It's very frustrating to play as a builder

[wodan11]

so with 4 units per city defensive ones not offensive those defensive units can move anywhere

If you move them you lose their fortification bonus, which is a big part of their defensive calculation.

there are reasons i build an defense before offense

Well don't leave us waiting with bated breath (what the heck does that colloquialism mean anyway)...
Do tell!!

google, here's what it means: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-bai1.htm

[Theben]

There's little reason to have more than 1 defender in city, unless at the border. More properly termed a "point of attack" you need to determine what cities are vulnerable to a sudden enemy assault. If you have been active in scouting the land and sea it should be obvious which cities these are... and those are the ones that get extra units.

Other than that I tend to build forts at certain locations and put my "mini-SoDs" there (the fort mainly needed for a visual rallying point). These are full of fast units until rails are available and then any can go there.

The only other thing is that upgrading old units can be wise once airports are available and then 2 units/city is the standard. That way you can airlift several units in 1 turn to the defense of a city and not have to worry that you only have obsolete ones available!

[brandonjm8]

ive posted this on another thread but i do build SoD's too alongside my defensive units, there are many reasons for having plenty of defensive reserves, one is with such numbers most AI's wont even attack, another is for mobilization and send them where needed if such a huge SoD comes to invade you, another is that once you start conquering you have no need to build extra defensive units to defend you new cities cuz you already have them, these are just some of the many benefits of having a strong D.

[a.kitman]

in my example i hade the 5th most soldiers in a 18 civ game. i really thougth it was enuff since i hade just fought of some russians that war deced gilgamesh, but i hade to take the full blow cus i was closest. gilgamesh hade attacked me earlier in the same game so i should of know better, but god damn it just pissed me off.

point taken... no more trusting gilgamesh.

[brandonjm8]

in my example i hade the 5th most soldiers in a 18 civ game. i really thougth it was enuff since i hade just fought of some russians that war deced gilgamesh, but i hade to take the full blow cus i was closest. gilgamesh hade attacked me earlier in the same game so i should of know better, but god damn it just pissed me off.

point taken... no more trusting gilgamesh.

if they are not your vassal or ally expect the possibility and prepare for it.
goodluck

[Theben]

What's wrong with being attacked by the AI? Lots more great generals.

[brandonjm8]

What's wrong with being attacked by the AI? Lots more great generals.

my point being if you have a strong defense with some offense your power will be quite high if not tops depending on your size, with that being said if your power is that high most AI's wont attack cuz they too weak, only when they build up or are close enough to you will they attack and you can always check the power graphs and tell when they build up, and if and when they attack i always say "BRING IT", lol

[wodan11]

Brandon, the whole argument about being high on the power chart is about how many units you build period, not whether those units are offensive or defensive in nature.

[rah]

I like when my neighbor attacks. Then I can kill his SOD on my land (less WW) and then wipe him out without taking the diplo hit.

[Baldyr]

brandonjm8, I'm sure your strategy is working wonders for you. But maybe you should consider the possibility that some other approach to defense might be as good - or superior to yours?

You can always keep the numbers while experimenting with other strategies, but all those defensive units aren't really doing any good far from your borders, are they? Unless you use them for combating unhappiness with HR, but even that could be done with your offensive units, since they're not doing anything particular in times of peace. Try using you mounted units as a rapid reaction police force for internal security, for example. Or just have your non border cities be the rally points when building up your stack(s), supplying free policing to your cities.

Anyway, all these defensive units (I'm guessing we're talking about City Garrison promoted units) could be massed along your borders instead - and be a real deterrent to your enemies! (I'm assuming that the AI can spot an ill defended border city and jump on the opportunity. Large numbers should therefore deter from such foolish acts of war.)

Also, try defending you borders with other than Archery and Gunpowder units. Often offensive units are just as important - then typically get bonuses against different kind of units, and once the enemy has thrown his weight against your defenses you counter-attack to prevent the stack from retreating and regrouping (healing and reinforcing). I find mounted and siege units invaluable along any frontier!

[Baldyr]

Brandon, the whole argument about being high on the power chart is about how many units you build period, not whether those units are offensive or defensive in nature.

Am I incorrect if I assume that it's the unit's Strength ratings that is being calculated, not their numbers? I'm also guessing that things like experience/promotions isn't being calculated, but are things like production, certain buildings and wonders considered for "Power"?

I do however note that my Power goes up significantly whenever I promote a lot of units at a time. (I have been led to believe that promoting units is wasteful, by the way. Opinions? Also I have learned that my entire approach concerning promotions has been flawed from day one...)

[brandonjm8]

Brandon, the whole argument about being high on the power chart is about how many units you build period, not whether those units are offensive or defensive in nature.

its not entirely numbers for power, at time it takes into account tech's too. for example when all my cities had 4 crossbow for defense i was 3rd strongest, once i got riflemen and upgraded i took a HUGE power lead over everyone w/o building extra units just upgrading the ones i had (which was alot but still lets say i was at 300 str just for an example and 2nd had 400 and 1st had 500, once i upgraded i shot up to 1500! no joke, i went from 3rd to triple the power of former 1st just from upgrading my crossbows to riflemen).

[brandonjm8]

brandonjm8, I'm sure your strategy is working wonders for you. But maybe you should consider the possibility that some other approach to defense might be as good - or superior to yours?

You can always keep the numbers while experimenting with other strategies, but all those defensive units aren't really doing any good far from your borders, are they? Unless you use them for combating unhappiness with HR, but even that could be done with your offensive units, since they're not doing anything particular in times of peace. Try using you mounted units as a rapid reaction police force for internal security, for example. Or just have your non border cities be the rally points when building up your stack(s), supplying free policing to your cities.

Anyway, all these defensive units (I'm guessing we're talking about City Garrison promoted units) could be massed along your borders instead - and be a real deterrent to your enemies! (I'm assuming that the AI can spot an ill defended border city and jump on the opportunity. Large numbers should therefore deter from such foolish acts of war.)

Also, try defending you borders with other than Archery and Gunpowder units. Often offensive units are just as important - then typically get bonuses against different kind of units, and once the enemy has thrown his weight against your defenses you counter-attack to prevent the stack from retreating and regrouping (healing and reinforcing). I find mounted and siege units invaluable along any frontier!

i do everything you just said, like i said on other posts i dont neglect the O either, i do start with archers with CG promos for defense but then i'll build axeman/spearman some for defense others for O, then once i get horse if i do get it that is, i build alot of horse archers and so forth and so forth. i build many types of units in between or when my scouts spot a potential risk. i have mini SoD's where needed and just add to them with the proper promos and some variety of them units/promos. im a perfectionist by nature so i take my time and plan ahead, im very hard to beat. to tell you the truth, since civ 1 days to now: ive never been wiped out, only lost a handful of times (space race/diplo victory), i win 95%+ of the time. i know i need to play highers levels for bts, in civ 2 i played only deity and won everytime except once, that game the AI (the sioux) was well over 100 cities and very very f*ing powerful (if you remember civ2 for ps1 had limits to # of cities/units, they hit the limits and i couldnt get any bigger , lol).

[brandonjm8]

Am I incorrect if I assume that it's the unit's Strength ratings that is being calculated, not their numbers? I'm also guessing that things like experience/promotions isn't being calculated, but are things like production, certain buildings and wonders considered for "Power"?

I do however note that my Power goes up significantly whenever I promote a lot of units at a time. (I have been led to believe that promoting units is wasteful, by the way. Opinions? Also I have learned that my entire approach concerning promotions has been flawed from day one...)

upgrade upgrade upgrade upgrade upgrade whenever possible, if you ask me it holds high priority even over science sometimes (alot easier running a SE with rep. as a civic so you can still have some science while upgrading your army). promos are easy, you can save them for when you do attack or get attacked or you can put CG promos on your defenders and use a variety of attack promos for you O. i believe power takes into account your tech against theirs and numbers of superior units to theirs, i dont believe buildings of any kind give power only units and your level of tech for units, i may be wrong bout the buildings tho.

[Ming]

Walls and Castles add to the power graph.