Drill promotion

[Gen. Maximus]

Not really sure what it does. Does 1st strike means it will always attack 1st, damaging the opponent 1st? And if you get two 1st strikes you strike them twice? Or does it mean you still get a chance to 1st strike the 2nd attacker?
Did anybody manage to see a great effect of this? how much is the typical initial damage in the 1st place say for an archer?

 

[VoiceOfUnreason]

Search Results
Tactical Advantages of the Drill Promotion
Drill Promotion
How do first strikes work?
Benefits of First Strike
Combat explained

etc.

 

[Silence101]

Every time an attack takes place, multiple rounds of combat are processed until a winner is determined. A first strike means that the unit doesn't take damage if it loses the first round of combat. Two first strikes would be for the first two rounds of combat, etc. A first strike chance gives a 50/50 chance that the unit won't take damage if it loses the round.

 

[Verge]

Give Drill promotions to units when your combat odds are already very good; since you're likely to win anyway, Drill helps reduce damage your units receive.

Give Combat promotions to units when your combat odds are less favorable; you need the extra strength to gain an advantage.

 

[InvisibleStalke]

Also give Drill promotions when your odds are very bad - for suicide units that need to damage the opponent so a later attacker can achieve a kill.

 

[DaveMcW]

Also give Drill promotions when your odds are very bad - for suicide units that need to damage the opponent so a later attacker can achieve a kill.

No, that's Barrage.

 

[Bureaucracy]

I can never find a use for Drill with machinegunmen, can you?

It is about as dumb as taking insurance in blackjack.

 

[control740]

In the late game I find myself making lots of units with drill bonuses. Especially from my great genera/military city. Pumping out new units with drill 3 or 4 is very strong. It's better then combat 3 or 4 IMO, especially for the reduction in collateral damage. Helps protect against enemy SoDs, and quite handy in overseas wars, when your troops can't get reinforcements as fast as when they're on the same continent, you can dig in quite effectively with all drill 3+ units(gunpowder that is).

 

[oyzar]

No, that's Barrage.

Drill if you don't have access to barrage, and drill do more damamge to top defender than barrage.

 

[xanadux]

Probably the clearest use of drill is with the privateer. It allows the privateer to continue to get 2 exp per attack against caravels for quite a while.

The reason is that exp is based on relative unit strength, and while combat promotions increase unit strength, drill just gives more attacks. IIRC once a privateer gets to combat 2 it only gets 1 exp against a caravel, so promote up the drill line to keep your experience from getting cut in half.

 

[madscientist]

I can never find a use for Drill with machinegunmen, can you?

It is about as dumb as taking insurance in blackjack.

Machine guns are built to defend cities. Have 2 in a city or 1 and a Protective rifle or ingfantry (CG III). They are immune to treb, cannon and artillery collateral damage. The seige engine must directly damage the MG but with the first strike (or multiple if well promoted) the MG take alot less damage. When Marines and tank come arrounf they are toast though.

 

[McGoo]

I can never find a use for Drill with machinegunmen, can you?

It is about as dumb as taking insurance in blackjack.

The reason I would use drill on a MG is still keep them from taking damage. I like to have these in border and coastal towns. I had one game in particular where the AI sneak attacked me with 8 galleons full of macemen, knights, and some other misc. units. The MG took attack after attack after attack. The drill promotion (I think he started at Drill3) kept him from taking damage against older units. A handfull of the AI's units I think did have the amphibious promotion. I did loose a couple of longbows in the attack (I'm glad I kept them around) but the city held.

 

[DaveMcW]

Drill if you don't have access to barrage, and drill do more damamge to top defender than barrage.

Drill is the absolute worst promotion to use on a unit with low odds of winning.

 

[iamnleth]

Drill is the absolute worst promotion to use on a unit with low odds of winning.

Because they will die anyway, so trying to prevent them from receiving damage is hopeless?

 

[DaveMcW]

Because the odds of winning their first strike is so low.

Even if they do win the first strike, the damage is also low!

 

[Quechua]

I don't think that's correct. I did the math once, and Drill 1 (yes a measly first strike chance) can increase your odds to damage more than CR1 if you have a very weak attacker.

 

[DaveMcW]

It's not just odds to damage, it's also damage inflicted when you hit. Combat and City Raider increase both, Drill only increases the former.

 

[Quechua]

But the increase of damage is so small, look at the formulas in the combat explained article. That's why barrage is also a worse promotion than it first appears.

 

[DaveMcW]

Ok, I tested in worldbuilder and Drill did significantly better against fortified longbows. Why? Because it cancelled the longbow's awesome drill bonus.

Against muskets with no first strike, combat and city raider were better.

 

[CivCorpse]

Ok, I tested in worldbuilder and Drill did significantly better against fortified longbows. Why? Because it cancelled the longbow's awesome drill bonus.

Against muskets with no first strike, combat and city raider were better.

Yet another example of why promotions are situational. And it is one of the overlooked bonuses of protective. You get the drill promo for free on a lot of units, which means you don't need to use up an exp based promotion. Drill1 opens up some specialized counter promotions as well. IIRC drill opens up the shock promotion. drill1/shock archers can really help protect your troops in the open field when you are moving in to attack a city in the ancient era. And drill/cover longbows can protect you from those evil x-bows, especially if you don't have ivory for jumbos or horsies for HAs or knights.
On question Dave, what unit were you using to test against the longbows? OK, two questions.....do you give your cottages drill promotions as well?