Mathematical Anomolies and Unit Promotions

[KrikkitTwo]

actually the combined effect of Attacker and Defender Bonuses is what Matters

Effect of Attacker Strength Bonus as a multiplicative factor (CI-CV)
+10%
+9% (10/1.1)
+8% (10/1.2)
+7% (10/1.3)
+7% (10/1.4)
Combat 6 would be
+17% (25/1.5)

Effect of Situational Bonuses as a multiplicative factor
=actual bonus /(1+|current Attacker-Defender|)

So a 25% situational bonus is down to 10% (near the level of a Combat bonus if the existing amount of Bonus is)
150% for the Attacker already (175 v. CII, 200 v. C 3)
OR
175% for the Defender already (200 v. CII, etc.)

For a 20% bonus its
100% for the Attacker already (v. CI, 120% v. CII, 140% v. CIII)
OR
120% for the Defender already (v. CI, 140% v. CII, etc.)

(For a Defender, the Straight value of the bonus is always better... if you are going to get it)

The Fact is, those types of odds are only seen in two cases, heavily defended cities (Archers) OR Spear/Pikes v. Mounted (or Chariots v. Axes in Warlords)

So for a Chariot intending to attack Axes, Shock is better than CII, unless you hjave some special source of +75

For a Mounted unit intending to attack Spears/Pikes, Shock is better than CII, unless the Pike/Spear has an Additional 100% Defence

For a Pike/Spear attacking a Mounted unit, Formation is better than CIII, unless you have an additional 100% from somewhere

For Attacking an Archer in a City,
CR I is better than CI if the City less than 45% defense, and a hill is not present
Cover is better than CII if the City is less than 100% defense (counting 50 if a hill is present)


So really the only time it would be better is
1. Mounted unit designed to attack a Highly fortified Defending Pike/Spear (also known as suicide, unless its say a Cavalry v. a Spear)

2. Attacking an Archer/Longbow in a heavily defended city. without taking down the defenses (really only Swords/HA v. Archers, past that you Should have Cats)

(you could also get it in trying to dislodge a Woodsman.)

 

[Zorbop]

I guess the implication is that city raider is a very overused promotion. Your only really getting city raider on macemen/swordsman/axemen and tanks. And most of the time when one of the ancient units is attacking a city, its facing off against a unit with extremely high bonus's (archers... or defending axemen i guess). Even though city raider seems like a much beefier bonus than combat I-V, it in reality is rarely more than 2 or 3% better, and is in some cases even worse...

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Well that really depends on your use of siege... with Siege, the Best an unpromoted Archer can get is +125%

Which means that CR 1 may be Slightly worse than Combat 1, but it is better than Combat 2, and CR 2 would even more likely be better

Now if the Archer has CG promotions... well then you need Cats by that point anyways.

Also the fact that each combat promotion is worse than the last, and each Raider Promotion is slightly better indicates that you probably want to go Raider (especially since that will be better against all Non-super fortified units)

Of course that depends on the specialization of the unit.

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Actually, unless
1. one side has a +Strength AND the One Side v. Other side Situational Bonus does NOT equal zero
OR
2. there are specifically defensive/attacking bonuses involved

It doesn't matter who the Attacker is, the combat odds are the same (of course the above two situations are Very common)...# 1 favors Attacking, and #2 obviously favors the one that gets the bonuses.