Multiplayer Tactics

Ok, I've been looking around the Internet a bit for MP tactics. Some ladder players may recongize these.

From a reply to that quote:

Some other tips:

"Sentry Net" - There's also unit scouting, which I mentioned back when we started. Remember when GCA founded the Balance of Power? I said to place warriors along their border, but just outside so that they don't see us. Those mountains were perfect for a "Sentry Net", and we really shouldn't waste time on setting one up. (or atleast, shouldn't have). A few well placed Spears would serve as excelling scouts.

Stack Attack - you can press CTRL-J to attack with an entire stack of units. Not sure how this is in PBEM though.



I think our main problem in this game was a lack of a MP plan. From what I've seen, players choose civs based on early attacks, pillaging, and speed. The Aztecs would have been a perfect choice with this terrain, had we found that chokehold before GCA did. One strategy I've noticed is MP games is pillaging. Pillage, and pillage hard. Think like the Vikings - "Head east to where the sun sets, and there you will find a city. Raze, pillage, and plunder all that you find.".

Sounds ruthless, but apparently, that's the way MP works. Here's some VITAL techs: (not in this order)

Ancient Era:

HBR (horses - Mounted Warriors for the Iroquois)
The Wheel (shows the horse resource - Chariots, War Chariots)
Masonry (walls)
Bronze Working (spears)
Iron Working (swords - Immortals, Legions <-- not good for MP BTW)
Map Making (galleys)
Pottery (granaries - not as big as SP, but important)
Warrior Code (archers)
Math (catapults - do we even HAVE any????)

Middle Ages: (TAKE EXTREME NOTE OF THESE TECHS!!!!)

Feudalism (Medival Infantry - this is a biggie)
Chivalry (KNIGHTS!! Riders, War Elephants <--- major biggie)
Astronomy (caravels)
Gunpowder (muskets)
Metallurgy (cannons)
Military Tradition (Cavalry)

Industrial Age: In MP, rubber is King, not oil.

Steam Power (for rails of course!)
Replacable Parts (the SINGLE most important tech in the industrial age next to Motorized transport).
Industrialization (factories to pump out units)
Motorized Transport (more of a luxury unit in MP, since if you don't have rubber, cavs and artillery will overwhelm you before you even REACH tanks!).

Modern Era:

Kind of obvious (doubtful if the game will get this far)
Synth. Fibers, Computers and Robotics.

Notice the pattern here -

Offense, Defense, support.

Dedicating cities as specific production centers -

This is a known SP tactic.

City #1 - settlers only
City #2 - workers only
City #3 - defense only
City #4 - offense only

 

Great Stuff Madame VP!

Clearly though, some of those things are intended for MP simultaneous play or similar modes, not for PBEM. I'm not sure that the speed advantage of moving an entire stack of units to attack pays off in PBEM.

I think that we would be best served by adapting parts of this strategy to our current situation in the game. Perhaps we should re-dedicate Shen Ling to pumping out Settlers and establishing another 2 or 3 cities along the western edge of the mountains and other nearby locations....