How to counter the horseman rush

[Dis]

OK so the AI has made me lazy. I admit I use horseman rushes. But of course we will be playing human players. And people often told me in civ2 mp rushes can be countered. I never had civ2 gold so I cannot say for sure.

So what can be done to counter fast unit rushes (horseman, knights, riders, calvary, tanks etc.)? And what can be done to counter that counter. What is the optimum attack force?

enlighten me

[WarpStorm]

Counter-attack. Build a "defensive" force of fast movers too.

In addition, the much maligned catapults, etc. work good in a defensive role.

Remember to build your cities in defendable spots. Putting it on a hill with walls does increase the defense.

Contrary to what Speedy says, :P the late game will get more defensive. I figured with the new buildings and radar towers an maximally defending Mech Infantry can have a defense as high as 67.5. In that case the question becomes, "How the hell do I dislodge that?"

[alva]

Horseman attacks veteran fortified spearman--->
retreats leaving one or two HP on the spearman---> repeat X times.
Next turn take all wounded horseman with your own.

[Randolph]

yeah, a fortified spear will have a higher defense then a horseman's attack.

Defense in general has a lot of advantages: closer to centers of production, closer to barracks for healing, fortification/city/terrain defensive bonuses, etc. An attacking force needs to be superior (tech, numbers, strategy, etc) to succeed; only an unprepared defender will fall easily to strike units.

[aahz_capone]

Contrary to what Speedy says, :P the late game will get more defensive. I figured with the new buildings and radar towers an maximally defending Mech Infantry can have a defense as high as 67.5. In that case the question becomes, "How the hell do I dislodge that?"

I have one answer to that Randolph...


N U K U L A R - W E P O N Z ! ! !


MUH HA HA HAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAHAAAAA!!!

BAHHAHA HAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!

[Dis]

theoretically my horseman should never defeat a spearman, esp in a city. But they do all the time.

but of course if the city is on hills, it becomes quite difficult.

Is it viable to build that many cities on hills? Does it affect their production in any way? The disadvantage of course is I can't build a mine on that hill. What other things does that affect?

And radar towers, I didn't even realize we had them . those could be of some use playing against humans.

[Dis]

It does seem the best defense is a good offense. That is what I've always use. Aside from the token spearman, it is silly to defend your nation with just defensive unit.

Even the ai can whallop me if I allow them access to my territory. If they pin me to my cities I'm screwed. This is why I always wage war on their territory if at all possible.

So my theory is the best way to counter the horseman rush, is to have horseman of your own.

[WarpStorm]

Originally posted by Dissident
Is it viable to build that many cities on hills? Does it affect their production in any way? The disadvantage of course is I can't build a mine on that hill. What other things does that affect?

A town on a hill generates 2 food and one shield plus trade as normal. The only other big negative I've discovered is that it is not considered irrigated for building an irrigation chain.

[Inverse Icarus]

yes. the roaming "fast mover offensive defense". I remember pleading for it in the demogame....


beautiful

anyway, i'm thinking fortresses may be more valueable in MP for the "free shot" it could give. if your border with a hostile human is 10 tiles wide, 5 fortresses could easily slow them down long enough for you to notice their advances, and route troops as needed.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Dissident
And radar towers, I didn't even realize we had them . those could be of some use playing against humans.

We don't, they will come with PTW.

[alva]

yup, indeed, fortresses will become much more important.
Huge battles in the open field, just to gain a few tiles on a choke point.

hmm, at last, combined arms and invassions from several sides . At least until railroads

[Zero]

stacking will be even more important, but human players will prolly force you to divert and build more than couple of stacks since if it is just one stack, their offensive can avoid it or let zillions of defender in city try its luck.

[Capt Dizle]

The key is to have more info on your opponent that he has on you.

[kolpo]

If you are the celts: reply with a swordman rush

[ruby_maser]

Mongols

I will probably fear the Mongol keshik rush the most because of how fast they are gonna be, combined with how cheap they are gonna be.