Playing as the Germans

[SpencerH]

Since Germany is one of the aggresive AI civs I almost always have to cut it down to size early on if its near me then the others tend to finish it off (like hyenas).

[fittstim]

I actually only play Germany. This is because if you survive the early years, you just about automatically win once you can start pumping out your 3-attack per turn panzers. Nothing will or can stand in your way.

The trick is, of course, to stick around until this is possible.

Focus on science and exploration in the early years and make a tech tree beeline to motorized transport.

Avoid war during the early years unless it is thrust upon you. If you must go to war, try and make some military alliances with the civs that border the civ that you are at war with which will take some of the heat off of you.

[Austin]

In my current game I've just reached the point where the panzers have come on line. I'm both mobilized and in a golden age, so I'm building an average of about 12~15 panzers per turn.

For most of the game I was behind the technology curve after the massive sword rush that exterminated the Russians and Aztecs, which meant spending most of the middle ages sucking up to England and France, and most of the industrial age fighting them off with hordes of riflemen and artillery (Russian style, how ironic).

Now it's payback time. I overran about half of France in the first glorious surge, and England has survived only because they are in rougher country and the AI has amazingly enough been smart enough to pillage his OWN roads and railroads to slow down the panzers.

Die clashing pink and orange bastards! Die beneath the treads of my mighty panzerkampfwagens! More living space for the Volk! Raze them! Raze them all!

Muhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

Austin

(come on, you can't do a panzer rush without the panzer rant, it just wouldn't be right)

[Austin]

The fact that Germany often has to play appeasment in the middle game makes the Panzer Rush all the sweeter.

Persia, you're next.

Die! Die! All of you die!

Austin

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Austin
In my current game I've just reached the point where the panzers have come on line. I'm both mobilized and in a golden age, so I'm building an average of about 12~15 panzers per turn.

For most of the game I was behind the technology curve after the massive sword rush that exterminated the Russians and Aztecs, which meant spending most of the middle ages sucking up to England and France, and most of the industrial age fighting them off with hordes of riflemen and artillery (Russian style, how ironic).

Now it's payback time. I overran about half of France in the first glorious surge, and England has survived only because they are in rougher country and the AI has amazingly enough been smart enough to pillage his OWN roads and railroads to slow down the panzers.

Interesting, this is pretty much how my game has gone except that I whipped the French with my cav when they sneak attacked. I then waited for panzers and attacked them. After taking 10 useless cities (to me) from the pinkys, I eventually halted my onslaught and have been taking their surrounded small cities by culture instead. Its around 1950 and I should win by spaceship in 10 turns or so but not with a great score!

What I dont understand is why the german science was so slow, or maybe it was that the AI was trading very fast. It took me to the modern era to catch up.

[Marquis de Sodaq]

For the perfectionist in you, libraries are cheap as Germany. They produce more culture than temples, and speed your research. I find this to be an excellent combo with the cheap barracks. You jump ahead in culture (as soon as you reach literacy) after having a strong military built up before then. The tech lead expands after that.

[Carver]

Originally posted by SpencerH


Interesting, this is pretty much how my game has gone except that I whipped the French with my cav when they sneak attacked. I then waited for panzers and attacked them. After taking 10 useless cities (to me) from the pinkys, I eventually halted my onslaught and have been taking their surrounded small cities by culture instead. Its around 1950 and I should win by spaceship in 10 turns or so but not with a great score!

What I dont understand is why the german science was so slow, or maybe it was that the AI was trading very fast. It took me to the modern era to catch up.

SpencerH and Austin

Dudes, that's exactly how my last game as the Germans went. I fell way behind in tech in the middle ages. My early warmongering (exterminated France and trimmed Aztecs and India) cost me reseach and building. The AI entered the industrial era about 20 turns before me. I had to trade like a mofo to almost catch up. I was able to buy most of the late me/early industrial techs for about 250 gold and world map. I went to 0% science and was able to buy a tech every 2 turns. But as soon as I got to within 3/4 tech of the leaders they wouldn't trade (although they were trading amoungst themselves). Maybe they didn't want to trade because I was already #1 in score due to landmass. So I went to about 70% research and caught up by the begining of modern era. (first with computers)

The panzer was a big help, not for warmongering but for a late golden age. When the world was about to crush Aztecs (down to 3 cities) I attacked with the panzers to trigger the GA. With the Aztecs being destroyed by the AI a couple turns later I wasn't troubled with war weariness. My research roared ahead, I got my 2nd wonder, SETI, and won with SS.

[Austin]

The Germans always seem to fall behind during the midgame, which is why it's so important to leverage your early starting bonus of being scientific and militaristic.

If you try to play them with a builder or conservative or even settler pooping opening you'll eventually get plowed under during the midgame, as that is when a lot of other civs get their UU's and golden ages and other boosters.

So you MUST do an early veteran archer rush with the Germans to stake out a position dominating enough to survive the midgame when the Germans seem to run out of steam.

The point is not so much to gain turf and cities for the Germans, as it is to cripple your neighbours so they can't kill you during the midgame.

Then when the Panzers come, kill them. KILL THEM ALL! DIE! DIE! DIE!

Austin

[Jon Shafer]

Originally posted by Austin
Then when the Panzers come, kill them. KILL THEM ALL! DIE! DIE! DIE!

I see you've got both German tactics and philosophy down.

But yes, they're all correct. I'll give you all another summary:

The point in the Germans is to live through the time to get Panzers, then wreak havoc on everyone. The best way to do this is by an early Archer war for Lebensraum and your own survival.

[Austin]

Originally posted by Trip

I see you've got both German tactics and philosophy down.

You can't do the Panzer Rush without the Panzer Rant.

I hope we have more open diplomatic options in multiplayer so I can send other players "NOW YOU DIE" notes when I get motorized transport.

HA! NOT EVEN YOUR IMMORTALS WILL SAVE YOU NOW! AND AS FOR YOU PINK GUYS WITH THE CAPE AND PLUMBER'S HELPER, YOU DIE TOO!

Austin

[dunk]

Not to be a stickler...

But shouldn't this go in the "Strategy" forum?

Great info.

[SpencerH]

This thread is not about strategy per se. Its about my general reaction to playing the germans (for the first time) and responses from those who play this civ more regularly.

[Austin]

One things for sure, in MP I'll bet the trend will be for a massive anti-German alliance to form near the end of the industrial age.

Austin

[SpencerH]

I think thats assuming that the Germans are still around. I normally wipe them out much earlier than that (I've only seen panzers in the game I just finished).

[Austin]

I usually do the same when I'm not them.

I have a feeling that certain civs are going to have gigantic bulls eyes painted on them for Mutliplayer.

Everybody is going to dogpile on the Aztechs right away to forstall the Jag rush. The Germans will get piledrived sometime during the middle ages so as to avoid the Panzer Rush.

Austin