What is your perferred Unique unit?

[Core Imposter]

Well, I am playing one last game of C3C before moving to C4 and I played the English. Men of War are neat, I must have fitty of them.

 

[Ataxerxes]

Well, I am playing one last game of C3C before moving to C4 and I played the English. Men of War are neat, I must have fitty of them.

I don't see where starting CivIV means you have to give up CivIII. The games are quite different and I alternate back and forth.

For a simple first game of IV I'd recommend Hatchepsut. And turn off a couple of things like Espionage and Events. The game is more complicated and, to quote a better writer, lacks CivIII's "elegant simplicity".

 

[Buttercup]

Just had my but kicked by Dutch Swiss Pikemen 1/4/1. They lure you into thinking they are weak by looking like pikemen but the stats are for Musketmen. Must be nice for the Dutch not to have to bother switching from pikies to Musketmen.

 

[Calis]

Just had my but kicked by Dutch Swiss Pikemen 1/4/1. They lure you into thinking they are weak by looking like pikemen but the stats are for Musketmen. Must be nice for the Dutch not to have to bother switching from pikies to Musketmen.

And they are half priced muskets.

 

[Verarde]

Which is why if I see the Dutch early, I always attack 'em before they reach the middle age. Or, if it is too late, I wait till their Mercenaries are obsolete.

 

[Calis]

Or, if it is too late, I wait till their Mercenaries are obsolete.

Which is in the Industrial Age...

 

[Buttercup]

Which is why if I see the Dutch early, I always attack 'em before they reach the middle age. Or, if it is too late, I wait till their Mercenaries are obsolete.

This is exactly what I tried to do, lol. They only had 3 towns just across my border, but on each load where I attacked them I was immediately attacked by a larger AI, either Babylon or Inca, depending on which was bigger at the point of invasion. In effect the AI has forced me to leave them until the Industrial Age, regardless of intent. I've wiped out 5 AI civs while waiting for it to give me an opportunity to march on them.

Things like this make you realise it's often you playing the game being played by the AI rather than you always dictating play (until you're might is so overwhelming it doesn't matter what the AI does). I think the popularity of the Industrial Age is so because the AI is making that age the player's age on the bigger maps. I've noticed lots of little time delays the AI likes to play. The AI really doesn't like the human dictating the play, even when it's allowing you to win.

 

[clearmurky]

Berserk is the best. As someone said earlier, a caravel full is good. The best assault plan in the early industrial era: Galleons with Riflemen, Cavalry, and Berserks (Possibly Armies), and Ironclads and Frigates defending. Take a beachhead, and spread out. I am playing a PBEM with Sparthage and my two brothers, I am Vikings, and my little bro is in Australia (I'm in China) I have a fleet of 10 Galleons with berserks filled. 40 Berserks. It'll get ugly.

 

[JRush18]

Mounted Warrior, Legionnaires, and Gallic Swordsman.

 

[jtb1127]

Legions are pretty awesome as well.

 

[clearmurky]

Agreed. jtb1127, I know this is , but what school do you go to. I live near (aprx. 20 mi. tops) you.

 

[uat2d]

F-16.

Not really, the Immortal.

Princeof_Persia, ask him that via PM please.

 

[clearmurky]

Sorry.

 

[Elephantium]

Just had my but kicked by Dutch Swiss Pikemen 1/4/1. They lure you into thinking they are weak by looking like pikemen but the stats are for Musketmen. Must be nice for the Dutch not to have to bother switching from pikies to Musketmen.

What's REALLY fun is playing as the Dutch ... and having no Iron on your continent!

 

[Lanzelot]

What's REALLY fun is playing as the Dutch ... and having no Iron on your continent!

Which happened to me in the TLDO PBEM...

 

[Buttercup]

From the 31 civs the following information I find fascinating and shall share:

15 civs have their Unique Unit in he Ancient age.
14 civs have their Unique Unit in the Medieval Age.
1 civ has their Unique Unit in the Industrial Age.
1 civ has their Unique Unit in the Modern Age.

26 civs have a standard land unit as their Unique Unit.
3 civs have a naval unit as their Unique Unit.
1 civ has a bombard unit as it's Unique Unit.
1 civ has an aeroplane as it's Unique Unit.

This is telling.

The civ which sticks out on both these lists is America. An aeroplane, the F-15, in the Modern Age. It should be obvious why this is the most disliked Unique Unit.

Closely followed by Korea. A bombard unit, the Hwatch'a late on in the Medieval age when everyone else is getting improved Cavalry or ships.

Portugal's ship, the Carrack is next down as it appears, again, late in the medieval age and who'd main advantage is resting in ocean squares. Nice, but requires a very specific gameplay to make it count before it's redundant. It's just not a fancy land unit.

Similarly, next down (or up in the case of this list) are both England with their ship the Man-O-War, available at the tail-end of Medieval and the Byzantine ship the Dromon available half-way through the Ancient Age. Again, they are just not fancy land units and require a more specific playing method to make them count. However, both are excellently aggressive.

Then there's Spain and it's bizzare Conquistadors that are Explorers with teeth. I've no doubt they have uses but their teeth are kind of blunt at the late medieval stage and so not really one to get over-excited over.

Then we get the raft of 'meh' land units to which each has a specific use, but none really wow. These are Zulu Impi Spearman 1/2/2, Sumerian Enkidu Warrior 1/2/1, Aztec Jaguar Warrior 1/1/2, Babylonian Bowmen 2/2/1, Egyptian War Chariot 2/1/2, Hittite Chariot 2/2/2, Incan Chasqui 1/1/2, Mongol Keshik 4/2/2.

Getting towards the hot stuff come the posse who have normal cool units but with increased speed for those who like to attack. These are Celtic Gallic Swordsmen 3/2/2, Arab Ansar Warrior 4/2/3, Chinese Rider Knight 4/3/3, Russian Cossak Cavalry 6/3/3 no obstacles, German Panzer Tank 16/8/3.

And on the same plateau are the king defenders for those who like to feel safe at home. These are Greek Hoplite Spearmen 1/3/1, Carthaginian Numidian Mercenary Spearmen 2/3/1, Dutch Swiss Mercenary Pikemen 1/4/1, French Musketeer 2/5/1.

Now moving onto the genuine excitement I suspect those that feel blessed are, in any order:

Persian Immortal Swordsmen 4/2/1 - the ONLY unit that contains a 4 in the Ancient Age

Roman Legion Swordsmen 3/3/1 - the ONLY unit that can kick ass in the Ancient Age and not have to worry about where they stop for tea.

Iroquios Mounted Warrior Horsemen 3/1/2 - The ONLY unit with an attack of 3 in the Ancient Age which doesn't require Iron. Fast also.

Mayan Javelin Thrower Archer 2/2/1 - As good as an archer can be in the Ancient Age but with the bonus that it can collect workers for you at a crucial time.

Viking Berserkers (a longbow upgrade bizzarely enough) 6/2/1 - The best land attack in it's era combined with the only way to invade a town directly by sea prior to Marines and Age or two away.

Japanese Samurai Knight 4/4/2 - the ONLY unit that can kick ass in the Medieval Age and not have to worry about where they stop for tea.

Indian War Elephant Knight 4/3/2 - They just look so awesome, easily the most fun animation in the game and an extra hit point also.

And finally, out in front as the best Unique Unit of them all, the Ottoman Sipahi Cavalry 8/3/3 - If anyone can fail to be impressed by this Unique Unit I'll eat my hat.

 

[uat2d]

I feel that the Sipahi isn't that impressive. Units like the Immortal appear much earlier and can make sure the Ottomans never even get to the Medieval Era, much less to their Cavalry.

Would you like a glass of water with your hat?

 

[Buttercup]

I feel that the Sipahi isn't that impressive. Units like the Immortal appear much earlier and can make sure the Ottomans never even get to the Medieval Era, much less to their Cavalry.

Would you like a glass of water with your hat?

By that logic, your Persian Immortals aren't that impressive as someone else's Iroquois Mounted Horsemen have already wiped you out while you're still scouring the map for Iron. I'm not eating my hat for that nonsense

 

[ChaosArbiter]

Closely followed by Korea. A bombard unit, the Hwatch'a late on in the Medieval age when everyone else is getting improved Cavalry or ships.

H'waccha is Lethal Land Bombard, though, and as strong as Artillery. I rather doubt they're second-lowest on the UU scale.

Similarly, next down (or up in the case of this list) are both England with their ship the Man-O-War, available at the tail-end of Medieval and the Byzantine ship the Dromon available half-way through the Ancient Age. Again, they are just not fancy land units and require a more specific playing method to make them count. However, both are excellently aggressive.

Man-o-War is indeed lackluster, but the Dromon doesn't really require a "more specific playing method" - unless you consider Archipelago maps a "more specific playing method." It's a more powerful Galley with Lethal Sea Bombard. It's viable straight through to the end of the Medieval Age.

Russian Cossak Cavalry 6/3/3 no obstacles,

Hm? Cossacks have Blitz, and they're affected normally by terrain. Keshiks, on the other hand, move normally through Hills and Mountains.

Roman Legion Swordsmen 3/3/1 - the ONLY unit that can kick ass in the Ancient Age and not have to worry about where they stop for tea.

Persian Immortals don't have to worry about where they stop for tea, either, since they've killed everything in their path.

Iroquios Mounted Warrior Horsemen 3/1/2 - The ONLY unit with an attack of 3 in the Ancient Age which doesn't require Iron. Fast also.

Ancient Cavalry says hi.

And finally, out in front as the best Unique Unit of them all, the Ottoman Sipahi Cavalry 8/3/3 - If anyone can fail to be impressed by this Unique Unit I'll eat my hat.

*Fails to be impressed* Really, I'd put Cossacks ahead of Sipahis. Sure, Sipahis can hit harder, but if you've got Cannon/Artillery softening up the targets - or are advanced enough - then Cossacks are a much better choice, as you can kill the enemy faster thanks to Blitz. Sipahis are good, yes - but I wouldn't call them the best.

 

[Buttercup]

H'waccha is Lethal Land Bombard, though, and as strong as Artillery. I rather doubt they're second-lowest on the UU scale.

Aw, c'mon, who wants a bombard unit as their Unique Unit...

the Dromon doesn't really require a "more specific playing method" - unless you consider Archipelago maps a "more specific playing method."

That would be what I meant, yes, lol

Hm? Cossacks have Blitz, and they're affected normally by terrain. Keshiks, on the other hand, move normally through Hills and Mountains.

I got my horses confused on this one *holds hands up*. Attacking multiple times a turn, like tanks do later, is awesome, but still stays in the category I placed it in as Cavalry rarely end their first encounter without losing a couple of Hit Points so making a second attack from the same unit only occasionally useful, though great when it is in operation. The Sipahis are unlikely to lose many Hit Points.

Persian Immortals don't have to worry about where they stop for tea, either, since they've killed everything in their path.

except the horses which are out of vision and can take them down at their leisure.

Ancient Cavalry says hi.

True, and likewise Crusaders are the only unit with an attack of 5 with or without resources, and I was tempted to include them but they're not civ specific, anyone can have them. Perhaps my wording was confusing/vague.

but if you've got Cannon/Artillery softening up the targets

Why on earth would a unit which can move 9 squares a turn want to wait for a unit travelling 3 squares a turn. Believe me, I've tried to use catapults and canons etc before rail and not once has one ever made it to the front line of a Cavalry clean-up. I'm not eating my hat for that nonsense