Early GG use

[PieceOfMind]

I'm surprised to see there hasn't been much discussion about using the first GG as a "can opener".

Attaching a GG to a unit is definitely a good thing to do in many games so you can unlock the Heroic Epic (and/or West Point) with ease, but more often than not I'd probably make a strong combat unit than a super medic if I'm going to attach at all.

If you play a Protective leader, attaching a GG to a 6xp+ longbow or crossbow could be a good idea. "Why?" you ask. Not as a can opener but an xp-earner. 26xp allows Drill IV and 2 extra promos. Take Leadership and then perhaps tactics.

EDIT
Sadly, Leadership extra xp does not count towards the next GG.

 

[muxec]

I often delay super medics until Red cross. In early game W3M1 is achievable easily (especially if cha or imp).

I think we will try CG3Lead longbows in our always war SG as Cyrus.

 

[shyuhe]

Can opener units just don't live long enough to warrant it for me. I'd rather have an army of 2 promo units than a single can opener unit. I will attach a GG to cavalry with flanking 2 + tactics (I think - the 30% withdrawal promo) though.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Can opener units just don't live long enough to warrant it for me. I'd rather have an army of 2 promo units than a single can opener unit. I will attach a GG to cavalry with flanking 2 + tactics (I think - the 30% withdrawal promo) though.

And what about the Heroic Epic? It's the main reason for using the can opener.

I'd rather have 10 cats and 10 maces each with 1 promo than 5 cats and 5 maces each with 2 promos.

Also, West Point, to an extent.

 

[shyuhe]

I almost never build WP in my games. Takes too many hammers and it comes at a time when it's just not worth the investment for me. I normally make my big push with renaissance units and the production base in that era makes WP very expensive.

I try to get HE unlocked the old fashioned way. Barb cities are a great way to build a 10XP unit.

So attaching the GG just to open HE and WP seems a little wasteful to me.

 

[PieceOfMind]

So attaching the GG just to open HE and WP seems a little wasteful to me.

I agree. It does depend however on whether you can get to those barbs. At higher levels and/or when the land around you gets settled very quickly and you can't take barb cities before the AI does, it might be hard to farm the barbs for xp.

Some players at higher levels (I'm thinking TMIT) would prefer to spawn bust, minimising the number of barbs they'll come across, helping their REX and unfortunately reducing their chances of getting a 10xp unit from barbs.

And of course, barbs might be turned off.

 

[civzombie]

I take him with my stack in case I find my stack one battle short of taking that last extra city in an early war. For example, if a single move attacker is one move short of attacking this turn and the only remaining defender is a damaged archer, then I can add the general to the axeman, give him morale, and make the attack.

If I don't need him to take a city, I don't attach them.

Its made the difference enough that I like to think of the great general as one extra city.

 

[mrt144]

I'm surprised to see there hasn't been much discussion about using the first GG as a "can opener".

Attaching a GG to a unit is definitely a good thing to do in many games so you can unlock the Heroic Epic (and/or West Point) with ease, but more often than not I'd probably make a strong combat unit than a super medic if I'm going to attach at all.

If you play a Protective leader, attaching a GG to a 6xp+ longbow or crossbow could be a good idea. "Why?" you ask. Not as a can opener but an xp-earner. 26xp allows Drill IV and 2 extra promos. Take Leadership and then perhaps tactics.

EDIT
Sadly, Leadership extra xp does not count towards the next GG.

If you go for Machinery early enough you can wind up with great crossbowmen that take down a walled city with classical era defenders pretty consistently. In one game I was able to take down 4-5 cities using 3 GGs attached to crossbowmen using just the crossbowmen in the BC era.