Navy Seal is a solid UU

[backblast]

I think the conventional wisdom is that the Navy Seal is low value unique unit. But in a recent game, I saw their true value. It was a monarch archipelago game and I was shooting for a domination victory (I'd won on Monarch via Culture & Space Race on archipelago, but not domination until this game). The problem with military conquest on archipelago maps is that you can't steamroll early and even the mid-game is difficult because building up a sufficient navy takes time. Plus you need State Property since all of your conquered cities end up far flung and not very close to each other, let along your capital. In the mid-20th century, I found myself on par with Tokugawa and Caeser in tech, and previous warfare (initiated by both me and them) had ******** the tech rate so that spaceship was out of reach for either opponent by 2050. But I only controlled about 30% of the land area (I had taken some Aztec and Russian cities in the early and mid-game). This was a normal-sized map, so I needed 64% to meet the domination limit.

Lo and behold, with 3 Navy Seal task forces (2-3 transports full of Navy Seals, carriers + fighter complement, and destroyed/battleship escorts), I was able to take enough coastal cities to win the game with 7 turns to spare (I already had 70% of the world population by that point). The prolonged war meant I was running a culture rate of 40% by the end, which meant for quick border expansion of captured cities.

With the appropriate civics and barracks, a Navy Seal can be quickly promoted to have Pinch or Ambush to take on infantry or tanks respectively. Free march promotion means they heal when you have to go inland a few tiles to take a city. First strike means they are serviceable defenders if you take a city on a island with another city (and hence are open to counterattack).

Now I realize the Navy Seal did not win the game for me outright, but they certainly were the ideal unit for this situation. So let's give the Navy Seal more respect.

 

[Grohan]

Navy SEALS are the best UU for modern archipelago warfare.

 

[AtriumComplex]

The thing with me is when I'm going for a Conquest/Domination victory, I usually have the game finished well before SEALs would be available to anyone.

 

[Grimz101]

yeah navy seals, can hold their own, even on cities without water, untill mech infantry and modern armour, 10xp marines rule go pentagon

 

[Mano3]

Historically, it's a bit odd to see waves (armies) of Navy SEALS attacking. Maybe each CIV should have it's own (expensive) commando unit? The unit would also have Spy capabilities as well. Thoughts?

 

[backblast]

Atrium-- you are obviously a better player than I am.

Grimz101-- yes I did have the pentagon in my game.

Mano3-- there is a commando promotion, but it's benefit is of little value on archipelago maps. I am not sure how a military unit and spy's capabilities would be combined, since the spy's capabilities require the ability to enter a city without attacking/conquering it.

Hm, I am new poster here and it occurs to me I should have posted this thread under "Strategy and Tips" rather than "Strategy Articles". Perhaps one of the mods could move it?

 

[emills]

The amphibious assault from the transport straight to the city means that you don't give the defender the ability to soften you up with artillery or other attacking units. I am playing an islands map now and am "enjoying" the navy seal.

 

[pegasus1346]

I love to use SEAL's, but i can usually get away with only one transport full. Though, edimittadly, it doesn't always work. But i always bring along a crapload of navy ships and airplanes. nothing makes me happier than to see an enemys coastline turned into a cratered mess.

 

[aelf]

Historically, it's a bit odd to see waves (armies) of Navy SEALS attacking. Maybe each CIV should have it's own (expensive) commando unit? The unit would also have Spy capabilities as well. Thoughts?

In fact, it's historically odd to see waves of Praetorians attack and conquer cities. Praetorians were sort of elite guards of the emperor and weren't great troops overall anyway. They were decadent and they killed Emperor Pertinax cause somebody else offered to pay them higher. I think games have a tendency to overrate elite-sounding historical units (like the historically decadent Urban Cohort in Rome: TW). Why not just have the legions back?

 

[emills]

Navy SEALS plus artillery are almost unstoppable. At the noble level, all you need is two transports of SEALS and one transport of artillery, and any city is yours. No airforce needed. If you take more of each, you can capture city after city, since the seals have march and the first strike keeps them healthier.

I have bumped up to the prince level (large, archipelego) to check the strategy out, but in general at noble I use washington to win a diplomacy via conquest victory. You don't have to destroy all the civs that you fight, although it helps since it reduces the unrest due to motherlands. With the high pop cities in the archipelego, just conquer the biggest cities that also have the wonders/religions and you can steam roll any one else. Your troops never have to leave the boat but to keep a couple SEALS behind for defense.

 

[Master Roshi]

The NAvy Seals are pretty good but a bit late in the game. You should pretty much have the game beaten by the time the SEALS show-up. But if you are able to get them soon enough you can up-grade and get a Domination victory easy; but then again FDR is a total cheat leader anyway (he is just too good).

 

[Murky]

I have used them to seal a domination win but the game was well in hand by then.

 

[Ceritoglu]

A little hi - I haven't been posting for a few months (some serious studying/partying had to be done during that time).

Pre-warlords Washington was an incredibly strong leader due to the economic bonuses he obtained from that Financial-Organised combo (I hear his traits have changed with Warlords, and I'm not sure how that has affected him). That massive economic boost meant a lot of people playing as him (I was one of them) were unable to see the Navy Seal in action due to early finishes. I agree that the Navy Seal is the perfect unit for modern era archipelago warfare......but they're often undervalued because the majority of empire-building occurs during Ancient, Classical and Medieval eras.

 

[mattspoker]

Navy SEALS plus artillery are almost unstoppable. At the noble level, all you need is two transports of SEALS and one transport of artillery, and any city is yours. No airforce needed. If you take more of each, you can capture city after city, since the seals have march and the first strike keeps them healthier.

I have bumped up to the prince level (large, archipelego) to check the strategy out, but in general at noble I use washington to win a diplomacy via conquest victory. You don't have to destroy all the civs that you fight, although it helps since it reduces the unrest due to motherlands. With the high pop cities in the archipelego, just conquer the biggest cities that also have the wonders/religions and you can steam roll any one else. Your troops never have to leave the boat but to keep a couple SEALS behind for defense.

Not to mention phalanxes getting bonuses for hills and city defense when it was best utilized as an offensive plains formation?

 

[TheRealCzar]

In fact, it's historically odd to see waves of Praetorians attack and conquer cities. Praetorians were sort of elite guards of the emperor and weren't great troops overall anyway. They were decadent and they killed Emperor Pertinax cause somebody else offered to pay them higher. I think games have a tendency to overrate elite-sounding historical units (like the historically decadent Urban Cohort in Rome: TW). Why not just have the legions back?

Call them whatever you like, but can they still have strength 8!?

I never really build marines, but with pentagon to give 10xp, I do build amphibious tanks! Because I'm not well aquainted with the Marine, I'm not 100% on his bonuses though. 50% against artillery and machine guns or something?

 

[Norogoth]

Guys,

I am sorry for being such a noob, but I was playing as America and it told me I could produce Navy SEALS once I got industrial tech. In the game I got this tech and it promised that I could build SEALS but I couldn't figure out where they were produced. Please help.

 

[arbarbonif]

You also need rifling. I'm guessing that is what you are missing.

 

[DMOC]

Guys,

I am sorry for being such a noob, but I was playing as America and it told me I could produce Navy SEALS once I got industrial tech. In the game I got this tech and it promised that I could build SEALS but I couldn't figure out where they were produced. Please help.

Yes, I assume it's what arbarbonif said.

In the future, you can use the Civilopedia which should outline the exact requirement(s). I've played the game since 2007 and I still regularly use the Civilopedia, especially for modern era units.

 

[Zx Zero Zx]

To bad I have NEVER EVER EVER built one, and NEVER will. It's not the unit itself that makes it bad. It's the fact that it comes stupidly late into the game when the game is pretty much over. It doesn't help you get into a winning position ever.

 

[Seraiel]

How is this a strategy article?