Explorer/Scout Pillaging

[Malphas]

Hi All,

I remember reading a looong time ago complaints about the explorer and scout units. At first I agree, but then I discovered something that made them devestating in my game. I checked back a ways and didn't see anyone else mentioning it, so here it is:

Explorer/Scout devistation plan:

Step 1: Pick a target country

Step 2: Build and dispatch explorers/scouts to all strategic resources that the target has

Step 3: Once explorers are in place, declare war.

Step 4: In same turn you declared war, activate all of your explorers and pillage.

Result: In one turn your enemy is back in the bronze age. Since during war the computer hides all of its workers in the city, repairs almost never take place. Expecially since now your advanced armies are raging through his lands.

This has worked well for me with explorers. I have never played with scouts, but I assume that it would work the same.

Another tactic would be to plant your explorers/scouts in the computers territory so that it can't build roads over resources in its domain. This is a nice delaying/denial tactic.

ONE Caution: While the computer will not ask you to remove explorers (they are non-military units) from its territory, they will go along with all your other units if you have to remove them via the diplomacy screen. So be carefull.

This strategy is easier to pull off before the industrial era. I have never had scouts, but I think that they could be used the same.

Hope this helps.

[Aeson]

I've played a few games recently using Scouts for "preemtive pillaging". The AI will ask for the removal of a single Scout in its territory, and demand removal if there are 2 or more Scouts. I haven't had them demand that I remove a single Scout, but probably they would eventually. I was able to get my Scouts back in position before the AI could get workers to the resource when this happened though.

ROP agreements can be used in the same way, getting units into position and then pillaging all the resources on the first turn. Also, once your Scouts are in position, you can keep the AI without resources indefinitely, as long as you keep ROP's active.

That said, keeping the AI from building roads to their resources is a pretty dirty tactic, completely imbalances the game. I played an 8 AI/Deity/Huge/Pangaea game this way, it was way too easy. I Don't think I'll ever use this tactic in a game again. Using ROP's to destroy improvements, capture workers, or position troops for a sneak attack seems fair though. The AI does it even.

[Haertgaeden]

I had an explorer sitting on a source of saltpeter that was just outside the borders of Greece. Once Greece's borders expanded, they demanded that I remove my scout from their territory. I didn't have an ROP agreement with them at the time, so they ended up getting the saltpeter.

[Willem]

I was experimenting with the Hidden Nationality flag on the Explorer and discovered that if this is set, the AI will not attack the unit, even in war. So you can at any time wander around and pillage your neighbour's land without ever having to worry about getting attacked. A little to powerful for my liking so I'm thinking of removing it's ability to Pillage, so that it ends up being just a great Recon unit.

[roadcage]

Explorers 2 move all as roads. Assuming these cheap (20 shields) units are expendable, Kamakasi Explorer raids can be as deep as 5 tiles into enemy territory and still pillage!.

Strategic resources and Tactical road tiles are targets.

I have used this strategy effectively in the early industrial age. The AI does get to use pre-existing powerful units, but most come to the party too late to save the bacon (AI cities).

Once the AI has a railroad backbone, the strategy fails to slow down Cav units, unless the tactical road tile has high movement cost. And it also requires twice the Kamakasis to take a railroad tile all the way to empty.