When is it time to build some walls?

[jlim201]

When I feel like it. Usually its my first priority after everything important is built, which is usually in the modern era.

 

[reddishrecue]

It's time to build walls when you have a big difference in gpt and you no longer want to build any buildings that will cost you more gpt.

 

[tetley]

I'm never concerned about being rushed early. Very simple reason: because I'm rushing. Thank you AI for donating your units to the Great-Generals-for-Tetley cause.

 

[unfairlane]

Walls are too weak to be taken serious in this game, first thing I do is to upgrade walls & castle from 500/700 to 2500/3000 defence. Not enough to stop invations but it helps..

Back in the old days citywalls really meant something(everything), some citys were seen as undefeatable for centuries because of their strong walls.

 

[isau]

Walls are situational. The best thing about them is they cost zero maintenance to maintain. So probably the most common situation where I build them is when money is an issue and invasion is likely--the precise situation where buying them is not a good solution.

FWIW, walls are one of the better build options for the AI. Walls are one of the few ways the AI can really slow down an invasion, because they aren't smart enough with their units to not get pecked off. But when they put walls up, especially in a hilly/forested city (where a city attack can hit every hex but you can't really shoot back), your chances of taking the city go from "maybe" to "not for a few eras." And walls really screw up naval attacks as well.

 

[hippo_surprise]

Walls are an insurance policy on the borders, so if I share a border with another civilization and am expanding in another direction--yep, congratulations small outpost in the middle of nowhere, you get some walls and whatever forces I can muster.

 

[dasaard200]

I have found that walls are great for Raging barb's, even better with the Barbarian+ mods(Increased B. Spawn, Ultd. B. XP) !!
One game I had 4 camps spawn real close by T10; hot times, indeed !; couldn't build a worker until T35 .

 

[isau]

One additional thing to add. Since walls are building rather than a unit, and also cost no maintenance, they also don't count toward the unit cap (which admittedly is rarely hit) and more importantly can't be suddenly dismissed if you run out of cash. Some people may never run out of cash, but I've definitely had games where its happened. Probably more likely with large continents and raging barbarians, particularly with a tundra start with huge worthless spaces and lots of places for barbarian camps to pop up.

 

[tetley]

That's true: walls don't count against supply. With the Germans or with Heathen conversion, that could really matter. Walls are still less likely to matter if you're hitting your supply limit, though.

 

[eris]

I don't know if any else does this or if it is as clever as I think. I build Walls because they have no maintenance cost. Sometimes my economy gets a real slow start. I have this eager production-heavy city ready to build something useful. I can't afford anything until I get some commerce going, so up go the Walls. Hopefully, I will already be working on the economy, and the Walls will be a delay with the bonus of improving my military rating. It only applies to desperate economic crises, but it seems to be good reason for wall building to me.

 

[CivAddict2013]

If you're next to Shaka, Montezuma or some other warmonger... Immediately.

That's of course only if you play above prince though.

 

[dasaard200]

Any city I can get my hands on, gets walls; yeah, Neuschwanstein IS part of 'the plan', but ya never know when an AI alliance will bite you on the ass .

Ogilarchy, with its Garrison (+50% defense on ranged), plus Military Caste (+on Happy, Culture), boost your city's chances of survival, and help 'fund' Liberty's expansion prospects .

I find Raging Barbarians to be a tool to use, and joyfully abuse, for setting up serious warmonger steamrollering !

I want all my cities to achieve 'stand alone' status, and with a few units per city, you can go past the 4-6 city framework of Tradition and Liberty; securing quite a swath for a stable, profitable Realm, ready to expand as opportunity presents itself .
Huge maps offer huge results .

 

[Herr JOO]

To have a good defense in early game i suggest that walls+composotive bowman+ spearman= a good early game defense system.
Walls are really important. The great wall makes your enemy a bit slow and gives downsides to your enemy. Walls of babylon has a great defense point and normal walls also have good defense point. You should got your walls before the enemy army enters into your borders. To use your walls good:
1) start defending your army before the enemy enters into your borders. To do this well you need composotive bowmen and spearmen.
2) always have a back defense army which includes composotive bowmen, spearmen and maybe some catapults. AND OF course one composotive bowman should attack from the city. Walls+composotive bowman= a great defense point.
As i said before, this is a defense strategy which is ok for early game.
Walls are not very defensive for cannons and long swordmen

 

[ljofa]

Walls have no maintenance cost so if you are running out of building options, haven't yet reached guilds and already have a sizeable army (draining you of gold) then it's an option in the early stages of the game.

 

[x2Madda]

I'm not much of a multiplayer gamer though: how have people found walls in MP games? With the much higher military aggression levels of such games, I suspect they may have more value.

Yes & no.
Humans don't tend to mess around taking turn after turn to try to take a city, you will always be fighting a full on army so the walls on flat offer little. Walls & hill however are very much worth it early game and really help against comp. bowmen but if you are on flatland then walls are not going to give you that defensive edge.

They do however send a powerful message, which is 'this city is here to stay' because the wall is visible and you taking the time to build it is showing that you are prepared to defend it. If someone settles close and doesn't park an army and/or walls in that city, then they just built a city for you.

 

[andreafin]

in my case about a turn after some civ declares war

 

[MrTaylordw]

I start to build them when they take 1 turn to build... then I can get the castle and other stuff.