Good points, Blitz.
The only time I saw slingshots work (and this was with old timers, I was watching 3 of the games, the other 5 or so were related to me directly afterwards) were (more or less) like this:
Case One:
2x2 (2 games) 3x3 (1 game):
Contributor gave wood + more food to fighter.
Bronze was achieved in less than 10 minutes, with Cavs doing the job (NOT killing opponents, but killing significant number of villagers in murdeours raids).
At least in 2 of these games it was Yamato for the fighter - but I don't remember the others. Slingshotter was mainly Shang, I think.
Case Two:
All other 5 games: Contributor gave more wood + food to fighter.
(3 games were 2x2, 2 games were 3x3).
The Fighters were mostly Assyrian, at least one Hittite and I can't recall now what the other were, sorry.
The murderous raids were done after slightly longer bronze times, but the fighter was attacking/raiding two opponnents at a time and killing also many villagers. In one 3x3 the fighter got the wrong guys (the 3rd. guy bronzed at 12:30 with economy showing clearly that he too was being slingshoted as afterthought) but he could add a few more CA and 2 ST to the frail and could hamper the stronger player enough. Since that player's allies were in big misery, he was able to go back, make more and all of them Bronzed meanwhile - game over.
ALL CASES (without exception): The contributors only gave practically ONCE - after that they walled in and concentrated in going Bronze. In most cases, they were able to pursue the Fighter's work and mop up.
I don't recall any Iron Age (at least that would be needed!)Of all that I saw (Thump, the "inventor" of this strat later told us that he was no lonnger doing this) the objective was to attack with a kiiling Bronze - as close to 10 mins. as possible.
I saw one 2x2 once with lesser players, but the idea was absolutelly crazy - I guess it worked only because the player being attacked resigned too early, demotivating the partner!
After achieving "regular" Tool times, the Fighter was tribed very heavily if wood and food, made axers and archers, upgraded them fully (for Tool Age, of course) and scrapped one opponent in no time. I really became a fan of Archers for killing Villagers and Axers to demolish stuff.
The guy Bronzed - but had no TC soon after, no houses and almost no Villagers left! Should have engaged tool age fight, IMO.
The other guy went Bronze, but had no resources for much. He wento to attack the contributor - but got stopped by walls! Too much lost time!
So, it is possible that Slingshot might work too in Tool Wars!...
(Can't deny that the game was a ton of fun, though!)
Wise_Max is the slowest player on Earth.
But Wise_Max has a lot of fun playing. So, he always wins
even when he loses the game. And he made Friends.
Is that Wise or what?...