gzollinger
Chieftain
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2002
- Messages
- 24
INVADING OVERSEAS
The Problem
Typically when invading another island, my strategy involved taking over 5-6 boat loads of my best offensive and defensive units. I take over some city and use it as a base of operations. The trouble I was having was that the city very often flipped on me and I lost a very large piece of my military. Not to mention that you tend to lose a considerable chunk of your military hitting that big city with no (or little) air support and no ability to heal your units (or heal your units quickly). In the late game an invasion force would require huge numbers of expensive military just to land and take that first city.
The Solution
What I have been doing lately that was worked with a good deal of success is instead of loading a bunch of offensive units and taking the first town, I simply take mostly defensive units and a settler. I proceed to build my own city and use it as a base for operations. It will be as successful with half as many units as trying to take your first city.
Selecting Units
You want mostly defensive units and a few fast offensive units to counter attack any of his units left standing after the initial attack. Make sure to throw in a settler and you are ready to go. You will need only half the force you would normally take to overrun his first city. If you have them, 2 extra explorers will help a lot, because they can dash out and pillage the roads one square out from your sphere of influence and still make it back to the safety of the city. Here is a good breakdown, like I said, it is a small force:
3 galleons, settler, 8 riflemen, 3 cavalry or -
2 transports, settler, 12 infantry, 3 tanks
Choosing a Location
The landing site is very important. I look for a space far away from any capitals, I shoot for a hill for the added defensive bonus, and if there is a resource that would help me (or hurt the computer to lose) that is a great bonus. Luckily, the good late game resources, which are so hard to come by, like Oil and Uranium, usually show up on a nations worst land. This tends to be where their newest and most worthless cities are. Also, if you can build as far away from his other cities, that will really help. Try to imagine what your sphere of influence is going to be when you build. If you can build by his crappy cities that don't have a lot of culture, then that gives you a bigger sphere, and an extra turn before he can hit you. Also consider railroads, if one side of his nation is all connected, build on the other side, it will take an extra turn or two for him to reach you. Don't worry about workable ground, this is a city that could stay size 1 and it won't make a difference.
The Attack
Make sure you have no units next to one of his cities or he will demand you leave or declare war. If this happens, it isn't too big a deal, you just will lose some units to his initial strike (but you are on a hill so it shouldn't be too bad. Chances are he will ask you to leave but not demand it. On your following turn you build a city and this puts you at war. The first improvement I build is a city wall. I usually pay for it without waiting the traditional 1 turn so it's cheaper. It is cheap anyway, so no harm done. When that is in place you will be getting a ton of bonus defense, the hill, the city, the wall, and the fact that your units are fortified. You should be able to hold off his initial offensive with 9-12 of your best defensive units. Next rush build an airport if you can, or if not that, then rush a Barracks. Now move in more units (via the airport or galleon), rebase bombers and have at it. The real advantage to this (over taking a city) is that the city won't flip easily, and after you knock out the closest cities, there is no chance it will flip. Dont forget to add a temple and library in the next couple of turns. Once that city is built, you have the added benefit of having extra move on roads to counter attack the units he sends at you without leaving your mobile units exposed.
Summary
I tried this for the first time, when I didnt have oil. In desperation I hatched this scheme to drop a city on top of the only oil source my biggest opponent had. I hoped that I would hold the city just long enough to build a harbor and build some decent units. It worked soooo well, that it has been an important part of my game ever since. I also have yet to have the city flip on me doing this and I have done it probably 6-8 times, and sometimes I am at the bottom of the pack in power and culture.
The Problem
Typically when invading another island, my strategy involved taking over 5-6 boat loads of my best offensive and defensive units. I take over some city and use it as a base of operations. The trouble I was having was that the city very often flipped on me and I lost a very large piece of my military. Not to mention that you tend to lose a considerable chunk of your military hitting that big city with no (or little) air support and no ability to heal your units (or heal your units quickly). In the late game an invasion force would require huge numbers of expensive military just to land and take that first city.
The Solution
What I have been doing lately that was worked with a good deal of success is instead of loading a bunch of offensive units and taking the first town, I simply take mostly defensive units and a settler. I proceed to build my own city and use it as a base for operations. It will be as successful with half as many units as trying to take your first city.
Selecting Units
You want mostly defensive units and a few fast offensive units to counter attack any of his units left standing after the initial attack. Make sure to throw in a settler and you are ready to go. You will need only half the force you would normally take to overrun his first city. If you have them, 2 extra explorers will help a lot, because they can dash out and pillage the roads one square out from your sphere of influence and still make it back to the safety of the city. Here is a good breakdown, like I said, it is a small force:
3 galleons, settler, 8 riflemen, 3 cavalry or -
2 transports, settler, 12 infantry, 3 tanks
Choosing a Location
The landing site is very important. I look for a space far away from any capitals, I shoot for a hill for the added defensive bonus, and if there is a resource that would help me (or hurt the computer to lose) that is a great bonus. Luckily, the good late game resources, which are so hard to come by, like Oil and Uranium, usually show up on a nations worst land. This tends to be where their newest and most worthless cities are. Also, if you can build as far away from his other cities, that will really help. Try to imagine what your sphere of influence is going to be when you build. If you can build by his crappy cities that don't have a lot of culture, then that gives you a bigger sphere, and an extra turn before he can hit you. Also consider railroads, if one side of his nation is all connected, build on the other side, it will take an extra turn or two for him to reach you. Don't worry about workable ground, this is a city that could stay size 1 and it won't make a difference.
The Attack
Make sure you have no units next to one of his cities or he will demand you leave or declare war. If this happens, it isn't too big a deal, you just will lose some units to his initial strike (but you are on a hill so it shouldn't be too bad. Chances are he will ask you to leave but not demand it. On your following turn you build a city and this puts you at war. The first improvement I build is a city wall. I usually pay for it without waiting the traditional 1 turn so it's cheaper. It is cheap anyway, so no harm done. When that is in place you will be getting a ton of bonus defense, the hill, the city, the wall, and the fact that your units are fortified. You should be able to hold off his initial offensive with 9-12 of your best defensive units. Next rush build an airport if you can, or if not that, then rush a Barracks. Now move in more units (via the airport or galleon), rebase bombers and have at it. The real advantage to this (over taking a city) is that the city won't flip easily, and after you knock out the closest cities, there is no chance it will flip. Dont forget to add a temple and library in the next couple of turns. Once that city is built, you have the added benefit of having extra move on roads to counter attack the units he sends at you without leaving your mobile units exposed.
Summary
I tried this for the first time, when I didnt have oil. In desperation I hatched this scheme to drop a city on top of the only oil source my biggest opponent had. I hoped that I would hold the city just long enough to build a harbor and build some decent units. It worked soooo well, that it has been an important part of my game ever since. I also have yet to have the city flip on me doing this and I have done it probably 6-8 times, and sometimes I am at the bottom of the pack in power and culture.
