impermeable islands

LordAngus · April 11, 2002, 10:53

I have discovered an excellent use for washed up units: using them as barriers for preventing invasions. I have been playing island maps recently at Regent level. I line the shores of the island with warriors, spearmen, and the occasional swordman. Using this strategy I have NEVER faced an invasion. Evidently the AI (1.17f) doesn't put much faith in marines. I have been at war with several civs, all in possession of modern armor, and have faced an amphibous assault. If this is old hat to you, any thoughts on why the AI doesn't muster amphibious assaults?

Marquis de Sodaq · April 11, 2002, 16:23

You ought to upgrade those spearmen to infantry or the like! Maybe line up the longbows with the swordsmen instead...

I dunno why the AI won't attack from the sea. I'd like it if they did, actually...

Ethelred · April 12, 2002, 02:01

The AI only builds marines if it can't build tanks. So they aren't likely to have marines hanging around just to make a beach attack.

They will attack from the sea of course but I don't think the AI has the capacity to see that it must build marines because the player is parking units on the shore. Maybe they will do it if they happen to have some marines available allready.

They aren't very good at sea based invasions anyway. That takes a lot of coordination. They would have to pick a target, build four or five transports and fill them completely with tanks and artillery to make a successfull invasion. Even then I would probably rip it up buy bombarding the heck out of the transports with artillery since they have a nasty habit of ending their turn within two of a railroad.

There usual technique is to half fill the ships and send one or at most two with an escort. Once railroads are available even two loaded trasports can't do a good invasion. Not even against the AI if they don't have a weak city with a port to take.