Early Industrial Railroad Intrusion

I’ve no idea if this has been posted before or not, apologies if it has, but it worked well for me in a recent game played at Regent level. At the start of the Industrial Age I virtually crushed my two strongest neighbors in 1 turn.

Wars in the modern era, when the world is covered in railroads and you have stacks of Tanks or MA’s, can be very quick. You can travel long distances taking may cities in a single turn. This strategy aims to emulate this at the beginning of the Industrial era, using roads and Cavalry instead of Railroads and MA’s. Its a 3 step tactic to erecting a very long path 20 or 30 tiles deep into the enemy’s territory, virtually wiping them out and stealing their capital or Wonders, all in 1 turn!

INGREDIENTS

– Lots of workers
The number of these you need depends on many things (see STEP 2 below). I usually use between 80 or 100 on a 8/10 city, 25-30 tile Intrusion.

– Lots of Cavalry
Depends on level, I use about 40-50 for a 8-10 city Intrusion on Regent, that’s usually enough to get what you want – their capital and wonders deep in their territory.

– Must be connected by road with the enemy your Intruding.
– Enemy must have at least a basic inter-city road system.
– A few spare defensive units for the final stroke of the Intrusion.

REQUIRED TECHS

Military Tradition
Steam Power
Replaceable Parts helps, but is not essential.

You also need either –

The workers and cavalry all stacked next to the border of the enemy your performing the Intrusion on ..or…
A good enough rail system for you to move units fast around your territory.

EXECUTING THE INTRUSION

STEP 1
Attack the nearest enemy city to the border with your cavalry and take it!

STEP 2
Your territory has extended to include the city just taken. Move a worker onto the first bit of road in your new territory, start building railroad. Do this with as many workers as it takes to force-build the railroad right away that turn. The number of workers it takes will depend if they are workers or slaves, whether or not you have Replaceable Parts, what government type you have, and the terrain. It will take differing amounts, but on any grassland, plain, desert or tundra, it doesn’t take that many. Even hills and forests are possible to force in 1 turn, especially if you have Replaceable Parts.

STEP 3
Repeat step 2 in the direction of the border nearest the next enemy city (which must be within hitting range of your Cavalry). When you have built railroad right up to the border again, repeat Step 1.

THE FINAL STROKE

When you have taken as many cities as your stash of workers and cavalry will allow, use your spanking new Railroad connecting all your shiny newly captured cities to move defensive units up to them to defend the inevitably feeble retaliation, if there is any retaliation at all after such a pounding.

LIMITATIONS

If there isn’t an enemy city within firing range of your cavalry, the Intrusion stops.
If you run out of workers, you cant force build any more railroads and the Intrusion stops.
If you run out of cavalry, you cant take any more cities and the Intrusion stops.
If there is a break in the road, meaning workers cant move and begin building railroad in the same turn, the Intrusion stops.

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