Emperor Level--It's driving me nuts

[laissez-faire]

Well, it took five or six attempts, but I finally received my first Emporer victory. Thanks for all the tips and I welcome the new challenge at this level.

It was a small and interesting map in that there was only one source of oil, which I did not procure from Carthage until a massive battle of Inf/Art stacks vs. his Mech Infs and Tanks.

I could have gone for the Spaceship Victory, but in the immortal words of Jack Burton, said, "What the hell..." and sent a few boats over to the otherwise left-alone Japanese. Modern Armor vs. Infantry + Stealth Bombers/Fighters vs. Ironclads = Great Fun (remember, only one source of oil). Domination in 1944.

[ThePlagueRat]

Congratulations!

Modern Armour is very powerful. (perhaps too much?)
If the AI can't produce it, he is sure to suffer great losses...
And we humans can win.

[Theseus]

It's all in the reflexes.

[Jamski]

Originally posted by Theseus
It's all in the reflexes.

I'll go back to C&C and make mine better then

-Jam

[laissez-faire]

Originally posted by Theseus
It's all in the reflexes.

Ahh, the BTLC threadjack. I love it and will participate:

All right. You people sit tight, hold the fort and keep the home fires burning. If I'm not back by dawn... Call the president.

[Shr3dZ]

Good-bye Mr.Burton... *throws knife*

[Theseus]

Originally posted by laissez-faire
Ahh, the BTLC threadjack.

You started it!!

The wings of liberty... may they never lose a feather.

[joncnunn]

Looking at the map: Eeek! You have very long borders with everyone; this is realtively difficult to properly defend pre-rail.

I would sugest taking out a couple of empires, particlarly those that you've already been at war with just to reduce the size of your border and if this trigures a Domination victory, so be it.

Originally posted by laissez-faire

Soon, the map looked like this:

[realpolitic]

This thread should give you a hand in dealing with early wars. As far as tech goes, the first 2 techs you can set science at 10%, and buy other techs as NEEDED, not as available, so the price goes down. Monotheism is good for trades, alliances etc. Research Theology, you can usually trade it, and you can ALWAYS get Printing Press if you research it first. About 1 game in 4, I avoid Chivalry and build Horsemen, to be upgraded to Calalry.

[joncnunn]

Hum, very first tech often needs to start at 20% just to get the 1 beaker, but can drop to 10% when 1 city is done dropping below 3.

By the 5th tech, it may be better to drop to 0% and hire a scientist from a corrupt city if you haven't applied the Scientist requires Education mod that I have just to give the AI a chance.

[laissez-faire]

Originally posted by joncnunn
Looking at the map: Eeek! You have very long borders with everyone; this is realtively difficult to properly defend pre-rail.

Thanks for the tip. Border management is something I definitely need to work on. There must be a balance between minimizing your borders with opposing civs and successfully carrying out Thesus' oscillating wars strategy.

Your comment raises a question I've had recently: Pre-Rail - If you are preparing a heavy invasion of your eastern neighbor when all of a sudden your western neighbor deems it an opportune time to force his culture upon you, should you shift your amassed forces trans-continent to fend him off? Or should you eke out a defense against him with what you already have on the western front with hopes to end the war quickly so that you can continue with your original plan of eastward expansion?

[joncnunn]

Pre-rail, when in the middle of the map, you should always sign Military Alliances with everybody against the current target as soon as the war breaks out.

If you feel you need help, include RoP to speed their journey, if not leave it out, but ignore the units crossing your territory headed their way on your behalf. The main reason for these MA is to lock them into the conflict on your side, NOT to have them actually take your oppoenents cities.

The best way to fight a pre-rail two-front war is simply NOT to fight one, but instead set up and take down a rouge state one by one until your down to one front.