Anyone getting much use out of the GDR?

[Sporaticus]

The ultimate fun for me is to lay down a string of nukes across the width if an AI civ, THEN send in the Giant Death Robot to ruthlessly squash everything in its path! Bwwwoooooohaahaahaaahaaaa! I like to spin up Ride of the Valkeries at max volume for the final kill too!

Edit: ^ If I see a spearman, the GDR turns around and Runs For It's Life!

 

[elprofesor]

GDRs are in no way overpowered when compared to nukes. If you have the means to build GDRs, you have the means to spam nukes, even moreso atomic bombs. And there is literally no way to stop these, while you can always kill a GDR with ranged units, and suffer no casualties.

Every GDR you build is one less atomic bomb slot for you. And once you are filthy rich, a constant rain of nukes (which come earlier!) is way more devastating and one sided than two GDRs can ever be. The only advantage GDRs have is that they are cleaner, but you really don't care then, since the game is about to finish.

IMHO, atomic weapons need balancing before GDRs, should GDRs really need it, which I don't think: they come late and they are extremely expensive, while 1dmg/attack ensures that they won't last long if your enemy has rocket artillery, or even destroyers, in range.

For the initial question, I do use them, but they very rarely make a difference. Nukes do. They actually "improve" the late game balance.

 

[Becomedeath]

I would leave them both as they are. The strategy for defending yourself against both is to get the other guys uranium supply, or to build yours first.

Neither, in my view, is over powered.

But it is really funny to watch your GDR march across the screen to slap a Knight.

 

[ipris]

Have never built one or seen one in game.
Oddly enough I'm in the middle of a modern era start multi game where I'm building one right now. Game is saved, but should have it in a turn or two once the session resumes.

Thing is it's a island map type. Do these things fly or am I going to get this thing 1hit ko'd in the water by some random caravel?

 

[Becomedeath]

You're gonna need a navy to protect it. It's a land unit and will get sunk if it gets spotted!

 

[wcbarney]

GDRs are simply amusing toys; basically worthless as military units. If you're serious about winning in combat then spend your time & resources building stealth bombers instead. If you really want to win in combat and don't mind cleaning up the mess, then by all means drop nukes on everybody. But GDRs?

 

[kingrc69]

I must also join the nuke side. for every GDR built, thats another pile of rubble u could be marching your troops into. Granted theyll be hobbling out on 3 legs and the people starving, but thats just a small formality of war

 

[Horizons]

All military units are game breaking vs ai.

I like this.

 

[501st Legion]

I have yet to see an AI GDR in my games.

 

[Snoopaloop]

GDR is a future era weapon. If you're routinely rolling it with an ancient start, there's something wrong. It's really a 'for fun' weapon and not meant to be the decider, though obviously it did in your game.

Most of my games end before I even get to build a GDR, and heck my last game was a spacerace win. I researched but never built it.

Just because YOUR games don't run into this late game unit, and MY games do, does NOT mean there is something wrong with how I play.

 

[Greizer85]

I remember in one of my first games when I had one city (OCC) and Persia had the rest of the Pangaea... I had 6 Artilleries, 4 of which were fully promoted. The AI marched its GDRs towards them, then when I hit them, it turned back; next turn they turned around again, etc, until I'd whittled them down to nothing. Same with every other unit... I only lost after Persia brought over 10 Rocket Artillerys. Ofc I had the mountains to my advantage, but still, imo the problem is not really the units but the way the AI uses them (or doesn't, more precisely).

Also, I agree that Nukes are much better value-for-hammers wise. I usually build one or two GDRs if I have the Uranium to spare, just for the hell of it. I think of them as propaganda tools for the Evil Empire, much like their description seems to indicate.

 

[drubell]

Because of the 1 damage minimum rule I'd prioritize nukes instead and just use different melee units that don't have a city attack penalty. They're essentially like super-horse units in that way and I only build horse units when I want to clean up units that may threaten my city raiding units (unless I have a unique horse).

I've only seen them once, but that's because I was playing to see one, not because I had to see it in the game.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Because of the 1 damage minimum rule I'd prioritize nukes instead and just use different melee units that don't have a city attack penalty. They're essentially like super-horse units in that way and I only build horse units when I want to clean up units that may threaten my city raiding units (unless I have a unique horse).

I've only seen them once, but that's because I was playing to see one, not because I had to see it in the game.

They would be worthwhile aiming for if
1. they were resourceless
OR
2. nukes were nerfed (SDI Project with Particle Physics/Nuclear Fusion, Atomic Bombs Interceptable?)
OR
3. they were seriously buffed (say they can counter attack ranged units that shoot them)

 

[Callonia]

I get very much use out of GDRs.. They let me use much more compact defense. I usually have five or more out and running around if the game go on long enough.. my entire attack force become GDRs. Numberous death robots marching across the last defense line of metropolises right for your damn capitol CAESAR!

Throw damn tanks against my knights will ya?! WELL I THROW ENTIRE ARMIES OF GDR BACK AT YOU!

That and its visually impressive to see many gdrs charging across the border line to smack the enemy a good one. Basically, a bring it on.

 

[Catastrophe90]

I see the GDR as a "Ok buddy, it's 2025 and you still haven't conquered your opponent yet? Here, take a giant murder robot AND GO DO IT!" unit. Basically, something to break potential military stalemate in the late-game so that the game can finish. Sadly, its way too weak to fulfill that role...

 

[Hustapha Thool]

In my current game I am playing for the sole purpose of building one of these. I really want to see it in the game once. I am playing as Japan, domination win only, large map , no time limit. I will delay my win. I am also planning to launch nukes for the first time. I have been in the game long enough to see AI use and get nuked, but have never used them or been nuked myself.

 

[jtb1127]

I'm not getting much use out of them, but then again, that's probably a good thing! Would be kinda weird if they actually had a large impact on the game. They're more there as an amusing triviality.

You wouldn't want Perfection's spawn to be useful?

 

[KrikkitTwo]

I see the GDR as a "Ok buddy, it's 2025 and you still haven't conquered your opponent yet? Here, take a giant murder robot AND GO DO IT!" unit. Basically, something to break potential military stalemate in the late-game so that the game can finish. Sadly, its way too weak to fulfill that role...

The problem is, Nukes do that... and the GDR uses uranium just like they do.

The GDR should be resourceless (although it should cost maybe 600 and require a Nuclear Plant at the City it will be built at)

 

[pspboy7]

I think I used GDRs about a couple times, but like most people, most of the games I play are long over before I even get access to nukes or stealth.

 

[Camikaze]

You wouldn't want Perfection's spawn to be useful?

I don't particularly want anything in the future era to be particularly useful, because that's not what the game is about. The point of GDRs isn't to be useful, so that's fine, and if they were being too useful, then I think they'd detract a little from the game.