The Nightwatch unit

[Alekseyev_]

So... does anyone find a use for the nightwatch unit to be actively constructed for any reason other than upgrading them to assassins to guarantee the Esus religion on those? As in what use does the actual unit itself have? The first one you get for free is nice, since you can spread Esus so easily with it, and afterwards it's an ok city defender if not upgraded. But for actively building them? Longbows come with the same tech and don't suffer from potential poison resistances/immunities.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Isn't the nightwatch hidden nationality? That alone can be huge.

 

[Alekseyev_]

Right, that's a good point, though they can't re-mask after declaring nationality like Esus assassins or shadows can.
And HN is completely useless in multiplayer :/

 

[Calavente]

for me they are useful for Ljos as they have higher attack than longbows... but few people attack with archers in general so it's a minor point

 

[Alekseyev_]

But they don't?
Longbow: 5/6
Nightwatch 3+2 Poison, so 5/5.
For Ljos 6/6 and 6/5 respectively.

Edit: Is there actually anything vulnerable to poison? I know elves are vulnerable to cold, a bunch of things have vulnerable to fire promotion and metal weapons (except mithril) bring vulnerability to lightning.
The "poisoned" promotion would be nice if only it wouldn't mean that the enemy survived the contact in the first place. The only real use is a shadowrider with high withdrawal, but those have so much power that they can win most fights outright.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

I don't play MP so I can't comment on that but poison is a decent way of making sure your weak unit screws over an enemy hero or something. And playing against the AI HN can give you a lot of striking power if used correctly. I am not sure any more what the tech requirements on them are. Can you maybe get them earlier than longbows?

 

[Calavente]

You are right...
I expect I might have been biaised by modmods that change the values.
their only str is the poison (to cripple mounted units that successively retreat after attacking) and being HN.
however that leaves them much weaker that LB....

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Than again they are a missionary unit that can defend it self. So there is that.

 

[Alekseyev_]

I guess I figured out one use. You can use it to snipe Loki while he's sitting in one of your cities doing his usual thing. Due to being in the city, his 100% withdrawal chance won't come to play, and you don't need to go to war (thus ejecting him from your borders) to kill him.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Sniping in general is the name of the game here. Missionaries, workers, settlers, really anything that can't defend it self is fair game. And against the AI you can just march your army into their territory and do a lot of damage vs their soft and squishy units without declaring war.