Can Openers: theory and practice

[lukep]

my can openers have usually four legs.

And a Cyrrus immortal or a keshik will often make it up to gunships with an insane level of XP (dont remember the exact number of my best but >120).

The best parts of those high cavs (or camel and keshiks) with GG attached is they can have up to 90% of withdrawal chance (30% natural, Flank I+II, tactics)

 

[Refar]

If there's a CGIII longbowman and an unpromoted pikeman in the city, I think both would get +100% against an attacking mounted unit, and with a base strength of 6, either could defend -- how does the computer choose in that case? If the pikeman had CI or CI and CII, he'd come out ahead for sure and the mounted can-opener would not be that useful.

Thats a good question. I assume that in this case the unit on top of the stack - which in cities is usually the longbow - will defend. However by the way how bonus apply, it is unlikely that two different type units have exactly the same odds. A unpromoted pikeman is very unlikely as well - rarely seen AI units built without Barracks at all - and since the AI had Barracks for CGIII Longbow...

 

[Ultimocrat]

A unpromoted pikeman is very unlikely as well - rarely seen AI units built without Barracks at all - and since the AI had Barracks for CGIII Longbow...

That's true, but it could be a CRI pikeman and still get no benefit against an attacking horse.

 

[DMW]

If you focus on one city as the uber military city and you war around a bit you can pump out "Can Openers" every turn

Spoiler :

16 (instructors) + 4 (westpoint) + 3 (barracks) + 2 (pentagon) + 2 (theocracy) + 2 (vassalage) = 27 exp , I believe I settled a ninth instructor later that game lol, what an overkill, who said Imperialistic sucks? this city alone can own continents with its uber units and HE + academy.

 

[Refar]

This is cool city. *Jealous*

It's late in the game however, where many games are decided or at least close to be decided, and the Player - if he's going to win - has the power to outproduce his enemys.

I think the more interesting period is the [early] medieval era - this is the time where i often make wars to grab land to secure the above-mentioned productive power.

At this time Pentagon and even Westpoint are far ahead, and i can have - maybe - 3 settled GG's.

 

[CivCorpse]

In my current game, I haven't reached tanks yet so my ubercity is making infantry units for defense until tanks come into play in 1 1/2 techs. I produce one infantry per turn and they look like this. I have a small empire (roughly 10 civs). And since I play marathon it will be 20+turns until tanks. I already have like 10 of these units. Once I start producing tanks I will have 3 infantry per city that will withstand some big assaults