What Civ UAs, UUs etc are you hoping get changed?

[Hulking Lummox]

That's just the nature of Civ though. Some civs are better than others. It sounds to me like people want America to either be the best of their civ comparables, or altered enough where they are more unique. Neither of which are realistic expectations at this point in the Civ 5 process

I understand your sentiments. America isn't meant to be 100% domination focused. But its UA for example is kind of a relic by this point as it really does not benefit any of the victory conditions. With your first and second cities it can be useful. For the rest of the game it is a minor convenience that you weigh against "ehh I think I'll let city number 13 do it's own border thing and spend money on a unit or building instead."

Small anecdote here and then back to the point: In another thread I posted a big suggestion about a revised American UA. It was all about being able to liberate the cities that follow opposing ideologies into brand new CS's (and even into mega-huge CS's if you want). There are even fun ways it could go wrong like if the enemy coups the CS for example or uses gunboat diplomacy to turn it back to being allied with them (or they reconquer it, etc). You could supply the CS with troops via arsenal of freedom for example. I feel like something like that UA is an interesting mechanic for any American VC or Ideology. As a creative person I am very intrigued by upping the ante with all of the old civs as part of this whole process. For me I just enjoy imagining the game differently than the last 1300 hours of gameplay, whether it happens or not I guess.

 

[JokerJace]

I'll agree with you on Germany and Japan. I don't really care for them. But for America I disagree

+1 Sight: You need to know what the enemy is doing. For that you will recruit scouts anyway, since later in the game they start with 2~3 promotions and slapping scouting on scouts is more than enough, especially when sending them on mountains for overwatch. Usually there is no crucial information gained beyond that. If you don't need scouts, you are facing an inferior enemy anyway, because that is the only situation when intel about his general troop movements is not vital. And in that case you really don't need +1 sight. And Artillery Units cant see through Jungle/Forest/Hills with +1 sight anyway, so you need units beyond that areas anyway. Otherwise they can shoot as far as they see, even when not playing America.
conclusion: unneccessary

50% tile discount: You settle close to your opponent and you only have exactly enough gold to purchase that one crucial tile you need at 50% discount because you know he would get it soon. All this while you are NOT almost at war with said opponent, because then the ownership of the tile would be decided by other means anyway. I have played enough Civ V to know this will happen MAYBE in 1 out of 100 games. And in any other case it is VERY unlikely to get you a siginificant disadvantage to wait a few turns or spend 45 more gold.
conclusion: unneccessary

B-17: just terrible... do I really need to explain?

And for all that you get an okay musketman replacement. One of so many paralleled musketman replacements and beaten by even more replacements of other units... Cho Ku Nos, Longbowmen, Keshiks, Rams, Horse Archers, Caroleans...

And that's why America is bad.

 

[Hulking Lummox]

Good points Jokerface. Regarding tile buying from under another civ's nose that is very true. You're not really going to get a peacetime worker out to improve the resource you bought from next to an enemy. No, you're going to get in a war, at best buy a tile for closer healing, and then if you do not capture the enemy city for some reason you'll just citadel steal the tile anyways to save GPT from having extra generals and to fortify your border.

But I do like B17s. Late-game though they may be, evasion and quick-in-coming air repair is monstrous. Or you just get promotion buildings and really stomp faces.

 

[JokerJace]

Good points Jokerface. Regarding tile buying from under another civ's nose that is very true. You're not really going to get a peacetime worker out to improve the resource you bought from next to an enemy. No, you're going to get in a war, at best buy a tile for closer healing, and then if you do not capture the enemy city for some reason you'll just citadel steal the tile anyways to save GPT from having extra generals and to fortify your border.

But I do like B17s. Late-game though they may be, evasion and quick-in-coming air repair is monstrous. Or you just get promotion buildings and really stomp faces.

There is a rule of thumb that goes like this: "the later a UX kicks in, the better it has to be in comparison to what it replaces". This is for example why Äthiopias Stele is considered way better than Indonesias Candi, although it only provides a fraction of its potential bonus. That rule is even more true for Unique Units. Being unlocked at radar and being slightly better at something a regular bomber can do without much effort, just makes this one of the worst units of the whole game. Maybe next to the Panzer and the Zero for very similar reasons.

 

[OmniPotent42]

+1 to America, Japan, Germany and Netherland changes. Changes to Austria, Byzantine and others will have to be done carefully, though.

 

[Yzman]

America is fantastic in the age of artillery. Artillery with no limited sight? YES PLEASE.

 

[codepoet]

America's UA is fine if the B17 were a decent UU. The UA is a passive ability, so it's hard to notice that you're taking advantage of it to quantify its value. Now the B17's abilities are nice, but it just comes too late so the bonus really is unimpressive. By that point in the game, Civs are well established and armies are large. A late UU loses its sheen because it's unique ability still does not overcome the basic equivalent that's promoted already (this is the problem with aircraft in general... they're a new line in the late game... why invest that much when you can faceroll will promoted helicopters, tanks and infantry instead?
It's possible that the expanded late game content from BNW will make late game UU's more significant... so I will not freak out or something if they just keep America as it is. However if late game UUs are insignificant still, I think they should:
Replace the B17 with a UB for America...

The Town Hall. This would replace the Colosseum, provide +2 Happiness (like Colosseum does), +1 culture, and also provide +1 Gold per specialist in the city.

What makes America unique is not some special airplane (don't get me wrong, I think B17s are cool awesome)... what makes America unique is its Constitution and Declaration of Independence; created by some seriously brilliant and amazing thinkers: the "founding fathers"; they're not really represented in any way in this game and that makes me sad. So a town hall sort of picks up on that a bit (that and we don't really have "colosseums" in Amercia). Most towns in America started with a town hall and a church. The founding fathers met in Independence Hall - Philadelphia's town hall. The Revolution was plotted in such places as Faneuil Hall in Boston, etc.

My .02

 

[Ulthwithian]

There is a rule of thumb that goes like this: "the later a UX kicks in, the better it has to be in comparison to what it replaces". This is for example why Äthiopias Stele is considered way better than Indonesias Candi, although it only provides a fraction of its potential bonus. That rule is even more true for Unique Units. Being unlocked at radar and being slightly better at something a regular bomber can do without much effort, just makes this one of the worst units of the whole game. Maybe next to the Panzer and the Zero for very similar reasons.

I would amend your statement as follows: 'The later a UB occurs, the better it has to be...' because almost all Building output stacks. Also, the reason that the Candi is not as good as the Stele is that not only is it later, but it also may produce 0 Faith and may still have the fresh water restriction.

E.g., if the Stele gave the normal +2 Culture and '+2 Faith for each Religion with a Follower in this City', Ethiopia's position in the game would be FAR different.

I also think you're underestimating the +1 Sight they get.

Now, note that I don't play America, but not because I don't think they're strong, but because they're bland.

 

[SnowKomodo]

Also, the reason that the Candi is not as good as the Stele is that not only is it later, but it also may produce 0 Faith and may still have the fresh water restriction.

I think you meant to say "may produce 0 faith if there is no fresh water nearby"

NOT "may produce 0 faith and may still have the fresh water restriction"

Two very different meanings

 

[JokerJace]

The Town Hall. This would replace the Colosseum, provide +2 Happiness (like Colosseum does), +1 culture, and also provide +1 Gold per specialist in the city.

This would historically not make any sense to unlock in the ancient era. Also the name is quite generic and would fit any civ.

I would amend your statement as follows: 'The later a UB occurs, the better it has to be...' because almost all Building output stacks.

I agree, but this also means, later UUs have to be even more powerful.

E.g., if the Stele gave the normal +2 Culture and '+2 Faith for each Religion with a Follower in this City', Ethiopia's position in the game would be FAR different.

Ethiopias position? You realize they are considered competetive high tier?

I also think you're underestimating the +1 Sight they get.

Can you make this out on specific points? Maybe reference what I was criticising about it?

America's UA is good in the way that it is convenient and comfortable to play with, smoothing some things up if you will... but it offers nothing decisive.