I am thinking of switching to Epic or Marathon to expand the units that get built/used throughout the game. With that I will have some gaps on experience using some units. I am mostly a domination/conquest type player, but have taken to using the liberalism tech path, so the window for war is usually early with Axes and not again till rifling.
The early game is most critical. With no siege/spy support when is it time to stop pushing an attack and focus back on your land?
Quechua: Good till anything other than archer defending, which can be very brief.
Chariot: Good till Spearmen defending in numbers.
Axemen: Good till either Axe or Charriot defending.
Swordsmen: Good till Axe and culture defense 40%? I rarely use swords unless there is a lot of jungle around forcing earlier iron working. How does this attack go, does it come when spy support is available?
Never Tried: Horse Archers.
Spearman in this age mainly used for stack defense.
After one of these early attacks my next attack usually needs siege or a strong UU to push on as the defense bonuses start to build. I also usually avoid even attempting to attack a protective civ.
With Spy and/or Siege Support:
Axe/Swords/Spear: If i must secure more land at all cost, send anything i have accompanied by siege (half the stack).
Elephants: If i am lucky enough to have Ivory i make it a priority to use these. It is easy to go on a little rampage and they rarely have much trouble even with just them in the stack. You can usually use these for a long while before Pikemen come out and they aren't terrible against spearmen. I haven't found much that stops suicide catapults and elephants.
Macemen: I try to avoid machinery to prevent scientists offering optics for bulbing, so usually get these late and their window of use is over. Is there another tech path that makes these guys useful?
On defense do long bows and crossbows stop the above?
I think i have seen it mentioned crossbows can do well on the offensive. Is there a good attack window for these?
Knights? I don't usually go down the guilds line, so again see these very late. Any window of usefulness?
Mid-Game Attacks:
I usually b-line rifling, so don't use/see Cuirassier, Grenadier, Musketman.
I also tend to skip Trebs for siege and go cats to cannons. Is there an efficient attack in here with gunpowder units and Trebs?
Riflemen and Spies usually takes me through most defenses. Once Grenadiers come out in numbers, i try to update/upgrade to cannons.
Late-Game:
If riflemen/cannons didn't create an advantage then things are probably not going to plan. Again i like to b-line infantry and push unit/tech advantage. Sometimes I will b-line artillery, but cannons have a lot of staying power.
I rarely get to use planes, tanks, ships (other than transports), anti-tank, SAM, etc.
End-Game:
Its been a long time since i played through till modern age stuff comes out. Last time i did i believe I mainly used mechanized infantry and spies. No siege, just brute force against older units in a mop up phase.
What attacks do you setup and use for the various stages of the game?
The early game is most critical. With no siege/spy support when is it time to stop pushing an attack and focus back on your land?
Quechua: Good till anything other than archer defending, which can be very brief.
Chariot: Good till Spearmen defending in numbers.
Axemen: Good till either Axe or Charriot defending.
Swordsmen: Good till Axe and culture defense 40%? I rarely use swords unless there is a lot of jungle around forcing earlier iron working. How does this attack go, does it come when spy support is available?
Never Tried: Horse Archers.
Spearman in this age mainly used for stack defense.
After one of these early attacks my next attack usually needs siege or a strong UU to push on as the defense bonuses start to build. I also usually avoid even attempting to attack a protective civ.
With Spy and/or Siege Support:
Axe/Swords/Spear: If i must secure more land at all cost, send anything i have accompanied by siege (half the stack).
Elephants: If i am lucky enough to have Ivory i make it a priority to use these. It is easy to go on a little rampage and they rarely have much trouble even with just them in the stack. You can usually use these for a long while before Pikemen come out and they aren't terrible against spearmen. I haven't found much that stops suicide catapults and elephants.
Macemen: I try to avoid machinery to prevent scientists offering optics for bulbing, so usually get these late and their window of use is over. Is there another tech path that makes these guys useful?
On defense do long bows and crossbows stop the above?
I think i have seen it mentioned crossbows can do well on the offensive. Is there a good attack window for these?
Knights? I don't usually go down the guilds line, so again see these very late. Any window of usefulness?
Mid-Game Attacks:
I usually b-line rifling, so don't use/see Cuirassier, Grenadier, Musketman.
I also tend to skip Trebs for siege and go cats to cannons. Is there an efficient attack in here with gunpowder units and Trebs?
Riflemen and Spies usually takes me through most defenses. Once Grenadiers come out in numbers, i try to update/upgrade to cannons.
Late-Game:
If riflemen/cannons didn't create an advantage then things are probably not going to plan. Again i like to b-line infantry and push unit/tech advantage. Sometimes I will b-line artillery, but cannons have a lot of staying power.
I rarely get to use planes, tanks, ships (other than transports), anti-tank, SAM, etc.
End-Game:
Its been a long time since i played through till modern age stuff comes out. Last time i did i believe I mainly used mechanized infantry and spies. No siege, just brute force against older units in a mop up phase.
What attacks do you setup and use for the various stages of the game?
than rifles + trebs. Likewise rifles + arty tends to be stronger than infantry + cannons (both of which are dwarfed by air power, which is in turn dwarfed by nukes).
