Blitz / Mobility / Stalwart ?

[Stalker0]

Just curious. Once you get your drilled horse units up to level 5, what promotion do you often look at?

I've generally been liking stalwart, just because it gives me more comfort that I can dig in with an attack and survive the counter, so rinse and repeat. I know the answer depends, but I was curious if people had a go to among the three they really like.

 

[phantomaxl1207]

Never really taken Mobility with Horses. I agree I usually take Stalwart as it helps them cover their weakness on the Defense. I would prioritize Blitz if I had Dominance (Authority) cause Healing.

 

[Hinin]

It really depends on the units :
- for 'classical' unmounted melee units, I try to maintain a solid formation while being able to push aggressively, so stalwart at the center of the formation, blitz on the wings, and mobility for the flanking units (so that they can catch up the squishy targets in case of a breach or a retreat)
- for mounted units, I agree that Stalwart seems a better choice

Some example with unique units :
- for France, since the Musketeers already have high mobility, I prefer Stalwart, for they willl often go at the heart of the enemy formation
- for Rome, since the Legion already have really high defense (and high CP), I would prioritize Blitz (so that, after hurting the enemy a bit with pilum, the legion can make a sudden push, and then fortify after the advance).
- for Persia, because the Immortals have a bonus to defense and heal, but won't do marvels in offense, I prefer going full defense and using Stalwart to allow a slow and steady advance
- for Zulu... they don't need these things
- for the Danish, Berserker have more MP and have a bonus against wounded units, so using Blitz seems the best choice here (furthermore, they can heal quickly thanks to the Danish UA, in case of needs)
- for the Swedish, the Carolean have a lot of bonus (heal, offense bonus, aoe damage when killing) geared toward a sudden and decisive strike against the enemy. I might consider mobility in these cases, so that they can overrun unprepared enemy formations quickly (with some Medic among them to make so that March heals a useful amount).
etc

 

[chicorbeef]

- for Zulu... they don't need these things

I actually go straight to Blitz for Zulu as Blitz/Spear Throw = awesomeness. Offensive melee does a lot better with Blitz.

 

[LukaSlovenia29]

I don't think I've ever chosen mobility. I usually pick stalwart first and then blitz. The exception is if I'm fighting a seriously weakened opponent where I'm confident I'll be able to rack up experience with blitz without losing the unit, in which case I pick blitz first.

 

[tu_79]

I like to have a nice mix. If I have one mounted with blitz, the next one is going to have stalwart. Then, I'd use the first when I'm dominating and the latter when I'm struggling.

 

[Owlbebach]

In my most recent game i tried Drill path and i was so much disappointed with it. It was kind of usefull early game when i captured first 2 cities but thats it, after that those units are just bad for the rest of the game because they siply die to fast. They can't attack cities!

Why do you all find it good? I mean all this blitz/stalwart stuff is good but huge Flanking bonus + March is so much better. I usually promore 2 or 3 Archers as Medics and put them behind Melee and they healy 15 hp every turn on enemy land every turn

 

[chicorbeef]

In my most recent game i tried Drill path and i was so much disappointed with it. It was kind of usefull early game when i captured first 2 cities but thats it, after that those units are just bad for the rest of the game because they siply die to fast. They can't attack cities!

Why do you all find it good? I mean all this blitz/stalwart stuff is good but huge Flanking bonus + March is so much better. I usually promore 2 or 3 Archers as Medics and put them behind Melee and they healy 15 hp every turn on enemy land every turn

A Knight with Drill III has 43 combat strength against cities. If you've got multiple Knights attacking a city (you can cycle like 3 of them in/out, from just one front), attacking it twice in each turn with Blitz, and pillaging whatever tiles there are for healing, that's a lot of damage.

 

[Owlbebach]

A Knight with Drill III has 43 combat strength against cities. If you've got multiple Knights attacking a city (you can cycle like 3 of them in/out, from just one front), attacking it twice in each turn with Blitz, and pillaging whatever tiles there are for healing, that's a lot of damage.

Thats a lot of damage taken by your Knights. Farms are not unlimited and you knights do not heal and enemy has units too. In my experience on Deity they just get damaged to 30hp in 2 turns and you need to heal them.
I mean seriously how many times you can hit the city? LIke 2 or max 3 times by every Knight and you need to heal them. This is absolutely not enought to take down a city, even if it is undefended.

I almost never attack cities with Melee units thats very ineffective. They just tank damage, heal 15hp every turn, kill enemy units and protect Siege. Siege is doing the job of taking cities down.

 

[Owlbebach]

Here is an example from my current game. Take a look at how much stuff Russia has. How will Drill help in this situation?

Spoiler Siege of Novgorod :

As you may see it took me 15 turns to take down the city. I can't imagine Drill 3 units to survive for 15 turns in this massacre. Actually i lost 2 March+Medic1 units in this fight

I'll probably abandon it cause i'm about to take down Moscow and it is the only other competitor, also i want to try new patch for Venice again. Will probably do the Photojournal

 

[Gazebo]

Here is an example from my current game. Take a look at how much stuff Russia has. How will Drill help in this situation?

Spoiler Siege of Novgorod :

View attachment 493858

View attachment 493859

View attachment 493860

View attachment 493861

As you may see it took me 15 turns to take down the city. I can't imagine Drill 3 units to survive for 15 turns in this massacre. Actually i lost 2 March+Medic1 units in this fight

I'll probably abandon it cause i'm about to take down Moscow and it is the only other competitor, also i want to try new patch for Venice again. Will probably do the Photojournal

Man I forget how crazily cluttered the civ UI can be at times.

Icons...icons everywhere....

G

 

[Owlbebach]

Man I forget how crazily cluttered the civ UI can be at times.

Icons...icons everywhere....

G

Haha, i prefer to play without most of them when i play peacefull, but when you play aggressive - you really need this. For example sometimes you really need to snipe this Splash Damager 2, Flag Promotions is really helping

 

[Stalker0]

Owl, happy to discuss your thoughts on drill...in another thread.

I’d like this thread to stay on topic, so for people that do use drill, which fork do you go

 

[ashendashin]

Owl, happy to discuss your thoughts on drill...in another thread.

I’d like this thread to stay on topic, so for people that do use drill, which fork do you go

Typically blitz first due to better damage control, especially if I picked up formation beforehand(I often want enemy mounted gone ASAP). I play on huge so mobility might look appealing after blitz depending on how fast I want the front to move, but stalwart is generally the better option for keeping the unit.

 

[ElliotS]

I tend to favor stalwart, because I don't want to lose the unit. Plus I feel like Blitz is much better when Stalwart is already taken. Mobility last, though it is good.

 

[ashendashin]

Plus I feel like Blitz is much better when Stalwart is already taken.

Our warmongering ideals clash here. I'm all for anti-cavalry cavalry because it's so much safer maneuver once enemy mounted is gone. Stalwart is great to keeps tanks moving though.

 

[obsidian_tower]

I may be in the minority, but I often take Mobility. Having the ability to run in and run out means you don't have to worry about taking hits list. Sometimes extra movement makes the difference between retreating 2 hexes or 1, or retreating and not retreating, or pillaging or not pillaging.