How Useful are Crusaders

[Dogmeat]

In my last game (very enjoyable), I built the Knights Templar.
I must say I really like the Crusaders. After a while my entire border was ridden with fortresses and barricades which made it really hard for enemies to invade later in the game (even though i had one tile spacing between barricades).
And with a steady income of tough 5.3.1 units, I could have all my cities produce wealth (unit support would kill me otherwise) and I could keep up in science and do most of the research myself on emperor with only one city taken to that point!

 

[ManOfMiracles]

I love having Crusaders build their little fortresses and guard borders when I'm going for space race or cultural victory. It almost makes things too easy... If I'm still sending out settlers yet at that point in the game, Crusaders make great escorts/first unit in new city.

 

[philippe]

crusaders. rule fortresses in chokepoints...

 

[screwtype]

I haven't used Crusaders, but in my latest game I'm playing as the Persians, they get Immortals very early in the piece, about the same time spearmen appear. Immortals are the equal of Medieval Infantry and really cheap to build so they are great for taking out other civs early in the game, and they upgrade to guerillas so useful later in the game too.

 

[Suchy_63]

I use Crusaders a lot to boost production in corrupted cities. Disband them in 1 shield city to get 17 (I believe) free shields.

 

[Dauntless]

About Crusaders, i love em, simply because they got me my first Army

 

[Khift]

I use Crusaders a lot to boost production in corrupted cities. Disband them in 1 shield city to get 17 (I believe) free shields.

That's interesting. Never thought of that.

 

[Boleslav]

Crusaders look cool and that's gotta count for something...

 

[dreamvirus]

Having a whole load of free 5.3.1 units at a vital time in the Middle Ages (usually around the time when everyone has reached their maximum expansion and the border tension is reaching critical) just kicks ass for warmongers. There's no stronger attacking unit until the arrival of cavalry, the defense is also pretty good, and having 1 appear every 5 turns with no resources required is just...very nice

I am currently playing an Emperor game with the Maya in which I got Knights Templar AND Statue of Zeus, and it's all a bit too easy. I had an average-size despotism about 12 turns ago. Now I am already the biggest Civ, in a golden age, churning out Med Inf and Javelin Throwers, and my ancient cavalry are wreaking havoc (haven't lost a single one yet). The Crusaders have yet to make an impact

I think I will try the Mayans again but on Deity this time, I hadn't played them before and the reports of their power seem to be accurate...

 

[digitalgoodtime]

The greeks almost kicked my butt with crusaders... they just let them pile up then came at me... if I hadn't had catapults to hit them before they hit me I would have been toast...

 

[Aggie]

Crusaders are nice units. Luckily not as powerful as Ancient Cavalry. I consider AC as unbalancing in a multiplayer game, But Crusaders are not so obviously overpowering. Building Zeus is a no-brainer. Building the Knights Templar is a tactical decision.

 

[dreamvirus]

I built Knights Templar in a Deity game with the Mayans recently and I am in two minds as to whether it was worth it or not. The tech pace is so fast that I think I got about 10 crusaders before it was made obsolete by steam power. Now I'm facing riflemen and am ending up using the Crusaders as MP and to babysit my bombard units. I still think it was worth it but maybe it is not so powerful on higher levels due to the tech pace.

 

[Der Sensenmann]

I quite like the crusaders, as they saved me from death at the hands of mass Celtic, French, and Russian cavalry hordes all in one war (I used them to attack enemy cavalry before it hit me).

 

[Captain Murphy]

When playing on Regent/Monarch, Crusaders can be very useful. They are slow, so if your empire is big in the Middle Ages they may not be as beneficial. If you're able to mass them with trebuchets or cannon, they can really shine. Their build fortress function can be useful in those 20 turn breaks between wars, or if you're weaker than your neighbors.

Another poster already said this, but if you don't have iron, they can save your civilization. I game I managed to win I credit the Crusaders. I didn't have iron and had a poor expansion start location, so I was smaller than my aggressive (and iron-supplied) neighbors. I beelined for Chivalry and managed to get Knights Templar. Once I had built up a force of them and trebuchets, I was able to wage a late MA/early IA war to take iron and coal. I was playing Germany at the time, and once I got panzers, was able to win the game.