Portuguese are often referred to as the worse civ mostly because of their inability to rush. They have no age 2 military edge. My thought with this is that a french ally could get this card and then let the portuguese rush with cassadors.

Cassadors waste infantry with their high attack and bonus so it could block other infantry rushes. The longer range (compared to muskets or strelets) would let them pluck off villagers. At 25 food and 90 gold the portuguese should still be able to mantain constant villager production (from both tc's) since most of the cost is in gold.

Obviously this strat has its disadvantages. One is the french guy has to use a card that does not give him units early (probably his second or third card) so it slows down a rush on his part. Not to mention you need a french ally who is level 25 (fortunately I have one). Also calvary would make quick work of cassadors, but at the same time musketeers could be mixed in. Having to put so many villagers on gold so early could force this rush into being a slower one.

Also the french and portuguese are hard to rush. If the portuguese tc is built in range of the first a tower or two added in that town is solid until age 3 and the french have those super vills.

My thoughts are to have the intial vills on food till you have the 800 food to age up. First card is the 300 food card (another option would be the 300 gold card, but that would mean you take longer to advance). Maybe a 11-13 settler colonial. Once aged have 5 on food and rest on wood. Once you have enough for a few houses and a rax move 3-5 on food (making to the total food 8-10 which should be ample for settler production and cassador production) and move the rest to wood.

Once colonial age make the first card the 600 or 700 gold card. Pump out cassadors. Have one tc put vills on wood, another put vills on gold.

I shooting this idea out to people who are smarter than I am. What do you guys think?

[This message has been edited by Jeffrey (edited 11-20-2005 @ 04:45 AM).]