Something I thought I'd NEVER do...

[Theben]

Give 7 techs and a small army to the Zulus(!).



Every rifleman in that city was mine last turn. Of course if the Mongols weren't on the verge of a domination victory and at war with the Zulus I wouldn't have. Just about everyone on the main continent is a vassal of the Mongols. I'm in the 'fortunate' position of being just below them (the Egyptians being the continent far away from everyone).

[fani]

Wow...what level are u playing at?
Seems like a lost game to me...let us know how things turn out...

[ZEE]

Seems like a lost game to me...

agreed. The Mongols are already a well developed, unit making machine.

Also the Zulu are never going to be able to defeat all those Civs, even with your help. Just Sayn.

[wodan11]

I agree... unless you're ready to launch or get a CV, you're in trouble. You really need to man up and DOW them yourself, I think. The zulus simply won't fight intelligently enough to be able to withstand all those civs. Unless you gift 2x or 3x what you would need if you did the fighting yourself (and it's going to take a heck of a lot more than a dozen riflemen).

Also, check the techs... looks to me like the Mongols are about to get tanks. They have more units AND they're out-teching you? Good luck, you'll need it.

[Theben]

agreed. The Mongols are already a well developed, unit making machine.

Also the Zulu are never going to be able to defeat all those Civs, even with your help. Just Sayn.

Definitely going to be a challenge. The only civ that hasn't been vassalized by the Mongols are the Zulu, but the English & Arabs have shaken off their shackles. The Chinese are on the cusp and I figure razing some Mongol port cities may convince them to declare their freedom. I already took one Mongol city, destroying the Mongol fleet (one frigate and about 20 galleons). There already has been a lot of action on the high seas.



It's Monarch level, btw.

[fani]

He doesnt have oil ???
So you have a chance maybe!
btw razing coastal cities can be really fast as ships receive no moving penalty in enemy territory...good idea...hope you have the muscle to challenge the mongol...

[Theben]

He doesnt have oil ???
So you have a chance maybe!
btw razing coastal cities can be really fast as ships receive no moving penalty in enemy territory...good idea...hope you have the muscle to challenge the mongol...

He didn't at the time since he didn't have combustion, but neither did I. Trust me, he's got every resource that's available out there.

It's been 5 turns and the Zulus are getting crushed. He must've either attacked with the units I gave him or there were more Mongols than I accounted for, and I knew there were a lot. My only hope now is to catch off guard with a massive coastal assault.

[wodan11]

He must've either attacked with the units I gave him

The AI always does that. Gifted units are always classified as extras I think, so it's not smart about how it uses them.

or there were more Mongols than I accounted for

From the screenshot, you didn't have espionage to could see all his cities, so
that seems likely.

My only hope now is to catch off guard with a massive coastal assault.

Good luck.

[Jaybe]

BTW, is this a Better AI game?

[Theben]

Standard 3.17. And although I don't have the espionage to see Mongol cities, I did station ships close enough to see what units were in them... 2 of them had about 50 units each (and his capital about 20).

[wodan11]

So what happened? Did you lose to a conquest victory or did you pull it out? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Theben]

RL interference... haven't played it since. Later.

[Blaupanzer]

That's the point where I usually start a new one also, Theben. Maybe one day you will go back -- right! Not in keeping with the new resolution by Theben to finish games, which I signed up for as well. However, time is precious at some scale.

[Theben]

Nah, I saved it on a different machine and forgot to upload the save to my email account. So I won't be able to play it again until I go back to Chicago... a few weeks at least.

I'll play it again at some point but I doubt success is on the horizon.

[-Jrabbit]

You're doomed -- you can't give the AI a few weeks to build more units while you do nothing!!