Power Projection in The Modern Era

[Grey Wolf]

I was wandering what othe people do to project power to other continents in the modern era on an island map.
I tend to have a city with an airport and harbour on each major island. That city will contain two carriers loaded with stealth bombers some naval protection for the carriers eithe cruisers, destroyers or Aegis Cruisers, A couple of nuclear submarines, A modern armour army, about 20 modern armour units 10 mech infantry and 5 transport ships. This force will be backed up by a main force that can be airlifted/shipped in from my main Island. I find this works well to have a rapid reaction force that can operate in any theatre very quickly and allows me to quick ly deploy to any part of the globe.

 

[Game_Addy]

I usually do it in steps:

1) Bombard/bomb the improvements around a part of land(usually a mountain)

2) Land in a small-medium invasion force made mainly of defenders/artillery with a few modern armor and 6-10 workers on defend-able terrain.(turn 1)

3)Build a fortifaction then fortress(preferably on the same turn), bombard/bomb their units that are closest(turn 2)

4) By now, they should have been able to reach me with about 5 or so units, whatever was close by and wasn't red-lined. Bombard/bomb what you can, when you can. Occasionally attack with my Armor when I see a red-lined unit and wait until the attacks almsot all stop.

Then it's all downhill from there. Be sure to pillage the improvements though, so they don't use it somehow. I think it's best to use this in 2, MAYBE 3 spots around their continent, to help distribute their forces, and decrease the turns of being attacked. But using too few units and being overrun isn't fun either.

the ratio I use is: 1 M.SAM:2 Armor: 4 Mech, though probably few Mobile SAMs, and artillery/bombers will vary.

But this is me, Newby Me

Michael

 

[garyg]

I honestly must say that my games rarely make the modern era.
Only if I go for a space or cultural victory.
My D-Day usually consists of galleons filled with cavs and artys or even knights and trechbucts. Fast units and some form of artillery. I might throw in some slow units just to keep the arty company. You just can't trust a fast unit to guard anything out in the field. They will flee to save that last red line and leave their wards to turn against you.

 

[vmxa]

What one can do depends upon the game settings, especially the level and what victory conditions you are trying to accomplish.

Getting into the modern age is not the norm for std maps and settings on levels below deity. If you have stealth, you should move up to a higher level and give the AI a chance.

 

[vorlon_mi]

The usual comments about ending the game early.
Obviously, if one wants to win by spaceship, then one has to extend
the game into the modern times. Ditto for the diplomatic victory.
vmxa hinted at this, as well.

Now, assume that one *wants* to make the game last into modern times,
for one of the victory conditions above, or just 'cuz it is fun to use the
modern weapons. You may need to take an AI down a notch or two,
to ensure that it does not build its spaceship before you, for example.

Projecting power is important, since one needs to buy some survival time
for the invasion fleet. You've landed, and perhaps included a "combat
settler" to found an instant city, and you cash-rush an improvement
on the first turn. Different people have argued for some of these:
- barracks, so that your invaders can heal quickly
- airport, to allow airlifting of reinforcements
- walls, to increase your defensive bonus

But that only covers the first turn; even if you have the gold to cash-rush
a second improvement with no shields in the box, you have to wait until
next turn to do it. One way to increase the chances of survival for
your invading units is to bring along carriers with bombers/stealth bombers,
and destroy the roads/rails that the AI will use to counterattack.
Project your power as well, to redline any units you see out in the open,
as your invasion commences.

Would the more experienced warmongers agree?

 

[vmxa]

I use to use airports, but now only if there is no way to hold an airfiled. Usually once the big push is over, you can use a few defenders to hold an airfield. There are usually a few other structures I would want before an airport, namely a barrack/wall and maybe a temple and then a harbor if the culture allows it to make a conncetion.

The airport is just too expensive most of the time. Often it take enough turns that I get a culture pop before I can venture out.

 

[seanos08]

You can easily get to modern era in a std map on regent or monarch by trading tech efficiently and selling tech cheap to weak AI's. Also tha AI is prepared to take a MA on any enemy of your's for a tech.

I like to play an honest game where I never break treaties but smash any AI sneak attacking me.