a question about elite unit upgrades

[howlur]

Playing as rome in original civ3 game (no expansions).

At war with Egypt and I have a number of elite units which are in the process of taking over an Egyptian city. One elite unit wins a battle, he becomes a great leader. Another elite unit wins a battle and the game asks me to rename him. I name him Spartacus for giggles. By his new name, there is an astericks; he isn't a great leader though. I understand the purpose of the leader, but I don't understand the purpose of Spartacus? What is he, or what does he do, or is he just like every other elite unit but with a new name?

 

[Gainy]

Spartacus is normal, besides the fact he can not produce any more leaders.
If you upgrade him, then he will lose his asterix (sp?), and retain the ability to produce leaders

For future reference you can ask quick questions like this in the Quick Answers thread -- at the top of the General Discussions forum

 

[howlur]

So spartacus isn't anything special, just a named elite unit. But he can't become a great leader because of his name until I upgrade him and he loses his new title?

 

[Doc Holliday]

He is just another unit. The astrick by his name lets you know that he has already produced a military leader. Elite units can only produce one military leader. Renaming him is just a symbolic way of recognizing your ultra elite units. BTW if you upgrade your elite units they will revert back to veteran.

 

[howlur]

Oh, so my elite unit spartacus produced the first great leader I had? I guess I was always under the incorrect impression that the elite unit transformed into the leader. That would clear up my confusion.

 

[SesnOfWthr]

Just a tidbit to add:

If you upgrade Spartacus, he'll retain the name you gave him, but he will be veteran and able to upgrade to elite, then potentially produce another leader.

 

[Pfeffersack]

There is a very good article about MGLs out there:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61506&perpage=40&pagenumber=1

 

[DiamanteLouco]

I personally like this change name stuff... unless when the named unit dies... in this case I cry... ... ok, let´s change subject now.

 

[Tomoyo]

Originally posted by DiamanteLouco
ok, let´s change subject now.

Or not. I try to get the unit to act as an elite capital guard.

 

[denyd]

One more note on this, once you get an elite* on a unit that can't be upgraded (cavalry, modern armor...) that unit is a great addition to an army.

An Army of 4 elite* cavalry has 20 hit points compared to an army of 4 veteren cavalry with 16 hit points. You don't want to load elite cavalry into the army if they haven't produced a leader yet, because elite units in armies cannot produce great leaders.

 

[Pfeffersack]

Originally posted by denyd
One more note on this, once you get an elite* on a unit that can't be upgraded (cavalry, modern armor...) that unit is a great addition to an army.

An Army of 4 elite* cavalry has 20 hit points compared to an army of 4 veteren cavalry with 16 hit points. You don't want to load elite cavalry into the army if they haven't produced a leader yet, because elite units in armies cannot produce great leaders.

Thats correct, but you will run into problems in terms of having enough of those units...at least if you use your MGLs most of time for creating new armies.