It seems to me that there generally comes a time in a world conquest game when you're done with taking a city here and a city there; you're ready to unleash the war machine and make the world you own. By that time, you probably have a couple of opponents in decent shape (generally democracies on distant land masses, I find) and many more opponents limping along on life support, existing only by your good graces. So, as the troop ships fill with howies, or cavalry (my preference), or knights (I'll never be that good) or whatever, the question is, what do you do first? Mop up the straggling civs, or strike at the heart of your most formidable foe? Just wondering.

I generally take out the strongest AI first. My invasion force strength depends on the size of the empire in question — usually six to 18 transports loaded to the gills and escorted by AEGIS cruisers, battleships and missile-laden subs. Once in a blue moon I'll bring a loaded carrier or two along for the ride as well.

Since I usually play on a large Earth map, it's not uncommon for me to have gigantic enemy empires on continents opposite of where I'm at. When I play in the Americas, I generally wipe out my neighbors early on and, towards the end of the game, find myself going up against a mammoth AI empire that sprawls across all of Eurasia and most of Africa (with colonies in Australia and the southern tip of South America). It's usually the Russians, Japanese, Mongols, Amazons, Zulus or Vikings. So I take them out first (along with the occasional b*tch civ that's s*ck*ng the biggest AI's private part in order to survive. ).

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Scouse Git[1] -- git1@scousers.net

Use the biggest weapon in the game - Trade.

Build a strong navy for trading and for military puposes. An early MPE is essential for maps and intelligence.

Split your resources into caravans and offensive units. Trade with the perfectionist civs in demo/republic whilst conquering the others. Then with your vast empire and scientific lead the others will soon crumble.

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If you kill off a weak civilization..preferably one which gives you an advantage over another, stronger civ.

Ex: I have 6 civs left. Bloodlust. The Russians are the toughest, with 16 cities. The greets are to the east and south of Russia, they have four cities and negligible tech.

Take the greeks.

First...you add four cities.
Just as importantly, you add the ability to springboard. You have a much shorter communications and reinforcement line, an entrenched stronghold.

If you have to spend 10 turns travelling to get there then a major war becomes a serious problem.

A Historical Example:
The revolutionary war. In the revolutionary war, the Colonies were VASTLY outgunned. The British had a bigger army, a Navy, Money, Support...

But they lost, because it took four months to send soldiers from England to the US, and it took days for the US to develop regiments.

(Well....that and the revolution kicked off a Major war, and England was busy fighting everyone else...)

So....Kill the weakest civs first. Combine there power with yours.

I tend to do things the hard way though and to be perfectly frank.... nothing gives this Mongol warmonger more pleasure than crushing a pathetically weak Babylonian state. Those large growth and science cities do more for me than a bunch of backward (for now) russian cities.

I like to play with fire.... i am going to win anyways so who really cares if i make it more difficult for myself.

Trade with the BABS or EGYPTS..... let them grow huge with Republic..... they defend like crap and just when they get big for their britches.... slamm some calvarly down their throats....

I will admit though.... if i find the zulus or carts...... and they are getting huge (through the french in here too) i will launch as early as possible on them....

quote: Oh and i don't usually have any peace treaties ever..... if i can help it when i conquer the world...... i war with everyone usually from first contact I use MGE and lets be honest..... on a large map just build Marcos for the embassies and the maps.... the rest is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle

I rely on cese fires / peace treaties heavily. I d sign alliances if they wanted. I sign everything with anyone, after I try for some money extraction. I d sign with a barb King

quote: Originally posted by VetLegion on 05-08-2001 09:30 PM lol, now that you mentioned it War4Ever, there is something in taking a fat babylonian city and listening their women cry (on a side note you get a fat rebell city you starve to death, but hey!) I also like marco pollo for embassies, but MAPS? I have a probability of getting that like 1% in MGE! No matter what I give to AI they end up mad as hell. That is a bug really, people already complained.

first contact....... once i have map making.... i gift everything early to get the map....... then i plot REVENGE for the ai for being so GREEDY of my hard earned resrearch

quote: Originally posted by War4ever on 05-08-2001 07:29 PM nothing gives this Mongol warmonger more pleasure than crushing a pathetically weak Babylonian state.

Reminds me a most improbable backwards message I got very early in a recent game. I swear it's true:

"Mongol civilization destroyed by Babylonians"

quote: Originally posted by Edward on 05-10-2001 10:14 AM Reminds me a most improbable backwards message I got very early in a recent game. I swear it's true: "Mongol civilization destroyed by Babylonians" Can you believe it?! Previously I'd never heard of the AI Babylonians destroying anyone (and don't expect to again).

I am currently playing in an Emperor level game, where I now control 2/3 of the world (medium map, early modern era, cruisers and alpine troops, building Hoover), and the Babylonians are still alive, and not yet on my list of powers to conquer, since they are playing nice, like the Aztecs, unlike the Persians and Celts (currently being conquered).

However, the Mongols were destroyed very early by the Vikings when they had only one city (which is now part of my empire).

Anyway, first conquests are on the same continent that I am on (like the Vikings described above), then the nearest civilization that doesn't play nice (like the Persians described above). The nice civilizations are conquered last (like the Babylonians described above).

quote: Originally posted by Edward on 05-10-2001 10:14 AM Reminds me a most improbable backwards message I got very early in a recent game. I swear it's true: "Mongol civilization destroyed by Babylonians" Can you believe it?! Previously I'd never heard of the AI Babylonians destroying anyone (and don't expect to again).

Edward this happens to All civs from time to time...... if the ai meets each other early they most often will go to war..... even if its Babylon vs Egypt

On large worlds this can be annoying especially if you don't build Marco Polo because the ai civ now has TWO "Capital" city locations...... i know only one palace but you catch my drift.... this allows the ai to grow with speed i find

quote: Originally posted by War4ever on 05-10-2001 08:40 PM Edward this happens to All civs from time to time...... if the ai meets each other early they most often will go to war..... even if its Babylon vs Egypt

I've seen the Babylonians at war many times, but I'd never seen them totally conquer someone. Guess I need to play more!

quote: Originally posted by War4ever on 05-10-2001 08:40 PM On large worlds this can be annoying...this allows the ai to grow with speed i find

quote: Originally posted by colossus on 05-14-2001 11:31 PM It is advisable to take the nearest first. But when distance tied, take the weaker first. The reasons are threefold: 1)It is quicker to finish them. 2)Shorter campaign duration means the civ is less likely to steal something useful from you and trade/gift it to other civ. Its lamentable you lose the gunpowder/rifleman/armor advantage in the middle of campaign. Truly you are bound to lose it sooner or later, but later is much better than sooner. 3)As you probably has some significant tech advantages over other civ, you want to slow down their discovery rates. Killing off small civs first mean effectively that big civs are researching slower.

i disagree......

first , trading with the weaker civ will help your economy just as much as the larger one... especially if it is a peacefull country like the babs or egyptians.....

Better to take out the powerfull zulu's or mongols when they are just getting muskets ..... rather than letting them get rifles /artillery/ calvalry.... you don't want ai hordes of those slowing you down.