...In the next era?

I'm seperating in these eras:

Ancient/Classical
Medieval
Rennaissence
Industrial
Modern

(That is, all eras, but merged ancient and classical)

Of course units are not as usable in the next era as other units, but some can still match others.
My opinions are:

Mali Skirmisher - can be a cheap replacement for Longbowmen. They can be used.
Roman Praetorian - weak support unit in the medieval era, but has a very small strength difference compared to knight or musket.
Cataphract - beats musket and can in most cases match Cuirrasier.
Infantry - still somehow usable in the Modern era, can defeat Marine.
Artillery - Usable in modern era, even though replaced by the mobile artillery.

War elephant - Can beat currasiers and maybe even cavalry.

...
Cataphract - beats musket and can in most cases match Cuirrasier.
Infantry - still somehow usable in the Modern era, can defeat Marine.
...

The Cataphract only lacks the withdrawal chances of a cuirassier, but the strength is still solid. Infantry get +25% vs. all gunpowder units, which gives them good chances vs. marines and excellent chances vs. SAM infantry, anti-tanks, etc.

I would add War Elephants: classical unit that can still kick ass in the medieval era...will give Knights a run for their money, and can still beat up any archer unit.


EDIT: It appears I double-posted with Lord Olleus.

Don't forget about the worker

Lol, the worker

But yes I forgot the War Elephant... Though I think it's only because I think of it as a Classical/Medieval overlap. Just as the Ancient/Classical Chariot or Axeman.

setters, workers, missionaries, great people.

as far as unique units go, only the indian fast worker never goes obsolete, or rather stays useful throughout the game.

I've always thought caravels were strangely effective against galleons, and even against frigates.

^^ how against frigates?

it's not really what you asked, but there are things i keep around after they're obsolete because they do stuff the "upgrades" can't do.

if i'm dutch, i tend to keep some East Indiamen around and not upgrade them to transports. they carry as many units as a transport, altho they have one less movement and aren't nearly as strong. their advantage is they can enter rival territory without open borders. which means you can sail up to someone's coastline, then declare war and those boats don't get kicked out. they're also great for carrying spies in groups of 4 rather than one at a time, to somebody you're not fighting but don't have OB with.

so, they do go obsolete but they remain useful in a way imo. you could even build more after they're obsolete by pillaging your oil and uranium if you want to go to extremes :lol:. i haven't gone that far.

joao's carracks do the same thing, but with even slower movement and only 2 troops at a time so you'd have to be really patient to use them that sneaky way, i haven't done that with him.

i keep some airships and normal-old-destroyers around too. they can see subs but fighters and stealth destroyers can't.

^^ how against frigates?
Well, a caravel very rarely beats a frigate, but that's not the problem. What happens is that just one caravel reduces my frigates to about 1/3 health, and then they're easy pickings for the next caravel.

Oh, also, trebs and catapults remain useful for a looooong time. Back in Civ Vanilla, someone (I forget his name) did a game where he avoided researching any techs beyond alphabet, yet he was still able to win several wars by using massive stacks of catapults.

Well, a caravel very rarely beats a frigate, but that's not the problem. What happens is that just one caravel reduces my frigates to about 1/3 health, and then they're easy pickings for the next caravel.

They also decimate your privateers the same way. If even a small stack of caravels attack, goodbye free :gold: and XP!

^^stack privateers and do preemtives raids to the pre-stacks ( normally 2 caravels each )

setters, workers, missionaries, great people.

as far as unique units go, only the indian fast worker never goes obsolete, or rather stays useful throughout the game.
Navy SEALs are useful throughout.

Panzers have a slight (42 to 40) edge over Modern Armor.

Infantry - still somehow usable in the Modern era, can defeat Marine.

Aren't Marines Industrial era too:confused: ? You get them with the tech, Industrialism.

The Cataphract only lacks the withdrawal chances of a cuirassier

Don't forget immunity to first strikes. That matters a lot against Sitting Bull, Zara Yaqob or any Protective civ

I keep paratroopers around if I am fighting that late. I also keep privateers around along as possible. There should be a way to modernize them and still keep them as pirates. After all of the money the bring in for the empire they can at least be fitted with some iron plating.

Something I notice in a lot of my games is that cavalry (late Renaissance/early Industrial) can give infantry (late industrial) a run for their money. By no means an even match, but cavalry can win a significant number of their battles. And full health cavalry eat damaged infantry for breakfast.

knights are useful for a long time

Navy SEALs are useful throughout.

does that include classical and rennaissance eras?

The Cataphract only lacks the withdrawal chances of a cuirassier, but the strength is still solid. .

it also lacks the immunity to first strikes

What about Redcoats? I also think all siege units are useful past their era.

it also lacks the immunity to first strikes

A quick promotion with barracks and a stable to Flanking II fixes that though.

Panzers have a slight (42 to 40) edge over Modern Armor.



Aren't Marines Industrial era too:confused: ? You get them with the tech, Industrialism.



Don't forget immunity to first strikes. That matters a lot against Sitting Bull, Zara Yaqob or any Protective civ

I knew I was forgetting something about the cataphract when I posted that. Thanks for the correction.


I always laughed when the AI tried to mass-caravel attack my privateers. If you have a stack of two or three privateers, you can decimate the enemy caravel fleets (don't leave them alone). It's great because the AI feels the instinctive need to build more caravels, which you then destroy, etc. It's not uncommon for me to have entire fleets of elite privateers with at least Combat III and some Combat IV, and sink over 100 caravels in a game (check your statistics screen).

I love privateers on a terra map. They can easily kill unescorted galleons keeping the new world free of my enemies until I get state property, then I can settler spam it.

My first domination win on Noble was thanks to Cataphracts. They are very powerful when they first enter the game, and stay great until Calv. I also levereged the Imperial trait of Justin and attacked a bunch of Great Generals to my vetrens to give them Morale and Blitz. I was drooling at the thought of the damage I could do with them when I had Advanced flight, but I won before then :(