Early game rush defence.

[Odin]

I am quite sure that if we are stuck near any other team except the Role Players we will get rushed. How should we defend against the rush, will the Numidian Inf. be useful, how may the rush hinder fast expansion? Ideas?

[Spiffor]

If we are next to anything except roleplayers (and maybe Trip's team to some extent, which could choose another target than us), diplomacy will be the key. We have to explore the world very quickly to know other teams and forge alliances as soon as needed.
Our workers should mine 1-2 tiles next to each city so that the cost of the numidian merc. isn't too much of an issue. If we can produce Numidian mercs quickly enough, we don't have to fear rushes, and can even think of counterattacking.
Indeed, the 3 defense is an impressive bonus so early, and the enemies wouldn't risk to give us a golden age if we have the productive capabilities of making many of them.

[redstar1]

I'm not so sure we will get rushed too early. The other Human players are just as likely to be wary of us as we are of them. We certainly will have time to build a reasonable defence. Probably the most important thing we have is information. They probably won't attack unless they think they have a good chance of winning. What we have to do is make them believe that our cities are well defended, even if they aren't. Its also important that our tactics and strategies stay here and go no further but sure we all knew that anyway

[Spiffor]

I've changed my mind. It seems obvious other teams will want to attack us first, as they'll think of us as an easy target. Barracks should be a top priority as soon as possible, and numidian mercs will be a great strategic asset. We'll have to build archers/swordsmen to counterattack, and let the world know we aren't pushovers. To stop a bloodthirsty team to attack us, we have to prune them, and to prove them we are not a punching ball.

I think we should concentrate on building only the essential buildings in the early game, and save the more useless buildings (marketplace mostly, but also library to some extent) to a later time, when we have proven to the others we're strong enough not to be messed with.

[Tiberius]

I think it is highly possible that some enemys could try an early rush, especially because we are builders ("Attack them, they must be weak !").

The most dangerous is the very beginning, because we get the numidians only with Bronze Working (which should be the first researched tech, btw) and until we research it a militaristic civ could try to flood us with warriors or archers. Very dangerous moment.

Once we have barracks (high priority buildings, if not in every cities) and mercenaries, the situation will improve. It depends very much on the terrain, too.

[redstar1]

I'm not convinced that we are going to be 'rushed'. The other players know that we are going to be building Numidian Mercs to defend ourselves and this is what will put them off. Any sort of offensive force that someone can build early on may be able to overwhelm spearmen but not Mercs. Plus it would leave themselves open to counter attack, an avenue wich we will not hasten to pursue

[aliatar]

If they get to us with 5/6 veteran warriors and we still don't have bronze, we won't be able to defend, period. What size is the map? Maybe trying not to make contact at the beginning and avoiding being detected and identified as first target makes sense. Being second target is not so much of an issue because by then we will have the numidians.

[redstar1]

I think its unlikely that they can build a Barracks and 5/6 warriors and happen to stumble across us before we have bronze working. Start a game, even on Cheftain level and a tiny map and see if you can get a force together quick enough.

The other teams are going to be as wary of us as we are of them. Most of them don't beleive that we are just going to sit back and blissfully build roads. When we do get attacked (not if) it will be tactical and well thought out. Certainly after maps have been traded and they know where our strong cities lie.

[Tiberius]

I destroyed once the indians with warriors from my first city. I didn't build my second city while they were still alive. They didn't have the time to research and build spearmen (on monarch, btw).

Edited: ...and this was on my first (and last) game that I played as a warmongerer. Believe me, if we start near the warmongerers, they will rush us.

[Tiberius]

Originally posted by aliatar
Maybe trying not to make contact at the beginning and avoiding being detected and identified as first target makes sense.

This would be normally a sound strategy, but we want to REXing, so we will meet others quickly, no doubt about it. Especially if one of the teams choose to be expansionistic. Do we know anything about this?

[redstar1]

Fair enough, congratulations are in order ITs something I've never done or seen happen but I would think its a likely occurance.

I'm still not convinced about an immediate threat though but I agree that we should prepare for eearly conflict. Certainly theres going to be no harm in having a few handy units going spare.

[Odin]

What I'm worried about is an archer rush before we get enough Numidian Mercs.

[Sharpe]

I am probably stating the obvious but cities on hills will help as long as we aren't cutting ourselves short on good terrain and resources.

Might be an idea to build walls in key strategic cities (and near the warmonger civs) as long as those cities aren't on rivers or near fresh lakes..

Yeah, I know walls are unfortunately near useless in Civ 3, but they might stop even an immortal rush, especially if we are playing as Carthage.

[Tiberius]

Originally posted by Odin
What I'm worried about is an archer rush before we get enough Numidian Mercs.

Odin you're right. I've realized only now that militaristic civs start with the warrior code, thus archers.

I must apologize, I exxagerated my performance earlier. I was playing with the Chinese, I was militaristic so I had Warrior Code. It was an "archer rush" not a "warrior rush". Sorry. (It was some time ago and since I'm not doing this normally, I didn't remember it exactly)

Anyway, even if we won't be rushed, it doesn't hurt to be prepared.

[ZargonX]

I think that unless we literally start on top of one of the war-monger civs (like within 15-20 squares, which can happen) we should be able to get Mercs before they can mount a full-on rush. However, if we do start right on top of one another, we're going to have to come up with some quick defensive strategies.