Ranking the Unique Units

[LastMan]

I did my best to rank all unique units.

I played several different civilizations at Regent and Monarch levels. I did not play all civilizations and I don't know how Multiplayer will affect usefulness of the Unique Units. By now I have the following ranking table for UU, which I'll be happy to edit after some of your input.

(From the most useful to the worthless)

• Samurai
  middle age conquest, nice timing for GA
• Immortal
  great in the early conquests (important for the continental maps)
• War Elephant
  middle age conquest, nice timing for the GA
• Panzer
  late conquest, crush infantries with the ease of tanks and speed of modern armors
• Mounted Warrior, War Chariot
  early conquest/exploration
• Rider, Cossack
  middle age conquest, nice timing for the GA
• Jaguar Warrior
  early exploration, scout with attack/defence
• Musketeer
  nice timing for the GA
• Hoplite
  good defence against Immortals and barbarians.
• Bowman, Legion, Impi
  insignificant improvements with respect to the regular units, become obsolete early, timing for the GA is awful
• Man-o-War
  worthless in general
• F-15
  did anyone ever have them? Use them?

 

[napoleon526]

In my last game, I destroyed the aztecs and the french with samurai and nothing else. They combine offenisive strength, defensive strength, mobility, and the ability to withdraw from combat. It would definitely get my vote for best UU.

Maybe this is just my experience, but fighting the germans I haven't had much trouble with panzers. If attacked by veteran tanks, they will most likely still lose. As the germans, they haven't been much of a factor, although increased attack strength is nice.

 

[Justus II]

I actually had a low opinion of the Musketeers before my current game, I thought adding an attack point to a defensive unit was a waste. But actually, it came in very handy. Middle Ages was a great time for the Golden Age, I completed J.S. Bachs, Smiths Trading, Wall Street and my Forbidden Palace in four different cities! (It dawned on me, the GA is in effect the only way to "Rush" a Wonder, other than a great leader, and the GA can affect multiple cities!) Since it is in the upgrade path, you have lots of them (I think I had like 39 pikemen waiting to upgrade), and they then go to Riflemen. (That, to me, is the biggest drawback of the Legion/Immortal/etc.) The extra attack point, although not great, was still a good supplement to the knights etc, gave them the same attack strength as a Swordsmen, but better defense. Several cities, after a bombardment and several attacks with knights, were down to the last defender and a Musketeer, who had been defending the catapults/cannons, finished him off. I never would have tried that with a musketman.

 

[LastMan]

I've edited the table a bit, let's see if it is better now...

I am almost certain that attacking units with improved speed/attack/defense (in that sequence) are better than defending units with improved S/A/D. Also the timing for the GA is important.

 

[Sargon of Akkad]

You can upgrade hoplites. They're the best defenders against immortals in the early ages.

 

[LastMan]

Done Hoplites are now a level up.

Why can't I post polls?

 

[allhailIndia]

I would say that Elephants are the best unique unit. The GA comes in good time and they can hold the cities as well without waiting for backup. Next on the list would be the Samurai, followed by the handy Immortal.

I agree that Man' O war sucks

 

[LastMan]

Because it is a second vote to upgrade Samurai, and because you were not impressed with Panzers, Samurai are now the best UU. One more vote for Immortals and I will downgrade Panzers even more.

I upgraded War Elephants, but because it is just one vote for them they are not the best UU yet.

 

[LaRo]

It would be more simple if you have made a poll.

 

[trot]

Egyptian can take early lead even in deity level with war carriorts rush(it only cost 20shield instead of 30 for horseman). Awesome upgrade path, and those not upgraded units can be used as city police and counter offensive units effectively. Early golden age is not a bad thing because in Civ once you take the lead AIs would never catch up. Also with the wonders rushed with leaders the AIs are crippled because they are denied to those wonders. Just don't research horseback riding because you will be forced to build expensive horseman instead of war carriors if you have got the golden age and have horseback riding.

Panzer comes too late in the game, at that stage the balance should already be broken 99% of the time. No AI could defend against an attack force with 50-100 artilleries, some infantry support, some tanks to clear badly damaged enemy units and a few settlers to build new cities to claim railroads for slow units. Panzer would be cool with the multiple attack per round, but it does not matter much because I rarely lose my tanks and always run short of infantries to hold new cities.

 

[Beam]

War Elephants do the job! I play a lot as India so gathered some experience.

On Panzer, the stats are nice but usually the Germans are extinct before they can even start to think of Panzers. On the other hand the Germans in real history have produced more units that gave them a competitative edge. Do not recall names right know but the Prussians produced a gun that could be loaded 5 times faster than the Austrians ones. Also the German Teutonian knights had a good advantage in the middle ages.

 

[God]

Beameuppy i believe that was the Needle Rifle or something like that. It was around in the mid-1800's and helped Prussia win the wars against France and Austria.

 

[Beam]

I guess that is the one. It was a similar revolution like the way Americains standardized rifles (Winchesters if I remember well) to facilitate mass production. This was in the same era as the Needle Guns btw. The effect was different however: the Germans had a superior weapon, the Americains a good weapon produced and supported in masses.

Anyone for specifics on Teutonic knights?

 

[LastMan]

I updated the table once again.

It is true that Panzers do not do much good to the AIs. However, when played by humans it is the most powerful unit. I believe it will be more appreciated in MP edition, where Germans and Japanese will be the most popular civs.

 

[Beam]

IMHO Man-O-War goes of the scale. Pity, since the premises are not that bad. It comes to little to late...........................

 

[Mavfin]

I was able to use this to put my GA when I wanted it...I had missed the Wonders I needed to start the GA for the English, so when I was ready to attack with Inf/Cav/Arty in the Industrial Age, I found an obliging Chinese Ironclad to attack with a stack of 3 Men-O-War, and kicked off my GA at the start of the war, and took over the world...a domination victory on a huge map!

 

[Beam]

 

[No.Dice]

Nobody thinks the mounted warrior belongs up there with the immortal?

A two move swordsman, will usually retreat before it dies, and doesn't need the massive road network that the other early units do to reach the enemy capital quickly. It was pretty much the imbalanced unit prior to 1.17. Horses are generally easier to connect than iron is also, being on plains/grass.

They'll always beat immortals to the enemy doorstep and consequentially will have less defending spearmen to deal with. Makes up for its slightly lower attack IMO.

Being expansionist and religious compliments this perfectly allowing you to grab the two techs earlier, and getting your cities to size 5-6 (assuming 1 luxury) early and being able to produce them in 3-4 turns. A top pick for every difficulty level.


I didn't expect to see such a strong showing for the war elephant. If i don't have iron/horses by the time they roll around i've usually lost the game anyway. Very rarely am i in a position where i can't take iron from a neighbor, or at worst, import it. If not i got a very lousy starting position and am confined to tributing the AI until the industrial age anyway.

 

[LastMan]

I updated the table once again, having upgraded War Elephant and Mounted Warrior.

I understand that the UUs are unique in their own ways. I just want to find out which Civ gets more advantages from its UU.

Killing your opponents early is very good, but it may not be feasible even with early UUs. You may be stuck on an island or your enemy gets musketman before you have a big army of UUs at his doors...

While choice of UU may depend on the choice of the map, and the enemy civs, what UU would you choose in Multiplayer on a random map? Certainly not a Hoplite or a Bowman, right?

 

[chiefpaco]

I seem to like a lot of the ones you put near the bottom. I think there are 3 key attributes of the UU:

- Longevity
- Improvement
- Timing

You seem to favour Timing, but I think it might be least important. Many would argue the best GA is Samurai-time, but getting it a bit earlier isn't all that bad. I'd argue that getting it a little later is worse because a lot of the game may be decided.

A few of my impressions:

- Bowman. Yes, not the greatest. But, a flexible unit early means you don't have to build spearmen and archers (and have to research Warrior Code). Those that are injured are left behind. Those that are strong go forward. I think you gain a bit of speed attacking this way. I'd still keep it about where it is on your list though.

- Hoplite. Very good. Ever took out Greece early? In a MP game, I think a good early expansion is almost guaranteed with Hoplites protecting your borders. They are also good defenders until cavalry come along -> half the game. Greece also starts the game with it in their queue.

- Legions. Same flexibility reasoning Bowman. Similar defense longevity reasoning as Hoplite.

- War elephant. Same stats as the knights. Why is this so good? Iron & horses have been visible for so long so if you don't have them, you have tons of time to get it.

- Mounted Warrior. 3 mobile attack can rule the world very quickly. I think most offensive types put this beast at the top of their list.

- Impi. Haven't played Zulu yet. But, you can escort horsemen, move & pillage, stop enemy horsemen from retreating & move to your front lines quickly. I think some might put this near the top.

- F-15. Poor. However, if you haven't triggered a GA yet, now's the time! Why not go for a Space victory with the extra shields! Unfortunately, you'll have to go to war.

Anyway, that's what I think. There's a good case for almost all of them, especially in certain situations. But it's fun comparing.