machine guns place in warfare

[Galumphus]

I find that despite the fact that machine guns can't attack, they are pretty much the most critical unit for offensive warfare in the pre-modern era. I seriously can't count the # of times I will just plop a couple machine guns in to provide cover for my supply lines, and the AI will beat itself to death on them. Great unit.

But, I imagine it's hell to try to attack machine guns with same-era forces. Fortunately on the difficultis I play on, I'm always ahead of the AI by the time it gets machine guns. But what do you do when you arent?

 

[Harbringer]

Marines, there only a few techs ahead of machine guns(depending on your path) and they have a base value of 24 plus a 50% bonus against machine guns only, putting there value against a machine gun at 36-18 excluding all the defensive bonuses and such.

Also, machineguns only have a movement rate of one which makes them a little hardto roll around with calvalry and infantry.

 

[stoicfaux]

I find that despite the fact that machine guns can't attack, they are pretty much the most critical unit for offensive warfare in the pre-modern era. I seriously can't count the # of times I will just plop a couple machine guns in to provide cover for my supply lines, and the AI will beat itself to death on them. Great unit.

The machine gun was one the main reasons that WWI was so bloody and degenerated into trench warfare. The tank was developed as a counter to the machine gun.

This history lesson brought to by The History Channel and cold war era science fiction. =)

 

[alerum68]

Also, machineguns only have a movement rate of one which makes them a little hardto roll around with calvalry and infantry.

Yes, but perfect for stacks of slow moving arty... get your fast movers out killing stray units, and pilliaging. When that's done bring your machine guns and arty to raze those enemy cities, and minimize loses by your forces.

 

[madmaven]

No joke, but the educational value of this game can not be overstated. Machine guns were a crucial advancement and unfortunately the tactics in WW1 had not caught up with the technology. A similiar thing happened in the Civil War with the rifle. To line up and attack a line of entrenched rifles was suicide. War--with similiar numbers on each side became a defensive struggle--until the tank and air power (ie: blitzkreig).

There are a few units in this game that--if you can get first--lead to either superior offensive or defensive tactics.

Off the top of my head:

Offensive (not including UUs): swordsmen, knights, calvary, tanks
Defensive: longbowmen, musketiers, riflemen, machinegun

 

[snepp]

Marines, there only a few techs ahead of machine guns(depending on your path) and they have a base value of 24 plus a 50% bonus against machine guns only, putting there value against a machine gun at 36-18 excluding all the defensive bonuses and such.

Machine guns have a 50% bonus vs gunpowder units, negating the Marine's bonus, putting you right back at the base 24 vs 18.