When the gods smile upon you.

[BalbanesBeoulve]

So I just had my best opening game ever. Epic, pangaea, monarch. First of all, my start was incredible.

2 Gems, gold, rice and a horse all in my fat cross.

Too bad that cow wasn't in there too. But who can complain at that start? Almost every single tile is also a river tile, this is going to be an amazing city with levees, and I'm financial, even better.

My warrior starts exploring and the first AI i meet is Shaka. And my heart sank. I'd be needing that gold for the massive amount of troop upkeep costs defending from him. But I decided to not let him ruin my game. Fortunately I was playing as Mali. I think the Skirmisher rush is very very very underrated. I've had more success with it than i've ever had with an axe rush. So I decide to get some revenge on Shaka for all the other games of mine he's ruined, so I decide to Skirmisher rush.

Also I didn't mention this but I play with unrestricted leaders. in this game I was wang kong. So my skirmishers were OP, not Boudica of Rome OP, but still pretty darn powerful. As if that wasn't enough I got the event that gives all archer units combat 1! So I've got combat 1, drill 1, city garrison 1, shock/cover skirmishers right out of the gate. 4 promotions! Shaka doesn't stand a chance. I start chopping skirmishers, alternating shock and cover promotions, though shock was uncessary, as he only managed to build 1 phalanx before I took out his copper. His other 2 cities went down fast. So now I've got 2 capitals in 1275 BC, i already have my level 4 unit for heroic epic.

This game's in the bag. I really can't believe how lucky I got.

Now the only question is do I settle down peacefully and start building, or go on to the next guy? I really don't like William Van Orange, i'd love to show him a thing or two.

 

[DrewTate]

Take out as many civs or cities as you would feel would give you a comfy time expanding and winning. If you have to take out three civs, do so. If you are fine with Shaka's capital and Athens and our capital, then youshould be good.

 

[pat4]

I don't think I could give advice in this situation as I have never been in so good a position so early. I think with such a good position you should be conservative. You'll have so much land to expand into that war will not be neccesary unless you want to beat an AI and take land which is somewhat developed.

Pat.

 

[BalbanesBeoulve]

So the game turned out to be my highest scoring ever. 90k domination win in the early 1700s. After some rapid expansion I beelined liberalism, got nationalism free, then beelined rifles. Drafted an army and easily conquered William, vassalized him and just kept pushing west, using each new vassal as a shield and combat never reached my home.

 

[pat4]

Well done better than any victory I've had.

 

[Tlalynet]

Awesome game!

 

[ggganz]

And also you switched graphics in the middle of the game.

 

[demokratickid]

And this, my friends of CFC, is the definition of a game well played!

 

[obliterate]

What's your in game name?

 

[BalbanesBeoulve]

So I just tried this strategy again, and again it worked. I started a custom warmonger game. Shaka, Boudica, Genghis, Toku, Montezuma, and Alexander. I was in for some pain.

Fortunately I was at the edge of the world, with 2 cities i'd be able to block off a good chunk and backfill. But then I saw monty pretty close by. I decided to try a skirmisher rush again, and it worked. He had 2 cities up, and only about 2 archers in each. Took him out and in the process got both the buddhist and jewish holy cities. His capital was a production powerhouse, and that early rush was enough to get me a level 4 unit. I built the heroic epic there asap, and didn't have a problem staying #1 in power the rest of the game. Genghis attacked me next, he managed to raze a newly founded size 2 city, but i bribed shaka and alex to go to war with him. I can't believe shaka agreed, he was 3 whole civs away.

The war vs genghis plus shared religion brought alex and shaka both to friendly with me. Soon after Alex offered to be my vassal. After this I started doing some massive backfilling, but even though my science rate was 40-50%, i still kept a decent science rate. Got liberalism, got nationalism, got rifling, and was teching steel and ready to take out genghis when I won a diplo victory without even trying. Alex and Shaka voted me to leader. I got a 100,000 score in 1500. Very ironic that the guy I killed earlier was the guy who brought me victory the next game. He even offered up a defensive pact.