Tactics, the sidestep

[pholtz]

Zoc is different in vi. When you enter zoc you cannot leave the zoc, but you can attack (if you have enough movement points left). This leads to the sidestep maneuver. If you start adjacent to an enemy, you may be able to sidestep then attack. This can save your unit in some instances and I do not see the let's play youtuber's using this as often as they should.

Another tactic, moving before promoting is also not being used at times. Again, it can often save your unit in tight situations. This is possible because you can promote as long as you have any movement left. Promoting uses all remaining movement, not all movement.

Combining these two may be possible, but I haven't seen anyone try it yet. That is, sidestepping, THEN promoting. I think this is possible, bit the civilopaedia entry on zoc's could be read to make this not possible. Has anyone seen anyone sidestepping then promoting (or trying to)?

 

[WiseGreen]

Quill18 noticed the move-then-promote thing, but mostly forgot to use it on various ocasions in his Rome playthrough. It's an habit thing, I guess.

 

[Browd]

For units that exert ZOC (e.g., melee but not ranged), when you enter that unit's ZOC tiles (shown with red highlighting on the tile), you cannot move any further (and can't even move backwards, out of the ZOC) on that turn (even if you otherwise have enough movement points). All you can do is attack the unit (if you have enough movement points to do even that) or, as others have noted, take an action that doesn't require full movement points (like select the promote option).

ZOC does not cross rivers, however, so a unit on the other side of a river from you does not exert ZOC. There is some indication that certain units (at least some horse units) can ignore ZOC.

 

[MadDjinn]

yeah, this will be an interesting change.

i can foresee an army forcing it's way past a broken front line to allow fresher units in the back row to take a stronger attack (flanking/etc) against the enemy that's now more surrounded, as well as getting more archers into position.

Also, if the 'front line' of the enemy is thin, then on the next turn, your front line units may be able to move beyond their units and start pillaging or attacking their archers (especially if using light horse units to force through).