Military composition/strategy?

[Rowger]

What should my army look like? And how should I use each unit? Vanilla had ranged and later bombers as the "meta", how does it work for VP? I guess percentages work better than flat numbers as they change with time.

Before frigates I usually don't bother with naval power (and now that they only have 1, maybe not even then), but I do like air power, especially if I get it before everyone in time for an attack/defence. So how should I balance my units? 20% melee, ranged, horse melee, horse ranged and siege for land (in the earlier eras)?

I guess if there's lots of rough terrain around you horses aren't nearly as useful. I play continents (communitas) so cruisers and such are pretty relevant, and so I like to have quite a few, while keeping around half the amount of melee ships, maybe less (so 66%/33% for sea I guess) . And then maybe 50%/50% for fighters/bombers? I read somewhere bombers are good against cities because they have good burst but fighters are better against units because of air repair so better sustain.

Overall I don't know if there should be a equal share between land/sea/air since I'm fairly new to VP and never war unless someone attacks me. But I do like mobility so modern war appeals the most to me. Tanks flying through a network of railroads with an armada of cruisers/battleships and ironclads/destroyers plus the support of many air units almost make me enjoy war (excluding the fact turns take 10x as long during one so it takes many more days to finish a session, not usual since I play on quick with a tweaked epic-like research time).
Submarines are cool even if they take more time to come around, I usually like them better than melee ships, but Carriers are pretty late in the research tree, way more than vanilla so I don't have anything to say about them. I don't see much use for infantry/ranged in the later eras other than defending. A survivalism 3 paratrooper fortified on a hill fort is pretty crazy.

Anyway, thoughts? Keep in mind I play on Prince. Any tips appreciated.

Edit: un-walled

 

[Gokudo01]

damn that wall

 

[Rowger]

damn that wall

lol sorry, i typed it on the phone

 

[Gazebo]

damn that wall

Really thought that was a swastika at the bottom, was thoroughly confused and almost reported it. Grammar nazis, though, is of course appreciated.

G

 

[Txurce]

What should my army look like? And how should I use each unit? Vanilla had ranged and later bombers as the "meta", how does it work for VP? I guess percentages work better than flat numbers as they change with time.

Before frigates I usually don't bother with naval power (and now that they only have 1, maybe not even then), but I do like air power, especially if I get it before everyone in time for an attack/defence. So how should I balance my units? 20% melee, ranged, horse melee, horse ranged and siege for land (in the earlier eras)?

I guess if there's lots of rough terrain around you horses aren't nearly as useful. I play continents (communitas) so cruisers and such are pretty relevant, and so I like to have quite a few, while keeping around half the amount of melee ships, maybe less (so 66%/33% for sea I guess) . And then maybe 50%/50% for fighters/bombers? I read somewhere bombers are good against cities because they have good burst but fighters are better against units because of air repair so better sustain.

Overall I don't know if there should be a equal share between land/sea/air since I'm fairly new to VP and never war unless someone attacks me. But I do like mobility so modern war appeals the most to me. Tanks flying through a network of railroads with an armada of cruisers/battleships and ironclads/destroyers plus the support of many air units almost make me enjoy war (excluding the fact turns take 10x as long during one so it takes many more days to finish a session, not usual since I play on quick with a tweaked epic-like research time).
Submarines are cool even if they take more time to come around, I usually like them better than melee ships, but Carriers are pretty late in the research tree, way more than vanilla so I don't have anything to say about them. I don't see much use for infantry/ranged in the later eras other than defending. A survivalism 3 paratrooper fortified on a hill fort is pretty crazy.

Anyway, thoughts? Keep in mind I play on Prince. Any tips appreciated.

Edit: un-walled

As far as balance is concerned, geography determines that much more than a strategy guide. An even spread of ranged, melee, siege and mobile makes sense, but is heavily determined by geography. If you aren't playing for Domination (and I assume you're not, if you wanit tuntil modern times to fight), then just build what you need to hold off the enemy in your neck of the woods.

But even if conquest isn't your thing, you're passing up a lot of opportunities before that. To focus just on naval warfare, I beeline for Sailing as directly as I can, and frequently take cities with with triremes and dromons. Your advantage then is that the other guy probably didn't focus so tightly on ships, and almost certainly hasn't put up walls in most of his cities. Conversely, I build very few planes, because my hammers are usually going to the large navies the late game seems to require. I don't think I've built a fighter in 2017.

Somebody else may offer you very different advice... but that's really my point. Circumstances dictate the answers to most of your questions. Again, not waiting until modern times is about the only universal advice I'd give you -- unless you are way ahead in tech by then, and what you're really saying is that you like to kick ass!

 

[CrazyG]

I don't think there really is an overall composition strategy. I generally try to time my attacks with a 'power spike'. That means I try to unlock and quickly build a certain unit, then attack before my opponent has access to that unit, or its its counter unit (this strategy comes from multiplayer).

The first major power spike is horsemen. If I have horsemen and my opponent is using archers and warriors, they're screwed. Txurce's strategy falls into this category, hitting the opponent before they have anything which can defeat dromon or trireme. Other notable spikes include knights, heavy skirmishers, artillery, tanks, and cruisers. I haven't tested aircraft much since their recent changes, but before they weren't very good (even if the opponent had no interception at all)

If I had to give general advice, its to build horse units first. When against a tough opponent (like if I'm behind in tech or they have a powerful unique unit right now), I find the best unit is the skirmisher/heavy skirmisher.

 

[Gazebo]

I don't think there really is an overall composition strategy. I generally try to time my attacks with a 'power spike'. That means I try to unlock and quickly build a certain unit, then attack before my opponent has access to that unit, or its its counter unit (this strategy comes from multiplayer).

The first major power spike is horsemen. If I have horsemen and my opponent is using archers and warriors, they're screwed. Txurce's strategy falls into this category, hitting the opponent before they have anything which can defeat dromon or trireme. Other notable spikes include knights, heavy skirmishers, artillery, tanks, and cruisers. I haven't tested aircraft much since their recent changes, but before they weren't very good (even if the opponent had no interception at all)

If I had to give general advice, its to build horse units first. When against a tough opponent (like if I'm behind in tech or they have a powerful unique unit right now), I find the best unit is the skirmisher/heavy skirmisher.

If you get airplanes before your opponent has flak of any kind, you will be virtually unstoppable, as your air units will take <10 damage per attack.

G

 

[tu_79]

Just pointing out that a defensive land army has one melee protected by one or two ranged units, with an eventual mounted unit to cover flanks, while an offensive one has more melee, skirmishers and some siege units behind to finish the job.

 

[CrazyG]

If you get airplanes before your opponent has flak of any kind, you will be virtually unstoppable, as your air units will take <10 damage per attack.

G

Like I said, I haven't got a chance to do much late game war since the changes. I believe you're right and can't wait to slaughter someone

 

[Dawnpromise]

I'm playing on King difficulty right now (trying to cut my teeth and move out my comfort zone) and I'm not sure what strategy is involved with war aside from terrain awareness. Most fights just turn into attrition war as the AI rams units into me until one of us starts to give ground. Then again I usually avoid war and my neighbor is Shaka so I my just have a poor experience with war in Civ.

Maybe things will change when I get air units. Normally on Prince I'm runaway so far by Industrial the AI can't fight back and even when they did it was jsut more mass unit spam.

Question: Does the AI have the same supply cap as the player? I feel like I'm seeing WAY too many units on their side of the field.

 

[Txurce]

The AI has the same supply cap as the player, but don't forget it's dynamic.

To minimize attrition conflicts, aim for an asymmetrical edge: units that can achieve local superiority, be it ships, mounted on flanks, or cutting-edge siege weapons. Hold with everyone else; don't bash your head against the wall.

 

[tu_79]

I'm playing on King difficulty right now (trying to cut my teeth and move out my comfort zone) and I'm not sure what strategy is involved with war aside from terrain awareness. Most fights just turn into attrition war as the AI rams units into me until one of us starts to give ground. Then again I usually avoid war and my neighbor is Shaka so I my just have a poor experience with war in Civ.

Maybe things will change when I get air units. Normally on Prince I'm runaway so far by Industrial the AI can't fight back and even when they did it was jsut more mass unit spam.

Question: Does the AI have the same supply cap as the player? I feel like I'm seeing WAY too many units on their side of the field.

If you don't fight often, your units won't level up. I think the key to beat AI is getting some level 4 promotions on a few units.

I always advice good movement, so invest in roads when you have spare gold. You may need some forts on your borders, lure the AI to attack you and counter-attack. The citadel is amazing. If close to your borders, purchase earlier a tile near the neighbouring city, then plant a citadel there. Even without the extra defense and the damage against enemies, just fighting in your territory and not in enemy's is just too good to miss.
I almost always forget to move the great general and great admiral before firing, don't do that.
Healing is basic, but you only need this promotion in 1 every 6 units. Keep your higher level units alive and upgraded, mix their promotions and know where to place them best. People with extra range can stay in the rear, for example, while mounted units don't gain anything by hiding in rough terrain. Use FlagPromotions if you already didn't.

You can hold a coastal city with some cannons and melee ships. You can hold almost anything with melee units backed by ranged, with a fresh melee replacement (use roads) and a mounted unit to prevent siege fire. When you are too even, use your cities. It means losing some tiles to pillaging, but if you have upgraded walls and enough population, your city will be tough, hit itself, and helps to diverse incoming fire so your units survive longer.

Learn by doing. Pick a very aggressive civ, start with authority and commit 100% to war. Produce just units in the beggining, don't forget that you'll need some gold, too, and the best place is in bullied states. When you have the initiative, your first kills are easy, then you'll have fewer units to face.

 

[emdash]

I don't think there really is an overall composition strategy. I generally try to time my attacks with a 'power spike'. That means I try to unlock and quickly build a certain unit, then attack before my opponent has access to that unit, or its its counter unit (this strategy comes from multiplayer).

The first major power spike is horsemen. If I have horsemen and my opponent is using archers and warriors, they're screwed. Txurce's strategy falls into this category, hitting the opponent before they have anything which can defeat dromon or trireme. Other notable spikes include knights, heavy skirmishers, artillery, tanks, and cruisers. I haven't tested aircraft much since their recent changes, but before they weren't very good (even if the opponent had no interception at all)

If I had to give general advice, its to build horse units first. When against a tough opponent (like if I'm behind in tech or they have a powerful unique unit right now), I find the best unit is the skirmisher/heavy skirmisher.

yea I would like "rushing" horses cuz barracks isn't terrible for sci, either. I've kinda grown to enjoy the spear army though. You can get a bunch, you can upgrade the warriors you already made, plus they can fight horses. I still go for horses quickly, but I think I had overlooked the strength of spears. Sure you can take a city with horses, but spears can defend really well vs even swordsmen.