What is Your Favorite Unique Unit?

[Bongo-Bongo]

My favourites are the Numidian Cavalry, the Redcoat and the War Chariot.

The Numidian Cavalry is perfect for feild battles. If you use them to scout ahead and clear the path of any approaching enemies, your main attacking force will be given a clear route to the battlefield. It might be poor at city attack and have a reduction in strength, but the bonuses more then make up for this.

I love the Redcoat because it is often the begining of the end for my games as the English. Although, Infantry often aren't too far behind Redcoats, if you make the most of them, many of your rivals should be dead or severly crippled by the time you can upgrade to infantry anyway so they've been well worth it. Upgrading a CR Maceman to a Redcoat just makes it even better. Playing as Churchill they made that little bit more powerful still due to his Protective trait.

The War Chariot makes a great early rush unit. In a game as Egypt where I had access to no metal at the start, I was able to conquer half of Mali very early on using just War Chariots, allowing me to gain access to a vital Iron resource. I see no reason to ever build a horse archer whilst playing as Egypt as the War Chariot is half the cost, and is far superior.

Although it's not as good as the previous 3, I also have a fondness for the Camel Archer. In my game as Saladin, I had access to neither Iron or Horses so being able to build the Camel Archer saved my bacon.

 

[The Navy Seal]

Kartik Sad but true.

 

[rustydusty10]

The Numidian Cavalry is perfect for feild battles. If you use them to scout ahead and clear the path of any approaching enemies, your main attacking force will be given a clear route to the battlefield. It might be poor at city attack and have a reduction in strength, but the bonuses more then make up for this.

Totally agree, Numidian Cavalries make great fog busters!! and the extra recon intel can save you alot of units if u can spot the enemy approching that 1 turn earlier.

 

[Gaizokubanou]

I love Panzers, but I think they are next to worthless.

 

[Stormfalcon1970]

You better believe the Redcoats are coming! Heh heh!
My stack of CR Redcoats is making short work of the Germans in my current game. A smaller stack of 8 defensive Reds, originally moved up from behind the lines in order to take over occupation of captured cities, actually took over a couple of size 6 cites by themselves. WITHOUT Cannon and Cav support!

"Must...kill...Germans...before...Panzer!"

Oh! And my CD RCs are beating back Bismark's allied Persian Cavs and Cannons nicely.

"What was that? A Swordsman?!? Ya got to be kidding me!"

The Redcoat is now my FAV UU!

Why should we hate others because of their race or nationality or creed....
WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY REAL REASONS TO HATE OTHERS!!!
- EMO PHILLIPS -​

 

[The Navy Seal]

rustydusty10 I actually call the numids a chicken with all those retreat bonuses.

 

[AncientPlayer]

My new favorite is the Keshik--sorta. I've been messin' with the Mongols to see if I could tweak them so they'd act like the hordes but not be overwhelming after the advent of gunpowder. Just tweaked the Keshik to not have any maint cost and gave them a 2nd free promotion. Has had the desired (by me) effect in making the Mongols able to field a massive army of Keshiks who can overwhelm just about anything--although the Roman Praetorian halted my conquests until I could bring up a horde of cat's. Yeah, I know apples 'n' oranges but its been fun and I had been frustrated playing the Mongols because I couldn't really field a satisfying horde because of the cost.

 

[braindrain]

I'm absolutely in love with the janissarys, what with their sexy uniforms and mustaches that would make any fast worker jealous!

just get em early and they'll roll over everything for several hundread years... what else could a guy ask for?

about all your redcoat fans...not everyone likes to play on easy mode...besides it's better to kill off the english before they get those dandy tea-drinkers with ugly hats!

 

[Watiggi]

I like the Keshik a lot now - especially with the Ger and the base 20% withdrawl they now have. With the Ger, Vassalage and Theocracy, they can have Flanking I, II and Sentry - perfect for pillaging, scouting the enemies units and attacking cities/units. The -10% city attack I think is just to balance them out, because attacking a city with a strength 6 unit with 50%+ withdrawl (the '+' coming from the Warlord's tactics promotion) is quite strong. I quite like making Warlord Keshiks too - with 80% withdrawl. I just sooo wish that withdrawl also worked on defense. That would make for the 'perfect' Keshik.

Another is the Jag. I build them even if I have iron. For one thing, I don't have to worry about building workers in order to link up the iron all before I can build my army and two, I don't have to build roads to link up my cities before I start to mass build my army with multiple cities. I don't have to build workers or settlers as I can capture the workers and cities! Because I don't have to do any of that, I can safely start building my city attack army right away without wasting hammers and food on workers or settlers. The Jags attack in numbers and it is very easy to do this with Slavery, the Jags and with the Sacrificial Altar. I also don't have a problem attacking an enemy who has Axemen as the Jaguar numbers just squashes them. An Axemen may get good odds against a Jag, but 2 or 3 Jaguars can take out an Axemen. Capturing and keeping more and more cities allows me to mass produce more and more of them. The Jaguar's strength is in numbers and comes from its ability to mass produce them fast and overwhelmes the enemy - not from the Jaguar units actually strength.

I have also played with the Numedian Cavalry. I quite like them. They make for great withdrawers and sentries. I haven't played them a lot though.

I have also tried to get the Gallic Warriors to work. I don't seem to be able to. I for the life of me cannot find the strategy for them. If someone has a good strategy with them, please let me know. I find that I am divided between making them either into great Guerilla units or make them into city attack units, but it takes quite a few promotions to get the unit to City Raider III, Guerrilla III. Attacking a city with Guerilla III isn't practical and Guerilla III unit really does nothing to an Axemen defending a resource or something, so I don't know. I can't see the logic here.

 

[Wodan]

I have also tried to get the Gallic Warriors to work. I don't seem to be able to. I for the life of me cannot find the strategy for them. If someone has a good strategy with them, please let me know. I find that I am divided between making them either into great Guerilla units or make them into city attack units, but it takes quite a few promotions to get the unit to City Raider III, Guerrilla III. Attacking a city with Guerilla III isn't practical and Guerilla III unit really does nothing to an Axemen defending a resource or something, so I don't know. I can't see the logic here.

I'd say trying to build an attack unit around the Guerilla promotion is a bad premise to start with. Instead, give some of your units CR, some Combat, some Guerilla.

Wodan

 

[Holycannoli]

The Jags attack in numbers and it is very easy to do this with Slavery, the Jags and with the Sacrificial Altar.

You bring up one gripe I have with the Aztecs in Warlords: Their UU and UB don't sync; they come too far apart in time. For me, usually by the time I have sacrificial altars my jaguars are starting to near obsolesence. I do get a couple turns to whip some jaguars but not as many as I'd like; macemen are very much on the horizon.

I understand that the sacrificial altar replaces courthouses, but their UU and UB really should come closer together in the tech tree. I guess there's no way to make that possible without changing what building the sacrificial altar replaces.

That said, I still like both jaguars and sacrificial altars. And I guess you can keep using jaguars once you build altars, if you're missing iron or you're not researching machinery right away. I usually want those macemen asap though.

 

[Watiggi]

I haven't found it a problem if you do a CoL slingshot (I play Normal speed). I got it really quickly and it worked wonders (no pun intended). I guess if you don't then you could do it the hard way, but I have attacked cities that have Longbowmen defending with Jags and cats and they still get the job done rather nicely. Try and go for the Oracle.

Have you ever noticed the number of GG's that appear for both you and your enemies when you do a Jag rush? Low odds of survival means that you loose often (giving the enemy lots of GG xp) and lots of GG xp for you when you win.

 

[Meatbuster]

If someone has a good strategy with them, please let me know.

The strategy with the Gallic Warriors begins with map selection. Pick Arid or Rocky climate.

 

[The Navy Seal]

Watiggi In Civ III they had retreat both when attacking and defending, I wonder if there's any way to fix that?

P.S Totally agree about the Keshik.

 

[ace94d]

I dont have Warlords. But I couldn't Find one on the regular Civ IV boards. So this is based on Civanilla. Also, I will list some other(if not all other) UUs and give my ratings(Because I have no life and nothing better to do). I will give my opinion then a rating on a scale of 1 to 10. 10 being high. 1 Low.

Keshik(Mongolia's UU): 6 ATK with a base 20% Withdraw Chance. Also it gets a nice First Strike.
I like to use Barrakcs and Theocary(Spelled right?)/Vassalage for Combat II or Combat I/shock Keshiks.
with Theo AND Vassalage They have 8 EXP and are almost ready for a good ol' Level 3 Comabt III, Comabt II/Shock, Combat II/Charge(Catapults? Never feared!), Combat II/Amphibious(Sea attack? ha!), Combat I/Medic II(Can heal you anywhere. Anytime. Ignoring Terrain Cost really shines on this build), Comat I/Shock/Pinch(Upgraded to Cavalary is cool. And it kills Melee Units. ^_^), Combat II/Formation, Combat I/Flanking II or even Flanking II/Sentry. 8/10

Cho-ko-nu(China's UU): 2 First Strikes, 50% VS. Melee. WHat more could you ask for? Collateral Damage. And they did! Might I recommend The Drill Pomotion Line. Some Other Good combos Are Combat I/Cover, Combat II, Combat I/Shock, City Garrison II(How do you dislodge these? all The City Raiders of this time are melee!) or even The obscure Gurilla II Fog Buster. 8/10

Fast Worker(India's UU): The 3 Movement means I can build Mines faster, Travel 2 Squares and still work it. Or connect a important Resource Faster(Getting that copper 2-3 Turns faster can be a life-saver!) 7/10

Musketeer(France's UU): Only useful If you don't have Iron/Horses and guilds. Because knights do this job better. Too bad I like the Civs This Gets(Louis XIV is one I seem to really like). Pretty Much it is always Combat I/Pinch. Then continue on the combat Line. 5/10

Navy SEAL(amercian's UU): Underrated. It gets a First Strike. Which is rare on Gunpowder units. I love March because I can Pillage and heal at the same time. Amphibious Is useful On the sea or accross rivers. And it destroys artillary on defense now. Not just Attack. Give it City Garrison for defence. Combat I/II and pinch. Follow up with ambush if it survives. 7/10

Panzer(Germanany's UU): It comes late. But it adds a nice 50% vs. Armored units. It starts with blitz. But Tanks do too. I hate to say it. But they are not that good. 4/10

Phalanx(Greece's UU): Add 1 Strength and 25% Hills Defence. Their only leader is alexander. Alexander is aggressive so it always gets Combat I. So it's more like 5.5. I like Combat I/Shock/Cover. Insuring it is a Top Notch Defender. Combat II/Formation is 125% VS. Mounted. They survive even against Knights. City Raider I/Cover is Lovely For City Attack. 7/10

Quecha(Incan's UU): Very Nice. The Only leader is agressive. This means Access To Shock and Cover. Combat I/Cover/Shock Quechas Rock. Quecha Rushes rock. Barracks Means you can build Combat I/Shock Quechas. 9/10

Jaguar(Aztec's UU): Resourceless Swordsman. But at the Loss of 1 Strength. All in all... It's OK. But is extremely Powerful in One-City-Challenge.
6/10
OCC:9/10

Cossack(Russia's UU): Amazing Unit. Rifleman Don't Stop it. And There isn't a Real "counter" Too it. The only "Counter" To it is infantry, Machine Guns(And they can't attack), Redcoats(Which is a UU) or another Cossack. 9/10 A true Monster.

Camel Archer(Arabia's UU): A Resourceless Knight. But unlike The jaguar. The Strength is The Same AND they add a 25% Withdraw chance.. So it is pretty good. 7/10

Conquistador(Spain's UU): It's a knight...WIth 2 First Strikes and 50% Vs. Melee! The best Combo is to Beeline To Blitz. So you'll End up with Combat III/Blitz. 9/10

Immortal(Persia's UU): 50% Vs. Archery Units. So 6 Vs. Archery. Good Early Unit. Can Take City's Well. 8/10

Redcoat(England's UU): Very Nice. 16 Strength, 25% VS. Gunpowder AND mounted units. There isn't much to say. It dominates. 9/10(It IS stoppable)

Samurai(Japan's UU): It's a maceman... With 2 First Strikes!!! ...It is pretty dominate With City Raider I/Cover Promotions .8/10

Skirmisher(Mali's UU): Pretty much it adds 1 First strike CHANCE and a strength Point. It's not bad. Especially Good Barb Buster. 6/10

War Chariot(Egpyt's UU): Very nice. 5 Strength(1 More then a regular Chariot) Pretty Powerful and it comes Early. 7/10

 

[Dampier]

I like samurai, redcoats, and musketeers (just cause they look good.)

 

[Spartan117]

arent vanillla chariots str4 not 3?

i like warlords impi. they also look cool.

but as i said the opening pages its all about the jaguars.

their animation looks cool and so do their artwork.

who cares that the strength is lower. my army looks cool.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Fast Workers and Praetorians are my favourite

 

[ace94d]

You're Right. Chariots are Strength 4.

 

[jimbob27]

Totally agree, Numidian Cavalries make great fog busters!! and the extra recon intel can save you alot of units if u can spot the enemy approching that 1 turn earlier.

I love Numidians. The best thing about them is that they don't have any hard counters. They're either good or average against everything, and bad against nothing. Due to the nature of civ, with the defending stack always picking the best unit to defend, Numidian cavalry are much better at attacking well defended cities than one would initially expect, because the best defender is never going to be that great against the numidians.