Limited Strategic Resources and their Effect on Wartime Production

[better days]

It seems to me that a large portion of the "best" units require strategic resources to build, so thus, you can only build a limited number of them, and then once they're used up, you cannot build anymore of the elite units.

I think that overall, this is a good change- leading to wars being fought over resources, etc.

But, a potential problem with this is how it de-emphasizes wartime production. During war, once you use up all your resources, what else can they do? Crank out cannon fodder? Would this be a good strategy, or would improving the economy be better? Will this change to limited resources lead to a de-emphasis on wartime production (and even moreso, coupled with the ability to instantly rush-buy)?

Discuss...

 

[bjbrains]

It seems to me that a large portion of the "best" units require strategic resources to build, so thus, you can only build a limited number of them, and then once they're used up, you cannot build anymore of the elite units.

I think that overall, this is a good change- leading to wars being fought over resources, etc.

But, a potential problem with this is how it de-emphasizes wartime production. During war, once you use up all your resources, what else can they do? Crank out cannon fodder? Would this be a good strategy, or would improving the economy be better? Will this change to limited resources lead to a de-emphasis on wartime production (and even moreso, coupled with the ability to instantly rush-buy)?

Discuss...

Well, most ages do have units that are worth buying that don't cost resources: Spearmen, Pikemen, and Crossbows earlier in the game, and later on, gunpowder infantry and cannons/artillery. You'll also be suffering losses in the war, and I bet that replacing your downed strategic resource units will be a key to keeping your assault/defense going.

 

[Ahriman]

During war, once you use up all your resources, what else can they do?

Replace your losses. In war, you are still going to lose a lot of units.

 

[better days]

Replace your losses. In war, you are still going to lose a lot of units.

I hope so. I would find it extremely odd to be building a Library or Collosseum etc. instead of a military unit.

 

[SirTurtle]

Here's a strategy.

If you're out of the resource for your best elites then build your next best unit instead. E.g. if you can't build more modern armor then build tanks instead. Send these units to near the front lines. As soon as a resource becomes free, upgrade to the elite unit type.

This is based on an a strategy of 2KGreg's from the live play stream yesterday.

 

[migkillertwo]

It seems to me that a large portion of the "best" units require strategic resources to build, so thus, you can only build a limited number of them, and then once they're used up, you cannot build anymore of the elite units.

I think that overall, this is a good change- leading to wars being fought over resources, etc.

But, a potential problem with this is how it de-emphasizes wartime production. During war, once you use up all your resources, what else can they do? Crank out cannon fodder? Would this be a good strategy, or would improving the economy be better? Will this change to limited resources lead to a de-emphasis on wartime production (and even moreso, coupled with the ability to instantly rush-buy)?

Discuss...

I just had an epiphany...of sorts. This is an interesting conundrum you raise.

If you look at Arioch's civ V analyst page on units, we learn that the "best" units, the ones that require strategic resources, will almost inevitably be offensive units. They are the ones that you would use to bombard an enemy into submission at a very specific point on the map, in essence a place where you are trying to break through the enemy's lines.

So if you are waging a mostly offensive foreign war, you might not even need to emphasize war time production.

If however you are engaged in a truly defensive war, one where the enemy is on past your own borders, then it will be important to build "cannon fodder" units like artillery, AT guns, and infantry to bolster your defenses.