What's so great about gallic swordsmen?

[Master Shake]

I've seen a couple fo comments to the effect that Gallic Swordsmen are one of the best units in the game?

Why? They are exactly like swordsmen, but they just move faster. What's the big advantage to moving faster? It all comes down to the combat numbers in the end anyway, doesn't it?

Please explain, thank you.

-mS

 

[rabies]

The retreat capability from the extra movement is a HUGE difference. The retreat capability means less dead gallic swordsmen overall. This capability should never be underestimated. Great unit...one of my favorites. Even better now that shield cost went down.

 

[Master Shake]

Silly silly me! I should have thought of that!

It's all coming into focus for me now, thanks!

I really need to play more military-focussed games so I can learn for myself and refrain from asking dumb questions...

Here's another question though--how do people like Ansar Warriors and chinese Riders? They also have just a movement bonus, but it doesn't add a retreat capability because they would have had that anyway...

-mS

 

[Master Shake]

ummm...

That was supposed to be under "what's so great about gallic swordsmen"....

Sorry about that...

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Because they can move faster. It allows you to move them faster into different areas that need units to defend or to attack someone. Also, the Ansar Warrior is cheaper

 

[rabies]

Two other superb UUs. The real strength of having a 3 movement unit (like cavalry) is the ability to stay in your territory, then attack and capture enemy cities in one turn without having to spend a turn in enemy territory. This really, really helps with war weariness. This lets you much more effectively wage war in a republic/feudalism. Plus, you can generally just conquer the world that much faster with these units.

I never thought much about the ansar warrior, but after playing GOTM 23, I realized that this was a very good UU. I've always been a fan of the chinese rider. I would rate both of these in the top 5 UUs in the game - in PTW...I may have to change my mind based on changed introduced in conquest.

 

[Master Shake]

I was thinking and just realized another advantage: Having greater speed makes it more likely that you are the one who gets to choose the battlefield.

You are less likely to get cought in a bad defensive position, more likely to be able to take advantage of your enemy's bad defensive positions...

Right? Right? Am I right?

-mS

 

[Padma]

Merged this with "Gallic Swordsmen" thread.

 

[Beam]

Imo the main advantage of fast moving units is that they can attack from favourable defense positions, i.e. in a campaign from a city conquered previous turn or from a hill / mountain inside enemy terrain. Also fast units get at trouble spots faster and take less time to transport from production to destination.

With that respect the Gallic Swordsman basically is a very early Knight.

 

[Louis XXIV]

3 move units can almost decide when they want to attack. A Knight has 2 moves, an Ansar Warrior has 3. The Ansar Warrior can stay 3 squares away and still attack (even if a Knight tries to attack, it will come up one square short, allowing the Ansar to attack).

 

[mdm]

Lower shield cost now? Wow, the Celts must kick even more ass now.

 

[Bam-Bam]

The gallics are probably more balanced now @ 40 shields, because the Celts are no longer militaristic. I haven't yet played the Celts in C3C, but the gallics were definately balanced @ 50 shields with the militaristic trait.

 

[Sukenis]

Never forgot that the ansar warriors and riders can retreat for combat with a knight. This has saved more than one unit for me. A knight fortified in a town is just a effective os a defender as a pikeman, but another knight attacking it can not retreat. This is not so for the arabs & chinese.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I always thought the Gallics were overpriced in PTW, so I think a price reduction was only fair.

 

[rabies]

Originally posted by Sukenis
Never forgot that the ansar warriors and riders can retreat for combat with a knight. This has saved more than one unit for me. A knight fortified in a town is just a effective os a defender as a pikeman, but another knight attacking it can not retreat. This is not so for the arabs & chinese.

Are you sure abou this? I did not think this was the case. I thoughts units with retreat capabilities could only retreat from 1 move units defending. I don't think I have ever seen my ansars/riders retreat from other knights...maybe I've been unlucky.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I'm fairly certain that 3-move units cannot retreat from 2-move ones. Modern Armor never retreats from Mechanized Infantry.

 

[BabyDragon]

maybe all of you were forgotten something that COSSACKS have 6/6/3, and BLITZ. It was WONDERFUL. you can defeat 2 spearman, and capture the city. (or much more stratergier think available)

BLITZ is why I love Modern Armor.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Your right TLC. If you read the civilopedia, it clearly states that fast units cannot retreat from other fast units.

Originally posted by BabyDragon
COSSACKS have 6/6/3, and BLITZ.

I think you mean 6.3.3

 

[BabyDragon]

OH! what a GREAT MISTAKE!!

sorry. 6/3/3.