How do I use cruise missiles?

[DB_Terror]

I just built a couple of cruise missiles but can't find a way to use them effectively. OK I can move them around on my continent via railway, and I can bombard with them - but bomardment has a range of only two tiles! I can't load them on transports or carriers.
So my questions are: Can I load them on nuclear subs, and how can I bombard with them on a more effective range, e.g. attack battleships?

 

[WildFire]

You can load them onto transports. Just put the transport next to the coast and move your cruise missle into the boat.

 

[ThePrankMonkey]

can you launch cruise missles from a transport?? i didnt know you could put them on a transport. i dont buiold cruise missles because transporting them is very limited as is their range and i think they are a waste to build.

 

[ThePrankMonkey]

can you launch cruise missles from a transport?? i didnt know you could put them on a transport. i dont build cruise missles because transporting them is very limited as is their range and i think they are a waste to build. they're ok for use as city defense but artillery can do that and artillery can be used over and over and over and over.

 

[WildFire]

i think you can launch them from the transport. Just be close to the target you wish to hit

 

[USMC]

So you can turn a transport into a makeshift cruise missle launching ship? I did not know that.

 

[Shabbaman]

Cruise missiles can finish off cripled ships. There's an old thread somewhere on cruise missiles. Can't find it.

 

[Tassadar]

You cannot fire a CM from a transport, you have to wake them and move them on the coast.

But the best thing to do is to mod them, here what i did.

1.- i increase their range to 8 ( bomber got 6 so why 2 for CM ???)

2.- i give them tactical missile ability

3.- i give to aegis cruiser the ability to carry tactical missile ( 4 per aegis)

So with those little change you can now fire a CM from a nuclear sub or aegis cruise and bombard 8 tile away. You wont be able anymore to move CM into transport ( because of tactical flag) but it is much better to carry them with aegis cruiser or nuc. sub and beeing able to fire from those shipe.

 

[USMC]

I never thought about that one. Wow Tassadar, you mean that I will finally be able to use CM the same way they operate in the real world? At last! I have only built a handful in all of my games put together, but I think I will use them more now. Even mediocre cities can knock a CM out in 3 turns!

Does AI use them any differently once you modify them?

BTW, I'm not too swift with my Navy knowledge, but I thought that the real life AEGIS cruiser's primary armaments ARE missles, cruise and otherwise. If so, it seems strange that Friaxis gave AEGIS cruiser lame ability to detect subs, weaker bombardment value than Destroyer for more shields. I guess they do bombard from further away (b/c armed w/missles not giant cannnons), but really, how many times do YOU do a serious naval bombardment? Even on a huge map, I might actually take one or two of those infuriating one-tile-o'land cities in the middle of nowhere! Better to grind up his mainland then annex those little cities when making peace. If you must TAKE them, probably better to use carriers or battleships and bring along a sub or two to spot enemy subs if your'e really worried about running into BOTH subs that the AI built.

Anyways, sorry if I am off topic. Just another fan disappointed with lame naval units venting a little Firaxis induced frustration!

 

[klambert]

My favorite use for CMs is using them to finish off that battleship that my artillery or bombers knocked down. That lethal bombard is nice.

One game I played was a virtual pangea, with a smaller island continent off to the side. I had almost no nave, since I was using my army to take th elarge continent. China) who owned the smaller continent) kept attacking me with its HUGE fleet of battleships (like 20+) and taking out my roads to resources. So for a couple of turns I moved my stacks of artillery over to weaken the battleships and finished them off with CMs. I took out 8 battleships in 2 turns and China cut out the BS.

 

[Tassadar]

Originally posted by USMC


Does AI use them any differently once you modify them?

I know somebody else reported that you can do some modification in a.i. built strategy to enable them to use CM+aegis cruiser but i didnt try it, most of the time in my my game A.I. collapse around modern era ( they go commi and wage war within themselfe and i crush them later on). Look into editor carefully to find out how to make a.i. use them properly.


At least if you do same mod as mine you will greatly improve CM and aegis cruiser.

 

[WildFire]

i have never known the AI to make cruise missles anyway. They always seem to concentrate on bombers.

 

[USMC]

Many times I see that the AI builds a few of both (bombers/Cruise missles) maybe 5 or 6, and then apparently doesn't use them. If I am rolling over your countryside, what exactly are you saving CM and bombers for? (Question directed at AI.) Oh well, you can't get perfection from an AI...yet.
PTW should be interesting, as you'll supposedly be up against a "thinking" opponent. Or at least I hope!

 

[billindenver]

Originally posted by USMC
Many times I see that the AI builds a few of both (bombers/Cruise missles) maybe 5 or 6, and then apparently doesn't use them. If I am rolling over your countryside, what exactly are you saving CM and bombers for? (Question directed at AI.) Oh well, you can't get perfection from an AI...yet.
PTW should be interesting, as you'll supposedly be up against a "thinking" opponent. Or at least I hope!

I've seen the AI build pretty massive bomber fleets before, esp. when they beat me to flight and are on a continent close to mine.

Cruise missiles are pretty rare. They don't build many, and the ones they do build they don't use properly. Just like they don't use arty right either.