"Wow i didnt know this unit even exists"

[Bloodied66]

However, the retreat ability of the knight adds great survivability, and one unit is cheaper than two. Third, the knight can get to the battlefield much quicker. The high movement rate also allows for a knight to sit on a mountain (6 defense), wait for an enemy unit to go by, ride out to take it out, and then back onto the mountain. Longbows are stuck in the open, so you need to send your pikemen out there as well, where it only has 3 defense.

That said, you can't just send knights alone. Use pikemen to defend knights when possible, and to defend captured cities.

 

[geonnyboy]

I love fighting in the industrial and modern ages and I can't express enough how freakin awesome Radar Artillary is. Not only does it look cool (Missle pod! Sweet!) but it can retreat after bombarding! Plus by the time I get the ability to build them I have over a dozen cities that can pump them out in 3 turns or less. Definitally one of the best units that doesn't get it's due.

Just my opinion.

 

[gunkulator]

I'll take 2 moves and retreat over a low (2 iirc) defensive bombard anyday. If you brought along trebuchets like you should, your stack gets a defensive bombard of 6. Yes, you still need a couple pikes, but that's mostly to act as city defense. For smaller outlying towns, you need only knights which cna be quickly redeployed.

IMHO, a decent early middle ages stack consists of 1 part pikes to 3 parts trebs to 3 parts knights. If you lack horses you need a good deal more MDI/longbows than you would knights since you're gonna lose more of them.

 

[Jack the Ripper]

I think mostly the units that can be built towards the end. I have never once built a radar artillary, never once a AEGIS cruser. I think naval units in general are quite easy to overlook, especially the submarine. The most useful ones are the transports, for obvious reasons. I love the privateer though, attack anyone (and everyone) and never get attacked back .

I think the early air units are very important and always stock up on bombers. For some reason though, even though the stelth bombers are cool, i rarly build them/feel the need for them.

Chariots are wortless, as well as horsemen. Most other early units are very helpful in unique ways, all complimenting each other.

Explorers? EXPLORERS? :suicide:

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

Explorers? EXPLORERS?

Those guys rule. For odd reasons, Firaxis just called them wrong - "Pillagers" fits better .

 

[Longasc]

AEGIS Cruiser. I remember that I built some in one early Monarch game.

 

[Aggie]

I used to agree with Doc T on explorers (vanilla and PTW), but now we have armies that can do the job just as well. In C3C the AI hardly attacks them...

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

Sure, Armies do that job well. But a Rifle Army with 6+ Explorers is even better.

Compared to things like Stealth Planes, Cruise Missiles or AEGIS Cruisers, Explorers are great. Compared to, say, MDI or Mobile SAM, they suck.
I'd rate them among Subs, Ironclads, Helis.

 

[stormbind]

Those guys rule. For odd reasons, Firaxis just called them wrong - "Pillagers" fits better .

They can pillage? I never realised that..

Units I rarely build are: Chariot, Scout, Explorer, Helicopter, Stealth Bomber.

 

[Aggie]

@Doc T: True, I forgot about the army/6 explorer combo. This certainly is ultra strong.

 

[Cybernut]

Archers - only in emergencies

Longbowmen - very rarely

Chariots - never ... expect the Egypt UU when I need a GA

Musketmen and Riflemen** - often have them through upgrades, but unless absolutely necessary, will rarely build them. Never research the Riflemen tech until I trade for it later ... often after Rep Parts, making it somewhat irrelevant, and I usually take teh other tech route and then trade/research quickly thorugh the Chemistry line.

Fighters - never ... will invest in Jets if required for a modern war.

Stealth Aircraft - occasionally, but very situational - nuclear bombs tend to be flying around in my games at this stage

Marines, Para's, AEGIS, Heli's - rarely/never build these.

Jon

 

[Cybernut]

Sure, Armies do that job well. But a Rifle Army with 6+ Explorers is even better.

What is this if you don't mind me asking ... nerv heard of this.

Jon

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

Use a Defensive Army plus some Explorers (usually 6 are enough).
The Army won't be attacked, and can pillage 2 tiles per turn. Swarm out the Explorers -they are move 2 ATAR in a way the can pillage a tile and run back under the Army to be completely safe from attacks. That means 8 pillaged tiles without any risk. Especially useful with Musket/Pike Armies before the MilAc can be built (and thus you can't build more Armies solely for pillaging), and late game on the highest levels, when you can only effectively attack MI -defended cities with MA Armies, and thus cannot afford to use Armies for pillaging.
Only real disadvantage is that Explorers cannot airlift, that often limits their usefulness (you need all transport capacity for Ari, which is even more important).