axeman or swordsman?

[cabert]

I do. I always watch catapult battles intently, hoping for that retreat (saves me from having to rebuild them). It just doesn't happen that often. I win at very low odds almost as often

bad luck, obviously
It may be due to the fact that you use less than me, I really see 25% retreating as it is supposed to be.

 

[rabidveggie]

With a cat army couldn't your opponent just counter attack once they reach the city and negate that ability?

 

[axident]

With a cat army couldn't your opponent just counter attack once they reach the city and negate that ability?

That's what stack protectors (one of which is a medic) are for. You also give the AI a lot of credit re: common sensical battle strategies.

 

[InvisibleStalke]

With a cat army couldn't your opponent just counter attack once they reach the city and negate that ability?

Cats are always escorted by a couple of stack defenders. And at this stage of the game the AI prefers to cower in its cities rather than commit the units to get through your stack defenders and start killing cats.

 

[InvisibleStalke]

Well, it's 1/8 for me. Maybe I'm just unlucky?

That is unlucky - once I get through the initial couple of suicide cats, I will rarely lose more than one other cat in the attack. The collateral damage just mounts up too much for the remaining defenders to mount too much of a challenge. Once cats start getting Drill 2 or CR 2 their survability against damaged opponents is quite good.

 

[Steve the Noble]

There's a little more versatility when building axeman. They're good for fighting on the battlefield with their melee bonus. With some woodsman promotions, they can defend some strategic forest tiles well.

Swordsman seem a bit too specialized. If there's a city to conquer then I'll build them. But if there's no current war and I need to beef up my military, I'll go for the general-purpose axeman.