Magister_Mortis
Chieftain
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2004
- Messages
- 17
Just to start things off, this article is NOT intended to be used as a reference for experienced players. It IS however, designed for the inexperienced player, who needs a little help.
Now you may be wondering why I used the name of an unsuccessful German Invasion Plan during World War 2. The reason I used it was simple. It was well thought out, and if Germany had the resources to execute it properly, Britain would indeed have been conquered by the Third Reich.
So, you've played your game for a little while, and you have encountered a threat to your vast empire. You cannot dispatch them for some reason, perhaps there is a nation between you and them, or they are located on another island. Well, using this guide, you should be able to easilly conquer this pest once and for all.
Before you start try to find as much crucial information about your enemy. For example, the locations of Ports, Airports, Roads, Railroads and such. Try getting their territory map first, but if you find that is impossible, scout their coast out with ships, and maybe even land a few suicide units to scout further inland.
Once you feel you are somewhat comfortable with the layout of their Empire, start preparing your military. Before you do anything else try to ensure that you have a superior navy. This is useful for bombarding the coast, preventing a counter offensive, protecting your landing force, and blockading crucial ports.
Once your mighty navy rules the seas, plan where you want to attack. For this, you need look no further then their harbors. More then likely you have units at this point that require strategic resources, thus if you can secure a viable trade route you will be able to switch your core cities back to domestic production, and migrate military production to the area in question.
Even if you cannot trade with the area at the moment due to technological limitations, the harbor cities will prove useful down the road, especially if you face resistance. Now that you have chosen your target city, prepare an invasion force.
What you include in the initial attack is completely up to you. However, a popular consensus find it is most useful to make ONE defensive unit for every THREE offensive units you make. This will of course lead to a higher military cost in less war favoring governments, but I find it VERY useful. Basically it allows you conquer a city, and then secure it, allowing your attacking units to quickly move on, not having to linger around waiting for cities to construct their own defenses.
A decent sized initial assault in my opinion can consist of 9 offensive units and 3 defensive units at max, and definitely no fewer then 3 offensive units and 1 defensive units.
Once you've taken this initial city, your going to have many uses for it. One is as a gathering point for further troop deployments, and another is as a forward production center. Another use is that you pretty much see what kind of resistance you will be facing. If you are going to face weak resistance that is an era (or more) behind you, then all you need do is continue to pump out units and then voila you have won the war. (Generally its good to have about 60 offensive units, 20 defensive units, and as many bombard units you want, though this number will not be that large since you can use ships to bombard coastal cities)
However if it looks like you are in for the long haul facing mediocre or strong resistance I have a some more tips for you.
Try pillaging roads and railroads in order to slow the speed at which they can move units to the front only as a last resort. You will need them later, but if things look really desperate and you cannot continue on the offensive, destroy.
Find and seize crucial strategic resources by simply cutting off roads to them.
Or sign trade embargos against the invaded nation, and try to minimize how many luxuries they have in order to fuel the seeds of discontent.
Summary:
1. Have a good knowledge of where you want to attack, don't squander precious shields and time just because you didn't know their unit, city, or resource placements.
2. Pick the site of your initial attack carefully. Try to pick cities with a harbor
3. Build a massive navy and make sure you control the seas around your enemy, now is a good time to declare war if you haven't done so already
4. Have three offensive units for every defensive unit
5. Stay on the offensive once you've made a beachead, make sure you have a constant stream of units lined up
6. If you are facing strong resistance and are losing, instead of retreating from the area pillage improvements in order to hamper their production. As Stalin once said during the battle of Stalingrad, "Do not take one step backwards!"
Now you may be wondering why I used the name of an unsuccessful German Invasion Plan during World War 2. The reason I used it was simple. It was well thought out, and if Germany had the resources to execute it properly, Britain would indeed have been conquered by the Third Reich.
So, you've played your game for a little while, and you have encountered a threat to your vast empire. You cannot dispatch them for some reason, perhaps there is a nation between you and them, or they are located on another island. Well, using this guide, you should be able to easilly conquer this pest once and for all.
Before you start try to find as much crucial information about your enemy. For example, the locations of Ports, Airports, Roads, Railroads and such. Try getting their territory map first, but if you find that is impossible, scout their coast out with ships, and maybe even land a few suicide units to scout further inland.
Once you feel you are somewhat comfortable with the layout of their Empire, start preparing your military. Before you do anything else try to ensure that you have a superior navy. This is useful for bombarding the coast, preventing a counter offensive, protecting your landing force, and blockading crucial ports.
Once your mighty navy rules the seas, plan where you want to attack. For this, you need look no further then their harbors. More then likely you have units at this point that require strategic resources, thus if you can secure a viable trade route you will be able to switch your core cities back to domestic production, and migrate military production to the area in question.
Even if you cannot trade with the area at the moment due to technological limitations, the harbor cities will prove useful down the road, especially if you face resistance. Now that you have chosen your target city, prepare an invasion force.
What you include in the initial attack is completely up to you. However, a popular consensus find it is most useful to make ONE defensive unit for every THREE offensive units you make. This will of course lead to a higher military cost in less war favoring governments, but I find it VERY useful. Basically it allows you conquer a city, and then secure it, allowing your attacking units to quickly move on, not having to linger around waiting for cities to construct their own defenses.
A decent sized initial assault in my opinion can consist of 9 offensive units and 3 defensive units at max, and definitely no fewer then 3 offensive units and 1 defensive units.
Once you've taken this initial city, your going to have many uses for it. One is as a gathering point for further troop deployments, and another is as a forward production center. Another use is that you pretty much see what kind of resistance you will be facing. If you are going to face weak resistance that is an era (or more) behind you, then all you need do is continue to pump out units and then voila you have won the war. (Generally its good to have about 60 offensive units, 20 defensive units, and as many bombard units you want, though this number will not be that large since you can use ships to bombard coastal cities)
However if it looks like you are in for the long haul facing mediocre or strong resistance I have a some more tips for you.
Try pillaging roads and railroads in order to slow the speed at which they can move units to the front only as a last resort. You will need them later, but if things look really desperate and you cannot continue on the offensive, destroy.
Find and seize crucial strategic resources by simply cutting off roads to them.
Or sign trade embargos against the invaded nation, and try to minimize how many luxuries they have in order to fuel the seeds of discontent.
Summary:
1. Have a good knowledge of where you want to attack, don't squander precious shields and time just because you didn't know their unit, city, or resource placements.
2. Pick the site of your initial attack carefully. Try to pick cities with a harbor
3. Build a massive navy and make sure you control the seas around your enemy, now is a good time to declare war if you haven't done so already
4. Have three offensive units for every defensive unit
5. Stay on the offensive once you've made a beachead, make sure you have a constant stream of units lined up
6. If you are facing strong resistance and are losing, instead of retreating from the area pillage improvements in order to hamper their production. As Stalin once said during the battle of Stalingrad, "Do not take one step backwards!"