In addition to @Dawnpromise , I can't remember when was the last time I was able to make Pledge of Protection early on. I'm pretty sure it wasn't during supply cap times. So what's the point of it? Maybe just give AI some maluses towards it.
I've played peacefully for a long time and even without filling supply limit, I've had no problem defending and even conquering some neighboring cities.
You are probably not growing enough.
I don't know about Netherlands. I just played a tradition Byzantium in Emperor and I managed to stop incoming armies with 12 out of 22 units, five cities. Then I earned enough gold to fill my supply and took on China, the huge. I was helped by a technological superior Portugal, but isn't it the point of playing in disadvantage?His problem seems to have to do when circumstances call for a legitimate navy, on top of a reasonable defensive land force, and you are not going Authority/Dominance. It's not an issue when playing Progress/Carthage, but it can be an issue when playing Tradition Netherlands (especially post-Sea Beggars). I think the cap rules should be flexed to support more sea-focused tall civs. If separate caps are possible, this clould be one solution. Otherwise, it's hard to address the issue without just loosening the cap (which I agree is in a pretty good place overall).
Harbors and Seaports increase supply limit. Lighthouses not, as G doesn't want a too early navy. It could make defense too difficult without catapults. You don't need a fleet in every sea. Use one trirreme and one or two siege units to protect one coast, and your navy on the other. Or avoid having more than one coast.The problem is the navy. On water tile heavy maps you need much more ships. Something you can greatly ignore on pangea or even communitas maps.
I would suggest a scattered land/water tile modifer for the supply cap.
More water tiles and more shatterd land leads to a higher base cap.
Harbors and Seaports increase supply limit. Lighthouses not, as G doesn't want a too early navy. It could make defense too difficult without catapults. You don't need a fleet in every sea. Use one trirreme and one or two siege units to protect one coast, and your navy on the other. Or avoid having more than one coast.
This complain has come up several times. I'd support giving one more point of supply to the Heroic Epic, however in general people just need to learn that if you want to support larger armies or navies, you need a larger empire.
This is a fair critique, we could add more supply to coastal buildings. Maybe we could also add some supply to the great lighthouseI think there's an inherent imbalance to land vs sea, in that you need to have x land units to defend your territory, leaving a limited number for the sea. Land always comes first. This is why I'd prefer, if possible, to have an additional method of adding naval units.That said, I'm now playing on Immortal again, and do get by with the present supply cap. The only insuperable problem I have is dealing with runaways; at some point, they can overwhelm you, especially on the water.
This usually takes me to a broader complaint about the relative difficulty of winning while going tall in these circumstances. But this time, your last sentence finally broke through my thick skull. If my game's circumstances evolve in such a way that the guy on the other continent can only be stopped with a large force, then I have to adjust, forget about my original tall/Tradition strategy, and metastasize my empire. There is more than enough time from Astronomy or so to do it.
There's a few wonders that give supply limit. You may be ignoring them because you are tall and you want to win culture or science... well, you shouldn't. If you want your army to be relevant, even when being a small empire, you can: fight often so you gain great generals, build every military building, focus on your cities growth and build military wonders. I can't remember them all, but Terracotta gives 1 supply per city and great wall gives 3 or so. Mid game, I'd swear there's one wonder giving 10 supply.I think there's an inherent imbalance to land vs sea, in that you need to have x land units to defend your territory, leaving a limited number for the sea. Land always comes first. This is why I'd prefer, if possible, to have an additional method of adding naval units.That said, I'm now playing on Immortal again, and do get by with the present supply cap. The only insuperable problem I have is dealing with runaways; at some point, they can overwhelm you, especially on the water.
This usually takes me to a broader complaint about the relative difficulty of winning while going tall in these circumstances. But this time, your last sentence finally broke through my thick skull. If my game's circumstances evolve in such a way that the guy on the other continent can only be stopped with a large force, then I have to adjust, forget about my original tall/Tradition strategy, and metastasize my empire. There is more than enough time from Astronomy or so to do it.
I'd swear there's one wonder giving 10 supply
Maybe here's the difference, I only play small-standard.on Huge maps
There's a few wonders that give supply limit. You may be ignoring them because you are tall and you want to win culture or science... well, you shouldn't. If you want your army to be relevant, even when being a small empire, you can: fight often so you gain great generals, build every military building, focus on your cities growth and build military wonders. I can't remember them all, but Terracotta gives 1 supply per city and great wall gives 3 or so. Mid game, I'd swear there's one wonder giving 10 supply.
Honestly, I don't think it's a matter of buildings, I just think the supply-loss from researching techs is too big, especially combined with how fast your supply-cap drops from war weariness. I mean even with the best infrastructure available, 20 turns into war and you suddenly can't supply garrisoning your cities.