The Vikings

[Haeda]

Does anyone play them? If not, why?

 

[darski]

Welcome aboard Haeda

The Vikings are a good civ with both military and Seafaring. I like playing them myself and there is a Succession Game going now that uses the Vikings.

I can't get another page to load but if you look for the game
Rod01- Something enjoyable you will find the game.

 

[Haeda]

Thank you for answering!

I have been playing for awhile now, on and off, and have generally only gone with civs that match my heritages. But, I'm starting to lean toward strategy now.

 

[darski]

Have you read the articles in the War Academy.

Some of them go back to Vanilla but the general principles still apply.
I also learned a great deal from reading the legendary stories and games.

There are training day games that are all about teaching but I learned a lot from seeing how the great players would turn any Succession game around with some little known bit of knowledge about the game.

 

[TheOverseer714]

Vikings are not bad on most maps, and can really shine on an archipelago. I'm still trying to get in a Viking raider mode game, where the Berserk is a game breaker. I've done it in the middle ages scenario, where the early boats carry 4 units(Berserk armies, rah!), but it's more difficult with dinky galleys that only carry 2 of the 2nd finest 1 move UU. You need about 4 galleys loaded with Berserks, and 4 more to carry off the slaves netted by razing coastal cities. The only downside of Berserks is their expense, they are quite pricey compared to what they replace. For some Viking fun, play as Denmark (or Norway or Sweden) in the Middle Ages scenario. Try to capture all 4 relics and Jerusalem, you'll get a great score and some fun along the way.

 

[anaxagoras]

For some Viking fun, play as Denmark (or Norway or Sweden) in the Middle Ages scenario. Try to capture all 4 relics and Jerusalem, you'll great a great score and some fun along the way.

I've not tried that scenario yet. I may have to give it a go.

Berserks have always impressed me as a niche unit, and I haven't really been comfortable with them. The expense, especially, has been difficult to deal with. The last time I had them, I didn't trigger my GA right away. I think it may be good to build a bunch of archers, learn Invention, build or upgrade a berserk as soon as possible, fire up the Golden Age, then go right into a production binge to crank out stacks of new units and get cash for buckets of upgrades. You really need a critical mass of them to be effective, and they do better stacked with a defender if you are forced into a land campaign with them. I'm used to thinking in terms of capturing territory, but using them as raiders would be a good way to minimize their weaknesses.

 

[timerover51]

The biggest advantage the Berserker give you is the ability to launch amphibious attacks much earlier than the Marines, which are the other amphibious unit. That is a big plus on archipelago and continent maps. An amphibious unit can attack a city or other defended tile directly, saving a turn of movement.

As for Overseer's comments, I keep thinking that putting in the Viking Knorr unit, using the curragh for the image, would be a good idea. Stats would be move 3, attack/defense 1/2, carries 3 units, available with Mapmaking. Just have not had a chance to do it yet.

 

[Keshik]

I chose Vikings on Emperor level, with everything else random. I achieved an early domination with my highest score yet. Three opponents.

I built archers constantly looking forward to the upgrade. They were unstoppable attacking amphibiously.

 

[Sweetchuck]

I play pangea mostly, so I avoid playing (and playing against) seafaring civs.

 

[Death_Machine]

I play pangea mostly, so I avoid playing (and playing against) seafaring civs.

As I continue to prepare for an upgrade from Regent to Monarch I have started playing more diverse maps. You should try some other maps and see how it changes your playing style. I wish I would have been doing this sooner.

 

[D.N. Pacem]

An amphibious unit can attack a city or other defended tile directly, saving a turn of movement.

Plus, not having to land next to the city keeps them from being attacked on the interturn.

 

[Sweetchuck]

As I continue to prepare for an upgrade from Regent to Monarch I have started playing more diverse maps. You should try some other maps and see how it changes your playing style. I wish I would have been doing this sooner.

Fair point, DM - but I sort of went through that metamorphosis already. Sometime back, I switched from playing huge continents to tiny pangea, and wow - what a different game it was. I also bumped up to Regent at that point and that's about as far up the difficulty ladder as I want to go.

I tried archipilago and I just don't care for it, but I understand why it would be an exciting challenge to some.

 

[bryanwallace]

i love playing the middle ages scenario the overseer is talking about..

however,i have most fun playing as the byzantines and find it rel easy to keep out the vikings-prob cos of the geog distance..
first move is always rush into bulgarian city take their tar ,so can build dromons..

 

[Death_Machine]

I tried archipilago and I just don't care for it, but I understand why it would be an exciting challenge to some.

To each his own, but playing a sea fairing civ on archipilago is a good time to me.