Well as I have returned I might as well help you guys out
Sun_Tzu1 wrote:1) Am I right in saying you're not building a FP, but using your WP to help collect treasures, attack, and saving the 100 FP wd for a 2nd house?
(2) Do you scout out your opponent's base? I'm thinking it would be useful to check where/if a barracks is going up, but, by scouting around your opponent's TC you might alert them to a rush strat and therefore cause them to make more defensive choices when choosing early shipments, etc.
(3) I was trying this strat this morning. I think I've got it going fairly smoothly, but, I get mixed results. At the moment, I wouldn't say it's giving me that edge to get me from 2nd leut to Captain. I'm finding my puma are vunerable to hit and run from LI & minute men. The WC and WP are fairly good at chasing hit and runners (i.e., having lots of hp and not being classed as HI), but still :S. I realise Coyotes come in eventually, but, if enough of the pumas/SK are taken down the attack looses it's momentum and you're left not having taken down the TC, with heavy troop casualties, and a horrible eco. It's possible to recover still and win the game - which I did this morning - but that's questionable against players the same rank or higher than me.
(4) Lastly, do you wait until you have WC, WP, Skulls, any pets, and 11 Puma's before moving in to attack? Or, do you trickle in as the arrive, e.g. wave 1 = WC, WP, Skulls, wave 2 = 5 Puma followed closely by 6 Puma? I was waiting until the force was complete before moving in to keep surprise.
Is it possible to give me some pointers? Where I might be going wrong?
I was finding CTRL-1'ing my WC, WP, SKs, and any pets coverted useful. And then having the Pumas on CTRL-2.
Edit:
(5) If your opponent has an outpost up, do you take that down with/after the barracks or do you leave the outpost firing on you and go for the TC still?
1) Yeah I don't build a FP. I actually either use the 100 wood for either my WH or the extra house depending on start up crates.
2) I will generally send a converted guardian to circle his base, just go get a general idea and see where his tc is.
3) I would highly doubt your chances of the strat failing and still winning the game. Well done though if you have, it would have taken a lot of effort. I also send my Skull Knights to chase after any LI with the WP and the WC. That way my pumas are focused on his tc and if he bumps those 4 guys off, my mace or coyote from my shipment have arrived.
4) I wait till I have as many pumas as possible. I generally move when the puma shipment arrives. I also send my pets out first to take the first hits and give me useful LOS.
5) I would go for the tc first, then the outpost.
If you want feel free to post a recording and I'll get back to you. Remember I wouldn't use this vs Ports, Iro or an Aztec mirror
Sun_Tzu1 wrote:I think India was on the list to use this strat on. If they put a fort up near their TC do you still go in? If so, do you try to take the fort down first, or the TC under fire?
Get the TC down. The fort doesn't do enough damage and you will really hurt him with his TC down. Probs best to pull back though and build your army up, once his TC is down and then go for the fort.
cleeduz wrote:This strat has been going fairly well for me. When it works, it works very well. In my experience it absolutely crushes Japan.
I also use Ctrl Grp 1 for my WC, WP, SK and converted guardians and start my attack once I have these and at least 11 pumas (6 shipped + 5 built), at this point my vills are split 6F/3C. Once my attack has begun, I often can queue up another Puma here and there, which really helps and often start arriving the same time as my 10 Mace with 9 Mace/5 Coyotes not far behind.
Good to hear this is working for you. I really do enjoy beating those Japan lamers with it

I generally have the villis split on 5F/4C, but that is just my preference, I feel it makes those puma come out just that bit quicker. But yeah looks like you've got it working well.
NZ_Gamer wrote:Hi all. This strat caught my eye cos I enjoy the rush civs. Have tried this strat 6 times now against people my rank (2nd Lieut) and been owned every time. I get the rax and stable down but not tc. MM etc clean up along with 1st shipment of troops for ops. What sort of time do you need to be attacking? Perhaps Im too slow??? I have 111 puma and the rest good to go a 5min 15secs. Without getting the TC down my eco is stuffed so i get beaten......... Would love any feedback cos it seems like a cool strat
My answers to Sun_Tzu should help out

Anymore questions, feel free to PM me or ask me on ESO.
Sun_Tzu1 wrote:Having said that, I think Highlander suggested this strat helped move him from 2nd Leut to Captain.
That was because this strat was very easy for me to use when I could only play left handed after my injury. But yeah, it shot me up the ranks, so that my other gameplay also improved as I played against better opponents in team matches.
NZ_Gamer wrote:but I'm curious as to how HIGHLANDER went from 2nd Lt to Major with this, assuming he had decent opponents.
I think I was major very briefly before losing a few team matches
NZ_Gamer wrote:assuming he had decent opponents. Can't seee how this works v Otts either given they have very fast age times?
I have beaten Lieut Colonels with this. Nearly all my matches with this strat are done on QS, so I have very little choice over my opponent.
Oh and just ask Drew about how this does vs Otto
NZ_Gamer wrote:Have also worked at that once the 11 pumas are ready its wise to switch a gold villie to wood so you can get more houses going. Otherwise you cant get any vills out after the age.
This is a very hard rush, I would not build the villi and instead use the resources/pop space on your military instead
Shizle wrote:I tried this in an unrated game against a 1st lt. when the strat was first posed and he was prepared for me. I remember being ready at a decent time too. Just tried it one time though, should get back in the saddle and try again. Highlander must have refined it big-time.
If you post a recording of you trying it, I'll have a look at it and help you improve it, if you want
cleeduz wrote:Highlander claimed that the strat he posted was not his top build and that he refined it to bettter his eco, but to my knowledge never posted his top build.
Got to be able to beat Drew. Also I found people on ESO trying to use this vs me, so I decided I would keep myself one step in front of everyone else.
cleeduz wrote:I find that this start works ok against players at my lower level and does do very well against Japan. One thing that is critical to this working well is to add units from your war hut ASAP, a straight rush with 11 Pumas, WC, WP and a few creeps will rarely work without shipped units and built units arriving quickly. If they don't arrive after the rax is down and before the TC is attacked it's gg, imho
Yep. Pumas by themselves without backup arrivng = GG
36drew wrote:This strat beat me ottos.
My best ever victories
Kaiser_von_Nuben wrote:Yeah, when people read your strat guides, it's kinda hard to surprise them It's happened to me using my strats, too!
Which is why I kept a variation of it, for only me
BTW, for everyone, it is Tom not Highlander. Another thing I started doing was hiding my FB. I started putting it behind/to the side of my enemy's TC so it was harder to find.