The Deity Challenge #19 - Choose the civ

I guess my distaste for Lancers has something to do with my style of play. I try to capture capitals as fast as possible, and in the skirmishes that happen in the AI lands ON THE WAY to the capital, Lancers always seem to get smashed because their strength is too low. Perhaps I am not manoeuvring them properly.

In my last game I assaulted the final capital with Artillery, Cavalry and some Lancers. I don't think ANY of the Lancers survived the fight.

Well, i'm more a turtling player so i tend to have more defensive wars, even when i go on the offense (that might be one of the reasons i suck at fast dominations). Not every AI will send waves of cavalry but if they do, a couple Lancers can have some use. I don't think i have ever used them offensively. I don't even build them every game but i remember an Aztec game where a pair of those defended my lands while i was fighting on another front.
So while i agree that Lancers are (much) more limited than other units but i wouldn't say they are useless, unlike the slow moving anti-tank. How am i supposed to catch up 4-5 moves units with a 2 moves one

That's my whole point. I want the units I use to be good in every era. THAT'S why Spearmen and Pikes and Lancers suck. Sure, you need Iron for them. But SOMEONE will have some

I usually reserve the Medic promotion for the Lancer line. Spearmen/Pikemen are useful during their era, so they can get enough experience for the promotion, then the Lancers make good use of it due to good mobility. They're also good for pillaging important tiles, or even as bait. And if you're not invading, they can always serve as decent reserves in case unexpected barbarians appear.

Of course, as the Aztecs, I only ever get them if a ruin upgrades a Jaguar, or if a CS gives them to me. If Jaguars are better than Spearmen, that's what I'll build.

consentient said:

I guess my distaste for Lancers has something to do with my style of play. I try to capture capitals as fast as possible, and in the skirmishes that happen in the AI lands ON THE WAY to the capital, Lancers always seem to get smashed because their strength is too low. Perhaps I am not manoeuvring them properly.

In my last game I assaulted the final capital with Artillery, Cavalry and some Lancers. I don't think ANY of the Lancers survived the fight.

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Isn't that basically what you want? Lancers are cheap meatshields and it's better to lose 1 crappy Lancer you probably have a ton ready at the back than losing, say, a Logistics/March/Range type of ah, Keshik

I'm just trying to learn how to fight beyond the Industrial because sometimes you can't get the job done before the Modern Era, and I hate modern warfare. For one thing, there are so many units involved that my laptop is almost dying under the CPU strain. But also, on my first Deity win, which was a 6 capital, 1 to go situation where I bailed as DiploV, it was with Bismarck and my Panzers were so incredible because they had been my horses and knights. They had every promotion and it was because I had kept them alive.

Lancers are good as meat shields but too many die for my liking, and I'm trying to lose less units, not more.

Well I wouldn't know about that. I assume you have to use Arties and nukes

consentient said:

Lancers are good as meat shields but too many die for my liking, and I'm trying to lose less units, not more.

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I sometimes really like Lancers. They are an amazing defensive unit. If terrain allows, I'll set up "Lancer Lanes" where 2-3 Lancers can swoop in from behind (with roads built in rough territory in my own lands) and catch any invaders in a vice. That late in the game, roads to/from nowhere don't really cost much and you can have a lot of fun with them.

lancers are good against other horse units. theyre also good as a more mobile pikeman to take cities, but only if they can take it from a clean run 3-tiles away. they dont usually survive a city shot plus one more from a garrison if there is tech parity (even with ranged defense promos).

i never actually build lancers so much as upgrades for pikes or get gifted them from CSs so my maneuvering with them isnt really practiced. any horse unit is good for flanking and retreating if the terrain allows it but they only have 4 mvmt making it very situational.