Kev
Hired Goon
With Numidians being immune to first strike, that will certainly help. Regardless, I do think that Saladin will prove to be a difficult nut to crack. Might get that first city, but with culture defense and slavery I have a feeling that's about as far as you might get before cats - which might not be bad if it removes Saladin's only source of elephants.
With that, I still think it might have been wiser to beeline construction before even iron working. Swords, spears and axes probably won't make up a large part of your army against your nearest neighbors until cats (tough when they go up against protective with no immunity to first strike) - but the cat and jumbo combination (with some promoted Numidians) will be where you can really shine. I think you would have been able to trade for IW at some point and that would have allowed for some axes and spear protection along with some city raiders when needed later on. At this stage, the numideans can handle melee - even spears - and any fellow mounted units as well.
I do understand that IW will help clear jungle, though, so I guess from that standpoint it helps (along with some extra production from the iron).
Whatever the case, I'm curious to see where this early war goes. It won't be the end of the world if you need to stop after the first city. Settle the gems, cottage the flood plains, and perhaps run a scientist or two to get to construction ASAP and you'll be in great shape from there to be sure - even against protective longbows if that is what happens.
Thanks so much for taking on this endeavor!
With that, I still think it might have been wiser to beeline construction before even iron working. Swords, spears and axes probably won't make up a large part of your army against your nearest neighbors until cats (tough when they go up against protective with no immunity to first strike) - but the cat and jumbo combination (with some promoted Numidians) will be where you can really shine. I think you would have been able to trade for IW at some point and that would have allowed for some axes and spear protection along with some city raiders when needed later on. At this stage, the numideans can handle melee - even spears - and any fellow mounted units as well.
I do understand that IW will help clear jungle, though, so I guess from that standpoint it helps (along with some extra production from the iron).
Whatever the case, I'm curious to see where this early war goes. It won't be the end of the world if you need to stop after the first city. Settle the gems, cottage the flood plains, and perhaps run a scientist or two to get to construction ASAP and you'll be in great shape from there to be sure - even against protective longbows if that is what happens.
Thanks so much for taking on this endeavor!