Something I need a little help with.

[Cyrus The Mike]

It seems that every time I play, when I get to the middle ages, i can barely defend myself. I usualy have 1 or 2 units in my lesser citys and about 4-5 with my capital and 1 or 2 citys below me. Then when the AI wars with me I hardly make it.

When I start out I focus on buildings in my citys, but I never get even the to far from building buildings to build units. Just the last game I tryed attacking monty right away, you know how he gets, wether he likes you or not he trys to kill you. I failed like I'v never faught a war in my life.

Does anyone else have this problem? Is there any way to not sacrifice a lot of time on units? Every now and then I peek to see how many units the AI has and to what I see if he left 2 in each city, he, or she, could compleatly destroy my empire.

Got any ideas Apolyton forumers?

[Solver]

Don't follow the AI's unit building patterns. And do not defend your capital with 4-5 units, that is complete overkill. You need good defenses in your outer/border cities, not your inner cities. Defending inner cities with 1 units is normally sufficient, you can generally add more defenders as you need them. Border cities should have at least 2 defenders in them, though, if you have any reason to expect an attack.

To better help you, we'd need to establish why you do poorly when the AI attacks you. Is it because the AI has too many units compared to you? Or is it because the AI's units are technologically better? Oh, and what difficulty level are we talking about here?

[Diadem]

Indeed. The AI method of defence is to put a lot of units in each city. The AI is too dumb to optimize the location of its units, so it has to resort to this method. As a result, it needs to get discounts for units, to protect its economy from collapse.

Humans are not allowed such priviledges. Humans need to use at much units as needed, and not more. So they need to place their units in the optimal locations, and be very fluid with their defence.

A good road network and fast moving units help you a lot. Take out invaders before they arrive at your cities, or at least reinforce cities before the invaders arrive there.

So keep a good garrison at your important border cities, because if the AI attacks you might not have time to reinforce them. Cities in the middle of your empire however do not need a big garrison. In fact the usual defence of my capital is one single warrior.

I dread the day one of the AIs uses commando/morale improved mounted unit to attack and raze my capital in the first turn of war. Luckily in all the games I've played the AI has never displayed such intelligence

[Solver]

Originally posted by Diadem
I dread the day one of the AIs uses commando/morale improved mounted unit to attack and raze my capital in the first turn of war. Luckily in all the games I've played the AI has never displayed such intelligence

Looks like Blake's AI already kicks large amounts of ass. With further improvements to the tactical side... .

[Willem]

Originally posted by Cyrus The Mike
Got any ideas Apolyton forumers?

One thing you can do is make good use of the unit auto build function. Build a Barracks in every city very early on, then select a particular unit type to be built permanently there. Then select what building you want next and add it to the list below the unit. When the unit is finished, it will drop to the end of the list and the building will start. Add another building below the unit and your city will just keep alternating between buildings and units. In no time at all you'll have a sizable military, without sacrificing your city infrastructure. Whenever I use this method, I'm usually the mot powerful civ in the game by the medieval era, and no one dares attack me.

[ColdPhoenix]

As mentioned it's best to keep a minimal defence in your core cities, a couple of decent units in the border cities (unless it's bordering an annoyed Monty when I'll have three) and a mobile force. In the border cities I usually have one city garrison unit (an archer or longbowman) and one which is a bit better at attacking (an axeman or maceman for example). The mobile force, which should be mounted units, can quickly move to where the threat is.

It's also worth having a city busting force with a few city raiders, a medic, some artillery units and a couple of units to defend the stack. This will be useful for counterattack, take a few cities and they'll think twice before attacking again.

I often only have barracks in my capital and in some reasonably high production military city. I don't worry too much about commerce buildings in the military city unless I've time. It's focus is to keep building units to keep the nation safe (and a defence force for newly captured cities). I like heroic epic, west point, stables, (at least one) military instructor and a military academy in there. Let your other cities support the economy, chances are you'll end up producing mmost buildings in your military city eventually but focus on military with it until you don't need to.

[Saurus]

Warfare during the middle ages, expecially during late middle-age is a problematic issue.

In fact, if someone (A.I or human) decides to come for you during this period with a huge stack, then there is really no effective countermeasures to be taken. (forget countering with catapults! - they are utterly useless VS late middle age-units)

A well planned stack of attackers during this period is nearly unbeatable unless the defender somehow have a vast superior army.

The best thing you can do during this period is to bribe the A.I to fight each other instead so that they cannot come for you.

This difficult period lasts until you can build Riflemen, Cavalries or Cannons. If you are a builderminded player, then try to use every mean possible to keep out of wars up until you manage to get that far.

[Willem]

Originally posted by ColdPhoenix
In the border cities I usually have one city garrison unit (an archer or longbowman) and one which is a bit better at attacking (an axeman or maceman for example).

A better set up would be to have one general defender (Archer or Longbowman), a Crossbowman once you can build them to counter any melee units that may attack, a Spearman/Pikeman to counter any mounted units, and one assault unit (Axeman or Maceman). Plus you can throw in a Catapult for good measure to weaken any stacks that might appear.

[Brutus66]

Originally posted by Willem


A better set up would be to have one general defender (Archer or Longbowman), a Crossbowman once you can build them to counter any melee units that may attack, a Spearman/Pikeman to counter any mounted units, and one assault unit (Axeman or Maceman). Plus you can throw in a Catapult for good measure to weaken any stacks that might appear.

Combined arms- definitely the wise strategy.

[Dis]

yeah sounds like you fall into a trap I used to fall into (and still occasionally do- but I've been lucky). Try to build too many buildings in ALL your cities.

A few posts up are some good ideas about having one city build nothing but military units. Though as mentioned, you will still find time to throw in a couple buildings here and there. Things like library to expand the borders, forge of course, factory, granary (useful as well if you are pop rushing), courthouse. And the military buildings stable, barracks, heroic epic, west point etc. Pretty much everything else should be military units.

[Jaybe]

I'm confused. Has EVERYONE forgotten to mention using the F9 to compare your troop strength with other civs (particularly your neighbors)?

If you are comparatively weak, the AI will see opportunity.

[ColdPhoenix]

Originally posted by Willem


A better set up would be to have one general defender (Archer or Longbowman), a Crossbowman once you can build them to counter any melee units that may attack, a Spearman/Pikeman to counter any mounted units, and one assault unit (Axeman or Maceman). Plus you can throw in a Catapult for good measure to weaken any stacks that might appear.

That would make the city safer but unless you're bordering an agressive civ I think that the additional unit cost (both in upkeep and hammers) outweighs the benefit.

[Willem]

Originally posted by ColdPhoenix


That would make the city safer but unless you're bordering an agressive civ I think that the additional unit cost (both in upkeep and hammers) outweighs the benefit.

Yes it is a little extreme, but very effective.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Jaybe
I'm confused. Has EVERYONE forgotten to mention using the F9 to compare your troop strength with other civs (particularly your neighbors)?

If you are comparatively weak, the AI will see opportunity.

This is the key. Keep your power close to (within 20% of) your neighbors' power... more if they're less friendly and/or if you have a Montezuma or similarly aggressive AI nearby.

Rules to remember:

1. Combined arms is key. You need some units that can defend against each of the major units the AI will come at you with; not necessarily every available unit, but the best units of that era.
2. Power is total power, not power-in-each-city or something like that. You don't have to spread them across your cities; keep one per city, but that one can be a warrior, just to avoid unhappiness. Beyond that, focus all of your military in the cities most likely to be attacked, and maybe one city in the middle as reserves.
3. A collateral damage unit is vital at all times. Several of that unit in each city that's at risk will save you a LOT when the AI brings a stack and you can just catapult it or whatnot into a much, much weaker stack.
4. Make a Military Building City. I usually have only one city that produces military during peacetime. That city can spend most of its time producing units, and if it's one of your highest hammer cities, you'll stay up there with no problem, and without costing you too much since the rest of your cities are building what needs to be built. Get the Heroic Epic up here as soon as you can, and you'll have nice quick units coming out.
5. Finally, if you prefer not to fight the AI in the mid game, be prepared to give it stuff. Civ4 is much more direct about this. Give it stuff and it will like you. Don't give it stuff and it will hate you. It's not like Civ3 where it tended to just ask if it was already very pissed. The AI will ask when it's already very happy with you, but if you say no, watch out ... Religion is very effective, if you can either make sure your neighbors all have your religion, or change to their religion, you'll be better off, as they'll be much less likely to attack you if you're coreligionists.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Saurus
Warfare during the middle ages, expecially during late middle-age is a problematic issue.

In fact, if someone (A.I or human) decides to come for you during this period with a huge stack, then there is really no effective countermeasures to be taken. (forget countering with catapults! - they are utterly useless VS late middle age-units)

A well planned stack of attackers during this period is nearly unbeatable unless the defender somehow have a vast superior army.

The best thing you can do during this period is to bribe the A.I to fight each other instead so that they cannot come for you.

This difficult period lasts until you can build Riflemen, Cavalries or Cannons. If you are a builderminded player, then try to use every mean possible to keep out of wars up until you manage to get that far.

Um, no, wrong. It's admittedly harder to defend yourself in the late middle ages than in the early game, but just wait for Tanks... that's worse.

Catapults are still useful here! They may die, but they'll take off hitpoints. And, the late middle ages are easier to plan for: Pikes, crossbows, and Macemen. That's all you need. Crossbows to counter the opposing macemen, which they do well (Especially if protective ), pikes to counter knights if they show up, and Macemen to pick off weaker units.

Now, you're not going to want to launch a major counteroffensive in your territory, as the counters are really effective in this era - but if the AI stack has a weakness, exploit it! Other than that, just make sure you have City Garrison Crossbowmen and some pikemen at a minimum, and a few macemen for mopup duty, and be patient. It's easier to rebuild a farm than a city