Battering Ram

[kaltorak]

I must say I had never used this units. I have been playing since civ1, and Im so used to the usual siege units, that I just used them.
But I tried my last game .... and wtf, this unit is totally OP.

How can 1 unit replace all the catapults I needed before? IMO, it would be balanced if only the unit standing in the same tile as the ram would get the bonus. But I just need 1 ram touching the city, and all my army becomes a siege machine.
Even better, this ancient unit works until frakin damn late.

Like I said, Ive just used them in 1 game, so maybe Im missing something, but they look totally too OP IMO. Making them only work on the unit on them would look much more balanced

 

[TheDouche]

They dont help that much vs lvl 3 walls, but are still OP. I never use catapults

 

[BarbarianHunter]

They are OP. I had about the same reaction when I "teched down" to them from the siege engines I had been using. I think they may be the only unit in civ you want a 1-era behind version of. They go right for the walls, whereas siege engines apply to walls and garrison. As for catapults, too expensive and no overflow. Without a great general they're rubbish. With a great general they're logistical challenge (always in the way) and somewhat suboptimal relative to battering rams.

 

[kaltorak]

In the same game, I am now using destroyers, infantry and almost plains, and battering rams are still so useful, wtf.

 

[Casualty of war]

I've had Tanks grouped with Battering Rams many a time. Completely immersive historically.

 

[kaltorak]

I've had Tanks grouped with Battering Rams many a time. Completely immersive historically.

 

[BarbarianHunter]

I've had Tanks grouped with Battering Rams many a time. Completely immersive historically.

I cut the game a little slack on this issue. I mean you could break down city combats into smaller combats, like wall breaches, etc...You could have ever more units, such as engineers to blow up walls, etc...IMO the battering ram unit doesn't bother me as it represents the modern units ability to nearly completely negate technologically inferior walls. As religion figures prominently in civ6, I figure I just have to pray to the battering ram god, shrug. Main tank guns vs. medieval walls over the span of a 5 year turn? The wall would be reduced to rubble, and the tanks would simply roll over the remains. And as for helicopters. I would think even a renaissance wall wouldn't bother them all that much as they'd just fly over it.

In the same game, I am now using destroyers, infantry and almost plains, and battering rams are still so useful, wtf.

One for certain though, is that I've found a new respect for light cav. I used to just skip the horse rush and wait for knights, but a 4-promotion (escort) light cav unit is now quite useful for a later game blitzkrieg.

 

[Leathaface]

I agree they are OP. Plus they are only supposed to work with melee units. However I see streamers using battering rams with horsemen, knights, cavalry, you name it.

 

[kaltorak]

I agree they are OP. Plus they are only supposed to work with melee units. However I see streamers using battering rams with horsemen, knights, cavalry, you name it.

I think that's a confusion because of the name of the unit types. Yes, theres a melee unit type, but melee also means non ranged. I never thought it wouldnt work with cavalry when reading the tooltip, and indeed it does work. IMO the tooltip refers to melee unit, as the real meaning of melee, not as the unit type melee which doesnt include cavalry.

 

[Hactar]

I tried to use one with Modern Armor last game (Vanilla, iPad) and it wasn’t working. I’ll have to pay closer attention. I know I’ve used it with tanks before.

 

[Forster]

Why would you need one with modern armor? If you have modern armor, surely you have artillery. Together they take cities easily.

 

[Hactar]

Why would you need one with modern armor? If you have modern armor, surely you have artillery. Together they take cities easily.

My artillery were a couple of turns away, but I had the ram there already. Just thought it would be fun to try it. But it seemed like it wasn’t working. The damage preview showed very little damage to the walls. Normally with the ram, more damage is done to the walls than to the city’s health. I didn’t actually try to attack. Just spent a couple of turns pillaging (and bombing) while waiting for the artillery.

 

[Stylianos]

Battering rams and siege towers are obsolete if the opponent has discovered the steel technology !

 

[kaltorak]

Battering rams and siege towers are obsolete if the opponent has discovered the steel technology !

So, an ancient era unit that makes capturing cities very easy, doesnt work anymore against players in the atomic era?

 

[Hactar]

Battering rams and siege towers are obsolete if the opponent has discovered the steel technology !

That would explain it! Thanks. I normally play Emperor so I guess I usually have a big tech lead. This game was on Immortal.