Military Help

[m4nu]

Hello, I'm a long-time lurker of these forums, but would like to directly ask fro help.

Here's the thing. I can build up a killer economy. If left to my own devices I will leave the AI in the dust, etc, etc. I know city management. But somehow, despite efforts, my military always falls to the side, and I can never keep up a strong one. i am frequently last in terms of military size, and as a result, frequently am attacked.

I see screenshots, read walkthroughs, etc, and am always astounded when they tell me how they're attacking with about fifty units. I can barely raise an army of fifteen or so to capture a city and then sue for epace. Where do these huge militaries come from?

So my question is: What is an effecient way to create a large military/how do you create a large military?

EDIT: Gah, wrong forum. Didn't mean to place ti here. Apologies.

 

[Darkology]

well my tactic is pretty easy...

First of all in order to create a relatively large army u must use civics that allow that...i.e. vassalage or nationhood ( i prefer 2nd), police state (+25% unit production), theology (+ 2 promotions per unit very important),

secondly u must have cities with good production.

I weaken my enemy by air,land,sea and then attack....u don't need great armies.

I prefer being a defender, weakening my enemy while he attacks and then counter attack....

I hope I helped

 

[Atreyu]

Heroic Epic + West Point is a killer in one of your highest production cities. Also try to have at least one city that only produces soldiers, peace-times aswell.

 

[Joe Harker]

I have the same problem, to beat this what i do is build a building then a unit and then another building and so on, until i am happy with my army size. It slows the rate of your growth but it seems to keep me at a good level of miltary might!

 

[jafink]

I find if I ever try to play a peaceful game my military will be way too small, because i forget to focus on it, and see it as almost a waste of resources. To me the best way to ensure you have a big enough military is be more agressive. I am not at all a high level player, i only play on Prince. But what i try to do is fight at least one war in the "axeman era". and then allow myself a period of rebuilding, then i fight another with either macemen or knights mainly, and again rebuild. By continuing to do this i manage to keep a big military, and still have a good economy.

 

[Kiershar]

Simple answer : Whip and Draft.

 

[jafink]

Simple answer : Whip and Draft.

That's one aspect of my game I feel needs vast improvment. I NEVER use the whip. I NEVER even adopt slavery. I just always come up with excuses not to, even when i know i should.

 

[automator]

My way is to be sure at least one city is ALWAYS producing some sort of unit. Doesn't matter what. Just make something. If you've really got a "killer economy", you'll be able to upgrade them when necessary.

Just try to divide out your cities into three basic groups: Production, Commerce/Science, GP Farm ... oh, and "placeholder to keep the AI from expanding".

In your Production cities, don't build Library, University, Grocer, Market, Bank, Monasteries, etc. Drop in a Temple when you're about to have a happiness problem, or a Granary when you're about to have heath issues. Use all those turns you save to build a Barracks, Forge (and subsequent production boosters) and lots of units. If you're feeling frisky, these cities can be useful for building empire- or continent-wide wonders (e.g. Eiffel Tower).

In your Commerce/Science cities, well, that's where all those other buildings go. Ditto for the GP farm. These cities you want nothing but growth and cottages and such. That they'll take 24 turns to build a tank is not an issue.

The rest of the cities, do what you like with them. They're decent for providing defensive units, missionaries, or other units that you might not need immediately.

 

[varus]

I have the exact opposite problem.

I can raise an impressive army pretty quickly and pretty early, and stomp some face across the map. However, by about 1AD I almost always find myself a tech or three behind the leader and getting farther behind.

I hate it.

 

[Kiershar]

I have the exact opposite problem.

I can raise an impressive army pretty quickly and pretty early, and stomp some face across the map. However, by about 1AD I almost always find myself a tech or three behind the leader and getting farther behind.

I hate it.

Simple answer : Stop whipping and drafting.



... And keep your troops within your border as much as you can, capture cities to pay your massive upkeep and then use your army as police to grow your town to 10+ size with hereditary rule and cottage on all the green stuff...