posted 02-23-06 03:55 AM EDT (US)
Table of Contents:
1. Overview
2. Why the Militia Turtle?
2.1 Looking at numbers
3. How it Works
3.1 Cards
3.2 In the Beginning
3.3 Following the Turtle
4. Watch out for Weaknesses
5. What to do when all is Quiet
6. Conclusion
1. Overview
The British are a powerful civilization in Age of Empires III. However, their weak start makes them vulnerable to quick attacks. Unless you're a deft 'boomer,' finding the 'happy medium' between under-booming given lack of pressure, and over-booming, you need a firm grasp of the simple strategy of turtling.
2. Why the Militia Turtle?
There are just a few reasons for the British Militia Turtle (which I'll call BMT for short). However, they are profound.
First and foremost, the BMT relies on minutemen for defensive countermeasures. This is significant because there is no wood required. This leaves wood free for building those expensive British manors, allowing you a safe, albiet minor, housing boom.
Because minutemen train so quickly, you need not send for them until your enemy is right on top of you. This, coupled with the fact that they can go over the population limit, saves you room for settlers without fear of being unable to summon them.
2.1 Looking at numbers
So let's quantify the advantages. Let's say you instead want to use longbowmen for defense. You'd like 10 of them. The cost of 10 longbowmen is 600 food and 400 wood, or, 1200 resources. You'll also need two houses, because each will provide 9 population slots (the villager you get when you build a manor uses one slot.) That's another 300 wood. In addition, you'll need a barracks, so tack on another 250 wood. We've reached a grand total of 600 food, and 950 wood. That's 1,550 resources; enough to age up and have some left over. Also, assuming you have enough resource flow to continuously train the two groups of five, it will take 60 seconds for 10 longbowmen. Minutemen require 550 food and 550 coin, or, 1100 resources, and do not require wood or housing. Minutemen have 105 more hitpoints than longbowmen, although they have a hipoint reduction of about 4 hp per second. Calling all minutemen takes 5 seconds total. That's a difference of 450 resources, 57 seconds, and 105 hitpoints per unit. Longbowmen have other helpful uses, but if you never need them, you'll save resources.
3. How it Works
Now let's get to the game. The main focus of this strategy is to reach the Colonial age and collect enough resources for the minutemen as fast as you can, with 'Colonial Militia' (more about cards soon). This will give you a solid defence for the initial rush
skirmish, and lead into a safe boom mid Colonial age and into the Fortress age.
What makes Colonial Militia such a great turtle card? In addition to more minutemen, it increases town center attack by 50%. Wow! That, with 10 settlers garrisoned in it, will kill strelets, pikemen, rodeleros, crossbowmen, and halberdiers in one hit. Cossacks, Jannisaries, and Abus Guns take two.
If you're looking for a defined, set build order, you'll be dissapointed. This is intended to adapt to different enemy civilizations, maps, allies, and the placement of resources. Also keep in mind this is not the best strategy for any situation. The afforementioned variables will determine if it is a good idea to use the BMT. You will have to expiriment with the BMT and become familiar with its gameplay to adequately judge whether it is ideal or not in different aspects of the game. Moreover, check your opponents deck. It's often easy to anticipate what he will do based on the cards he plays. If the deck doesn't look like it will rush, save the BMT for later and use a different strat. Scouting is also a must. If your explorer is not getting treasure, have him take a walk through the enemy town. You'll learn a lot.
3.1 Cards
The required cards are as follows: Colonial Militia, 3 villagers, Frontier Defenses, 700 coin, 6 Longbowmen.
My suggested cards are as follows: Yeomen, 700 wood, 1000 coin, Hire Scottish Highlanders, 2 falconets Age III, Factory, Robber Barons, Fencing School.
'Good Idea' cards: Estates, Hire Hessian Jaegers, The Glorious Revolution
3.2 In the Beginning
Now let's put these ideas to action. Initially, I like to just hunt in Discovery age, building however many houses my starting cords allow. Depending on how threatened I feel, I'll train 2-5 settlers. I like to age up pretty darn fast, cause I think staying in Discovery too long will warrant an attack. By being quick to age two I hope to delay the fight. I send for the 3 settlers card, and age up with the Governor. Grab Colonial Militia along the way. I could also use the philosopher to fuel a few settlers when I hit Colonial. You could choose the Governor, get the extra coin, and use the tower to watch a choke point. It's all up to you.
When I hit Colonial, I'll put all or most on coin. BMT says '550 food, 550 coin, right now.' I get enough by about 5:50 or so. You're all set! The rest is up to you. This strat is that first 5 minutes.
3.3 Following the Turtle
So whether or not you get attacked, then what? Start getting your eco going, and if you have used you minutemen, get some longbows trained, or whatever to counter enemy units. Towers are a huge help for alerting you of armies. Be prepared for 'wave two.'
4. Watch out for Weaknesses
There is no perfect strategy, and the BMT is no exception. Early raids with cavalry will pose a huge challege for your slow, hp-losing minutemen. Be careful. If you expect raiding, drop a barracks and train roughly 5 longbows. Keep your settlers close to home, or use an outpost wagon or two to secure resources.
Also, if your opponent decides to throw Black Rider mercenaries into your base at 8 minutes, this too will also pose a big threat. My suggestion, if you see a Black Rider card in his deck, is to age up quickly with the 700 coin shipment and get some dragoons trained, or if you have the cash, hire the highlanders. You'll won't exactly destroy him, but he will be much more concerned with protecting his expensive mercenaries than killing a few Dragoons, and highlanders counter Black Riders well.
5. What to do When all is Quiet
There will come the time in which it's quiet.... too quiet. In that case, age up to fortress. If you get attacked, don't be afraid to cancel it to defend yourself. British don't get any good Fortress politicians, so you won't gain much by holding out in an attack.
Get a barracks and train longbows, or whatever you need. They are excellent Colonial and Fortress units. Yeomen is a must, as well as the veteran upgrade.
6. Conclusion
I hope all of you British players find this useful, and for everyone else, I encourage you to try the British. Although they start slow, what they lose in speed, they gain in stamina. Thank you for reading my guide to the "British Militia Guide." May you PWN with it.
[This message has been edited by OpenAmp (edited 03-25-2006 @ 00:15 AM).]
imho thats a bit better it's only 300 more gold. Very nice layout to and WOW colonial militia with ten vills in tc kill pikes, rods and xbowman in one shot that is way kool even jans in 2 i'm gonna have to try that with french op vill u could fight off most rushes with good garrisoning micro. They are a very good civ i have to say longbow raid at start repel merc ff for a bit with walls and get ur jaeger army and falcs and then go to 4th and pwn. This was just a cooment plz no one start talking about what's a wall going to do vs landsk and all that crap don't wanna hear it i was just saying that if u build walls properly that can be a very good turtle civ especially if they think ur gonna keep rushing which no xpert should cus it's brits. 
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