Poll - Best (most promising?) Unique Units

[MaximusPlatypus]

I'm not sure how to rate the Saka cavalry... individually, with only 1 range, not overpowering. But you have to factor they are effectively half cost at 2 for the price of 1. Tomyris seems like she could overwhelm the unprepared neighbor quite early. Of course, provided one does not provoke a lot of early surprise wars, she may be quite distracted.

 

[rschissler]

How much is the cost of a Eagle Warrior vs. a Builder? Is the Eagle Warrior available through the end of the game, like other UU's?

 

[MarcoFurio]

Eagle Warrior for sure. 40% strength bonus will make then unstoppable in the early game and they are the cheapest unit to build. I'll choose Aztecs for my first play. My plan is to spam Eagle Warrior's capture many builders and cities during the ancient and classical eras (saving many production points from settlers and builders). After that maybe I'll abandon warmongering (according to how the game will progress), but I'll be ahead of other civs, with many cities and city improvements.

 

[daft]

Since there seems to be no limit to the number of choices one can make, I voted for 9 of those UU's on the list, I believe. Abilities of each seem in general strong and unique, just like they should be, developers did a great job with them UU's in CVI. It's up to individual player to properly apply each Unique's abilities to its fullest potential in the game (that and the terrain, resources, diplomatic situation and luck).
My only regret about the Unique Units in CVI is that there's not enough of them.

 

[Promethian]

My basis for comparison is mostly about how the unit compares to units in its same technology level and the advantages it gives at that time.

1. Aztecs - Clearly the best UU. At a time when unit diversity doesn't exist it is straight up stronger than its neighbors. Add in the free workers which allow the Aztecs to improve luxuries which increase combat strength even more. I never want to start with Aztec neighbors in a MP game.

2. Scythia - The unit itself isn't the biggest and baddest thing ever but the fact Scythia gets cavalry without needing horses and builds them two for one makes this unit very effective.

3. Rome - 5 more strength than its counterpart and can make forts. These forts are available much sooner than usual and can be extremely powerful if used right.

 

[redwings1340]

Marmeluke: A knight with free healing. Charge down ranged units and pillage everything. Wonderful.

Eagle warrior: lets you expand a lot faster without spending resources making builders. It's going to completely change the way you play the early game as the aztecs.

Maryannu: An early fast ranged unit. Enough said.

Saka horse archer: An early fast ranged unit that you can make 2 of at a time, and attack with before people even have city walls up. Insanely good, this is a good reason to slow your expansion if you start near Scythia.

Conquistador: In civ V, it's pretty hard to convert cities that already have a religion. Conquistadors are a good way to do this if you can pull it off.

War cart: Early UUs are great. Kill the barbarians, then kill your neighbors before they know what hit them.

Longship: Costal pillaging is nice. Healing in neutral territory is nice. Super early game oceanfaring is wonderful. No early game enemy city walls is a neat bonus. Early game ships with norway are going to be pretty strong and annoying on the right map.

 

[ehecatzin]

There's a bunch of very interesting one, but the Eagle warrior has to take the cake, high power and being able to convert units into builders would already be enough to make it to the top, couple that with district rushing and extra dmg from ammenities, and it's a beast.

 

[Acken]

I'm not sure how to rate the Saka cavalry... individually, with only 1 range, not overpowering. But you have to factor they are effectively half cost at 2 for the price of 1. Tomyris seems like she could overwhelm the unprepared neighbor quite early. Of course, provided one does not provoke a lot of early surprise wars, she may be quite distracted.

Especially coupled with the 100% prod bonus. You can probably zerg another civ with horses.

 

[God of Kings]

There's a bunch of very interesting one, but the Eagle warrior has to take the cake, high power and being able to convert units into builders would already be enough to make it to the top, couple that with district rushing and extra dmg from ammenities, and it's a beast.

There's an extremely good reason why Aztecs are an early-access special. By the time it becomes available to all players, it would very likely be nerfed.

 

[Navelgazer]

Being honest, I think we're going to see more great things/trouble from Eagle Warriors and Saka Horse Archers than anyone else in vanilla. That said, I voted for Ngao Mbeba, because I think they'll be the sleeper agent, I knew Eagle Warrior was going to get the most love anyway, Saka felt like a cop-out since it's big bonus is that you get two of them, and most importantly, because I think the Ngoa Mbeba will be the strongest counter to the Saka. Swordsman with +movement and +sight in jungle and forest with protection from ranged attacks? This is Scythia's nightmare and I love it.

 

[Promethian]

Being honest, I think we're going to see more great things/trouble from Eagle Warriors and Saka Horse Archers than anyone else in vanilla. That said, I voted for Ngao Mbeba, because I think they'll be the sleeper agent, I knew Eagle Warrior was going to get the most love anyway, Saka felt like a cop-out since it's big bonus is that you get two of them, and most importantly, because I think the Ngoa Mbeba will be the strongest counter to the Saka. Swordsman with +movement and +sight in jungle and forest with protection from ranged attacks? This is Scythia's nightmare and I love it.

The Scytia hard counter is Greece. Hoplites are anti-cav so +10 there and another +10 for the UU adjacency bonus. A couple Hoplites will be unkillable by cavalry.

 

[KmDubya]

My vote is for the ones that look to change how you play rather than just a better unit.

These are:

• Eagle Warrior - Very strong and converts kills to builders. Makes you want to start near someone and attack early
• Sea Dog - One becomes two and two becomes four and ....
• Redcoat - Nobody will be doing continental invasions better
• Legion - Build a fort from which to attack out of, build a fort to heal or to hold a pass. Will open up some real tactical options that others will not have. Plus they can help build roads as well as being stronger and resource free.
• Cossack - Attack and not be around for the counter strike on your wounded forces
• War Cart - an unstoppable mobile ass drawn ass kicker

 

[shyPiano]

This is my vote:

• Mamluk - While the Mamluk doesn't play into the rest of Arabia as a faith-heavy civilization, this guy is essentially a mounted unit with March from the get go. March is a very powerful promotion in Civ V, and essentially allows you to be more daring while, at the same time, helping you retain your elite forces. Also, with the right beliefs (or was it civic cards?), you can use your faith to buy them - but since they will not die as easily, you might not have to buy a lot of them. (On a side note: I'm surprised they didn't leave this ability to the Persian Immortal, in the sure to arrive Persia DLC)
• Eagle Warrior - FREE, BUFFED UP BUILDERS. Builders will be a huge production sink, specially early in the game when you have a lot of tiles to improve, and not a whole lot of production to build them. The Aztecs, if they play their cards right, will be able to cripple opponents while, at the same time, improving their land to a degree that not even China can reach. Being available from the very first turn, the Eagle Warrior will be key for The Aztecs to start snowballing.
• Conquistador - Religion is a Very Big Deal for Spain. Getting a religious unit for them to escort won't be complicated, and they can essentially submit their enemies to follow their religion. Missionary spam? Bah - just conquer their cities with the Conquistador, return the converted cities in the peace deal, and enjoy warmongering your way to a Religious victory.
• War Cart - Like the Aztecs, the early game is everything for Sumeria, and the civilization has everything ready right from the get go. What makes the War Cart very useful is not so much its own attributes alone, but its own attributes in conjunction with godly barbarian camp busting. You will have a strong, spearman immune, fast unit from the very beginning of the game, and a lot of barbarian camps to deal with. Enjoy your godly start! And, of course, being more powerful, they will also be of great help in your Joint Wars - even if the enemy is a bit farther away.

 

[bite]

nothing quite like raiding and capturing civilians with a boat, beware the coast with the Longboat around

 

[stealth_nsk]

My vote is for the ones that look to change how you play rather than just a better unit.

These are:

• Eagle Warrior - Very strong and converts kills to builders. Makes you want to start near someone and attack early
• Sea Dog - One becomes two and two becomes four and ....
• Redcoat - Nobody will be doing continental invasions better
• Legion - Build a fort from which to attack out of, build a fort to heal or to hold a pass. Will open up some real tactical options that others will not have. Plus they can help build roads as well as being stronger and resource free.
• Cossack - Attack and not be around for the counter strike on your wounded forces
• War Cart - an unstoppable mobile ass drawn ass kicker

How Conquistador is missed in the list?

 

[pietro1990]

Ngao Mbeba

 

[Krajzen]

I like how both American units are rated as essentially worst unique units

 

[RohirrimElf]

Voted for the greek Hoplite. Easy spammable unit. No need to upgrade for a very long time ( no real need for swordsman (which also uses iron).

 

[stealth_nsk]

I like how both American units are rated as essentially worst unique units

But there are 2 of them

 

[Promethian]

I like how both American units are rated as essentially worst unique units

Because they come so late. America literally is at almost a pure disadvantage across the board until the modern age. The only early advantage they have is the faster legacy bonus buildup. That is nice but everybody else gets much more much sooner. By the time the American bonuses start to land everybody else will have leveraged their bonuses for most of the game.

This is a big part of why the Aztecs are getting the most votes in this thread. They get their advantage before everybody else by a long shot and it gives them a long lasting resource advantage with the builders.