How to properly attack and take over an enemy city?

[rah]

I like smaller but more groups so they aren't as exposed to enemy siege units. Just like your knicking them can make a stack easy to take, it works against you. (playing a lot of MP will make you paranoid)

Even though I do find it humorous when you move your stacks up against a city and the AI has cats in the city but rarely uses them before the city is taken. If that cat was out of the city and came across your stack, it would attack everytime.

[Brael]

Ya, smaller but more groups work well too, if you noticed I kept all of those groups as even numbers (though it kind of breaks down when it comes to the Knights). My problem though when it comes to smaller groups is the whole combined arms approach takes a big hit since by definition it means being able to utilize many different types of units/promotions. Less units=less options for that.

Knight - Combat 1, Medic
Samurai - Combat 1, City Raider 1, (City Raider 2)
Samurai - Combat 1, Shock, (Cover)
Samurai - Combat 1, Cover, (Shock)
Trebuchet - Barrage 1, (Accuracy)
Trebuchet - Barrage 1, (Barrage 2)
Pikeman - Combat 1, Combat 2, (Formation)

(If anyones wondering why I make the Knight the medic when because I'm playing agressive I could have it in 1 promotion rather than 2 with a different type, it's because it's the weakest unit on defense so the least likely to be killed, it's also solid on offense so can counter units near you while others heal up.)

That sort of force is much less suspectable to siege units since you'll have an idential one nearby, but by the same token could be killed much easier. On thinking about it further I might be taking the wrong approach to this entirely and rather than make general purpose armies I would be better off making sets of units built to a specific purpose such as eliminating "extra" units, taking out resources, and conquering cities.

[rah]

In the later game my stacks are, one tank, one gunship. But Lots of them. By this point bombers and battleships are doing the bombardment so seige units aren't needed. BLITZ.
And if the AI uses 6 artillary units to kill one of your pairs, no biggie. I can cover every square surrounding the city and no reinforcement for them

[Prussia]

By the way, I heard somewhere that naval units can blockade enemy ports, how do they do that?

[Traianvs]

Simply move your ships in front of the enemy city and that city won't be able to use the water tiles.

Btw I have a question myself. Is there any way how to see defense odds? I have a fairly large army of praetorians (and an axeman + spearman) storming at my poorly defended, but hugely important capital Memphis, and all I have is a few warriors and a bunch of war chariots (don't have copper/iron resources). I know that my chariots don't receive defensive bonuses, but do they still benefit from city wall defense?

Luckily, the Romans in this game aren't quite technologically advanced and thus far have not been able to build catapults, so I was thinking if my war chariots get the +50% bonus from city walls the odds could be balanced a bit (though it'll doubtlessly remain a close battle )

[PrinceBimz]

Re: How to properly attack and take over an enemy city?

Originally posted by Mateo1041
Hi everyone,

I've been playing Civ IV and just began my first war. But I've found that my 15-20 units just can't take a northern city with 5 or so defenders. Plus, only one unit at a time will fight. Is there a better strategy to this? I do have catapults, but they seem really whimpy. I also have everything from horse archers to longbowmen to mounted war elephants.

Am I doing something wrong? I would think 15-20 men should be able to overtake 5 men. Is there a way to have all attack at once automatically?

Thanks,
- Matt.

What units are defending and what units are you attacking them with? Catapults, although the weakest and first artillery piece that comes available, are vital. Try this... bombard the city defenses down to 0%. Then attack directly with your catapults for the collateral damage, this is very important. When your catapults are destroyed from attacking, start the attack with your troops. Also remember that promotions are critical when building your army you plan to attack a city with. For example, city raider promotions or units that specialize in city attack are your best bet. Good luck!

[Kuciwalker]

No, they don't, so you're probably screwed unless you take out the Spearmen (at which point their axes are dead).

[Nugog]

Originally posted by gradea
Its important to have dedicated specialist units. Bombard units with maxed Collateral damage, city takers with City Raider maxed, and general attack/stack defense units with Strength bonuses. A medic or two doesn't hurt either.

Very, very good advice to a warmongerer!

It takes a while to learn what works best for you.

But do not forget, that different AI's, particulalry when their UU is at their most effective.

One formula will not work for all, except at the easier levels!

[Prussia]

Traianvs, you better just send out those war chariots to weaken the attackers and then brace for the remaining storm. Unfortunately, the game will force you to use your war chariots on the spearmen, so you might not damage the axemen enough.

Anyway, you're pretty much screwed, sorry.

[Blaupanzer]

Your units do have to go in one at a time against the best possible defender. Hold your mounted units until the melee units have killed the spearmen/pikemen among the defenders. Be careful about force distribution once the city falls. If you move all the remaining healthy units into the city, your opponent can hit your siege/wounded units at great advantage. If you don't put enough units in the city, the opponent will retake it. As a city changes hands more than once, more and more of the remaining buildingas are lost. The AI in Warlords is pretty sophisticated in terms of the mixed stack and attack order.

[Blaupanzer]

Originally posted by rah
In the later game my stacks are, one tank, one gunship. But Lots of them. By this point bombers and battleships are doing the bombardment so seige units aren't needed. BLITZ.
And if the AI uses 6 artillary units to kill one of your pairs, no biggie. I can cover every square surrounding the city and no reinforcement for them

Your modern stacks look very vulnerable to air attack. Is the AI that bad with airpower?

[Adagio]

Originally posted by Blaupanzer
Is the AI that bad with airpower?

It sure is. I have never seen the AI use bombers and fighters are rarely used to attack with. Gunships I've never seen the AI use either

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Adagio


It sure is. I have never seen the AI use bombers and fighters are rarely used to attack with. Gunships I've never seen the AI use either

That's crazy. In my first game ever Saladin and Bismarck kept on bombing my cities and my improvements, with plenty of fighters around for defense. Especially my uranium and oil improvements kept on being destroyed, so I could never retaliate with stronger units

[jonta]

Too the attacker :

Do not promote the units, that can survive the attack without promotion, after the first attack wave 60-80% off your units will be alive, but in very bad
shape, promoting them then, and it will heal them a lot.

Catas though, I promote before i attack, and sad to say but siege needs to be 1/2 your stack. Due to the
heavy "overpower" off siege in CIV4.

My early stack would be
1 archer (to make hill defence)
2 (3 if no horse) pikes (not risking mounted attack)
2 (3 if no horse) axe
2 carriots
6 catas ( trebuc. if developed)
i mostly wouldent build any swordmen

later about the same mix, just upgraded to their
more advanced counterparts

With all this catas city cultural defence will go fast,
and the defending stack will look bad after beeing
damaged by 6 catas or treb.

If multiplayer i would mix catas & trebuc. not to be weak
in the open field, against a counter strike)

this until cavallery, then everything changes a bit

[PrinceBimz]

Originally posted by Adagio


It sure is. I have never seen the AI use bombers and fighters are rarely used to attack with. Gunships I've never seen the AI use either

I have seen the AI use aircraft in several games, bombed the heck out of me. I have seen them use carriers too and more then once.