Producing military units or settlers?

[Lucilla]

Whenever I try playing monarch level or above, either my military is too weak or I don’t expand quickly enough. I wonder what the best ratio for building military units / settlers is at higher levels.

How on earth do you manage to stay alive until at least mid game, having a decent number of cities and a military that is respected by the other civs?

[centrifuge]

In the early going, expand as quickly as possible, by making settlers...but first be sure to hav at least a couple of defensive units in each city. Then after you can't expand peacefuuly anymore, build up the military and "add" your weakest neighbor to your empire.

[Lucilla]

Thanks for your reply, centrifuge. Are you usually playing on large / huge maps?

[Inverse Icarus]

Originally posted by Lucilla
Thanks for your reply, centrifuge. Are you usually playing on large / huge maps?

usually, i have my main city build 3 settlers (with maybe a few warriors / spearmen between them, so i dotn waste sheilds).

after that i have each city make 2 settlers each before i "specialize" them.

i usually have a few main science cities, that build libraries / markets etc, a few war cities (usually grow to size 2, no culture / growth) and i have some "settler farms", cities with 2 or more cows

hope it helps.

[Lucilla]

Originally posted by UberKruX


usually, i have my main city build 3 settlers (with maybe a few warriors / spearmen between them, so i dotn waste sheilds).

after that i have each city make 2 settlers each before i "specialize" them.

i usually have a few main science cities, that build libraries / markets etc, a few war cities (usually grow to size 2, no culture / growth) and i have some "settler farms", cities with 2 or more cows

hope it helps.

I didn't think about specialised cities, so far. Seems as if building military, settlers and improvements in all cities (almost) equally, is not the best choice. I'll try your strategy in my next game and see what comes out. Thanks!

[Theseus]

My new approach is to ignore the land grab... stick to high food-production sites, packed fairly close together (3-4 tiles apart), if possible.

I target 4-6 initial cities, and try to let each grow to 4-5 pop before creating the first Settler. In the meantime, Aarriors, an Archer or two and a Temple. When all of these "core" cities have reach 4-5 pop, they all build barracks, and then start pumping out the best offensive unit they can.

When I have created a large enough military force for aggression, off hunting they go, and now, with cities all at 5-6 pop, it is very easy to pump out a bunch of Settlers and Spearmen.

[Lucilla]

Originally posted by Theseus
When I have created a large enough military force for aggression, off hunting they go, and now, with cities all at 5-6 pop, it is very easy to pump out a bunch of Settlers and Spearmen.

But isn't that too late for expansion? At that stage, usually all the good spots nearby are already occupied. I guess that strategy only works on big maps?

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by Lucilla


But isn't that too late for expansion? At that stage, usually all the good spots nearby are already occupied. I guess that strategy only works on big maps?

Ah but what I think Theseus means is that his army will just march in and take the juicy real estate. Ignore the land grab and build a small nation that is capable of popping out military units fast. Then just "expand" by "aggressive settling"!

[Harovan]

Theseus' approach has a valid point. Take a standard/8 or large/12 or huge/16 map, build 4-10 cities, depending on map size and do as he said. The civ should be a militaristic, for cheap barracks and promotions. May I suggest the Zulu's, especially for large+ maps? It's unbelievable, what hordes mixed of vet impis with vet horsemen can do to an enemy, mislead by scouts.

[Inverse Icarus]

Originally posted by Haupt. Dietrich


Ah but what I think Theseus means is that his army will just march in and take the juicy real estate. Ignore the land grab and build a small nation that is capable of popping out military units fast. Then just "expand" by "aggressive settling"!

yes, that also works. razing enemy cities / and or keeping the decent ones is a great way to expand

[Lucilla]

Seems as if I should cultivate my "I'm stronger than you are. Surrender!" diplomacy...

[Theseus]

Yup, you guys got it.

There is further beauty: Expansion by aggression can be selective; I only focus on "acquiring" good sites.

While others use the 2-shield cities that come from the land grab as placeholders for future resources or for the "shape" of empire, I don't even bother with the AI civs' cute little vills, unless there is a resource uncovered, or I want to play with the metagame (e.g., "Hey Shaka, give me that little crap city over there... you won't? Fine I'll take it... Cathy, can I present you with a gift of one crap city? You're welcome.").

The only problem when I overdo the warmonger bit is that reputation falls to an all time low... which can be, mmm, problematic, in the late game.

[Lucilla]

So when do you start building city improvements / culture? If you are at war and capture cities you need to fortify them with some units and you won't have the time for building anything else but military units.
Don't you then stay behind in the tech race (no libs, etc.)? Unfortunately you can't get techs from conquered cities.

[Theseus]

Originally posted by Lucilla
Unfortunately you can't get techs from conquered cities.

Huh?

1. I do get techs from beating up and then making peace with civs.

2. Captured cities, especially in that I focus on capturing the "good" ones, often become my highest producers. And, don;t forget, the AI knows the placement of future resources, so very often my captured cities are extra-valuable.

In general, I try to be at war when I have meaningful relative strength, both at the unit level and in number of forces. So I'll build up an attack force, and send it on it's way. Then some defenders, probably half the number of attackers, and send them out. Then, while those guys are off doing the nasty, I build up religion, science, finance, and culture. Any cities that max out currently available buildings (which happens often, as they are mostly "good" cities), go back to building military units, until I learn a new tech that allows a new kind of building.

[Lucilla]

Thanks for the input.
Yes, I sometimes get techs (and also cities) in peace negotiations. What I meant is, that you have to negotiate. They don't come for free, like they did in Civ2 when you conquered a city.