what can i do?

[simmonz]

I'm about to start a multiplayer with 3 friends and 6 AI on huge map and I intend to be Julius Cesear (Rome). Normally i'm not the military type and go for Economy and Religion and keep at peace with all the AI to improve city production.....but this time..i want to change.

This time, i plan on being alot more aggressive from the outset. Attacking the the player or AI closest to me as possible.

What you guys think i should do to make my military powerufl from the outset. Also..i dont understand the phrases of "chopping settlers" etc

 

[Jmaz]

When your workers are automated have you ever noticed the note that says "clearing a forest has earned 90 hammers for Moscow". It is a way to hurry production used by most players. The trick is not to automate your work staff. It does require Bronze Working to chop a forest and Iron Working to to chop a jungle.

When building Workers and Settlers your population does not grow. Chopping reduces the number of turns that the city's growth is 'stimied'. Be aware that the forests can regenerate if other forests are adjacent so don't make a Wallmart parking lot out of the countryside.

Bronze Working also allows the civic Slavery. Using population to finish you current build. Some refer to this as 'Whipping'. Both are powerful tools early in the game.

From the options screen use the settings that don't let workers cut forests and dont let workers destroy previous production. You can however automate your workers from the game screen to build 'trade networks'. This will alleviate the tedium of micro mgt. and you'll have just a few workers to manage yourself.

 

[Solo4114]

Wait, do you actually get hammers for clearing jungle? I thought you could clear with iron working but you didn't get any hammers for doing so.

As far as military advice, if you're playing Rome, obviously Praetorians will be important to early game military wins. Other basic advice (since I'm kind of a newbie to this version too) -- build large armies, and try to make them varied. Praetorians for the bulk of your combat, Archers to provide cover, Catapults -- if you have the tech -- for bombardment and collateral damage, spearmen to beat mounted units, mounted units to raid the countryside, etc.

Before you attack a city, check the odds on the fight. You can drag your mouse over the city to see what the odds of the fight will be before attacking. This can save you a lot of trouble.

Remember to bombard cities as much as possible so as to knock down their cultural defenses. Don't be afraid to use catapults as suicide units, since the collateral damage will likely be worth it. Bring along medics, too. Explorer units that have been trained as medics will be a plus. As the Romans (who are, I think, Aggressive) you'll get the basic +10% strength advancement, which opens up the first Medic advancement. If you build these guys in a city with barracks, you can pump out medic units relatively cheaply. Since you don't want your medics fighting anyway, don't bother wasting the medic ability on your other troops -- unless you really want to have mobile raiders who can operate behind enemy lines and heal on the move (which becomes available as a third advancement after medic, I think).

 

[MrCynical]

You only get hammers from clearing forest, not from clearing jungle.

 

[Gumbolt]

Hmm no hammers for chopping Jungle.

Not played a multiplayer yet but im guessing having 4 cities with one warrior defending each early on (2000bc or so) is a no no. Build lots of axemen/praetorians and knock out easy target cities with 1-2 units and low cultural defences 20% or below. Might be better to build three cities fast then chop lots of forest for units. I doubt a few axemen early on would hurt against archers esp with their melee bonus. Assuming copper and or iron. Dont forget to have 4+ workers to link resources and cities by road early on.

You might also forgo the barracks at start till you get a few axemen or praetorians to protect your borders from barbarians. Chances are you will lose some units attacking early on so its no big loss starting on axemen. 4-6 axemen and off you go.

With this kind of attacking force you should be able to take 1-2 cities off a close AI then go for peace and a free tech if possible. Then regroup recover science rate and attack again once you build a few more units. Gives chance to rebuild and regroup. Dont forget to pillage the key resources in AI/ friends lands to slow them down before you make peace and get extra gold from the pillaging too.

Early on its a question of settlers or units to capture cities at start. 110 hammers will make 3 units to one settler with a city at 0 growth for at least 8 turns. Past the 3rd-5th city i dont normally need to build many settlers at all unless landing on a new island. AI and barbarians have all the cities you will need once you have set up.

Assuming your playing Monarch on a standard map. Bronze working and iron working will be important to reach the Roman Unique unit.

 

[atreas]

The basic three techs, to start with (since Romans start with Mining) are Bronze Working, Iron Working, and Wheel (usually you will need this to connect to the resources). Preferably go first BW -> Wheel. Most probably you will also need to research Aggriculture (so as to farm tiles, getting the necessary food for working on mined tiles - after all you are going to play for military production) and Pottery (some cottages will help your economy recover from the shock of conquering foreign cities). As for city improvements, the Barracks will be quite useful.

Usually you will need at least 2 cities for units production (I find 3 is the best number for large maps): start with as many axes as you can, and then switch to Praets when the time comes. But definitely don't build more than 4 cities: this will both make your attack late, and also you will have much bigger problem to keep cities (due to maintenance cost).

And, above all, chop like crazy - you will need big numbers, especially at the start (when you units haven't big experience), since Caesar isn't Aggressive.

Note that, if your (human) opponents know what they do, they will create axemen with antimelee promotion and wait for you. Don't expect to have easy time with them. On the other hand, AI will usually just have some archers...