what is the least impotant unit?
- Thread starter jtb
- Start date
Dark Ascendant
Darkness Ascending...
I always thought it was the chariot or the archer, since they always are no match for elephants and legions.
Ace
Emperor
Archers are good units early on. Especially at Diety level when you are researching toward Monothesism. Unless you sidetrack to get knights, archers are the only attack units you will have until you get crusaders. The other units you mention all have valuable uses (warriors make very cheap rifleman when you use Leo's Workshop). There are units I do not build often, like elephants, but I will use them if I bribe them or pop them out of a hut. The only unit I consider really useless is the cruise missile, because I think a "one-shot" unit is too wastefull of resources. But some players use them to scout and/or block partisans from appearing when they capture a city, so even this unit has a use.
The least important unit really just depends on your style of play. Some units are really neat, like paratroopers and marines, or tanks and howies,or fighters and bombers, but if your into democracy and you use spies to bribe every city in site, you don't need many offensive units, just a bunch of rifleman to garrison your cities.
For example, one of my favorite units is the Marine, but I hardly every build any of them because Cavalry is the same on attack AND moves two, and I rarely ever need to make an amphib assault on an enemy city. If I cannot bribe it, I will pound it with a battleship and than just walk in with a Cav unit. :tank:
The least important unit really just depends on your style of play. Some units are really neat, like paratroopers and marines, or tanks and howies,or fighters and bombers, but if your into democracy and you use spies to bribe every city in site, you don't need many offensive units, just a bunch of rifleman to garrison your cities.
For example, one of my favorite units is the Marine, but I hardly every build any of them because Cavalry is the same on attack AND moves two, and I rarely ever need to make an amphib assault on an enemy city. If I cannot bribe it, I will pound it with a battleship and than just walk in with a Cav unit. :tank:
KingWilly
Melbournite
When I first started playing, I used to think the Caravan was a useless unit. But that was before I knew the efects of trade routes and science etc.
I would have to agree with Ace and say that the cruise missile is probably the least important unit. The fact that it is wasted after one attack, and can sometimes be deflected makes it a waste of resources.
I would have to agree with Ace and say that the cruise missile is probably the least important unit. The fact that it is wasted after one attack, and can sometimes be deflected makes it a waste of resources.
Originally posted by jtb
it is kind of hard to say but i would choose explorers and warriors.
i'll try and think of more.
Explorer - comes with Seafaring, which is great for the Harbor, if nothing else. I use one or two Explorers to map out the right routes for building roads between my capital and outlying cities in order to reduce waste and corruption. They are also useful when you have a massive single continent with lots of rough terrain, like GOTM20...
Warrior - first unit you get, only 10 shield unit, very useful for IPRB, build them cheap for martial law, then build a bunch before Leos and they all convert to musketeers...
AnarchyBoy
Despot
I use explorers all the time, especially on large continents or if there's a lot of hills, forest, swamp, and other squares that slow mounted units down. That being said, I'd agree that warriors are the most useless. I don't think I've ever built one. I also find the alpine troops are of little use. By that stage of the game there are too many other stronger units I can use. I don't build fanatics too often either.
cameramano
Television Cameraman
Nuclear Missiles!
By the time you get them howizers are coming to the fore. Why use a nuc when you can use a whole boatload of howies?
That doesn't even factor in the pollution. You need as many engineers as you would need howies!
I agree... nukes are fun, and have special use in conjunction with paratroopers to split big civs... but they are the least used unit by the most people.
By the time you get them howizers are coming to the fore. Why use a nuc when you can use a whole boatload of howies?
That doesn't even factor in the pollution. You need as many engineers as you would need howies!
I agree... nukes are fun, and have special use in conjunction with paratroopers to split big civs... but they are the least used unit by the most people.
Remorseless
Relentless
Ancient -- Chariot (might be Elephant, but I dig the sound effects)
Middle Ages - Crusaders (too weak of a defense strength)
Modern - Fanatics (same stats as Riflemen, and I just hate the icon)
Middle Ages - Crusaders (too weak of a defense strength)
Modern - Fanatics (same stats as Riflemen, and I just hate the icon)
Ace
Emperor
Not so fast. very early in the game when a chariot pops out of a hut and all the AI/barbs have are horsemen, the chariot is king. Later, the crusader is the best offensive unit until the arrival of cavalry! (ok, it sucks on defense, but if you are using crusaders for defense, you are badly misusing your units!) And the Fanatic (4-4) is not as strong on the attack as the riflemen (5-4)! I agree with you regarding the icon, but, fanatics do make a cheap garrison unit later in the game if your playing fundy.
I, personally, have a hang-up about leaving any city undefended, ( even through the logic makes sense, and the top players do it to conserve shields) so I will sometimes use fanatics or partisans to garrison "safe" cities at the core of my empire. The thought of a stray barb or errant paratrooper droping in unopposed just bugs me, and I have also found that with a good railroad system, the garrison troops in the middle of an empire can be immediately available anywhere if additional troops are suddenly needed.
I, personally, have a hang-up about leaving any city undefended, ( even through the logic makes sense, and the top players do it to conserve shields) so I will sometimes use fanatics or partisans to garrison "safe" cities at the core of my empire. The thought of a stray barb or errant paratrooper droping in unopposed just bugs me, and I have also found that with a good railroad system, the garrison troops in the middle of an empire can be immediately available anywhere if additional troops are suddenly needed.
Dark Ascendant
Darkness Ascending...
At least hate units for practical reasons.
These three units are helpful in their respective time periods, if you don't like them, us them better.
ArmOrAttAk
Warlord
Warriors are great for cheap, quick marshal law and 10 shield riflemen. Far from useless IMO.
Explorers are one of my favorite units. Move 3 over any terrain, finds the best city locations(special resources) quick, finds tons of gold, units, settlers, NONES, and most importantly: reveals all the land way quicker than anything else. Knowing is half the battle, etc
Archers are great to find in goody huts along with chariots. Move them next to an enemy city, demand tribute, use them to catch barb leaders, etc
Then somebody said crusaders! I disagree hehe, they are offensive kings of their time, don't use them for defense silly
Fanatics are good because they're cheap, free support, just as good as a rifleman on defense - which makes up the bulk of my defenders at that time.
Now that I've got that out.. My vote is for cruise missles, nuclear missles, and helicoptors as the least important units.
Explorers are one of my favorite units. Move 3 over any terrain, finds the best city locations(special resources) quick, finds tons of gold, units, settlers, NONES, and most importantly: reveals all the land way quicker than anything else. Knowing is half the battle, etc
Archers are great to find in goody huts along with chariots. Move them next to an enemy city, demand tribute, use them to catch barb leaders, etc
Then somebody said crusaders! I disagree hehe, they are offensive kings of their time, don't use them for defense silly
Fanatics are good because they're cheap, free support, just as good as a rifleman on defense - which makes up the bulk of my defenders at that time.
Now that I've got that out.. My vote is for cruise missles, nuclear missles, and helicoptors as the least important units.
Ace
Emperor
Helicopters!!! That is a unit I have been unable to find a real use for. Yeah, they can capture cities behind enemy lines, but paratroopers can do that and survive the counter attack. They are great against subs, but so are destroyers and destroyers don't die at the mere site of an enemy attack unit. So, I would have to say that helicopters are the one and only unit about which I cannot find something good to say in their behalf.
Remorseless
Relentless
"At least hate them for practical reasons"
C'mon! Chariots and Elephants have exactly the same stats, and both are equally effective against barbs/AI or ineffective, depending on what's going on. So what's the difference? I like the Elephant trumpet -- big whoop.
Nice point on the fundamentalists, though. They are cheap garrison troops, but that's about it -- and I thought we were talking about the least effective unit. Compared to guerillas or riflemen, the Fundy's cousins, Fundy's are only good because they're cheap, not effective.
"Practical reasons" -- hey, it's a game, not heart surgery.
At least I don't put cutesy message icons in my posts.
C'mon! Chariots and Elephants have exactly the same stats, and both are equally effective against barbs/AI or ineffective, depending on what's going on. So what's the difference? I like the Elephant trumpet -- big whoop.
Nice point on the fundamentalists, though. They are cheap garrison troops, but that's about it -- and I thought we were talking about the least effective unit. Compared to guerillas or riflemen, the Fundy's cousins, Fundy's are only good because they're cheap, not effective.
"Practical reasons" -- hey, it's a game, not heart surgery.
At least I don't put cutesy message icons in my posts.
Dark Ascendant
Darkness Ascending...
1. EXACTLY the same stats, I think not.
2. WAR IS NOT A GAME!
3. Perhaps the reason why you don't use the "cutesy message icons" is because you can't see any practical reason for it.
: 
Boli
Warlord
They are REALLY useful... when they turn up your units are starting to split into "defensive" and "offensive" units. Crusaders are really very useful because
1: It allows you to go on a crusade for no reason whatsoever
2: They are mobile artillery... They can move right up to a enemy city and still attack whereas the cataput cannot.
Only problem is, is when the city has city walls... but then that stops everything untill you get the cannon.
Remember you don't need defensive in an attacking unit you get there and send your other crusders out to mop up the rebeles untill you have built a defensive unit.
1: It allows you to go on a crusade for no reason whatsoever
2: They are mobile artillery... They can move right up to a enemy city and still attack whereas the cataput cannot.
Only problem is, is when the city has city walls... but then that stops everything untill you get the cannon.
Remember you don't need defensive in an attacking unit you get there and send your other crusders out to mop up the rebeles untill you have built a defensive unit.
funxus
Orange Cycloptic Blob
The title of this thread is "what is the least impotant unit?", which I assume is a typo and really is important, and not least effective.
I hardly ever go to war early on, but when I do, I rather use elephants and chariots than horsemen, because they are better and therefore aren't the least important units. Early on the explorers are the least important, because you can easily manage without them. In modern era I agree with fanatics, because I hardly ever go Fundie and therefore never get the chance to build them.
I hardly ever go to war early on, but when I do, I rather use elephants and chariots than horsemen, because they are better and therefore aren't the least important units. Early on the explorers are the least important, because you can easily manage without them. In modern era I agree with fanatics, because I hardly ever go Fundie and therefore never get the chance to build them.
Remorseless
Relentless
Dark A--
War is not a game-quite true, and as someone who has been shot at, I can guarantee you are correct.
However, Civ2 is a game. There is a difference. You like the chariots, cool, dude.
To explain further on my selection of Crusader -- yes, they are nice offensive weapons, but my preferred method of using combat to conquer a city is to haul up the slow yet powerful catapults and or cannon, and to do that, you need to have a faster-moving defensive unit to dig in outside the city walls. It's amazing to me how few AI's build road systems that enable faster transport. Thus, the lowly knight is superior because of its defensive strength, and dragoons are Crusaders with a good defensive strength. Still, diplomats and spies are much more cost effective.
However, having said that, I dearly do love unleashing two or three veteran Crusaders on free-roaming AI military or the Barb horde. Like a hot knife through butter. You can almost hearing the screaming....
War is not a game-quite true, and as someone who has been shot at, I can guarantee you are correct.
However, Civ2 is a game. There is a difference. You like the chariots, cool, dude.
To explain further on my selection of Crusader -- yes, they are nice offensive weapons, but my preferred method of using combat to conquer a city is to haul up the slow yet powerful catapults and or cannon, and to do that, you need to have a faster-moving defensive unit to dig in outside the city walls. It's amazing to me how few AI's build road systems that enable faster transport. Thus, the lowly knight is superior because of its defensive strength, and dragoons are Crusaders with a good defensive strength. Still, diplomats and spies are much more cost effective.
However, having said that, I dearly do love unleashing two or three veteran Crusaders on free-roaming AI military or the Barb horde. Like a hot knife through butter. You can almost hearing the screaming....
Dark Ascendant
Darkness Ascending...
This entire forum is dedicated to finding and posting (there's that word again) practical uses of units, of resources, cities, etc. You can obviously give reasons to back up your prior post, so why don't you state them when someone (like me) challenges your posts, instead of petty name calling. That's behavior that doesn't belong here.
Remorseless
Relentless
Dark A--, I was not engaging in petty name calling. I merely forgot how to spell Ascendant. Mea cupla.
