scarchers

[civzombie]

I really like it when my scouts get upgraded with more advanced weaponry.

The resulting unit retains the movement bonuses of a scout (can move over rough terrain w/o penalty, possibly others), while getting to shoot. Since these are fundamentally different than archers, but based on scouts, I call them scarchers. You can even get scrossbowmen or slongbowmen if you get the upgrade twice.

Anyone know any promotions to make a normal archer equivilant to a scarcher?

 

[CYZ]

There are no such promotions.

I've never seen a slongbowmen or scrossbowmen but that seems like a mighty powerfull unit to have in the ancient era =O

 

[the streak]

I've had a Scho-Ko-Nu, shoots twice, or moves through forest to shoot, or shoots then retreats! Soon to be a Smechanized Infantry with 4 moves over all terrain.

 

[CYZ]

I've had a Scho-Ko-Nu, shoots twice, or moves through forest to shoot, or shoots then retreats! Soon to be a Smechanized Infantry with 4 moves over all terrain.

Shooting and retreating is is awesome
Now that with the +1 movement is like

 

[S.K. Ren]

Scouts need to have an upgraded form. Hell, I'd gladly pay 500g to upgrade to an archer the normal way.

 

[Lyoncet]

I almost had a scechinized infantry last game, but it got taken out by by a Rifleman who I didn't realize was an upgraded Minuteman who moved over a hill tile to take out my schu-ko-nu. I seriously thought the computer had literally cheated to take it out before I figured out that it was a former minuteman.

I was so freakin' angry!

 

[Nunya]

Anyone know any promotions to make a normal archer equivilant to a scarcher?

None. The closest is the Woodmsan promotion (requires Drill III or Shock III) which doubles movement in forests and jungles, but that's only available to melee and gun units.

Otherwise American Minutemen have flat terrain movement cost, but that has the downside of making roads useless.

 

[SeptimusOctopus]

Scarchers are absolutely excellent, mainly because they allow your scout to avoid becoming useless later in the game. Also, an archer who can move onto a hill and then fire in the same turn is always a plus.

 

[Paeanblack]

If you want to play with scarchers, pick an archipelago map with a high water level and beeline ocean travel. You'll find a ton of unexplored ruins.

If you manage to get a few scout promotions before it becomes a scarcher, that unit becomes absolutely brutal. A rifleman with +50% defense, +1 healing (stacks with medic) is quite the monster.

 

[Paeanblack]

Otherwise American Minutemen have flat terrain movement cost, but that has the downside of making roads useless.

According to yesterday's patch announcement, this has been fixed. Minutemen no longer march in the roadside ditch.