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Chapter 4: Military Fundamentals

Conquering Cities
While the intricate details of waging war are covered in detail in Chapter 7, one element should be covered now because of its importance: specifically, the act of overtaking opposing bases. As a leader, you ultimately have two options for expanding your empire: founding new cities or taking over the cities of your enemy.

	In the early game, city sieges aren't too complicated. If this were in the later part of the game though, you'd want to soften up this city with artillery and air strikes first.
	"The Military don't start wars. Politicians start wars." - William Westmoreland

Step 1: Determine City Size
When your military unit approaches anenemy city, you will see the population number clearly displayed over the city itself. As explained in Chapter 2, the larger the number, the bigger the city. Just because a city may be large doesn't necessarily mean it will be more difficult to take over. However, large cities are more than likely to be well defended by the computer, while lower population cities more often than not have scant defenses.

Step 2: Soften Up the City
Before launching a full-scale attack on an opposing city, you should attempt to soften it up by using any artillery units you have. Artillery lets you attack from two squares away and inflict damage on all units within the city. While artillery attacks won't completely destroy the units under fire, they do inflict some moderate damage and, most importantly, prevent the units within the city from repairing their damage.

Step 3: Bring in the Air Support
If you have the air power technological advancement, you should have a fleet of several aircraft at your disposal. Aircraft are excellent for taking out garrison units in an opposing city, but certain precautions should be made:

1. Make sure the aircraft can make it back to a friendly city after it attacks. Otherwise, you will lose the plane when it runs out of fuel!
2. Make sure the enemy has no air defense units nearby that could easily take out your air assault units.
3. Have several infantry or tanks nearby for a city takeover.

Step 4: Takeover the City
After you've softened up the city defenses with artillery bombardment and air assaults, you're ready to bring in the ground units for takeover. You can only take over a city when every unit within that city has been destroyed. If all opposition has been destroyed, simply move a ground unit into the city, and it will become yours!

Next: Defending Your City

 
 

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