The Cossack Blitz

[Fiddlin Nero]

So I'm trying to work my way through the Unique Units, slow process; currently playing the Russians trying the Cossack Blitz (an attack on each of the three possible moves in a turn) and of course it doesn't work. But wait, it works as an army, bit of surprise and almost didn't try it. Can anyone step up and see if vanilla is like this, I'm playing PTW. I assume Conquest has blitz with a single unit since Lonewolf's reference files say it does??

So is anyone aware of other Unique Unit hidden abilities? The Cossack Blitz is not mentioned in the civilipedia that comes with my edition.

 

[CKS]

Armies can always blitz if they have extra movement. In vanilla and PTW the cossack doesn't blitz; it has an extra point of defense instead.

 

[vmxa]

I cannot recall, if the Cossack always had blitz or not. I can say that you can attack with a single Cossack for each move. You have to have more than one move left to attack more than once.

It is not a real useful ability as you seldom will be in a position to attack more than once anyway. If you are attacking damaged units or settlers/workers, than fine. Even swords will be hard on the third attack, will need a friendly rng.

 

[Spoonwood]

It is not a real useful ability as you seldom will be in a position to attack more than once anyway. If you are attacking damaged units or settlers/workers, than fine. Even swords will be hard on the third attack, will need a friendly rng.

I've heard other people say this, but in some of my recent games with just cavalry at Deity and Sid, after shellacking enemy units with cannons, I keep wanting more attacks from my cavalry. Like a 4/5 elite or a 3/5 elite against a 1/3 pike or maybe a 2/4 medieval infantry, well I can probably win those battle (haven't done calculations). Of course you did qualify what you said, but I just mean to point out that it really depends (as you pointed out also). Not that I'd expect to find such useful for attacking cities in general at higher levels, even combined with artillery... e. g. I wouldn't expect to have a 4/4 Cossack win once against a 1/4 rifle without losing 1, 2, or 3 hitpoints and then defeat another 1/3 rifle. And the Cossack's blitz ability comes as ultimately useless in armies, since armies already have it. But, combined with a good trebuchet/cannon/artillery proper stack(s) Cossacks in the right hands surely have an advantage in

1. producing the first MGL if you didn't get one before Military Tradition... which if I didn't get one before Military Tradition, I find very important in war-type games

2. producing more MGLs... also useful and important imo

3. picking off all "stray" units (units not in cities) and obselete units which perhaps you've gotten the AI to empty from their territory via miliary alliances faster.

 

[sk8boardbob2]

In a recent Spaceship game of mine, Cossacks were very useful is defending my territory. The AI would send small packs of muskets, longbows and MDI from the other side of the continent. I would redline them with bombers and sweep up with Cossacks for MGLs. A small handful of Cossacks could guard the border and I ended getting more leaders than I have in any other game.

 

[puwen]

So I'm trying to work my way through the Unique Units, slow process; currently playing the Russians trying the Cossack Blitz (an attack on each of the three possible moves in a turn) and of course it doesn't work. But wait, it works as an army, bit of surprise and almost didn't try it. Can anyone step up and see if vanilla is like this, I'm playing PTW. I assume Conquest has blitz with a single unit since Lonewolf's reference files say it does??

So is anyone aware of other Unique Unit hidden abilities? The Cossack Blitz is not mentioned in the civilipedia that comes with my edition.

In Vanilla and PTW the Cossack had an extra defense point (6-4-3) instead of ( 6-3-3).

In Conquest they changed it to a 6-3-3 unit with blitz.

 

[vmxa]

Spoonwood I am not sure why you qoute my line and then proceed to state the exception in it? You surely can get more than one attack, if you are hitting damaged units or very weak units. That is what I said.

The thing is that is not going to be all that common in most games. What does all that imply? That there are exceptions, no kidding. Yeah I have managed to get in multiple attacks with them, under the right circumstances.

A general rule, means in general not in all case, hence there are exceptions. I did not omit that point.

 

[Spoonwood]

Spoonwood I am not sure why you qoute my line and then proceed to state the exception in it?

I just wanted a reference point. Sorry. And no you didn't omit that point.

I guess the trick lies in setting up a game which suits Cossacks well.

 

[Fiddlin Nero]

Armies can always blitz if they have extra movement. In vanilla and PTW the cossack doesn't blitz; it has an extra point of defense instead.

All armies may be able to blitz in C3C but in PTW, to my knowledge, only Tanks, Modern Armor and Cossacks(only in an army) can blitz. Anybody want to speak from current experience about vanilla, I'm very curious.

I can see how C3C allowing all armies to blitz really reduces the advantages of the Cossack, but again in Vanilla?? and PTW it is significant because it is the first chance to blitz.

 

[Lord Emsworth]

All armies may be able to blitz in C3C but in PTW, to my knowledge, only Tanks, Modern Armor and Cossacks(only in an army) can blitz. Anybody want to speak from current experience about vanilla, I'm very curious.

All armies with two or more movement points can blitz as of C3 1.29f. It might have been different in earlier versions.

 

[CKS]

In vanilla and PTW, you don't get an extra movement point when you make an army, so your blitz opportunities are somewhat limited. Also you don't get to pillage for free. These may make it less likely for someone to notice that they can blitz.

 

[darski]

i am pretty sure that you could blitz in vanilla. I'll do a quick look-see and get back if I am wrong on this. but I played vanilla until recently and I recall that being useful...

there's no fool like an old fool

this from the pedia onsite here

The Cossack is an upgraded version of the cavalry. Like cavalry, it requires both horses and saltpeter to build, but it also adds an additional point of defense to an already formidable set of combat statistics. With their high movement rates, deadly offensive capability, and solid defensive rating, the Cossack is a unit you don't want to tangle with

 

[Spoonwood]

Does the Cossack get the auto-promote if it wins two times in a row? In the same turn?

 

[puwen]

Does the Cossack get the auto-promote if it wins two times in a row? In the same turn?

Yes, all units got that.

 

[Lanzelot]

Does the Cossack get the auto-promote if it wins two times in a row? In the same turn?

As puwen already pointed out, all units have that ability. However, most units don't have blitz, so can't attack twice in the same row... In these cases you can try and set up something as follows:

• You know that an opponent has only weak attacking units.
• You have a strong attack unit with decent defense (e.g a Knight)
• Move your unit onto hill/forest/mountain and attack
• If you keep at least 3 hitpoints, fortify. Otherwise retreat.
• Hope that in the interturn the AI attacks with a weak unit and your unit survives this second battle.
• Voilá: automatic promotion to Elite!

The Roman Legion is very good at this. Knights as well.

Of course if the opponent has large stacks of counter-attacking units, this won't work, as your unit will probably not survive the 3rd, 4th or 5th counter-attack...

Lanzelot

 

[Lanzelot]

I just realize, that the above leads us back to Fiddlin Nero's original question:
In C3C the Cossack's main strength is leader fishing via the auto-promotion that can be achieved through blitz. In Civ/PTW the Cossack doesn't have blitz, but because of the increased defense value it will be good at the "attack/fortify/survive counter-attack" strategy and can be used for leader fishing that way...! (Though this is more difficult to setup.)

Lanzelot

 

[Spoonwood]

As puwen already pointed out, all units have that ability. However, most units don't have blitz, so can't attack twice in the same row... In these cases you can try and set up something as follows:
You know that an opponent has only weak attacking units.
You have a strong attack unit with decent defense (e.g a Knight)
Move your unit onto hill/forest/mountain and attack
If you keep at least 3 hitpoints, fortify. Otherwise retreat.
Hope that in the interturn the AI attacks with a weak unit and your unit survives this second battle.
Voilá: automatic promotion to Elite!
The Roman Legion is very good at this. Knights as well.

That's an interesting strategy. Another idea consists of

1. Using a bunch artillery to bombard a weak defensive (warrior, archer, longbow, maybe even spear or sword) unit to 1/n status.

2. The cossack attacks and wins, hopefully with no hp lost, or only one.

3. Then it finds another unit similarly bombarded down to 1/n status and attack it for promotion, hopefully it still has three hitpoints.

4. Find another unit similarly bombarded down to 1/n status and attack it fishing for a leader.

 

[Kariga]

So let me get this straight: You are guaranteed to get a Great Leader if you attack and win twice in a row with the same elite unit?

And the only units that can do this are C3C Cossacks,Panzers and...Modern Armors?

 

[puwen]

So let me get this straight: You are guaranteed to get a Great Leader if you attack and win twice in a row with the same elite unit?

And the only units that can do this are C3C Cossacks,Panzers and...Modern Armors?

No, you wont get a leader automaticly. thats still the same 1/12, 1/16, 1/32 chance depending on HE, attacking or defending.

The function we are talking about is a promotion as from Veteran to elite. That is guaranteed with 2 victories in the same turn.

All units can get 2 victory in the same turn (most only on the defense though).