Is there a use for Ironclads?

[HankSSSI]

Unless your on a map with a lot of coastal areas, they are pretty worthless. One of the main reasons is because it's nearly impossible for them to stop an invasion fleet. Once an enemy fleet gets to your shores, they can simply drop off their troops before you even have a chance to sink them. The only way to get 'em is to sink them in the open sea before they can unload. To me they are one of the few wasted units in Civ IV.

 

[Zombie69]

I made one once to get rid of an annoying enemy ship in my waters that was keeping me from using the water tiles. It worked great and he couldn't escape because i war coming from the only escape route he had.

 

[Reprisal]

Like others, I use them periodically to protect ocean resources and to blockade any important areas off from invasion. There was a a game set on a large continents map with high ocean levels that had an enormous bay that ended up being central to my French Empire, I initially used six frigates to block it off, but ended up bringing in some ironclads when I could build them.

Ended up saving the soft underbelly of my empire from enemies landing troops in dangerous places...

 

[ZippyRiver]

Actually, if you circumnavigate the globe AND give the ironclad navigation you will have a 4 move coastal defender. And when it comes time to upgrade, nothing wrong with a destroyer that has that kind of movement power. If your chasing a damaged destroyer that extra move really helps.

Anytime I have built them for resource defence, the AI seems to know it's there and avoids any within it's range. Will fond out about that for sure in my current game. I am playing an island map.......that is actually an island map. Not one big island with you and all agressive civs on it and everyone else with their own haven.

 

[Wodan]

I have thought much the same thing, and have not bothered to build them. Then much to my surprise some AI Ironclads turn up in my coastal area and start taking out fishing boats and frigates alike. I have checked in detail, there is no way they could have got there without crossing ocean.

Is this a new feature of ironclads in 1.52, that has not been updated in the Civpedia, or is it the AI cheating, I have not yet built an ironclad to test if I can sail in into ocean.

Ironclads (and galleys etc) can cross ocean if it is within cultural borders.

Wodan

 

[Wodan]

Anytime I have built them for resource defence, the AI seems to know it's there and avoids any within it's range.

Seems like that's mission accomplished.

Wodan

 

[Sidewinder00Q]

I use them as picket ships actually. My Frigates go out to engage enemy Caravels, Galleons and Frigate, and then hide underneath an Ironclad thats nearby with Medic I. When an enemy ship gets near enough, the Ironclad sends it to the bottom with nothing more than a few dents to show.

 

[Alpedar]

Imo they can (maybe, never tried) be used as defensive line around coast in marathon (or slower) game speed. But that would require lot of them and that would cost a lot (without modded caps of free support or without BIG empire (but big empire have big borders)).

I think they should be et least faster, or able to go on ocean.

 

[Koelle]

In Civ 3, i always skip the tech (whatever it is) that allows me to build Ironclads. Sometimes i trade with a backward AI for this tech but just to fullfil my techs collection

 

[diablodelmar]

maybe they are good for confusing your enemy, so while he is trying to figure out why the heck you've built some you can crush him. oops, that strategy only works with real time strategy games. nope, sorry, they are completely useless.

 

[ferenginar]

Thyrwyn, Wodan, thanks for the info, this is probably what was happening, I cannot check now as I have moved onto a new game and deleted all previous saves, but I will watch out for this in the future.

 

[Thalassicus]

Steel also unlocks Cannons though, and is only one tech after Chemistry (requires Iron Working and Chemistry). I usually go for it to double seige damage.

 

[chinesefireball]

In Civ 3, i always skip the tech (whatever it is) that allows me to build Ironclads. Sometimes i trade with a backward AI for this tech but just to fullfil my techs collection

Funily (sp?) enough the tech needed for ironclads in civ3, is called ironclads

Likewise, I always skipped it as well

 

[TerraHero]

not worth my time, money and production.

By the time i "might" need some naval ships i find frigate to suffice and before you know it, Destroyers are available. The first game i didnt even notice there where Ironclads.

 

[lord_graywolfe]

they are pretty worthless for the game. i only build a couple of them to safe guard a few harbors. as most of my naval battles take place on the other side of the ocean

 

[Rad Chris]

A good use is to just sit one outside an AI coastal city, especially one with Fish/Crab/Clams. Sea units stop the surrounding 8 squares being worked rather than land units single square. You can easily starve AI cities with just one or two and very little chance of losing a ship. Ive starved cities from size 12 to size 6 before. Not insignificant.