Civ Special Units

[MrSparkle]

I find it hard not to think the Americans have an advantage over all the other civs becuase they have the only special units that does not go obsolete. And thus that are the only civ able to achieve a golden age in the modern age through victories with special units.

 

[Cunobelin Of Hippo]

Hey Milamber Long time no see!

The F-15 does become obsolete though, replaced by the Steath Fighter. And a lot of people have been complaining that it is actually too weak to be of much significance.

 

[Ohwell]

Wait, the F-15 doesnt become obsolete by the Stealth Fighter! That would be impossible, as if air superiority worked, the stealth fighter cant intercept them because it has no attack or defense ratings. Also, to Mrsparkle, you can get Golden ages by building wonders too.

 

[willemvanoranje]

All the special units only have a difference of 1 attack/move or defence point. The F-15 has 2 more attack! I think that's enough!

 

[Anielewicz]

Is it just me or do I think the F-15 does not symbolize the US? The minuteman or militia sounds more like pure American pie.

 

[Kiki]

Yeah your right. I think the Minite Man is the only pure American thing there is. Not the F-15 because Israelis have them too.

I have a question though about Minite Men, did they wear blue military uniforms with those funny looking colonial hats or did they gress up as civilians with guns? I am not sure if you should be replace the musketeers with them, but maybe a new unit that has a good attack value instead of defense? Prolly not because minit men weren't known for offense but defense. I'd work if you captured an American city, they would appear but that would only work if they captured your city first.

I don't know how a minite man would work because I don't know if they dressed up as continentals or just plain civilians.

 

[Anielewicz]

Hmm, they should be a unit that can be drafted from a city but without any negative results for happiness. Once they are not needed(say, they sucessfully defended a city) they can join back to the city. Thats what they did anyways in real life, joining a fight within a minute.

 

[Spamman_Canned]

Now THATS an idea. A conscript type unit that after he is no longer needed he can rejoin his city. That would work well with Democracy because, even though they're conscripts, they would be stronger in some way and you could send them back home after any emergencies have ended, keeping military forces to the minimum.

 

[VRBones]

I look at the special units in terms of their relative increase over their counterpart and the timing for the golden age when used.
Ideally you would want to enter golden age when you have just completed your 'core' (cities that have acceptable corruption) as you get the greatest relative increase of both the extra shield and the extra trade per square. You may want to wait for some minor improvements to existing terrain if there is not enough shield+trade squares to utilise though. Both of these factors point toward an early/middle age unit.

1. Iroquois Mounted Warrior - Almost perfect Golden age timing, 50% increase on attack stat, fast unit. Although they need horses, you seem to be able to pick them up pretty easy from all the scouting. A tribe of these can rule the whole era until gunpowder

2. Roman Legions - 50% increase in defense. Due to defense they can afford to sit around longer and time the golden age to near perfection. Really needs barracks to help out with winning battles as there is no retreat, and finding iron seems a bit hit and miss. Although the Persian Immortals seem better on paper, these guys seem to outperform them on the battlefield. Solid, solid unit.

3. Aztec Jaguar warrior - %100 movement increase, and, more importantly, making a normal unit into a fast, retreatable unit. A little too early to fully time a golden age, and originally the reason I poo-pooed them. Once you've played with them they demonstrate how awesome the movement increase is. You can totally ignore other defensive units with these guys in play as you can easily get a 'wave' of souts-come-defenders milling around the outskirts of your civ. Pick up some training on local barbarians before strolling over any closeby civs. Probably THE quickest civ to get a leader -> forbidden palace in place too.

 

[Anielewicz]

So Germany's Golden Age was during the Third Reich farce?

 

[thealien_83]

There's no denying Germany had what could aptly be described as a Golden Age during that period yes, not counting the eventual defeat they met with. I'm by no means saying what they did was good, but looking at it *Civ-wise* who can say they did not bloom in about every possible way?

Their economy reshaped after all the sanctions levied against them after World War 1, their army grew to be one of the largest and most well-trained/equipped ones in Europe, their overall landmass grew enormously during the war and their science proceeded ahead, even if it was mostly military developments.

So up until they had their collective asses handed to them, heck yes, I'd say the had a "Golden Age" ( even if it didn't last 20 years ).

On a side note of course, one can as earlier said, achieve a Golden Age through Wonders instead of UU's. So for all people who can't hear the word "Nazi" without seeing red you can always imagine they had their supposed Golden Age earlier in time. Though I don't know when that would be. The oncome of the Holy Roman Empire perhaps.

 

[bdog]

I think the Americans should have the Sherman Tank as their special unit. Like normal armor. 16/5/2 (5 is to represent its crap armor), but cost 50% less than normal armor.

Now that would be perfect, since America's Golden Age starts after World War II.

 

[Jimmicus]

I would say that a special carrier would be a better SU for the Americans. As the current war in Afganistan demonstrates, the ability to park several large airfields just a few hundred miles from almost anywhere on the globe gives a truly global reach and a huge advantage to the US. In WWII the superior american carriers (radar, better fire fighting systems) were able to outfight their Japanese counterparts even when outnumbered (e.g. Midway).

I would suggest a carrier with a higher carrying capacity than normal (say 8 aircraft) and higher defence rating to better withstand assault. The only drawback is that it would be difficult to initiate a golden age with this unit. Although in every game I have had with the Americans, I have initiated GA long before carriers anyway by use of wonders.

 

[Gholam]

Heh, the current Tank icon is of a Sherman tank. Midway was PURE luck on the Americans part, sinking three carriers with nine bomb hits is something that's even theoretically impossible, but the decks were packed full of refueling aircraft and ammunition, and when the bombs hit, it all went up in flames...

 

[Anielewicz]

Originally posted by thealien_83
There's no denying Germany had what could aptly be described as a Golden Age during that period yes, not counting the eventual defeat they met with. I'm by no means saying what they did was good, but looking at it *Civ-wise* who can say they did not bloom in about every possible way?

Their economy reshaped after all the sanctions levied against them after World War 1, their army grew to be one of the largest and most well-trained/equipped ones in Europe, their overall landmass grew enormously during the war and their science proceeded ahead, even if it was mostly military developments.

So up until they had their collective asses handed to them, heck yes, I'd say the had a "Golden Age" ( even if it didn't last 20 years ).

On a side note of course, one can as earlier said, achieve a Golden Age through Wonders instead of UU's. So for all people who can't hear the word "Nazi" without seeing red you can always imagine they had their supposed Golden Age earlier in time. Though I don't know when that would be. The oncome of the Holy Roman Empire perhaps.

Look at 18th century Prussia or 19th century Germany.

 

[PaulHausser]

Minute men did not have uniforms and actually most Continentals had no uniforms either. The exception being the smartly dressed Maryland and Delaware regimants. When France entered the revoltionary war, French uniforms trickled into Continental ranks. Minute men and Continentals likely wore hunting jackets and coonskin caps or ordinary tri-tipped hats on their heads. More over, the Hessians wore Blue Uniforms.

My suggestion for minutemen properties is a musketman that does not require saltpepper. They could have two movement or the all-is-road option if it were available. Tell you the truth a minutemen unit realistically would be a piece of crap.

How about the stealth aircraft be america's unit? Do you see any other country fielding them?

 

[thealien_83]

I left out Prussia for a good purpose, and that being that it did not incorporate what today is known as Germany. Of course, certain countries ( even more so "civilizations" ) have changed their borders much over time, but Prussia still does not strike me as a true representation of German civilization, especially not during it's heyday since Germany was split up between countless small principalities.

19th century Germany I could possibly consider, but I would still say they did better for themselves during the Second World War, yet again, before they lost.

 

[luisca]

I'd say that for added flavor to the game each civilization should have 2 unique units instead of one, each unit set at a different age. And yes, I know most of the default civs did not exist at different ages but something could be worked out. Anyway we have Americans in ancient times and Persians in modern times, so the game isn't exactly a history lesson. Obviously this is just whimsical thinking since this can't be done without recoding the whole game. But an added unique unit would differentiate each civ even more and satisfy many gamers' wishes for a different special unit.

BTW, this is a great thread, I learn interesting history facts reading from you guys. Thanks!

 

[lowinor]

My current favorite unique unit is the hoplite. 1/3/1 and you can build them on turn 1, same cost as normal spearmen. With this you can afford to be lax on defenses and concentrate on science/expansion for quite a while -- hell, the first time you're attacked, you get a guaranteed golden age and enough production to put you over the top.

Mounted Warriors are really good, as well. I love Panzers as well -- you really get the blitz going... the +1 movement is better on panzers than other uniques as panzers can attack multiply.

 

[UTmon]

Originally posted by Anielewicz
Is it just me or do I think the F-15 does not symbolize the US? The minuteman or militia sounds more like pure American pie.

I agree 100%. The F-15 is more of a sign that the U.S. is willing cto spend way too much on air superiority, while neglecting its dwindling ground forces. A guerrila unit representing the new world tactics used by Americans is a much better idea.