks (you did keep them alive right?). For a low tech fast assault against a technologically superior opponent, your MO will be tanks covered by ground AA.

Does OP have the tech to build AA? That would make things easy! So long as the landships can hit the city and retreat to heal, OP should be able to wear him down.

Keep a couple of Artillery, Infantry, and AT guns stationed at frontline cities. Send everything else against Babylon.

AT guns? Surely you mean AA? One artillery and one AA is all I think OP should spare per city. Sounds to me like OP is really struggling on the other continent. I say raze the cities there and withdraw. Visit again later. OP, did you take AI caps on the German continent?

 

[The Disciple]

Good luck OP, let us know how it goes!

I think the only reason you have a chance is the Babylon has a single city. Pillage his mines, no more uranium, so no more nukes. (Unless he is getting some from Germany or a CS). Same goes for oil and aluminum (except for a recycling center).

If you pillage every tile, you need not even see the uranium. So, no need to delay for research!

Pillaging ever single mine is possible; but risky. You will never know if he has uranium or not. Because, of the City States. Having map knowledge of Uranium and Aluminium, and making targeted pillaging runs is ideal. But, if time is a factor, then you do without - and pillage all mines.

Being Mongolia, attacking the CS is also a viable approach. See which CS he is allied with, and be prepared to knock them off after you make a DoW. Have a unit next to each CS and pillage their mines as well.

Does OP have the tech to build AA? That would make things easy! So long as the landships can hit the city and retreat to heal, OP should be able to wear him down.

Again, having AA cover is ideal. But if time is a factor you go without. Just build more Tanks and Infantry. Expect more losses.

 

[inthesomeday]

Depending on map size the nukes really shouldn't be a concern. It sounds like your production vastly outnumbers his, and if he builds nukes then he isn't building spaceship parts. If he nukes your army, the 3-6 turns (quick speed) it takes to build the nukes are another army of cavalry on your side. If he has infantry on every single tile in his empire, slamming Mongol cavalry and bombardment from arts will break down the army, and he'll spend more turns building things that aren't spaceship parts.

It seems to me you have a simple advantage, if he nukes the armies on the border it's no big deal because they'll be rebuilt by the time he has more nukes, and it'll be diverting his production. If he nukes the border cities, it's even less of a big deal, at this point in the endgame if you're the largest in the world I assume these cities are probably strategically more similar to citadels than pop centers. Likely, you have more cities capable of churning out military that would get to the frontline than he has hammers in one to make nukes and spaceship parts at the same time.

Even pillaging isn't as crucial as it may sound, if he's just built Hubble then he probably has many more techs to research through before he even has all the spaceship parts unlocked. If you war immediately and heavily, his defensive army will be worn down before he'll be able to even finish the tech tree. Make it a war of attrition, slam warriors into a wall of infantry if you must. Eventually, your however many cities will simply outrun his ability to produce in one city.