Complaint: Worthless unique units.

[Guerra]

I just wanted to say that some unique units are just god awful while others are way overpowered.

Lets take the example of the British Redcoats, practically invincible until infantry is invented. Or the Russian Cossacks which are more or less unstoppable.


and then compare with other countries, like the Incas who get a worthless Quechua, or the French Musketeer, which has 2 movement points, but Musketman units become obsolete 6 turns later when Chemistry is invented.


My biggest issue is with the Arab camel archers. Really, its just absurd, why do games insist on stereotyping medieval arab units as camel archers. The Arabs used HORSES for war. Infact, most horses in Europe and around the world have a lot of Arabian horse heritage. Second, the Arabs didn't use camel archers. There could have been so many more appropriate unique units for the Arabs. Bedouins, Saracens, Composite bowmen, anything but camel archers.

This camel stereotype is just silly. Real armies used horses, the Arabs used horses, ESPECIALLY Saladin used horses. When Arab armies DID use camels was for carrying food/water to supply their troops, or noble Arab knights would ride their camel, and have a horse with them, then switch to use the horse for the battle, because camels are just worthless in battle.

So, I vote to change the Camel archer into something better, like a Saracen (mounted or on foot, doesn't matter)

Just my two cents.

Cheers

 

[pholkhero]

here, here...some units ARE pretty lousy ~ i agree re: the quecha, but also phalanx is good and all, but essentially, a little under-powered; even war chariots and immortals have a small window and aren't always usable every game...

perhaps unique units shouldn't require strategic resources either???

 

[Myxer]

I have to disagree with Quecha being lousy, my fastest win game was one in which I used the Quecha to wipe out two AI's with Quecha rushes before they were able to get BW. If used during their window, they are quite useful.

 

[Sabin Stargem]

Checking the in-game Civilopedia, it says that the Camel Archers either used horses or camels, usually the latter for deep-desert excursions. The designers probably used camels instead of horses in order to give the Camel Archers an relatively exotic appearance.

 

[Meffy]

I've come to suspect that expert players figure out how to make far more effective use of units than I, even the units that strike me as underpowered. Probably comes along with the insight of greater experience at higher levels of challenge than I can hack through. Wish I could get the hang of that kind of thinking. :-D

 

[DSChapin]

Jaguars just make me cry. Even with the new hammer discount, they're often worse than the base unit (Swordsman) that they're based on.

 

[synthboy]

Try playing a game with no horses or iron and then tell me the Camel Archer is worthless. I'll admit that some UUs seem better than others but I think you can make use of all of them if you are willing to modify your game strategy. For example, there's no point playing a builder game as the Incas if you intend on using the quechas.

 

[Crighton]

The Jaguars are pathetic, and frankly I'm curious to see a Quecha rush myself, having failed the one time I attempted it.

To be honest though the Redcoats are badasses just as they were back in their day.

In regards to the Camel Archers I agree that the Arab UU should b=probably be a Sarican or a Janissary or something else. I think that camels should be a resource in the desert similar to horses elsewhere but thats just me.

 

[Kalleyao]

Yes, Jaguars are no good as you will always have iron. If not you can trade for it.

 

[GeorgeOP]

I think you have a point about the Camel Archers not being realistic. I won't argue that one.

Well, some civs have bad UUs. These are the same civs that in real life didn't last. Seems to be realistic to me.

 

[Breunor]

The muskateers can be awesome. The reeason for this is that they can stack with cavalry and move two throughout the enemy. Its an amazing reaction and pillaging force, one of the toughest in the game, especially if you have Nap.

Breunor

 

[Col.D]

Jaguar and Camel Archer (for it's stats on both them) are just terrible. Tho Muskeeters are one of my fa

 

[BrutalusMaximus]

I would love to see the future expansion add a second UU to each Civ.

Some Naval UU for example.

Or a UU that extrapolates what sort of troops a Civ might have had it they had lasted until the modern age rather then be overwhelmed (like the inca or aztec) Or early UU for Civs that did not really exist in ancient times such as the United States.

Various UU like this could counter for some Civs weak UU and for other civs that have a UU for such a short time they may as well not have them at all.

Rise of Nations had some cool ideas in this regard.

 

[Crighton]

The muskateers can be awesome. The reeason for this is that they can stack with cavalry and move two throughout the enemy. Its an amazing reaction and pillaging force, one of the toughest in the game, especially if you have Nap.

A redeeming strategy, one I will use if I ever end as French (I usually do random Civ and haven't yet gone French).

 

[DonaldKipper]

the quecha is actually a very strong unit

not forgetting it also start with combat 1, you have MUCH better odds of surviving worker steals and and have little fear of enemy and barbarian archers

agreed, it probably depends a lot on what level u play on, but on higher levels, the quecha is a very good unit

personally i think units like the navy seal are next to useless - the game is normally already won or lost before they are available

 

[ug_raptor]

well i agree most of those unit are silly ... somtimes i dont even use the uniqe units.. or i if i do i use them for only a short period .. but why is it that only germany and america get late game units ...they did also in civ 3 ... what about the britsh sas ... or spitfire... theres a units i would like to see in the game ..

 

[Niniux]

I like some of the UUs listed. Though, I'd say a lot more of them become more valuable when you play a Marathon game than just playing a normal game. I actually like the underpowered Jaguars. I was once stuck in an area, with no bronze, nor iron, but I built a few Jags, and stuck into one of the adjacent Civ's territory, and took one of his cities that had Iron (not to mention bronze, and marble).

 

[Perfect_Blue]

I like some of the UUs listed. Though, I'd say a lot more of them become more valuable when you play a Marathon game than just playing a normal game.

Agreed. The longer the game, the bigger those 'windows' will get.

 

[Guerra]

the quecha is actually a very strong unit

not forgetting it also start with combat 1, you have MUCH better odds of surviving worker steals and and have little fear of enemy and barbarian archers

agreed, it probably depends a lot on what level u play on, but on higher levels, the quecha is a very good unit

personally i think units like the navy seal are next to useless - the game is normally already won or lost before they are available

Actually. I think the Navy Seal is the most underrated unit in the game. The 1-2 first strike coupled with amphibious... holy ****, you can storm the best defended cities by suprise with GREAT ease.

The Quechua as a rushing unit? HAH. You nab one player if you're lucky (Multiplayer) and then you die horribly, the Aztec Jaguar is very very useful, you can flood people with them, the Ancient era units last the longest, but the Quechua just becomes obsolete so damn fast its sad. Samething with the Persian Immortal or the Egyptian Chariot... Now the mongolian keshik is the best horseman in the game because it can go through forest, jungle, and hills without terrain movement penalty. They are pretty much unstoppable.

The best unique units are, in order:
Redcoats
Cossacks
Praetorians
Keshik

The rest are mediocre and/or worthless. The ones above truly are magnificient units. The conquistador, musketeer, and camel archer are useful, but their life span is extremely short and soon become obsolete.

Personally, I'm really sad about the musketeer, grenadiers come along so fast that its not worth building a single musketman/musketeer or even knights.

Also, why the hell are grenadiers invented before cannons? It just doesn't make sense. They should come at the same time, or cannons first.

 

[Chunes]

I get a kick out of the Indian unique unit: the fast worker. It holds distinction because it's the only peaceful unique unit in Civilization IV and highly effective to boot.