Barbarians and the Great Wall

[D4everman]

One thing I enjoy about Civ4 is not feeling like i had to have a particular wonder. In Civ II I always went for The Great Library and Leo's workshop. Not getting them made me feel like the point of the game was gone. I also used to build wonders I didn't need or want just to deny the AI of it.

But I never felt that way in Civ4 until now. Heck yeah, I would like to get Stonehenge and the Pyramids every game. But if i didn't it was no big deal...but now, with warlords I find that the Great Wall is indispensible. You see, I can't bring myself to turn the barbarians off, it feels like I'm being a chicken. But at the same time, I hate barbarians. I have to spend too much time in the early game preparing for the eventual flood of barb archers, axemen and the like coming into my borders and wreaking havoc. But with the GW they pose little threat! Now i'm scared that I'll ALWAYS want that particular wonder. I might have to not build it on purpose in some games to wean myself from it.

I know the AI gets bonuses against barbarians and the barbs will always attack the human player first, but does the AI ever lose against Barbarians? I have never seen an AI city fall to them?

[Tattila the Hun]

I've had barbs destroy a civ few times. I think human gets some bonus against them too, depending on difficulty..

[D4everman]

I'venever seen that. It would be interesting. I was wondering what most people do with Barbarian cities. Every so often one will pop up right on my border. I make it a habit of letting it get to size 2 (if its not already) and taking it as my own.

[joncnunn]

I don't bother attacking a Barb city until it's large enough to be a net asset to my empire as soon as it stops resisting. AI is just terriable at getting a taskforce of sufficent right units and promotions together to capture a barb city.

[joncnunn]

As far as defending yourself from barbs, 1 Archer in every border city with City Defender promotion & 1 ofensive unit for every 2 border cities will work. That offensive unit can even be an archer with first strike promotions for quite a while.

[Qwertqwert]

On Monarch and above (I believe) there is no player bonus against Barbs. On Prince and lower there are bonuses. However they are very low (5% on Prince).

I really hate how barbarians don't attack other barbarians. It's like they're organized. Like a.. *Gasp* Civilization. A constant war civilization which spawns new units.

And John, try your strategy on a huge pangea. Even without raging barbarians, you're not looking at a great situation.

[Dis]

I rarely build it actually. Either I can't get it in time, or I don't bother. But my last game I did make a point to get it. It was a highlands map. some maps I really do try for it. But on continents or archipelago maps I don't bother.

note: due to computer limitations I don't play over standard size maps. If I did, then I would most definatlely build the wall more often.

[joncnunn]

Due to computer limitations I can't play huge size maps

[frenzyfol]

My barb plan is as follows.

Get bronze working whilst expanding to 3 - 4 cities to try and fill out the fog of war (barbs can appear in any! even previously explored fog of war tiles.

Once you have explored enough, fortify any woodsman 1-2 warriors and even scouts on forested hills just outside the extents of your empire. Your scouts should have a few promotions from fighting animals. Not only do these units un-fog any tiles in the immediate area, but they act as a warning for impending barb attacks.
Barbs are stupid, they will attack these fortified units and give you time to move your defense/offence to the city in trouble (roads!!!). If your lucky these fortified/upgraded units will stop the barbs in their tracks.
I've stopped axe men with woodsman 2 scouts on a wooded hill (prince).

Make axemen and capture the barb cities. My 4th-6th cities are usually captured barb cities.

My plan goes to @#$% if I cant find bronze, at which point I usually gamble a run for husbandry (horses/chariots) or get archery. I hate going for archery as its a tech that you can skip for such a long time.

[Snotty]

This is the best great wall Ive ever built