How to Rush...but for DEFENSE!

[ASSSSCAT]

Hello!

How are you?

Cool!

So anyway I was playing RoN, and I kept doing very well with my rushes. They were not so fast as some of yours -- I took 30-seconds to a minute or two longer -- but still I consistently won against Moderate computer and also the one multiplayer game I played.
So I think about what I would need to do if a good human opponent tries to rush me.

People have spoken generally, while on the topic of how to rush, about how a tower or some archers can stop it. That's a good start, but I would like to have presented the same detail in a plan for "defensive rush" which "offensive rushes" have hitherto been explained with.

Of course the Maya and the Romans and the Russians will be very good for such a thing, possibly Egyptian, Bantu, and Greek also.

I am starting up the game in a moment to try out a strategy against 'tough' computer. If I can defeat their first few rushes, I will put the playback file online for others to view.

Your own ideas?

[ASSSSCAT]

I forgot to turn recording on, I apologize.
But anyway, basically:

There's nothing you can really do, if they start to take attrition damage they'll just pull back until they can build a siege unit, then they'll stream in like always, only a minute or two later instead.

Playing defensively in this game just means that your armies do not leave your territory -- but you still must make them.

Your own ideas?

[vootguy]

I am no expert, but in the 2 days I've had the demo I've found that at least in the modern age onward, a good defense is difficult for a moderate or easy AI player to beat. Just put a balanced army (anti-armor, anti-inf, anti-air) at the choke points, entrenched, with a couple of supply trucks. I'm unsure of whether supply trucks heal you when you're in your own territory all the time, but if not, the Palace of Versaille (which I know heals your units, whether or not they're in your own territory) is the icing on the cake for this strategy.

Anyone find any faults with this strategy? Other than the lack of offense/sucking away the population cap, its a decent way to turtle yourself off.

[Inverse Icarus]

it comes down to the fact that you need a standing army early on, no matter how small. you need to buy time to garrison forts / towns.

attrition is the killer. but a damn tower and upgrade

[Madine]

1. Build at least 1 tower near all of your cities

2. Get attrition upgrades asap.

3. Build towers and forts at strategic locations

4. Have a balanced (unit tyes) army ready to counter an invasion. As a heuristic (rule of thumb, general guideline) your army should be at least 50% bigger than the last army you were attacked with.

5. When counterattacking an invader, try to attack from the sides or rear, to maximize your ability to kill siege weapons and supply wagons.

6. SPY/SCOUT! The more you can see, the better you can defend yourself.

7. In a team game, let your allies know when you are being attacked.