Best Unique Unit

Aircraft UUs are useless-remember the f-15 from civ 3? Absolute piece of ****! Aircraft come too late in the game and are rarely used-artillery is better. As for keshiks or prets, I don't use mongolia or rome mostly (I'm a peacemonger wonder-hore who likes to be Louis) although I have been very lucky with them (keshiks) in a recent game (earth 1000AD, vanilla and unpatched) when I conquered China.
 
the F 15 is like modern era aircraft while p 51 was around during second world war, I dont know about you but I got no problems getting myself early aircraft since you only need flight for it. And they are quite fun to use in this game, I havent played civ 3 so I can't comment on that. Modern era planes are much harder to produce and I have yet to even use them.
 
P-51's and other american fighters also strafed trains, roads, convoys, etc on return from escort missions (since bombers often had short and long range escorts - the long range escort would catch up and releive the short range, and later the short range would meet the returning bombers+51's and releive them.
Either way, releived fighters wrought havoc on supply lines.
Give the P-51 the ability to destroy roads/rail improvements, and a higher chance of destroying improvements.
The-51 was also a good close air support craft (this was its pre-merlin engine role), allow it to do 75% damage rather than 50% in addition to its longer operational range (or give it the 2 operational range upgrades, so the benefit lasts after it is obsolete).

Cutting rail lines could be uber-useful - and an aircraft would do it far better than gunships (with an out and return range of a measly 1.5 tiles)

Our Seals aren't unique relative to other special forces.
Our infantry isnt, our tanks aren't.
We were nothing special in WWI

Our aircraft and carriers are.
Our p-51 was
Our iron clads were
Our calvary might have been

Our B-29 was......
Fat boy and little man were...
UU- the enola gay- before ICBMs, before tactical nukes....
Get a long range bomber that can carry 1 cruise missile/tactical nuke(operational ranges are additive), or standard A-bomb....

Let america start the nuking before rocketry.....
 
P-51's and other american fighters also strafed trains, roads, convoys, etc on return from escort missions (since bombers often had short and long range escorts - the long range escort would catch up and releive the short range, and later the short range would meet the returning bombers+51's and releive them.
Either way, releived fighters wrought havoc on supply lines.
Give the P-51 the ability to destroy roads/rail improvements, and a higher chance of destroying improvements.
The-51 was also a good close air support craft (this was its pre-merlin engine role), allow it to do 75% damage rather than 50% in addition to its longer operational range (or give it the 2 operational range upgrades, so the benefit lasts after it is obsolete).

Cutting rail lines could be uber-useful - and an aircraft would do it far better than gunships (with an out and return range of a measly 1.5 tiles)

Our Seals aren't unique relative to other special forces.
Our infantry isnt, our tanks aren't.
We were nothing special in WWI

Our aircraft and carriers are.
Our p-51 was
Our iron clads were
Our calvary might have been

Our B-29 was......
Fat boy and little man were...
UU- the enola gay- before ICBMs, before tactical nukes....
Get a long range bomber that can carry 1 cruise missile/tactical nuke(operational ranges are additive), or standard A-bomb....

Let america start the nuking before rocketry.....

IMO an ironclad that's ocean-worthy would be pretty strong...especially if also buffed somehow (aka speed). Such a thing would actually come of use, and in a more relevant game timeframe. Definitely my vote.
 
any unit is good to different people for me in duels quechas no question they are powerfull in short term games and are cheap prat are good too and agan so ae phalanxes
 
Phalanxes do not deserve to be in the same run-on sentence as prats, quechas, or keshiks. Vultures are even better than phalanxes. The only think the greek UU does better than a standard axe is beat chariots, but it's still not as good as a spear at doing so. Problem is, if you can make axes you can make spears!

Compared with a unit that can move through any terrain with no penalty and has a first strike, a unit with unmatched strength in its era (barring elephants), or a unit so powerful it was banned from the hall of fame gauntlets and EQM, I don't see phallies being too special. Actually, I feel the greek axe could use a buff to make it a noticeable force in its time. Vultures and dog soldiers are both intriguingly powerful axes in their own ways, unlike the greek UU :(.
 
someone (sorry, can't remember the name) mentioned earlier in this thread the Gatling Gun, I think that would be a great American UU, I mean it would replace the cannon and would be better at combat and probably get a few first strikes.
 
@TMIT

I disagree with you on the Phalanx. If you play as Alex, you have an aggressive axeman (can get C1/shock or CR2 out of the gate) that is not vulnerable to chariots. In singleplayer, this is not a huge deal compared to other great UU's like Praetorians and Keshiks since Phalanges are not any better at taking archer-defended cities than other aggressive axemen. In multiplayer though, they kick ass - units that do no have a counter become much more powerful in MP... numidian cavalry also comes to mind.

Vultures rock .. plain and simple. I totally agree there. Dogs .. in multiplayer they become really strong because humans rely on melee units a lot and you can field them really early. Still, they get smoked by chariots and cannot take archer-defended cities well.

I don't put Quecha in the same rank as Praets either though; in multiplayer, their value goes down dramatically while the Praets are slightly weaker, but still the best UU imo.

Keshiks .. I didn't think too high of them until recently when I played a hotseat game with a friend and he used the Mongols. His C2 Keshiks with a first strike were tough to take out with anything considering I had no Ivory. Still Keshik<Praet.
 
Definatly Preats. No question. They have no counter until macemen, and are fairly easy to upgrade. A lead in the Classical Era can set you up as the leader for the rest of the game.
I would also like to mention Ko-Chu-Nos as a fairly good second. I don't play as China much, but +50% vs. Macemen, plus collateral damage = powerful unit.

@ American UU
I think a good UU would be the Minuteman. They would replace the Musketman (or possibly the Rifleman, so they wouldn't be so short lived.) They could get a signifigant production discount, and a bonus when defending. That would represent how quick the Colonial forces could prepare (hence the name) and their sense of national pride in wanting to defend their cities and their homes.
 
I would also like to mention Ko-Chu-Nos as a fairly good second. I don't play as China much, but +50% vs. Macemen, plus collateral damage = powerful unit.

Yea .. I forgot about them (I shouldn't have).. they are sick; proly #2 after Praets. It's possible to get Machinery ~500BC and getting 10ish Chu-ko-nu with some supporting equipment at ~1AD. Not much the AI can do + Chu-ko-nu's are best siege weapons in terms of collateral until cannons. :crazyeye:
 
P-51's and other american fighters also strafed trains, roads, convoys, etc on return from escort missions (since bombers often had short and long range escorts - the long range escort would catch up and releive the short range, and later the short range would meet the returning bombers+51's and releive them.
Either way, releived fighters wrought havoc on supply lines.
Give the P-51 the ability to destroy roads/rail improvements, and a higher chance of destroying improvements.
The-51 was also a good close air support craft (this was its pre-merlin engine role), allow it to do 75% damage rather than 50% in addition to its longer operational range (or give it the 2 operational range upgrades, so the benefit lasts after it is obsolete).

Cutting rail lines could be uber-useful - and an aircraft would do it far better than gunships (with an out and return range of a measly 1.5 tiles)

Our Seals aren't unique relative to other special forces.
Our infantry isnt, our tanks aren't.
We were nothing special in WWI

Our aircraft and carriers are.
Our p-51 was
Our iron clads were
Our calvary might have been

Our B-29 was......
Fat boy and little man were...
UU- the enola gay- before ICBMs, before tactical nukes....
Get a long range bomber that can carry 1 cruise missile/tactical nuke(operational ranges are additive), or standard A-bomb....

Let america start the nuking before rocketry.....

Sorry, I couldnt resist:mischief:. Isnt it Fat Man and Little Boy?
 
Best unit? I also vote for the Fast Worker - really useful throughout the game.

A more appropriate American UU? I can see the temptation for an improved sub, but not really historical: The WWII US subs weren't very good (have a read about their ongoing torpedo problems) they were successful because they were well handled against easy targets: in game terms had decent xp from Drydock etc and were used against a scattered enemy.

Not the Cavalry - they never faced a real opponent.

I *like* the idea of the improved Settler. Given the number of immigrants to the US, maybe allow you to upgrade Workers to Settlers?

Another consideration would be a UU that can be promoted from units that have otherwise become obsolete eg Explorers. If an explorer could be promoted to an early bomber or scouting plane?

Finally, sure, the US is a newcomer to the world scene, but is based on older cultures. In effect, the USA is what you should get when cities are roughly half and half English/French.
What would you say to a variant where border cities go through intermediary cultures before flipping? Frex a Russian city under French influence becomes Polish. And include the option of turning the border city into a Colony: which would give access to a new UU. Thoughts?
 
Best unit? I also vote for the Fast Worker - really useful throughout the game.

A more appropriate American UU? I can see the temptation for an improved sub, but not really historical: The WWII US subs weren't very good (have a read about their ongoing torpedo problems) they were successful because they were well handled against easy targets: in game terms had decent xp from Drydock etc and were used against a scattered enemy.

Not the Cavalry - they never faced a real opponent.

I *like* the idea of the improved Settler. Given the number of immigrants to the US, maybe allow you to upgrade Workers to Settlers?

Another consideration would be a UU that can be promoted from units that have otherwise become obsolete eg Explorers. If an explorer could be promoted to an early bomber or scouting plane?

Finally, sure, the US is a newcomer to the world scene, but is based on older cultures. In effect, the USA is what you should get when cities are roughly half and half English/French.
What would you say to a variant where border cities go through intermediary cultures before flipping? Frex a Russian city under French influence becomes Polish. And include the option of turning the border city into a Colony: which would give access to a new UU. Thoughts?

I don't care much for your second idea (it sounds fiendish to code and infuriating to play). However, your idea for an American UU isn't bad. Call it a Pioneer, replaces the Scout; it's Str 2 (can only defend), moves 2, get's the Scout's bonus v Animals, and can found new cities. Potent time and hammer saver in the early game, but not as potent as combining the Worker and Settler functions.
 
My favorites are the Dog Solider and China's unique unit. The dog solider is great for crushing your enemies armys in the early game.
The Chinese one that I cannot spell can easily siege cities without spending many hammers building Catapluts and Trebuchets that end up being being destroyed:(
 
Just came to say a kind word about berserkers. They may be a niche unit, only good on archipelgo maps, but in their element they are good. Better still, when upgraded, they get a whole new life. CRIII amphibious rifles? Yes, please.

CRIIIamphibrifle.jpg


And you can stll build berserkers when you have rifling, so build, promote, and then upgrade!
 
I almost forgot about the beserker, but you're right. The beserker essentialy give you a citty raider marine, far before you can get a marine.
 
I almost forgot about the beserker, but you're right. The beserker essentialy give you a citty raider marine, far before you can get a marine.

Yeah it's pretty brutal actually. Vikings are a good civ with a good leader. They're actually good enough that I avoid picking them in a lot of games :p.

CR Rifles (I usually just get CR II, but with massive #'s upgraded), attacking off frigates/galleons, backed up by regular CG rifles to garrison, are a joy. Play on a continents (or more watery) map and the tactical devastation this lays on the AI is palpable. Frigates bombard defenses, and the rifles attack at ridiculously favorable odds STRAIGHT FROM THE WATER.

Paying for the upgrades is another thing. If you're good on cottages and have market/grocer/bank, you can lower the slider to do it. Another alternative is to get to economics first or otherwise farm a merchant and run a trade mission (possibly two!) across the world. Either way, FIN/AGG is good on any map, and on water maps the UU and UB have devastating potential.
 
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