tips for Assyria game pls

[matlajs]

Hello. I begin say that i liked Assyria much in vanilla games and was pleased when i saw their UA wasnt changed bcoz i like pursue whatever victory type. Now im in late phase of game with them( i got them randomly) but im sure that i started conquering too late. Im playing on king with them with 8/18 version. I will mostly appreciate some basic strategy with them, some social p. mix, what ideology go for. Bcoz im not so sure they are weared for domination only. Eventually when things going well in tech progress i wouldnt go in war. Bcoz im new in this mod i did big mistake not expand much( i founded just 4 cities) and thus was forced DoW nearby nations to expand. Im struggling defeating Brazilians bcoz their tourism inpact with diferent ideology is just ridiculous(btw 7/10 civs acepted Freedom, Me +Poland autocracy, no order at all kind of weird). I think i can abort this game since it seems absolutely undoable.everyone hates me, Germany, next of my neighbour just finished Manhaton project(receiving atomic bomb) and is hostile. Im keeping in techs, but right now i have no idea how continue(btw can be atomic bomb shot down by AA units?) I managed strike down Pedro on knees so his cultural influence is dropping now, but still im fighting huge unhappine regardless fact i builded Prora and accepted all tenets for happines. To be honest i dont know how culture inpact is calculated as it isnt described in game nomore but it increasing for sure. Maybe i would try pursue cultural victory myself as i captured few more wonders now and having lots of landmarks and somewhat not bad count of greatworks but i duno. For warfare its just looking badly also bcoz i didnt get literaly ANY of oil regarless of being first in land and securing one of far cities isnt secure at all.

 

[BiteInTheMark]

King difficulty in Vox is like deity in vanilla, you picked already a good difficulty level.
In this lvl, the AI can research technologies in lategame quicker then the human player cause of their era bonus. You have to head for an advantage earlier in the game, playing aggressive.
The last time i tried assyria, the research bonus for great works didnt occur. I dont know, if they have fixed it, if not, playing assyria passivly is wasting their UA and UU.
Your siege tower is also an early and midgame unit.
Best way, maybe, the only way, to play assyria ist to start with full authority branch. If you feel unconfident with your units, its always possible to go to an early war vs a city state, steal a worker and send your units not engaging in conquering, but go for experience. I like this strategy with Inca and their Unique Unit, able to attack twice and get an giant amount of experience in short time.
Can you say, the research bonus of great works is working?

 

[matlajs]

all great works receive +2 science yep, also + by some policies so its worthy maintain some guilds. i dont think so that king is deity now. i just think their faster tech progres is along with fact, that they have massive number of research agreements. i chose progres + aesthetic + imperialism + autocracy but i can feel now that diference fighting someone who has authority branch. also siege tower is usefull even now in atomic, true they cannot support artilery which has +1 range promo, but regular ones still get at least +20% which is good. AI doesnt seem tempted to destroy them as they had a chance few times when i forgot one with almost dead unit adjacent to city. i just absolutely cant understand that AI ideology choice. absolutely no Orders, 1x Autocracy and 7xFreedom( greeks should accetp autocracy as long as they remain my vassals i suppose). I got either bad company on this map, or AI isnt interested in anything else. To adition King being like deity, maybe as Assyria i was able keep tech with them bcoz of their UB which s great duno.

 

[BiteInTheMark]

The difficulty move is real. You can check it easy. Simply look at vanilly, which difficulty lvl gives the AI no advantages, and which difficulty in Vox.
If i remember correct, you have to pick 3 level less, to get to the same level as in vanilla.

Sometimes the AI still make mistakes, like not conquering worker if easily possible. I see this sometimes too.
But they is much smarter then in vanilla. I was really surprised in my last india game the romans not only attacking by their major direction, also walking around a mountain chain and 2 CS to attack me from behind.

 

[matlajs]

The difficulty move is real. You can check it easy. Simply look at vanilly, which difficulty lvl gives the AI no advantages, and which difficulty in Vox.

where can i check it? now i aborted that bcoz it just became ridiculous. except 2 nations all declared war on me + sanction passed through congress and as there is nothing else than Freedom, all of those have 20+ votes. Even Poland, only one with autocracy, couldnt help me bcoz they were sanctioned(also passed) too. i simply spend to much time revealing where i can gather at least few points in happines every turn. all this game as i checked tech/policy scores i lived in that i play with just regular, but much smarter king difficulty. and as i mentioned before, it wouldnt be neccesary give up this game, but i will not continue with almost permanent -10-18 unhappines, with no oil and aluminium units are behind horizont. i played it balanced, having somewhat good culture output,some tourism, well in tech, made some embassies to have some additional votes. no, they just all go for freedom....... tittle says its good for small empires, but such conditions only posses maybe ethiopians and shoshones. well, to adition i now remember that i didnt have any iron aswell. only 2 + 2 from greece after conquest. that resource split is just unfair.

But doing that post huge i will summary that from beginning. I started--made 2 scouts--made monument---got free worker from progres--- builded stonehenge--- some settling---- failed to get religion ---- than after 4 cities were somewhat developed i started consider some possible war paths including lacking resources and also i just realized that i have no more cities for artist and musician guilds---- Greece chosen as war victim---about 60 turns of fighting, they lost 65% of land including Athens, established vasal----realized they were bad victim bcoz they were tech late and free tech is uncomparable with that insignificant research boost(first few cities gave me rly lot, next ones were rly worthless)-----few turns of refreshing newly acquired land----in these times industrial era just began and i was militarily most developed at least on our island----- ended DoF with Pedro and immediatelly DoWed next turn-----i entered war with +20 happines and he just few turns later adopted Freedom, at that point, i rly didnt realize it will be biggest issue at all----captured some his frontline villages----adopted Autocracy and hell has been created---- after that i was stucked with about +5-10 happines and had to go for cities one by one,while waiting unrest ended--- even with tech edge, lack of autority was somewhat considerable-----taking their capital cost me rest of my nerves-----after adpot tenet with +3happines from courthouses and succesfully finished prora which skyrocketed me back on +20 happines i reraised my hopes but not for long----- war wearines stacked as hell, they voted for Freedom with one voice and i was at same place where i have been before those beautifull things-----in this moment, i just should admit i cant win war under this conditions and acept their peace offer, but vassalage wasnt possible, and their only city which i was interested about( deposit of 9 oil + some aluminium) was impposible to trade also, so i continued------at begining of atomic era ethiopians,zulus DoWed me, took my 2 new founded cities with each +2 oil(only i had) and 3 turns later DoWed me Bismarck who's empire was mixed with brazilians and i lost 5 units just by their ranged fire + ships which tried take that city with strat res. from brazilians----- i resignate and exiting game.

 

[BiteInTheMark]

First the difficulty setting:

"All of the difficulties were ramped up, so that the 'settler' level is now roughly equivalent to Prince (in that the AI receives minimal bonuses). The rest get harder from there, so King is somewhere around old Immortal."

The AI didnt get any starting tech or units anymore, but the cities grow faster, the techs need less research, the units less production etc.... they have a small advantage at the start of the game and this advantage increases by era. The increase in cost reduction goes up with the difficulty.

I get used to play prince, cause that seems to be the "fairest" difficulty to me and is like emperor in vanilla.

Second, i think the mistake you made was to stay long in wars. The longer the war the higher the war wearines goes and this reduce your happiness. And conquering a lot of cities in short time also increase your warmongering a lot. Did you use the vasselage option to increase the percentage of the greeks? I needed some time to found this option. It starts with ZERO, so without adjustment you get nothing from greeks except a fighting zombie for you.

 

[matlajs]

First the difficulty setting:

Did you use the vasselage option to increase the percentage of the greeks? I needed some time to found this option. It starts with ZERO, so without adjustment you get nothing from greeks except a fighting zombie for you.

i did. and i did for 25% after those bastards got bribed and voted for my sanctions.TBH i dont wanna play it like math god, but knowing at least after how many turns whatever increase/decrease, if we speaking about flat numbers and not about .021 I got it that was big problem since that value for ww was 39 points. but without this knowledge i didnt know how that works. ingame in civpedia is just stated ,,its added value to ideology unrest'' thats all. i forgot i still didnt free my 10 unhappines points to kick off all my specialist, but i am not so confident load that game anymore. i like waring but 4 of them from all sides is to much. i see here and there screens where they also have some unhappines, but red things keep my eyes on it and on those red -% in cs

about diff itself. It seems to me aside of some bonuses they also got adjusted in much more better coop against player, which, again, i dont favor. its one thing make AI more inteligent and second make it more cooperated vs human, something this ai rly doesnt need. its loosing independece in my eyes and feels like big gangbang. no matter if in world congres, or 0 trade routes with human, or after human chose of ideology chose wahever else. yep Ai get friendly and can even help itself until the point you are below them at all. if you dont than even biggest friend begin in wc try propose such things like ban your luxure, world of art(or however) for geting bonuses on great workers if you pursue second part of GP regardless proposer even doesnt have aesthetic so assume he doesnt do that for his own profit etc. etc. etc. thats about dificulty. they are biatches, not so strong. mod devs adjusted them with some human aspect which can be seen mostly at diplomacy and wc, but almost feels like YOU vs rest on map. i cannot compare this with older versions so it might sounds like huge criticism which isnt, but game as its now strongly remind me after discover all of them as being on friendly picnic and everything diferent aside frienship or def pact is agrresive behaviour.

 

[tu_79]

Previous version weren't like fighting against a single AI. This is happening now because last version got out of hand (too good at fighting) and the devs tried to control it by reducing aggro, and now games are too peaceful, meaning AIs are competing for CS alliances mostly, and only get to fight once ideologies start to annoy.
But before that, domination leaders were likely to attack their neighbour early on, while cultural ones focused on tourism. The problem then was that AI were unable to change its victory condition if the one it chose first proved too difficult.

 

[vyyt]

about diff itself. It seems to me aside of some bonuses they also got adjusted in much more better coop against player, which, again, i dont favor. its one thing make AI more inteligent and second make it more cooperated vs human, something this ai rly doesnt need.

I think you are mistaken about this. It may only appear to you in this one game of yours, but it is probably happening because you made everyone angry - they do not hate you because you are human, they hate you for your past actions. Another thing which might trigger a joint action against you is if the AIs think that you are clearly winning the game.

 

[matlajs]

Another thing which might trigger a joint action against you is if the AIs think that you are clearly winning the game.

do Ai the same against another winning AI? but anyway i didnt. i maintened 2 foreign capitals thats all. I barely remember that Ethiopians tried ban my luxury even before i waged war on Greece. before that, i did literaly nothing to make them angry.

btw i do not complaint here about they cooped war on me, bcoz i deserved it anyway. i complain about rly poor nation diversity. 7/10 choose Freedom and i can bet Greeks not being my vassals, they go for it also.

 

[8bitBob]

Well jma22tb has a long pseudo guide for Assyria here. It's a couple months old, but things haven't changed so much that it's useless. I don't think this exact build order would work in higher difficulties (too many wonders) but it gives you a strong idea of what you want to be doing.

Here's some specific tips and tactics that I enjoy with Assyria:

1. Go Authority and Warmonger early. It is very possible to Demand Tribute from City States if you first go to war and kill their military units. Demanding Heavy Tribute will either give you a massive amount of Culture, or Culture and Science. This also gets you workers and you can eventually take the city if you so feel the need. Build enough military units so the 5 AIs Protecting the CS do not declare war.

2. Turn on Raging Barbarians and look for isolated Encampments to farm. Just plop a unit in a defensible position by the camp and let the spawns kill themselves on it. Supposedly, there was a recent patch that might have reduced Barbarian spawn rates. Regardless, if you're looking for an easy cheat to benefit Authority, this helps a lot. I also just enjoy having more Barbs to deal with, but I'm weird.

3. Use the Siege Tower for as much gain as possible. That 40% Combat Bonus is simply devastating. You should be looking to conquer entire Civs before it becomes obsolete.

4. Keep your total number of directly controlled cities relatively small. You want to gain nine Great Works of Writing as soon as possible for that sick +45 exp, so you won't be popping them for Culture. Five is a good number, with as many Puppets as you want.

5. Aesthetics can help both your ability to make war and resist cultural pressure. Consider taking it over Piety. If your religion is getting heavily pressured by another Civ, look to conquer and purge it, or take it over if you could not Found.

6. The religious building Order is not useless. In fact, with Assyria it can be very strong. There's a disgusting late game combo that, if you pull off, will make you damn near unstoppable in extended wars.

Shopping List
Barracks - 15xp
Armory - 20xp
Military Academy - 25xp
Order - 15xp
9 GW of Writing - 45xp
Brandenburg Gate - 15xp
Elite Forces - 15xp
Alhambra - Drill 1​

These buildings, abilities and policies combine together to produce the equivalent of level 7 Melee, Melee Mounted and Armor Units. You can also produce level 6 Land Units of any type, including Artillery. The effect of these units against the enemy is simply horrific, and, unlike other Civs, you can afford to throw them away for quick gains.

7. Turn down the difficulty. I know this feels like defeat, but Vox has a lot of subtle details to get used to. Warmongering can feel impossible until you get an idea of what techs, policies, wonders and timings should be prioritized before you go on campaign.


That's all I can think of for now. I'll chime in if I think of anything else, or to answer questions.

 

[matlajs]

1) true, i went for progres and diference was noticable. that tactic came on my mind about cs, but never tried it bcoz i dont remember game with warmonger nation, where i had near one.

2)i did same about farming in vanilla. here AI is knowing about every encampment even without authority and go for it very soon.

3) yea seige tower is nice thing.even in atomic you can get at least 20% from it.

4)here im not sure coz im dubious about puppets.they dont save money for maintanance for sure.they have stupid focus and with autocracy it can be free 3 happines via courthouse.but duno

5) i didnt get religion despite build stonehenge(but as im geting into that, that is mostly for get earlier panth which favour me). I did aesthetics and i did not have almost no problems about me being influenced by anothers, but faking Pedro, he is just op.

6)i know
7) i droped to prince

8)thanks for trying help. i think at all my biggest problem is force me to wge early wars as i love waring when i have already some infrastructure. but now in my new game as venicei was forced DoW early on Gandhi bcoz he tried surround me with cities. but it is somewhat easy with him, buying cs with units.

 

[vyyt]

btw i do not complaint here about they cooped war on me, bcoz i deserved it anyway. i complain about rly poor nation diversity. 7/10 choose Freedom and i can bet Greeks not being my vassals, they go for it also.

This can vary a lot game from game. But the AI is smart and if there is a leading civ with strong tourism, the other civs might follow with their ideology, because they know they would not be able to defend against the leading ideology tourism with their culture, which would result in happiness problems for them - you know: The if you can't beat them, join them style.

I often see there are 2 major ideologies and the other civs flock to either of them.

 

[matlajs]

This can vary a lot game from game. But the AI is smart and if there is a leading civ with strong tourism, the other civs might follow with their ideology, because they know they would not be able to defend against the leading ideology tourism with their culture, which would result in happiness problems for them - you know: The if you can't beat them, join them style.

I often see there are 2 major ideologies and the other civs flock to either of them.

Shouldnt they try pick another ideology just for try to block them with (-50%?) modifier for diferent ideology?Ofc when they focus some victory which profits from freedom ok, BUT 7/10 And that penalty for being influenced by one civ isnt so huge deal when u have no war wearines.

 

[tu_79]

Shouldnt they try pick another ideology just for try to block them with (-50%?) modifier for diferent ideology?Ofc when they focus some victory which profits from freedom ok, BUT 7/10 And that penalty for being influenced by one civ isnt so huge deal when u have no war wearines.

If it is proving too difficult to stay in an ideology, one thing AI can do is go conquering the civ that is pressing with the other ideology (usually Freedom). Another thing is trying to enact 'Travel Ban' and other resolutions that prevent tourism. Only if it thinks it cannot counter unhappiness by any means, then best bet is to change ideology.

 

[matlajs]

but we are speaking here about a very first choice of ideology, not about switch. but i agree if ai works this way, its good. i just hope my previous game where 7/10 Freedoms was just curiosity.

 

[tu_79]

That probably happens because your civs have decided that the best ideology to pursue their objectives is Freedom. Freedom is best for rather small (10 cities in standard) empires not going for domination.