ok guys, if you haven't turned your brains off re: rifles being melee vs. ranged units, then you'll not get into the game to enjoy it. yeah it's annoying, but that's what we have at the moment. (changes pending)
anywhom... As one of those Deity players who bothers hanging out in modern era from time to time: (cleaning up some random comment in this thread)
a) Both Bombers and fighters/Jet Fighters can be based on carriers.
b) No they do not have multiple 'moves' per turn. Air units get 1 rebase and that's it.
- you can in crease the operational range; which is the distance from their current base. This means either attack/defense (you get 1 base) or rebase. Rebase distance and operational range distance are, generally, not the same. Ie, Nukes can be dropped x distance away, but their rebase distance is huge.
c) A reason for 3 air units in a carrier is that Air units only require two upgrades pre-multiple attacks. All else requires 3. So in a very short life span, those three aircraft become effectively 6.
d) Even on Huge maps, given the rebase ranges, you can get aircraft anywhere in the world if you use carriers as midpoint bases. (this also counts for missiles if you use nuclear subs/missile cruisers)
e) Best bet for carrier setup: (assuming enemy has flight/radar)
1 Jet fighter set for air sweep. The fighter goes in and takes the hit from an AA battery or defending fighter.
2 bombers set for whatever you're using them for. (specialization helps - so all city attack or all ground attack. Never naval attack)
f) carrier group:
2+ carriers configured as above in e
2-3 destroyers (for AA defence and anti-naval promotions)
1+ Battleships (for bombardment promotion)
anything else you want to toss in there.
I can't say enough how much AA defense is (via fighters and destroyers) important late game. The AI spams crap fighters and will launch them all at one target at a time. even if only taking 1 hit/attack, a GDR will die if enough of them get through. I've saved a helicopter (at 3 health) from 5 attacks/turn by fighters by having 2 jet fighters on intercept, 2 destroyers sitting next to the helicopter (coast) and my CS ally having an AA battery there. The interceptors (air) take away the damage from the target! That's huge.
anywhom...
promotions (from a deity player)
- no insta heal unless no other choice. (Ie, gonna die otherwise or you really need to instaheal to take a city as all your other units have to heal as well)
edit: Don't forget that you can abuse insta-heal for melee units by having the promotion available at the beginning of the turn, attacking, then using the promotion on the same turn. Ranged units don't get this option for some reason. (and I think melee units weren't supposed to either)
- Melee units: Always straight up terrain promotions to blitz (they change the name all the time - multiple attacks). I might stop at siege if it's worth it (CS of city getting higher than I like) or amphib assault (if I'm constantly crossing rivers/using naval units for the bombardment)
- sometimes will grab medic for a limited number of units if the war will be fought away from cities against mass units.
siege units: pick a terrain promotion, pick siege, back to terrain until logistics. then range, then march, then... game likely over as this unit is likely a Rocket artillery by now.
archers/crossbow... I used to got for multi attacks, but given the upgrade path, I now pick barrage, siege, cover, etc etc... and stay away from the ranged terrain promotions unless I run out of promotions.
naval:
Caravels->D's anti-naval
Frigates->D's anti-land
Keep them both going up the line to logistics, then range, then healing, etc etc. Logistics lets you move/attack/attack/move, so you'll never be within range of getting attacked by land units once you have destroyers.
Erm... the rest don't really matter. (battleships - anti-land as their normal attack vs ships is already really strong)
Air units:
These are the units that are the most promotion configurable units in the game. I'd almost cry if they moved this form of configuration to other units types in the game.
You can set up fighters/jet fighters for 1) air domination, 2) close combat support, 3) long range interceptors, 4) mixed roles, etc - just like real air units!
Same for bombers (anti-city, anti-ground, maybe anti-naval but bombers suck against naval, increased defense against interception, etc)
