How do you deal with Shaka Zulu?

[The Dark Legend]

Seriously, this civilization is ridiculously OP and had to lose so many units because of the impi that he can garner. It's basically impossible.

Also, can some one explain to me how range works in this game? Because I'm pretty sure catapults and archers can shoot a unit 2 spots away. Last game, my catapults refused to fire even when they were in radius? Is this a bug or what?

[Vinyl Scratch]

Depends what difficulty you're playing on.
If you're on a low difficulty (Settler -> King), deal with him early game with Composites bows and Spearmen before he can get Impi's. Conquer his capital early, see if you can pay your neighbors to help as well, since if you take cities while in a joint war, you GAIN diplomatic influence with civs you're allied with, as opposed to them thinking you're a warmonger.

On higher difficulties, you're still going to want to rush Composite and front line. You also want to make sure your Cities are settled on top of Hill tiles, and you have walls built so they have much better defenses.
Paying Shaka to go to war with other civs is also a good idea. Gifting him resources for free to make him like you also viable, as Shaka is actually one of the most Loyal leaders in the game if you can actually get him to like you, so he's unlikely to backstab you.

As for ranged units, if you're standing on Flat land, you CAN'T fire OVER hills or Forest/Jungle tiles.
If you're standing on a Hill, you CAN fire over Hills, and Forest/Jungle tiles on flat land. But NOT over hill tiles with Jungle/Forest.

Catapults also only have a vision of 1, so they need other units to be in vision to shoot them for their actual range.

[Damsteri]

As with all other civs: Don't go to war against them when they have their uniques. You need to be proactive if they are your neighbour and you expect them to come to you way. Then it's just better to kill them before they get Impis. They are good only for warmongering, but AI can never win domination victory. So, you can beat Zulus easily for any other victory condition.

Catapults need to be armed first before they can shoot and they can't shoot over obstacles.

[The Dark Legend]

Originally posted by Vinyl Scratch:

Depends what difficulty you're playing on.
If you're on a low difficulty (Settler -> King), deal with him early game with Composites bows and Spearmen before he can get Impi's. Conquer his capital early, see if you can pay your neighbors to help as well, since if you take cities while in a joint war, you GAIN diplomatic influence with civs you're allied with, as opposed to them thinking you're a warmonger.

On higher difficulties, you're still going to want to rush Composite and front line. You also want to make sure your Cities are settled on top of Hill tiles, and you have walls built so they have much better defenses.
Paying Shaka to go to war with other civs is also a good idea. Gifting him resources for free to make him like you also viable, as Shaka is actually one of the most Loyal leaders in the game if you can actually get him to like you, so he's unlikely to backstab you.

As for ranged units, if you're standing on Flat land, you CAN'T fire OVER hills or Forest/Jungle tiles.
If you're standing on a Hill, you CAN fire over Hills, and Forest/Jungle tiles on flat land. But NOT over hill tiles with Jungle/Forest.

Catapults also only have a vision of 1, so they need other units to be in vision to shoot them for their actual range.

Thank you for the explanation.

I don't know why the game didn't go over that detail. Sorry, if i sound salty. I AM salty, because that last game was rediculous.

[Xaphnir]

Originally posted by Vinyl Scratch:

As for ranged units, if you're standing on Flat land, you CAN'T fire OVER hills or Forest/Jungle tiles.
If you're standing on a Hill, you CAN fire over Hills, and Forest/Jungle tiles on flat land. But NOT over hill tiles with Jungle/Forest.

Also note that ranged units with the indirect fire ability (these include artillery, rocket artillery and battleships) ignore this restriction.

[The Silent CivVer]

I remember one deity win I had with Venice.

I was super nice to Shaka as he was conquering all other civs around us.

He then declared war on me, I held him off for a few turns before he obliterated my units. Venice was there for him to capture, but he was willing to sign a peace treaty.

He swept east conquering other civs and settling cities where he could. He could have squashed me at any time but didn't. His empire nearly spanned the entire terra continent we stated on. I ended up winning a diplomatic victory.

In short, the advice above is spot on...either take him out early before Impis, try and get others involved...or be super nice to him as he has the highest 'loyalty' stat in the game. He can be your 'dog of war' by setting him on your enemies.

[blessku]

Longswords at forts works just fine. Just dont upgrade on muskets.

[Matthew]

With most Civs, a few comp bows is enough to repel most attacks. Zulu is a bit unique in that you want to build a few more melee blockers than normal. Keep them fortified down in friendly territory. You get up to 40% extra defense when fortified, and heal 20 hp per turn in your own borders. Impi are strong, but they will have a difficult time breaking through a melee wall like that.

It is useful to do this against Huns and Assyria as well. As their siege units will ignore you and go straight for your city walls, so if you don't have a melee wall in front of it, they will just burst it down.

When I start next to one of these types of Civs, I will usually get the comp bow tech before Philosophy and National College. Most times you can put it off until after, but it isn't worth the risk. Atilla coming in with a ton of rams and horse archers and all you have is a few regular bows and you are going to lose cities.

[knighttemplar1960]

I usually use the terrain to my advantage. In areas that are likely to be hit by the Zulus I'll build a couple of forts and put tough Melee units in the fort with one or 2 composite bow men behind preferably on hills. Cut down jungle and forests that interfere with line of sight. If I have a general he'll be in the same hex with one of the archers that is supporting the most likely melee unit to be targeted.

I also make sure that I have prioritized honor when I first meet the Zulu and I make sure that I have Discipline before he gets his Impi.

Edit - You will also want to build the Statue of Zeus to make sure he doesn't get it unless a different computer player builds it first.

[HamSecrets]

If you spawn near him, maintain a good army to keep him from declaring war on you. Wait until the late game when his Impi are useless. He will have neglected his actual empire to maintain a huge army of obsolete units. That's when you wreck him.

[Mr. Monday]

Originally posted by The Dark Legend:

How do you deal with Shaka Zulu?

With tanks and bombers.

Originally posted by The Dark Legend:

Also, can some one explain to me how range works in this game? Because I'm pretty sure catapults and archers can shoot a unit 2 spots away. Last game, my catapults refused to fire even when they were in radius? Is this a bug or what?

Terrain can affect where your early to mid-game ranged units can bombard. Those units need direct sight in order to attack their targets. Hills, mountains, and forests will block their vision and therefore their ability to bombard. This changes with artillery (and the rocket unit upgrade), battleships, and airplanes. Those units can attack any unit within their range as long as you have eyes on the target.

[Bullwinkle]

Choose the military upgrades when you spend your culture points, and don't forget about building citadels with your great generals.

[hack wayne]

In Diety the only way to overcome him is early, and with lots of units. You will have to forego techs and focus on Composite Bowman and Pikeman. You will need 4 Comps, 6 Pike and 3-4 Catapult. This is a minimum. You have to act quickly and take out his first few Impi's before he gets more than 3 or 4, then you can keep picking them off as he spawns them.

Trying to bribe him to take out another civ threatening you early is good tactics, you can try and time it with your attack on him and get your GPT back

For a complete guide, watch Marbozir's 'Let's play Civ 5 Japan' Video on Youtube, he perfectly takes down Shaka as his first target. Link; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbWBwoNd-Tw

You are highly unlikely to win the game by letting him be and being friendly, he will overtake the entire map and eliminate all of your City State relationships, trading and Research Agreement partners.