Upgrade or Delete

[johncross21]

I seem to recall that in early versions of CIV there was a reward for disabanding units

I don't like deleting units but it seems very expensive to upgrade. Its usually cheaper to build from scratch. Also as you go through the game you get barracks, wonders or instructors who give additional bonuses to new troops

Only things worth upgrading are specialised units - Catapults with accuracy promotions

However I may be wrong - perhaps you have a strategy for promotions which makes veterans invaluable ?

 

[KMadCandy]

i upgrade units that can't get the promotions they have in the new-build-from-scratch type. like axemen/macemen can get city raider, gunpowder units can't. city raider grenadiers/redcoats/you name it are awesome. mounted troops can get medic but gunships can't, and i love a gunship medic or two for the movement range.

that type of thing is the "specialized units" for me. for cats with accuracy promotions i often don't even bother to upgrade those. it takes a round or two longer with cats than cannon, but they get the job done. so if i'm on a tight budget i start with what i have as far as cats, and make new better siege weapons and promote those to acc during the war, instead of upgrading the vets.

before red cross (if i ever get that far), troops that i make specifically to be medics i don't upgrade on purpose, so that they won't be chosen to defend the stack. they're purely support the way i play, they're not allowed to fight. not everybody does it that way.

 

[InvisibleStalke]

Highly promoted veterans are definitely worth promoting - eg CR 3 axes can eventually become CR3 infantry - which you cannot build.

Troops that get only their initial promotions are not really worth upgrading - building from new is generally cheaper. Its rare I would delete them though - they get to fight and can garrison cities. If they eventually get promoted they might be worth upgrading.

 

[Syndrome Zed]

Heck, I've had warriors garrisoning my capital during the modern era in a couple games. I can just hear it too - "CITIZENS OF ROME, SAY HELLO TO YOUR CURRENT MILITARY GOVERNOR - OGG. OGG WILL NOW EXPLAIN THE RULES OF THE ADMINISTRATION:"
Ogg - "Grrrah. Uhn-uhn."
"COMMANDER OGG HAS SAID ALL CITIZENS MUST GO HUNT MASTODONS."

 

[Solo4114]

Do you still get the gold/hammers bonus of disbanding a unit in a city, though? I can't recall if that's still the case. My hunch is that you just lose the unit altogether and that's that.

 

[PublicEnemy]

i upgrade units that can't get the promotions they have in the new-build-from-scratch type. like axemen/macemen can get city raider, gunpowder units can't. city raider grenadiers/redcoats/you name it are awesome. mounted troops can get medic but gunships can't, and i love a gunship medic or two for the movement range.

that type of thing is the "specialized units" for me. for cats with accuracy promotions i often don't even bother to upgrade those. it takes a round or two longer with cats than cannon, but they get the job done. so if i'm on a tight budget i start with what i have as far as cats, and make new better siege weapons and promote those to acc during the war, instead of upgrading the vets.

before red cross (if i ever get that far), troops that i make specifically to be medics i don't upgrade on purpose, so that they won't be chosen to defend the stack. they're purely support the way i play, they're not allowed to fight. not everybody does it that way.

Upgrading CRIII Macemen to Grenadiers is a definite. If you get Chemistry early enough they are just devastating.

I love Chemistry.

 

[manu-fan]

I usually go:

Swordsman -> Maceman -> Grenadier -> Infantry.

Also:

Trebucet -> Cannon

and

Knight -> Cavalry

and

Trireme -> Caravel -> Frigate

Indeed, I upgrade a lot.

I make money trough capturing cities, unbuild wonders, Great Merchants, trading for techs etc, and use that money to upgrade.

Cheers.

 

[Bruce Leee]

I find myself moving older un-promoted (or outdated promotions) units back to inner cities and any new or older promoted unites to border cities to garrison. that way the new units with all the new shinny weapons and any initial xp go out to meet up with the attacking stacks. And your least protected cites are your inner cities and the border cities might not have the newest troops but if you get invaded unexpectedly you can upgrade in a pinch and still have ok defenders.

First post, hope it helps or gives you another idea.

 

[Ecofarm]

Lately I have been trying to generate an artist and merchant for the earliest (or second) war. I begin about 10 turns before I expect to take a capital. I go caste system, quickly generate an artist, and run max merchants in another city (I do not usually stay in caste for the merchant to finish, I just use the points to generate one when I need to upgrade the vets. I use the artist to culture bomb - there is a big difference between a city pressed by foreign culture and fatcross +1, when population is 8+. I generally create the great work and then change to slavery to whip a courthouse/library. I almost never delete; I use a great merchant if I overestimate the number of units needed for a war.

 

[mice]

About upgrade or delete, it can be a good idea to delete to lose the upkeep cost. Old archers and warriors can go without any effect on your power rating.

If it's clear that the situation is stable I usually delete old axes, even pikes and crossbows and maces. It helps the econ in the late game.