unit promotions in native villages

[oldtimer]

Can I send a military unit to a native village to receive training in the specific promotion that tribe offers? If I can, how? I tried moving a unit into the village and clicking the education icon, but was only offerred to have the unit trained as an expert farmer, trader, etc.

 

[Droknar]

It depends on what you mean by "military unit". If you make your own miltary units (by profession assignment) from free colonists, indentured servants, or petty criminals, then (yes) you can always train them at Indian camps. And you don't even have to ask them to put down their firearms to do it. Pioneers that you make yourself from free colonists, etc, likewise, can be trained at all Indian camps.

Dock military units however, can not be trained further at Indian camps because they are already considered specialists. If you clear a specialist's profession then they become a free colonist again, which you can train at an Indian camp, or school in your town's educational building.

 

[oldtimer]

I hate to sound like an idiot, but here goes. I moved a military unit I trained ( provided a free colonist with arms and horses) into a native village. What do I do next? I tried leaving them there for a few turns, but no indication of a free promotion. I tried clicking the education icon in the village, but was only given the option to train the unit as an expert farmer.

So the question remains; How to I get the unit a free promotion in a native village?

Help!

 

[dalgo]

You can only get training in a village, not promotion.

 

[HermannLombard]

...and you can only get promotions by combat or by FF, and you can't produce veterans by training or education, you can only acquire them in Europe.

[Minor addendum: you can also get promotions by cashing in a Great General.]

 

[oldtimer]

Thanks for the info. This is what I thought, but kept seeing the invitation by native chieftian to stay in village and natives would teach their way of combat. The civilepedia also indicates the natives provide free promotions - maybe for their own natives.

Oh Well! back to the old fashion way, earn your promotions by fighting for them!

 

[dalgo]

Thanks for the info. This is what I thought, but kept seeing the invitation by native chieftian to stay in village and natives would teach their way of combat. The civilepedia also indicates the natives provide free promotions - maybe for their own natives.

Oh Well! back to the old fashion way, earn your promotions by fighting for them!

Yes, if you are the first to visit a native village there is a random chance that they will 'teach you their ways of combat'. This is a bonus similar to gold, treasure or maps. In this case your colonist will get +5 exp, or +7 exp for a seasoned scout, and that may well trigger a new promotion for that unit (in the case of my scouts I alway take Explorer I and II).

The Civilopedia entry indicates what free promotions the braves of that tribe will receive, and when you are fighting against them it is handy to know where their strengths are.

 

[prolefeed]

FWIW -- the time to train a unit in a native village starts out incredibly fast for the first unit trained in a given village, and then gets longer in a hurry.

Cannon fodder tip -- once the initial stage of the game is over, get missions placed in every native village on the map. When the village creates a converted native, have that native train in the village, even if it is a skill you don't need, since then you will quickly create a unit that can be turned into a soldier.