REX - a discussion

[stratti]

I recently went up to monarch level from prince and am enjoying the challenge. As a rule im usually happy with 8 cities on a standard map but im having difficulty expanding quickly enough. my usual strat is settler first then couple of units then 2 more settlers then mids. Its risky and sometimes I miss mids . I usually then vertically grow a little then 2 more cities and usually land grab is over.

I'd be interested in other players strats for early game expansion but im more interested in standard maps as opposed to huge maps

[Krill]

Get worker techs. Get 2 workers if you intend to do any chopping before a settler, and then an average of 2 workers per city if you need to chop at all, otherwise 1.5 per city is about right, depending on the amount of roading you need to do. And get worker techs, and Bronze Working, don;t try to build any wonders or found any religions. Focus on getting granaries down in cities if you can grow cities to size 6+, and working as many cottages as possible, plus your food resources.

[wodan11]

im having difficulty expanding quickly enough. my usual strat is settler first

There's a direct connection between your two statements there. Are you aware that your growth is halted while you produce Settlers? Krill's advice is good and it boils down to: "chop Settlers".

[Norselord]

There's a direct connection between your two statements there. Are you aware that your growth is halted while you produce Settlers? Krill's advice is good and it boils down to: "chop Settlers".

Let me expand on "Chop Settlers"

Research Mining
Research Bronze Working
Either adopt or don't adopt slavery (i recommend you do)
Now your worker can remove forests to speed up your production.

My problem with REXing tends to lean more on overexpanding too quickly rather than getting in the game too late.

A few other things that i do, that may be wrong, just sharing:
- leave borders closed as long as possible to deny the AI a chance to settle in my 'cut-off' lands.
- put cities in choke points so that i can backfill at my leisure.

[trev]

Often I am happy with founding 2 or 3 cities only. There are other ways to get to 8 cities and if some of those 8 are gained before all of the good land is settled there is usually little reaction from other AI's, or much defence or counteratack by AI.

[wodan11]

I think twice before going above 6 cities before I have CoL and Currency.