How to get started as South Africa

LOL. Not developing industries as South Africa is a losing proposition given unlike Germany there is no option to knock-out the main competitors early on. Your 5 starting cities and the few resources you can pick up around won't compete vs France/UK/Germany/USA/etc in the long run.

And unlike British Egypt you can certainly attack France because

- You are not exactly close to it

- You have ways to build a navy larger than what France would send that far down + no great other targets.

- France won't be immediately worried for its 4/5 cities in North Africa, unlike when you are British Egypt.

On the other hand, UK can probably detach enough ships to be a problem to you.

Also, I would reject Australia as an early option. Any Australian player is going to build a massive navy and has more resource than you to do this.

Remind us what is your experience with playing South Africa by the way ?

You don't need Africa, it's a giant wasteland full of nothing. Chimere is saying that only if french is stalled and never builds more ships. I never said invade Australia early on, I meant you only have 4 options to invade.

Chimere wrote:

Remind us what is your experience with playing South Africa by the way ?

Chimere wrote:

LOL. Not developing industries as South Africa is a losing proposition given unlike Germany there is no option to knock-out the main competitors early on. Your 5 starting cities and the few resources you can pick up around won't compete vs France/UK/Germany/USA/etc

Comrade genz wrote:

You don't need Africa, it's a giant wasteland full of nothing. Chimere is saying that only if french is stalled and never builds more ships. I never said invade Australia early on, I meant you only have 4 options to invade.

There is British Egypt to invade though. You did not mention it even though it is one of the closest target that is worthwhile.

Chimere wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

You don't need Africa, it's a giant wasteland full of nothing. Chimere is saying that only if french is stalled and never builds more ships. I never said invade Australia early on, I meant you only have 4 options to invade.

Happy to see you changed your mind since the British Egypt guide.

There is British Egypt to invade though. You did not mention it even though it is one of the closest target that is worthwhile.

Comrade genz wrote:

Chimere wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

You don't need Africa, it's a giant wasteland full of nothing. Chimere is saying that only if french is stalled and never builds more ships. I never said invade Australia early on, I meant you only have 4 options to invade.

Happy to see you changed your mind since the British Egypt guide.There is British Egypt to invade though. You did not mention it even though it is one of the closest target that is worthwhile.

But to go there you need to Cross through all of Africa

You can also ask for free passage for Uk (who has little reason to refuse it as it means in exchange "no attack") or even go through France and Italy (or through France and free-passage Italy)

Chimere wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

Chimere wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

You don't need Africa, it's a giant wasteland full of nothing. Chimere is saying that only if french is stalled and never builds more ships. I never said invade Australia early on, I meant you only have 4 options to invade.

Happy to see you changed your mind since the British Egypt guide.There is British Egypt to invade though. You did not mention it even though it is one of the closest target that is worthwhile.

But to go there you need to Cross through all of Africa

Or use a fleet. Same fleet as you would use for all the other targets.You can also ask for free passage for Uk (who has little reason to refuse it as it means in exchange "no attack") or even go through France and Italy (or through France and free-passage Italy)

Comrade genz wrote:

This isn't a economic growth game, a conquering game.

whowh wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

This isn't a economic growth game, a conquering game.

Comrade Genz military growth and economic growth come hand in hand most of the time.

Comrade genz wrote:

But not need if serious,

whowh wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

But not need if serious,

last time I checked the top ranked player is actually not ranked high because of their military ability but because of the sheer amount of buildings which they have built.

Comrade genz wrote:

whowh wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

This isn't a economic growth game, a conquering game.

Comrade Genz military growth and economic growth come hand in hand most of the time.

But not need if serious, or playing all in as very tiny countries.

Max industrialisation for your 5 double-icons cities is +100% production so the equivalent of 5 more core cities. 5 more core cities is the equivalent of 20 "captured" cities at max morale and double icon, or 40 "captured" cities at max morale and single icon.

Germany can hope to snatch quickly close to 20 double icons city early on, and manage capitol-capturing well enough to have an high morale on those cities, so for Germany there is a real choice to make between "going all in on armies" and "industrialisation". Germany can also hope to take such an advantage early on that the game is over before the cost of industrialization "pays off".

South Africa ? Not that much.

Chimere wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

whowh wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

This isn't a economic growth game, a conquering game.

Comrade Genz military growth and economic growth come hand in hand most of the time.

But not need if serious, or playing all in as very tiny countries.

It is the opposite. You can't hope to win in the long run as the smallest countries (South Africa is one, given it has only one more cities than the absolute minimum) without industrialisation, quite simply because you cannot win FAST as a small country.

Max industrialisation is +100% production so the equivalent of 5 more core cities. 5 more core cities is the equivalent of 20 "captured" cities at max morale and double icon, or 40 "captured" cities at max morale and single icon.

Germany can hope to snatch quickly close to 20 double icons city early on, and manage capitol-capturing well enough to have an high morale on those cities, so for Germany there is a real choice to make between "going all in on armies" and "industrialisation"

South Africa ? Not that much.

Because IIRC you are not even in the "top 25" of the largest armies at the beginning of the game, and have a pretty mediocre industry as well so you can't build an army fast.

Of course, as always, you can be carried. But if you are carried by a coalition, what you build is irrelevant.

But why does industry poor can't make your army grow?

Comrade genz wrote:

but Windhoek produces 1 food and 1 oil.

It does

Comrade genz wrote:

But why does industry poor can't make your army grow?

Chimere wrote:

Comrade genz wrote:

But why does industry poor can't make your army grow?

What do you create your army with ? Pure gold ?