Playing as the Romans on a large pangea map on monarch level, I found myself threatened by the French for about the 20th time, and I had finally had enough. They declare war, and then every turn for the next 5, another civ declares war on me until I am fighting every one of the reasonably powerful civs in the game. Germany is caught on my side because of an MPP.
Anyway, I had just discovered replaceable parts, and luckily had rubber already connected to a road. As stacks of cavalry at least 30 deep for 3 of my enemies enter my territory at about the same time, I realize I will have to fight very defensively. I mobilized my economy, and started drafting from every city that I could.
Now, for the point. Before this patch, cavalry would have always retreated when losing to my infantry (which happened more often than not considering the attack/defense ratio. Now, about half of them fought to the death. The true benefit of this, is not that I killed more cavalry, but that my conscript infantry often advanced to elite within a couple of turns. Suddenly I had nearly impervious defenders in my cities, as well as an army of veteran infantry. The AI proceeded to pillage quite a bit of my land, eventually raised on outlying city (which I promptly rebuilt), and generally make me really angry, but for every infantry I lost, they lost about ten cavalry. On the turn I drafted an infantry unit, its first job was to attack a damaged or healthy cavalry, and advance to regular if the cavalry did not retreat. Then, the AI would throw several more cavalry at it, and unless it got really unlucky, it would eventually advance to elite, and might even survive.
Were it not for the inability of cavalry to retreat every time, this game would have been over very quickly. As it is, I am still alive, and playing for a diplomatic victory. I have about 20 elite infantry fortified along my borders, and the other civs have reason to fear me, because I have not forgotten their treachery.
Anyway, I had just discovered replaceable parts, and luckily had rubber already connected to a road. As stacks of cavalry at least 30 deep for 3 of my enemies enter my territory at about the same time, I realize I will have to fight very defensively. I mobilized my economy, and started drafting from every city that I could.
Now, for the point. Before this patch, cavalry would have always retreated when losing to my infantry (which happened more often than not considering the attack/defense ratio. Now, about half of them fought to the death. The true benefit of this, is not that I killed more cavalry, but that my conscript infantry often advanced to elite within a couple of turns. Suddenly I had nearly impervious defenders in my cities, as well as an army of veteran infantry. The AI proceeded to pillage quite a bit of my land, eventually raised on outlying city (which I promptly rebuilt), and generally make me really angry, but for every infantry I lost, they lost about ten cavalry. On the turn I drafted an infantry unit, its first job was to attack a damaged or healthy cavalry, and advance to regular if the cavalry did not retreat. Then, the AI would throw several more cavalry at it, and unless it got really unlucky, it would eventually advance to elite, and might even survive.
Were it not for the inability of cavalry to retreat every time, this game would have been over very quickly. As it is, I am still alive, and playing for a diplomatic victory. I have about 20 elite infantry fortified along my borders, and the other civs have reason to fear me, because I have not forgotten their treachery.