Show Me How It's Done: Warrior Rush

senor_k

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So I load up a new game, and I see a pretty good production start. 3 elephants, pigs, an oasis, and 5 or 6 plains hills in the BFC (plus fresh water if you settle in place).

Better yet, when I popped a hut for a map, Hammurabi turns out to be only 10 tiles or so away. So I figure I'd try out a warrior rush, but it failed miserably. His fortified warriors were barely being scratched, and once he got his bowmen and started generating Great Generals, it was over. For every two warriors I'd throw at him, I'd only take off .1 or .2 HP.

So I'd like to see how you warmongers out there do it. The only rule is to play as you normally would until you find Hammurabi. But once you lay eyes on his territory, you have to mobilize immediately. If the hut doesn't reveal his location, it's in the spoiler below.

I'd like to see how a warrior rush should be done!

Difficulty is Noble, normal speed.

Spoiler :
Hammurabi is about 10 tiles north and two or three west of the settler's initial location.
 

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Warrior rushing is very hard, it's impossible on higher levels where the AI starts with Archers. Even so on Noble, you'd need to calculate with 3 warriors for each defending warrior to be sure to have a reasonable chance of success, anything less, it'll be pure luck if you manages it.

If I where you I'd beeline BW, hope for some nearby bronze and aim for an axe-rush instead. The startposition however, sure it has alot of production possibilities but it's a tad bit low on food resources for my taste to be a really good capital site.
 
I wasted my time downloading the save: Please state any mods used clearly.

Please don't assume your readers have the same mods as you do.
 
Same, can't open the file...
 
A warrrior rush depends on a starting location with a plains hill to settle on and a forested plains to work. Build nothing but warriors working only two tiles. Find the nearest AI capital and send in a stack of 6-8 warriors depending on whether it's in flat land or on a hill. Do not build workers, do not grow the city just build warriors. Do not attack until you have enough warriors. If you see an archer, forget it.
 
When I did warrior rushes on Noble, I would explore around the map with the first 1-2 warriors and try to get 2 XP from animals so I could give them CR1, the extra chance to attack makes a big difference in the damage they do. The best way to do this is to try to get to attack an animal on open ground, since you'll generally get 2XP with one fight, take the promo and heal. Then go for the city with 3 warriors.

That said, its critical to find out if the city is on a hill or not before you declare war. Most often, even if you can't see the tile, you can get to the corner of the BFC and see the edges of the tile enough to determine if they're on a hill. If they are, you're going to need luck or more warriors.

Normally I only warrior rushed (since I don't do it on Prince or Monarch) in two instances: 1. I found their city close to mine and undefended and/or 2. I popped a hut for XP (giving the warrior CR1 and CR2) and/or popped a warrior from a hut in the first 10 or so turns, so I got a huge jump on the number of turns before I could storm in. This generally was a start where I built a warrior first because the worker would be done before it could make any improvements.

A better plan of attack might be to have the 3+ warriors lurk the city's borders, waiting for a worker steal. When your chance comes, steal the worker, then make a determination on going for the capital or not. If your odds look grim, take your prize and go home to expand and attack later (losing their first worker is a huge loss to a Noble AI). If it looks very promising, go for the capital.
 
The best way to [get some XP for your warriors] is to try to get to attack an animal on open ground [...]

Animals don't get terrain bonuses. I think they do get river crossing bonuses, though (that is, penalties for you if you attack them across a river.)
 
Settle a 2 hammer city tile, make 4 warriors, and attack an AI before or right around 3000 AD. There really isn't much to it. If the AI is aggressive use 5 warriors.

Don't try it on monarch or above except as a joke.

edit: Unless you're Inca. That whole civ is like a joke though ;).
 
Settle a 2 hammer city tile, make 4 warriors, and attack an AI before or right around 3000 AD. There really isn't much to it. If the AI is aggressive use 5 warriors.

Don't try it on monarch or above except as a joke.

edit: Unless you're Inca. That whole civ is like a joke though ;).

I'd be impressed if somebody made a successful warrior rush at 3000 AD. ;)
 
I'd be impressed if somebody made a successful warrior rush at 3000 AD. ;)

On Earth 18 civ when I'm screwing around I hit EARLIER than that...

It depends on spawn location but if the AI still has warriors and you attack with 4-5 it's screwed basically.

I've NEVER had a prince or below level warrior rush fail on the first AI when I used 5 warriors. Not once. It's actually pretty easy on the lower difficulties.

Hell, you can just move your settler at an AI and settle near them if it pleases you :rolleyes:
 
At 3000 AD? The game only goes ON till 2050 AD I thought. :p

I guess my joke fell a little flat.
 
At 3000 AD? The game only goes ON till 2050 AD I thought. :p

I guess my joke fell a little flat.

Only just now....


did I notice my typo ;).

HAHAHA...big difference now.

Man, between what I did in the MC game and this I might be mistaken for the REAL attacko.
 
@TMIT: lol

The only time I've ever done a successful "warrior rush" was with Quechas, not sure that counts.
 
Try to get a 5:1 ratio with warriors.

Pretty much, though, the rest is dependent on luck. If your opponent is on a hill or has more than one archer, you might as well call it off until Axes/Swords.
 
Try to get a 5:1 ratio with warriors.

Nonsense.
Warrior rush is a below-monarch or scenario (f.e. earth-map) strategy that works fine with the 5:2 ration TMIT describes.
Sometimes you need 2, sometimes 3 warriors to dislodge the opponent warrior.
A typical AI defends with 2 units early, so you need between 4 (risk) or 6 (safe).
I have done it several times on earth map (emperor level but AI has no archers due to the scenario), for example warrior-rushed Perisa with India (the capitals have a similar distance as in standard games) with 5 against their 2.
Second capital makes the game much easier.
 
I pulled it off ONCE, but that was against the Spanish on Noble with my initial warrior that was out scouting and found Madrid, and found ALL of Izzy's warriors out scouting (in the direction of my undefended capital :mad: ). Needless to say, I beelined and arrived at Madrid 2 turns before she got to my capital. :D Dunno if that counts. :sad:
Hurrah opportunistic warrior rush!
 
That's bizarre, turnip: I had the exact same thing happen to me once against Spain when I was playing Saladin on large/epic/prince/pangaea. Made for a *cough* pretty easy game after that...
 
Warrior rushing is very hard, it's impossible on higher levels where the AI starts with Archers. Even so on Noble, you'd need to calculate with 3 warriors for each defending warrior to be sure to have a reasonable chance of success, anything less, it'll be pure luck if you manages it.

What I've been testing it, warrior rush is easy and almost always works in Prince too, as long as your capital isn't totally hammer-poor and the opponent is reasonable close. Don't build anything but warriors. First tile to work should be 1 hammer/2 food. After city has grown to size two, just maximize hammers. 6-7 warriors are enough. You should get your stack moving around 3000 bc. If opponent is close enough, near only reason this may fail is that opponent have gained early archery from tribal village. Usually there are only 2, sometimes 1 warriors defending.
 
A better plan of attack might be to have the 3+ warriors lurk the city's borders, waiting for a worker steal. When your chance comes, steal the worker, then make a determination on going for the capital or not. If your odds look grim, take your prize and go home to expand and attack later (losing their first worker is a huge loss to a Noble AI). If it looks very promising, go for the capital.

I've been doing this lately and it's been hit or miss. I build nothing but warriors and lurk, waiting to steal my target's worker. I've been able to take out a capital defended by 2 warriors with only 4 of my own. But again, it's been hit or miss. When it works, it's a great advantage, but when it doesn't...

I tried this against Agustus and Wang Kon. Unfortunately, they had another city and I couldn't take both. Needless to say, they came back with a vengeance. Karma can be a bit#%!
 
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