[spoilers]Casually, Commodore: Isabella of Sumer

[Qgqqqqq]

Knights need HBR.
If you dont need HA (or OC longbows/archers) then you can just skip archery for ages.

[teleh]

Thanks, Commodore. What's next down the tech path?

HBR and Archery are the smart plays.

Knights need HBR.
If you dont need HA (or OC longbows/archers) then you can just skip archery for ages.

Offensive or defensive? I guess most everyone will have horses on this map, and though HBR is quicker, engineering looks a bit safer?

[Krill]

Cats need units to back them up (basically, anything strong enough to kill a unit after it has suffered collateral damage by the cats is good enough). If you go Construction first you still need to ensure you have axes (or swords but note no IW), but if you go HBR first then HA can be built as the back up units rather than axes and HA have a better shelf life. HA have better odds on axes than axes themselves, better mobility against swords (though if someone brought in a sword stack you obviously want a reasonable amount of axes) and if someone invaded with a stack primarily consisting of spears, cats and HA still win (and spears can't get odds on archers in cities anyway). Going for anything else lives you open to an attack (even as tech leader). HA and cats are good enough to win a defensive war up until rifles or cannons come on the scene.

[TheHumanHydra]

Hmmm, interesting. I've always considered horse archers nearly useless due to their extreme vulnerability to spears (my experience in 46 against Azza seemed to confirm this) and their awkward spot on the tech tree. I've always thought of spears and axes as the bedrock of early defence. I tend to only pick up Archery when I get Feudalism or Machinery, and Horseback Riding when I get Guilds. Then again, almost all my experience is against the AI; I've yet to fight a major defensive war against a human. When that happens, I guess we'll see what my opinion becomes!

[Krill]

Depends, I wouldn't rely on HA when armies consist of around 6 units, and it's important what tiles units defend on. Those battles fought with a small amount of units depends a lot more on a varied unit type. But this game has reached the time when combat will revolve around stacks and collateral damage is integral.

[TheHumanHydra]

I see. Thank you very much for the explanations.

[Commodore]

All excellent points, and Krill is very right; I'm taking a big risk here. But, um, see why? Like, in the lower right corner?


Yeah, I'm hopeful I'll be able to snag Music; unless he really magically speeds things up I can beat MH. I'm loading the eeps, baby.


Wish me luck.

[teleh]

Good luck Commodore!

Not that I think you'll need it

Ah yes also Pikes needing iron - I guess it looks like Vultures are a pretty good UU for the immediate, in combination with a smattering of spears (that you've already lanced a couple of War Chariots with) and fortified Archers against Landsknechts when those guys turn up. Cats too hey (pretty much aping Krill's points), nice, but I've actually always found them a bit of a struggle to justify since most of them are suicide jobs. Insurance I suppose? Or better than -just- Archers against HRE maybe.

Very educational and thoroughly enjoyable!

[Commodore]

If AT comes knocking with landsknechts I'll fall out of my chair. HRE is amazing, but that's because of Org Rathausi.

Now musketeers...

[Commodore]