Beating Colonization

[Kindbud]

I need some help...

I am new to COL and even on the 2nd dif level I get my arse spanked whenever I declare independence. In my latest game I had 4 forts and cities, 3 on one small island and a 4th on a larger chunk of land. every city had 3 artillery and at least 4 dragoons. Also, every square of land on the small island had at least 1 dragoon and the two hills had 3 fortified dragoons each.

My first thought was that the REF shouldn't have been able to land in the first place but they did. Then, why I was able to hold my ground for a while, they just kept coming, and coming... and coming...

The 4th city on the larger land mass fell fairly quickly but I wasn't concerned about that. The other three held out for a while but eventually I was wiped out. All of my cities had a ton of liberyy bells and at least %60 of the pop was in favor of rebellion. My main city was at or very close to 100% rebellion. I know this has something to do with moral and all but I'm not sure what.

At various times I spawned continental armies after winning a battle (and I had George Washington) but they didn't seem to do much better in holding off the REF. Finally, every city on the island had a fortresss, which I would have thought would make it darn near impossible to overcome. But like I said, the REF just kept coming... And yes, I had frigates and privateers to try and intercept the REF at sea. I never saw their ships coming, just their troops land and slowly but steadly take me apart.

Some tips would be greatly appreciated! Is there something else I needed to do to stop the REF onslaught? Did I just not have enough troops stuffed in my cities? If that is the case on easy level I can't imagine how hard it must be to score a victory on the hardest levels. I can dig up the save file of right before I declared independence if someone would care to see my exact preparations.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[MrWhereItsAt]

I have never played BEYOND the second difficulty, but here's what I have found.

I only ever build a few long-term colonies. 6-7, preferably close together so they can reinforce each other. Four might be too few, you need enough to build up a sizeable force. As for troops, I tend to have AT LEAST 6-7 Dragoons in each at Independence, with full Guns and Horses in each one's stores, so they can quickly rearm. I spend the last 10-15 turns before Independence training Soldiers in Universities so I can get the bonus to attack. IIRC, Continental Troops get bonuses if they attack the enemy when NEITHER unit is in a city, so try to catch them on open ground. Blocking off your ports doesn't work - the AI confiscates the ships and places their Expeditionary force there, I think you've seen this.

The AI is cunning in that they always go for the weaker garrisons also, so it is best to even them out. The key I have found is producing SO many Liberty Bells before Independence that most of your big cities should be near 100% patriotic, and you can get the necessary number of Bells to encourage foreign aid within 3-5 turns. When this happens you actually stand a chance at taking back any lost colonies and taking the war to their Men-At-War.

I would like to see the save, I only hope my version can load it. If you post it, I will have a look. I am no expert player, but I have not played a game and lost yet.

[Tuberski]

I NEVER finished a game. I found it tedious.

[Rex Little]

The other thing you need to do is build maximum-level fortifications in EVERY city. Combined with artillery, that will beat back most attacks.

As MWIA pointed out, you can't use your ships to stop their troops from landing, so don't try. Just have your cities ready to bounce them off.

[MrWhereItsAt]

Originally posted by Tuberski
I NEVER finished a game. I found it tedious.

Whereas I finished many a Coloniz game, just never yet a Civ3 game.

[Galvatron]

Re: Beating Colonization

Originally posted by Kindbud
I need some help...

Some tips would be greatly appreciated! Did I just not have enough troops stuffed in my cities? If that is the case on easy level I can't imagine how hard it must be to score a victory on the hardest levels. I can dig up the save file of right before I declared independence if someone would care to see my exact preparations.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Hi!
I've played Col for many years actually since it came out so you are talking to the right guy. To clarify it: yes you definitely have too few troops in your cities and your cities should be fortified with fortresses (forts aren't enough). I suggest: 3-4 artillery and 8-9 dragoons in each city. Keep in mind some of your soldiers will become colonial status when you declare independence and these are your heavy hitters but look at the values of the Royals they are even better than your colonials so they will beat you senseless when you're just on the defence. The trick is your colonials get a terrain bonus when they are fighting the Royals outside of a city and this is your advantage. Get out with your dragoons and attack them in open field you will destroy them in a short period. Fortified artillery in fortresses are really killer so the king will loose troops after troops in attacking them. Keep this hints in your mind and you will beat the game also on viceroy-level.

Oh of course you can send me your file via E-Mail and I will look deeper into the matter so I can provide you with special tips regarding the situation.

[Andemagne]

I have nothing to add to these:
1)build Fortresses to all of your cities, and defend them with artillerys.
2)have full stock (300) of horses and muskets in all of your cities, so you can arm your citizens if needed.
3)use your continental cavalry to attack REF in wilderness to get 50% attack bonus
4)60% sons of liberty member ship just isn't enough, go for 100% to get best possible moral bonuses.
5)have huge liberty bells production to achieve forein intervention fast.

but the thing I want to say is the way I won my last game (on viceroy)(about 2 and a half years ago ).
I had something like 15 cities with fortresses and only 5 units in each with full stocks. I only held only a small area, about 20x20 tiles. but because I had some MANY cities REF attacked many of them at once, so they had to slip their forces. arming citizen and bringing reenforcements from cities that were no under attack, I was able to fend of the REF.
so my advice to you is to build more cities/colonies.

[player1]

One other tip:

Don't be discouraged if you lose several cities.

If you hold off first Royals wave, you could still probably win.

Anway, Royals would probably conquer several of yours weakest cities with low liberty support.

Attacking in wildness is also very important.
Attack is best defense.

Cannons are medicore, Continenetal units Rock!

[Rex Little]

Originally posted by player1
One other tip:

Don't be discouraged if you lose several cities.

If you hold off first Royals wave, you could still probably win.

Anway, Royals would probably conquer several of yours weakest cities with low liberty support.

If I recall, you can't win independence as long as the home country controls any of your cities. Am I remembering wrong?

[Kindbud]

THanks for the tips!

Whew,

From what I've read, I really wasn't prepared to hold my ground. I didn't know it made a difference to have muskets stockpiled in reserve. Ok, so 3 artillery and 3 dragoons are not enough... Back to work then. Thanks for all the tips!

I attached the file if anyone would care to take a closer look and my pre-declaration setup. This file is from the Windows version of Colonization, version 3.14xxxx dated 24-may-95. I don't know if the dos version can load it or not.

Next chance I get I will redouble my troops and make sure I have plenty of spare muskets and see how that goes... again, thanks!

Kindbud

[Fighter]

300 Horse, 300 musket.

If possible load up Wagons or ships full of Horse and Guns.

Oh yeah, and COUNTERATTACK!!! Sitting in your fortress wont help you too much, you need to smack him hard and fast, with all the excess guns and hoses in your city you can afford a few losses.

Usualy, your either going to get slaughtered by the REF, or your going to just beat him down.

An interesting ploy you can pull, it will usualy work especialy if you have a very good road system. When the first wave comes ashore next to one of your cities, reinforce said city with forces from another coast city, thereby making that one weaker and the target of the second wave. THis makes the various "beachheads" much more manageable.

[player1]

Originally posted by Rex Little
If I recall, you can't win independence as long as the home country controls any of your cities. Am I remembering wrong?

Yes, but you can always counterattack later (and retake lost cities), after they lose their "first-push".

[OPD]

Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt
Whereas I finished many a Coloniz game, just never yet a Civ3 game.

OMG!!!!!!!!

Anyway don't bother stockpiling muskets just get a galleon full of horses for each city. Then each time you get routed make them drags again and it'll be too easy.

Also early on trade like hell with the aztecs (just keep rotating trade goods, tobacco and tools) and kill the incas asap.

I'm gald I'm not the only one who spent a stupid amount of time playing col.

[Fighter]

Thats true about having more horses, but keap a few muskets in your warehouses none the less.

DONT HURT THE NATIVES!! Thats just mean, hurting those poor little natives...Well unless their city is in the way of your developement, or if they attack you, or if you want gold, or if you just want to burn something.

[Qilue]

I agree with Fighter, sort of.
Don't hurt the natives until you have Hernan Cortez in your parliment.

The following can be regarded as an exploit and may be viewed in much the same way as ICS.

First, don't bother witht he east coast, sail on until you reach a nice spot on the west coast. This gives you more of a buffer between landing and meeting other europeans. The 'extra' time taken to go to europe from the west side is 2 turns as opposed to 1 turn and becomes 1 turn when you get Ferdinand Magellan.

Only have 1 Sea port. True, you will get constant warnings about only having 1 seaport left and the REF will be able to concentrate against that colony. But it's also true that you can then concentrate your forces there too.

Have up to 8 cannon in that colony to 'deal' with any REF man-of-war that hang next to the colony after dropping troops. Don't place any more since there seems to be a bug where more means that colony's bombard rating cycles to 0.

I usually have at least 8 Galleons of horses and 2 galleons of muskets.

Now, when the REF lands, you have an entire turn to butcher them on the beaches before they get to attack. (remember what I said about concentrating your forces. )

At most, you'll only need about 30-40 veteran dragoons when you declare and some (about 20) colonist dragoons for any indian uprisings.

As to indians - leave the capital until last if you don't intend to wipe them out.

Ideal colony site -

-......
-...Xc.
-..X0c.
-..ccc.
-......

. Seas
- High Seas
X Mountain, Hills, Forest or Swamp
0 Colony site
c Other colony square

In this way, you gain the ambush bonus when slaughtering the REF on the beaches and the War of Independance is little more than a formality which makes it very boring.