Which unit Kicks off your first big war?

[DarkSchneider]

In a lot of games, I do a little bit of warring throughout, but I don't get really serious until I have researched up to Riflemen. At what point do you usually go on the offensive?

 

[Drofd]

well pretty obviously the praetorian is a pretty good lead unit

 

[Wreck]

Quechua if I am Incas. I have not played Cyrus or Hatty, but those UUs look decent for it too. Usually axemen, sometimes riflemen.

 

[b-dubb]

axemen are the first unit i think you can effectivly go on the offensive with, they're just so much fun! *chop chop*

 

[jlindy]

I generally try to hold off until I can do the combined arms thing, so my answer is all of the above... well exept for not warmongering.

 

[Aelfred]

I play a defensive game and usually only take the offensive after repelling an attack. I focus on being 1 unit upgrade over the AI. When I'm English, Redcoats are nice.

 

[naf4ever]

the warrior is HANDS DOWN the best unit to kick off a war with. I tend to fortify them on a forest square right next to the enemies capital soon after the game begins. This causes them mental angst especially if they are a human player. It also slows them down greatly as they become paranoid to let a settler or worker out of their base without having it heavily escorted...

 

[S.ilver]

Axemen are an excellent unit to kick off an attack with, although Catapults are almost a necessity to reduce casualties if the enemy has archer defenses.

I don't really like Swordsmen, as Axes counter them extremely effectively, and their city raider bonus doesn't really make up for it, considering I can promote Axemen to city raider.

Failing an early assault (due to distance or whatever), I WILL roll out with a maceman force, because there should be plentiful catapults by then.

 

[Periander]

Chop rush a bunch of axemen to carve out a neighbour and a few free cities. However my 'take over the world' unit is Redcoats.

 

[Archbob]

If I'm Russian, the Cossack, if not infantry. Actually I kick off my war with the destroyer.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Usually with Axemen, but it can depend on my situation.

 

[ToV]

I usually wait until I have Catapults before I go on a rampage. There's usually enough barbarians to keep me busy until then (and beyond), anyway.

 

[AngryPants]

Quechua if I am Incas. I have not played Cyrus or Hatty, but those UUs look decent for it too. Usually axemen, sometimes riflemen.

Those UUs are more than decent.

 

[A+ombomb]

So where is the horsearcher/chariot? Also, it depends on if its single player or multiplayer. In multiplayer, horsearchers are one of the best early offensive units for their annoyance factor, then switch up to axe/catapult for the kill.

 

[Archbob]

Do you guys play on smaller sized maps. I play mainly on huge Archipelago maps and you need a good navy to start any war.

 

[spidermel]

O to be Catherine the Great. The Cossack kicks *. I find myself usually fighting against bows and arrows with guns. Never bring a sword or arrow to a gun fight!

 

[Kietharr]

Cho-Ko-Nu usually, but if I need a war earlier i'll use axemen and horse archers.

 

[Zombie69]

Toss up between axeman and warrior, but i chose warrior.

 

[petertr2000]

Usually play Russia - and wait until Cossacks if I can.

 

[Mordraken]

Axemen, since it's a very early unit to get, and at that time the AI usually doesn't have anything more than one or maybe two archers defending their cities. This is the unit I use on my first major war, but they don't last any longer than that. I wouldn't go from one war into another (or crush one civ and move onto the next) without getting Catapaults in between.

I have found that an early attack is quite profitable from an empire-size perspective... (eventually)