Do you ever levy city-state military?

[Disgustipated]

Yeah the AI frequently does it, in my case I usually see archers and warriors. Weak sauce really. They are crappy units that pose little threat (except early on).

Which reminds me of another reason I don't use them. I like promotions. The more the merrier. And some units like warriors really aren't that great until they get that 1st promotion. The second promotion being excellent as well. It's been a while, but I don't think levied units have any promotions do they? I would rather use my own units so I can continue to accumulate experience.

 

[Alaindor]

It's been a while, but I don't think levied units have any promotions do they? I would rather use my own units so I can continue to accumulate experience.

Yes, they do get promotions just the same which you can use to your advantage while levied, but obviously once you loose their command you stop getting those benefits and accumulated XP's are no longer of any use to you (unless you levy them again!), so I agree with you here

 

[Fluphen Azine]

Started this game with the usual Pangaea Deity All Standard No Game Modes.
Playing as Vietnam.
Saved up 375 Gold and used 200 to Levy the units on turn 36.
Had to use Amani to get Suz.
5 Warriors from Kumasi.
Now time to harass the Ottoman Empire... Hopefully.

My Capital Build Order was Slinger, Settler, Settler, Monument.
Moved the Settler on Turn 1 to settle on the Coffee and pick up the coastal river.
1st Expo Warrior
2nd Expo Monument

Probably a mistake building these monuments as I have strong early culture from 2 CS's and a Natural Wonder.
This starting dirt is top tier compared to most of my Standard Pangaea Starts.
Not many Mountains as usual.

 

[Fluphen Azine]

No Horses or Iron in my initial Starting Land and I only see one set of horses so far.
I've been going mostly military.
Used the CS Levy and my Own Troops to destroy the Ottomans and gain some space.
Kumasi looks to have swords now so perhaps another Levy!?
Took 28 turns from the time of Levy.
Can pretty much play however you want from this point.
Turtle or Perpetual Warmongering.
Always feels like I'm wasting a nice army to just turtle, IMO.
Missed the first Golden Age with 23/25.
Free Settler from Barbs Hopefully.
7 or 8 Cities on turn 64 is above my average.
Usually the AI gets walls up on me but they failed in this game, which feels good.
Hardly any tiles to pillage though.
This starting land is very lush compared to what I am used to.
The Ottoman AI built all 4 cities in decent locations and on a river which is sort of rare.

 

[Fluphen Azine]

Levied a second time on turn 68.
Now on Turn 77 and using the Levied 3 Swords 2 Warriors from Kumasi.
Also using my own Army to try to destroy Poland.
Warsaw got up walls during our siege which took a few extra turns to conquer them.
Korea hates me but the Bruce is Allied with Vietnam.
Levy works pretty good but of course it is game/map/settings dependent like anything else.
In this game I should of made a Great General more of a priority.
Could really use one now.

 

[Fluphen Azine]

Turn 95 - 109

Last Update on this game.
I like using the Levy if its an option.
The added troops seem to make a big difference in my early games.
On turn 109 I took the last Polish City.
Probably march up to Bruce as I see what Korea is doing.
Gold is an issue but with 2 out of 7 Civs conquered the game should be over, eventually.
Obviously, I am very slow at this.
15 cities at turn 109 is pretty good for me.
I noticed on this turn that I could faith buy the last prophet so I did which was very rare.

 

[Victoria]

I like using the Levy if its an option.

Now think Gilgamesh, Donkey carts and half price levy.
The main issue with levy on deity is the number of envoys the opposition can muster but puppeteer becomes a very handy Governor promotion.

 

[Kotofei]

There are abundant videos of the Youtube Civ Gods doing amazing things with Hungary and levying.

But other than that, it's situational. A few expendable warriors in the right place at the right time can get a city under siege and make that early conquest a lot easier.

 

[Victoria]

Youtube Civ Gods

I’m sure that is an oxymoron. When I watch it feels like the emperors new clothes

 

[Ordnael]

Almost no game goes by without me levying at least once a CS military. How else can I harass/get revenge/conquer that sweet sweet city from an AI that's is settling too close by while focusing on developing my cities. I also usually abstain from sending my available first envoys and wait until I can use the Diplomatic League card for maximum effect thus ensuring suzerainity of a CS ASAP if I intend to levy its military while walls aren't available yet.

 

[Socrates99]

Yeah the AI frequently does it, in my case I usually see archers and warriors. Weak sauce really. They are crappy units that pose little threat (except early on).

Which reminds me of another reason I don't use them. I like promotions. The more the merrier. And some units like warriors really aren't that great until they get that 1st promotion. The second promotion being excellent as well. It's been a while, but I don't think levied units have any promotions do they? I would rather use my own units so I can continue to accumulate experience.

When I played Hungary they were just like my own troops. Just had to pay them every once in a while. Kept promotions and everything. Hungary is way underrated.

I’m sure that is an oxymoron. When I watch it feels like the emperors new clothes

I remember trying to give Potato advice once and he got a little snarky. Don't know why they can be so touchy.

 

[Victoria]

he got a little snarky

It is far easier to convince yourself you are right than wrong and streamers can end up in an echo chamber easily. I suspect you know that really.
I still learn stuff playing all the time, which means someone else already knows those bits but I just did not pick it up.

 

[Scaramanga]

If I have the gold I will do it, especially right on the enemy’s borders for era score.

 

[Leucarum]

I guess one of the reasons this is an underused mechanic is because a lot of the uses for it aren't especially obvious.

Era Score, swiping lost settlers/builders, surrounding one of your city states under attack by AI with units so they can't conquer it, scouting without having to send your own units, and I'm sure there's more...

Getting extra military units is almost the secondary use since they'll often be out of place, too few in number, or the wrong units for your needs.

 

[Jimdigriz]

Well, AI does it all the time... even if to not much avail.

They don't seem to do it against me. There's been a couple of times in the game though that I've thought "if he levies that city-state by there right now I am in big trouble!"

 

[Alaindor]

They don't seem to do it against me. There's been a couple of times in the game though that I've thought "if he levies that city-state by there right now I am in big trouble!"

Well, that's the point... they levy all the time but it doesn't seem to follow any obvious logic I understand, often I've seen levied troops wandering all around, but their objective is unclear. Sometimes they will attack another CS (AI Civ's seem to love conquering CS's), and if by any chance they are at war with me and levied troops are close by, then AI will use them against me too.

I don't levy much. When they could be useful I don't have enough gold, when I have enough gold their army seems too few and outdated. Granted, I might not look close enough to find the sweet spot...

 

[aieeegrunt]

Well, that's the point... they levy all the time but it doesn't seem to follow any obvious logic I understand, often I've seen levied troops wandering all around, but their objective is unclear. Sometimes they will attack another CS (AI Civ's seem to love conquering CS's), and if by any chance they are at war with me and levied troops are close by, then AI will use them against me too.

I don't levy much. When they could be useful I don't have enough gold, when I have enough gold their army seems too few and outdated. Granted, I might not look close enough to find the sweet spot...

This is 100% true for me. The early game I don’t have the gold for it. Later on like I’m not levying a bunch of chariots and warriors in the industrial era

 

[Victoria]

Later on like I’m not levying a bunch of chariots and warriors in the industrial era

well it is cheaper to levy chariots and upgrade them to tanks than it is to levy tanks and many people are swimming in gold by then so I do not see the issue with this.

 

[Alaindor]

well it is cheaper to levy chariots and upgrade them to tanks than it is to levy tanks and many people are swimming in gold by then so I do not see the issue with this.

Well actually I don't like spending gold on resources I will lose 30 to 90 turns later (depending on game speed) when they return to their original owner... But maybe I should give some thoughts to it?

 

[Victoria]

But maybe I should give some thoughts to it?

The inflation rate in this game is quite high, especially with late game civics you can spam up a gold storm. Just what is the point in holding onto something that can buy you more power earlier. Gold for golds sake is a deflating balloon.
It is a question of what is the best return, and a bit of surprise chaos can help, especially as the AI does not know those troops are yours until they see them (levy not visible as military might)