The War Chariot zerg-rush challenge on normal Deity.

[TiglathPileser]

Last night I rolled the following start with Rameses. Normally I'd just go HAs or wonders and have a fun game, but I got wondering - with careful play is a successful war chariot rush possible on a less-than-stellar diety map, like this one? Probably not, but with no initial commerce and all those chops available, I figured hey why not have a go anyway.

Things were looking suprisingly good for a dow around t65, but at t60 a distant AI DOWed me and another dogpiled me on t75 after I declared on my target. Nothing I could have done diplomatically, just bad luck. So why not put the start on here and see what everyone makes of the whole idea, whether a rush is possible without my bad luck.


My game, with some tips:

Spoiler :

Recon of Huyana's land was very useful - his copper is quite far out and can be cut easily. Pacal has early metal so I didn't try him.

I went SIP, overall built 3 workers, one timed to be insta-chopped out with overflow from whipping the settler, and only 1 extra warrior for garrisoning site 2. Barracks in both cities. AH-mining-BW, then Writing for recon purposes, don't think you need anything else. I don't see how settling a third city could help with the rush, even though the gold site was still available in my game.

On the viability of the rush:

Spoiler :

The timing is tight here, this is definitely not an optimum map by any means. Bfc horses would make quite a difference, without needing a settler you'll gain around 3 war chariots at a similar attack date if you have enough forest to chop around your capital. This is mitigated if your second city can be productive enough - which it won't be here. Also, Hatty would probably be a better leader, border pops for food/chops in the second city or a quick library to support further tech in the capital would be very useful on most maps. Here, you could use the fish or sheep to help the second city pump chariots. Wheras industrious is typically less useful as there isn't time to grab any early fail gold.

I'll try and find a better start with Hatty and post it if there is demand...

 

[MarigoldRan]

Perhaps settle on the rice?

 

[Mylene]

I would prefer settling here, rushing for horsies doesn't look tempting

Spoiler :

 

[AbsoluteZero]

Yes, you can war-chariot rush just about anyone except Mansa. But, you want to play Hatchepsut not Ramses for chariot rushes. Ramses is more for wonder-whoring.

Also Pacal's metal doesn't matter he has a unique spearmen he can build without metal. Pacal is 2nd worst candidate for a chariot rush ( first being Mansa Musa ).

 

[sossos]

The war chriot of Ramses is basically a defensive unit to expoit his traits. With its cost-effective UU(6 hammer for 1 strength, almost the same as praet, but with 2 movements per turn), Rameses can skip most war techs and focus on wonders. UU can also help him to fight with babarian or to take babarian cities. Yes, it is a good strategy to encourage babarians(even AI) to build cities around Egypt.
I should say Ramses is the best one to win an Apostolic victory. It's easy to get a great prophet and discover theocracy, then build apostolic palace. The spiritual trait can help him to spread the religion with less cost.

@Tigla

Spoiler :

Can my session be called a chriot rush? Maybe just a defensive rush for the Incan cities within my ring 1. I don't mean to attack ring 2 cities before I can build courthouse.
I founded Confucianism and Christianity in this session before turn 86. By turn 93, I built 4 cities and rushed 3(2 from Inca and 1 from babarian. The Apostolic Palace will be completed at turn 100. I think it's close to an Apostolic victory now

 

[Seraiel]

I should say Ramses is the best one to win a Apostolic victory. It's easy to get a great prophet and discover theocracy, then build apostolic palace. The spiritual trait can help him to spread the religion with less cost.

Funnily enough, 80% of the games Sun Tzu Wu played were with Bismarck :> There's only one AP-Victory from him, where he was playing Ramesses :> 2nd Leader of his Choice was Qin Shi Huang.