Hey guys, great tips in here. I just got the game last week, been playing it a lot, and have a couple of questions. I've been reading the Condensed Tips for Beginners, but am only on page 13 of 40ish, due to wanting to jump in and try stuff in-game, so I apologize if they're answered later on in that thread.

1: The 'Heal' military upgrade: When exactly does this come into play? Does it mean when you put them into the "heal sleep", they regen faster? Or do they just heal on their own while sitting between attacks? It says they heal '10%'. 10% of what? damage taken? total hp? Also, what's the general thought on pumping one of these upgrades into all units of a stack to make a regening stack?

2: Cottages: I like them, cool to see developed later, and decent money. But, do they have an affect on 'overcrowding' in a city? I've seen reference to that thought in other posts, but nothing concrete.

3: Unique Units: Are they any better than the units they replace? I was playing with Redcoats the other day, and couldn't see a difference between their stats and those of Riflemen. Are these units just for flavor, or something worth exploiting during their era?

Thanks for your time, anyone that answers. As usual, the forums have been a great help when getting into a new game.

Does it mean when you put them into the "heal sleep", they regen faster?
Yes

Units normally heal at a rate of 10% of total strenghth WHEN SLEEPING in neutral lands, a unit with the Medic I promotion or a unit on a tile with a unit w/ the Medic I promotion would increase the healing rate to +20% of total strength per turn.

An Archer at 2.1 strength would heal to 2.4 in one turn.
An Archer with Medic I or on a tile w/ unit of Medic I heals twice as fast, 2.7 in one turn.

rates are also faster in your territory, slower in enemy.

You move a unit and it doesn't heal, unless it has March.

Promotion does not stack; one per tile is enough. Medic II spreads benefit to adjacent tiles.
2: Cottages: I like them, cool to see developed later, and decent money. But, do they have an affect on 'overcrowding' in a city? I've seen reference to that thought in other posts, but nothing concrete.
Overcrowding only has to do with the population points of the city. 1 unhappy per pop. Nothing to do with cottages.

3: Unique Units: Are they any better than the units they replace? I was playing with Redcoats the other day, and couldn't see a difference between their stats and those of Riflemen. Are these units just for flavor, or something worth exploiting during their era?

Yes they're better. Redcoats have inheirant +25% vs gunpowder units.

The Medic promotion allows any units in a stack to heal 10% faster (there is a standard formula for healing per turn--I don't know what it is, but I believe it is a constant percentage of your maximum strength per turn) if healing (i.e fortified, sentried, healing, or not moving or attacking for a turn). The unit with the medic promotion has to be on the same tile. You only need one unit with the medic promotion. There is not a cumulative benefit. If you have the Medic II promotion, you also get a 10% healing boost for units on adjacent tiles.

Build the Red Cross national wonder and most units (not tanks) built in that city will get the medic I promotion automatically.

No cumulative healing bonuses, that's huge to know. Thanks for the quick replies.

3: Unique Units: Are they any better than the units they replace? I was playing with Redcoats the other day, and couldn't see a difference between their stats and those of Riflemen. Are these units just for flavor, or something worth exploiting during their era?


Unique units (UU) does add some advantage over the unit it replaces, in different degrees. It's a good idea to learn what the UUs gives for advantage and then plan a strategy that takes advantage of this. For example, the roman unique unit, the Praetorian, is considered by most as one of the better UUs in the game, thus if you play a game as the romans you may want to beeline the tech that enables the UU and plan a warcampaign to fully utilze the UU.

Other UUs on the other hand, may not make as much an impact as the Praetorian but they do all have some use that will give you a slight advantage over the opposition.

No cumulative healing bonuses, that's huge to know. Thanks for the quick replies.

That doesn't necessarily mean it's bad to have more than one, though.

If you only have one unit with Medic I and it dies then your stack has to wait 2x as long to regen, or wait for another unit with Medic I to get to it. In a stack of 20 i normally have 2-3 units with Medic I

If you create a 'Super Medic' with a GG, either a Warrior with Woodsman III or Scout with Medic III, you get an extra 15% healing per turn.