I have used ottomans almost exclusively since ~2 weeks into 1.08 and have had (and still have) lots of succes with the IOR.
So I thought about it and actually I find that Ottomans are really strong and very powerful with it.
IMO they might even be the top civ when they use it.
I find it actually not only very powerful but also (almost) OP.
What I usually do is this:
1 TP at the start, shipping 3 vills as first shipment or ATP as first if there are 3+ available TPs on one trade route.
While aging I chop wood for some more TPs and upgrade the trade route when hitting colo.
I also build a rax and ship 5 jans+ make more locally.
Next shipment is silkroad, then 700 (910) wood for a 2nd rax/and or some houses+a foundry/a dock for a water boom.
From then on I simplyx spam abus/jans (dependsw on the game) until I got enough to kill my opponent.
I also harras him with jans.
Vs Ports with 3 CM TCs I sometimes go fortress for falcs.
This is just a very simple BO but its very hard to beat and easy to use.
I just find it ridiculous that I end up beating lots of 2.2k+ or 2250+ players (new cuetech) by doing it without ecven trying hard.
I got to 2295 lately just by (ab)using it to own lots of good Spanish players like _Arrow_ and others.
And it doesn't really require great micro (besides hit and running rods/dogs with jans lol) neir does it need any great strategical decisions.
I wanted to make kind of a poll if you find it OP and very strong.
I for my part think so and although its beatable (German FF in 1.07 was beatable aswell, it was just very hard) but the opponent needs to play a lot better to win IMO.
Discuss.
[This message has been edited by Voltiguer (edited 10-02-2006 @ 07:11 AM).]