Hey everyone,

Lately, I’ve been re-evaluating my army setup and wanted to get some perspective from fellow Archons, especially those who aren't carried by top-tier Pantheons and have to manage their positions independently.

Which build order do you find more viable in the mid-to-late game?

On one hand, going full Defense (focusing heavily on Hoplites, Phalangites, and Spartan Elites) keeps your City safe, protects your resources during trades, and lets you sleep easy without worrying about late-night raids from massive alliances. The downside is that the gameplay slows down a lot and ranking up takes forever.

On the other hand, a heavy Offense build (Cavalry, Chariots) is way more fun, allows you to raid neighbors effectively, and maximizes rewards from Persian Positions. But all it takes is one bad timing or a well-placed bait from a defender, and months of rebuilding go down the drain in a split second.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on a few things:

What Offense-to-Defense ratio do you typically maintain in your City?

Is it even worth investing heavily in heavy cavalry as a solo player, or is it better to go full turtle and act as a resource bunker?

Which units do you think offer the absolute best value for resource cost in the current state of the game?