Tired of Caesar's arrogance, what would you do?

[planetfall]

Caesar is getting real, real old. In last couple of games I have run against the same situation. My response has been to wait and deal with Caesar after his UU is outdated, BUT is there a better approach?

Typical Game situation:

Playing civ with later UU {Amer/Ger/Eng}

Level: Regent

Distant between capitals: 25-35 tiles

Early development: Rome had 3-5 cities larger empire and is about 4 techs ahead.

By time I get 6-8 producing cities, Rome usually is about 100 score points ahead and is starting to build legionaires. At least by the time I have 15 chariots, I am seeing legionaires on the borders. Even though I can easily upgrade to horses, don't think stacks of horses would work well against legionaires.

Can't do early archer rush because of distance between civs.
{Playing with 6 civs: England, Rome, Germany, Russia, China, Random. Picked for those who give me the most trouble in the later game.}.

Part of my development problem may be I haven't been building the settler/worker/military farms right. I have been sending out units as soon as town hits size 3 to not get too far behind in early land grab. Wondering if need to wait until towns are 4-6 before sending out settlers/workers.

What do you recommend? keeping on avoiding the legionaires in ancient era and playing catchup or...?

It is especially galling to give away a tech when behind in techs to Rome just try to get Sistine or Smiths.

BTW- earlier suggestions to go for Colossus in ancient era are correct. This is the only GW I can get in that era.

Thanks.

--PF

[Wormwood]

A resource raid on his iron is possible, if he doesn't have too much. In the Ancient Era, the Romans and the Persians need to be marginalized early. Resource raids, worker kidnappings, cut off lines of communication, anything that will set them back.

[planetfall]

Iron removal usually doesn't work, as there has always been one Iron in empire but too far away.

Good idea. In current game, Rome has 3 iron and I had none til placed a city next to one iron 2 tiles from Roman city. That left with Rome with 2 iron and at least I could build swords.

Rome decided to ignore free space towards England and pounced early on space closest to me. It came down to a race for rivered grassland sites. I got one but Rome got the other.

--PF

[Theseus]

Pre-build as many Warriors as possible.... your capitol, if at 5+ pop, should be able to pump out one per turn.

Mass upgrade to Swordsmen.

Take any Roman resource cities.

Wash hands.

[planetfall]

Originally posted by Theseus
Pre-build as many Warriors as possible.... your capitol, if at 5+ pop, should be able to pump out one per turn.

Mass upgrade to Swordsmen.

Take any Roman resource cities.

Wash hands.

Cool, I saved enough games I should be able to replay. I was right, losing military production because of not waiting for capitol to reach size 5. I love replaying the ancient era. I'll let you know how that works, but will take awhile to complete the game play.

--PF

[Arrian]

Generally it's best to attack Rome before they get iron. I often find that an early swordsman (or even archer) strike makes sense. It usually takes them some time to hook up their iron, because they're not industrious and because the AI never has enough workers (hint: buying their workers whenever possible will slow them further).

Once they have legionaries... ouch. In this particular situation, you are facing an empire that is bigger and more advanced, and by attacking them you will trigger their golden age. Double ouch. I'd say wait for Knights at this point.

The key to beating the Romans is doing it early.

-Arrian

[Theseus]

When REXing in this situation, I think it's important to focus building towns on great sites, with good food and good production, and on getting at least one lux connected early.

Four towns each building a Warrior every 1-2 turns can build a formidable early military.

[planetfall]

Originally posted by Theseus
When REXing

Where is a good link explaining REX? The reference in strategy says article is moved but can't find original long article. Maybe there are other shorted articles explaining the REX concept.

[Theseus]

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59146&perpage=25&pagenumber=2

It's actually about halfway down the page.

[planetfall]

Theseus,

Ok missed it in skim read. The rex.doc does not have a definition of "worker factory" only "settler factor". I thought worker factory was another part of the REX strategy.

-- PF

[Theseus]

Try this:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58720

[vmxa1]

Yes, if Rome is close send troops before they get UU. If far away, wait for UU to be obsolete. Hey why not be Rome.

[planetfall]

Theseus,

Good guess but worker factory not found on any of the 3 pages. Other than output being workers instead of settlers, is there any difference between settler factories and worker factories?

[Theseus]

Nope, pretty much the same. I typically make a hybrid factory, alternating between workers and units.

[Arc]

Being Roman and pumping out 40 or so veterans legionnaries, i (you) can wipe your 2 closest neighbors in the early game if they are not too big (about 13 cities = cakewalk)