The Anvil Strategy

[towigg]

I am relatively new to this (playing the original game in ToT, see my "Annoying Allies" thread, the Vikings were totally weakened by this strategy until I could take their cities, and the Russians and Sioux are now falling prey to it), but I have come up with a strategy that seems to work. I build a city that is the Anvil that breaks the enemy's Hammer. If there is a space large enough on a contintent currently controlled by an enemy to found a city, I bring over a settler/engineer and several good defensive troops (and 1 or 2 offensive units) and build a city, fortify it with my troops, and rush-build a wall, then barracks. I do this in cases where I don't have enough forces to overwhelm the enemy. The enemy then sends units to attack my well-defended city. This war of attrition can eventually wear out the enemy until I have enough troops and transports to cross the ocean with to finish the job. I can also use this city to build diplomats/spies to do their dirty work.
[This message has been edited by towigg (edited March 22, 2001).]

[Chainsaw]

Look out for dips/spies. Your city is small and far away from the capital in the scenario as you describe it. If your not in democracy, the city could be easily bribed by the enemy. The AI is dumb, butits smart enough to bribe cities. Fighters are perfect for intercepting enemy dips/spies.

[Edward]

You're right, towigg. The AI can't resist attacking your units when it encounters them. The AI doesn't learn from it's mistakes, doesn't calculate its chance of success, doesn't build up a big attack force, and doesn't go around such traps. (Hopefully we'll get a smarter AI in Civ3.)

A fortress is a nice alternative to an "anvil city". The AI can't steal techs from a fortress and with two units it can't be bribed. Fortresses on good terrain can absorb damage for centuries ('though, unlike cities, they do take some settler/engineer work to create).

[Gothmog]

I love a couple of mech infantry fortified in a mountain fortress blocking an enemy attack route. That's probably the ultimate "anvil strategy".

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"There is no tiddle-taddle nor pibble-pabble in Pompey's camp."

[Ming]

I agree with Edward... a fortress on a mountain with a few defensive units, and maybe a diplo/spy to bribe a few additional units (which will be non since they are closer to the enemy) is a far better way to go.

Besides the good points he raises... no infrastructure is needed besides the fortress (however, I do like building a road on the mountain and a adjacent square so my diplo can move in and out to collect non units)
Plus, the stupid AI won't nuke it

My favorite trick is to send a ship out with a diplo... find a decent defensive unit in enemy space, bribe it (creating a non unit so there is no hit on happiness if you are going to a representative government), move to a defensive position (mountain if available), bribe the first settler that walks by, create a fortress... and watch the fun for the next 2000 years
You can keep adding units as desired. If you have the workshop, these fortresses will probably survive until the end of the game... and cost the AI thousands of shields trying to remove them...

I keep fighters for two purposes.

1. To kill spies
2. To keep barbarians at bay

[Hendrik the Great]

You can also combine the idea of the city with the fortress. All you need is a small area of free terrain that give high defense bonuses like hill or mountain and a chock point. You know build a fortress directly in the square before the city. Both should be on hills or mountains. This way you cannot be bribed away and the city can give the fortress SDI protection. If it also has an airport you can airlift units into the city whenever you need to and assemble a large force for offensive tasks without the need of building many transports or warships.

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Mathias' Civ II Page
http://members.nbci.com/thalys

[The Mad Monk]

I'll combine the two strategies, and build a city surrounded by double-occupied fortresses. This solves the diplo/spy problem, evades the happiness problem, Creates a quick repair area for the invading force, and (with SDI) provides a nuke-free zone.

[La Fayette]

quote: Originally posted by Gothmog on 03-22-2001 05:06 PM I love a couple of mech infantry fortified in a mountain fortress blocking an enemy attack route. That's probably the ultimate "anvil strategy".

I agree.
But I have a very serious question to ask: WHO BUILDS MEC INF(or armors, or howitzers or the like)?
Personally, either I play conquest and most of the time it's over before researching Tactics, or I play AC and defend my cities with Alpine while I'm busy rushbuilding space parts.
(I understand that, playing a scenario such as WWII, Mec Inf is a very nice unit to have, but otherwise?).

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aux bords mystérieux du monde occidental

quote: Originally posted by La Fayette on 03-26-2001 10:07 AM But I have a very serious question to ask: WHO BUILDS MEC INF(or armors, or howitzers or the like)?

Well, I do.. .. at least if I'm playing the 'OCC bloodlust' challenge..