Useless units

[BC Horizon]

Any ground unit, an engineer, a spy, an explorer, legion, whatever... Can take an unguarded enemy city...

Most useless Unit in my opinion: Crusaders. Basically, a Knight. There's not a tangible difference....

 

[Dark Ascendant]

Originally posted by BC Horizon
Any ground unit, an engineer, a spy, an explorer, legion, whatever... Can take an unguarded enemy city...

Most useless Unit in my opinion: Crusaders. Basically, a Knight. There's not a tangible difference....

What?!

knight: 4/2/2
Crusader: 5/1/2

Hell yes there's a difference. Crusaders are better attackers and knights can double as attackers or defenders. (although pikesmen can take the defense part)

Crusaders are like "catapults on horseback". They're NOT useless.

 

[dylandlr]

Originally posted by BC Horizon
Most useless Unit in my opinion: Crusaders. Basically, a Knight. There's not a tangible difference....

If I get Mono early enough, I'll build an entire corps of Crusaders - they can even take out musketeers in cities. With mettalurgy, they are a potent force. The trick is to avoid silly attacks a la 15/16th century France.

The more I think about it, the more useless Frigates become. Oddly, I rarely build cruise missiles, though I suspect this has more to do with my usually having effectively won the game by the time this is possible.

 

[jadelicia]

Just going back to what BC Horizon said earlier, how do spies take over unguarded cities? Whenever I move my spy into a city that is unguarded, I get a list of options, just as I would when the city is guarded. None of them say "take over city" or anything to that extent. The closest thing I can do with the spy is bribe the city and take it over, and why should I pay money to take over a city, when I could just move a different unit in and take it over? Anyways, if someone could explain how to take over cities with spies, I'd be gratified.

 

[funxus]

You don't capture a city with a spy, you'd incite a revolt like with a guarded city. However, I think they are half the price...

If you think about it, you really need to either make them like you (like with spies) or you'd need some armed forces that could oppress the people so that they won't revolt against you at first... This is a lot more obvious in civIII.

 

[Comrade Pedro]

Well, i think "taking" cities with spies is a almost unfair way to gain cities, because there is no real conquest and there is no real challange, don't you think?

 

[Old n Slow]

Use of Spies -- Rather than "no" challenge, perhaps it is simply a "different" challenge. One can spend coins & shields to acquire military units that acquire foreign cities or simply buy them -- make it an economic challenge as to cost incurred and gains realized.

On the knights vs crucs question -- there is another perspective -- tech paths taken. Why not throw Elephants in the question (4-1-1) -- available in only 3 techs. Once the Eles are on the job, science rolls on and ... what additional techs would it take to get the next improved unit? What side paths have to occur? What if one wasn't out for conquest, but after the peaceful path needed some punch -- what is the "easiest" unit to put on the job? A lot of folks swear by the crucs -- for many of the thoughts listed above.

 

[Comrade Pedro]

now, completely out of topic: how can you upagrade your units in civ2, without having the Leonardo's Workshop?

 

[Prof. Garfield]

Disband them into the modern unit production, or CAPTURE leo's ...

 

[Andu Indorin]

Hmm, generally speaking most units have their purposes. (And I'm always very amused by my nuclear-powered Frigates that I usually keep them around as "museum" pieces).

Off hand, I'd say one of the more useless units is the Legion -- which is surpring given their historical importance. But in the game, where combat tends to center more on attacking cities rather than battles in other terrain, one tends to rely on Elephants/Knights/Crusaders and Catapults for offensive action; with Phalanxes and Pikemen for "cheaper" defensive support. I don't think I've ever bothered to build a legion ...

 

[Dark Ascendant]

Don't forget the chariot. They had their place in Civ 1, but then elephants came along and made them USELESS.

 

[Colincivmaster]

The most useless unit in the game is by far the stealth bomber. I dont know if anyone agrees with me but its true. They can only attack once a turn, they cost a LOT and all you have to do to destroy them is send out a stealth fighter which by me, is the best unit in the game. One time, a long time ago i was playing i think in warlord and i attacked a enemy rifleman with my stealth bomber. When my turn was over, the enemy took down my stealth bomber with an OLD fighter. Proof the stealth bombers suck. All you need is SAM or a figher or 2 in your cities to fight against them.

 

[jadelicia]

I must agree a little with you on Bombers. The fact they can only attack once in a turn and cannnot escape to base makes them have quite the disadvantage. I love stlth. fighters too

 

[Colincivmaster]

yeah stealth fighters are the best! They cost very little and they can attack multiple times

 

[M37]

Most useless unit?

Elephent, - don't think I've ever bothered with them thogh I Don't usualy fight wars untill I get Gunpowder then I go to town with musketeers and Dragoons, Cannons ect.

 

[Dark Ascendant]

Originally posted by M37
Most useless unit?

Elephent, - don't think I've ever bothered with them thogh I Don't usualy fight wars untill I get Gunpowder then I go to town with musketeers and Dragoons, Cannons ect.

By the time you get gunpowder, everyone has city walls already. Elephants do have a purpose, because after the walls, conquests get a lot more tricky, until ironclads, spies, howies and sth. fighters.

 

[Dark Ascendant]

double post

 

[jadelicia]

I have to agree with M37. I like to wait until later in the game before waging a lot of war. I do a little bit in the beginning, but not much. Earlier on, it's harder to cross big distances to an enemy if they're further away.

 

[SVAndrei]

It's way cooler to fight a war using tanks, aircraft, carriers than using phalanx, legions etc. My opinion...

 

[Prof. Garfield]

Originally posted by Dark Ascendant
By the time you get gunpowder, everyone has city walls already. Elephants do have a purpose, because after the walls, conquests get a lot more tricky, until ironclads, spies, howies and sth. fighters.

Not all the time. The stay in despot succesion game that I'm playing has japs that don't know masonry, and gunpowder is common knowlage...