GE fighting strategy for newbies

[Mustapha00]

So it boils down to "Guns or Butter".

Early on, each of your residences yields a pretty low population. So you have to decide if you are going to produce the goods you need via using that limited population to build Goods buildings, or building multiple barracks in order to produce the troops you need in order to acquire the goods you need (one way- GE- or another- Plundering- or both!). Either is possible, feasible and credible, but I can't see how you can mix the two strategeries.

 

[DeletedUser28670]

Note that mounted archers are an absolutely waste. Get rid of them. Archers are much better.

That's not true. In general- yes, agreed. Against Catapults? They kill. Just don't auto attack. Go as far as you can w/ your m. archers, then attack the catapults. Kill em 1 at a time. Don't damage them each- kill as many as possible. Not damage. then you take less damage. So yeah, against X catapults X catulpts would not be my prefences, rather the X normally useless unattached mounted archers I have.

 

[Algona]

So it boils down to "Guns or Butter".

Early on, each of your residences yields a pretty low population. So you have to decide if you are going to produce the goods you need via using that limited population to build Goods buildings, or building multiple barracks in order to produce the troops you need in order to acquire the goods you need (one way- GE- or another- Plundering- or both!). Either is possible, feasible and credible, but I can't see how you can mix the two strategeries.

I used to think that, too. Can you do both, fight and produce Goods at the same time in early Eras? It's one of the experiments I was running in my new city.

Yes you can.

It breaks down into three problems, each of which is solved by understanding some of the more esoteric aspects of the game. Namely Medals acquisition, Goods acquisition, RQs, and effective combat techniques.

First you need space. You get that from Medal Expansions, and you get the Medals from contributing to high Era GBs.

Second you need Goods production that doesn't use population. Babel. LoA, SMB. GE, and RQs.

Third you need to understand fighting GE. That takes a lot of experience, time, and experimentation.

The results? A large city that can produce a lot of Goods, fight far into GE and is profitable long term.

I was able to fight moderately effectively from day one in IA and still add to my stockpile of resources.

My EMA city just dropped it's 6K Medals Expansion. 3.8 M Coins, 2.4 M Supplies, 7K Goods, 9 GBs with Arc dropping by the end of the month,.24 houses, 4 barracks, 10 shoemakers, 16 Special Buildings,

It's no longer a choice of guns or butter. Now the choices are guns, butter or, buttered guns.

 

[DeletedUser27848]

Well I had my first go at GE fighting with Bronze Age & Iron Age troops. It didn't go too well. Chopped up the few troops I had, fought through about the first 6, then switched to negot's, got like 2 encounters passed the second Temple of Lvl 1 and then couldn't beat the negot's without that extra Tavern turn.
And I don't have the money in my Tavern yet, to pay for the extra turn.
No troop barracks at all.
So as I had previously said, GE isn't going to be a priority for me, until I A) get Rogue Hideout in the next event B) I get to the point where my Tavern silver can fund that extra turn in negot's.
Please understand that GE is a priority for me every week. But I'm not going to waste resources attempting it. When I get the Rogues or Tav Boost, then I will be all in.

 

[DeletedUser26120]

I started a new game on beta so I'm in a similar situation.

For Iron Age I find a good solution is to build 4 archer barracks. Takes up a lot of pop but if you have all cottages it is possible since they are only 2x2.

Then you get 16 archers to play your way through and they are quite efficient when used properly.

 

[DeletedUser27848]

^ I totally believe that.

However, I'm placing more emphasis on Loop Questing and goods-medals production, for the early stages of this game.

I don't expect to do much beyond that until we get the fall event and I can snag a Rogue Hideout (or 2).

 

[DeletedUser30840]

dursland, would you care to expand on proper use of archers? I clearly used them improperly and their poor defense made them too vulnerable.

Imperiatus, I'm experimenting with the HQS for the next age or two. We'll see how it works out. Went to EMA, built lots of tanneries and amassing goods, medals etc via quests.

 

[DeletedUser26120]

dursland, would you care to expand on proper use of archers?

I pair them with light or heavy units and move those forward while keeping archers in back.

They will still get killed relatively easy since the enemy will priority target them so there's no way around that. The hope is just to wipe them out before they wipe you out. I lose a lot of archers every battle, but the important thing is to win.

The reason I use archers is because of the 2x2 military building, not because they are the best. It's easier to have a lot of archers than other units.

 

[Algona]

there's no way around that. T

that's not quite true.as posted earlier in this thread:

Those without ranged are relatively easy. 5 Heavy and 3 Ranged/Artillery are effective if you 'turtle'. If you have time get to the top corner, arrange the heavies in a line anchored against the top and left edges of the map with ranged behind. Against faster units arrange the heavies in a > formation anchored against the left edge of the map with the ranged behind. Stay in that formation as the enemy approaches, wait for them and start picking them off with the ranged units If you have moderate attack GB bonuses you will win these fights with minimal losses.

Note the > sometimes works against 2 range attack defensive unit Encounters if you use artillery instead of range.

 

[DeletedUser23772]

I would recommend working on the story questline and continent map for GE. You will be able to get troops above your age, and so fight much more effectively. I'm camping indy just to farm diamonds from GE. Indy is a special age as the ME questline has no specific tec requierments-so if you are careful when you get into indy tech, you can get the first few PME troops if you get to the PME map. I acquired 350 diamonds last week from GE, didn't need to revive any of my troops or spend any goods/diamonds on negotiations. I will be doing this for awhile as this is the best way to get diamonds that i have seen, and as i don't spend money on the game-only way for me to get diamond expansions.

This is my main, but I would imagine it work well if you thinking about farming diamonds on an alt.

 

[DeletedUser23772]

Forum won't let me post screenshots :-/