Ancient Era Warfare

[vmxa1]

I may have missed it, but I would add that harbors are often needed for growth in coastal towns in the ancient and middles ages.

You seem to have many desert tiles, hills and other low food tiles. You may not be able to bring water in for a long time, so harbors are a boon.

[Jon Shafer]

Yes, that is also true. I was trying to keep my explanation limited to military-related issues, as this is a thread on "Ancient Era Warfare."

[RGE]

Ah, the Stack of Doom! In my first real game I have now been forced to abandon two towns due to a barbarian Horde of Doom, counting 29 horsemen. I've considered letting them have the entire continent while I build barricades on a mountain to protect my home continent that has much less of a barbarian problem (only 10 horsemen, and adequate defenses for the nearby town - they're on my "to do"-list).

I need that other continent though, because that's where the horses are. I play as the Iroquois, and it's only thanks to the ivory for the Statue of Zeus that I've been able to have any horses at all. Best horses of the ancient era though, so I'm not complaining. One ancient cavalry every 5 turns is quite enough on a tiny map, and I don't think I'll ever play on anything bigger. I was so impressed by that investment that I'm going to build the Knights Templar in a few turns.

I already figured out that the only viable defense against the Scandinavians will be to out-galley them, because if their berserkers reach my shores they're not going to have to step ashore and be attacked like the swordsmen the Incas sent. But that's warfare for another era.

[gunkulator]

On lower levels, the barbs aren't much of a worry. I often welcome that bard SOD because it's a great way to get my veterans to elites and even some regulars to veteran. And if you happen to be playing the Maya, those 29 barbs are likely to turn into 10 free workers.

[Arrian]

Why would one ever disband towns in the face of barbarian attack?

The worst they will do is steal your money. If you're in a government that allows cash rushing, just use up the cash before they strike. If not, maybe you can buy something from the AI. Or upgrade some units (to then go kill some barbs!).

-Arrian

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Arrian
The worst they will do is steal your money.

This, and hunting down and killing your workers and settlers. But this annoyance has been fixed in Conquests.

[punkbass2000]

[Arrian]

[vmxa1]

I have seen stacks of barbs just sit there while I killed them all with 2 units in C3C. Just stay out of the line they will attack on and use a horse type unit.

Hit and fort, heal if needed and do it until they are all dead.

[GodKing]

[Modo44]

Originally posted by Arrian
Why would one ever disband towns in the face of barbarian attack?

Disband? In Civ3, I actually build towns in the path of a huge uprising and leave them empty. The barbs are kept away from any valuable improvements and workers. They just "disappear" in the town and, as said by others, it's not a problem to burn all the cash before they reach you.

Just in case some don't know this yet. Put the line "NoAIatrol=0" into your Conquests.ini file to make the barbs (and the AI units) move some more when thy are idle. This makes them closer to PTW behaviour.

[vmxa1]

The best tonic is to not have any unexposed tiles in your empire when you jump to middle ages.

Then you do not get barb camps and hence no uprisings. If the camps are far from your cities you can deal with at any rate that suits you.

[Modo44]

Originally posted by vmxa1
The best tonic is to not have any unexposed tiles in your empire when you jump to middle ages.

Try telling that to the AI when you play on a huge pagea. It's them who trigger the jump most of the time, not me. And it's often before I can take the territory to be safe from barbs.

[vmxa1]

Yup you can't always get what you need as Mick Jaggers once sang.

You could play on sid and then the AI will easily kill all the barbs for you.

[Modo44]

Originally posted by vmxa1
You could play on sid and then the AI will easily kill all the barbs for you.

You forgot to add that it would kill me along with the barbs.